Overeating or overindulging – especially over a few days – can make you feel sluggish. Eating and preparing all your meals and snacks at home for the next few weeks will help you get back to healthy eating.

Making meals at home gives you the freedom to add in lots of lean protein, fruits, vegetables and whole grains without added salt or fat that can be found in restaurant meals.

In addition to cooking meals at home, use cooking techniques and methods that are lower calorie or lower fat. Cooking in a lot of oil or butter or using higher fat, higher calorie ingredients may only perpetuate your overindulgence.

To make home cooking easier, go to the grocery store and stock up on your favorite healthy foods. Try to purchase: lean protein, low-fat dairy, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Healthy choices will be in your refrigerator or pantry when you need them.

Here are some healthy and lower calorie dinners to help you get started.

Pork Cutlets in Mustard Sauce

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 thin boneless pork chops, 4-5 ounces each
• 3 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
• One 14 1/2 ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 pound small potatoes about 1 inch in diameter
• 1 pound Japanese eggplant or zucchini, cut into 2 x 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 pound baby carrots
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place broth, smashed garlic and potatoes in a large pot, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.

Add eggplant or zucchini, carrots and the salt and pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the vegetables are tender.

Coat a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine mustard, dill, minced garlic and olive oil.

Place pork chops in the prepared baking dish and spread tops with an equal amount of mustard and dill mixture. Sprinkle bread crumbs over each chop.

Bake for 15 minutes or until an internal temperature registers 145 degrees in the center of the pork. Place the baking dish under the broiler for 1 minute until the crumbs are brown.

Serve pork with the vegetables.

Roasted Cod with Salsa

Choose any fruit in season or the kind of fruit you like.

4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 nectarines
• 2 peaches
• 2 plums
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 large green or yellow bell pepper, seeds removed and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 1/4 pounds cod
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup brown rice or whole wheat couscous

Directions

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Coat a glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Pit nectarines, peaches and plums; dice and place in medium-size bowl. Add onion, bell pepper, lemon juice, parsley, oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Gently stir; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a small bowl combine the lemon zest, black pepper, thyme and oregano.

Cook the brown rice or couscous following package directions. Stir in half the lemon zest mixture and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and set aside.

Place cod in the prepared baking dish and season with the remaining half of the lemon zest mixture and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Place brown rice or couscous on a serving plate, top with the cod and fruit salsa.

Pasta with Sausage and Peas

6 servings

Ingredients

• 12 ounces penne or small shell pasta, uncooked
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 links fully cooked Italian chicken sausage, sliced on the diagonal
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boiling. Add pasta and cook al dente. Drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook 3 minutes, turning a few times, until browned. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon to a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the garlic. Cook 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and salt and cook 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, peas and browned sausage. Heat through.

Place cooked pasta in a large bowl. Add sausage mixture and half the Parmesan. Toss to combine. Top with remaining Parmesan and serve.

Root Vegetable Chili

Corn muffins would go quite well with this dinner.

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground turkey, optional
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 butternut squash (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 pound parsnips, peeled and diced
• 1 rutabaga, peeled and diced
• 1/2 pound carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
• Two 14 1/2  ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• One 15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• One 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 scallions, chopped
• Lime wedges for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add ground turkey, if using, and cook until brown. Omit this step if you want a vegetarian meal.

Add butternut squash, parsnips, rutabaga and carrots. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add green pepper, tomatoes, chili powder, oregano and cumin. Simmer on medium heat, partially covered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans and heat through. Stir in the scallions. Serve lime wedges on the side.

 

Pizza with Roasted Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Friday night can still be pizza night.

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound cherry tomatoes
• 6 ounces sliced Portobello mushrooms
• 4 large scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup torn basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
• One pound pizza dough, at room temperature
• 6 ounces mozzarella or provolone cheese, diced

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Coat a large rimmed baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Place tomatoes, mushrooms and scallions in the prepared baking pan and toss with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and toss the vegetables with the basil and oregano.

Stretch the pizza dough out on a rectangular baking sheet. Spoon the vegetable mixture over the top. Bake for 10 minutes and remove the pan from the oven.

Scatter the diced cheese over the pizza and return the pan to the oven. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more or until the pizza is crispy. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in Beans, carrots, Cheese, cod, couscous, eggplant, Fish, Fruit, Italian Cuisine, mushrooms, nectarines, onion, parnips, Pasta, peaches, peas, peppers, Pizza, plums, Pork, potatoes, rutabaga, Sausage, Vegetables, zucchini Tags: healthy dinners