4/ 23
Family Sunday
Spice up family day with Roasted Peppered Pork Loin. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Rub 1 (2- to 3-pound) well-trimmed boneless pork loin with a mixture of 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary. Place pork in a shallow pan. Roast 40 minutes to 1 hour (20 minutes per pound) or until internal temperature of pork registers 145 degrees. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Serve with roasted potatoes, green beans, mixed salad greens and biscuits. Make spice cake (from a mix) for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough pork and cake for Monday.
4/ 24
Heat-and-Eat Monday
Use the leftover pork in this Southwestern Pork and Pepper Stir-Fry (see recipe). Serve it over rice. Add a spinach salad and whole-grain rolls. Slice the leftover cake for dessert.
4/ 25
Meatless Tuesday
Skip meat for Bean Tacos tonight. Spoon heated, canned vegetarian refried beans into warm taco shells. Serve with bowls of shredded lettuce, diced avocado, chopped onion, salsa and reduced-fat sour cream. Add packaged yellow rice on the side. Fresh pineapple is a refreshing dessert.
4/ 26
Kids Wednesday
Be patriotic and serve the kids All-American Baked Spaghetti. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium; add 1 medium chopped onion, 1 clove minced garlic and 1 pound lean ground beef; cook 10 minutes or until onion is softened and beef is no longer pink; drain. Add 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can undrained no-salt-added diced tomatoes, 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce, 1 cup water, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, break 8 ounces spaghetti into thirds. Place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water and mix. Add meat mixture and combine all ingredients. Cover with foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover, stir and bake 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup shredded 50 percent light cheddar cheese; bake uncovered 2 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve with green peas (frozen) and soft rolls. Sprinkle apple slices with cinnamon sugar for dessert.
4/ 27
Express Thursday
Make it a quick meal tonight with Turkey Kielbasa with grainy mustard and dill pickles, along with deli potato salad and pickled beets (from a jar) on the menu. Add rye bread. For dessert, keep it light with peaches.
4/ 28
Budget Friday
What could be better than great flavor and low cost, two characteristics of Mexican Chicken and Rice Skillet (see recipe)? Serve the fiber-packed dish with warmed fat-free flour tortillas. Make lemon pudding (from a mix) with 1 percent milk for dessert.
4/ 29
Easy Entertaining Saturday
Invite friends for Creamy Linguine With Shrimp (see recipe). Serve with cherry tomatoes sauteed in olive oil and garlic. Add a Boston lettuce salad and baguettes to round out the meal. Buy cheesecake for dessert.
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THE RECIPES
Southwestern Pork and Pepper Stir-Fry (Monday)
2 cups cooked (leftover) chopped pork loin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
Toss pork with chili powder and cumin; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add onion and peppers; cook, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is softened. Add pork and stir-fry 2 minutes or until hot; serve immediately. Serves 4.
Per serving: 155 calories (percent calories from fat, 30), 20 grams protein, 7 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 5 grams fat (1.1 grams saturated fat), 52 milligrams cholesterol, 56 milligrams sodium.
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Mexican Chicken and Rice Skillet (Friday)
1 pound ground chicken (or ground turkey breast)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 (15- or 16-ounce) can chili beans, lightly drained
1 tomato, seeded and chopped, for garnish
Reduced-fat sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high; add chicken and onion. Cook 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and onion is softened. Add chili powder, cumin, salt, rice and beans. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 to 8 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately with garnishes. Serves 6.
Per serving: 276 calories (percent calories from fat, 12), 22 grams protein, 37 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams fiber, 4 grams fat (0.9 gram saturated fat), 48 milligrams cholesterol, 539 milligrams sodium.
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Creamy Linguine With Shrimp (Saturday)
8 ounces linguine
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup heavy cream
4 teaspoons Tuscan or Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for garnish, if desired
Cook linguine according to directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. Meanwhile, melt butter in large, deep skillet on medium heat. Add asparagus and garlic; cook and stir 5 minutes or until asparagus is softened. Add cream, seasoning, lemon juice and salt. Bring to simmer, stirring occasionally
Stir shrimp into skillet. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Add pasta and reserved pasta cooking water; toss to coat well. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, if desired. Serves 6.
Per serving: 384 calories (percent calories from fat, 45), 21 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 20 grams fat (11.8 grams saturated fat), 171 milligrams cholesterol, 451 milligrams sodium.
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