Weekly Menu

Welcome to our kitchen! This is where you get a sneak peek into the dinners I have cooked up for my family. I've tried to provide a nutritious, well-balanced dinners at least 5 times a week with the idea that we are a busy family and the reality of eating on the go will happen from time to time... we know where to go for the healthiest 'fast' food when we need to and when to plan ahead and have a crockpot meal prepped and ready to avoid poor choices as well! A little planning = big health savings!

Day	Main Theme	Side	Vegetable	Extra
Monday	Pulled Turkey Lettuce Wraps	Shredded cheese, tomatoes, black beans	Corn, lettuce- shredded and large leaves for wraps	Sour Cream
Tuesday	Grilled Chicken Stir-Fry	Quinoa	Stir Fry Veggies	Waterchesnuts
Wednesday	Crock Pot BBQ Cranberry Chicken	Brown Rice	Honey Glazed Carrots	Taco and chili seasoning
Thursday	Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera	Cranberry/Almond Salad	Cherry Tomatoes, Asparagus	Parm cheese
Friday	Pan Seared Halibut	CousCous	Broccoli
Saturday	Grilled Veggie and Hummus wraps	(Wraps)	Grilled Veggies	Hummus
Sunday	Traditional/Special	New Recipe	Try Out

Day	Main Theme	Side	Vegetable	Extra
Monday	Turkey Meatloaf	Potatoes	Green Beans
Tuesday	Alfredo Chicken	CousCous	Spinach	Pine Nuts
Wednesday	Chili Crockpot- Lean Ground Turkey	Tortilla Chips, Beans	Corn, Diced Tomatoes	Sour Cream
Thursday	Whole Wheat Penne with Marinara	Poppyseed Salad	Broccoli	Parm Cheese
Friday	Peach Mango Tilapia	Quinoa	Asparagus
Saturday	Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup	Noodles (in soup)	Carrots, Celery, Onion	Broth
Sunday	Traditional/Special	New Recipe	Try Out

Day	Main Theme	Side	Vegetable	Extra
Monday	Southwestern Chicken Chili	Blue Corn Tortilla Chips	Tomatoes, corn	Cheese, Sour Cream
Tuesday	Mediterranean Turkey Burgers	Whole Grain Bun	Lettuce, Pickles	Cheese,
Wednesday	Crock Pot Honey Garlic Chicken	Brown Rice	Honey Glazed Carrots	Taco and chili seasoning
Thursday	White Pizza with Tomato and Basil	Chopped Salad	Cherry Tomatoes and Edemame	Parm cheese
Friday	Pesto Grilled Shrimp	CousCous	Spinach
Saturday	Black Bean-Quinoa Salad w Basil/Lemon Dressing	Quinoa	Lima Beans, Carrots, Tomatoes
Sunday	Traditional/Special	New Recipe	Try Out

Monday: Roasted Chicken Breasts with Herbs, Carrots, and Red Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 (4.0 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 (clove) garlic, sliced thin
• 1/2 (teaspoon) dried rosemary, chopped
• 1 (tablespoon) poultry seasoning
• 4 (whole) carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 (whole) red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 (tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and set the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Line a 10x12 inch pan with aluminum foil.
2. Use the tip of a sharp boning or paring knife to cut 3 small slits into the side of each chicken breast; insert a slice of garlic into each slit.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Mix the rosemary and poultry seasoning together and sprinkle evenly over the chicken.
4. Arrange the breasts close together on the foil-lined pan. Place carrots and red potatoes in a bowl; season with salt and pepper and toss with olive oil until evenly coated. Place in a single layer around chicken and fold up edges of foil approximately 1 inch.
5. Cover and cook in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are fork tender. An instant-read thermometer should register 165 degrees.

Tuesday- Eat Out

Wednesday- WW Mexican-Style Brown Rice Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 1 spray(s) cooking spray
• 4 4 cup(s) cooked brown rice
• 1 1/4 1 1/4 cup(s) salsa
• 1 (teaspoon) 1 tsp Durkee ground cumin, or other brand
• 15 (ounce) 15 oz canned refried beans
• 10 (ounce) 10 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 4 (ounce) 4 oz canned green chili peppers, mild, diced
• 1 (tablespoon) 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 10 (ounce) 10 oz chopped frozen spinach, or collard greens, thawed and set to drain in a strainer over a bowl
• 3/4 3/4 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 (tablespoon) 2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped (optional; for garnish)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Coat a 2-quart rectangular, round or oval baking dish with cooking spray
2. In a large bowl, combine rice, salsa and cumin. Spoon 2 cups of rice mixture into prepared baking dish and spread out to evenly cover bottom of dish.
3. In another large bowl, combine refried beans, corn, chili peppers and chili power. Using a rubber spatula, scrape bean mixture on top of rice layer and smooth out top.
4. Squeeze out any excess water from spinach or collard greens and then spread on top of bean layer; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons of cheese. Top with remaining rice mixture and smooth out top; sprinkle with remaining cheese.
5. Place casserole on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any spillage. Bake until heated through and cheese is browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro (if desired), cut into 6 pieces and serve

Thursday: Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

• 2 (large) eggplant, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
• 5 (large) egg whites, beaten with 3 tablespoons water
• 2 (cup) Parmesan cheese
• (to taste) garlic powder, to taste
• 2 (cup) marinara sauce
• (to taste) salt and black pepper
• As Needed (as needed) cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a shallow dish, beat egg whites and 2 tablespoons of water until foamy. Dip eggplant slices into egg whites, then into parmesan cheese, pressing cheese into eggplant. Place eggplant on prepared baking sheet that has been sprayed with vegetable spray and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Spray vegetable cooking spray over eggplant slices. Bake 30 minutes at 400 degrees, turning eggplant over after 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Cover with 2 cup of marinara sauce. Bake for 20 minutes, or until eggplant is piping hot and sauce is bubbly.

Friday- Sunday: Holiday outings no meals needed

Here is the Grocery list for all 3 Meals listed above:

Combined List

All grocery list items.

• Spices & Baking

  • ½ tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 Tbsp poultry seasoning
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • to taste garlic powder
  • to taste black pepper

• Produce

  • 2 clove garlic
  • 4 whole carrot
  • 4 whole red potatoes
  • 4 oz chili peppers
  • 10 oz collard greens
  • 2 Tbsp cilantro
  • 2 large eggplant

• Meat & Fish

  • 4 4.0 ounce boneless skinless chicken breast

• Condiments

  • salsa

• Canned Goods & Soups

  • As Needed as needed cooking spray
  • 15 oz refried beans
  • 2 cups marinara sauce

• Dairy

  • cheddar cheese
  • 5 large egg whites
  • 2 cups parmesan cheese

• Grains, Pasta & Sides

  • brown rice

• Frozen Foods

  • 10 oz frozen corn kernels

Week of Monday: Flat bread pizzas- homemade to let everyone pick their toppings. Edemame 

• Flat Bread- Whole grain
• Pizza Sauce (either store bought or homemade with lower sodium)
• Shredded cheese- pizza blend
• Chopped: Green peppers, onions spinach and broccoli
• Black olives, tomatoes
• Ham and Pepperoni, 

I put all of the ingredients in small bowls and give everyone a chance to play chef with their own pizza. A few min in the toaster oven and Voila!

Tuesday: Eating out

Wednesday: Crock Pot Dinner with Quinoa 

• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Celery
• Onions
• Roast
• Low sodium cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 packet of onion soup mix sprinkled

I clean, cut and place all veggies in crock pot starting at the bottom then add the roast (typically a chuck roast) put the cream of onion soup over the top of the roast and sprinkle the soup mix on top. cover and let cook all day while we are at work/school. Great dinner with little evening prep time. This tends to be our busy night. The only thing I cook when I get home is the Quinoa and use that as a base under the dish- Delicious!

Thursday: Penne Pasta with Tomato and FetaSpinach Salad with vinaigrette dressing

• 1/2 box whole grain penne pasta cooked and drained
• 1 can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of diced garlic
• 2 tablespoons basil
• 1/4 cup crumbled Feta Cheese

Cook the pasta. In a large saucepan, mix the drained pasta, tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. Cook over medium heat for approximately 4 - 5 minutes, mixing well. Add basil to taste. Mix in feta at the end. Serve.

Friday: Easy Bean Tostadas with Guacmole and multi grain tostitos 

• 4 corn tortillas
• 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup salsa 
• 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. 
Place the pinto beans in a bowl, add the salsa and mash with a fork until well combined. 
Place tortillas on a baking sheet, and place in oven for five minutes, until slightly crispy. Remove from oven and divide bean-salsa mixture among the tortillas. Top with cheese, and return to the oven until beans are heated and cheese is melted, about five minutes. 
Serve immediately.

Saturday: Dinner with Grandma and the annual Cookie Baking Fest!

Sunday: Family Christmas Party

Bringing Gourmet chocolate covered pretzels