Sunday: Family
Treat the family to BAKED LAMB CHOPS. Serve the savory chops with COUSCOUS.
Alongside, add CUCUMBERS WITH MINT SAUCE: Peel, halve, seed and slice the cucumbers. Combine 2 cups fat-free plain yogurt, 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, and coarse salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle sauce over cucumbers and serve.
Add FLATBREAD. For dessert, make a simple CHOCOLATE PIE by spooning instant chocolate pudding (made with 1% milk) into a ready-to-serve graham cracker pie crust. Top with any whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Plan
Save enough pie for Monday.
Shopping List
flour, coarse salt, black pepper, lamb rib chops, onion soup mix, red bell pepper, sliced fresh mushrooms, mild salsa, Worcestershire sauce, couscous, cucumbers, fat-free plain yogurt, fresh mint, flatbread, instant chocolate pudding mix, 1% milk, ready-to-serve graham cracker pie crust, whipped topping.
BAKED LAMB CHOPS
Servings: makes 9 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 18 (2- to 3-ounce) lamb rib chops
- 1 (1-ounce) package onion soup mix
- 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
- 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 cup mild salsa
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, salt and pepper. Tear a 28-by-18-inch piece of heavy-duty foil and place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place chops in dish in a single layer and sprinkle evenly with flour mixture. Top with soup mix, bell pepper, mushrooms, salsa and Worcestershire sauce. Double-fold top and ends of foil, leaving enough room for air circulation. Bake 45 minutes. Open packet away from your face. Serve immediately.
Per serving: 163 calories, 20 grams protein, 6 grams fat (36 percent calories from fat), 2.3 grams saturated fat, 6 grams carbohydrate, 58 milligrams cholesterol, 472 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Monday: Express
How about steak tonight? CUBE STEAKS, that is. Whisk together 1 egg and 3 tablespoons milk. Dip steaks into egg mixture and then into dry bread crumbs to coat. In a nonstick skillet, cook on medium in 2 teaspoons hot canola oil 3 minutes per side or until browned. Drain on paper towels. Serve with CURLY FRIES (from frozen), GREEN BEANS and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Slice the leftover PIE for dessert.
Shopping List
eggs, milk, cube steaks, dry bread crumbs, canola oil, frozen curly fries, green beans, whole-grain rolls.
Tuesday: Budget
Save some pennies with CHICKEN-CORN CHOWDER OLE. Serve the hearty soup with a BABY SPINACH SALAD garnished with thinly sliced red onion rings. Add SESAME BREAD STICKS. CHUNKY APPLESAUCE is an easy dessert.
Plan
Save enough chowder for Wednesday.
Shopping List
butter, onion, red potatoes, garlic, 2% milk, shredded Monterey jack cheese, canned chicken breast, cream-style corn, canned chopped green chilies, hot sauce, coarse salt, cumin, cilantro, fresh baby spinach, red onion, sesame bread sticks, chunky applesauce.
CHICKEN-CORN CHOWDER OLE
Servings: makes about 9 1/2 cups
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 25 minutes
- 1 teaspoon butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
- 2 (10- to 12-ounce) cans chicken breast with liquid
- 2 (14 3/4-ounce) cans cream-style corn
- 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies with liquid
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Combine butter, onion, potatoes and garlic; cover and microwave on high (100% power) 6 minutes or until softened. Spoon into a Dutch oven and add milk, cheese, chicken with liquid, corn, chilies with liquid, hot sauce, salt and cumin; cook on low, stirring often, 15 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve immediately.
Per cup: 274 calories, 21 grams protein, 7 grams fat (22 percent calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 34 grams carbohydrate, 42 milligrams cholesterol, 513 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Wednesday: Heat and Eat
Heat and thicken the leftover CHOWDER by mixing together a little water and arrowroot and stirring it into the chowder. Serve it over BROWN RICE for an easy meal. Add a ROMAINE SALAD and SOURDOUGH ROLLS. For dessert, TROPICAL FRUIT is good.
Shopping List
arrowroot, brown rice, romaine, sourdough rolls, tropical fruit.
Thursday: Meatless
Forget about meat and enjoy BLACK BEANS SUPREME tonight. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high. Add 1 medium chopped onion and cook 8 minutes or until softened. Add 1 cup rice and 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add 1 (1.3-ounce) package sloppy Joe seasoning mix, 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium black beans and 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes; mix well. Cook on medium 5 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with reduced-fat sour cream and chopped cilantro. Serve with a RED-TIPPED LETTUCE SALAD and CORNBREAD (from mix). Buy ICE CREAM SANDWICHES for dessert.
Shopping List
canola oil, onion, rice, package sloppy Joe seasoning mix, canned reduced-sodium black beans, canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes, reduced-fat sour cream, cilantro, red-tipped lettuce, cornbread mix, ice cream sandwiches.
Friday: Kids
Impress the kids with TACO CASSEROLE tonight. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey breast and cook 6 minutes or until no longer pink; drain. Stir in 1 (1 1/2-ounce) package lower-sodium taco seasoning mix, 2 (16-ounce) cans rinsed reduced-sodium pinto beans, 2 (8-ounce) cans no-salt-added tomato sauce, and 1 (11-ounce) can rinsed no-salt-added whole kernel corn. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Spoon into a 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup 50% reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese and 1 cup crushed tortilla chips. Bake 5 to 10 minutes or until hot and cheese is melted. Garnish with reduced-fat sour cream, shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes. For dessert, PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES are kid-approved.
Shopping List
lean ground beef or ground turkey breast, lower-sodium taco seasoning mix, canned reduced-sodium pinto beans, canned no-salt-added tomato sauce, canned no-salt-added whole kernel corn, 50% reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, reduced-fat sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, peanut butter cookies.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
Our guests wanted seconds of the GREEK SHRIMP WITH FETA, and so did we. Add a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and CRUSTY BREAD. CHEESECAKE topped with any BERRIES is a stress-free dessert.
Shopping List
cooking spray, baking potatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, coarse salt, black pepper, broccoli florets, peeled and deveined shrimp, garlic, lemon, dried oregano, crumbled feta cheese, Boston lettuce, crusty bread, cheesecake, any berries.
GREEK SHRIMP WITH FETA
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: less than 30 minutes
- 1 pound baking potatoes cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 5 cups broccoli florets (about 1 pound)
- 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp (24 to 30 individual shrimp)
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine potatoes with 1 tablespoon of oil. Toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread potatoes on sheet pan in a single layer; roast 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine broccoli and 1 tablespoon oil in same bowl. Toss with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Remove pan from oven, turn potatoes and slide to one side of pan. Add broccoli and roast 15 minutes. While vegetables cook, combine shrimp, remaining oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano and remaining salt and pepper. Slide broccoli to side of pan; add shrimp. Roast 5 to 7 minutes or until shrimp are pink and cooked through. Remove from oven; sprinkle with feta cheese and serve. (Adapted from "Hero Dinners" by Marge Perry and David Bonom; William Morrow.)
Per serving: 389 calories, 41 grams protein, 14 grams fat (30 percent calories from fat), 3.1 grams saturated fat, 29 grams carbohydrate, 282 milligrams cholesterol, 712 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.