Sunday: Family
Gather the family for delicious MAPLE MUSTARD-GLAZED PORK LOIN. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 2/3 cup maple syrup and coarse salt and pepper to taste; mix well. Spread evenly over 1 (3-pound) boneless pork loin roast. Place in a shallow roasting pan. Surround pork with 1 pound baby carrots and 6 medium red potatoes (halved). Bake 45 minutes or until internal temperature of pork reaches 145 degrees and vegetables are tender. Remove pan from oven; tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes. Slice pork and serve with vegetables.
Add a red and white sliced ENDIVE SALAD with light vinaigrette and DINNER ROLLS. Slice CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE and top with VANILLA ICE CREAM for dessert.
Plan
Save enough pork for Monday; save enough cake for Monday and Thursday. Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
Shopping List
Dijon mustard, lower-sodium soy sauce, cider vinegar, maple syrup, coarse salt, pepper, boneless pork loin roast, fresh baby carrots, red potatoes, red endive, white endive, light vinaigrette, dinner rolls, chocolate layer cake, vanilla ice cream.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Use the Sunday leftovers for BARBECUE PORK SANDWICHES. Chop or shred the leftovers and mix with chili sauce and a little ketchup. Heat and spoon onto toasted whole-grain hamburger buns. Serve with vegetarian BAKED BEANS and deli COLESLAW. Slice the leftover CAKE for dessert.
Shopping List
chili sauce, ketchup, whole-grain hamburger buns, vegetarian baked beans, deli coleslaw.
Tuesday: Kids
This PIZZA CASSEROLE will please the kids (and adults, too). Serve the easy entree with deli CARROT SALAD and BREAD STICKS. For dessert, FRESH PINEAPPLE topped with SHREDDED COCONUT is good.
Plan
Save enough carrot salad for Wednesday.
Shopping List
wagon wheel pasta (or another shape), reduced-fat Italian sausage, jar no-salt-added marinara sauce, dried minced onion, dried oregano, dried basil, pepper, mozzarella, deli carrot salad, bread sticks, fresh pineapple, shredded coconut.
PIZZA CASSEROLE
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: less than 25 minutes, plus pasta
- 8 ounces wagon wheel pasta (or another shape)
- 8 ounces reduced-fat Italian sausage
- 1 (24- to 28-ounce) jar no-salt-added marinara sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 8 ounces thinly sliced mozzarella cheese
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions; drain. Meanwhile, break apart sausage and cook in a large nonstick skillet on medium for 5 to 7 minutes or until cooked through; drain. In a 2 1/2-quart baking dish, combine cooked sausage, marinara sauce, onion, oregano, basil and pepper; mix well. Add cooked pasta; blend well. Cover top completely with cheese slices. Bake 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is hot. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 322 calories, 21 grams protein, 9 grams fat (25% calories from fat), 4.2 grams saturated fat, 37 grams carbohydrate, 43 milligrams cholesterol, 546 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Wednesday: Express
Make CHICKEN QUESADILLAS for a fast meal. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place 4 whole-grain flour tortillas on a baking sheet in 1 layer and bake 5 minutes. Spread 2 tortillas with 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies and top with 1 (8- to 10-ounce) package cooked carved chicken breast, 1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese and then another tortilla. Bake 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into wedges and serve with leftover CARROT SALAD. For dessert, PEARS are sure to please.
Shopping List
whole-grain flour tortillas, canned chopped green chilies, packaged cooked carved chicken breast, shredded Mexican-blend cheese, pears.
Thursday: Budget
CAJUN CHICKEN WITH CHILI CREAM SAUCE is easy on the budget. Serve it with RICE, a MIXED GREEN SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Dessert is leftover CAKE.
Shopping List
boneless skinless chicken breasts, no-salt-added or less-sodium Cajun seasoning, olive oil, less-sodium less-fat cream of chicken soup, canned chopped green chilies, lime, reduced-fat sour cream, rice, mixed greens, whole-grain rolls.
CAJUN CHICKEN WITH CHILI CREAM SAUCE
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: about 15 minutes
- 4 (5- to 6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- 2 teaspoons no-salt-added or less-sodium Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can less-sodium less-fat cream of chicken soup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Season chicken with Cajun seasoning. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add chicken and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until browned, turning once. In a small bowl, combine soup, water, chilies and lime juice; mix well. Add to skillet and bring to a boil; reduce heat and cook 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in sour cream and heat through, but do not boil.
Per serving: 237 calories, 26 grams protein, 10 grams fat (38% calories from fat), 2.9 grams saturated fat, 10 grams carbohydrate, 83 milligrams cholesterol, 498 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Friday: Meatless
Stuff dinner tonight! That is, with CHICKPEA PITA POCKETS. In a large bowl, combine 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium chickpeas, 1 cup shredded fresh spinach, 2/3 cup halved seedless grapes, 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper, 1/2 cup finely chopped celery and 1/4 cup finely chopped onion. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons poppy seed dressing. Add to chickpea mixture; stir to combine. Spoon into 4 whole-grain pita rounds (halved).
Serve with BAKED CHIPS. For dessert, top FRESH STRAWBERRIES with light whipped cream.
Shopping List
canned reduced-sodium chickpeas, fresh spinach, seedless grapes, red bell pepper, celery, onion, low-fat mayonnaise, poppy seed dressing, whole-grain pita rounds, baked chips, fresh strawberries, light whipped cream.
Saturday: Entertain the Family
Our family liked LEMON DIJON COD SAUTE and so will you. Serve with ANGEL HAIR PASTA tossed with a little olive oil. Add MIXED GREENS and CRUSTY ROLLS.
Dessert is leftover ICE CREAM with CINNAMON-CHOCOLATE SAUCE: Stir 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon into 1 cup reduced-fat fudge sauce and heat until warm; spoon over ice cream.
Shopping List
olive oil, lemons, shallots, green olives with pimentos, country-style Dijon mustard, dry white wine or unsalted chicken broth, cod fillets, dried thyme, coarse salt and pepper, angel hair pasta, mixed greens, crusty rolls, cinnamon, reduced-fat fudge sauce.
LEMON DIJON COD SAUTE
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 10 minutes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 lemons, thinly sliced
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup chopped green olives with pimentos
- 2 tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or unsalted chicken broth
- 1 pound cod fillets, cut into 4 pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Add lemon slices and cook until golden around edges, turning once. Remove from skillet; set aside. In same skillet, cook shallots and olives about 3 minutes or until shallots are just tender. Stir in mustard and wine; cook 1 minute. Season cod with thyme, salt and pepper and add to skillet. Arrange lemon slices on top of cod. Cook, covered, 5 minutes or until fish is opaque throughout and flakes with a fork. Transfer cod to serving dish and drizzle with sauce. Add extra olive oil if desired. Adapted from www.swirlsofflavor.com.
Per serving: 151 calories, 19 grams protein, 6 grams fat (36% calories from fat), 0.8 gram saturated fat, 3 grams carbohydrate, 43 milligrams cholesterol, 593 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.