8/ 13
Famiy Sunday
Dazzle the family with Romaine Peppercorn-Steak Salad (see recipe). Serve it with roasted red potatoes and blistered okra. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss okra in a little canola oil and place in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with some coarse salt. Roast until blistered, about 15 minutes, turning after 8 minutes. Arrange on a serving plate and sprinkle with more salt if desired.
Add whole-grain bread. Key lime pie is for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough pie for Monday.
8/ 14
Express Monday
Buy any package of cooked, carved chicken (or prepare your own) and make Curried Chicken Salad. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and mix with 1 1/2 cups fresh peach chunks, 1/2 cup sliced green onions, 1/2 cup golden raisins, 6 ounces plain low-fat yogurt, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 teaspoon curry powder. Top with toasted walnuts. Spoon onto a bed of mixed lettuce. Add sliced cucumbers in cider vinegar and naan to the meal. Leftover pie is dessert.
Plan ahead: Prepare enough chicken salad for Tuesday.
8/ 15
Heat-and-Eat Tuesday
Use the leftover curried chicken salad for Bagelwiches. For one serving: Spread bottom half of a whole-wheat bagel "thin" (such as Thomas' or another brand) with low-fat mayonnaise and layer with lettuce, the leftover chicken salad, 2 slices Swiss cheese, 2 slices tomatoes and 2 red bell pepper rings. Top with remaining bagel half. Serve with veggie chips. Add chicken noodle soup if desired. Enjoy fresh plums for dessert.
8/ 16
Meatless Wednesday
Change it up with Lentil Pasta With No-Cook Tomato Sauce (see recipe). Serve with a lettuce wedge and garlic bread. Slice cantaloupe for dessert.
Plan ahead: See note with recipe.
Tip: Lentil pasta has a whopping 14 grams of protein per 2 ounces.
8/ 17
Kids Thursday
Treat the kids to Tex-Mex Chicken Fingers. Mix 1 1/2 cups finely crushed baked tortilla chips and 1 teaspoon cumin on wax paper. Beat 1 egg in a shallow bowl with a fork until frothy. Cut 8 chicken tenders (1 pound) in half lengthwise. Dip in egg, then coating. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes, turning as needed, or until golden and cooked through.
Meanwhile, make dipping sauce by mixing 3/4 cup bottled taco sauce, 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro; serve with chicken.
Add Mexican rice (from a mix), sliced avocados and corn tortillas. Enjoy peaches for dessert.
8/ 18
Budget Friday
Keep the food costs down with your own Broiled Catfish. Serve the fish with Melted Swiss and Mushroom Topper. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add 8 ounces sliced white button mushrooms, 8 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms, 1 medium chopped onion, 3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, or until lightly browned and moisture evaporates from mushrooms. Transfer to a medium bowl; stir in 1 cup coarsely shredded Swiss or Emmentaler cheese and 1/4 cup pitted sliced kalamata olives. Season to taste with coarse salt, if desired. Spoon over fish.
Add mixed salad greens, corn-on-the-cob and cornbread (from a mix). Fresh figs are your dessert.
8/ 19
Easy Entertaining Saturday
Take your guests to the tropics for Fiery Island Pineapple Pork Chops (see recipe) for dinner. Serve with rice, steamed fresh zucchini, a bibb lettuce salad and baguettes. For dessert, spoon fresh blackberries over a little vanilla ice cream.
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THE RECIPES
Romaine Peppercorn-Steak Salad (Sunday)
1 bunch romaine, coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)
1 (5-ounce) package baby arugula
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, crushed
2 (6-ounce) lean beef tenderloin steaks, about 1 1/2 inches thick
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 pint grape tomatoes
1/3 cup light balsamic vinaigrette dressing
2 tablespoons finely crumbled feta cheese
In a large bowl, combine romaine, arugula and onion. Chill. Meanwhile, rub the peppercorns on both sides of steaks. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add steaks; cook 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Sprinkle with salt and let stand 5 minutes; thinly slice each steak into 10 pieces. Toss salad mixture with tomatoes and dressing. Arrange salad evenly on 4 plates. Place the steak on top of salads, sprinkle with cheese and serve. (Adapted from “The All-Natural Diabetes Cookbook” by Jackie Nugent, RDN, CDN; American Diabetes Association, 2017.) Serves 4.
Per serving: 197 calories (percent calories from fat, 30), 20 grams protein, 18 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 7 grams fat (2.6 grams saturated fat), 49 milligrams cholesterol, 483 milligrams sodium.
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Lentil Pasta With No-Cook Tomato Sauce (Wednesday)
6 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped (heirloom or homegrown are best)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
15 to 20 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons, plus some for garnish
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Splash of balsamic vinegar
Coarse salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces lentil pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish, if desired
In a large serving bowl, place tomatoes, garlic, basil and oil. Stir until all ingredients are well-mixed. Cover; marinate 4 to 6 hours at room temperature. Add vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Prepare pasta according to directions just before serving; serve with sauce. Garnish with Parmesan, if desired. Serves 4.
Note: Marinating sauce for 4 hours is ideal for best flavor, but if you don't have the time, enjoy immediately.
Per serving: 386 calories (percent calories from fat, 45), 14 grams protein, 42 grams carbohydrate, 13 grams fiber, 20 grams fat (2.6 grams saturated fat), no cholesterol, 10 milligrams sodium.
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Fiery Island Pineapple Pork Chops (Saturday)
4 boneless pork chops (1/2 inch thick)
4 teaspoons Jamaican jerk seasoning
1/3 cup hot pepper jelly
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
4 fresh pineapple rings (cored, 1/2 inch thick)
Coat chops with jerk seasoning; set aside for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, microwave jelly, pineapple juice and ginger on high (100 percent power) 30 to 60 seconds or until melted. Grill pork on medium-high heat 5 to 6 minutes per side, turning once. Baste frequently with jelly glaze. During last 3 minutes of grilling, place pineapple rings on grill. Baste with jelly mixture. Grill pineapple until heated through. Serve chops with pineapple. Serves 4.
Per serving: 274 calories (percent calories from fat, 25), 28 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrate, no fiber, 8 grams fat (2.2 grams saturated fat), 86 milligrams cholesterol, 388 milligrams sodium.
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