Sunday: Family
For a special family day, BEEF BURGUNDY will please everyone. Serve it over EGG NOODLES with TINY GREEN PEAS (from frozen) on the side, along with a MIXED GREEN SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. For dessert, ANGEL FOOD CAKE with CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM is easy.
Plan
Save enough beef burgundy, peas and cake for Monday; save enough ice cream for Tuesday.
Shopping List
baby carrots, dried marjoram, black pepper, lean beef stew meat, low-sodium beef broth, Burgundy or other dry red wine, garlic, fresh mushrooms, quick-mixing flour, egg noodles, frozen tiny green peas, mixed greens, whole-grain bread, angel food cake, chocolate ice cream.
BEEF BURGUNDY
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: about 8 hours on low
- 1 (8-ounce) package baby carrots
- 3/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds lean beef stew meat cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup Burgundy or other dry red wine
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (8-ounce) package fresh mushrooms, halved
- 1/4 cup quick-mixing flour
Place carrots in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle marjoram and pepper over beef. Add to slow cooker. Add broth, wine, garlic and mushrooms. Cover and cook on low 7 hours. Remove about 1/2 cup liquid from cooker; mix with flour. Pour back into cooker and continue cooking on low about 30 more minutes or until thickened and beef and carrots are tender. Ladle into bowls and serve.
Per serving: 216 calories, 24 grams protein, 8 grams fat (34% calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 7 grams carbohydrate, 71 milligrams cholesterol, 75 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Thin the leftover stew with low-sodium beef broth for BEEF VEGETABLE SOUP; add any leftover vegetables hiding in your refrigerator to the soup. Serve with a LETTUCE WEDGE and CRACKERS. Slice the leftover CAKE and top with BERRIES for dessert.
Shopping List
low-sodium beef broth, lettuce, crackers, any berries.
Tuesday: Kids
It's burger night, and the kids will love TURKEY BURGERS topped with PIZZA SAUCE on WHOLE-GRAIN BUNS. Serve them with OVEN FRIES (from frozen) and add ORANGE SECTIONS on CHOPPED LETTUCE on the side. Some leftover ICE CREAM for dessert will bring on happy faces.
Shopping List
turkey burgers, pizza sauce, whole-grain buns, frozen oven fries, oranges, lettuce.
Wednesday: Meatless
Skip meat tonight for a MUSHROOM AND PEPPER FRITTATA: In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil on medium. Cook 1 medium chopped onion and 1 chopped red bell pepper 3 minutes. Add 8 ounces sliced shiitake mushrooms; cover and cook 1 minute. Stir and cook 2 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Heat broiler. In a large bowl, whisk 8 eggs, 1/4 cup water, 3/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. In same skillet, heat 1 more tablespoon oil. Add egg mixture and 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves and cook 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle mushroom mixture over eggs; cover and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until just the edges are puffed. Sprinkle 1/4 cup more Asiago cheese over top; broil 1 minute.
Serve with WHOLE-GRAIN TOAST and FRESH TROPICAL FRUIT.
Shopping List
canola oil, onion, red bell pepper, shiitake mushrooms, eggs, Asiago cheese, coarse salt, black pepper, fresh basil, whole-grain bread, fresh tropical fruit.
Thursday: Express
Make it quick with PALERMO PIZZA tonight. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Top a 12-inch fully cooked prepared pizza crust with canned eggplant appetizer (caponata), some sliced ripe olives, red onion slices, sliced plum tomatoes and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with some dried oregano. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until hot.
Serve with a packaged GREEN SALAD. For an easy dessert, try RED AND GREEN GRAPES.
Shopping List
prepared pizza crust, canned eggplant appetizer (caponata), sliced ripe olives, red onion, plum tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, packaged green salad, red and green grapes.
Friday: Budget
Save some dollars with CITRUS CHICKEN CHILI. Serve the delicious chili with a SLICED AVOCADO ON LETTUCE SALAD and CRUSTY BREAD. Slice KIWIS for dessert.
Shopping List
olive oil, onion, garlic, green bell pepper, dried oregano, canned no-salt added diced tomatoes, lemon, chicken thighs, unsalted chicken stock, canned reduced-sodium garbanzo beans, Greek yogurt, fresh parsley, avocados, lettuce, crusty bread, kiwis.
CITRUS CHICKEN CHILI
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with liquid
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 pound chicken thighs, cooked and shredded
- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 2 (16-ounce) cans reduced-sodium garbanzo beans, rinsed
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper and oregano. Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, chicken, stock and beans. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer 20 to 25 minutes. Serve topped with yogurt and parsley.
Per serving: 281 calories, 21 grams protein, 9 grams fat (30% calories from fat), 1.8 grams saturated fat, 24 grams carbohydrate, 76 milligrams cholesterol, 155 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Expect extended applause when you serve BAKED HALIBUT WITH AVOCADO LEMON CREAM SAUCE for friends. Serve with BAKED RISOTTO: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch oven-proof skillet on medium; add 1 small minced onion and cook 4 minutes or until tender. Add 3/4 cup Arborio rice; cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Stir in 1 (14-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth; bring to a boil. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake, covered, 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
Add SUGAR SNAP PEAS and DINNER ROLLS. Complete your wonderful meal with ORANGE-GINGER CHEESECAKE: Stir a little grated fresh ginger into some orange marmalade and spoon over a cheesecake.
Shopping List
Hass avocados, lemon, onion powder, garlic salt, half-and-half, eggs, salsa, flour, halibut fillets, olive oil, butter, onion, Arborio rice, canned reduced-sodium chicken broth, dried Italian seasoning, coarse salt, pepper, sugar snap peas, dinner rolls, fresh ginger, orange marmalade, cheesecake.
BAKED HALIBUT WITH AVOCADO LEMON CREAM SAUCE
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: about 30 minutes
- For the sauce:
- 2 ripe Hass avocados, halved, pitted and peeled, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 3/4 cup half-and-half, divided
- For the halibut:
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup salsa
- 1/2 cup flour
- 6 (6-ounce) halibut fillets, skin removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the sauce: In a food processor, combine 2 avocado halves, lemon juice, onion powder and garlic salt; process until chopped. With machine running, slowly add 1/4 cup half-and-half; process until smooth. Chill until ready to serve.
For the halibut: Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. Add remaining half-and-half and the salsa; whisk until blended. Place flour in another bowl. Lightly coat halibut with flour; coat with egg mixture. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add half the fillets; cook 3 minutes per side or until browned on both sides. Transfer to large baking sheet. Repeat with remaining fillets, adding more oil if needed. Bake until fillets are just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Cut remaining avocado into thin slices. Place halibut on plates and spoon sauce around edge; garnish with avocado slices and serve.
Per serving: 388 calories, 37 grams protein, 19 grams fat (44% calories from fat), 4.8 grams saturated fat, 17 grams carbohydrate, 156 milligrams cholesterol, 279 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.