7/ 2
Family Sunday
For a special family day, prepare Grilled Pork Tenderloin. Season a 1-pound pork tenderloin with coarse salt and pepper. Mix together 1/4 cup mustard and 3 tablespoons apricot preserves. Grill pork on medium for about 15 minutes, turning several times, or until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees; brush with mustard mixture the last few minutes. Remove from grill and tent with foil; let stand 5 minutes and then slice.
Serve with brown rice and baguettes. Enjoy sliced cucumbers and onions in Italian dressing. Make or buy a peach cobbler for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough cobbler for Monday.
7/ 3
Budget Monday
Keep food costs down with tasty Quick Greek Stew. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high and cook 1 pound lean ground beef for 5 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Stir in 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Add 1 (5- or 6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach leaves; cover and cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts.
Serve over couscous and garnish with toasted pine nuts. Add a lettuce wedge and whole-grain rolls. Heat the leftover cobbler for dessert.
Plan ahead: Marinate Tuesday's beef overnight.
7/ 4
Family Tuesday
Gather the family and celebrate the Fourth of July with Salsa Brisket (see recipe). Serve with corn-on-the-cob, baked beans, coleslaw and crusty rolls.
Keep the festivities going with star-topped blueberry parfaits. Cut a 10 3/4-ounce frozen low-fat poundcake loaf into 14 slices (1/4 inch thick); refreeze remaining cake. Spread 7 slices with 1/4 cup red fruit jelly or jam (any flavor); top with 7 plain slices. Trim and discard crusts of the 7 "sandwiches." With a 1 1/4-inch star cookie cutter, cut a shape from 4 sandwiches; set aside. Cut sandwich trimmings and remaining whole sandwiches into 3/4-inch squares.
Into 4 (8-ounce) parfait or wine glasses, place half the cake squares, 1 cup (2 cups total) fresh blueberries and 9 ounces low-fat vanilla yogurt (from two 6-ounce containers), dividing equally. Top with remaining cake squares and 1 cup blueberries. Spoon dollops of remaining yogurt on top of each parfait; top with a star and serve.
Plan ahead: Save enough brisket and buy enough blueberries for Wednesday.
7/ 5
Heat-and-Eat Wednesday
Enjoy yesterday's brisket in today's Brisket Sandwiches (use whole-grain buns). Add deli potato salad and sliced lettuce and tomatoes to the meal. Leftover blueberries are good for dessert.
7/ 6
Meatless Thursday
Ziti With Chard (see recipe) gives a new flavor to pasta. Serve the slightly salty-flavored greens and pasta combo with salad greens and garlic bread. Fresh plums are a light dessert.
7/ 7
Kids Friday
Tell the kids they are having Muffin Heads for dinner and watch them smile. Top each toasted English muffin half with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce and slices of 50 percent light cheddar cheese; broil until cheese is melted. Top with a silly vegetable face using halved red bell pepper rings (for the mouth), baby corn (for the nose), sliced black olives (for the eyes) and julienne carrots (for the hair).
Continue the fun with apple pie in a bowl for dessert. In a small bowl, spoon alternating layers of chunky applesauce, vanilla low-fat yogurt and crumbled gingersnaps; dust with cinnamon.
7/ 8
Easy Entertaining Saturday
You'll want to invite special friends over to enjoy Cumin and Mustard Rack of Lamb and White Bean Salad (see recipe). Serve it with Boston lettuce salad and sourdough bread. Cheesecake with fresh raspberries is an outstanding dessert.
Salsa brisket (Tuesday)
1 (5-pound) trimmed beef brisket
Coarse salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 cups chipotle or other salsa
Season brisket with salt, pepper and garlic powder. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and salsa; spread over brisket. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place brisket and marinade in a heavy pot. Bake, covered, 5 to 6 hours or until tender. Slice meat across grain and serve. Makes 16 servings.
Per serving: 224 calories (percent calories from fat, 27), 29 grams protein, 11 grams carbohydrate, no fiber, 6 grams fat , 2.3 grams saturated fat, 88 milligrams cholesterol, 248 milligrams sodium.
** ** **
Ziti With Chard (Thursday)
8 ounces ziti or other short tube-shaped pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups coarsely chopped Swiss chard leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup shaved fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese
Cook pasta according to directions; drain. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add chard and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Combine chard mixture, pasta, tomatoes, olives, lemon juice, salt and pepper, tossing well. Top with cheese and serve. Serves 4.
Per serving: 353 calories (percent calories from fat, 29), 11 grams protein, 53 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 11 grams fat (1.9 grams saturated fat), 3 milligrams cholesterol, 724 milligrams sodium.
** ** **
Cumin and Mustard Rack of Lamb and White Bean Salad (Saturday)
2 frenched lamb racks (about 2 pounds each)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon pepper
For the salad:
2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added butter beans
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 small red chili pepper, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced sweet Peppadew peppers (see Note)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Carefully trim top layer of fat from lamb racks. Rub each rack with mustard. Sprinkle each rack with 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat gas grill to high; scrape grates clean and brush with oil. Place racks on grill, fat-side down; cook until browned and racks can be easily flipped, about 5 minutes. Flip racks; grill about 5 minutes more. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook racks about 15 minutes more, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees for medium-rare. Remove to clean plate; let rest 5 minutes. Carve racks into chops, carefully slicing between each bone.
For the salad: In a large bowl, combine beans, celery, chili pepper, Peppadew peppers, basil, lemon juice and oil; toss to combine. Top with extra basil and serve with lamb. Serves 8.
Note: According to Chowhound, “Cherry tomato-size, maraschino-red Peppadews are often available hulled, seeded and pickled in brine. … They stay pretty crisp in the pickle brine, and the hot ones are about as spicy as pickled jalapenos, though with enough natural sweetness to balance the burn.” Look for them in the pickle aisle at the supermarket.
Per serving: 323 calories (percent calories from fat, 35), 33 grams protein, 20 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 13 grams fat (3.5 grams saturated fat), 82 milligrams cholesterol, 648 milligrams sodium.
