Menu planner: For a low-cost, easy dinner, try one-pan beef stroganoff

One-pan beef stroganoff

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 to 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound ground beef (93% lean or leaner)

1/2 pound sliced button or cremini mushrooms

3 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)

2 cups uncooked whole-grain wide noodles

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can reduced-sodium beef broth

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup sour cream, plus additional for topping

1 tablespoon regular or coarse-grain Dijon-style mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat large, nonstick skillet on medium. Add ground beef, mushrooms, garlic and thyme; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking beef into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. Pour off drippings, if necessary. Stir noodles and broth into beef mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook 9 to 10 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring twice. Stir in peas; continue cooking, uncovered, 3 to 5 minutes or until peas are heated through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional sour cream, if desired.

Per serving: 311 calories, 33 grams protein, 9 grams fat (26% calories from fat), 3.8 grams saturated fat, 25 grams carbohydrate, 70 milligrams cholesterol, 419 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.

Carb count: 1.5.

Baked curried jasmine rice and lentil pilaf over spinach

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: less than 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup jasmine rice

4 1/4 cups water

1 cup brown lentils

4 cloves garlic

1 cinnamon stick

4 1/8-inch-thick slices peeled fresh ginger

1 to 2 teaspoons red curry paste (see NOTE)

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

8 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

4 sliced green onions

Place rack in lower third of oven; heat to 350 degrees. On stovetop, melt butter on medium-high in a large ovenproof Dutch oven; add rice and cook, stirring 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Add water. Stir in lentils, garlic, cinnamon stick, ginger, curry paste and salt; bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve curry paste. Cover pot tightly with lid or foil. Transfer to oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until rice and lentils are tender and all the water is absorbed. Fluff with fork, removing the cinnamon stick and ginger slices. Serve on a bed of spinach; garnish with green onions.

NOTE: Red curry paste is a blend of chili peppers, garlic, lemon grass and galangal (a root with a flavor similar to ginger). Look for it in jars or cans in the Asian section of supermarkets.

Per serving: 391 calories, 19 grams protein, 3 grams fat (7% calories from fat), 1.9 grams saturated fat, 73 grams carbohydrate, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 346 milligrams sodium, 10 grams fiber.

Carb count: 5.

Pasta with shrimp and asparagus in tarragon cream sauce

Makes 6 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: less than 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces uncooked linguine

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and sliced diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)

1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, cleaned and thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)

1 cup half-and-half

1 tablespoon tarragon

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water. Meanwhile, melt butter in large deep skillet on medium heat. Add asparagus and leek; cook and stir 5 minutes or until asparagus is tender-crisp and leek is softened. Stir in half-and-half, tarragon, lemon peel, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil. Stir shrimp into skillet. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes or just until shrimp turns pink. Add pasta and reserved pasta water; toss to coat well. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 298 calories, 18 grams protein, 9 grams fat (29% calories from fat), 5.3 grams saturated fat, 35 grams carbohydrate, 119 milligrams cholesterol, 550 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Carb count: 2.5.

Cajun baked turkey breast

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Loosen skin from breast of a 4- to 7-pound bone-in turkey breast to form a pocket. In a small bowl, combine 4 tablespoons canola oil, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 cloves minced garlic and 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. Rub half the mixture under skin and remaining mixture on outside of breast. Place breast on rack in roasting pan. Roast 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours, or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees. Remove from oven; loosely tent with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing (discard skin).

Chicken orzo

Heat a large, nonstick skillet on medium. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise and 1 (7/8-ounce) packet onion gravy mix. Use tongs to coat both sides of 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast cutlets in mixture and place in skillet. Add remaining mixture to pan and cook 1 minute on each side until chicken begins to brown. Stir in 1 1/2 cups water, 1 (10-ounce) can mild diced tomatoes and green chilies with liquid, and 8 ounces orzo until all ingredients are well blended. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender. Serve immediately.