Sunday: Family
Fire up the grill today for your own GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS (boneless skinless halves) and use your favorite spice rub to boost the flavor.
Serve with WASABI SWEET POTATO FRIES: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 2 pounds peeled sweet potatoes into thick "fingers" and place on a large roasting pan. Whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste together. Drizzle it over potatoes; toss together using your hand. Sprinkle evenly with coarse salt; roast 20 to 25 minutes or until crisp and golden. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley; serve. (Adapted from "Virtually Vegan," Heather Whinney, Nourish magazine.)
Add ROASTED FRESH ASPARAGUS and DINNER ROLLS to your meal. Serve these easy FRUIT TARTS for dessert.
Tip
Fire up the grill today for your own GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS (boneless skinless halves) and use your favorite spice rub to boost the flavor.
Serve with WASABI SWEET POTATO FRIES: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 2 pounds peeled sweet potatoes into thick "fingers" and place on a large roasting pan. Whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste together. Drizzle it over potatoes; toss together using your hand. Sprinkle evenly with coarse salt; roast 20 to 25 minutes or until crisp and golden. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley; serve. (Adapted from "Virtually Vegan," Heather Whinney, Nourish magazine.)
Add ROASTED FRESH ASPARAGUS and DINNER ROLLS to your meal. Serve these easy FRUIT TARTS for dessert.
Plan
Grill some extra plain chicken (without rub) for Monday and save enough tarts for Tuesday.
Shopping List
boneless skinless chicken breast halves, spice rub, sweet potatoes, olive oil, wasabi paste, coarse salt, fresh parsley, fresh asparagus, dinner rolls, refrigerated piecrusts, fresh fruit (such as blueberries, raspberries or strawberries), strawberry glaze, light whipped cream.
FRUIT TARTS
Servings: makes 10 tarts
Prep time: less than 15 minutes
Cook time: 9 to 13 minutes; cooling time: 30 minutes; refrigeration time: 30 minutes
- 1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts (2 crusts)
- 5 cups fresh fruit, such as blueberries, raspberries or sliced medium strawberries
- 1 (16-ounce) jar strawberry glaze
- Light whipped cream
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Unfold crusts; press out fold lines. With 4-inch round cutter, cut 5 rounds from each crust. Turn over ungreased, regular-size muffin tins and fit rounds over outside of each tin. Pinch 5 equally spaced pleats around sides of each crust. Prick each pastry cup generously with fork. Bake 9 to 13 minutes or until light golden brown. Allow to cool on the tins about 30 minutes. Remove from muffin tins to cool further.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine fruit and glaze; stir gently to mix. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until thoroughly chilled. Just before serving, spoon 1/2 cup fruit mixture into each cooled tart crust. Garnish with whipped cream and serve immediately.
Per tart: 245 calories, 2 grams protein, 10 grams fat (35 percent calories from fat), 4.1 grams saturated fat, 40 grams carbohydrate, 4 milligrams cholesterol, 252 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
COBB SALAD makes good use of leftover chicken. In a large bowl, toss 12 cups torn romaine with 1/3 cup reduced-fat blue cheese dressing; divide among 4 dinner plates. Divide and arrange 2 cups leftover diced cooked chicken, 2 slices cooked and crumbled bacon and 3 seeded and chopped medium tomatoes among the plates. Top each salad with 1 to 2 tablespoons more blue cheese dressing. Add POPPY SEED MUFFINS. KIWI HALVES are your dessert.
Tip
COBB SALAD makes good use of leftover chicken. In a large bowl, toss 12 cups torn romaine with 1/3 cup reduced-fat blue cheese dressing; divide among 4 dinner plates. Divide and arrange 2 cups leftover diced cooked chicken, 2 slices cooked and crumbled bacon and 3 seeded and chopped medium tomatoes among the plates. Top each salad with 1 to 2 tablespoons more blue cheese dressing. Add POPPY SEED MUFFINS. KIWI HALVES are your dessert.
Shopping List
romaine, reduced-fat blue cheese dressing, bacon, tomatoes, poppy seed muffins, kiwi.
Tuesday: Meatless
FUSILLI VEGETABLE TOSS makes an easy no-meat meal. Add a SPINACH SALAD with hard-cooked egg wedges. Serve with GARLIC BREAD on the side. For dessert, warm the leftover TARTS.
Shopping List
fusilli (twist pasta), fresh broccoli, carrots, canned water-packed quartered artichokes, grape tomatoes, green onions, dried oregano, dried basil, Italian dressing with parmesan, feta cheese, fresh spinach, eggs, garlic bread.
FUSILLI VEGETABLE TOSS
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: for the pasta; chilling time: 2 hours
- 3 cups fusilli
- 1 cup fresh broccoli florets
- 1 cup carrots, shredded
- 1 (14-ounce) can water-packed quartered artichokes, drained
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 cup Italian dressing with parmesan
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Cook fusilli according to directions. Just before pasta is done, add broccoli and carrots and cook 1 minute; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Return to pot and stir in artichokes, tomatoes, green onions, oregano and basil. Add dressing; toss to coat. Cover and chill 2 hours. Sprinkle with feta and serve.
Per serving: 300 calories, 11 grams protein, 7 grams fat (20 percent calories from fat), 2.5 grams saturated fat, 49 grams carbohydrate, 13 milligrams cholesterol, 405 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Wednesday: Budget
Put extra pennies in your pocket when you serve BEANY SLOPPY JOES. In a large skillet, combine 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed and drained black-eyed peas, 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium kidney beans, 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, 1/2 cup frozen cut green beans, 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar and 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder; mix well. Bring to a boil on medium-high. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer 12 minutes or until peppers are tender. Spoon onto toasted whole-grain hamburger buns. Accompany the sandwiches with frozen HASH-BROWNED POTATOES and a MIXED GREEN SALAD. For dessert, PEACHES are the answer.
Shopping List
canned black-eyed peas, canned reduced-sodium kidney beans, marinara sauce, frozen cut green beans, green bell pepper, Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, chili powder, whole-grain hamburger buns, frozen hash-browned potatoes, mixed greens, peaches.
Thursday: Kids
The kids will show up early for SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 1 pound 95 percent lean ground beef, 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs, 1 egg, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 12 (2-inch) meatballs. Place on rack in broiler pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Combine the cooked meatballs and 1 (24- to 26-ounce) jar any red pasta sauce in a large saucepan; heat through, stirring occasionally. Serve over cooked spaghetti. Add a chopped LETTUCE SALAD and ITALIAN BREAD. Let the kids make refrigerated ready-to-bake BROWNIES for dessert.
Plan
Save enough brownies for Saturday.
Shopping List
95 percent lean ground beef, bread for crumbs, egg, onion powder, garlic, coarse salt, pepper, jar any red pasta sauce, spaghetti, lettuce, Italian bread, refrigerated ready-to-bake brownies.
Friday: Express
Make a quick PORK STIR-FRY tonight. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add 1 pound pork loin cut into 1/2-inch strips and cook 2 minutes or until cooked through. Add 1 (16-ounce) package any frozen stir-fry vegetable mixture and 1/2 cup stir-fry sauce. Continue to stir-fry 3 minutes or until mixture is hot. Serve over quick-cooking RICE. Add a ROMAINE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Enjoy FRESH TROPICAL FRUITS for dessert.
Shopping List
canola oil, pork loin, frozen stir-fry vegetable mixture, stir-fry sauce, quick-cooking rice, romaine, whole-grain rolls, fresh tropical fruits.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
What guest could resist ROASTED SALMON WITH LEMON AND DILL? Serve with ORZO tossed with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a BIBB LETTUCE SALAD.
For dessert, MARINATED STRAWBERRIES are close to perfect: Combine 4 cups halved fresh medium strawberries, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Toss and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Toss again before serving. Serve with leftover BROWNIES.
Shopping List
salmon fillets, lemon pepper seasoning, fresh dill, lemons, orzo, parmesan cheese, Bibb lettuce, fresh strawberries, light brown sugar, balsamic vinegar.
ROASTED SALMON WITH LEMON AND DILL
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes
- 4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning
- 8 fresh dill sprigs
- 4 lemon slices, halved
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place salmon on lightly coated rack on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Place 2 dill springs and 2 lemon slice halves on each fillet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or just until fish is opaque; serve warm. (Adapted from "Quick Fix Dinners," Oxmoor House.)
Per serving: 221 calories, 36 grams protein, 8 grams fat (33 percent calories from fat), 1.4 grams saturated fat, no carbohydrate, 80 milligrams cholesterol, 130 milligrams sodium, no fiber.