Sunday: Family
Family day will be special (and easy) with MOROCCAN CHICKEN, especially since you will use your slow cooker. Serve it over COUSCOUS and add SLICED CUCUMBERS IN VINEGAR and FLATBREAD on the side. Buy a LEMON MERINGUE PIE for a good finishing touch.
Plan
Save enough chicken, couscous and pie for Monday.
Shopping List
carrots, onion, golden raisins, pimento-stuffed green olives, boneless skinless chicken thighs, canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes, flour, garlic, cinnamon, ground cumin, coarse salt, sliced almonds, fresh parsley, couscous, cucumbers, cider vinegar, flatbread, lemon meringue pie.
MOROCCAN CHICKEN
Servings: makes 8 cups
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 6 to 7 hours on low
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut 1 inch thick (about 2 cups)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup pimento-stuffed green olives
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Arrange carrots, onion, raisins and olives in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Top with chicken. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, flour, garlic, cinnamon, cumin and salt until blended. Pour over chicken and vegetables. Cook 6 to 7 hours on low. Stir until blended. Ladle into serving bowl; garnish with almonds and parsley. (Adapted from Gwynn Galvin's Swirls of Flavor, www.swirlsofflavor.com.)
Per cup: 248 calories, 17 grams protein, 9 grams fat (32 percent calories from fat), 1.8 grams saturated fat, 27 grams carbohydrate, 79 milligrams cholesterol, 572 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Dinner is ready when you reheat and enjoy last night's CHICKEN and COUSCOUS again. Serve with MIXED GREENS and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Finish off Sunday's PIE for dessert.
Shopping List
mixed greens, whole-grain rolls.
Tuesday: Kids
Treat the kids to BEANY ENCHILADAS for dinner. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread whole-wheat tortillas with vegetarian refried beans; sprinkle with shredded jack cheese and roll. Arrange in a baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with enchilada sauce and more cheese. Bake about 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with a CARROT SALAD. For dessert, munch on OATMEAL COOKIES.
Shopping List
whole-wheat tortillas, vegetarian refried beans, jack cheese, cooking spray, enchilada sauce, carrot salad, oatmeal cookies.
Wednesday: Meatless
FETTUCCINE WITH CANNELLINI BEANS is an easy meal. Toss a rinsed can of reduced-sodium cannellini beans, 1/4 cup sliced roasted red peppers (from a jar), 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil with hot fettuccine and serve. Add a SPINACH SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. Fresh TROPICAL FRUITS are a simple dessert.
Shopping List
canned reduced-sodium cannellini beans, jarred roasted red peppers, lemons, olive oil, fettuccine, fresh spinach, garlic bread, fresh tropical fruits.
Thursday: Express
Stop by the deli for CORNED BEEF AND SWISS SANDWICHES. Pick up some GERMAN POTATO SALAD and PICKLED BEETS to serve on the side. For dessert, CHUNKY APPLESAUCE is all you'll need.
Shopping List
deli corned beef and Swiss sandwiches, deli German potato salad, pickled beets, chunky applesauce.
Friday: Budget
A good bowl of chili is always a terrific low-cost meal, and when it's as good as QUICK CHILI, it's even better. Serve with a LETTUCE WEDGE and CORNBREAD (from a mix). For dessert, PEARS are economical.
Shopping List
95 percent lean ground beef, garlic, chile powder, chipotle chile powder, ground cumin, chunky salsa, frozen corn, unsalted beef broth, canned reduced-sodium pinto beans, lettuce, cornbread mix, pears.
QUICK CHILI
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: about 20 minutes
- 2 pounds 95 percent lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon chile powder
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 (6-ounce) jar chunky salsa
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 (14-ounce) cans unsalted beef broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium pinto beans, rinsed
In a Dutch oven, cook beef and garlic 6 minutes on medium or until beef is no longer pink. Add chile powder, chipotle chile powder, cumin, salsa, corn, broth and beans. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes before serving.
Per serving: 247 calories, 30 grams protein, 7 grams fat (24 percent calories from fat), 2.3 grams saturated fat, 18 grams carbohydrate, 62 milligrams cholesterol, 353 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
No doubt guests will be asking for the recipe for GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH APPLE-ALMOND SALSA. Serve the combo over BROWN RICE. Add GREEN BEANS, a BIBB LETTUCE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS on the side. Top VANILLA ICE CREAM with STRAWBERRIES for a grand finale.
Shopping List
slivered almonds, green apples, red apples, red onion, garlic-flavored olive oil, fresh cilantro, lime, white wine vinegar, boneless center-cut pork chops, coarse salt, pepper, canola oil, brown rice, green beans, bibb lettuce, whole-grain rolls, vanilla ice cream, strawberries.
GRILLED PORK CHOPS WITH APPLE-ALMOND SALSA
Servings: makes 8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: less than 20 minutes
- FOR THE SALSA:
- 1/3 cup toasted slivered almonds
- 1 cup diced unpeeled green apples
- 1 cup diced unpeeled red apples
- 1/2 cup minced red onion
- 2 tablespoons garlic-flavored olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- FOR THE CHOPS:
- 8 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork chops
- Coarse salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
Combine all ingredients for the salsa in a medium bowl; stir gently. Refrigerate until serving time.
Season chops with salt and pepper. Heat half the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high for 1 minute. Add half the chops and cook 3 or 4 minutes per side, or until browned. Repeat with remaining oil and pork. Remove chops to serving plates. To serve, top chops with reserved salsa.
Per serving: 229 calories, 19 grams protein, 14 grams fat (55 percent calories from fat), 2.6 grams saturated fat, 6 grams carbohydrate, 57 milligrams cholesterol, 39 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.