Sunday: Family
There's no better way to celebrate family day than with this CHICKEN WILD RICE CASSEROLE. Serve the comfort food combo with FRESH BROCCOLI SPEARS, MIXED GREENS and DINNER ROLLS. Buy a LEMON MERINGUE PIE for dessert.
Plan
Save enough casserole and pie for Monday.
Shopping List
cooking spray, packaged long-grain and wild rice, wild rice, unsalted chicken broth, canola oil, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, garlic powder, pepper, packaged crimini mushrooms, onions, celery, less-sodium less-fat cream of mushroom soup, 98% fat-free cream of celery soup, fresh parsley, fresh broccoli, mixed greens, dinner rolls, lemon meringue pie.
CHICKEN WILD RICE CASSEROLE
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: about 1 hour; standing time: 5 minutes
- 1 (6-ounce) package long-grain and wild rice
- 1/3 cup wild rice
- 2 1/4 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into six pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (8-ounce) package crimini mushrooms
- 2 medium chopped onions
- 2 ribs thinly sliced celery
- 1 (10 1/2-ounce) can less-sodium less-fat cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (10 1/2-ounce) can 98% fat-free cream of celery soup
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Combine the wild and long-grain rice mixture (discard seasoning packet; it’s high-sodium) and wild rice with broth. Microwave on high (100% power) for 10 minutes; stir after 5 minutes; set aside. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high until hot. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from heat; sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper; set aside. Spoon rice mixture into baking dish. Add mushrooms, onions, celery and soups; mix well. Top with chicken. Cover tightly with foil and bake 50 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed. Remove from oven. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Per serving: 326 calories, 24 grams protein, 6 grams fat (17 percent calories from fat), 1.2 grams saturated fat, 43 grams carbohydrate, 57 milligrams cholesterol, 452 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Prepare CHICKEN RICE SOUP for tonight using Sunday's leftovers. Shred any leftover chicken and thin the casserole with unsalted chicken broth. Add any leftover cooked vegetables such as carrots, peas or squash. Serve with a SPINACH SALAD with RED ONION SLICES and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Slice the leftover PIE for dessert.
Shopping List
unsalted chicken broth, fresh spinach, red onion, whole-grain rolls.
Tuesday: Kids
Bring the kids off the range for COWBOY MACARONI. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare 1 (14-ounce) package macaroni and cheese according to directions. Brown 1 pound extra-lean ground beef and 1 small chopped onion in a nonstick skillet on medium for 6 minutes or until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray, combine the macaroni and cheese and the ground beef mixture, along with 1 (6-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato paste, 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce and 1 cup frozen shoe peg corn (thawed); mix well. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Top with 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with deli CARROT SALAD and SOFT ROLLS. KIWIFRUIT is an easy dessert.
Shopping List
packaged macaroni and cheese, extra-lean ground beef, onion, cooking spray, no-salt-added tomato paste, no-salt-added tomato sauce, frozen shoe peg corn, Parmesan cheese, deli carrot salad, soft rolls, kiwifruit.
Wednesday: Budget
For a low-cost meal, MEDITERRANEAN TUNA SALAD is hard to beat. In a medium bowl, combine 2 (6-ounce) cans drained and flaked light tuna, 3/4 cup dried tart cherries, and 1/2 cup each shredded carrots and chopped celery. Add 1/2 cup reduced-fat balsamic vinaigrette, 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese and 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours for flavors to blend. Just before serving on red-tip lettuce, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Serve with any TOMATO BASIL SOUP and BREAD STICKS. For dessert, PEARS are good.
Shopping List
canned light tuna, dried tart cherries, carrots, celery, reduced-fat balsamic vinaigrette, crumbled feta cheese, Dijon mustard, red-tip lettuce, pine nuts, any tomato basil soup, bread sticks, pears.
Thursday: Express
Let someone else do all the work and serve refrigerated fully cooked BEEF POT ROAST (any brand). On the side, add MASHED POTATOES (refrigerated), CAULIFLOWER AU GRATIN (frozen) and WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. FRESH CITRUS FRUITS are a light dessert.
Shopping List
refrigerated fully cooked beef pot roast, refrigerated mashed potatoes, frozen cauliflower au gratin, whole-grain bread, fresh citrus fruits.
Friday: Meatless
Enjoy the hearty flavors of "MEATY" SKILLET MAC. Serve it with a LETTUCE WEDGE and a BAGUETTE. PEACHES are your dessert.
Shopping List
extra-virgin olive oil, onion, red bell pepper, coarse salt, black pepper, plant-based ground beef, garlic, dried oregano, no-salt-added or less-sodium tomato sauce, unsalted vegetable broth, elbow macaroni, plant-based or 50% less-fat dairy cheddar cheese, lettuce, baguette, peaches.
"MEATY" SKILLET MAC
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: less than 15 minutes
Cook time: about 20 minutes; standing time: 5 minutes
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 1 finely chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 ounces plant-based ground beef
- 6 minced garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 (29-ounce) can no-salt-added or less-sodium tomato sauce
- 2 cups unsalted vegetable broth
- 2 cups (8 ounces) elbow macaroni
- 4 ounces plant-based or 50% less-fat dairy cheddar cheese
Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper, salt and pepper and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until softened. Stir in ground meat and cook 3 minutes, breaking up meat, until firm crumbles form. Stir in garlic and oregano and cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in tomato sauce, broth and macaroni and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender. Remove from heat; let sit 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cheddar. (Adapted from “Plant Based Meat,” Adam Kowit; America’s Test Kitchen.)
Per serving: 485 calories, 36 grams protein, 9 grams fat (15% calories from fat), 0.6 grams saturated fat, 73 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 1,075 milligrams sodium, 13 grams fiber.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Colorful ORANGE-TOMATO SHRIMP VERACRUZ is worthy of any guest. Serve it over YELLOW RICE (from a mix), along with a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and BAGUETTES. Buy a frozen KEY LIME LAYER CAKE for dessert (Pepperidge Farm or another brand).
Shopping List
olive oil, uncooked, peeled and deveined medium shrimp, shallots, orange, dried thyme, fire-roasted or regular diced tomatoes with green chilies, lime, coarse salt, packaged yellow rice, Boston lettuce, baguettes, frozen key lime layer cake (Pepperidge Farm or another brand).
ORANGE–TOMATO SHRIMP VERACRUZ
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: less than 10 minutes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound uncooked, peeled and deveined medium shrimp
- 2 finely chopped shallots
- 2 teaspoons fresh orange zest (orange part only)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can lightly drained fire-roasted or regular diced tomatoes with green chilies
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt to taste
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Cook shrimp, shallots, orange zest and thyme for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in tomatoes. Cook about 5 minutes or until shrimp are opaque, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with lime juice and salt; serve immediately.
Per serving: 132 calories, 16 grams protein, 3 grams fat (24% calories from fat), 0.4 grams saturated fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 143 milligrams cholesterol, 597 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.