SUNDAY: Prepare a roasted chicken today with a 5- to 7-pound oven-roaster-type bird. Make cornbread dressing (from a mix). Add gravy, mashed potatoes and parsley-buttered carrots. Buy a blueberry cobbler for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough chicken for Monday; save enough cobbler for Tuesday.
MONDAY: Use some of the leftover chicken in Chicken-Vegetable Pita Pockets (see recipe). Add deli or canned bean soup on the side, along with some celery sticks. For dessert, tropical fruit is simple.
TUESDAY: This Italian Vegetable Stew makes a no-meat night extra-special. In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium. Add 3 cups diced potatoes, 2 cups diced onions and 1 teaspoon minced garlic; cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned and onions are softened. Add 2 cups sliced zucchini; 1 (14.5-ounce) can undrained diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano; 1 cup unsalted vegetable broth and 1 teaspoon dried basil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes; add coarse salt and pepper to taste. Serve with (deli) egg salad sandwiches on whole-grain bread with lettuce. Warm the leftover cobbler for dessert and top with light whipped cream.
Plan ahead: If time permits, make Wednesday's entree tonight and refrigerate. Increase baking time by about 10 minutes.
WEDNESDAY: Mexican Meat and Cheese Bake (see recipe) has all the kids' favorite ingredients. Serve the layered dish with baby carrots and hummus. For dessert, make flan from a mix.
THURSDAY: Barbecued Pulled Chicken is certainly budget- and flavor-friendly. In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, combine 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (drained), 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper; mix well. Add 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper. Cover; cook 5 hours on low or until chicken is falling apart. Remove from cooker; shred with forks and serve on whole-grain hamburger buns. (Adapted from Lighten Up, Y'all by Virginia Willis, Ten Speed Press, 2015) Add baked potato chips and coleslaw as sides. Sprinkle peaches with cinnamon for dessert.
Plan ahead: Cook rice for Friday. Save enough coleslaw for Friday.
FRIDAY: Make Manhattan Seafood Chowder in no time. Prepare 2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans vegetarian vegetable soup according to package directions. Add 12 ounces imitation crab meat and 2 cups cooked rice. Heat on medium-low and serve with a packaged green salad and cheese toast. For dessert, stir sliced bananas into chocolate pudding.
SATURDAY: Serve your guests elegant Maple Mustard Pork Tenderloin (see recipe). Add mashed sweet potatoes on the side. Brighten the plate with fresh broccoli florets with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice over them. Add a mixed greens salad and biscuits. Buy or make an old-fashioned pineapple upside-down cake for dessert.
THE RECIPES
Chicken-Vegetable Pita Pockets
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked (leftover) chopped chicken breast
1/2 cup seeded, chopped cucumber
2 green onions, sliced
2 cups shredded fresh spinach
4 whole-grain pita pockets, halved
Heat oven to 250 degrees.
In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, cumin and cayenne pepper; add chicken, cucumber, onions and spinach, tossing to coat. Meanwhile, bake pita halves 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through, but not toasted. Divide and spoon filling into pita halves and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Each serving (prepared with low-fat yogurt and low-fat mayonnaise) contains approximately 326 calories, 30 g protein, 6 g fat, 40 g carbohydrate, 60 mg cholesterol, 558 mg sodium and 5 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2 1/2.
Mexican Meat and Cheese Bake
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground turkey breast
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
5 ounces water
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded jalapeno or cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and sour cream
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat a large skillet on medium; add onion and cook 3 minutes. Add beef and turkey and cook 7 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and onion is softened; drain. Add both soups, water and chiles; mix well. Line bottom of dish with 4 tortillas, torn into pieces. Cover tortillas with half the meat mixture and half the cheese. Repeat layers. Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with reduced-fat and reduced-sodium soups and reduced-fat cheese) contains approximately 316 calories, 35 g protein, 13 g fat, 16 g carbohydrate, 73 mg cholesterol, 726 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1.
Maple Mustard Pork Tenderloin
1 pound pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons honey mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 ripe pears, cored and cut into 8 wedges each
Cut pork crosswise into 8 pieces.
In a small bowl, mix together mustard, juice and syrup; coat pork with mixture.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Remove pork (reserve marinade) and cook 2 to 3 minutes on both sides or until browned. Add pears to skillet and stir well to coat; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until pears are tender. Spoon remaining marinade over pork and simmer 2 minutes, until heated through. Serve pork with pears.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 237 calories, 24 g protein, 5 g fat, 23 g carbohydrate, 74 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium and 3 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1 1/2.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
susan@7daymenu.com
Food on 01/27/2016