articles

Weekly Dinner Plan for November 29 to December 5: Low Carb Style

Nov 29-Dec 5 features Chicken Marsala, Stuffed Peppers, Cranberry Pork Roast and "Breaded" Fish

By Barbara Evangelista, Publisher November 25, 2020


I hope these low carb dinner plans are helpful!  Hopefully, by now, reducing carbs is becoming easier and second nature.  If you're not interested in going super low carb, you'll still notice excellent results by reducing net carbs (total carbs minus carbs from fiber) to 50 grams or so a day.  Just eliminating white sugar and white flour will make a huge difference to how you feel.

This week includes four dinner recipes. Check out the links below for previous meal plans and add in a favorite meal if you need a fifth dinner idea but I usually find that by day 5 my fridge is overflowing with leftovers!


Chicken Marsala

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
12 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup diced onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp beef base, such as Better than Bouillon
1/4 tsp black pepper

  1. Trim chicken breasts of fat and tendons, then cut each breast into three equal parts.  Place one piece on a silicone mat, cover with a large piece of plastic wrap, and pound flat with a kitchen mallet.  Repeat for all chicken pieces.  Lightly salt and pepper each piece as you set them aside.  (Don't skip this part -- flattened chicken is much more tender.)
  2. Heat a large flat skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil, and add chicken pieces.  Saute 4 minutes per side until lightly golden and cooked through.  Set chicken aside on a plate.
  3. Add butter, mushrooms and onion to skillet and saute until mushrooms begin to brown and onion is translucent.  Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.
  4. Add the Marsala wine, cream, beef base and pepper.  Simmer for several minutes until reduced.
  5. Return chicken to sauce and stir in accumulated juices.

Serve over cauliflower rice or white rice or noodles for carb eaters.


Stuffed Peppers

1 bag frozen riced cauliflower
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp beef base, such as Better than Bouillon
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
6 bell peppers, tops and cores removed
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese

  1. Cook riced cauliflower according to package directions (usually microwave for 4 minutes)
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  3. Heat a large flat skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute ground beef, breaking up chunks, until no longer pink.  Add onion and continue to saute, until onion is translucent.  
  4. Add minced garlic, beef base, pepper, tomatoes with liquid, and 1/2 cup water.  Simmer until liquid is reduced.  Taste and adjust for salt.
  5. Place peppers in a deep baking pan and fill with meat mixture.  Top each pepper with cheese.  Cover the pan with a lid or foil.
  6. Bake peppers for 30-40 minutes until cheese is melted and peppers are tender.



Cranberry Pork Roast

3-4 lb pork roast
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice (be sure it's unsweetened!)
1/3 cup sweetener, such as Swerve or Lakanto.  If using allulose, use 1/2 cup
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
  2. Season the pork roast on all sides with salt and pepper and place fat side up in roasting pan.  Sprinkle cranberries and diced onions around the pork.
  3. Stir together the chicken broth and 1/2 cup of the cranberry juice and pour it over the pork.
  4. Roast pork in oven for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  5. Meanwhile, put 1/2 cup cranberry juice, sweetener, pepper, allspice, cloves and cinnamon in a small saucepan.  Simmer until reduced by half.
  6. Brush the pork with the cranberry glaze every 20 minutes or so and continue roasting at 350 degrees until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees (about 1-1.5 hours, depending on the size).
  7. Remove the pork from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before carving.  Serve with sauce.


"Breaded" Fish Sticks

1-1.5 lb firm white fish, such as haddock or cod
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup crushed pork rinds
1/2 cup superfine almond flour
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp olive oil

  1. Slice fish across the fillet into rectangular fish "fingers", or about 4" long by 2" wide.
  2. Combine cream, water and egg in a wide flat rimmed dish (I use a flat and wide Tupperware container) and mix well with a fork.
  3. Combine Parmesan, crushed pork rinds, almond flour and Italian seasoning in a second wide and flat container.  Mix well with a fork.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and heat until shimmering.
  5. Dip each fish finger into the egg/cream mixture until completely covered, hold it up to allow it to drain, then dip both sides into Parmesan mixture to coat.
  6. Add coated fish finger to pan and fry on both sides until coating is browned and fish is firm and flaky.


Shopping List

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lb ground beef
3-4 lb pork roast
1-1.5 lbs firm white fish, such as haddock or cod

12 oz white mushrooms
2 onions
6 bell peppers
1 bag fresh cranberries

1 bag riced cauliflower

1 14.5 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

Butter
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 egg
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Marsala wine

Beef base, such as Better than Bouillon
1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice

1/3 cup sweetener such as Swerve or Lakanto

1 bag pork rinds

1/2 cup almond flour


From the Pantry

Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Italian Seasoning
Minced garlic
Allspice
Ground cloves
Cinnamon



Links to past weekly meal plans:

Oct 18-24 Meal Plan:  Introduction, low-carb recipes and shopping list for Chili, Baked Salmon, Chicken Fajitas, Shrimp Jambalaya, and Ham, Potatoes & Beans

Oct 25-31 Meal Plan:  Staying motivated plus recipes and shopping list for Roasted Chicken, Beef & Broccoli, Chicken Soup, Zucchini Lasagna, and Shrimp Scampi

Nov 1-7 Meal Plan:  Carbs in healthy vegetables plus recipes and shopping list for Beef Stroganoff, Basil Coconut Curry Shrimp, Sheet Pan Chicken and Vegetables, Instant Pot Beef Pot Roast and Chicken Parmesan

Nov 8-14 Meal Plan:  A little bit about dessert plus recipes and shopping list for Meatloaf, Chicken Cacciatore, Tuscan Sausage Stew, Chicken Pesto and Fathead Pizza

Nov 22-28 Meal Plan: Meal planning plus recipes and shopping list for Tacos, Lemon Chicken, Pork Tenderloin and Thanksgiving treats



Lowell Macaroni Kid is a free weekly newsletter and website focused on fun family events and information in the greater Lowell area.
We gather together all kinds of local family events and activities each week, and add useful information about classes, family-focused businesses, book and product reviews, recipes, crafts, school and camp guides and more. We proudly serve 11,000+ families in Lowell, Dracut, Chelmsford, Westford, Tyngsboro, Dunstable, Littleton, Groton, Billerica, Tewksbury, and other surrounding communities. 

Subscribe today to receive our email newsletter every Wednesday!  

Follow us on FacebookInstagram or Twitter.

Advertise with us to connect with thousands of local families!