Sunday: Family
Make today's family meal as simple as possible with your ROASTED TURKEY BREAST. Alongside, enjoy QUINOA SALAD WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS, STEAMED SLICED CARROTS, RED-TIPPED LETTUCE SALAD and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Slice ANGEL FOOD CAKE and top the slices with STRAWBERRIES and LIGHT WHIPPED CREAM for dessert.
Plan
Save enough turkey and strawberries for Monday.
Shopping List
turkey breast to roast, quinoa, sugar snap peas, extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, coarse salt, black pepper, salted roasted pumpkin seeds, chives, carrots, red-tipped lettuce, sourdough bread, angel food cake, strawberries, light whipped cream.
QUINOA SALAD WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: fewer than 5 minutes plus quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 pound sugar snap peas
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup salted roasted pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup minced chives
Prepare quinoa according to directions; fluff and transfer to a large bowl. Let cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan of boiling water, simmer the peas about 1 minute or until bright green and tender-crisp. Drain; spread on a large plate to cool. Pat dry. Cut peas on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces. In a small bowl, combine the oil and vinegar with salt and pepper to taste.
Add peas to quinoa along with the pumpkin seeds, chives and dressing; toss to combine. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled. (Adapted from Food and Wine.)
Per serving: 333 calories, 10 grams protein, 19 grams fat (50 percent calories from fat), 2.7 grams saturated fat, 33 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 28 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Monday: Budget
Turn leftover turkey into economical and flavor-packed SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY NOODLE BAKE. Serve it with a LETTUCE WEDGE. For dessert, enjoy leftover STRAWBERRIES.
Plan
Save enough Turkey Bake for Tuesday.
Shopping List
dried wide egg noodles, canola oil, onion, no-salt-added diced tomatoes, canned diced green chilies, package reduced-sodium taco seasoning (such as McCormick), reduced-fat cream cheese, Mexican cheese blend, cooking spray, reduced-fat sour cream and guacamole if desired, lettuce.
SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY NOODLE BAKE
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: about 25 minutes; standing time: 5 minutes
- 3 cups dried wide egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cups water
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies, undrained
- 1 (1.25-ounce) package reduced-sodium taco seasoning (such as McCormick)
- 2 cups shredded cooked turkey
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
- Reduced-fat sour cream, if desired
- Guacamole, if desired
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare noodles as directed. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan on medium. Add onion; cook and stir 3 minutes or until softened. Stir in tomatoes, water, chilies and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in noodles, turkey, cream cheese and 1 cup Mexican cheese. Pour mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, coated with cooking spray. Cover with nonstick foil. Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil. Stir mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serve with assorted toppings as desired.
Per serving: 302 calories, 21 grams protein, 15 grams fat (44 percent calories from fat), 7.4 grams saturated fat, 21 grams carbohydrate, 78 milligrams cholesterol, 550 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Tuesday: Heat and Eat
Don't you love it when a delicious leftover such as SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY BAKE is ready to reheat for a fast dinner? To round out the meal, add a SPINACH SALAD. Refreshing PEACH SORBET is dessert.
Shopping List
spinach, peach sorbet.
Wednesday: Express
Please invite me for dinner when you have BLT PASTA. Cook 12 ounces rigatoni pasta according to directions. Drain; transfer to a large bowl. Meanwhile, cook 4 slices Canadian bacon in a large skillet on medium-high. Remove bacon to plate. Using the same skillet (leaving any bacon drippings), reduce heat to medium and add 1 package arugula; stir 45 seconds or until wilted. Transfer to pasta bowl. Return skillet to medium heat and add 1 pint halved grape tomatoes and 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil; cook 2 minutes. Add to pasta and arugula and toss. Chop the bacon and sprinkle over top. Season with pepper, toss again and serve. Add MIXED GREENS if you like, and WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. For a simple dessert, fresh TROPICAL FRUIT works well.
Shopping List
rigatoni pasta, Canadian bacon, packaged arugula, grape tomatoes, olive oil, pepper, mixed greens if desired, whole-grain bread, fresh tropical fruit.
Thursday: Kids
Be a hero and serve the kids CHICKEN RANCH TACOS. Heat 1 (5-ounce) package taco shells (10 shells) in oven as directed. Meanwhile, place 3 cups diced cooked chicken breast in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with 1 (1.25-ounce) package reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix; toss to coat. Microwave chicken, uncovered, on high (100 percent power) 2 to 3 minutes or until hot. Stir in 1/2 cup reduced-fat or regular ranch dressing. Spoon warm chicken mixture into heated shells. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomato and shredded 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese. Add a kid favorite, CARROT STICKS, for munching. For dessert, have a slurp fest with POPSICLES.
Shopping List
taco shells, cooked chicken breast, reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix, reduced-fat or regular ranch dressing, lettuce, tomato, shredded 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, carrot sticks, Popsicles.
Friday: Meatless
Look for MUSHROOM LOVER'S BURGERS (frozen, such as Morningstar Farms or another brand) for an easy no-meat dinner. Serve with such favorite toppings as LETTUCE, TOMATO, low-fat MAYONNAISE and MUSTARD. Add HASH-BROWNED POTATOES (from frozen) on the side. GRAPES are good for dessert.
Shopping List
frozen mushroom lover's burgers (such as Morningstar Farms or another brand), lettuce, tomato, low-fat mayonnaise, mustard, frozen hash-browned potatoes, grapes.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite guests for CHICKEN WITH CHARRED ROSEMARY VINAIGRETTE. Add ROASTED RED POTATOES, a ROMAINE SALAD and SOURDOUGH BREAD. For dessert, top VANILLA ICE CREAM with CARAMEL SAUCE and TOASTED PECANS.
Shopping List
fresh rosemary, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, coarse salt, black pepper, frozen artichokes, cherry tomatoes, pitted Kalamata olives, capers, skinless bone-in chicken thighs, Canadian or lean bacon, red potatoes, romaine, sourdough bread, vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, pecans.
CHICKEN WITH CHARRED-ROSEMARY VINAIGRETTE
Servings: makes 10 thighs
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 to 45 minutes
- 4 (4-inch) rosemary sprigs, divided
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Coarse salt
- Black pepper
- 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen artichokes, thawed
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup rinsed capers
- 10 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
- 5 slices Canadian bacon or lean bacon, halved
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roast rosemary sprigs directly on oven rack for 5 minutes or until charred. Leave oven on. Strip leaves; finely crush. Discard stems. In small bowl, whisk half the rosemary with the vinegar, mustard and 1/4 cup of the oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper; set aside. Increase oven heat to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the remaining chopped, charred rosemary leaves, artichokes, tomatoes, olives and capers with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly on a rimmed sheet pan or other large rimmed pan covered with foil. Place chicken on pan. Top each thigh with half a slice of bacon. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Serve, passing sauce at the table.
Per thigh: 341 calories, 33 grams protein, 19 grams fat (51 percent calories from fat), 4.1 grams saturated fat, 9 grams carbohydrate, 164 milligrams cholesterol, 596 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.