SUNDAY: Serve the family Pine Nut-Stuffed Pork Loin With Pineapple Salsa (see recipe) and be ready for compliments. Serve the juicy pork with brown rice and fresh asparagus. Add whole-grain rolls. For a delectable dessert, try peach cobbler with a dab of vanilla ice cream.
Plan ahead: Save enough pork and cobbler for Monday.
MONDAY: Use the leftover pork for Pork Tacos. Carve pork into strips. Spread warm corn tortillas with heated canned refried beans. Top with pork, shredded lettuce, chopped onion and chunky salsa. Roll and eat. Serve with sliced avocado on lettuce. Leftover cobbler is an easy dessert.
TUESDAY: There were plenty of leftovers with budget-friendly Root Beer Barbecue Beef Sandwiches. In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, place a well-trimmed 4-pound beef rump roast. In a medium bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce and 1 cup root beer; pour over beef. Cover; cook on low 7 to 8 hours. About 20 minutes before serving, remove beef from cooker; pour juices into a large skillet. Cook at medium-high about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until juices are thickened and reduced to about 3 cups. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred beef; return to cooker. Stir another cup of barbecue sauce into skillet; pour over beef in cooker. Stir in a dash of coarse salt and pepper to taste. Serve on whole-grain buns. Add coleslaw and sweet potato chips. Kiwi makes a light dessert.
Plan ahead: Save some barbecue beef for Thursday.
WEDNESDAY: Tonight, it's Breakfast for Dinner with Waffles With Arugula, Fried Egg and Goat Cheese Butter (see recipe) on the menu. Add a few slices of bacon for more flavor. Serve a bowl of mixed berries to finish the meal.
THURSDAY: Root Beer Roll-Ups will make the kids happy. Heat leftover barbecue beef and spread on warm flour tortillas. Top with shredded carrots and roll. Alongside, add tater tots. For dessert, what kid could resist Mud Puddles? Spoon chocolate pudding into bowls and top with fruit, such as kiwi, pineapple bits, chopped banana and blueberries.
FRIDAY: Mushroom Mozzarella Melts are a no-meat success story. Remove stems and gills from 4 portobello mushrooms and brush with Italian dressing. Broil 6 inches from heat for 10 minutes or until tender, turning once. Place mushrooms on baking sheet. Prepare 4 patties of any veggie burger according to directions. Place burgers on top of mushrooms; spread basil pesto over burgers, then top with tomato slices and mozzarella cheese. Broil 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese melts and bubbles. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve with potatoes o'brien, a spinach salad and whole-grain bread. Red and green grapes are dessert.
SATURDAY: Any guest would appreciate the flavors of Calypso Shrimp With Black Bean-Citrus Salsa (see recipe). Serve with jasmine rice, a bibb lettuce salad and baguettes. Buy a lemon meringue pie for dessert.
THE RECIPES
Pine Nut-Stuffed Pork Loin With Pineapple Salsa
1 tablespoon butter
6 large onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 (3-pound) boneless rolled pork loin roast
2 cups salsa
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well-drained
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large skillet, melt butter on medium. Add onions; cook and stir 15 minutes or until golden brown. Stir in pine nuts; remove from heat and cool slightly. Untie and stuff roast with about 2 cups onion mixture. Retie roast. Spread remaining onion mixture evenly on bottom of baking dish. Place roast on top of mixture.
In a saucepan, combine salsa and pineapple. Cook and stir until thoroughly heated. Pour mixture over roast. Bake 1 hour 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from oven, tent with foil. Let stand 5 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Slice and serve roast with pineapple mixture.
Makes 12 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 234 calories, 24 g protein, 10 g fat, 13 g carbohydrate, 59 mg cholesterol, 231 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1.
Waffles With Arugula, Fried Egg and Goat Cheese Butter
8 frozen whole-grain waffles (such as Kashi 7 Grain or another brand)
1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon pepper, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened and divided
4 cups baby arugula
4 eggs
1 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Toast waffles according to package directions.
In a small bowl, stir together goat cheese, zest, pepper and 1 tablespoon of the butter; set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, melt 1/2 teaspoon butter on medium; add arugula and cook 2 minutes, stirring often. Transfer to a medium bowl. Melt remaining 1 teaspoon butter in same skillet on medium. Add eggs and cook 1 minute or until just set on bottom. Add water; cover and cook 3 minutes or until the whites are set and yolks are runny. Place 2 waffles on each of 4 plates. Top with goat cheese butter; then cover with arugula and eggs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; serve immediately. (Adapted from Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast.)
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 276 calories, 13 g protein, 16 g fat, 27 g carbohydrate, 201 mg cholesterol, 568 mg sodium and 7 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2.
Calypso Shrimp With Black Bean-Citrus Salsa
For the shrimp and marinade:
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon canola oil
For the salsa:
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
1 medium orange, halved, peeled, divided into segments, and membrane removed
1/4 cup chunky-style salsa
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 cloves garlic, minced
In a bowl, combine orange peel, juice, salt and garlic. Add shrimp; turn to coat; refrigerate up to 2 hours.
For the salsa: Combine salsa ingredients; mix well. Cover, refrigerate.
In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Drain shrimp; discard marinade. Cook shrimp 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until shrimp are pink. Divide salsa among 4 dinner plates. Arrange shrimp around salsa and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 221 calories, 29 g protein, 2 g fat, 24 g carbohydrate, 183 mg cholesterol, 349 mg sodium and 8 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1 1/2.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
susan@7daymenu.com
Food on 06/20/2018