10/ 6 -- Family Sunday
Think tropical as the family enjoys ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MANGO RELISH (see recipe). Alongside, serve BROWN RICE tossed with toasted cashews. Add STEAMED FRESH ASPARAGUS and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Slice a COCONUT CAKE for dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: Save the non-marinated pork tenderloin and the cake for Monday. If time permits, make Monday’s soup today. Cook enough brown rice, and label and freeze for Wednesday.
TIP: Toast cashews in a 350-degree oven 5 to 8 minutes; watch carefully or they will burn.
10/ 7 -- Heat-and-Eat Monday
Make SPLIT-PEA SOUP WITH PORK for an easy meal. In a Dutch oven, combine 12 cups water and 1 (16-ounce) package split peas (picked over and rinsed), 3 chicken bouillon cubes and 2 cups chopped onion; bring to boil on medium-high. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 2 hours; stir occasionally. Add 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced fresh carrots; simmer 20 minutes or until carrots are almost tender. Stir in 2 cups diced cooked pork and simmer 10 more minutes.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with fat-free croutons and reduced-fat sour cream. Add a SPINACH SALAD and CRUSTY BREAD. Leftover CAKE is your dessert.
10/8 -- Meatless Tuesday
COUSCOUS WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES (see recipe) makes a fine no-meat dinner. Add a MIXED GREENS SALAD and PITA BREAD. For dessert, make instant BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING with skim milk, topped with light whipped cream.
PLAN AHEAD: Thaw rice for Wednesday.
10/ 9 -- Budget Wednesday
Saving money is easy with economical ACROSS THE BORDER CHICKEN. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into strips, and cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce, 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added rinsed corn, 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder and 1 teaspoon onion powder. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve it over the leftover RICE.
Add a ROMAINE SALAD and make CORNBREAD from a mix. A bowl of PEACHES sounds good for dessert.
10/ 10 -- Kids Thursday
Expect the kids to love helping you make TACO MONSTER MOUTHS (see recipe). Serve them with CARROT STICKS. For dessert, halved KIWIFRUIT, scooped with a spoon, is fun.
10/ 11 -- Express Friday
Who can resist GRILLED BURGERS (turkey or lean beef on whole-grain buns) with any and all of the trimmings of lettuce, tomato, low-fat mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, onions and pickles? Accompany the all-American favorite with deli BROCCOLI SALAD and BAKED CHIPS. Scoop RASPBERRY SORBET for dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough sorbet for Saturday.
10/ 12 -- Easy Entertaining Saturday
Serve your guests DIJON CHICKEN. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix well and set aside. Brush 3 tablespoons creamy mustard-mayonnaise blend (such as Dijonnaise) on 4 (5- to 6-ounce) boneless chicken breasts. Coat in bread crumbs; shake off excess. Arrange on a rack coated with cooking spray and place rack in shallow baking dish. Bake 45 minutes or until no longer pink.
Serve with your own or packaged RICE PILAF. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over fresh GREEN BEANS. Add a BIBB LETTUCE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. For dessert, serve leftover SORBET in stemmed glasses and add BUTTER COOKIES.
ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH MANGO RELISH (Sunday)
Makes 4 servings, plus 1 pork tenderloin for another meal
Preparation time: less than 20 minutes; marinating time: 4 to 24 hours
Cooking time: less than 25 minutes; standing time: 5 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon coriander
2 (3/4- to 1-pound) well-trimmed pork tenderloins
1/2 mango, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon dried cranberries
1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine juice, molasses, ginger and coriander; mix well. Add 1 pork tenderloin; seal and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours. Wrap and refrigerate second tenderloin with no marinade. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Remove pork from marinade; discard marinade and place marinated pork tenderloin along with unmarinated pork tenderloin on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast 20 to 22 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven; tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes. Slice marinated tenderloin; wrap and refrigerate second tenderloin for Monday.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine mango, mint, cranberries, vinegar and red pepper. Serve relish with marinated tenderloin.
Per serving: 120 calories, 16 grams protein, 2 grams fat (18 percent calories from fat), 0.8 gram saturated fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 45 milligrams cholesterol, 36 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
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COUSCOUS WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES (Tuesday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: less than 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 to 14 minutes, plus couscous
INGREDIENTS
1 cup couscous
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 large orange bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch diagonal slices
1 medium zucchini squash, cut into 1/4-inch diagonal slices
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 ounces reduced-fat or regular crumbled feta cheese (basil- and tomato-flavored if available)
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare couscous according to package directions; set aside. In a large bowl, mix together peppers and squash. Separately, mix together salt, black pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning, olive oil and vinegar. Pour over vegetables and toss to coat. Spread vegetables evenly over large baking sheet covered with foil, reserving marinade. Roast 12 to 14 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Cool vegetables; toss with reserved marinade, couscous and cheese.
Per serving: 326 calories, 13 grams protein, 11 grams fat (29 percent calories from fat), 3.1 grams saturated fat, 45 grams carbohydrate, 10 milligrams cholesterol, 870 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
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TACO MONSTER MOUTHS (Thursday)
Makes 6 tacos
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
12 large pimento-stuffed green olives
3 slices American cheese
6 taco shells (that stand on their own) from 4.7-ounce box
1 pound 95 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons less-sodium taco seasoning mix
1/3 cup water
2 plum tomatoes, cut lengthwise into 3 pieces (remove pulp)
Shredded lettuce
Cut slit into 1 side of each olive. Cut each of the cheese slices in half vertically in a zigzag line to look like teeth. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange taco shells on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until hot.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook beef on medium high 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until water has evaporated. To assemble, add lettuce to taco shells to look like hair that’s sticking out. Divide beef and fill shells. Place each taco on its side on serving plate; insert 1 tomato slice into meat filling to look like the tongue. Place 1 cheese slice with zigzag edge toward meat along top side of taco between the shell and filling for teeth. Press 2 olives onto shell to look like eyes on top. (Adapted from “Betty Crocker’s Halloween Cookbook,” the editors of Betty Crocker; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.)
Per serving: 236 calories, 20 grams protein, 12 grams fat (47 percent calories from fat), 4.8 grams saturated fat, 11 grams carbohydrate, 51 milligrams cholesterol, 838 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
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