Sunday: Express
Make it a relaxed Sunday and buy a deli MEAT AND CHEESE PLATTER. Serve the variety of sliced meats and cheeses with deli COLESLAW on the side. Add BAKED CHIPS, low-fat MAYONNAISE, MUSTARD, LETTUCE and PICKLES.
Try this SUMMER TOMATO AND ONION SALAD. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon sugar; mix to dissolve sugar. On a serving platter, layer 1 medium thinly sliced red onion and 1 pound sliced ripe tomatoes. Drizzle with dressing and 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese.
Add assorted SANDWICH BREADS. Don't forget deli BROWNIES for dessert.
Plan
Buy enough coleslaw for Monday and enough brownies for Wednesday.
Shopping List
deli meat and cheese platter, deli coleslaw, baked chips, low-fat mayonnaise, mustard, lettuce, pickles, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Italian herb seasoning, sugar, red onion, tomatoes, feta cheese, assorted sandwich breads, deli brownies.
Monday: Family, Labor Day
You won't overexert yourself on Labor Day if you use your slow cooker for BBQ PULLED PORK and serve it on whole-grain HAMBURGER BUNS. Serve the barbecue with SOUTH-OF-THE-BORDER POTATO SALAD, a favorite at our house. Add leftover COLESLAW.
Celebrate further with BLUE ANGEL CAKE. Split 1 (14-ounce) angel food cake in half horizontally. Place bottom half on cake plate. Combine 1/2 cup any fruit jam or jelly and 1 tablespoon orange juice. Microwave on high (100 percent power) for 45 seconds or until jelly is melted. Fold in 2 cups fresh blueberries. Spread 1 cup frozen fat-free whipped topping (thawed) on bottom layer of cake; spoon about two-thirds of blueberry mixture over topping. Cover with top cake layer. Spread with additional 1/2 cup whipped topping and spoon remaining blueberry mixture over topping. Garnish with fresh blueberries and fresh mint leaves.
Plan
Save enough barbecue, potato salad and cake for Tuesday.
Shopping List
pork loin, slow cooker barbecue pulled pork seasoning (such as McCormick or another brand), ketchup, light brown sugar, cider vinegar, whole-grain hamburger buns, small red potatoes, olive oil, sugar, chili powder, seasoned salt, hot sauce, canned shoepeg corn, fresh carrot, red bell pepper, black olives, red onion, angel food cake, any fruit jam or jelly, orange juice, fresh blueberries, frozen fat-free whipped topping, fresh mint.
BBQ PULLED PORK
Servings: makes 10 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 6 hours on low
- 3 pounds pork loin
- 1 package slow cooker barbeque pulled pork seasoning (such as McCormick or another brand)
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
Divide pork into 3 pieces; place in slow cooker. In a medium bowl, mix together seasoning, ketchup, sugar and vinegar until blended. Pour over pork. Cover and cook 6 hours on low. Remove pork from slow cooker; shred with 2 forks and return to cooker; heat with sauce and serve.
Per serving: 250 calories, 26 grams protein, 7 grams fat (27 percent calories from fat), 2.7 grams saturated fat, 18 grams carbohydrate, 68 milligrams cholesterol, 633 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
SOUTH OF THE BORDER POTATO SALAD
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: about 10 minutes; refrigeration time: 1 hour
- 2 pounds small red potatoes, halved or quartered according to size
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1/8 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 (8 3/4-ounce) can shoepeg corn, rinsed
- 1 medium carrot, shredded
- 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Cook potatoes in boiling water 10 minutes or until tender; drain and place in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine oil, vinegar, sugar, chili powder, seasoned salt and hot sauce. Pour over potatoes; toss gently. Cover with foil. Refrigerate 1 hour. Remove from refrigerator; add corn, carrot, red bell pepper, olives and onion; toss gently. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 186 calories, 3 grams protein, 7 grams fat (31 percent calories from fat), 0.9 gram saturated fat, 29 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 381 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Tuesday: Heat and Eat
Use your leftovers for BBQ TACOS. Heat the barbecue and spoon into taco shells; top with jalapeno peppers. Serve with leftover POTATO SALAD, PICKLES and add canned less-sodium vegetarian BAKED BEANS. Slice the leftover CAKE for dessert.
Shopping List
taco shells, jalapeno peppers, pickles, canned less-sodium vegetarian baked beans.
Wednesday: Meatless
Forget meat tonight and enjoy CHILI-WALNUT EGG PUFF. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Pour 1 cup egg substitute and 1 whole egg into large bowl. Over eggs, sift combined 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Whisk together until completely blended. Mix in 1 cup fat-free cottage cheese and 1/2 cup shredded 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup chopped and toasted walnuts and 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies. Pour into baking dish. Bake about 35 minutes or until puffy and set, and knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Serve with HASH-BROWNED POTATOES (frozen) and add a SPINACH SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Sweeten the finish with leftover BROWNIES for dessert.
Shopping List
cooking spray, egg substitute, egg, flour, baking powder, fat-free cottage cheese, 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, walnuts, canned chopped green chilies, frozen hash-browned potatoes, fresh spinach, whole-grain rolls.
Thursday: Kids
Kids will like the flavors of MEXICAN CHICKEN BAKE. Serve with GUACAMOLE on SHREDDED LETTUCE with reduced-fat SOUR CREAM. How about a fat-free STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM CONE for dessert?
Plan
Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
Shopping List
cooking spray, canola oil, onion, cooked shredded chicken breast, canned chopped green chilies, mild or regular less-sodium taco seasoning mix, corn tortillas, canned reduced-sodium pinto beans, 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, mild chunky salsa, guacamole, lettuce, reduced-fat sour cream, fat-free strawberry ice cream, ice cream cones.
MEXICAN CHICKEN BAKE
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: about 40 minutes
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
- 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies
- 1 (1.25-ounce) package mild or regular less-sodium taco seasoning mix
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium pinto beans, rinsed
- 2 cups shredded 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 cups mild chunky salsa
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add onion and cook 4 minutes or until softened. Remove from heat; stir in chicken, chilies and seasoning mix. Set aside. Layer half the tortillas in baking dish. Top with chicken mixture, beans and 1 cup cheese. Layer with remaining tortillas. Top with salsa and remaining cheese. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted
Per serving: 266 calories, 25 grams protein, 9 grams fat (29 percent calories from fat), 3.7 grams saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 52 milligrams cholesterol, 790 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Friday: Budget
Hold down the food budget with canned CORNED BEEF HASH. Serve with HARD-COOKED EGG WEDGES, deli CARROT SALAD and RYE BREAD. Fresh NECTARINES are a juicy dessert.
Shopping List
canned corned beef hash, eggs, deli carrot salad, rye bread, nectarines.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
CARIBBEAN SPICED COD WITH BROWN RICE is just as delicious as it is easy. In a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter on medium. Add 1 medium diced red bell pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons jerk seasoning; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 cups quick-cooking brown rice, 2 cups boiling water and 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt. Place 4 (6-ounce) cod fillets on top of rice mixture. Sprinkle cod with 1/2 teaspoon more jerk seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until cod is opaque throughout and rice is tender.
Add fresh GREEN BEANS, a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and BAGUETTES. Top leftover ICE CREAM with toasted coconut.
Shopping List
butter, red bell pepper, jerk seasoning, quick-cooking brown rice, coarse salt, cod fillets, fresh green beans, Boston lettuce, baguettes, coconut.