Sunday: Family
Tell Mom to relax because her admirers made CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD for her special day: In a medium bowl, mix together 1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise, 1/4 cup mango chutney (from jar) and 1 teaspoon curry powder until blended. Add 2 cups cooked chicken breast chunks (or 1 (12-ounce) drained can), 1 cored, chopped, unpeeled apple, 1 cup halved seedless green grapes, 1/4 cup minced red onion and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts. Toss gently to mix and coat. Spoon onto a bed of salad greens.
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Serve with steamed FRESH ASPARAGUS and BREADSTICKS. She'll increase your allowance when she sees the LEMON CHEESECAKE CUPCAKES you have prepared for dessert.
Plan
Give Mom a bonus and make enough chicken salad and asparagus for Monday.
Shopping List
low-fat mayonnaise, jar mango chutney, curry powder, cooked or canned chicken breast, apple, seedless green grapes, red onion, walnuts, salad greens, fresh asparagus, breadsticks, gingersnap cookies, reduced-fat cream cheese, sugar, reduced-fat sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract, lemons, prepared lemon curd or lemon pie filling.
LEMON CHEESECAKE CUPCAKES
Servings: makes 12 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: about 30 minutes; cooling time: 10 minutes
- 12 gingersnap cookies
- 2 (8-ounce) packages reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 6 tablespoons prepared lemon curd or lemon pie filling
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Press a gingersnap cookie in bottom of each liner. With mixer on medium-high, beat cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat, scraping sides of bowl occasionally, until blended, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon zest. Divide batter evenly among prepared liners. Bake 25 minutes or until centers are set. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Top each cupcake with 2 teaspoons lemon curd. Refrigerate or serve at room temperature. (Recipe by Gwynn Galvin, www.SwirlsOfFlavor.com.)
Per serving: 264 calories, 6 grams protein, 12 grams fat (41% calories from fat), 7.1 grams saturated fat, 33 grams carbohydrate, 77 milligrams cholesterol, 221 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Monday: Express
Take it easy tonight and enjoy CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICHES. Spread the leftover salad on whole-grain bread and add lettuce on top. Arrange sliced HARD-BOILED EGGS and TOMATO WEDGES on each plate. Squeeze a lemon over the leftover ASPARAGUS and serve it room temperature or cold. Buy some FRESH STRAWBERRIES and top with light whipped cream for dessert.
Shopping List
whole-grain bread, lettuce, eggs, tomatoes, lemon, fresh strawberries, light whipped cream.
Tuesday: Kids
Do you remember your scouting days and treats like CAMPFIRE HOT DOGS? Brown 1/2 pound lean ground beef on medium-high heat for 4 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Add 2 cups red pasta sauce and 1 (15- to 19-ounce) can vegetarian baked beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook 8 hot dogs (with the least sodium and fat you can find) and arrange them in whole-grain hot dog buns. Spoon the beef mixture over the hot dogs and garnish with a little shredded cheddar cheese.
Serve with BAKED CHIPS and STEAMED FRESH CARROTS. Slurp a FROZEN FRUIT JUICE BAR for dessert.
Shopping List
lean ground beef, red pasta sauce, canned vegetarian baked beans, lowest-sodium lowest-fat hot dogs, whole-grain hot dog buns, shredded cheddar cheese, baked chips, fresh carrots, frozen fruit juice bars.
Wednesday: Meatless
We didn't miss meat when we ate CHEESE RAVIOLI WITH TOMATO SAUCE for dinner: Cook 12 to 16 ounces refrigerated cheese ravioli according to directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine 1 (16-ounce) can rinsed and drained reduced-sodium garbanzo beans, 1 cup halved grape tomatoes, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic and 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt; mix well. Add the cooked ravioli. Toss gently to mix and coat; serve immediately.
Accompany the pasta with a ROMAINE SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. FRESH PINEAPPLE is good for dessert.
Shopping List
refrigerated cheese ravioli, canned reduced-sodium garbanzo beans, grape tomatoes, olive oil, dried basil, garlic, coarse salt, romaine, garlic bread, fresh pineapple.
Thursday: Budget
You can't help saving money with ITALIAN VEGETABLE AND BEEF SOUP. Serve the soup with a SPINACH SALAD topped with fresh sliced mushrooms. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. For dessert, RED AND GREEN GRAPES go down easy.
Plan
Save enough soup for Friday.
Shopping List
beef stew meat, coarse salt, pepper, dried Italian seasoning, low-sodium beef broth, canned reduced-sodium garbanzo beans, canned diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, frozen mixed vegetables, ditalini or orzo or other small pasta, fresh spinach, fresh sliced mushrooms, whole-grain rolls, red and green grapes.
ITALIAN VEGETABLE AND BEEF SOUP
Servings: makes about 14 cups
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 6 hours on low, or 1 hour on high
- 1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
- 1 (15 to 19-ounce) can reduced-sodium garbanzo beans, drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, with liquid
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 cup ditalini or orzo or other small pasta
In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, combine beef, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, broth, beans, tomatoes and water; mix well. Cover and cook 6 hours on low or 1 hour on high. Stir in mixed vegetables and pasta. Cover and continue cooking on high for 1 hour or until beef and pasta are tender. Stir before serving.
NOTE: Thin with extra broth or water if desired.
Per serving: 124 calories, 10 grams protein, 3 grams fat (20% calories from fat), 0.9 gram saturated fat, 14 grams carbohydrate, 20 milligrams cholesterol, 264 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Friday: Heat and Eat
Take advantage of the blended next-day flavors and serve leftover SOUP for dinner. Add a packaged GREEN SALAD and CRUSTY BREAD. Make a CHOCOLATE BANANA PARFAIT for dessert by layering chocolate pudding with bananas and vanilla wafers.
Shopping List
packaged green salad, crusty bread, chocolate pudding, bananas, vanilla wafers.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Invite guests for JERK-SEASONED PORK CHOPS. Add some FIESTA BEANS AND CORN: Mix together canned (rinsed and drained) reduced-sodium black beans with canned Mexican-style corn. Add a splash of fresh lime juice and some chopped cilantro. Season to taste with coarse salt and black pepper.
Serve with YELLOW RICE (from mix) and pass WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Dessert is CITRUS COOKIE CLOUDS: Top sugar cookies with a mixture of equal amounts of whipped topping (thawed from frozen) and reduced-fat sour cream. Put fresh orange sections on top.
Shopping List
allspice, coarse salt, dried thyme, ground coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, canola oil, boneless center-cut loin pork chops, canned reduced-sodium black beans, canned Mexican-style corn, limes, cilantro, coarse salt, black pepper, yellow rice mix, whole-grain rolls, sugar cookies, frozen whipped topping, reduced-fat sour cream, oranges.
JERK-SEASONED PORK CHOPS
Servings: makes 6 chops
Prep time: 10 minutes; marinating time: 2 hours to overnight
Cook time: 6 to 10 minutes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 6 (4-ounce) boneless, center-cut loin pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
In a small bowl, combine allspice, salt, thyme, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and canola oil; mix well. Spread paste mixture on both sides of each chop. Place chops in a resealable plastic bag or baking dish and cover. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Place chops on rack in broiler pan; broil 3 to 5 inches from heat 5 minutes until top is browned; turn and broil 5 to 8 minutes until other side is browned.
Per serving: 172 calories, 19 grams protein, 10 grams fat (53% calories from fat), 1.9 grams saturated fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 57 milligrams cholesterol, 279 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.