Sunday: Family
Treat the family like royalty and serve them GARLIC HERB ROAST PORK. Add MASHED POTATOES, steamed fresh BROCCOLI SPEARS, a RED-TIPPED LETTUCE SALAD and DINNER ROLLS. Top fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM with STRAWBERRIES for dessert.
Plan
Save enough pork and strawberries for Monday and enough ice cream for Tuesday.
Shopping List
boneless pork loin center roast, garlic, coarse salt, fresh or dried sage, fresh or dried rosemary, black pepper, olive oil, potatoes to mash, fresh broccoli, red-tipped lettuce, dinner rolls, fat-free vanilla ice cream, strawberries.
GARLIC HERB ROAST PORK
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: about 30 minutes; standing time: 10 minutes
- 2 pounds boneless pork loin center roast
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage, or 2 teaspoons dried
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Pat pork dry with paper towels; place in shallow roasting pan. In small bowl, stir together garlic, salt, sage, rosemary, pepper and olive oil to make a paste. Rub paste over all surfaces of pork loin; place in oven and roast for 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 300 degrees and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 145 degrees. Remove from oven, tent loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing to serve.
Per serving: 171 calories, 20 grams protein, 9 grams fat (49 percent calories from fat), 3.1 grams saturated fat, 1 gram carbohydrate, 51 milligrams cholesterol, 270 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Warm the leftover PORK for an easy meal. Toss cooked GREEN PEAS (from frozen) with RICE and stir in some chopped FRESH MINT. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Leftover STRAWBERRIES are dessert.
Shopping List
frozen green peas, rice, fresh mint, whole-grain rolls.
Tuesday: Express
Start with a few ingredients and end with CHICKEN-TABBOULEH TOSS. You'll need 2 cups cooked diced chicken (from a rotisserie chicken or other cooked chicken) and 2 cups tabbouleh from the deli. Toss them both with a ranch salad kit, using half the salad dressing. Mix in some toasted chopped walnuts. Serve with WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Scoop leftover ICE CREAM for dessert.
Shopping List
cooked chicken, deli tabbouleh, ranch salad kit, chopped walnuts, whole-grain rolls.
Wednesday: Budget
SALSA VERDE CHICKEN will save some money in a tasty way. Serve the easy entree over hot cooked BROWN RICE. Add deli COLESLAW and GARLIC BREAD. How about PEACHES for dessert?
Shopping List
boneless skinless chicken thighs, less-sodium taco seasoning mix, jar salsa verde, cilantro, avocado, brown rice, deli coleslaw, garlic bread, peaches.
SALSA VERDE CHICKEN
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 7 hours
- 2 pounds trimmed boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into chunks)
- 1 (1-ounce) packet less-sodium taco seasoning mix
- 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa verde
- Chopped cilantro and diced avocado for garnish
In a large bowl, combine chicken and seasoning mix; toss to coat. Arrange in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Spoon salsa verde over chicken. Cook 7 hours on low. Garnish with cilantro and avocado.
Per serving: 227 calories, 25 grams protein, 9 grams fat (37 percent calories from fat), 2.4 grams saturated fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 141 milligrams cholesterol, 575 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Thursday: Meatless
Keep that slow cooker working with LENTIL AND VEGETABLE STEW. Serve with MIXED GREENS and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Instant VANILLA PUDDING made with 1% milk and sprinkled with nutmeg is an easy dessert.
Shopping List
dried lentils, acorn squash, no-salt-added or regular marinara sauce, green bell pepper, baking potato, onion, garlic, frozen cut green beans, olive oil, mixed greens, sourdough bread, instant vanilla pudding, 1% milk, nutmeg.
LENTIL AND VEGETABLE STEW
Servings: makes 14 1-cup servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8 to 9 hours on low
- 1 1/2 cups dried lentils
- 3 cups water, plus 1/2 cup if needed
- 1 small acorn squash (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups no-salt-added or regular marinara sauce
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium baking potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut green beans
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Combine lentils and 3 cups water in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine squash, marinara sauce, bell pepper, potato, onion and garlic; mix well. Add to slow cooker. Cook on low 7 hours; add green beans and oil. If too thick, stir in additional water. Cook 1 more hour or until lentils and vegetables are done.
Per cup: 131 calories, 8 grams protein, 1 gram fat (9 percent calories from fat), no saturated fat, 24 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 56 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Friday: Kids
HAM, PROVOLONE AND PINEAPPLE MELT will satisfy kids and adults, too. Spread one side of 8 slices whole-grain bread with 1/2 teaspoon butter each. Place 4 slices bread, buttered side down, on griddle. Add 4 thin slices provolone cheese, 4 well-drained pineapple rings and 4 thin slices ham. Add second slices of bread, buttered side up. Cook at medium 3 to 4 minutes per side or until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. Serve with VEGETARIAN BAKED BEANS. Dip APPLE SLICES in VANILLA YOGURT for dessert.
Shopping List
whole-grain bread, butter, provolone cheese, pineapple rings, sliced ham, vegetarian baked beans, apples, vanilla yogurt.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite guests for ZESTY SHRIMP WITH GARLIC AND TOMATOES. Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a 1 1/2-quart baking dish, combine 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp with tails, 1 pint grape tomatoes (halved lengthwise), 1 packet (3/4-ounce) zesty Italian salad dressing mix, 1/4 cup dry white wine, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic and 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt; toss ingredients. Bake 20 minutes or until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Serve over ANGEL HAIR PASTA. Add SUGAR SNAP PEAS and a BAGUETTE. ALMOND COOKIES served with RASPBERRY SORBET make the perfect dessert.
Shopping List
uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp with tails, grape tomatoes, packet zesty Italian salad dressing mix, dry white wine, butter, garlic, coarse salt, angel hair pasta, sugar snap peas, baguette, almond cookies, raspberry sorbet.