A week's worth of quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families
SUNDAY: Tickle the family taste buds with Creole Eye of Round Roast. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Shake 3 tablespoons flour in a large (19-by-23 ½-inch) oven bag; place bag in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. To bag, add 1 (14 ½-ounce) can diced no-salt-added tomatoes with onions and garlic (or stewed tomatoes) and 1 tablespoon Creole or Cajun seasoning. Squeeze bag to blend in flour. To bag, add 1 (2- to 2 ½-pound) eye of round beef, 2 ribs celery (cut into ½-inch slices) and 1 medium red bell pepper (cut into strips). Turn bag to coat beef with sauce. Arrange ingredients in an even layer in bag. Close bag with nylon tie; cut 6 (½-inch) slits in top. Bake 60 to 75 minutes or until internal temperature of meat reaches 145 degrees. Let rest 5 to 15 minutes, then thinly slice beef. Stir sauce; serve with beef. (Note: Don't overcook! Eye of round beef is very lean and will toughen in a heartbeat.) Serve the savory beef dish with brown rice tossed with toasted pine nuts and a romaine salad. Add whole-grain rolls. For dessert, top slices of angel food cake with strawberry ice cream.
Plan ahead: Save enough beef (with sauce) and cake for Monday; save enough ice cream for Tuesday.
MONDAY: Bring on the 10-Minute Chili for dinner. In a large pot, combine 2 cups shredded cooked (leftover) beef along with any leftover sauce, 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans (rinsed), 2 cups picante sauce (or chunky salsa) and 2 teaspoons chili seasoning. Cook over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until hot. Stir occasionally. Garnish with sliced green onions and sour cream. Serve with deli coleslaw and cornbread. Finish with leftover cake and blueberries topped with light whipped cream.
Plan ahead: Buy enough coleslaw for Wednesday.
TUESDAY: Put Turkey Burgers on the low-cost menu for tonight. Mix 12 ounces ground turkey with ½ ounce onion soup mix and form into patties. Grill or pan-fry to an internal temperature of 165 degrees and serve the burgers on toasted whole-grain buns. Top burgers with your favorite condiments and serve with o'brien potatoes (from frozen). Scoop leftover ice cream for dessert.
WEDNESDAY: What could be easier than buying a ham steak and pan-frying it for a quick meal? Serve it with baked sweet potatoes sprinkled with cinnamon. Add leftover coleslaw and whole-grain rolls. Sprinkle fresh pineapple chunks with toasted shredded coconut for dessert.
THURSDAY: Before the trick-or-treating begins, enjoy Dippy Chicken. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Coat chicken tenders with cooking spray, then cornflake crumbs. Bake 15 minutes, turning once. Make a dipping sauce from 2 parts apricot jam to 1 part mustard. Serve with oven fries (from frozen) And celery sticks. Add soft rolls. Halloween Ghost Brownies make a spooky dessert (see recipe).
Plan ahead: Save enough ghosts for Friday.
FRIDAY: Forget meat tonight and make Tortellini Soup (see recipe). Serve the hearty soup with grilled-cheese sandwiches and a mixed green salad. Munch on leftover ghosts for dessert.
SATURDAY: Invite friends for grilled tuna with Balsamic Sauce: Combine ¼ cup unsalted chicken broth, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 4 teaspoons dark brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce and ½ teaspoon cornstarch in a small pan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spoon over tuna and top with sliced green onions. Serve with Couscous, Ginger-Sesame Vegetable Blend (see recipe) and a baguette. For dessert, buy lemon biscotti from the bakery.
THE RECIPES
Halloween Ghost Brownies
1 cup butter
1⅔ cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon coarse salt
1 ½ cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
26 candy eyes
13 mini chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Coat with cooking spray.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Add eggs and vanilla, stirring until blended.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder and salt. Stir in liquid mixture until batter forms. Spread evenly in pan; bake 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan. Using foil overhang, transfer brownie to wire rack to cool completely. Using a 2 ½- or 3-inch tulip-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 13 ghosts. (Save scraps for crumbling over ice cream.) Spread whipped topping over tops of brownies. Add candy eyes and a mini chocolate chip mouth (flat side up). (Recipe courtesy of Gwynn Galvin, SwirlsOfFlavor.com.)
Makes 13 ghosts.
Nutrition information: Each ghost contains approximately 326 calories, 4 g protein, 18 g fat, 39 g carbohydrate, 88 mg cholesterol, 262 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2.5.
Tortellini Soup
3 (14-ounce) cans unsalted vegetable broth
2 (9-ounce) packages refrigerated spinach tortellini
1 (14 ½-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, with liquid
4 green onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
Freshly grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Bring broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add tortellini, tomatoes, onions, garlic and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with parmesan.
Makes about 9 cups.
Nutrition information: Each cup contains approximately 154 calories, 6 g protein, 4 g fat, 24 g carbohydrate, 13 mg cholesterol, 264 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1.5.
Ginger-Sesame Vegetable Blend
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups fresh snow peas
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon toasted (dark) sesame oil or canola oil
½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Heat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine broccoli, peas, onion and bell pepper.
In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, ginger and crushed red pepper; pour half over vegetables and toss to coat. Divide and center vegetables on 2 (18-by-24-inch) sheets heavy-duty foil; pour remaining soy mixture over vegetables. Double-fold tops and ends to allow heat circulation. Bake 10 to 15 minutes on a baking sheet. Open packets away from your face and serve.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 68 calories, 3 g protein, 3 g fat, 10 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 148 mg sodium and 3 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 0.5.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
susan@7daymenu.com
Food on 10/23/2019