3 Simple dinners under 300 calories

MEAT LOAF MUFFINS

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 ribs celery, chopped

2 small carrots, diced into ¼-inch pieces

½ cup chopped onion

¼ teaspoon each dried basil, oregano and thyme

2 large eggs

¾ cup ketchup, divided

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1¼ pounds lean ground turkey

¾ cup whole-wheat panko bread crumbs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat 10 cups in a muffin pan with cooking spray.

2. Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium; add the celery, carrot, onion, basil, oregano and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl; stir in ½ cup of the ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper. Add the turkey, crumbling the meat; stir in the panko and vegetable-herb mixture until well combined. Spoon into muffin cups, pat lightly and mound each slightly. Spread remaining ketchup on top.

4. Bake until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 165 degrees, about 25 minutes. Makes 5 servings.

Nutritional analysis for each serving: (2 muffins) 270 calories, 22 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 11 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 754 mg sodium (To lower sodium, use no-salt ketchup.)

------

PORK MARSALA

3 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (or ¾ teaspoon dried), chopped

1 pound pork tenderloin, cut across into 1-inch-thick slices

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ounces sliced mushrooms (about 3 cups)

1 cup lower-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup Marsala wine

1. Combine flour, salt, pepper and rosemary on a plate.

2. Lightly pound the pork slices to ½ inch thickness. Dredge in flour mixture. Reserve any flour remaining on the plate.

3. Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium high. Add pork in one layer and cook without moving until golden brown underneath, about 4 minutes; turn and cook another 4 minutes; transfer to a plate.

4. Add mushrooms to the pan and sprinkle with reserved flour. Cook, stirring, until mushrooms just begin to give off liquid, 1 to 2 minutes. Add broth and Marsala and cook, stirring often, until liquid is reduced and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, return pork to pan and turn once to coat in the sauce.

5. To serve, spoon the mushrooms and sauce over the pork. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 214 calories, 24 g protein, 11 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 504 mg sodium

------

TUNA PUTTANESCA

Add crushed red pepper to the topping for more heat.

4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 anchovy fillet, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon drained capers

¼ cup parsley, chopped

1. Season tuna with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium high; add fish and cook 3 to 4 minutes a side, or to desired doneness. Remove from pan, drape loosely with foil.

2. Add garlic and anchovy and cook, stirring, 1 minute, until garlic is no longer raw. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to cook down, about 2 minutes. Stir in capers and parsley; serve topping over fish. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional analysis for each serving: 245 calories, 43 g protein, 6 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 714 mg sodium (To reduce sodium, use no-salt-added canned tomatoes.)

TIP: Serve a salad before the meal and increase the amount of vegetables on each plate to help encourage consumption of more plant nutrients and fewer calories.