SUNDAY: How about your own boneless roast pork loin for the family today? Serve it with Brown Rice Salad With Mint and Pecans (see recipe). Add Green Beans With Tomatoes, Oregano and Feta.
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil on medium in a wide saucepan. Add 1 cup finely chopped onions and 2 cloves garlic (minced); cook 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add 1 fennel bulb (thinly sliced); cook 3 minutes. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon EACH coarse salt and ground black pepper. Add 2 (14-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes with their liquid; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 30 minutes or until mixture becomes saucy. Add 2 pounds trimmed green beans (cut into 2-inch pieces); simmer 15 to 30 minutes or until tender. Add 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley; simmer 5 minutes. Spoon into serving bowls; top with ½ cup crumbled feta cheese. (Adapted from Fresh Food Nation by Martha Holmberg; The Taunton Press, 2013.)
Make a Boston lettuce salad and add sourdough bread. Buy or make a plum tart for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough pork, brown rice salad and tart for Monday.
MONDAY: Make Pork Sandwiches with the leftovers.
Layer slices of pork and roasted red peppers on rosemary bread (or another dense bread) that has been spread with honey mustard dressing. Serve with leftover Brown Rice Salad.
End with leftover plum tart for dessert.
TUESDAY: Make Chicken Stir-Fry for a quick meal.
Cook and stir 4 cups fresh vegetables such as bell peppers, mushrooms, broccoli and carrots or 1 (1-pound) package frozen stir-fry vegetables in 1 tablespoon vegetable oil on medium-high 3 or 4 minutes or until softened. Add 1 (8- to 10-ounce) package refrigerated, cooked, sliced chicken breast and ½ cup stir-fry sauce; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until hot. Spoon over quick-cooking rice. Serve with a packaged green salad and crusty bread. Kiwifruit is dessert.
WEDNESDAY: Hurry-Up Lasagna has “ kids’ favorite”written all over it. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and spread 1 ¼ cups (from a 26-ounce jar) red pasta sauce into dish. Arrange 12 frozen large cheese ravioli (from a 30-ounce bag) over sauce and scatter 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry) over ravioli.
Top with 1 cup (of 2 cups total) part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover with another layer of ravioli, the remaining sauce and mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil and bake 25 minutes; uncover and bake 5 to 10 more minutes or until bubbly. Serve with celery canoes (cream cheese in celery sticks). Try one of summer’s best desserts and have a nectarine.
THURSDAY: Take a few liberties with the traditional and make “Paella” Pronto (see recipe).
Add a mixed-greens salad and whole-grain pita bread. Slice cantaloupe wedges for dessert.
FRIDAY: Skip meat tonight with Pierogies and Red Sauce on the menu. Cook 1 (16.9-ounce) package frozen potato and onion pierogies in boiling water 5 minutes or until they float; remove from heat, drain and return to pot.
Meanwhile, combine 1 ½ cups marinara sauce, ½ cup sliced green olives and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper in separate saucepan; bring to a simmer.
Pour sauce over hot pierogies; stir gently. Serve on individual plates and garnish tops with dollops of ricotta cheese. Serve with mixed-greens salad and fresh peaches.
SATURDAY: Treat your guests to the flavors of Oregon with Curried Chicken Salad With Marionberries (see recipe).
Serve the refreshing salad with orzo pasta tossed with parmesan cheese and poppy seed muffins. Slice coconut cake for dessert.
Tip: Marionberries are a type of blackberry native to Oregon.
THE RECIPES
Brown Rice Salad With Mint and Pecans
½ cup brown rice
1 ¼ cups chicken broth
1 medium tomato, chopped
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup sliced green onions
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup chopped pecans
¼ cup snipped fresh mint
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Cook rice in broth according to package directions; cool.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, the tomato, bell pepper, green onions, raisins, pecans and mint. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper; mix well.
Pour dressing over rice mixture and mix gently. Cover and chill 2 to 8 hours before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
“Paella” Pronto
1 (10-ounce) package frozen petite green peas
1 (13 ½ -ounce) package turkey sausage, cut into
¼ -inch pieces ¾ to 1 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
¼ teaspoon dried thyme 1 (8-ounce) package yellow rice mix (see note)
2 cups water
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
Ground black pepper to taste
Microwave peas 3 minutes on 100 percent power; set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage 3 to 4 minutes on medium-high; stir occasionally.
Remove to a plate. Coat same skillet with cooking spray;
add chicken and cook 4 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink.
Transfer to separate plate.
Recoat skillet with cooking spray and add bell pepper, garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add rice mix, water and sausage; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, 10 minutes or until most of liquid has been absorbed. Stir peas and chicken into rice mixture and cook, covered, 5 minutes or until heated through. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: The rice seasoning packet adds 493 mg sodium per serving.
Curried Chicken Salad With Marionberries
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dry white wine
2 tablespoons mango chutney
1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 green onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
¼ cup golden raisins
2 cups fresh or frozen marionberries OR blackberries
¼ cup roasted, salted cashews
Lettuce
In a large skillet, heat oil on medium. Sprinkle chicken with the salt and pepper; cook chicken 5 minutes on each side or to 165 degrees. Remove from pan, chill in refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes, and then cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry powder, lemon juice and ginger in a large bowl. Add chicken, green onion, celery, raisins and berries; toss to coat. (If using frozen berries, refrigerate 30 minutes before serving for flavors to blend.) Just before serving, add cashews. Spoon salad onto a bed of lettuce.
Makes 4 servings.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
Food, Pages 33 on 07/24/2013