Sunday: Family
Gather the family for HONEY-ROASTED PORK: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place 1 (2- to 3-pound) well-trimmed boneless pork loin roast on a rack coated with cooking spray in a shallow, foil-lined roasting pan. Combine 1/4 cup honey, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons cracked pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; mix well. Brush half the mixture over roast. Bake 20 minutes per pound, or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees, brushing with remaining honey mixture halfway through baking time. Remove from oven, tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Add BROWN RICE TABBOULEH, steamed fresh GREEN BEANS and PITA BREAD. For dessert, FRESH RASPBERRIES with light whipped cream are perfect.
Plan
If time permits, prepare tabbouleh the day before.
Shopping List
boneless pork loin roast, cooking spray, honey, Dijon mustard, pepper, dried thyme, coarse salt, brown rice, cucumber, tomatoes, fresh parsley, fresh mint, green onions, extra-virgin olive oil, lemon, fresh green beans, pita bread, fresh raspberries, light whipped cream.
BROWN RICE TABBOULEH
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: for the rice
- 3 cups cooked brown rice
- 3/4 cup seeded chopped cucumber
- 3/4 cup chopped tomato
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large serving bowl. Toss well and chill. Serve cold.
Per serving: 218 calories, 3 grams protein, 10 grams fat (42% calories from fat), 1.5 grams saturated fat, 29 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 172 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Monday: Kids
Make DELI DOGS for the kids: Combine 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1/4 cup chopped banana peppers and 1 (2 1/4-ounce) can drained sliced black olives. Spread mustard over heated hot dogs on whole-grain buns and top with tomato mixture.
Serve with CORN ON THE COB and fresh BABY CARROTS. The kids will like WATERMELON SLICES for dessert.
Tip
Make DELI DOGS for the kids: Combine 1/2 cup chopped tomato, 1/4 cup chopped banana peppers and 1 (2 1/4-ounce) can drained sliced black olives. Spread mustard over heated hot dogs on whole-grain buns and top with tomato mixture.
Serve with CORN ON THE COB and fresh BABY CARROTS. The kids will like WATERMELON SLICES for dessert.
Shopping List
tomato, banana peppers, canned sliced black olives, mustard, hot dogs, whole-grain hot dog buns, corn on the cob, fresh baby carrots, watermelon.
Tuesday: Budget
Save a few bucks with FOUR-BEAN BAKE: Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a 3-quart baking dish, mix together 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium black beans, 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium pinto beans, 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium red kidney beans, 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium small red beans, 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce, 6 slices cooked crumbled bacon, 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, 1/2 cup finely chopped onion and 1 tablespoon ground cumin. Cover and bake 30 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover and top with 4 ounces shredded 50% reduced-fat cheddar cheese and 1 cup crushed baked corn chips. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
Serve over RICE and add deli COLESLAW and CORNBREAD (from mix) on the side. FRESH PEACHES are your dessert.
Plan
Save enough bean bake and cook enough rice for Wednesday.
Shopping List
canned reduced-sodium black beans, canned reduced-sodium pinto beans, canned reduced-sodium red kidney beans, canned reduced-sodium small red beans, canned no-salt-added tomato sauce, bacon, canned chopped green chiles, onion, cumin, shredded 50% reduced-fat cheddar cheese, baked corn chips, rice, deli coleslaw, cornbread mix, fresh peaches.
Wednesday: Heat and Eat
Dinner will be quick tonight with BACON-BEAN TACOS on the menu: Spoon the heated leftover bean casserole into heated taco shells. Add leftover RICE and top with salsa.
Scoop VANILLA ICE CREAM onto CANTALOUPE SLICES for dessert.
Shopping List
taco shells, salsa, vanilla ice cream, cantaloupe.
Thursday: Express
Surprise the family with SALAD BAR PIZZA tonight: Top any hot pizza (from frozen) with chopped romaine, sliced olives, sliced fresh carrots, chopped green onions and chopped tomatoes. Drizzle a light vinaigrette over the top and add coarse salt and pepper to taste. Slice and serve.
For dessert, introduce the family to sliced DRAGON FRUIT and ALMOND COOKIES.
Shopping List
any frozen pizza, romaine, sliced olives, sliced fresh carrots, green onions, tomatoes, light vinaigrette, coarse salt, pepper, dragon fruit, almond cookies.
Friday: Meatless
We're always in the mood for MUSHROOM BURGERS: For each serving, brush the cap of a stemmed portobello mushroom with olive oil; season with coarse salt and black pepper. Grill or broil 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve on a toasted whole-grain bun with LETTUCE, TOMATOES, ROASTED RED PEPPERS and LOW-FAT MAYONNAISE.
Add SWEET POTATO FRIES (from frozen) on the side. Enjoy NECTARINES for dessert.
Shopping List
portobello mushrooms, olive oil, coarse salt, black pepper, whole-grain hamburger buns, lettuce, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, low-fat mayonnaise, frozen sweet potato fries, nectarines.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite guests for GRILLED ORANGE-GARLIC SHRIMP SKEWERS. On the side, make your own ROSEMARY ROASTED RED POTATOES. Serve with steamed fresh BROCCOLI. Add a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and CRUSTY ROLLS. Cool down with MOCHA-HAZELNUT GRANITA for dessert.
Shopping List
extra-colossal shrimp, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, flat-leaf parsley, orange, coarse salt, black pepper, green bell pepper, rosemary, red potatoes, fresh broccoli, Boston lettuce, crusty rolls, chocolate-hazelnut spread, sugar, instant coffee granules.
GRILLED ORANGE-GARLIC SHRIMP SKEWERS
Servings: makes 4 skewers
Prep time: 20 minutes; marinating time: 3 hours
Cook time: 6 minutes
- 16 extra-colossal shrimp (10 per pound without heads), unpeeled (see TIP)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 orange, zested, thickly sliced and slices quartered
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
Peel, devein and halve shrimp. Place oil, garlic, parsley, orange zest, salt and black pepper into a resealable plastic bag; massage the bag to combine ingredients. Add shrimp; seal and massage to coat. Chill 3 hours. Remove shrimp from bag; reserve marinade. Using metal skewers, skewer one end of 1 shrimp, then 1 orange piece, then the other end of the shrimp (so that orange piece is between tail and top of shrimp), then a piece of bell pepper. Repeat as needed until all ingredients are skewered. Lay finished skewers on a plate and drizzle with marinade from bag. Heat grill to medium; grill 3 minutes per side or until shrimp is pink and opaque.
TIP: If you can't find extra-colossal shrimp, buy a larger number of a smaller size (about 1.6 pounds total).
Per serving: 162 calories, 21 grams protein, 5 grams fat (28% calories from fat), 0.7 gram saturated fat, 7 grams carbohydrate, 192 milligrams cholesterol, 462 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
MOCHA-HAZELNUT GRANITA
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: none; freezing time: 4 hours
- 3 1/4 cups water
- 3/4 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup instant coffee granules
In a medium pan, bring water to a boil. Add spread, sugar and coffee granules; remove from heat and stir with a whisk until spread melts and sugar and coffee dissolve. Pour into an 8- or 9-inch-square metal pan. Freeze at least 4 hours, stirring frozen edges into center of pan with rubber spatula every 30 minutes until entire mixture is frozen hard. To serve, scrape surface with a large metal spoon and mound into serving dishes.
Per serving: 192 calories, 2 grams protein, 7 grams fat (30% calories from fat), 1 gram saturated fat, 33 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 14 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.