Sunday: Family
Take the family to the islands and enjoy CARIBBEAN CHICKEN STEW along the way. Ladle the stew over RICE and add a ROMAINE SALAD on the side. Serve with CRUSTY ROLLS. For dessert, PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE (from a mix) is easy.
Plan
Save enough stew, rice and cake for Monday.
Shopping List
canola oil, onions, bone-in skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks, unsalted chicken broth, sweet potatoes, canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes, frozen corn, crushed red pepper, coarse salt, ground ginger, canned unsweetened light coconut milk, rice, romaine, crusty rolls, pineapple upside-down cake mix.
CARIBBEAN CHICKEN STEW
Servings: Makes 8 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 to 50 minutes
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 medium onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
- 4 bone-in skinless chicken drumsticks
- 4 1/2 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup unsweetened light coconut milk
In a Dutch oven, heat oil on medium and cook onions 5 minutes or until softened; stir occasionally. Add chicken and broth. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Remove chicken to a bowl; set aside. To broth, add sweet potatoes, tomatoes and juice, corn, crushed red pepper and salt. Return to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
Meanwhile, remove chicken meat from bones; discard bones. Chop or shred meat; set aside. Skim fat from broth mixture. Using a slotted spoon, remove 1 1/2 cups of the vegetables. Remove 1 cup liquid. Let cool slightly. Transfer cooled vegetables and liquid to a food processor. Cover and process until smooth; return to Dutch oven. Add chicken and ginger to stew; heat through. Stir in coconut milk and serve.
Per serving: 345 calories, 21 grams protein, 9 grams fat (23 percent calories from fat), 2.5 grams saturated fat, 45 grams carbohydrate, 95 milligrams cholesterol, 300 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Cook once and enjoy the result of your labor twice with your Sunday leftovers, CHICKEN STEW over RICE.
Add a FRESH CARROT SALAD. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 clove minced garlic, 3/4 teaspoon ground coriander, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 fresh red jalapeno pepper (seeded and very thinly sliced) and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt. Toss the salad with 8 ounces grated carrots and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro. (Add cilantro just before serving.) (Adapted from "Date Night In," Ashley Rodriguez; Running Press, 2014.)
Serve with WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. Slice the leftover CAKE for dessert.
Plan
Save enough carrot salad for Tuesday.
Shopping List
extra-virgin olive oil, lemon, garlic, ground coriander, cinnamon, smoked paprika, red jalapeno pepper, coarse salt, grated carrots, cilantro, whole-grain bread.
Tuesday: Kids
Watch the kids lap up SKILLET CORN DOGS. Prepare 1 (7 1/4-ounce) package macaroni and cheese dinner according to directions. Meanwhile, cook 1 pound less-sodium, less-fat hot dogs in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high for 4 to 5 minutes or until browned. Add 1 (15 1/4-ounce) can rinsed no-salt-added corn and the mac and cheese; mix well and cook until heated through.
Serve with leftover CARROT SALAD and BREAD STICKS. ORANGE SLICES are dessert.
Shopping List
packaged macaroni and cheese, less-sodium, less-fat hot dogs, canned no-salt-added corn, bread sticks, oranges.
Wednesday: Meatless
For your no-meat dinner, make easy FETTUCCINE WITH RICOTTA, TOMATOES AND BASIL. Cook 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fettuccine according to directions. Drain and return to pan. In a medium bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons butter, 3/4 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese and 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese. Toss with hot fettuccine. Top with 1 large chopped tomato, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and 2 more tablespoons grated parmesan cheese.
Serve with MIXED GREENS and GARLIC BREAD. Scoop fat-free STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM for dessert.
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
Shopping List
refrigerated fettuccine, butter, reduced-fat ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, tomato, fresh basil, salad greens, garlic bread, fat-free strawberry ice cream.
Thursday: Express
When I'm searching for dinner ideas, I sometimes turn to a packaged slow-cooker seasoning mix. My mix of choice was reduced-sodium CHICKEN CHILI, and we liked it. Feel free to add your own touch to the chili as I did. Add a packaged CAESAR SALAD and CORN MUFFINS (from a mix) to round out your meal. KIWIFRUIT works for dessert.
Shopping List
any packaged reduced-sodium chicken chili seasoning mix and ingredients on package, packaged Caesar salad, cornbread mix, kiwifruit.
Friday: Budget
On a cold winter's night, warm up with a bowl of hearty POTATO CHOWDER. Serve with a LETTUCE WEDGE and garnish with chopped hard-cooked eggs. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. RED AND GREEN GRAPES are a quick dessert.
Shopping List
bacon, onion, celery, potatoes, Dijon mustard, 1 percent milk, canned condensed less-sodium, less-fat cream of chicken soup, fresh Italian parsley, lettuce, eggs, whole-grain rolls, red and green grapes.
POTATO CHOWDER
Servings: Makes 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: about 25 minutes, plus bacon
- 3 slices bacon
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 rib celery, sliced
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups 1 percent milk
- 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed less-sodium, less-fat cream of chicken soup
- Chopped fresh Italian parsley for garnish
In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium until crisp. Remove bacon, reserving 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in saucepan. Drain bacon on paper towels; crumble and set aside. Add onion and celery to hot drippings. Cook on medium 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in potatoes, mustard and water. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes or just until potatoes are tender. Stir in milk and soup. Heat through but do not boil. Stir in bacon. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley.
Per serving: 168 calories, 6 grams protein, 6 grams fat (30 percent calories from fat), 2.2 grams saturated fat, 24 grams carbohydrate, 12 milligrams cholesterol, 318 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Make it easy on yourself and prepare SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS for your guests. Serve with STEAMED BROCCOLI and drizzle with fresh lemon juice. Add a RED-TIPPED LETTUCE SALAD and CRUSTY BREAD. Leftover ICE CREAM drizzled with HOT FUDGE sauce and a little orange liqueur finishes the meal.
Shopping List
whole-wheat spaghetti, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, Italian parsley, dry white wine, canned baby clams, pepper, lemons, dry bread crumbs, fresh broccoli, red-tipped lettuce, crusty bread, hot fudge sauce, orange liqueur.
SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS
Servings: Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 10 minutes, plus spaghetti
- 12 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley, divided
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 2 (10-ounce) cans baby clams, drained, liquid reserved
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest (yellow part only)
- 3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs, divided
Cook pasta according to directions.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add garlic and 2 tablespoons parsley; cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until the garlic is light golden. Add wine and 1 cup reserved clam liquid. Bring to a boil. Cook 4 minutes. Add clams and remove from heat. Season with pepper. Drain pasta. Add to pan with clams and sauce. Add zest, 2 tablespoons bread crumbs and remaining parsley; place over medium-high heat and toss well. Serve immediately, sprinkled with remaining bread crumbs.
Per serving: 427 calories, 25 grams protein, 5 grams fat (10 percent calories from fat), 0.8 gram saturated fat, 76 grams carbohydrate, 48 milligrams cholesterol, 719 milligrams sodium, 11 grams fiber.