June Menu

JUNE MENU!

MONDAY:

Steak Salad with Ranch Dressing

8 points

· YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 3 cups salad and about 3 ounces meat)

Ingredients

· Steak:

· 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

· 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

· 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

· 1/4 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

· 1 (1-pound) boneless sirloin steak, trimmed (about 1/2 inch thick)

· Cooking spray

· Salad:

· 4 (1-ounce) slices sourdough bread

· 1 garlic clove, halved

· 2 cups grape tomatoes

· 1 cup halved and sliced cucumber

· 1 cup sliced red onion

· 1 (16-ounce) bag classic iceberg salad mix (such as Dole's)

· 1/2 cup fat-free ranch dressing

Preparation

· Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat.

· Preheat broiler.

· To prepare steak, combine the first 5 ingredients; rub evenly over both sides of steak. Coat grill pan with cooking spray. Cook steak 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

· While steak stands, prepare salad. Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Rub cut sides of garlic halves over bread slices. Cut bread into (3/4-inch) cubes. Combine bread cubes, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and lettuce in a large bowl. Add dressing, tossing gently to coat. Divide salad evenly among 4 plates; top with steak.

Cooking Light

TUESDAY:

Baked Ziti – 8 servings

9 points

Olive oil spray
1 (14 1/2-ounce) box fiber-enriched ziti or penne rigate (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)
1 (15-ounce) container fat-free ricotta cheese
2 large egg whites
8 ounces (4 cups) finely shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
3 1/2 cups low-fat, low-sodium, marinara sauce
2 tablespoons grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese

preparation

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly mist a 13" x 9" x 2" ceramic or glass baking dish with the olive oil spray.



Cook the ziti according to package directions until al dente. Drain.



In a large mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, egg whites, and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella until well combined. Add the garlic powder and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the cooked pasta until well combined.



Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared dish.



Add half of the pasta in an even layer over the sauce.



Layer the remaining pasta over the sauce. Spoon the remaining 1 1/2 cups sauce evenly over the top of the pasta, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan over the top.



Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the mozzarella is melted. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces or spoon among 8 bowls and serve.

WEDNESDAY:

Quick Beef Tip with Veggies – 4 servings

5 points

1/4	lb beef boneless sirloin tip steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2	bag (1-lb size) frozen stir-fry vegetables with snap pea pods
2	teaspoons water
1	tablespoon stir-fry sauce with garlic and ginger
1/2	cup uncooked instant white rice
1/2	cup water

1. 1Heat 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef in skillet about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until brown. Stir in vegetables and 2 teaspoons water. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.

2. 2Stir in stir-fry sauce until well mixed; reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

3. 3Meanwhile, cook rice in water as directed on package. Serve beef mixture over rice.

THURSDAY:

Ramen Stir Fry – 4 servings

6 points

1	pound beef boneless sirloin
1	tablespoon vegetable oil
2	cups water
1	package (3 ounces) Oriental-flavor ramen noodle soup mix
1	package (16 oz) fresh stir-fry vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, celery, carrots, snow pea pods and bell peppers) (4 cups)
1/4	cup stir-fry sauce

1. 1Remove fat from beef. Cut beef into thin strips. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef in oil 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown. Remove beef from skillet; keep warm.

2. 2In same skillet, heat water to boiling. Break up noodles from soup mix into water; stir until slightly softened. Stir in vegetables.

3. 3Heat to boiling. Boil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in contents of seasoning packet from soup mix, stir-fry sauce and beef. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until hot.

FRIDAY:

TAKE OUT!!!

SATURDAY:

Chicken, Bean, and Tomato Stir Fry – 4 servings

9 points

ingredients

· 6 ounces wide rice noodles or dried egg noodles

· 4 teaspoons cooking oil

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 1/2 pound Chinese long beans or whole green beans, cut into 4-inch pieces

· 4 tablespoons water

· 12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into strips

· 1 1/2 teaspoon Thai or other spicy seasoning blend

· 2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

· 2 tablespoons cider vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar

directions

1. Cook rice noodles in boiling, lightly salted water for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Or cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles; keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add garlic and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add beans; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Carefully add water to skillet. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender. Remove beans from skillet.

3. Toss chicken with seasoning blend. Add the remaining 2 teaspoon oil to skillet. Add chicken; stir-fry over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Add beans, noodles, tomatoes, and vinegar; heat through. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

SUNDAY:

Zippy Beef and Mac n’ Cheese – 4 servings

9 points

Ingredients:

6 ounces dried elbow macaroni or corkscrew pasta (about 1 1/2 cups)
12 ounces lean ground beef, lean ground pork, or uncooked ground turkey
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 14 1/2-ounce can stewed tomatoes or Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
4 ounces American or sharp American cheese, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon chili powder
Finely shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a 3-quart saucepan cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook ground meat until brown. Drain off fat.
Stir ground meat, tomato sauce, undrained tomatoes, American cheese, and chili powder into cooked pasta. Cook and stir over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.