A week's worth of quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families
SUNDAY: Treat the family to Ginger-Beer Glazed Chicken, a roasted chicken that has a new take on a Southern-style sticky-sweet caramelized coating. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove and discard giblets from a 5- to 7-pound whole roasting chicken; place breast side up in a roasting pan. In a small saucepan, bring 1 (12-ounce) bottle ginger beer to a boil; boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until it is reduced by half. Whisk 1 tablespoon canola oil, ½ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper into reduced ginger beer. Brush half the mixture over chicken. Stuff 1 sliced lemon into cavity. Cover with foil and roast 45 minutes. Remove foil, brush with remaining ginger beer mixture and continue roasting 75 minutes uncovered (or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees in thickest part of thigh), basting with sticky pan juices every 20 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Carve, transfer to serving platter and ladle with more pan juices. Serve with Italian parsley-buttered potatoes and a red-tipped lettuce salad. Add whole-grain rolls. For dessert, sliced pound cake topped with strawberries is easy.
Plan ahead: Save enough chicken and cake for Monday.
Tip: Ginger beer has a more pronounced ginger flavor than ginger ale and is available by the bottle in the soft drink section of large supermarkets.
MONDAY: Take advantage of leftover chicken and make Chicken With Long-Grain and Wild Rice (see recipe). Serve with a lettuce wedge and crusty rolls. For dessert, top the leftover cake with sliced peaches.
TUESDAY: Make dinner quick tonight with grilled ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches on rye. Serve with roasted potato wedges (from frozen) and a packaged green salad. Enjoy seasonal chocolate-mint cookies for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough cookies for Thursday.
WEDNESDAY: The holidays are around the corner, so save some bucks with economical Chicken Chili With Black Beans and Corn (see recipe). Serve the chili over brown rice. Add a mixed green salad and biscuits. For dessert, pears are inexpensive.
THURSDAY: Skip meat tonight and enjoy this Potato-Vegetable Frittata. In a medium bowl, beat 6 eggs and 4 egg whites with 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet on medium. Add 1 (24-ounce) bag frozen o'brien potatoes, 2 cups frozen petite green peas and 1 (2-ounce) jar chopped pimentos (drained). Cover and cook, turning potatoes occasionally, 8 minutes or just until potatoes start to brown. Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour eggs over vegetables, cover and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until eggs have set. Cut into wedges and serve with salsa. Add a spinach salad and toasted whole-grain English muffins. Bring out the leftover cookies for dessert.
FRIDAY: Mention the word "hamburger," and the kids will come running for Hamburger Soup. In a large skillet, cook 1 pound lean ground beef 5 minutes on medium or until no longer pink; drain well. Add 4 cups water, 1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with liquid, 3 medium sliced carrots, 2 medium diced potatoes, ½ cup sliced celery, 4 beef bouillon cubes, ¼ teaspoon pepper and ¼ teaspoon dried oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes and vegetables are tender. Add 1 cup frozen green beans. Cover and simmer 15 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve with a chopped lettuce salad and breadsticks. Buy cupcakes for dessert.
SATURDAY: Your sauteed tilapia will please any guest, especially when served with couscous and Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Gochujang and Sesame Seeds (see recipe). Add a baguette. Buy a cheesecake for dessert and top with canned crushed pineapple (drained).
THE RECIPES
Chicken With Long-Grain and Wild Rice
3 teaspoons butter, divided use
2 (8-ounce) packages sliced mushrooms
6 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon coarse salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
2 cups long-grain and wild rice blend (or enough to serve 8, according to package)
6 cups unsalted chicken broth (or as directed on rice package)
4 cups cooked chopped chicken
⅔ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
Heat 2 teaspoons butter in a large pot on medium. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper; stir and cook 6 minutes or until mushrooms are moist and browning. Add rice blend (discarding seasoning packet); stir and cook 2 minutes. Add broth and remaining butter. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low; cover and cook according to rice package directions, or until rice is tender and broth is nearly absorbed. Stir in chicken and sour cream. Cook, uncovered, on low 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until chicken is heated and rice is creamy. Stir in 2 tablespoons parsley. Serve and garnish with more chopped parsley.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with reduced-fat sour cream) contains approximately 351 calories, 28 g protein, 7 g fat, 40 g carbohydrate, 74 mg cholesterol, 295 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2.5.
Chicken Chili With Black Beans and Corn
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon paprika
1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans (rinsed)
1 (15-ounce) can Great Northern beans (rinsed)
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with liquid
1 cup unsalted chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add chicken, bell pepper and onion; cook and stir 6 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned. Add paprika, oregano, cumin, garlic powder and cayenne pepper; mix well. Stir in beans, tomatoes, broth and corn. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes or until heated through.
Makes 8 cups.
Nutrition information: Each cup (prepared with reduced-sodium beans) contains approximately 214 calories, 19 g protein, 4 g fat, 25 g carbohydrate, 36 mg cholesterol, 294 mg sodium and 6 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1.5.
Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Gochujang and Sesame Seeds
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon gochujang sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Coarse salt to taste
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Arrange Brussels sprouts, cut sides down, in a single layer in large skillet. Drizzle oil evenly over sprouts. Cover, place on medium-high heat; cook 5 minutes or until sprouts are bright green and cut sides have started to brown. Uncover; continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until sprouts are deeply and evenly brown. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix gochujang, vinegar and salt. Remove from heat, spoon mixture over sprouts. Spoon onto serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds. (Adapted from Vegetables Illustrated by America's Test Kitchen; Penguin Random House)
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 219 calories, 4 g protein, 18 g fat, 13 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 117 mg sodium and 5 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
susan@7daymenu.com
Food on 12/11/2019