Sunday: Family
Introduce the family to the flavors of Greece with HONEY-LEMON RACK OF LAMB. Serve with RICE tossed with chopped fresh mint. Add GREEN PEAS (frozen) and CRUSTY ROLLS to accompany the meal.
Dessert is AMBROSIA PARFAITS. Mix together 1 1/2 cups fat-free vanilla yogurt with 1 (8-ounce) can drained crushed pineapple. Spoon 2 tablespoons of mixture into 4 tall stem glasses; top with a few banana slices, 2 more tablespoons yogurt mixture, some mandarin orange sections and the remaining yogurt mixture. Add toasted coconut and fresh strawberries for garnish.
Tip
Introduce the family to the flavors of Greece with HONEY-LEMON RACK OF LAMB. Serve with RICE tossed with chopped fresh mint. Add GREEN PEAS (frozen) and CRUSTY ROLLS to accompany the meal.
Dessert is AMBROSIA PARFAITS. Mix together 1 1/2 cups fat-free vanilla yogurt with 1 (8-ounce) can drained crushed pineapple. Spoon 2 tablespoons of mixture into 4 tall stem glasses; top with a few banana slices, 2 more tablespoons yogurt mixture, some mandarin orange sections and the remaining yogurt mixture. Add toasted coconut and fresh strawberries for garnish.
Plan
Save enough coconut for Monday.
Shopping List
lamb rib roasts, garlic, honey, light brown sugar, lemons, garlic powder, coarse salt, fresh mint, walnuts, rice, frozen green peas, crusty rolls, fat-free vanilla yogurt, canned crushed pineapple, banana, mandarin oranges, coconut, fresh strawberries.
HONEY-LEMON RACK OF LAMB
Servings: Makes 4 to 5 (3-ounce cooked weight) servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes; standing time: 5 to 10 minutes
- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds well-trimmed lamb rib roasts
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (yellow part only)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 1-inch-deep slits in lamb; insert garlic slices. Place lamb in shallow roasting pan. In a small saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar, lemon juice, garlic powder and salt; cook over low heat until bubbly, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest, mint and walnuts. Spoon glaze over lamb; bake 30 minutes or until internal temperature registers 135 degrees; baste occasionally. Remove from oven; let stand 5 to 10 minutes or until the internal temperature is 145 degrees. Slice and serve.
Per serving: 356 calories, 21 grams protein, 14 grams fat (34 percent calories from fat), 3.7 grams saturated fat, 39 grams carbohydrate, 64 milligrams cholesterol, 197 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Monday: Budget
Meatloaf is always a budget-stretcher, and these MINI MEATLOAVES are a tasty way to save money. Serve with SCALLOPED POTATOES and GREEN BEANS. Add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Top PEACHES with leftover COCONUT for dessert.
Plan
Save enough meatloaf for Tuesday and enough peaches for Thursday.
Shopping List
lean ground beef, panko bread crumbs, onion, 1 percent milk, egg, garlic, coarse salt, pepper, barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese, scalloped potatoes, green beans, whole-grain rolls, peaches.
MINI MEATLOAVES
Servings: Makes 12 mini meatloaves
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 19 to 20 minutes; standing time: 5 minutes
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/3 cup 1 percent milk
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Barbecue sauce and shredded cheddar cheese for garnish
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine beef, bread crumbs, onion, milk, egg, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix lightly, but thoroughly. Shape mixture into 12 equal portions. Place each portion into a 12-cup regular muffin pan, lightly patting mixture to level top. Bake 19 to 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from oven; garnish with toppings as desired. Let stand 5 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 degrees.
Per meatloaf: 117 calories, 12 grams protein, 6 grams fat (50 percent calories from fat), 2.2 grams saturated fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 48 milligrams cholesterol, 133 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Tuesday: Heat and Eat
Warm and crumble the leftover meatloaves for your TACOS tonight. Fill the taco shells with crumbled meatloaves and top with chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce and reduced-fat sour cream. Serve with canned reduced-sodium PINTO BEANS garnished with chopped onion. Dessert is FLAN (from a mix).
Shopping List
taco shells, tomatoes, lettuce, reduced-fat sour cream, canned reduced-sodium pinto beans, onion, flan mix.
Wednesday: Meatless
We served this CHEESY PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS to our guests -- it's that good. Add a SPINACH SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. Dessert can be as light as fresh TROPICAL FRUIT.
Shopping List
bow-tie pasta, olive oil, assorted or white sliced fresh mushrooms, coarse salt, pepper, no-salt-added vegetable broth, packaged light or regular garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese, fresh parsley, fresh spinach, garlic bread, fresh tropical fruit.
CHEESY PASTA WITH MUSHROOMS
Servings: Makes 5 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: less than 15 minutes, plus pasta
- 12 ounces bow-tie pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound assorted or white sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup no-salt-added vegetable broth
- 1 (4-ounce) package light (or regular) garlic-and-herb spreadable cheese
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Cook pasta according to directions.
Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat olive oil on medium-high. Add mushrooms; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 8 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth and cheese; heat through, stirring to combine. Drain pasta. Add pasta to sauce and toss to mix. Garnish with parsley.
Per serving: 350 calories, 13 grams protein, 8 grams fat (20 percent calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 57 grams carbohydrate, 16 milligrams cholesterol, 356 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Thursday: Express
Let Kashi do the work for you tonight -- as in KASHI PIZZA (or another brand of frozen pizza). Stop by the produce section or salad bar and pick up some fresh vegetables to put on top of the pizza, and pick up packaged SALAD GREENS while you're there. BROWNIES from the bakery, topped with leftover PEACHES and fat-free whipped cream, end your easy meal.
Shopping List
Kashi (or another brand) frozen pizza, assorted fresh vegetables, packaged salad greens, bakery brownies, fat-free whipped cream.
Friday: Kids
Call your gang for WAGON WHEEL CASSEROLE tonight. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook 4 cups wagon wheel (or another shape) pasta according to directions; drain.
Meanwhile, cook 1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage 4 minutes on medium or until no longer pink; drain. In a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish, mix cooked pasta, cooked sausage, 3 cups no-salt-added red pasta sauce, 1 (4-ounce) can drained sliced mushrooms and 1/4 cup sliced black olives. Cover and bake about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella. Bake uncovered 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
Serve with CELERY stuffed with PEANUT BUTTER; add SESAME BREAD STICKS. Crunch on APPLE SLICES for dessert.
Shopping List
wagon wheel (or another shape) pasta, bulk Italian sausage, no-salt-added red pasta sauce, canned sliced mushrooms, sliced black olives, shredded part-skim mozzarella, celery, peanut butter, sesame bread sticks, apples.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Serve your guests BROILED TANDOORI CHICKEN. Combine 1 cup fat-free plain yogurt, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 4 cloves minced garlic, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric; mix well. Place 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves in a glass baking dish; pour marinade over chicken. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours to overnight; turn occasionally. Heat broiler. Remove chicken and discard marinade; broil 6 to 8 minutes per side or until chicken is golden-brown and no longer pink.
Serve with BASMATI RICE, STEAMED CARROTS, a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and FLATBREAD. Buy POUND CAKE for dessert and top it with fresh STRAWBERRIES.
Shopping List
fat-free plain yogurt, limes, canola oil, garlic, fresh ginger, curry powder, coarse salt, cumin, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, black pepper, turmeric, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, basmati rice, fresh carrots, Boston lettuce, flatbread, pound cake, fresh strawberries.