(NAPSA)—When it comes to family dinner, home cooks rank quick meals that please a variety of palates as more important than nutrition. But experts say it’s easy to have it all: Just divide the dinner plate into three parts made up of simple, fast and tasty foods that take advantage of time-saving products. “For the time-pressed, the time-honored formula for planning dinner—a meat, a starch and a vegetable—still works,” said Mary Donkersloot, registered dietitian and author of The FastFood Diet: Quick and Healthy Eating at Home and On the Go. Donkersloot recommends quick combinations of some of the latest convenience products that let home cooks prepare nutritious meals in minutes. Such speedy shortcuts are nothing new to many homecooks. A recent survey found that people use pre-packaged items at least four times per week in their dinner preparations. Amongherlist of must-haves, Donkersloot includes Thomas E. Wilson fully cooked beef and pork roasts. The seven varieties— including Beef Pot Roast, Seasoned Beef Sirloin Roast and Lemon Pepper Pork Roast—offer nutritious main courses that can be ready to serve in as little as five minutes. In addition, Donkersloot recommends creating simple side dishes made from convenience products found in the produce and Meals in Minutes Each mealserves 4 ThomasE. Wilson Beef Pot Roast with SteamedBroccoli and Crushed Garlicky New Potatoes STARCH: Cook 1 pound red new potatoesin large potofboiling water until tender. Drain and returnto pot. Stir in 2 cloves crushed garlic and 2 tablespoonsolive oil. Cover until ready to serve. VEGETABLE: In coveredskillet orpot, steam 2-3 cups broccoli floweretsin 1 inch boiling salted water, stirring once, until bright green andcrisp tender (about 4 minutes). Drain. ThomasE. Wilson Lemon Pepper Pork Roast over Sauted Spinach with SesameScallion Rice STARCH: Cook 2 cups Basmati or other rice in rice steamer or on stovetop according to packagedirections. Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup sliced scallionsto taste, 2 tablespoonstoasted sesame seeds and juice of one lemon. VEGETABLE: In largeskillet or pot, heat 1 tablespoon sesameorolive oil. Saut 2-3 cloves minced garlic until soft. Add a dash of soy sauce and 2 bagssalad spinach. Saut, stirring, until spinach is wilted (about 2 minutes). Thomas E. Wilson Seasoned BeefSirloin Roast with Spicy Southwestern Pasta and Cumin Corn-Zucchini STARCH: Cook 1/2 pound dry penne or rotini pasta in large pot ofboiling salted water. Drain and returnto pot. Stir in 1 can chopped greenchilies, 1 smallcan sliced black olives, drained, and | teaspoon ground red pepper.Let rest, covered, until ready to serve. VEGETABLE: In largeskillet, heat 1 tablespoonoil and saut 2-3 zucchini, sliced, for 1 minute. Stir in 1 can sweet corn, drained, 1/4 cup salsa, and | teaspoon cumin. Saut until hot and zucchiniis just tender. Note: Heat ThomasE. Wilson roasts according to packagedirections. frozen foods aisles—such as bagged baby-new potatoes; prewashed, bagged salad greens; and frozen peas and corn. She also advocates using prepared foods @ like salsa, chopped Mexican chiles and roasted red peppers as quick flavor enhancers. For more information and tips, visit www.thomasewilson.com.
