Sunday: Family
Gather the family for HERBED PORK TENDERLOIN. Slice and serve it over MIXED GREENS. Add ROASTED RED POTATOES and CRUSTY ROLLS on the side. For dessert, spoon fresh RASPBERRIES over slices of ANGEL FOOD CAKE and top with light whipped cream.
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Plan
Prepare an extra (plain) pork tenderloin and save some raspberries for Monday.
Shopping List
flatleaf parsley, fresh rosemary, Dijon mustard, olive oil, pork tenderloins, mixed greens, red potatoes, crusty rolls, fresh raspberries, angel food cake, light whipped cream.
HERBED PORK TENDERLOIN
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes; standing time: 5 minutes
- 1/2 cup chopped flatleaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 (1- to 1 1/4-pound) pork tenderloin
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine parsley, rosemary, mustard and oil. Rub over all sides of pork. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, foil-lined and coated with cooking spray. Bake 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Slice into medallions to serve.
Per serving: 196 calories, 25 grams protein, 10 grams fat (46% calories from fat), 2.4 grams saturated fat, 1 gram carbohydrate, 75 milligrams cholesterol, 108 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Everyone line up for PORK PANINIS! Heat a ridged grill pan or large nonstick skillet on medium. Lay 8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices from a loaf of round country white bread on a cutting board; coat with cooking spray. Turn 4 slices; spread other side with 1 tablespoon bottled mango chutney. Turn and top each of remaining 4 slices with 2 slices cooked leftover pork, sliced red onion, roasted red peppers (from a 12-ounce jar, drained on paper towels) and 1 slice Jarlsberg or other cheese. Top with other slices of bread, chutney side down. Grill 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until cheese melts. Remove to cutting board and halve.
Serve with BAKED CHIPS and a SPINACH SALAD. VANILLA ICE CREAM topped with leftover RASPBERRIES is a perfect dessert.
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
Shopping List
round country white bread, cooking spray, bottled mango chutney, red onion, jar roasted red peppers, Jarlsberg or other cheese, baked chips, fresh spinach, vanilla ice cream.
Tuesday: Meatless
Serve breakfast for dinner and enjoy no-meat HUEVOS RANCHEROS. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium black beans, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon cumin; mix well. Brush 4 corn tortillas with more olive oil; bake tortillas 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp. In a large nonstick skillet, fry 4 large eggs in olive oil until whites and yolks are set. Serve eggs on the tortillas along with the bean mixture, salsa, crumbled Greek feta cheese, diced avocado and cilantro.
Add HASH BROWNS (from frozen). Juicy NECTARINES are your dessert.
Shopping List
canned reduced-sodium black beans, olive oil, limes, cumin, corn tortillas, eggs, salsa, crumbled Greek feta cheese, avocado, cilantro, frozen hash browns, nectarines.
Wednesday: Kids
Call it PIZZA BAKED POTATOES when you call the kids. Bake 4 medium potatoes. Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 cups chunky spaghetti sauce. Spoon sauce over slashed hot baked potatoes. Divide 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese and sprinkle on top. Garnish with the kids' favorite pizza toppings. Serve with deli CARROT SALAD. For dessert, fresh APRICOTS are quick.
Shopping List
baking potatoes, chunky spaghetti sauce, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, kids' favorite pizza toppings, deli carrot salad, fresh apricots.
Thursday: Budget
Try CHICKEN MARBELLA for a low-cost meal. Serve it with BROWN RICE, a LETTUCE WEDGE and WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. Fresh PEACHES are dessert.
Shopping List
dry white wine, brown sugar, dried oregano, red wine vinegar, coarse salt, pepper, garlic, capers, prunes, pitted green olives, skinless chicken legs, skinless bone-in chicken thighs, fresh flatleaf parsley, brown rice, lettuce, whole-grain bread, fresh peaches.
CHICKEN MARBELLA
Servings: makes 10 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 to 6 hours on low
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 6 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
- 1/2 cup prunes
- 1/3 cup pitted green olives
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless chicken legs
- 2 pounds skinless bone-in chicken thighs
- 1/2 cup fresh flatleaf parsley
In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, whisk together wine, brown sugar, oregano, 2 tablespoons vinegar and the salt and pepper. Add garlic, capers, prunes and olives; stir to combine. Add the chicken, nestling it in among the olives and prunes. Gently stir in remaining vinegar and the parsley. Cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours; serve.
Per serving: 202 calories, 22 grams protein, 8 grams fat (35% calories from fat), 2.1 grams saturated fat, 9 grams carbohydrate, 116 milligrams cholesterol, 307 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Friday: Express
Make it quick and cool tonight with ROAST BEEF SANDWICHES WITH TARRAGON COLESLAW. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups packaged angel hair coleslaw mixture, 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions, 2 teaspoons dried (or 2 tablespoons fresh) chopped tarragon, 3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cut 1 (16-inch) baguette in half lengthwise. Spread with a buttery spread on bottom half. Divide 8 ounces thinly sliced lower-sodium deli roast beef evenly over bottom of baguette. Arrange slaw mixture over beef along with 8 thin slices of tomato; top with other half of baguette. Cut into 4 servings.
Serve with OVEN FRIES (from frozen). Pop some FRESH BLUEBERRIES in your mouth for dessert.
Shopping List
packaged angel hair coleslaw mixture, green onions, dried or fresh tarragon, low-fat mayonnaise, pepper, baguette, buttery spread, lower-sodium deli roast beef, tomato, frozen oven fries, fresh blueberries.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite friends for a special dinner of LEMONY BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD. Add LONG-GRAIN AND WILD RICE (from mix) and SOURDOUGH BREAD on the side.
Make MANGO SPLITS for dessert: Place mango slices on a dessert plate (or banana split dish); spoon leftover vanilla ice cream in center; drizzle with caramel sauce and top with light whipped cream.
Shopping List
Brussels sprouts, red potatoes, onion, extra-virgin olive oil, skirt steak, coarse salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, lemon vinaigrette, long-grain and wild rice mix, sourdough bread, mangoes, caramel sauce, light whipped cream.
LEMONY BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes; resting time: 3 to 4 minutes
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 2 large red potatoes, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound skirt steak
- Coarse salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Lemon vinaigrette to taste
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Toss together Brussels sprouts, potatoes, onion and oil in a medium bowl. Scrape mixture onto baking sheet. Roast 30 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron pan or nonstick skillet over high heat. Season steak with coarse salt and pepper on both sides. Drop onto pan, searing 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until just browned. Transfer to cutting board; rest 3 to 4 minutes. Slice into small strips. To assemble, divide vegetables and steak evenly among serving plates. Top each with some Parmesan and vinaigrette. (Adapted from "Beef it Up," Jessica Formicola, Storey Publishing.)
Per serving: 369 calories, 32 grams protein, 17 grams fat (40% calories from fat), 5.5 grams saturated fat, 26 grams carbohydrate, 82 milligrams cholesterol, 166 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.