7-day menu planner

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork With Walnuts
Courtesy of California Walnuts
Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork With Walnuts Courtesy of California Walnuts

A week's worth of quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families

SUNDAY: Serve the family Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork With Walnuts (see recipe) and be ready for compliments. Enjoy the juicy pork with couscous and fresh green beans. Add sourdough bread. Slice pound cake and top it with strawberries for dessert.

Plan ahead: Prepare enough pork for Monday.

MONDAY: Use the leftover pork for Soft Tacos With Pork. Cut pork into strips. Spread warm corn tortillas with heated canned refried beans. Top with pork, shredded lettuce, chopped onion and chunky salsa. Roll and serve with sliced steamed zucchini and sliced avocado. Make flan (from a mix) for dessert.

TUESDAY: Two-Cheese Pasta saves money and time. Cook 10 ounces rotini pasta according to package directions and add 2 cups frozen cauliflower, broccoli and carrot mixture (loose-packed) the last 5 minutes of cooking; drain. In the same pot, combine 1 cup 1% milk, 3 ounces Neufchatel cream cheese and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Cook and stir on low until cream cheese melts. Return pasta and vegetable mixture to pot. Toss to coat with cream cheese mixture. Stir in ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with a mixed green salad and garlic bread. Fresh pineapple chunks topped with toasted coconut is a light dessert.

WEDNESDAY: Be a hero by making a fast meal of Meatball Heroes. Heat broiler. In a large skillet on medium-high, heat 1 (12-ounce) package frozen fully-cooked turkey meatballs (thawed), 1 ½ cups red pasta sauce and ¼ cup water until boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, 5 minutes or until meatballs are heated through; stir occasionally. Meanwhile, place 4 whole-grain hero rolls (sliced almost through horizontally) cut-side up on a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle rolls with ½ to 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Spoon meatballs and sauce onto bottom of rolls; cut sandwiches in half. Serve with baked potato chips, dill pickles and a lettuce wedge. Nectarines are dessert.

THURSDAY: Who can top Mexican Pizza for flavor and simplicity? Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place 1 (10-ounce) ready-to-bake whole-grain thin pizza crust on a baking sheet. Spread with 1 (16-ounce) can refried beans; sprinkle with 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Mexican-blend cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crust is crisp and cheese melts. Top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, mild taco sauce and chopped cilantro. Slice and serve with carrot sticks. For dessert, make instant chocolate pudding and top with sliced bananas.

FRIDAY: Skip meat and serve Greek Isle Pasta (see recipe). Add a romaine salad and Italian bread. Red and green grapes are dessert.

SATURDAY: Special guests will appreciate your Sesame-Orange Scallops (see recipe) served over rice. Add roasted fresh asparagus, an arugula salad and a baguette to accompany your delicious meal. For dessert, cheesecake with raspberries and toasted sliced almonds makes for a special ending.

THE RECIPES

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork With Walnuts

1 ½ pounds pork tenderloin

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

2 tablespoons butter

⅔ cup mango chutney

¼ cup dry white wine

¼ cup unsalted chicken stock

Baby arugula and small red onion wedges

¾ cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts

Season pork with garlic powder and salt; wrap in prosciutto slices, securing ends with wooden picks.

In a large skillet, melt butter on medium high. Add pork; brown on all sides, turning occasionally. Reduce heat to low; stir chutney, wine and stock into the skillet. Cover; cook 20 minutes or until pork reaches 145 degrees. Remove cover; cook until sauce thickens. Slightly cool; remove to cutting board and remove picks. Slice pork. Place on platter lined with arugula and onion. Pour sauce over top of pork and sprinkle with walnuts.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 333 calories, 28 g protein, 18 g fat, 15 g carbohydrate, 82 mg cholesterol, 426 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 1.

Greek Isle Pasta

12 ounces radiatori or rotini pasta

1 cup kalamata olives, rinsed and sliced

1 (28-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained

½ cup fresh basil leaves, rolled and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil

Freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish, if desired

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, combine olives, tomatoes, basil and oil; mix well. Stir and spoon sauce over pasta. Serve at room temperature. Garnish with cheese if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 276 calories, 7 g protein, 10 g fat, 38 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 280 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 2.5.

Sesame-Orange Scallops

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 cups orange juice

16 sea scallops

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch into orange juice until smooth; set aside.

Season scallops with salt and black pepper.

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high until very hot; add scallops and sear 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until caramelized. (Do not move scallops around in skillet, except to turn.) Transfer to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Reduce heat to medium. Add ginger and garlic to skillet; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Pour orange juice mixture into skillet; add soy sauce and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and slightly reduced. Gently stir in cilantro and sesame seeds; pour over scallops. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 271 calories, 19 g protein, 12 g fat, 21 g carbohydrate, 34 mg cholesterol, 874 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 1.5.

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:

[email protected]

Food on 06/19/2019

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