A week's worth of quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families.
SUNDAY: Relieve some holiday stress and buy a spiral-sliced ham for dinner. On the side, add Baked Mini Pumpkins Stuffed With Herbed Farro and Peanuts (see recipe). Serve with biscuits. Get in the spirit with peppermint ice cream and angel food cake for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough ham and biscuits for Monday. Save enough ice cream for Friday.
MONDAY: Use the leftovers for ham biscuits with honey mustard. Add a spinach salad alongside. Make my mother's traditional Pineapple Bake for a festive side dish. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 1½-quart baking dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons flour, ¾ cup sugar, 3 eggs (beaten), 2 egg whites (beaten) and 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice; mix well and pour into baking dish. Remove crusts from 7 slices white bread and cut into cubes. Spoon bread into dish and drizzle top with 3 tablespoons melted butter. Bake 1 hour and serve. If you want still want dessert, munch on a Christmas cookie.
Plan ahead: Save enough cookies for Thursday.
TUESDAY: Everyone will be up early, so prepare this Crustless Spinach Tart (see recipe) right away for a simple brunch. Serve it with Canadian bacon, tomato juice and orange sections.
WEDNESDAY: Take a break from meat and try Italian Beans and Vegetables. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Peel and seed 1½ pounds butternut squash; cut into 1-inch chunks. Microwave squash 5 minutes on 100 percent power. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine squash, 3 (19-ounce) cans cannellini beans, 1 large onion cut into thin slices, 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry), 1 tablespoon minced lemon zest (yellow part only), 1½ teaspoons dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried sage and 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Add 1 cup unsalted vegetable broth; cover tightly with foil. Bake 45 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove foil and sprinkle with 4 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese and ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until cheeses melt. Add mixed greens and crusty bread on the side. Canned or chilled tropical fruits are good for dessert.
THURSDAY: Enough of the fancy food — the kids will be ready for Enchilada Casserole (see recipe) tonight. Serve with a chopped lettuce salad. Leftover Christmas cookies are dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough casserole for Friday.
FRIDAY: Take the evening off and heat the leftover casserole for dinner. Serve it with an avocado and grapefruit salad on the side. Leftover ice cream is an easy dessert.
SATURDAY: Entertain friends with your Tarragon Chicken With Baby Carrots. Season both sides of 4 bone-in skinless chicken breast halves (about 1¼ pounds) with coarse salt and pepper to taste. Rub ¼ cup fresh chopped tarragon on both sides of chicken. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes per side or until golden brown. Add 2 cups frozen small white onions (thawed), 2 cups baby carrots, 1 cup seedless grapes, ¾ cup unsalted chicken broth and 1 teaspoon dried thyme; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium, cover and cook 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Use a slotted spoon to remove chicken, vegetables and grapes to a serving bowl. Dissolve 2 teaspoons cornstarch in an additional ¼ cup broth. Add to pan and simmer 1 minute or until sauce thickens. Pour over chicken. Serve immediately with orzo and crusty rolls. For dessert, keep it light with sorbet and almond thins.
THE RECIPES
Baked Mini Pumpkins Stuffed With Herbed Farro and Peanuts
8 mini pumpkins
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1½ cups farro
¾ cup chopped unsalted peanuts
½ cup chopped fresh mint or parsley or a combination
Juice and zest of 1 small lemon
½ cup dried cranberries
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut tops off pumpkins and scoop out pumpkin seeds. Drizzle pumpkin "bowls" with olive oil and a few shakes of salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, until pumpkins soften.
Meanwhile, cook farro according to package directions; transfer to a bowl. Add peanuts, mint or parsley, lemon juice and zest, cranberries and salt and pepper to taste; toss to mix. When pumpkins are cooked, fill each with about ½ cup farro mixture and serve.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 333 calories, 12 g protein, 9 g fat, 54 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 29 mg sodium and 5 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3.5.
Crustless Spinach Tart
2 tablespoons dried Italian breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ cup diced sweet onion
5 eggs
1 cup 2 percent milk
1½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided use
½ cup parmesan cheese, divided use
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
½ cup diced tomato
½ teaspoon reduced-sodium seasoned salt
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Generously coat a pie pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle crumbs along the sides and bottom of pan, turning the pan to coat.
Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high; cook onions 5 minutes or until softened and golden.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Add cheese, reserving ½ cup Mexican blend and ¼ cup parmesan for topping. Add onion, spinach, tomatoes and spices and stir lightly to combine. Pour into prepared pan. Top with remaining cheeses. Bake 40 minutes or until lightly browned and set in middle. Cool slightly; cut into wedges and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 235 calories, 17 g protein, 16 g fat, 7 g carbohydrate, 191 mg cholesterol, 524 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.
Carbohydrate count: 0.5.
Enchilada Casserole
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (19-ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 (16-ounce) can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed
1 (14½-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 (11-ounce) can Mexican-style corn, rinsed
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 (10-ounce) package 6-inch corn tortillas, divided use
3 cups chopped cooked or canned chicken breast, divided use
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided use
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high and cook onion 6 minutes or until tender. Stir in enchilada sauce, beans, tomatoes, corn, chile powder and cumin. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring often.
Spoon one-third sauce mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Layer with one-third of the tortillas, half the chicken and one-third of the cheese. Repeat layers with one-third of the sauce and tortillas, remaining chicken and one-third of the cheese. Top with remaining tortillas, sauce mixture and cheese. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with reduced-fat cheese) contains approximately 407 calories, 29 g protein, 14 g fat, 42 g carbohydrate, 63 mg cholesterol, 761 mg sodium, 8 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
susan@7daymenu.com
Food on 12/19/2018