Sunday: Family
The family always welcomes a BEEF ROAST for dinner. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine 3 cloves minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper; press onto a 4-pound round tip beef roast. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast 2 to 2 1/2 hours for medium-rare to medium doneness (145 degrees to 160 degrees internal temperature). Let stand 10 minutes and slice.
Serve it with OVEN-BROWNED POTATOES. Alongside, add GLAZED CARROTS (toss cooked carrots with peach preserves), a SPINACH SALAD and DINNER ROLLS. For dessert, buy a BERRY COBBLER and top it with VANILLA ICE CREAM.
Plan
Save enough roast and cobbler for Monday. Save enough ice cream for Tuesday.
Shopping List
garlic, pepper, round tip beef roast, potatoes, fresh carrots, peach preserves, fresh spinach, dinner rolls, berry cobbler, vanilla ice cream.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Use the beef leftovers for a CHEF'S SALAD. Cut beef and 50 percent light cheddar cheese into thin strips. Arrange beef and cheese on lettuce-lined plates along with tomato wedges, rinsed canned reduced-sodium chickpeas, hard-cooked egg slices and pickled beets from a jar. Top with your favorite light salad dressing. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. For dessert, enjoy the leftover COBBLER with light whipped cream.
Shopping List
50 percent light cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, canned reduced-sodium chickpeas, eggs, jarred pickled beets, any light salad dressing, whole-grain rolls, light whipped cream.
Tuesday: Kids
Watch the kids smile when you serve them HONEY-BRUSHED CHICKEN. In a large bowl, combine 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon paprika. Add 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs; toss to coat. Place chicken on broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brown chicken 5 minutes on each side. Combine 6 tablespoons honey and 2 teaspoons cider vinegar in a small bowl; mix well. Remove chicken from oven; brush with 1/4 cup honey mixture. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn; brush with remaining mixture. Broil 1 more minute or until internal temperature is 165 degrees. Serve with MASHED POTATOES, MIXED VEGETABLES (from frozen) and SOFT ROLLS. Top leftover ICE CREAM with CHOCOLATE SPRINKLES for dessert.
Shopping List
garlic powder, coarse salt, cumin, paprika, boneless skinless chicken thighs, cooking spray, honey, cider vinegar, potatoes to mash, frozen mixed vegetables, soft rolls, chocolate sprinkles.
Wednesday: Meatless
GREEK SALAD PITAS are a great no-meat meal. Serve the pitas with BAKED SWEET POTATO CHIPS. For dessert, PEACHES are simple.
Shopping List
olive oil, lemon, dried oregano, sugar, coarse salt, cucumber, green bell pepper, kalamata olives, red onion, tomatoes, pitas, hummus, Boston lettuce, reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese, baked sweet potato chips, peaches.
GREEK SALAD PITAS
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: none
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
- 2/3 cup chopped, peeled cucumber
- 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1/4 cup rinsed, roughly chopped kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
- 4 (6-inch) warmed pitas, halved
- 1 (8-ounce) container hummus
- 4 leaves Boston lettuce, halved
- 2 large ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound total), each cut into 8 slices
- 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese
In a medium bowl, whisk the oil with juice, oregano, sugar and salt. Stir in cucumber, bell pepper, olives and onion to make a salad. Spread the inside of each pita with hummus. Top with lettuce leaf, 2 tomato slices and about 1/4 of the cucumber salad; sprinkle with feta.
Per serving: 439 calories, 15 grams protein, 21 grams fat (42 percent calories from fat), 4.1 grams saturated fat, 50 grams carbohydrate, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 940 milligrams sodium (the pita and feta add about 300 milligrams sodium each; the olives, about 115 milligrams; the hummus, about 215 milligrams), 7 grams fiber.
Thursday: Express
For a quick meal tonight, THREE-CHEESE NO-BAKE ZITI is hard to beat. Cook 12 ounces ziti pasta according to directions; drain and return to pot. Add 2 cups marinara sauce; cook over low heat until hot. Spoon into serving bowls; top with dollops of ricotta, shredded mozzarella and freshly grated parmesan. Serve immediately or microwave briefly to melt cheeses. Serve with a packaged GREEN SALAD and BREAD STICKS. TAPIOCA PUDDING is dessert.
Shopping List
ziti pasta, jarred marinara sauce, ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, packaged green salad, bread sticks, tapioca pudding.
Friday: Budget
POOR MAN'S BEEF STROGANOFF says it all when it comes to budgeting. Serve it over NO-YOLK EGG NOODLES. Add a ROMAINE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. RED AND GREEN GRAPES are an easy dessert.
Shopping List
butter, onion, garlic, 95 percent lean ground beef, sliced crimini mushrooms, coarse salt, pepper, flour, unsalted beef broth, reduced-fat sour cream, no-yolk egg noodles, romaine, whole-grain rolls, red and green grapes.
POOR MAN’S BEEF STROGANOFF
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 20 minutes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound 95 percent lean ground beef
- 4 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted beef broth
- 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add beef, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Cook 6 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Stir in flour; cook 2 minutes, stirring often. Slowly stir broth into beef mixture; stir in sour cream. Reduce heat to low and simmer 7 to 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally; serve warm.
Per serving: 316 calories, 30 grams protein, 16 grams fat (46 percent calories from fat), 8.8 grams saturated fat, 13 grams carbohydrate, 101 milligrams cholesterol, 308 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Any guest will appreciate the flavors of HONEY-SOY GLAZED SALMON WITH VEGGIES AND ORANGES. Serve it with BROWN RICE tossed with TOASTED CHOPPED WALNUTS, fresh BROCCOLI, a BIBB LETTUCE SALAD and BAGUETTES. For dessert, FRUIT SORBET and BUTTER COOKIES go well together.
Shopping List
honey, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, seasoned rice wine vinegar, cayenne pepper, fresh asparagus, fresh green beans, orange, olive oil, coarse salt, black pepper, skinless salmon fillets, sesame seeds (optional), brown rice, chopped walnuts, fresh broccoli, bibb lettuce, baguettes, fruit sorbet, butter cookies.
HONEY-SOY GLAZED SALMON WITH VEGGIES AND ORANGES
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pound fresh asparagus
- 8 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed
- 1 small orange, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 (5- to 6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
- Toasted sesame seeds, if desired
Heat broiler with oven rack 6 inches from the heat. Whisk together honey, soy sauce, mustard, vinegar and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Discard tough ends of asparagus. In a large bowl, combine asparagus, green beans, orange slices, oil, salt and black pepper; toss to coat. Place salmon on a heavy-duty foil-lined baking sheet; brush with about 2 tablespoons of honey mixture. Spread asparagus mixture around salmon. Broil 4 minutes. Remove from oven and brush salmon with 2 more tablespoons honey mixture. Return to oven; broil 4 minutes. Remove from oven; brush salmon with remaining honey mixture. Return to oven; broil 2 more minutes. Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired, and serve. (Adapted from "One Sheet Eats," Oxmoor House.)
Per serving: 286 calories, 34 grams protein, 10 grams fat (31 percent calories from fat), 1.7 grams saturated fat, 16 grams carbohydrate, 66 milligrams cholesterol, 396 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.