Sunday: Family
Prepare a BAKED TURKEY BREAST according to package directions. Pair it with COUNTRYSIDE WHITE BEANS AND ARTICHOKES. Add a GREEN SALAD topped with pistachios. Buy a CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE for dessert.
Plan
Save enough turkey and cake for Monday.
Shopping List
turkey breast to bake, canned reduced-sodium cannellini beans, canned quartered artichokes, whole black olives, unsalted chicken broth, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, Dijon mustard, dried marjoram, pepper, cooking spray, unseasoned breadcrumbs, extra-virgin olive oil, salad greens, pistachios, chocolate layer cake.
COUNTRYSIDE WHITE BEANS AND ARTICHOKES
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 10 minutes
- 2 (15-ounce) cans rinsed reduced-sodium cannellini beans (or 3 cups cooked)
- 1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichokes, drained and chopped
- 3/4 cup quartered whole black olives
- 3/4 cup unsalted chicken broth
- 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (see NOTE) and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram (or 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh), divided
- Pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
In a medium saucepan, combine beans, artichokes, olives, broth, tomatoes, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon marjoram; mix well. Bring to a boil on medium-high; simmer 3 or 4 minutes or until hot. Season with pepper. Spoon into a 7-by-11-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; set aside. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, olive oil and remaining marjoram; mix well and sprinkle evenly over top. Broil 1 minute or until golden.
NOTE: Press tomatoes between several layers of paper towels to remove excess oil.
Per serving: 159 calories, 6 grams protein, 5 grams fat (27% calories from fat), 0.6 gram saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 503 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Use the leftovers for TURKEY ENCHILADAS WITH AVOCADO CORN SALAD: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 7-by-11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Microwave 8 flour tortillas according to package directions until softened. Divide 2 cups shredded cooked turkey and 3/4 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese among tortillas. Roll and place seam side down in dish. Pour 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce over all; top with 1/4 cup more cheese. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until hot. Meanwhile, combine 1 diced Hass avocado, 1 pint grape tomatoes (halved), 2 cups cooked fresh corn, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice and coarse salt and pepper to taste; toss to mix. Serve salad with enchiladas.
Add a ROMAINE SALAD. Slice the leftover CAKE and serve with FRESH CHERRIES for dessert.
Shopping List
cooking spray, flour tortillas, shredded Mexican-blend cheese, enchilada sauce, Hass avocado, grape tomatoes, fresh corn, lime, coarse salt, pepper, romaine, fresh cherries.
Tuesday: Express
TORTELLINI WITH HAM AND PEAS is fast and easy: Cook 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated mushroom (or another flavor) tortellini according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, combine 3/4 cup sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce, 1 cup cooked green peas and 1/2 cup diced ham; mix well. Pour over tortellini and toss to mix.
Serve with a packaged GREEN SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. Sliced CANTALOUPE is a refreshing dessert.
Shopping List
refrigerated mushroom (or another flavor) tortellini, sun-dried tomato Alfredo sauce, green peas, diced ham, packaged green salad, garlic bread, cantaloupe.
Wednesday: Meatless
For a flavor-packed, no-meat dinner, you'll like SEASONED BLACK BEANS. Serve them over BROWN RICE and garnish with plain yogurt. Serve with a MIXED GREEN SALAD with sliced AVOCADOS and some FLATBREAD. Try FRESH PLUMS for dessert.
Shopping List
onion, green bell pepper, olive oil, garlic, zucchini, tomatoes, dried or fresh tarragon, dried or fresh oregano, dried or fresh basil, coarse salt, black pepper, canned reduced-sodium black beans, brown rice, plain yogurt, mixed greens, avocados, flatbread, fresh plums.
SEASONED BLACK BEANS
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: about 15 minutes; standing time: 2 minutes
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped zucchini
- 1 cup coarsely chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 2 teaspoons dried
- Coarse salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed
In a 3-quart baking dish, combine onion, green pepper, oil and garlic. Cover and microwave on high (100% power) 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add zucchini, tomatoes, tarragon, oregano, basil, salt and pepper; stir and cover. Cook on high 4 minutes. Add beans; stir and cover. Cook on high 4 to 6 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 2 minutes.
Per serving: 95 calories, 5 grams protein, 2 grams fat (15% calories from fat), 0.3 gram saturated fat, 17 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 76 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.
Thursday: Kids
MANGO QUESADILLAS are good for a kid dinner and an easy way to encourage them to eat more fruit. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium. Coat one side of 6 (8-inch) flour tortillas with cooking spray. Place one tortilla uncoated side down in skillet. Heat 15 seconds or until heated through. Flip tortilla; reduce heat to low. Top with 1/4 cup shredded 50% light cheddar cheese, 2 teaspoons finely chopped onion and 1/3 cup chopped mango, leaving a 1/2-inch margin around edges. Sprinkle top with a pinch of ground cumin and a pinch of chili powder. When the cheese has melted, flip one half of the tortilla over other half. Remove from skillet; cut into wedges and garnish with more chopped mango. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
On the side, add CARROT STICKS to munch on. Make CHOCOLATE PUDDING with 1% milk for dessert.
Shopping List
flour tortillas, cooking spray, shredded 50% light cheddar cheese, onion, mango, cumin, chili powder, carrot sticks, chocolate pudding mix, 1% milk.
Friday: Budget
You won't put too much strain on the budget with SPICY PEANUT SAUCE OVER PASTA SHELLS for dinner. In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups peanut (or satay) sauce, 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 cup shredded carrots, 3 sliced green onions and 1/2 seedless cucumber (chopped). Toss to mix. Rinse 8 ounces freshly cooked small pasta shells; drain. Add to bowl; toss to mix. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts if desired.
Serve with a LETTUCE WEDGE and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. WATERMELON SLICES are a hydrating dessert.
Shopping List
peanut or satay sauce, cooked chicken, carrots, green onions, seedless cucumber, small pasta shells, peanuts if desired, lettuce, whole-grain rolls, watermelon.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
We always say yes when friends invite us for GRILLED BURGERS on SESAME SEED BUNS. (Choose lean ground beef.) Top the cookout classics with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, mustard, low-fat mayonnaise and pickles. Serve with HUSK-GRILLED CORN and COLESLAW. What's more appropriate for dessert with this meal than your own PEACH COBBLER topped with a dab of VANILLA ICE CREAM?
Shopping List
lean ground beef, sesame seed buns, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, mustard, low-fat mayonnaise, pickles, corn on the cob with husks, unsalted butter, pepper, coleslaw, ingredients for peach cobbler, vanilla ice cream.
HUSK-GRILLED CORN
Servings: makes 6 ears
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 12 to 15 minutes
- 6 ears corn, husks and silks intact
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Cut and remove silk protruding from each ear of corn. Combine butter and pepper in bowl. Fold 1 (14-by-12-inch) sheet heavy-duty foil in half to create a 7-by-12-inch rectangle; crimp into boat shape long and wide enough to accommodate 1 ear of corn. Transfer butter mixture to prepared foil boat; set boat aside. Clean and oil grate. Grill corn in husks 12 to 15 minutes. (If corn is steaming and bright yellow, it is done.) Transfer to cutting board and remove base of corn with chef’s knife and discard husk and silk with tongs. Roll in butter mixture; return to grill, turning as needed, for about 5 minutes. (Adapted from "The Complete Summer Cookbook," America’s Test Kitchen.)
Per serving: 190 calories, 4 grams protein, 13 grams fat (56% calories from fat), 7.5 grams saturated fat, 19 grams carbohydrate, 31 milligrams cholesterol, 17 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.