Advertisement For a special family meal, try Mediterranean Pork Kebabs (see recipe). Serve with couscous and add some chopped kalamata olives to it. Alongside, broccollini and dinner rolls are good. Buy a chocolate meringue pie for dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: Broil an extra plain pork loin and save enough pie for Monday.
SHOPPING LIST: boneless pork loin, jar marinated whole artichoke hearts, red bell pepper, , hot pepper sauce, dried oregano, lemon, black pepper, couscous, kalamata olives, broccollini, dinner rolls, chocolate meringue pie.
Heat and Eat Monday
Make a quick pork stir-fry with the leftover pork. Add some frozen stir-fry vegetables and teriyaki sauce. Serve your masterpiece over rice. Add sesame breadsticks. You can have leftover pie for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: frozen stir-fry vegetables, teriyaki sauce, rice, sesame bread sticks.
Kids Tuesday
It’s fast and full of flavor, so the kids will love beef ‘n cheese calzones. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a pizza pan with cooking spray. Unroll 1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough on pan; gently stretch dough to form a 12-inch circle. Layer 1/3 cup sliced deli roast beef, 1 thinly sliced green onion, 1 (4-ounce) can drained mushroom pieces and stems and 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese to within 1 inch of edge. Fold crust over filling; fold edge up and seal with fork. Cut slits in top. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is hot. Cool 5 minutes before cutting into wedges.
Serve with mustard (any). Add some carrot salad on the side. For dessert, fat-free vanilla ice cream is kid-friendly.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
SHOPPING LIST: cooking spray, refrigerated pizza crust dough, deli roast beef, green onion, canned mushroom pieces and stems, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, reduced-fat cheddar cheese, any mustard, carrot salad, fat-free vanilla ice cream.
Express Wednesday
Try one of Campbell’s (or another brand) Select Harvest Soups. The sodium has been reduced (but not enough). Alongside, buy egg salad from the deli for egg salad sandwiches on whole-wheat bread. Add a lettuce and tomato salad. Enjoy orange sections for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: Select Harvest Soup (or another flavor and brand), deli egg salad, whole-wheat bread, lettuce, tomatoes, orange sections.
Meatless Thursday
Tonight’s No-Meat “Jambalaya” (see recipe) has lots of flavor. Serve it with mixed greens and corn muffins (from a mix). For a special dessert, top fresh strawberries with light whipped cream.
SHOPPING LIST: canola oil, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, rice, canned vegetable broth, frozen corn, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, canned black-eyed peas, canned tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, salad greens, cornbread mix, fresh strawberries, light whipped cream.
Budget Friday
Keep food costs down with ham and potato frittata. Brown frozen O’Brien potatoes in a nonstick skillet. Stir in 2 cups diced ham and 6 beaten eggs. Cover and cook until set. Top with sliced tomatoes. Serve with a lettuce wedge and multigrain rolls.
Make apple crumble for dessert. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Coat bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, toss 3 large, peeled and coarsely chopped apples, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces. Spread in baking dish. In same bowl, stir 1 (1 pound, 1.5-ounce) pouch oatmeal cookie mix with 1/4 cup melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling. Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped walnuts. Bake 15 more minutes or until topping is golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough dessert for Saturday.
SHOPPING LIST: frozen O’Brien potatoes, diced ham, eggs, tomatoes, lettuce, multigrain rolls, cooking spray, apples, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, oatmeal cookie mix, walnuts.
Entertaining Saturday
For special guests, serve Baked Italian Chicken (see recipe). Serve the easy entree with parsley butterd spaghetti, a Bibb lettuce salad and Italian bread. Warm and top the leftover apple crumble with leftover ice cream.
SHOPPING LIST: balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon, dried Italian seasoning, garlic powder, lemon pepper seasoning, boneless skinless chicken breast halves, fresh parsley, butter, spaghetti, Bibb lettuce, Italian bread.
Mediterranean Pork Kebabs
1 pound boneless pork loin (see note)
1 (12-ounce) jar marinated whole artichoke hearts
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons black pepper
Cut pork into 1-inch cubes; place in a resealable plastic bag. Drain artichokes; reserve marinade. Set artichokes and bell pepper squares aside. Add reserved marinade, pepper sauce, oregano, lemon juice and black pepper to bag; turn to coat and seal. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove pork; discard marinade. Thread pork, artichokes and bell pepper onto 4 metal squares. Grill or broil 10 to 15 minutes or until internal temperature is 155 degrees.
Note: Grill or broil one pound extra plain pork loin for Monday.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 235 calories, 23 grams protein, 14 grams fat (49 percent calories from fat), 2.6 grams saturated fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 67 milligrams cholesterol, 304 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
No-Meat ‘Jambalaya’
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium chopped onion
1 medium chopped green bell pepper
2 minced cloves garlic
1 cup rice
1 (14-ounce) can vegetable broth
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15- to 16-ounce) can rinsed black-eyed peas
1 (141/2-ounce) can undrained tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Cook onion, pepper and garlic 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened. Stir in rice; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is light golden brown. Stir in broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in corn, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, peas and tomatoes. Cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until vegetables and rice are tender.
Makes 8 servings.
Per serving: 189 calories, 5 grams protein, 2 grams fat (9 percent calories from fat), 0.2 grams saturated fat, 39 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 682 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Baked Italian Chicken
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 pounds) (see Note)
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine vinegar, oil, juice, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and lemon pepper seasoning in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Bake 25 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken is 165 degrees.
Note: Avoid chicken that has been “enhanced” with “salt,” “sodium,” “broth” or “brine” as indicated on the label.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 194 calories, 33 grams protein, 5 grams fat (25 percent calories from fat), 0.9 grams saturated fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 82 milligrams cholesterol, 114 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanner@mindspring.com.
