Healthy Recipes

Current Recipes | Issue Archive | Search Recipes

Recipes for Week1
Recipes for Week 2
Recipes for Week 3
Recipes for Week 4
Weekly Menus
Shopping List

Families are busy these days! Parents are working all day. When the work day is over, there are football and soccer games, karate class, errands and lots more to be done. Having dinner together as a family is sometimes hard to do. Here are three reasons to plan to have dinner together often:

• Children who eat together with their family eat more fruits and vegetables and calcium rich foods (like milk) and drink less soda.
• Parents are role models. Children learn to make healthy choices when they see you enjoying them. Family meals help children learn social skills such as table manners and conversation. Children learn about their family and culture at the dinner table.
• Studies show that children who eat with their family often have fewer drug and alcohol problems.

• A meat or protein food
• 2 servings of bread or starch (whole grain-think brown-is best)
• 2 servings of fruits and vegetables
• An 8 ounce glass of nonfat or 1% reduced fat milk

• Read the menus.
• Check the list of staples to make sure that you have these items on your shelves.
• Read the shopping list and add any items that you will need for breakfasts, lunches and snacks.
• Take the list to the store with you and stick to it.
• Post the menu for the week on the refrigerator door so that you can see it easily.

• The Sunday dinner includes a roast or large meat item. Save the leftovers. It will be used for another dinner later in the week.
• A meal without meat is included each week. Meals featuring beans or pasta with vegetables and cheese are tasty and healthy too.
• A meal with fish is included. Though fish may seem to be costly, there is very little waste. Fish is also good for your heart. It has Omega 3 fatty acids.

• Barbecued Pork Chops
• Cabbage Skillet Supper
• Fish with Creamy Mustard Sauce
• Macaroni and Vegetable Salad
• Noodle Spinach and Ham Bake
• Sloppy Joes in Pita Pockets
• Waldorf Salad
• White Chicken Pesto Pizza

• 4 (4 ounce) boneless pork chops
• Salt and pepper
• 1 medium green pepper
• 1 medium onion
• 3/4 cup bottled barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a no stick skillet with nonstick spray. Place over medium heat. Season chops with salt and pepper. Add pork chops; brown on both sides. Transfer chops to a shallow baking dish. Slice green pepper. Peel and slice onion. Pour barbecue sauce over chops, top with sliced onion and pepper. Cover pan with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until chops are tender.

• 1 (16 ounce) package potato and onion pierogies, thawed
• 1/2 cup slivered onion
• 1 (16 ounce) package coleslaw mix (preshredded cabbage and carrot)
• 3/4 cup ready to serve vegetable broth
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

Spray a nonstick skillet with no stick spray. Place over medium heat. Spray peirogies with no stick spray; place in skillet. Cook until lightly browned. Turn; add 1/4 cup water. Cook until water evaporates and pierogies are browned. Remove from skillet; keep warm. Clean skillet; spray with no stick spray; place over medium heat. Add onion; saute until limp. Add coleslaw mix and saute 4 minutes. Add vegetable broth and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve cabbage topped with pierogies. Garnish with non fat sour cream, if desired.

• 4 (4 oz.) tilapia fillets or other firm white fish
• 3 Tbsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Mix mayonnaise, mustard and lemon juice. Place fish on greased grill over medium coals or rack of broiler pan 2 to 4 inches from heat. Brush with 1/2 of dressing mixture. Grill or broil 5 to 8 minutes. Turn; brush with remaining dressing mixture. Continue grilling or broiling 5 to 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

• 1/2 cup fat free ranch dressing
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. dried dill weed
• Salt free garlic flavored seasoning, to taste
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
• 1 cup chopped, peeled and seeded cucumber
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion

In a large bowl, combine ranch dressing, mayonnaise, dill and salt free garlic flavored seasoning. Mix well. Add macaroni and vegetables and toss to coat well. Cover and chill.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 242 calories. Fat: 7 grams. Sodium: 372 milligrams. Fiber: 2 grams.

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen low fat creamed spinach
• 2 cups cooked noodles (left from Sunday)
• 1 cup (4 ounces) diced turkey ham
• 1/2 cup low fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook spinach according to package directions. Spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with no stick spray. Combine noodles, ham, spinach and sour cream. Mix well. Spoon into casserole dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through.

• 3/4 lb. extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 4 pita bread pockets

Spray a no stick skillet with nonstick spray. Place over medium heat. Add ground beef, green pepper and onion. Saute until onion is limp and ground beef is lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients, stir well and heat through. Cut a 1 inch piece from the top of the pita bread. Open pocket with your fingers. Warm pita in the microwave oven. Spoon meat mixture into pita and serve.

• 2 apples, cored and diced
• 2 Tbsp. diced celery
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup low fat or fat free sour cream
• 1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
• Lettuce leaves

In a large bowl, toss apples, celery, walnuts and raisins. Mix mayonnaise, sour cream and powdered sugar; pour over fruit and lightly toss. Serve on lettuce leaves.

• 1 (13.2 ounce) refrigerated Italian bread dough
• 1/4 cup light Pesto sauce
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup slivered roasted red pepper strips
• 1 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place pizza crust on a large baking sheet. Spread with pesto. Sprinkle chicken and peppers evenly over crust. Top with cheese. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes.