> Family Sunday
Gather the family for juicy butterflied leg of lamb with herbs. Blend 1/2 cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon each dried basil, dried oregano and minced garlic. Rub half of herbed oil over a 3- to 4-pound boneless lamb leg (butterflied). Grill 6 inches over medium coals in covered grill for 20 to 25 minutes per side. Baste occasionally with remaining herbed oil. Remove lamb from grill; let stand 10 minutes; slice crosswise at a diagonal.
Serve it with brown rice tossed with toasted walnuts, green beans, mixed greens and whole-grain rolls. Buy a peach cobbler for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough lamb and cobbler for Monday.
Shopping list: Olive oil, dried basil, dried oregano, garlic, boneless butterflied lamb leg, brown rice, walnuts, green beans, salad greens, whole-grain rolls, peach cobbler.
> Heat and eat Monday
Use the leftover cooked lamb in Tex-Mex lamb roll-ups. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a nonstick skillet, cook 1 clove minced garlic, 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper and 1/4 cup chopped celery for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Add 2 cups chopped lamb and cook 3 minutes or until hot. Soften 8 (6-inch) fat-free flour tortillas according to directions. Spoon lamb mixture into center of tortillas and roll. Place seam side down in a 7-by-11-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with 2 cups salsa. Cover tightly with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Uncover and top with 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican-blend cheese and bake, uncovered, 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Garnish with reduced-fat sour cream and sliced green onions.
Serve with sliced avocado on shredded lettuce. Warm the leftover cobbler for dessert.
Shopping list: Garlic, green bell pepper, celery, fat-free flour tortillas, cooking spray, salsa, reduced-fat shredded Mexican-blend cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, green onions, avocado, lettuce.
> Budget Tuesday
Count the savings when you serve Italian-style chicken (see recipe). Serve the budget-friendly dish with a lettuce wedge and biscuits. Fresh pineapple chunks with toasted shredded coconut make a good dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough coconut for Wednesday and enough Italian-Style Chicken for Thursday.
Shopping list: Bone-in skinless chicken thighs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, coarse salt, black pepper, onion, canned diced tomatoes, fat-free chicken broth, quick-cooking tapioca, canned cannellini beans, black olives, fresh basil, lettuce, biscuits, pineapple chunks, shredded coconut.
> Meatless Wednesday
You won't miss meat with hearty cauliflower and chickpea stew with couscous (see recipe) for dinner. Serve it with a romaine salad and flatbread. Top fat-free chocolate ice cream with leftover coconut for an easy dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough ice cream for Thursday.
Shopping list: Head cauliflower, olive oil, onion, cumin, ground ginger, coarse salt, black pepper, canned whole tomatoes, canned chickpeas, raisins, vegetable broth if desired, packaged baby spinach, couscous, romaine, flatbread, fat-free chocolate ice cream.
> Express Thursday
Dinner will be ready in minutes when you heat the leftover Italian-style chicken. Serve it with packaged greens and garlic bread. Scoop the leftover ice cream for dessert.
Shopping list: Packaged greens, garlic bread.
> Kids Friday
No kid will want to miss bean 'n' cheese enchiladas. Coat a 7-by-11-inch baking dish with cooking spray; heat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor or blender, blend 1 1/2 cups low-fat cottage cheese until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup (of 1 cup total) shredded 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, 1 cup rinsed reduced-sodium canned black beans and 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano. Place about 1/3 cup mixture in 8 (7-inch) fat-free whole-grain tortillas; roll up. Place each tortilla in baking dish with seam side down. Top tortillas with 1/2 cup salsa and remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until thoroughly heated. (Adapted from "MyPlate for Moms," Elizabeth Ward; Loughlin Press, $15.95.) Add cherry tomato halves. Plums are your dessert.
Shopping list: Cooking spray, low-fat cottage cheese, 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese, reduced-sodium canned black beans, dried oregano, fat-free whole-grain tortillas, salsa, cherry tomatoes, plums.
> Easy entertaining Saturday
Wow your guests with chicken with Brussels sprouts and mustard sauce (see recipe). Serve it with rosemary roasted potatoes, a spinach salad and sourdough bread. Buy fruit tarts for dessert.
Shopping list: Olive oil, boneless skinless chicken breast halves, coarse salt, black pepper, fat-free chicken broth, apple juice, whole-grain Dijon mustard, butter, flatleaf parsley, Brussels sprouts, potatoes to roast, rosemary, fresh spinach, sourdough bread, fruit tarts.
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THE RECIPES
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ITALIAN-STYLE CHICKEN (Tuesday)
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 to 7 hours
2 pounds bone-in skinless chicken thighs
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large thinly sliced onion
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, lightly drained
1 cup fat-free chicken broth
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
2 (15-ounce) cans rinsed cannellini beans
1/2 cup rinsed sliced black olives
1/2 cup fresh basil torn into small pieces
Place chicken in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Scatter onion over chicken. Stir together tomatoes, broth and tapioca; pour over onions. Cover and cook on high 4 1/2 hours or on low 6 1/2 hours. Stir in beans and olives; cook 30 more minutes on low. Stir in basil and serve. (Adapted from Family Circle magazine.)
Per serving: 251 calories, 21g protein, 8g fat (29 percent calories from fat), 2g saturated fat, 23g carbohydrate, 57mg cholesterol, 506mg sodium, 6g fiber.
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CAULIFLOWER AND CHICKPEA STEW WITH COUSCOUS (Wednesday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 to 35 minutes
1 head cauliflower, cored and cut into small florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Coarse salt
Black pepper
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can rinsed chickpeas
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup water or vegetable broth
1 (5- or 6-ounce) package baby spinach, chopped
1 cup couscous
Cover and microwave cauliflower on high 5 minutes; set aside. Heat oil in a Dutch oven on medium. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 or 5 minutes or until softened. Add cumin, ginger, salt and pepper; cook 1 more minute, stirring, until fragrant. Add tomatoes with liquid (crush tomatoes with your hands as you add them), chickpeas, cauliflower, raisins and water or broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and liquid has thickened slightly. Fold in the spinach; cook 1 or 2 minutes more or until spinach is wilted.
Meanwhile, cook couscous according to directions. Serve with stew. (Adapted from Real Simple magazine.)
Per serving: 467 calories, 17g protein, 9g fat (17 percent calories from fat), 1.1g saturated fat, 83g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 699mg sodium, 12g fiber.
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CHICKEN WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS AND MUSTARD SAUCE (Saturday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: Less than 25 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (5- or 6-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3/8 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fat-free chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; add to skillet. Cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn; place skillet in oven. Bake 9 minutes or until cooked through. Remove skillet from oven and chicken from skillet; keep warm.
Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup broth and the apple juice; bring to boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 4 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in mustard, 1 tablespoon butter and parsley. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Add Brussels sprouts; cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Add remaining salt and 1/4 cup broth; cover and cook 4 minutes or until softened. Serve sprouts with chicken and sauce. (Adapted from Cooking Light magazine.)
Per serving: 330 calories, 34g protein, 17g fat (46 percent calories from fat), 5.5g saturated fat, 11g carbohydrate, 106mg cholesterol, 641mg sodium, 4g fiber.