Nutrition
Recipes for Easy and Healthy Dinners
Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
- 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 pound lean (90% or leaner) ground beef
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp salt
Directions:
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion begins to brown, 5-8 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and Italian seasoning; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add beef and cook, stirring and breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, 3-5 minutes.
- Increase heat to high. Stir in tomatoes and cook until thickened, 4-6 minutes.
- Stir in parsley and salt
- Serve the sauce over the pasta, sprinkled with cheese.
Makes 8 servings
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 389 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated, 3 g monounsaturated), 48 mg cholesterol, 53 g carbohydrates, 0 g added sugars, 28 g protein, 9 g fiber, 416 mg sodium, 709 mg potassium
Source: United States Department of Agriculture
Apple and Pork Stir-fry with Ginger
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp. peach jam, preferably fruit-sweetened
- 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp. water
- ½ tsp. cornstarch
- 1½ tsp. dark toasted sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp. finely minced fresh ginger root
- ½ pound (8 ounces) pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
- 1½ tsp. canola oil
- 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
- 1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
- 2 firm apples, such as Fuji or Gala, cut into one-inch pieces
- ½ cup scallions, thinly sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups steamed brown rice or whole-wheat angel hair pasta
Directions:
- In small bowl, combine jam, soy sauce, water and cornstarch. Set aside.
- In large nonstick skillet, heat sesame oil over medium high heat.
- Add pork and ginger and stir-fry until pork is browned and just cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer pork and ginger to bowl with slotted spoon.
- Add canola oil to skillet. Stir-fry peppers, water chestnuts and apples until peppers are crisp tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add pork back to skillet along with scallions. Stir-fry 30 seconds.
- Add jam mixture. Continue to stir-fry 30 seconds to one minute, or until sauce thickens.
- Season to taste with black pepper.
- Serve over brown rice or whole wheat pasta.
Makes 4 servings
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 355 calories, 8 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 55 g carbohydrates, 17 g protein, 10 g dietary fiber, 345 mg sodium
Source: American Institute for Cancer Research
Lemon Rosemary Zucchini
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
- 2 tsp. finely minced fresh rosemary
- 2 cups chopped zucchini (2 medium)
- 1-3 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
- In a medium nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
- Add yellow pepper and rosemary and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add zucchini and salt and pepper, to taste.
- Continue to sauté for another 4 to 5 minutes or until zucchini is just tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
Makes 4 servings
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 46 calories, 3 g total fat (<1 g saturated fat), 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber, 6 mg sodium
Source: American Institute for Cancer Research
