Healthy Dinner Recipes – Week Seven

In the seventh week of healthy dinner recipes we include great meals, such as a spicy favorites jerk chicken, mustard-glazed pork chops, and linguine with white clam sauce. We also have the side dishes listed on each day's menu, making it seven more days of stress-free, mouthwatering healthy dinner recipes!

Feel free to make alterations to any of these recipes as you wish. We want you to love all of these recipes. While we think they're perfect on their own, we also acknowledge that everyone's tastes are different. Change these recipes in whatever way you need to in order to make them family favorites.

Having said that, we do recommend making each recipe at least once before making any changes. It's a good idea to have a grasp on what a recipe is like before changing it. That way, you'll know exactly what needs to be altered. Making shifts to a recipe without trying it first can lead to disaster!

With all that being said, here are our recipes for week seven of healthy meals. Enjoy!

Healthy Dinner Recipes Week Seven

Day One Healthy Dinner Recipe

PENNE WITH CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI
GARDEN SALAD

Penne with Chicken and Broccoli Recipe:

Makes 6 servings

Each serving contains :
455 calories
27g protein
66g carbohydrate
9g total fat

Ingredients:

1 pound penne or ziti
2 cups broccoli florets or chopped broccoli rabe
3 Tablespoons olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, crushed through a press
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 (12 ounce) can chicken, drained and flaked
¾ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta to al dente as the package label directs, omitting the salt and oil, adding the broccoli in the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain the pasta and broccoli together, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking water. Keep the pasta and broccoli warm in the pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add the garlic and pepper flakes. Cook until the garlic is light brown, about 10 minutes. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and the chicken, parsley, salt, and pepper and heat through, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the chicken mixture to the pasta and broccoli, along with the remaining ½ cup pasta cooking water, and heat to simmering over medium-high heat, tossing the mixture to heat it through.

4. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed but the mixture is still juicy, about 2 minutes.

Day Two Healthy Dinner Recipe

LINGUINE WITH WHITE CLAM SAUCE
GARDEN SALAD

Linguine with White Clam Sauce Recipe:

Makes 4 servings

Each serving of linguine with white clam sauce contains:

369 calories
14g protein
54g carbohydrate
8g total fat

Ingredients:

½ cup dry white wine
1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice
8 ounces linguine
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
2 (6 ½ ounce) cans minced clams, drained and rinsed
½ cup sliced black olives
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Combine the wine and clam juice in a small saucepan and heat to boiling over high heat. Boil, uncovered, until the mixture is reduced to ¾ cup, about 10 minutes.

2. While the liquid reduces, cook the linguine according to the package directions, omitting the salt and oil. Drain and set aside.

3. Heat the oil in small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes longer.

4. Add the hot clam juice mixture, drained clams, olives, parsley, and pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the clams are heated through.

5. Divide the pasta into 4 equal portions. Spoon the sauce over the pasta and serve immediately with a side garden salad.

Day Three Healthy Dinner Recipe

LENTIL AND KIELBASA STEW
TOMATO AND CUCUMBER SALAD

Lentil and Kielbasa Stew Recipe:

Makes 6 servings

Each serving of lentil and kielbasa stew contains:

391 calories
24g protein
44g carbohydrate
14g total fat

Ingredients:

1 pound low fat, low sodium turkey kielbasa, cut into ½ inch thick rounds
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced carrot
1 cup sliced celery
½ cup water
1 (14 ½ ounce) can low sodium stewed tomatoes
1 ¼ cups cooked lentils

Directions:

1. Combine the kielbasa and enough water to cover by 2 inches in a large saucepan and heat to boiling over high heat. Drain the kielbasa in a colander and rinse until cool with cold water. Drain well. Set aside.

2. Grease a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the water, heat to boiling, cover, and steam until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Uncover the skillet and add the tomatoes and their juices, the kielbasa, and lentils.

4. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and simmer to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes. Serve with a tomato cucumber salad.

Day Four Healthy Dinner Recipe

PORK WITH PEACHY SALSA
STEAMED RICE

Pork with Peachy Salsa Recipe:

Makes 6 servings

Each serving of pork with peachy salsa contains:

235 calories
29g protein
2g carbohydrate
11g total fat

Ingredients:

½ cup chopped, peeled peaches or unpeeled nectarines
½ cup chopped, seeded cucumber
⅓ cup salsa
1 tablespoon snipped fresh cilantro or parsley
12 slices bacon
1½ pounds pork tenderloin

Directions for pork with peachy salsa:

1. For salsa, in a medium bowl, combine peaches, cucumbers, salsa, and cilantro. Toss gently. Cover and chill for up to 2 days or until serving time.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat partially cook bacon. Bias-cut pork tenderloin into 1½-inch slices. Wrap a slice of bacon around each piece of pork. If desired, fasten bacon to meat with wooden toothpicks. Thread wrapped meat onto skewers.

3. For a charcoal grill, in a grill with a cover arrange medium-hot coals around drip pan. Test for medium heat above pan. Place kabobs on grill rack directly over drip pan. Cover and grill for 20 to 22 minutes or until meat juices run clear (160°F), turning once. For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place kabobs on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.

4. Remove meat from skewers. Serve with salsa and rice.

Day Five Healthy Dinner Recipe

SPICY SLOPPY JOES
OVEN FRIES

Spicy Sloppy Joes Recipe:

Makes 8 servings

Each serving of the spicy sloppy joe contains:

310 calories
21g protein
27g carbohydrate
13g total fat

Ingredients:

1½ pounds lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 6-ounce can vegetable juice
½ cup ketchup
½ cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chopped, canned jalapeno peppers
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
8 whole wheat hamburger buns, split and toasted
Shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions for spicy sloppy joes:

1. In a large skillet, cook ground beef, onion, and garlic until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.

2. Meanwhile, in a 3½- or 4-quart slow cooker combine vegetable juice, ketchup, water, sugar, jalapeno peppers, mustard, chili powder, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in meat mixture.

3. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours. Spoon meat mixture onto bun halves. Sprinkle with cheese and serve with oven fries.

Day Six Healthy Dinner Recipe

JERK CHICKEN
CORN

Jerk Chicken Recipe:

Makes 4 servings

Each serving of jerk chicken contains:

275 calories
26g protein
6g carbohydrate
14g total fat

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups coarsely chopped green onion
¼ cup bottled salt free zesty garlic herb marinade
2 Tablespoons sweetened lime juice
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons seafood-boil mix
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
8 pieces bone-in chicken drumsticks and thighs, skinned and trimmed of fat

Directions:

1. Combine the green onions, marinade, lime juice, oil, seasoning mix, allspice, and ginger in a blender and puree. Set aside ¼ cup of the marinade for basting, cover and refrigerate.

2. Pour the remainder into a zip-top plastic bag, add the chicken, seal, and turn to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours or overnight, turning the bag once or twice.

3.Prepare a grill for barbecuing or preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, draining off the excess, and grill, covered, or broil until charred in spots, about 10 minutes.

4. Turn and transfer the chicken to a cooler part of the grill, or turn it over on the baking sheet, and brush with reserved marinade. Cover and grill or broil until it is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Serve hot with a side of corn.

Day Seven Healthy Dinner Recipe

FLANK STEAK WITH SPICY CRUST
GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Flank Steak with Spicy Crust Recipe:

Makes 4 servings

Each serving of flank steaks with spicy crust contains:

343 calories
37g protein
8g carbohydrate
18g total fat

Ingredients:

1 (1 ½ pound) flank steak, all visible fat removed, cut crosswise into 4 separate steaks
½ cup prepared horseradish, squeezed dry
½ cup low sodium ketchup
1 Tablespoon canola or grape seed oil
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler. Place the steaks on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.

2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and spread over the tops of the steaks.

3. Broil, turning once, until the crust is browned and the steaks are of desired doneness, 5 to 7 minutes for medium-rare.

4. Serve with a side of garlic mashed potatoes.

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