GET COOKING
THE MORE YOU COOK, THE MORE YOU MASTER.
COOKING AT HOME is the foundation of all your food-related healthy habits. And although the great American time squeeze often tempts you to opt for takeout or fast food, it’s worth a little schedule shifting to implement this habit. You’ll typically consume 50% more calories when eating out, and fast-food options easily pack in a day’s worth of saturated fat and sodium (not to mention, you’ll rarely meet up with a veggie other than fries).
Sure, prepackaged processed foods are convenient, but they’re usually loaded with salt (they often contain more than one-fourth of a day’s maximum recommended intake) and low on healthy ingredients like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Only when we cook do we really control what we eat.
Easy for you to say, you say. The time squeeze is real! True, and that’s why this first chapter focuses on cooking strategies to help you solve the nightly dinner dilemma and also provides tips and recipes for make-ahead and quick meals that you can fit into your time-crunched schedule.
Since cooking can begin to feel like another of the many things on your ever-growing to-do list, even for passionate cooks, we’ll also show you how to expand your cooking repertoire for fun and variety. Trust us, it is possible to get back to preparing healthy, nutritious meals for you and your family—even when your calendar is covered in ink, appointments, and reminders.
YOUR GOAL
Cook at least three more meals per week.
The 12 Healthy Habits
KEEP THESE 20 ALL-STAR ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS on hand in your kitchen, and you’ll never run out of inspiration for fast and flavorful meals.
IN THE PANTRY
Boil-in-bag brown rice
It’s one of the quickest ways to get more whole grains in your diet.
Use for: Rice pilaf, rice salad, soups, and stews
Capers
They deliver bright, briny flavor in a flash.
Use for: Pasta dishes, roasted vegetables, and sauces for chicken and fish
Fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
It’s indispensable for fast cooking.
Use for: Poaching liquid, sauces, braising and stewing liquid
Canola mayonnaise
It has less saturated fat than conventional store-bought mayo.
Use for: Marinades, flavored sandwich spreads, and dips
Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
They’re every bit as convenient but taste better than bland, dry breadcrumbs. Panko also gives foods a supercrisp crust.
Use for: Filler for crab cakes and meatballs, breading for oven-fried shrimp or fish fillets, and casserole toppings
Pitted kalamata olives
They add a rich and unique flavor to any dish they grace.
Use for: Tapenade, pasta dishes, and roasting along with chicken or vegetables
Canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes
They save you the time and effort of seeding, chopping, and peeling fresh tomatoes.
Use for: Marinara sauce, bruschetta, salsa, and soups
Canned organic black beans
These offer options for main dishes and sides, and going with organic ensures there’s minimal added salt.
Use for: Black bean cakes, filling for tacos or burritos, and salsa
Whole-wheat couscous
It’s one of the easiest and most versatile starches you can find.
Use for: Salads, stuffing roasted veggies like zucchini, and serving with Moroccan tagines and other stews
Greek yogurt
The fat-free or 2% reduced-fat is luscious, smooth, and rich, not chalky like traditional plain yogurt.
Use for: Dips, sauces, and marinades
Bagged baby spinach
It saves you time and the trouble of removing stems.
Use for: Pizza topping, pasta dishes, and a tasty side dish or salad
Presliced fresh cremini mushrooms
They allow you to simply dump and stir.
Use for: Sauces, casseroles, stuffings, and fillings
Grape tomatoes
They add a quick splash of color and flavor.
Use for: Pasta tosses, salads, and garnishes
Pesto spread
Commercial pesto is convenient and high-flavor. Even though pesto is made with high-calorie ingredients (nuts, olive oil, and cheese), it’s still a good-for-you spread filled with healthy fats.
Use for: Pizza, pasta dishes, and sandwiches
Fresh pasta
It cooks in half the time as dried. Look for whole-wheat ravioli and fettuccine in the refrigerated case of your grocery store.
Use for: Soups, baked casseroles, and appetizers
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
It adds an incomparable flavor, texture, and richness to foods.
Use for: Grating over pasta dishes, salads, and roasted veggies, and stirring into soups and risottos
Eggs
They’re a quick protein and amazingly versatile.
Use for: Binders in patties and meatballs, salad toppers, thickening and enriching sauces and salad dressings, and bulking up fried rice
Red potato wedges
They’re ready to cook straight out of the bag.
Use for: Potato salad, roasted potato sides, and soup
IN THE FREEZER
Corn kernels
They save you the time spent shucking and cutting kernels from the cob.
Use for: Cream-style corn, salsa, salads, and corn bread
Shelled edamame (green soybeans)
They’re a super convenient way to add color, texture, and protein to most any dish.
Use for: Salads, pastas, and pureed dips or spreads
THE MOROCCAN CHICKPEA STEW PICTURED BELOW may seem like a daunting recipe for a weeknight, but with a little advance prep work it becomes an easy dinner that you can get on the table in under 30 minutes. The following tips offer advice that you can use for preparing a variety of dishes.
YOU CAN FIND the recipe for Moroccan Chickpea Stew.
Jump-start your ingredient prep. In the morning or the night before, wash and chop the vegetables so all you have to do is throw the ingredients into the pan when you get home.
Precook some items. The next time you’re cooking rice, make a large batch so you can freeze the extra. Simply reheat in the microwave.
Make and freeze. When you cook the stew, freeze individual portions to create a frozen meal to take to work for lunch or to reheat for dinner later in the week.
Plan for leftovers. Soups and stews have good fridge shelf lives since they’re packed in moisture. Later in the week, prep some quick sides and serve, or you can even roast a piece of fish and pour the stew on top as a sauce.
“I need to get reacquainted with my kitchen.”
CAROL “C.J.” JOHNSON
Cooking Light Administrative Coordinator
HER CHALLENGE: For the last year, C.J. has been time crunched and energy depleted. When mealtime came, “It was just way too easy to go through somebody’s drive-through,” she says. Although she loves to cook, the idea of shopping and cooking for one was too tiring to even think about. The result: an upsurge in restaurant food spending and an increase in pounds.
OUR ADVICE
▪ Cook and freeze. On the weekend, if you’re cooking a lasagna, enchiladas, or a casserole like mac and cheese, make double portions and freeze one. That way, you’ve cooked once, but you get at least two home-cooked meals.
▪ A healthy breakfast is just a muffin tin away. Bake and freeze muffins or individual frittatas (baked in muffin tins) for pre-portioned, grab-and-go breakfasts.
▪ Make a batch of pasta salad for the week. Try penne with diced red bell pepper and red onion plus purchased or homemade vinaigrette. Add something new each day so you don’t get sick of it—toasted nuts and feta cheese, sliced grilled chicken breast, or olives and canned tuna.
▪ Learn to cook en papillote. It’s a smart option for those cooking for one—a great one-dish meal with almost no cleanup.
▪ Cook with friends. Open a bottle of wine, and have a friend or two over. You might be more willing to tackle a new technique together, and you’ll learn from each other—a new ingredient, a cool tip, or a time-saving option.
You can find some muffin options.
Frequent home cooking may even help you live longer, suggests a 10-year study published in Public Health Nutrition.
MAKING DINNER DOESN’T HAVE TO TAKE AN HOUR. There are great time-cutting products out there to make even the freshest cooking easier and faster. Here are five healthy off-the-shelf convenience foods to help simplify dinner prep.
PREMADE PIZZA DOUGH
In as little as 30 minutes, you can make a fantastic pie with a crispy-chewy, deliciously brown crust warm from the oven. Load it with fresh veggies for a wonderfully healthy salad pizza.
PASTA SAUCE
A good basic bottled marinara sauce can make quick work of so many dinners—from spaghetti and meatballs to lasagna. Plus it’s great as a quick pizza or dipping sauce.
HUMMUS
It’s a tasty base for a wide range of easy, veggie-packed sandwiches made special with the robust flavors of garlic and nutty tahini. And hummus is loaded with protein and fiber.
PRECOOKED BROWN RICE
We all need to eat more whole grains, but they’re not always an easy choice for the fast cook—some can take an hour to prepare. Instead, say hello to precooked brown rice, which is cooked and then put in a shelf-stable pouch.
ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
Rotisserie chicken is a convenient and healthy choice. Always remove the skin before chopping or shredding the meat. Here are 10 things to do with rotisserie chicken:
1. Stir chopped or shredded breast meat into chilis, stews, and soups.
2. Turn a variety of salads into main dishes by using chicken as the protein.
3. Add shredded chicken to any number of casseroles, from green bean to stratas. Use the dark meat; it can stand up to the extra cooking time without drying out.
4. Make a simple chicken salad by adding canola mayonnaise, prechopped celery and onion, chopped walnuts, and halved red grapes.
5. Toss chicken chunks with jarred salsa verde and preshredded Mexican blend cheese as a quick-and-easy filling for enchiladas, quesadillas, or tacos.
6. Combine shredded chicken with a mix of bottled barbecue sauce and light ranch dressing for a deliciously different potato topper. Stir in chopped green onions for flavor and color.
7. Tuck breast meat slices into sandwiches for an easy, lower-sodium alternative to cold cuts.
8. Mix chopped chicken into potato hash in place of corned beef or pork.
9. Make fried rice a full meal by adding shredded breast and thigh meat.
10. To save cooking time, use rotisserie chicken whenever a recipe calls for cooked chicken.
“Cooking gives me good food and quality time with my family.”
HEATHER WALKER
Stay-at-Home Mom
HEALTHY HABITS GRADUATE: This new mom lost almost 72 pounds in a year simply by cutting back on calorie-laden takeout and cooking at home more. Here, her top five strategies for keeping it simple:
HEATHER’S STRATEGIES
▪ Get a game plan. “I sit down on Monday evenings after my daughter has gone to bed, and I make a meal plan for the week that focuses primarily on dinner. I try to cook meals that will have a lot of leftovers that save well to use as lunches throughout the week.”
▪ Embrace the slow cooker. “I use it probably twice a week. It works well for me because it frees up my days and allows me time to get out of the house, run errands, or visit family. One of our family favorites is carnitas (pulled pork) that you can cook for seven to eight hours on low.” Vegetarian chili, chicken stew, or braised collard greens are also great options (see our recipes starting).
▪ Invest in a few good tools. “Buy a good set of knives. I also have a huge Calphalon sauté pan that I use almost every day—sometimes twice a day. Just having good utensils makes food prep and cooking a lot easier.”
▪ Gather your favorite go-to recipes. “Any time I find a recipe I really like, I put it in a special folder. That way, if I’m feeling sluggish one week, I can make one of those.”
▪ Tackle meal prep as a team. “I marinate meat first thing in the morning and put it in the fridge. When my husband gets home from work, he puts it on the grill while I prep salads and chop veggies. We’re ready to eat in 15 minutes, no muss, no fuss!”
Have a pot of slow-cooker Provençal Beef Daube ready when you get home.
A slow cooker was the #1 favorite kitchen helper identified by the Cooking Light community; it won hands down at 46%.
Avoid the Most Common Cooking Mistakes
EVERY COOK, BEING HUMAN, ERRS, bungles, botches, and screws up in the kitchen once in a while. Here, some of the most common, avoidable culinary boo-boos, and ways to prevent them:
OOPS! You don’t read the entire recipe before you start cooking.
Result: Flavors are dull, entire steps or ingredients get left out.
What to do: A wise cook approaches each recipe with a critical eye and reads the recipe well before it’s time to cook. Follow the pros’ habit of creating your mise en place—that is, having all the ingredients gathered, prepped, and ready to go before you turn on the heat.
OOPS! You don’t taste as you go.
Result: The flavors or textures of an otherwise excellent dish are out of balance or unappealing.
What to do: Your palate is the control factor, so taste every two to three steps. Recipes don’t always call for the “right” amount of seasoning, cooking times are estimates, and results vary depending on your ingredients, your stove, altitude…and a million other factors.
OOPS! You overcrowd the pan.
Result: Soggy food that doesn’t brown
What to do: It’s easy to overcrowd a pan when you’re in a hurry, but the brown, crusty bits are critical for flavor. Leave breathing room in the pan, and you’ll get much better results. If you need to speed things up, use two pans at once.
OOPS! You don’t use a meat thermometer.
Result: Your roast chicken, leg of lamb, or beef tenderloin turns out over-or undercooked.
What to do: Invest in a small, inexpensive meat thermometer. Using one is the surefire way to achieve a perfect roast chicken or beautiful medium-rare lamb roast, because temperatures don’t lie and appearances can deceive. We love digital probe thermometers, which allow you to set the device to the desired temperature.
OOPS! You turn the food too often.
Result: You interfere with the sear, food sticks, or you lose the breading.
What to do: Learning to leave food alone is one of the hardest lessons in cooking; it’s so tempting to turn, poke, flip. But your breaded chicken or steak won’t develop a nice crust unless you allow it to cook, undisturbed, for the specified time. One sign that it’s too early to turn: You can’t slide a spatula cleanly under the crust.
OOPS! You don’t know your oven’s quirks and idiosyncrasies.
Result: Food cooks too fast, too slowly, or unevenly.
What to do: Ideally, every oven set to 350° would heat to 350°. But many ovens don’t, including expensive ones, and some change as they age. Always use an oven thermometer. Next, be aware of hot spots. If you’ve produced cake layers with wavy rather than flat tops, hot spots are the problem. One way to check is the “bread test.” Arrange bread slices on a large jelly-roll pan or baking sheet, and place on the middle rack. Bake at 350° for a few minutes, and see which slices get singed—their location marks your oven’s hot spots. If you know you have a hot spot in, say, that back left corner, avoid putting pans in that location or rotate accordingly.
OOPS! You don’t get the pan hot enough before you add the food.
Result: Food that sticks, scallops with no sear, pale meats
What to do: A hot pan is essential for sautéing veggies or creating a great crust on meat, fish, and poultry. It also helps prevent food from sticking. Senior Food Editor Tim Cebula was once advised: “If you think your pan is hot enough, step back and heat it a couple more minutes. When you’re about ready to call the fire department, then add oil and proceed to cook the food.”
OOPS! You pop meat straight from the fridge into the oven or on the grill.
Result: Food cooks unevenly: The outside is overdone, the inside rare or raw.
What to do: Meats will cook much more evenly if you allow them to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes (depending on the size of the cut) to take the chill off.
EXPERT TIP: Avoiding “Oops” in the Kitchen
“Organize and prepare are the two critical acts in a kitchen. Begin any task with these two acts, and you’re on your way. Ignore them, and you’ve put yourself at risk even before you begin. Ninety-five percent of kitchen failures can be traced back to a failure to organize and prepare at the outset.”
—Michael Ruhlman, author of Ruhlman’s Twenty: 20 Techniques, 100 Recipes, A Cook’s Manifesto
7 DIFFERENT PROTEINS + 5 DIFFERENT SAUCES = a variety of delicious dinner options that help beat boredom. Here, supersimple ways to jazz up mainstays like chicken or beef and get dinner on the table in 15 minutes or less:
Sauces are an easy way to jazz up poultry, fish, and vegetables, and many don’t require cooking.
• Fish fillets
• Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Boneless center-cut pork chops
• Beef tenderloin steaks
• Shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Scallops
• Lean ground beef
PICK YOUR SAUCE
Wasabi Cream gets a horseradish-y heat from the wasabi.
1. Mushroom Sauce
Goes with: Steak, roasted or grilled chicken or pork
Pair with: Creamed spinach and mashed potatoes
To prepare: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in ½ cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth; ¼ cup white wine; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Cook 2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thick. Remove from heat; add 2 tablespoons butter, stirring until butter melts. Serves 8 (serving size: about 3 tablespoons).
CALORIES 37; FAT 2.9g (sat 1.8g, mono 0.8g, poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 0.8g; CARB 1.9g; FIBER 0.2g; CHOL 8mg; IRON 0.2mg; SODIUM 87mg; CALC 7mg
2. Chimichurri
Goes with: Steak, chicken, or fish
Pair with: Roasted red potatoes and steamed asparagus
To prepare: Place 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, 1 cup fresh cilantro, ¼ cup fresh oregano, and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add ½ teaspoon grated lime rind, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper; process until mixture is well combined. Serves 4 (serving size: 2 tablespoons).
CALORIES 79; FAT 7.2g (sat 1g, mono 5g, poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 0.9g; CARB 4.2g; FIBER 1.9g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 2.4mg; SODIUM 155mg; CALC 73mg
3. Wasabi Cream
Goes with: Grilled or roasted beef, chicken, or pork; burgers; sautéed or grilled shrimp or scallops
Pair with: Baked potato and cabbage slaw
To prepare: Combine 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, and 2 teaspoons wasabi paste. Serves 8 (serving size: 2 tablespoons).
CALORIES 57; FAT 3.9g (sat 2.4g, mono 1g, poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 1.4g; CARB 3.1g; FIBER 0.1g; CHOL 16mg; IRON 0mg; SODIUM 43mg; CALC 50mg
Goes with: Beef, chicken, shrimp, or scallops
Pair with: Brown rice and sautéed snow peas
To prepare: Combine 1 tablespoon chopped green onions, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine), 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, and ¼ teaspoon fish sauce.Serves 4 (serving size: 2 tablespoons).
CALORIES 30; FAT 0g (sat 0g, mono 0g, poly 0g); PROTEIN 0.6g; CARB 5.2g; FIBER 0.1g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.1mg; SODIUM 225mg; CALC 5mg
5. Tzatziki
Goes with: Beef, lamb, or chicken kebabs; pita sandwiches or burgers
Pair with: Avocado salad and pita bread
To prepare: Combine ¾ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt, ¼ cup grated peeled English cucumber, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and 2 minced garlic cloves. Serves 4 (serving size: 3 tablespoons).
CALORIES 36; FAT 1g (sat 0.8g, mono 0g, poly 0g); PROTEIN 4.4g; CARB 2.7g; FIBER 0.1g; CHOL 3mg; IRON 0.1mg; SODIUM 162mg; CALC 50mg
with ANN PITTMAN
SIMPLE DINNER SOLUTIONS: “WHAT I MADE THIS WEEK”
Cooking Light Executive Editor Ann Pittman works full time, and when she’s not testing recipes for the magazine she’s mothering 6-year-old twin boys. But despite her schedule, she still manages to put nutritious meals on her table every night, even when her larder is running low. Here’s how she does it:
▪ Monday: The pantry and fridge were starting to look bare (Wednesday is grocery shopping day), so I threw together what I had on hand and made a roasted cauliflower pasta. Fortunately, I had some campanelle—that beautiful pasta shaped like small flowers—which my 6-year-old twins always think is really fun. It took less than 20 minutes to make: I cut the cauliflower into florets, sprinkled them with some olive oil and garlic, and roasted them at 475° in the oven until they were nice and toasty brown. I topped it with shaved Parmesan cheese and capers for some salty flavor.
▪ Tuesday: It was a crazy day at work and I didn’t feel much like cooking, so I stopped at Whole Foods to buy pizza dough, fresh mozzarella, and a lower-sodium marinara pasta sauce. Cheese pizza probably isn’t the most nutritious stand-alone meal, but at least I knew it was healthier than the delivery version.
▪ Wednesday: Grocery day! Among the items on my shopping list: Bone-in, thin-cut pork chops; brown rice; and fresh broccoli. The pork chops were simple but delicious: I sautéed them with salt and pepper and drizzled some lemon juice on at the end. I cheated and used Uncle Ben’s boil-in-bag brown rice: I love the texture and how fluffy it looks at the end. I tossed it with a tablespoon of browned butter and toasted pecans to give it more flavor. I steamed the broccoli. Supereasy!
▪ Thursday: Taco night! I chopped up some flank steak, seared it off in my go-to cast-iron pan, sprinkled on a little bit of salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, and served it on corn tortillas. My husband and I topped ours off with some spicy store-bought salsa for an extra serving of veggies; the kids had grape tomatoes on theirs. As a side dish, I sautéed some chopped zucchini and frozen corn with a little bit of olive oil and a whole lot of garlic.
▪ Friday: My husband and I are always exhausted from the week, so Fridays are traditionally takeout and family movie night. I picked up some brown rice sushi and frozen edamame at Whole Foods on my way home. Everyone in my household loves sushi, and the brown rice is a great way to get in an extra helping of healthy whole grains.
▪ Saturday: Saturday was our fun fish dinner—my kids love seafood! I sautéed some salmon (I left the skin on, to keep it crisp and crunchy for my boys) and served it with couscous tossed with grape tomatoes and a salad topped with a supereasy homemade Dijon vinaigrette.
▪ Sunday: Sundays are traditionally my big cooking day—I try to make something pretty substantial that we can have for leftovers later in the week. Today’s project was a pork roast. I trimmed all the fat from the outside, coated it with salt and pepper, browned it for a bit on the stovetop, and then popped it in the oven with 8 cups of water and a pound of dried white beans. I let it cook in the oven at 300° for four hours while my boys and I played outside. I served it with steamed green beans. Best of all, there were plenty of leftovers to make pork tacos and nachos later in the week.
ALL-STAR EQUIPMENT
The five cooking items Ann can’t live without:
1. Cast-iron pan. “I cook everything in it—steak tacos, scallops, salmon, and, of course, my Southern cornbread. You can heat it to a really high heat, so the pan is screaming hot, throw the meat in, and watch as it chars quickly.”
2. Chef’s knife. “The biggest mistake people make is using a dull knife—it may seem safer, but since it doesn’t slice through food like it’s supposed to, you can make mistakes. (Trust me, I almost cut my finger off once chopping onions!) Plus, you’ll feel more confident when you’re using it, like a real chef, so cooking becomes more fun.”
3. Microplane® grater. “I use mine almost every night, whether it’s grating citrus rind or mincing just one clove of garlic or ginger. It’s also great for grating up leftover rolls to make breadcrumbs.”
4. Cookie scoop. “It’s so much faster and easier to use when making cookies for my kids rather than relying on measuring out perfect tablespoons. It also makes the perfect-sized meatball!”
5. Dutch oven. “I use it for all my roasts, soups, or stews. Just make sure the lid fits on pretty tightly—if you’re braising meat, you don’t want liquid to escape and dry out the pan. Another bonus: The steam trapped in there helps make the meat extra moist and tender.”
WE EAT OUT MORE THAN EVER BEFORE—in fact, it provides about one-third of the calories in American diets. Studies link frequent dining out to obesity, and no wonder: An order of chicken fried rice at your favorite Chinese restaurant can set you back 1,000 calories or more. But it’s not difficult to duplicate the food on your Chinese and Thai takeout menus. Keep a variety of rices and noodles in your pantry and Asian staples like hoisin sauce, chile paste with garlic, and lower-sodium soy sauce in your fridge so you’re ready when the urge strikes. Your waistline—and wallet—will thank you.
Chicken Fried Rice
Fried rice is one of those comforting Chinese-American hybrids that populates nearly every Chinese takeout menu in the country. This version scales down the salty, greasy part by using a lower-sodium soy sauce with sweet-salty hoisin sauce and fiery chile paste. The sodium savings is about 60% compared to typical takeout.
2 (3½-ounce) bags boil-in-bag rice
7 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 teaspoon cornstarch
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup chopped white onion
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
½ cup chopped green onions
1. Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, cornstarch, and chicken in a bowl; toss well. Combine remaining 4 teaspoons soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Heat a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken mixture; stir-fry 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Push chicken to 1 side of pan; add eggs to open side of pan. Cook 45 seconds, stirring constantly; stir eggs and chicken mixture together. Remove chicken mixture from pan; keep warm. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add white onion, ginger, and garlic; cook 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add rice; cook 1 minute. Add peas; cook 1 minute. Add chicken mixture and soy sauce mixture; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove pan from heat; stir in green onions. Serves 4 (serving size: about 1½ cups).
CALORIES 477; FAT 11.7g (sat 1.7g, mono 5.7g, poly 2.7g); PROTEIN 30.2g; CARB 58.3g; FIBER 3.5g; CHOL 139mg; IRON 3.5mg; SODIUM 488mg; CALC 58mg
Shrimp Pad Thai
This homemade version of Pad Thai has about 30% less sodium than the restaurant version.
8 ounces uncooked flat rice noodles
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce) or chili garlic sauce
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup (2-inch) green onion pieces
8 ounces peeled and deveined large shrimp
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
¼ cup chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
2. While water comes to a boil, combine sugar and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion pieces, shrimp, and garlic; stir-fry 2 minutes or until shrimp is almost done. Add cooked noodles; toss to combine. Stir in sauce; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Arrange about 1 cup noodle mixture on each of 4 plates; top each serving with ¼ cup bean sprouts, 1 tablespoon peanuts, and 2 teaspoons basil. Serves 4.
CALORIES 462; FAT 16.1g (sat 1.6g, mono 9.1g, poly 4.8g); PROTEIN 15.8g; CARB 64.3g; FIBER 2.6g; CHOL 86mg; IRON 3.7mg; SODIUM 637mg; CALC 90mg
TOO WIPED OUT TO COOK? NO PROBLEM. On your way home, swing by your supermarket or local pizza shop to buy fresh dough. In the time it takes to call for delivery, you can roll a 1-pound ball of fresh dough into a 14-inch base, top it with one of these tasty topping combinations, bake, and divide by 8. Each slice clocks in at under 200 calories. Buon appetito!
THE BAGEL-AND-LOX TREATMENT
Base: 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + ½ cup ⅓-less-fat cream cheese
Toppers: 4 ounces sliced smoked salmon + ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion +1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
THE CHICKEN PESTO PARTY
Base: ¼ cup prepared pesto
Toppers: ¾ cup shredded roasted chicken breast + ½ cup sliced red bell pepper + ⅓ cup shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
THE CAN’T-BEET-THIS COMBO
Base: 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
Toppers: 8 ounces sliced roasted beets + ⅓ cup toasted walnut halves + ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese +2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
THE HAPPY HAWAIIAN
Base: ½ cup lower-sodium marinara sauce
Toppers: 4 ounces turkey pepperoni slices + 1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned) + ½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Base: ⅓ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
Toppers: 2 cups fresh cut asparagus + ½ cup spring peas +1 ½ tablespoons olive oil +2 tablespoons grated lemon rind + ½ cup shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
THE GREEK AUSTERITY CURE
Base: ¾ cup ready-made Greek-style hummus
Toppers: 6 sliced plum tomatoes + ⅓ cup black olives + ½ cup crumbled feta cheese + ½ cup chopped fresh basil
THE BBQ YARDBIRD
Base: ½ cup ready-made barbecue sauce
Toppers: ½ cup sliced roasted chicken breast + ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese + ½ cup sliced red onion + ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
THE PEPPERY PIG
Base: 1½ tablespoons olive oil
Toppers: 4 ounces sliced prosciutto + ½ cup shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese + 4 cups fresh baby arugula + cracked black pepper
HOW THE DELIVERY STACKS UP
All that cheesy cheesiness promoted in TV ads adds calories to single plain slices of hand-tossed pizza—mostly from cheese.
Little Caesars 250 calories
Domino’s 290 calories
Papa John’s 290 calories
Godfather’s 313 calories
Pizza Hut 320 calories
GIVE YOUR WEEKNIGHT DINNER a south-of-the-border theme by topping a six-inch corn tortilla with your choice of tasty fillings for tacos that each clock in at 200 calories or less.
MAHI & MANGO
1 tablespoon sliced red onion + 2 tablespoons mango + 2 tablespoons avocado + 2 ounces grilled mahimahi fillet
CLASSIC
1 tablespoon light sour cream + 1 tablespoon Monterey Jack cheese + ¼ cup shredded lettuce + 1.5 ounces seasoned lean ground beef
1½ tablespoons feta cheese + ¼ cup black beans + ¼ cup sautéed zucchini + 2 tablespoons charred corn + 1 tablespoon fresh salsa
2 ounces steamed lobster + ¼ cup sliced napa cabbage + 2 tablespoons Monterey Jack cheese + 2 tablespoons fresh salsa
FAJITA-STYLE STEAK
1.5 ounces grilled flank steak + 1 tablespoon guacamole + 1 tablespoon pepper-Jack cheese + ¼ cup grilled bell peppers and onions
CRUSTACEAN CRUNCH
2 tablespoons pico de gallo + ¼ cup shredded red cabbage + 2 ounces lime-grilled shrimp + 1 tablespoon salsa verde
Our Cabbage Slaw adds just the right amount of fresh crunch to any of these taco options.
Quick Side
4 cups shredded cabbage
1½ cups thinly sliced radishes
½ cup diagonally cut green onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup chopped fresh mint
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
1. Combine first 5 ingredients; toss. Sprinkle with mint, salt, and pepper. Serves 6 (serving size: ½ cup).
CALORIES 81; FAT 6.9g (sat 1g, mono 4.9g, poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 1g; CARB 5g; FIBER 2g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.6mg; SODIUM 218mg; CALC 36mg
Mix It Up with Middle Eastern Food
GRABBING A FALAFEL or pita sandwich may be a better alternative to fast food, but you can easily make your own Middle Eastern favorites at home. Keep a few ingredients on hand—like tahini and bulgur—and enjoy healthy exotic fare without much fuss.
Kibbeh Meatballs with Spiced Yogurt Sauce
Considered the national dish of Lebanon, kibbeh is made of minced meat with bulgur and spices. You’ll find it in many forms, including a raw version that’s similar to steak tartare. Our style of kibbeh is formed into football-shaped meatballs and cooked until brown.
1½ cups plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 cup shredded seeded cucumber
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon minced garlic
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup uncooked bulgur
2 cups cold water
1 pound lean ground lamb
¼ cup minced shallots
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. Combine first 6 ingredients; chill.
2. Combine bulgur and 2 cups water in a medium bowl. Let stand 30 minutes; drain bulgur through a fine sieve, pressing out excess liquid. Place bulgur, lamb, and next 7 ingredients in a food processor; process just until smooth. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Form lamb mixture into 20 (2½-inch) football-shaped meatballs.
3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add meatballs to pan; cook 12 minutes, browning on all sides. Serve with sauce. Serves 10 (serving size: 2 meatballs and 3 tablespoons sauce).
CALORIES 161; FAT 7.7g (sat 2.7g, mono 3.6g, poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 12.2g; CARB 10.8g; FIBER 2.3g; CHOL 30mg; IRON 1.1mg; SODIUM 248mg; CALC 43mg
Spicy Chicken Shawarma
Shawarma is traditionally made by layering strips of meat on a large rotating cone and roasting over an open flame. The chicken or lamb is then shaved off with a large knife to roll into pita or flatbread for sandwiches. Here’s a much easier way for you to enjoy this dish.
Instead of the tahini sauce, try the sandwich with homemade hummus.
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon ground coriander
5 tablespoons plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
½ cup chopped cucumber
½ cup chopped plum tomato
¼ cup prechopped red onion
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon yogurt, 1 tablespoon juice, and 2 garlic cloves. Add chicken; toss to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.
2. While chicken cooks, combine remaining ¼ cup yogurt, remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, remaining 1 garlic clove, and tahini, stirring well. Spread 1½ teaspoons tahini mixture inside each pita half; divide chicken evenly among pita halves. Fill each pita half with 1 tablespoon cucumber, 1 tablespoon tomato, and 1½ teaspoons onion. Serves 4 (serving size: 2 stuffed pita halves).
CALORIES 402; FAT 10.7g (sat 1.9g, mono 6g, poly 2g); PROTEIN 36.4g; CARB 40g; FIBER 2.1g; CHOL 67mg; IRON 4.1mg; SODIUM 541mg; CALC 93mg
A WHOLE ROAST CHICKEN is a surprisingly simple but elegant dinner option that provides plenty of leftovers for the rest of the week. Our version calls for baking the bird and then cranking up the heat at the end. Be prepared to turn on the oven vent, since the high finish heat may generate smoke.
HOW TO ROAST A WHOLE CHICKEN
1. Truss. Simply cross the legs and tie them together with kitchen twine. Next, lift the wing tips up, and tuck them under the bird. Once cooked, discard the twine, and the chicken will hold this tidy shape.
2. Season and roast. Season the flesh, leaving the skin intact. (Season the skin, too, for a nice presentation.) Then place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. Elevating the bird allows air to circulate and promotes even browning.
3. Check the temperature. Cooking to the proper temperature is the most critical step. Insert a thermometer into a meaty part of the leg (avoiding the bone). When the temperature reaches 165°, pull the bird from the oven. Let it rest 10 minutes.
Classic Roast Chicken
“This was the best chicken I’ve ever roasted,” said Cat111719 on CookingLight.com. “So juicy and flavorful, and the skin is perfectly crispy. You can adjust the flavor by changing up the herbs, but really, it was perfect, so why mess with it? I have already made it twice and plan to make it weekly just to have such great chicken meat on hand.”
1 (4-pound) roasting chicken
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened
1½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, peeled and halved
3 thyme sprigs
1 lemon, quartered
Thyme sprigs (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Discard giblets and neck from chicken. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
3. Combine butter and next 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub mixture under loosened skin, over flesh; rub over top of skin. Tie ends of legs together with twine. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack; place rack in roasting pan. Place shallots, thyme sprigs, and lemon in cavity of chicken.
4. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450° (do not remove chicken); bake at 450° for 15 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in meaty part of leg registers 165°. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired. Serves 4 (serving size: 1 breast half or 1 leg quarter).
CALORIES 278; FAT 13.6g (sat 4.1g, mono 5.7g, poly 2.5g); PROTEIN 35.7g; CARB 0.9g; FIBER 0.3g; CHOL 111mg; IRON 1.9mg; SODIUM 563mg; CALC 23mg
READER TIP: Count on Leftovers
“I make sure that one meal will provide leftovers for another night or the base of another meal. Extra chicken can be used later in a soup, salad, or panini. I also try to bring my lunch to work every day, so I grill extra chicken and veggies on Sunday to use in wraps for lunch during the week.”
—Christina Corieri
SKINLESS, BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS ARE LEAN and cook in a flash, but they can get boring if you don’t mix it up with various techniques and flavors. Here, two ways to diversify your weeknight chicken dinners:
Tandoori-Spiced Chicken
The yogurt-based marinade helps keep the chicken juicy and tender while adding plenty of flavor.
Turmeric is a pungent spice that’s being studied for its anti-inflammatory properties.
1½ cups plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground red pepper
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Place a small roasting pan in oven. Preheat broiler to high. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with salt. Place chicken on preheated pan coated with cooking spray. Broil in lower third of oven 15 minutes or until done, turning after 7 minutes. Serves 4 (serving size: 1 breast half).
CALORIES 230; FAT 4.4g (sat 1.3g, mono 1.4g, poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 42.8g; CARB 2.4g; FIBER 0.2g; CHOL 101mg; IRON 1.4mg; SODIUM 415mg; CALC 59mg
Meyer Lemon Chicken Piccata
The tangy-sweet Meyer lemon transforms a simple chicken breast into something special.
2 (8-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
⅓ cup sauvignon blanc or other crisp, tart white wine
½ cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
⅓ cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1. Split chicken breast halves in half horizontally to form 4 cutlets. Place each cutlet between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound each cutlet to ¼-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle cutlets evenly with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge cutlets in flour.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 cutlets to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Turn cutlets over; sauté 1 minute. Remove cutlets from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 2 cutlets.
3. Add wine to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in broth; bring to a boil. Cook until broth mixture is reduced to 2 tablespoons (about 4 minutes). Stir in juice and capers. Serve over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Serves 4 (serving size: 1 cutlet, 2 tablespoons sauce, and 1 tablespoon parsley).
CALORIES 214; FAT 7.3g (sat 4.1g, mono 1.9g, poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 27.5g; CARB 8.5g; FIBER 0.6 g; CHOL 81mg; IRON 1.6mg; SODIUM 502mg; CALC 26mg
HOW TO PAN-FRY CHICKEN
Dip chicken in a marinade (or try buttermilk to add tangy flavor), coat it with flour and nuts or other tasty breading ingredients, then pan-fry it in a sensible amount of heart-healthy oil to create a crisp exterior.
Find New Kid-Friendly Favorites
GET YOUR KIDS INVOLVED in meal prep—there’s a variety of tasks children of all ages can help with. Plus, they’ll be more likely to try something new if they’ve had a hand in preparing it.
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs (about 1 ounce)
Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup ketchup, divided
3 ounces white cheddar cheese, diced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon salt
1½ pounds ground sirloin
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.
3. While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, ¼ cup ketchup, and next 10 ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2–inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until done. Serves 6 (serving size: 1 meat loaf).
CALORIES 256; FAT 11.6g (sat 5.7g, mono 3.9g, poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 28.5g; CARB 11.2g; FIBER 0.9g; CHOL 112mg; IRON 2.6mg; SODIUM 573mg; CALC 159mg
Turn the fish once to ensure even browning.
¼ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
¼ cup fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup lager-style beer
1½ tablespoons creamy mustard blend
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
⅔ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
⅓ cup unsalted pumpkinseed kernels, toasted
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
1 pound halibut or other lean white fish fillets (such as cod or pollock), cut into 4 x 1–inch pieces (about 12 pieces)
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 lime wedges
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cover and chill.
2. Preheat oven to 425°. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray; spread evenly with oil. Heat in oven 12 minutes.
3. Combine flour and black pepper in a shallow dish. Combine beer and next 4 ingredients in another shallow dish; stir with a whisk until foamy. Place panko, pumpkinseeds, cumin, and chile pepper in a food processor; pulse 20 times or until coarse crumbs form. Place panko mixture in a shallow dish.
4. Sprinkle fish evenly with salt. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge fish in flour mixture. Dip in egg mixture, and dredge in panko mixture until completely covered.
5. Remove preheated baking sheet from oven; place fish on pan, and return to oven. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork, turning once. Serve immediately with sauce and lime wedges. Serves 4 (serving size: about 3 fish sticks, 2 tablespoons sauce, and 1 lime wedge).
CALORIES 425; FAT 17g (sat 2.5g, mono 6g, poly 6.2g); PROTEIN 36.9g; CARB 29.5g; FIBER 1.8g; CHOL 91mg; IRON 5mg; SODIUM 597mg; CALC 98mg
1 (1-pound) turkey tenderloin
¼ cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup egg substitute
¾ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Cut tenderloin in half lengthwise; cut into 20 (2-inch) pieces.
3. Place flour in a shallow dish. Place egg substitute in another shallow dish. Combine panko, cheese, garlic salt, and pepper in another dish. Dredge turkey in flour; dip in egg substitute, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add turkey pieces to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side. Place pieces on a broiler pan. Bake at 425° for 5 minutes. Turn pieces over; bake an additional 5 minutes or until golden. Serves 4 (serving size: 5 pieces).
CALORIES 227; FAT 6.1g (sat 1.2g, mono 2.7g, poly 1.3g); PROTEIN 32.9g; CARB 11g; FIBER 0.5g; CHOL 47mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 237mg; CALC 36mg
EXPERT TIP: Put Kids in Charge
“Consider assigning each child in your family one night a week when they’re in charge of dinner. Encourage them to look through cookbooks, food magazines, and online recipe sites, and then help them create a shopping list based on the recipes they select. When they see how much work goes into their meal, they’ll appreciate what’s on the table and be more likely to take that first bite. ”
—Liz Weiss, MS, RD, and Janice Bissex, MS, RD, bloggers, Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen
Take Advantage of Your Slow Cooker
YOU CAN’T BEAT A SLOW COOKER for make-ahead meals. Just combine the ingredients in the removable pot up to 24 hours in advance, and store it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, put the pot into the heating unit, and set the temperature. A pot you don’t have to watch during cooking and that’s easy to clean afterward? What could be better for busy days?
If you use dried chickpeas, be sure to build in an hour for soaking. Or you can substitute drained canned chickpeas if you want to skip that step.
1 cup dried chickpeas
2 quarts boiling water
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1½ cups chopped onion
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground red pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
2½ cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
⅔ cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
½ cup water
½ cup golden raisins
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and crushed
4 cups chopped peeled butternut squash
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 cups hot cooked whole-wheat couscous
8 lime wedges
1. Place chickpeas in a saucepan; add 2 quarts boiling water. Cover and let stand 1 hour; drain. Place beans in a 6-quart electric slow cooker.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in tomato paste and next 5 ingredients; sauté 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to cooker. Add broth and next 4 ingredients to cooker; cover and cook on HIGH 8 hours.
3. Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add squash; sauté 5 minutes. Add squash to slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour; stir in peas. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over couscous with lime wedges. Serves 8 (serving size: 1 cup chili and ¾ cup couscous).
CALORIES 382; FAT 7.6g (sat 0.9g, mono 4.1g, poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 12.9g; CARB 69.4g; FIBER 8.6g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 4mg; SODIUM 610mg; CALC 133mg
Provençal Beef Daube
1 (2-pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup boiling water
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
Cooking spray
¾ teaspoon salt, divided
½ cup red wine
¼ cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
⅓ cup pitted niçoise olives
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 (1-inch) strip orange rind
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1½ tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate at room temperature 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.
2. Combine ½ cup boiling water and mushrooms; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Drain through a sieve over a bowl, reserving mushrooms and ¼ cup soaking liquid. Chop mushrooms.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle beef mixture with ¼ teaspoon salt. Add half of beef mixture to pan; sauté 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Place browned beef mixture in a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Repeat procedure with cooking spray and remaining beef mixture. Add wine and broth to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Pour wine mixture into cooker. Add mushrooms, reserved ¼ cup soaking liquid, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, olives, and next 5 ingredients. Place pepper-corns and next 4 ingredients on a double layer of cheesecloth. Gather edges of cheesecloth together; secure with twine. Add bundle to cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 6 hours or until beef and vegetables are tender. Discard bundle.
4. Combine 1 tablespoon water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to cooker; cook 20 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and chopped thyme. Serves 8 (serving size: about ¾ cup).
CALORIES 360; FAT 22.5g (sat 8g, mono 10.6g, poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 30.2g; CARB 7.8g; FIBER 2.2g; CHOL 94mg; IRON 3.5mg; SODIUM 516mg; CALC 53mg
EXPERT TIP: Go Slow Once a Week
“Make your life a whole lot easier and vow to use your slow cooker for at least one meal a week. Go on, find your slow cooker, dust it off, and give it a kiss. It will be your very best friend, I promise!”
—Robin Plotkin, RD, blogger, Robinsbite
THERE’S NO NEED TO BYPASS BEEF in your weekly meal planning—it can be a healthy choice as long as you choose lean cuts with “loin” or “round” in the name. Tenderloin is among the leanest but has a higher price tag. Less-expensive lean cuts benefit from marinating and braising to make them more tender.
A 3½-ounce serving of beef provides 27g to 30g of protein.
Beef Tagine with Butternut Squash
Take your basic beef stew to the next level by making this simple, fragrant tagine featuring butternut squash. “Excellent!” said Stormydogblue on CookingLight.com. “I made this exactly as in the recipe, including the couscous. It was very good, and the smell was incredible. Don’t skip the cilantro. It was perfect sprinkled on top. Bags of peeled and cubed squash at my local grocery store made this very simple.”
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) beef shoulder roast or petite tender roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 shallots, quartered
4 garlic cloves, chopped
½ cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash (about 1 pound)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add beef; toss well to coat.
2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add beef and shallots; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Add squash; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until squash is tender. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serves 4 (serving size: 1½ cups).
CALORIES 283; FAT 9.5g (sat 2g, mono 4.8g, poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 25.6g; CARB 25.7g; FIBER 4.8g; CHOL 67mg; IRON 4.6mg; SODIUM 617mg; CALC 103mg
Quick Side
Scallion Couscous
Bring ¾ cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth and ½ cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in 1 cup uncooked couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in ⅓ cup chopped green onions. Serves 4.
CALORIES 169; FAT 0.3g (sat 0.1g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 6g; CARB 34.3g; FIBER 2.7g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.7mg; SODIUM 80mg; CALC 20mg
HOW TO EASILY SLICE BEEF INTO STRIPS
Partially freezing meat can make slicing cuts like sirloin or flank steak into thin, bite-sized pieces easier. For cuts that are 1 inch thick, cover the meat with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 45 to 60 minutes. You want the meat to be firm so it will remain rigid while slicing but not so hard that it can’t be cut.
Beef-Broccoli Stir-Fry
“We loved this!” said Kellyyy624 on CookingLight.com. “This tasted just like something you would get from takeout except so much fresher! Next time, I think I will add some more veggies, perhaps carrots, snow peas, or even bean sprouts or baby corn. This is definitely a keeper!”
2 (3½-ounce) bags boil-in-bag long-grain white or brown rice
2 tablespoons dry sherry, divided
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 teaspoon sugar
1 (1-pound) boneless sirloin steak, cut diagonally across grain into thin slices
½ cup lower-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce) or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon bottled ground fresh ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 cups prechopped broccoli florets
¼ cup water
⅓ cup sliced green onions
1. Cook rice according to package directions.
2. While rice cooks, combine 1 tablespoon sherry, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sugar, and beef in a bowl. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon sherry, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, broth, cornstarch, hoisin, and Sriracha in another bowl.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add beef mixture; sauté 3 minutes or until browned. Remove beef from pan. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add ginger and garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broccoli and ¼ cup water; cook 1 minute. Add onions; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth mixture and beef mixture; cook 2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thick. Serve beef mixture over rice. Serves 4 (serving size: about 1⅓ cups beef mixture and ½ cup rice).
CALORIES 476; FAT 12.9g (sat 2.4g, mono 6.3g, poly 2.3g); PROTEIN 32.1g; CARB 52g; FIBER 2.5g; CHOL 48mg; IRON 4.2mg; SODIUM 523mg; CALC 71mg
PORK TRULY IS the “other white meat” as many cuts are just as lean as chicken—or even leaner if you leave the skin on the chicken. Two of the leanest choices include pork tenderloin, which is incredibly versatile, and boneless center-cut loin pork chops.
Pork Tenderloin with Red and Yellow Peppers
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
4 canned anchovy fillets, drained and mashed
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1½-inch strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1½-inch strips
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan; cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; turn pork over. Add 1 teaspoon rosemary, anchovies, garlic, and bell peppers; cook 7 minutes or until peppers are tender and pork is done. Drizzle with vinegar. Top with remaining ½ teaspoon rosemary. Serves 4 (serving size: 3 ounces pork and about ½ cup bell pepper mixture).
CALORIES 215; FAT 10.1g (sat 2.7g, mono 5.4g, poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 25.2g; CARB 5g; FIBER 1.4g; CHOL 78mg; IRON 2mg; SODIUM 441mg; CALC 26mg
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon hot smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops
Cooking spray
1. Cook cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat 1 minute or until fragrant, stirring frequently. Place in a clean coffee grinder or blender; process until ground. Combine ground cumin and next 4 ingredients; rub evenly over pork.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Serves 4 (serving size: 1 chop).
CALORIES 224; FAT 11.5g (sat 4.1g, mono 5.2g, poly 0.9g); PROTEIN 24.8g; CARB 4.3g; FIBER 0.3g; CHOL 70mg; IRON 1.9mg; SODIUM 201mg; CALC 47mg
Pork chops, roasts, and tenderloins can be safely cooked to 145° (medium-rare), according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Because overcooking pork can make it tough, use a meat thermometer to make sure you hit the right temperature.
Expert Chatter on Cooking More at Home
@Nutritionbabes: Keep it simple. A few whole ingredients can transform into a beautiful meal in minutes.
@NutritionJill: Identify the payoff: budget, family time, health, control over choices, etc.
@ReganJonesRD: I think people hear plan ahead and think whole meal planned ahead = too much. I recommend prepping ingredients ahead so assembling is a snap later.
@AlexOppRD: I find having frozen vegetables helps me be able to make more meals because I have more ingredients on hand and ready to go.
Keep It Simple with Sandwiches
THIS QUINTESSENTIAL LUNCHBOX STAPLE can carry over to dinner. Pair your sandwich with soup or salad, and use quality ingredients like bakery-fresh bread and flavorful sauces to make it more of a nighttime affair. Pile on the veggies while you’re at it.
Salmon Sandwiches
Alaskan salmon is rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
4 (6-ounce) skinless wild Alaskan salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup chopped peeled cucumber
½ cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon ground red pepper
8 (1-ounce) slices 100% whole-wheat bread, toasted
½ cup trimmed watercress
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Place fish in a 13 x 9–inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.
3. Combine remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt, cucumber, and next 4 ingredients. Place 1 fillet on each of 4 bread slices; top with ¼ cup sauce, 2 tablespoons watercress, and 1 bread slice. Serves 4.
CALORIES 385; FAT 9.5g (sat 1.6g, mono 3.5g, poly 3g); PROTEIN 47g; CARB 25.3g; FIBER 4.1g; CHOL 97mg; IRON 2.9mg; SODIUM 550mg; CALC 113mg
Open-Faced Pimiento Cheese BLTs
Pimiento cheese is a Southern tradition. Stirring a little Parmesan into the standard cheddar-mayo mixture adds extra savory depth.
2 tablespoons bottled diced pimientos, drained
1 tablespoon grated peeled shallots
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)
1¼ ounces grated fresh Parmesan cheese (about ⅓ cup)
4 (1-ounce) slices sourdough bread, toasted
12 tomato slices
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
4 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and halved
1 cup baby arugula leaves
1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Spread 3 tablespoons cheese mixture on each bread slice; top each with 3 tomato slices. Sprinkle tomato slices evenly with salt. Top each sandwich with 2 bacon halves and ¼ cup arugula. Serves 4 (serving size: 1 sandwich).
CALORIES 266; FAT 14.9g (sat 5.5g, mono 6.1g, poly 2.2g); PROTEIN 16.4g; CARB 19.3g; FIBER 2.2g; CHOL 31mg; IRON 1.7mg; SODIUM 743mg; CALC 139mg
Grilled Eggplant Pita Sandwiches with Yogurt-Garlic Spread
Pimientos and cider vinegar add spice to an old favorite.
2 (1-pound) eggplants, cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices
1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
2 small garlic cloves, minced
1 small red onion, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Cooking spray
4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
2 cups arugula leaves
1. Place eggplant slices in a colander; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Toss well. Drain 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly; pat dry with paper towels.
2. Combine remaining ½ teaspoon salt, yogurt, and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
4. Brush eggplant and onion slices with oil. Place eggplant and onion slices on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
5. Fill each pita half with 1½ tablespoons yogurt mixture, one-fourth of eggplant slices, one-fourth of onion slices, and ¼ cup arugula. Serves 4 (serving size: 2 pita halves).
CALORIES 311; FAT 8.2g (sat 1.6g, mono 5g, poly 1.2g); PROTEIN 12.7g; CARB 50.6g; FIBER 9.2g; CHOL 2mg; IRON 3.5mg; SODIUM 697mg; CALC 117mg
GO BEYOND SLICED BREAD
▪ Use wraps, lavash, hollowed-out French bread, and pitas for sandwiches with salad-type dressings since these breads will contain the spread better than sliced bread.
▪ Rye bread partners well with heavier meats, such as beef with horseradish spread or smoked ham with mustard.
▪ Flavorful, hearty-textured ciabatta, sourdough, focaccia, and multigrain breads provide a tasty contrast to milder fillings like chicken and turkey.
