A week’s worth of quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families.
SUNDAY: Make family day special with sweet-spicy Roast Pork Tenderloins With Ginger Peach Glaze. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Dry 2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins with paper towels. Combine 1 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt and 1 teaspoon dried thyme. Rub pork with seasoning mixture. Roast, uncovered, on a rack 20 to 25 minutes or until internal temperature is 145 degrees. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup peach preserves, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger. Spoon half of mixture on pork the last 10 minutes of cooking. Let pork stand 5 minutes before slicing. Heat remaining preserves mixture and serve with pork. Add baked sweet potatoes, roasted fresh brussels sprouts and dinner rolls. Buy a Boston cream pie for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough pork, sweet potatoes and dessert for Monday.
MONDAY: Slice the leftover pork and make Pork Sandwiches. Spread whole-grain bread with honey-mustard sauce. Top with lettuce and the pork. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut leftover sweet potatoes into wedges, coat with cooking spray, and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until hot. Serve with mixed greens. Leftover Boston cream pie is a quick dessert.
TUESDAY: Soup is a money-saver and Beef Barley Soup (see recipe) is a quick way to see savings. Serve with a spinach salad with orange sections and add crackers on the side. Lime sherbet is a cool dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough sherbet for Thursday.
WEDNESDAY: The kids will love these Caribbean Chicken Fingers, just as we did. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt, 1 teaspoon dried minced onion, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; mix well. Coat 1 pound chicken tenders with seasonings. Broil on a pan coated with cooking spray 3 minutes per side or until cooked through. Serve with oven fries, peas and carrots and bread sticks. For dessert, tropical fruit carries on the Island theme.
Plan ahead: Save enough peas and carrots for Thursday.
THURSDAY: Make it quick tonight with Tuna Pitas. Combine 2 cups deli tuna salad with ½ cup chopped walnuts and a handful of halved seedless grapes. Line whole-wheat pitas with lettuce and fill with tuna mixture. Serve with baked potato chips and leftover peas and carrots. Dessert is leftover sherbet and sugar cookies.
FRIDAY: Make Chickpea Stew (see recipe) for a quick, hearty meal. Serve with rice, a lettuce wedge and flatbread. For dessert, fresh pineapple spears are always welcome.
SATURDAY: Relax with the family as this Italian Chicken is cooking. Rub 3 pounds bone-in skinless chicken parts (such as legs, breasts and thighs) with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon seasoned salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in large skillet on medium-high. Add chicken and cook 2 minutes, browning on all sides. Place chicken, 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 (0.62- to 1.25-ounce) package Italian-style spaghetti sauce mix and 1 cup dry white wine in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover; cook on low 6 to 7 hours or on high 3 to 4 hours. Add 4 cups sliced zucchini (½ inch thick) and 8 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms during last hour of cooking. Serve the chicken-vegetable mixture over linguine. Add mixed greens and focaccia. A Blueberry Tart (see recipe) is melt-in-your-mouth delicious for dessert.
THE RECIPES
Beef Barley Soup
- 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided use
- ¾ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided use
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 (14-ounce) cans unsalted beef broth
- 8 ounces baby carrots (about 1 ¾ cups)
- 8 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- ¾ cup quick-cooking barley
- 1 pound beef top sirloin steak or shoulder top blade (flatiron) steak
- Coarse salt and black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 4-quart stockpot or saucepan on medium. Add onion, 1 tablespoon garlic and thyme; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add broth, 2 cups water, carrots, mushrooms, bell pepper and barley; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until barley and vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, cut steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into ¾-inch-thick strips. Toss with remaining 1 tablespoon garlic. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add half the beef; stir-fry 3 to 4 minutes for medium-rare to medium. Remove from skillet. Repeat with remaining oil and beef. Season with salt and black pepper as desired. Add beef and frozen peas to barley-vegetable mixture; cook, uncovered, 2 minutes or until peas are tender. Serve warm.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 360 calories, 32 g protein, 9 g fat, 38 g carbohydrate, 57 mg cholesterol, 195 mg sodium and 7 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2.5.
Chickpea Stew
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 pound medium red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Coarse salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided use
- 1 medium tomato, cut into 1-inch cubes
Heat oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high; cook cumin seeds 10 seconds. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, 5 to 8 minutes or until dark brown. Add coriander seeds; cook, stirring, 20 seconds. Stir in 1 cup water, potatoes, chickpeas, salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add tomato; increase heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with reduced-sodium chickpeas) contains approximately 254 calories, 9 g protein, 5 g fat, 45 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 38 mg sodium and 9 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3.
Blueberry Tart
- ¾ cup pecan pieces
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 (1-pound) bag frozen unsweetened blueberries (small wild, if available)
- 1 (9-inch) frozen pie shell
- ½ cup sour cream for garnish
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Place the pecans, sugar and flour in a food processor; process to a powder.
Combine with the frozen berries in a bowl and pour into the frozen pie shell. Place the tart on a cookie sheet and bake 50 to 60 minutes, until the dough is well-cooked and the filling is lightly browned on top. Cool for at least 1 hour before serving. To serve: Cut into 6 pieces and garnish with sour cream. (Adapted from “Jacques Pepin Quick and Simple,” Jacques Pepin, HMH.)
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 395 calories, 4 g protein, 19 g fat, 52 g carbohydrate, 13 mg cholesterol, 102 mg sodium and 4 grams fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3.5.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: susan@7daymenu.com