Sunday: Family
The family will want seconds of the SPICED PORK TENDERLOIN you prepare today. Combine 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1 teaspoon five-spice powder and 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle rub over 2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins and gently press it into pork. Grill 15 to 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Turn once. Remove from grill; cover with foil and let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Serve the juicy pork with BEANS AND PEAS WITH BUTTERMILK RANCH. Add COLESLAW and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Buy a LEMON MERINGUE PIE for dessert.
Plan
Save enough pork and pie for Monday.
Shopping List
dark brown sugar, coarse salt, five-spice powder, pepper, pork tenderloins, green beans, sugar snap peas, fresh or frozen green peas, Boston lettuce, buttermilk, low-fat mayonnaise, chives, fresh dill, garlic powder, onion powder, coleslaw, sourdough bread, lemon meringue pie.
BEANS AND PEAS WITH BUTTERMILK RANCH
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 10 minutes
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 pound thin green beans
- 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed
- 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas, thawed
- 1 small head Boston lettuce, cored and leaves torn
- DRESSING
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup snipped fresh chives, plus 1 tablespoon minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Freshly ground pepper and coarse salt to taste
Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan on high; add salt. Fill a bowl with additional ice water. Add green beans to boiling water and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until crisp-tender and bright green. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beans to ice water bath to cool. Add snap peas and green peas to boiling water and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Drain well; transfer to ice bath to cool. Drain beans and peas well and pat dry with paper towels.
For the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayonnaise, minced chives, dill, garlic powder and onion powder. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large serving bowl, toss the beans and peas with the lettuce, snipped chives and half the dressing. Serve immediately, passing additional dressing at the table. (Adapted from "Just Cook it!" by Justin Chapple, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.)
Per serving: 143 calories, 6 grams protein, 3 grams fat (16 percent calories from fat), 0.2 gram saturated fat, 25 grams carbohydrate, 1 milligram cholesterol, 841 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Use Monday's leftovers for PORK SANDWICHES. Make an APRICOT SPREAD for the bread: Combine 1/3 cup apricot preserves, 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar and a dash of soy sauce in a small pan. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Cool to room temperature.
Spread on whole-grain bread, top bread with sliced leftover pork and a lettuce leaf. Serve with a SPINACH SALAD. Slice the leftover PIE for dessert.
Shopping List
apricot preserves, seasoned rice vinegar, soy sauce, whole-grain bread, leaf lettuce, fresh spinach.
Tuesday: Express
Take it easy tonight and buy a BARBECUE ROTISSERIE CHICKEN for dinner. You'll want traditional sides from the deli, including POTATO SALAD and COLESLAW, plus WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. For dessert, fresh BLUEBERRIES are welcome.
Plan
Save any leftover chicken, potato salad, coleslaw and blueberries for Wednesday.
Shopping List
barbecue rotisserie chicken, deli potato salad, deli coleslaw, whole-grain rolls, fresh blueberries.
Wednesday: Budget
Make a low-cost B.C.L.T. SANDWICH tonight (bacon, leftover chicken, lettuce and tomato) on whole-grain toast. Serve the summer favorite with BAKED CHIPS and leftover POTATO SALAD and SLAW. Top VANILLA ICE CREAM with leftover BLUEBERRIES for dessert.
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Thursday.
Shopping List
bacon, lettuce, tomato, whole-grain bread, baked chips, vanilla ice cream.
Thursday: Kids
Call it messy and the kids will love it, so STICKY DRUMSTICKS are all about making your little angels happy. Brush chicken legs with orange marmalade and season with a little chili powder. Bake at 350 degrees on a foil-lined baking sheet for about 45 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees. As long as the fingers are sticky, CORN-ON-THE-COB will be perfect alongside. Add CARROT AND CELERY STICKS. For dessert, top leftover ICE CREAM with CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES.
Shopping List
chicken legs, orange marmalade, chili powder, corn-on-the-cob, carrots, celery, chocolate sprinkles.
Friday: Meatless
Try not to eat the whole batch of TOMATO STEW WITH CHICKPEAS yourself even though you might want to. Serve the stew with deli EGG SALAD on toasted WHOLE-WHEAT ENGLISH MUFFIN halves. Add a LETTUCE WEDGE. Dessert is CANTALOUPE SLICES.
Shopping List
olive oil, onion, garlic, canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes, canned reduced-sodium chickpeas, unsalted vegetable broth, tomato paste, dried rosemary, dried oregano, Greek seasoning, coarse salt, pepper, fresh baby spinach, parsley, crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese, deli egg salad, whole-wheat English muffins, lettuce, cantaloupe.
TOMATO STEW WITH CHICKPEAS
Servings: makes about 7 1/2 cups
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 30 minutes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 (14-ounce) can unsalted vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese for garnish
Heat oil in a Dutch oven at medium-high. Add onion and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, tomato paste, rosemary, oregano, Greek seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach and parsley; cook 5 minutes. Garnish with cheese and serve immediately.
Per cup: 100 calories, 5 grams protein, 2 grams fat (16 percent calories from fat), 0.3 gram saturated fat, 18 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 262 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
For a guest-worthy meal, try CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS, MUSHROOMS AND THYME. Serve with BROWN RICE, MIXED GREENS and BAGUETTES. PEACH SORBET is the perfect dessert.
Shopping List
reduced-sodium seasoned salt, boneless skinless chicken breasts, olive oil, asparagus, sliced crimini mushrooms, onion, cornstarch, dried thyme, unsalted chicken broth, dry white wine, half-and-half, brown rice, mixed greens, baguettes, peach sorbet.
CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS, MUSHROOMS AND THYME
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: about 20 minutes
- 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium seasoned salt
- 4 (5- or 6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces asparagus, cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
Sprinkle seasoned salt on chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove from skillet; cover and keep warm. Heat remaining oil. Add asparagus, mushrooms and onion; cook and stir 5 minutes. Meanwhile, mix cornstarch and thyme in a small bowl. Stir in broth and wine. Add to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in half-and-half. Cook until heated through. Serve over chicken.
Per serving: 289 calories, 34 grams protein, 11 grams fat (33 percent calories from fat), 1.8 grams saturated fat, 12 grams carbohydrate, 91 milligrams cholesterol, 221 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.