Menu planner: Your guests will love salmon with asparagus and chive butter sauce

Salmon with asparagus and chive butter sauce

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: about 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 pound thick asparagus, trimmed

1 cup water

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, divided

4 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless salmon fillets, 1 inch thick

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Lemon wedges for garnish

Lay asparagus in a single layer in 12-inch skillet; add water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pat salmon dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; lay across asparagus spears in skillet. Place over high heat until water comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until asparagus is tender and salmon is still translucent when checked with tip of paring knife and internal temperature reaches 125 degrees (medium rare), about 8 minutes. Transfer salmon and asparagus to platter. Add wine to skillet; increase heat to medium-high and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in chives and butter; season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over salmon and asparagus. Serve with lemon wedges. (Adapted from “Five-Ingredient Dinners,” America’s Test Kitchen.)

Per serving: 343 calories, 38 grams protein, 16 grams fat (43% calories from fat), 6.8 grams saturated fat, 5 grams carbohydrate, 102 milligrams cholesterol, 495 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.

Carb count: 1/2.

Beef burgundy

Makes 8 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: about 7 hours on low

INGREDIENTS

1 (8-ounce) package baby carrots

3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

3/4 teaspoon pepper

2 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup unsalted beef broth

1 cup Burgundy or other dry red wine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (8-ounce) package halved fresh mushrooms

1/4 cup quick-mixing flour

Place carrots in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle marjoram and pepper over beef; add to slow cooker. Add broth, wine, garlic and mushrooms; cover and cook on low 6 hours. Remove about 1/2 cup liquid from cooker; mix with flour. Pour back into cooker and continue cooking on low about 30 more minutes or until thickened and beef and carrots are tender. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Per serving: 216 calories, 24 grams protein, 8 grams fat (34% calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 7 grams carbohydrate, 71 milligrams cholesterol, 75 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.

Carb count: 0.5.

Southwestern chicken soup

Makes about 15 cups

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour on high; 6 to 7 hours on low

INGREDIENTS

4 1/2 cups unsalted chicken broth

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with liquid

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies

1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium pinto beans, rinsed

1 (10-ounce) package frozen shoe peg corn, partially thawed

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into thin strips

1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper

2 teaspoons cumin

Less-sodium seasoned salt to taste

In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, mix together the broth, tomatoes with liquid, chilies, beans, corn, both bell peppers, onion, chicken and garlic pepper. Cover and cook on high 1 hour. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking 6 to 7 hours or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Stir in the cumin and add seasoned salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Per cup: 119 calories, 13 grams protein, 1 gram fat (11% calories from fat), 0.3 gram saturated fat, 12 grams carbohydrate, 33 milligrams cholesterol, 113 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Carb count: 1.

Mushroom and pepper frittata

Skip meat tonight. In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil on medium. Cook 1 medium chopped onion and 1 red bell pepper for 3 minutes. Add 8 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms; cover and cook 1 minute. Stir and cook 2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Heat broiler. In a large bowl, whisk 8 eggs, 1/4 cup water, 3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. In same skillet, heat 1 more tablespoon oil on medium. Add egg mixture and 1/4 cup sliced fresh basil leaves; cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; sprinkle mushrooms over eggs. Cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until just the edges are puffed. Sprinkle 1/4 cup more Asiago cheese over top; broil 1 minute.

Palermo pizza

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Top a 12-inch fully cooked pizza crust (from frozen) with canned eggplant appetizer (caponata), some sliced ripe olives, sliced red onion, sliced plum tomatoes and fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with some dried oregano. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until hot. Serve with a packaged green salad.