Menu June 20 to June 26

Twice this week we went out for dinner.  One was for a special occasion and the other was to because I was having a horrible terrible day.  The biggest problem with eating out is the sodium in the food.  When you cook at home you can control how much salt goes in your food.  Eating out...it's a guess.  I try not to add any extra salt to my food when dining out.

Saturday: Dined out.  Today was Father's Day and we decided to take my husband out for dinner.  I ordered one of my most favorite meals...chicken fried steak! I also had a side salad and some veggie soup.  I absolutely love chicken fried steak.  And I even though I had corn and mashed potatoes, I managed to say no to the dinner roll.

Sunday:  Chicken Wrap and cracker chips.  We had actually gone out of town today and for lunch I stopped at the Orange Leaf.  For those who don't know the wonderfullness of frozen yogurt you need to get yourself to the Orange Leaf!  We made it home in time for dinner but after all that yogurt I decided to just make myself a chicken wrap for dinner.   First I started out with a Flatout flatbread.  Those are 90 calories for the light ones.  And they also come in different flavors: original, Italian, and rosemary.  Today I used the original.  I smeared one wedge of Laughing Cow cheese, spicy hot mustard, a big handful of spinach, about 4 ounces or so of sliced chicken.  Today I decided to go crazy and add two strips of fully cooked bacon.  Then roll it up, and cut it in half.  With a some Special K Sea Salt cracker chips on the side...YUM!

Monday:  Dined out.  I had a very rough day and my husband wanted to give me a little break and take me out to dinner.  Twice in one week, but I couldn't say no.  He collects cans and he told me that he would sell his cans and use that money for dinner.  He ended up getting a little over 30 bucks for his cans.  We went to our favorite Mexican food place and I ordered a Green Chili Cheeseburger.  I love them!  If I am going to have a cheeseburger it's gonna be from a sit down restaurant and not from a fast food place.

Tuesday:  Burrito Bake, black beans, and green beans.  Slice it up like pie!  It's easy and quick...burritos for everyone!

Burrito Bake

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 pkg. Old El Paso 40% less sodium taco seasoning mix (or you can make and use your own which is what I did and I'll include the recipe)

3/4 cup water

6 whole wheat tortillas

1 (16 oz) can fat free refried beans

1 cup. shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Brown meat in a large nonstick skillet on medium high heat; drain. Add seasoning mix and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place 2 tortillas on the bottom of a greased 9 inch pie plate. Cover with half each of the refried beans, meat mixture, and cheese. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 2 tortillas. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Cut into wedges to serve.

Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Mix everything together and then store in an airtight container.  I have a feeling that I am going to be using this spice mix a whole lot!

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

The green beans are the frozen mixed ones.  You just steam them right in the bag.  Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  

Wednesday:  Hoisin-Orange Pork Chops, Coconut Brown Rice, and stir fry deluxe vegetable mix.  I found this recipe in a Weight Watchers 5 ingredient 15 minute recipe magazine.  And I tried to find it online but I couldn't.  So here is the recipe which I did not change one thing.  What really caught my attention is the cook time.  This was fast and delicious, just my kind of recipe.  At first I was kind of skeptical because you broil the pork chops and that's not a method I'm very familiar with, but they came out beautifully and delicious.

Hoisin-Orange Pork Chops

3 tbsp. hoisin sauce

2 tsp orange peel

1 tsp. less sodium soy sauce

1/4 tsp. Chinese five spice

1 tsp sesame oil, divided

4 pork loin boneless center cut chops

Preheat broiler.  Combine hoisin, orange peel, soy sauce, and five-spice in a small bowl. Stir with a whisk.  Rub pork chops with sesame oil, and baste with hoisin mixture. Place pork on a broiler pan coated with Pam. Cook 4 minutes on each side or until done; basting occasionally with remaining hoisin mixture.

Usually I just make plain brown rice.  The boil in a bag kind but I came across this recipe in the same Weight Watchers cook book and I wanted to give it a try.  And I forgot to take a picture.

Coconut Brown Rice

1 bag of boil in a bag brown rice
1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (I used orange because that's what I had at home)

Cook the rice according to the package directions.  While the rice cooks, heat a small nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add coconut to pan; cook 2 minutes or until golden brown, stirring constantly.  Remove coconut, and set aside.  Return pan to medium high heat; coat with Pam.  Add bell pepper to pan; cook 2 minutes or until crisp tender.  Combine rice, coconut, and bell pepper in a medium bowl; toss well.

The stir fry vegetable blend comes from the freezer section.  These were not the steam in the bag kind.  I  poured the frozen veggies in a bowl and added 1/2 cup of water.  I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and followed the directions on the back of the bag.  Then I poured out the extra water and added 1/2 tbsp. of less sodium soy sauce and 1/2 tbsp. of sriracha, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  Stirred it all together and serve.

Thursday:  Au Gratin Sausage Skillet, black beans, and asparagus.  This dinner comes together fairly quickly when you're short on time.  You don't have to slave away all day to make dinner.  Most of these recipes can come together in no time.

Au Gratin Sausage Skillet

1 pkg. smoked sausage, halved and sliced

1 (4.7 oz) box Betty Crocker Au Gratin Cheesy Potatoes

2 1/2 cups water

2 (12 oz) bags Birds Eye Steamfresh broccoli, cauliflower & carrots

In a large skillet sprayed with Pam, cook sausage until lightly browned; drain. Add potatoes with contents of sauce mix and water. Cover and cook over medium heat for 18-20 minutes or until the potatoes are almost tender, stirring occasionally.  Add vegetables; cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until potatoes and vegetables are tender. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 2 minutes.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

I used fresh asparagus tonight.  I don't like to use frozen asparagus because I think my microwave likes to explode them.  I bought some Ziploc:  Zip'n Steam bags.  You can steam fresh veggies in your microwave.  It's a fabulous product.  And on the back of each bag is instructions on how long to steam different veggies.  Once they were done I poured them into a mixing bowl, added pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, the juice of a couple wedges of lemon, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  

Friday: Creamed Beef and Biscuits, mashed potatoes, and green beans/wax beans/baby carrots mixed veggies. This is something my grandma used to make for us when I was a little girl. In fact I'm pretty sure a lot of grandmas made this. 

Creamed Beef

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups 1% milk

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 tsp. Mrs. Dash

Saute the beef in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cooking until no longer pink, 12-15 minutes. Drain.  Sprinkle meat with flour. Stir and cook the beef and flour over medium heat until the flour has completely coated the beef and cooked slightly.  Stir in the milk and continue to cook until the mixture becomes smooth and thickens, about 8 minutes. Add the Mrs. Dash and pepper.

 
Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs white potatoes

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp Mrs Dash

1 tsp ranch dry dips mix

1/2 tsp salt

1 light Laughing Cow Swiss cheese wedge

Cut peeled potatoes into large chunks. Add potatoes and garlic to a large pot filled with water. Boil 18-20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place the potatoes and garlic back into the empty pot. Add milk, butter, cheese, salt, pepper, dry ranch mix and seasoning to the pot. Mash until desired consistency. Serve.  Note: if you want your potatoes to be creamier then add a few more tablespoons of milk until desired creaminess is achieved.

The veggies were not the steam in the bag kind but they are from the freezer section.  I  poured the frozen veggies in a bowl and added 1/2 cup of water.  I covered the bowl with plastic wrap and followed the directions on the back of the bag.  Then I poured out the extra water and added pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  Stirred to make sure everything is combined and serve.

And last but not least the biscuits are just ones from the can.  And it scares me every single time the can pops! 

Menu June 13 to June 19

My mom is still recuperating from her back surgery so therefore I am still taking her dinner every night.  She told me to just bring her however much I serve myself.  Well I did that and she was surprised at how much I actually ate.  I told her "You don't have to eat less...You just have to eat right!"

Saturday:  Mustard Maple Salmon, coleslaw, veggies, and salad.  I wanted to try a new salmon recipe.  And I came across this one: http://www.fitnessrepublic.com/nutrition/healthy_eating/4-healthy-dinners-in-30-minutes.html I was kinda skeptical at first but the mustard maple glaze is delicious!

Mustard Maple Salmon

4 5-oz skinless salmon filets
2 tbsp. dijon mustard
1 tbsp. light mayonnaise
2 tsp. pure maple syrup
sea salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Cover baking sheet with foil.  Mix mustard, mayo, and syrup in a small bowl.  Add filets to baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper.  Spread mixture evenly over filets.  Bake 10-12 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.  Serve.

The recipe for coleslaw is 1 1/2 cups of tricolor coleslaw mix, with 1 tbsp. Kraft Creamy Poppy Seed dressing and the juice of one lemon or lime wedge.

The green beans are the frozen ones.  You just steam them right in the bag.  Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add the juice of 2 lemon wedges, pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter. 

I always keep salad ingredients prepped in the fridge that way I can make a side salad quickly.  http://harddoesnotequalimpossible.blogspot.com/2015/03/menu-planning-and-meal-prep.html
 

Sunday:  Family Favorite Casserole, black beans, veggies.  I like this recipe because it's an all in one meal made in my crockpot, love that crockpot!

Family Favorite Casserole

1 lb. 93/7 lean ground beef, browned and drained

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 medium potato peeled and diced

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots

1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash

1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk 1%

1 1/2 cups cooked macaroni

2 cups great value fancy low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese shredded

Combine all ingredients except milk, macaroni, and cheese in a greased 3 1/2 to 5 quart crockpot. Stir to combine.  Cover and cook on low 6-10 hours or on high 3-4 hours. Stir in milk and cooked macaroni during the last 30 minutes off cooking on low or the last 15 minutes if on high. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

The vegetables are the frozen mixed ones.  You just steam them right in the bag.  Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  

Monday:  Spaghetti Squash, veggies, salad. I roast my spaghetti squash in the oven for 45 minutes at 375.  Once it's done.  I will add 2 cups of the roasted spaghetti squash to the bowl.  I like to add vegetables as well. The green beans are the frozen ones.  You just steam them right in the bag.  Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add the juice of 2 lemon wedges, pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  Once again you can use any kind of vegetables you want.  Also you can use a spaghetti sauce, an Alfredo sauce, or even pesto in place of the vegetables.  Then take 5-6 ounces of chicken, slice it and warm it up in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.  Place it on top of everything.  Sprinkle the whole shebang with crushed red pepper and enjoy!  And since you are cutting out the pasta by substituting spaghetti squash for it you can add a piece of garlic toast.  But I usually opt for a side salad.

I always keep salad ingredients prepped in the fridge that way I can make a side salad quickly.  http://harddoesnotequalimpossible.blogspot.com/2015/03/menu-planning-and-meal-prep.html
 

Tuesday:  Meat & Potato Casserole, black beans, veggies. As far as my husband is concerned this is the perfect recipe...the title says it all meat and potatoes what more could he asked for?

Meat and Potato Casserole

1 lb 93/7 lean ground beef

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup water

1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam. In a frying pan, brown beef and onion together until beef is done. Stir Italian seasoning into beef mixture.  Lay a third of the potatoes on bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle potatoes with some of the Mrs. Dash and some pepper. Spread half the beef mixture on top. Repeat layers, ending with potato layer. Combine soup and water. Spread soup mixture over top. Cover and back 1 hour.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

I found some frozen mixed vegetables that come in their own cheese sauce so I thought I would give them a try.  I steamed them right in the bag.  Once they were done I stirred them really well to mix in the cheese sauce.

Wednesday:  Leftovers...Chicken Tostadas. Oh yeah.  So you can have chicken tacos if you want but it's so much better in tostadas.  And your filling won't fall out the back when you are eating them.  For this dinner I also use my toaster oven.  Preheat it to 375.  Line the baking pan with foil, and spray it with Pam.  Warm up two corn tortillas in the microwave.  Place them flat on the baking sheet and then spray the tops with Pam.  Bake for about 10 minutes turning once until light brown and toasty.  Keep on eye on them because they will go from being perfect to burnt in a blink of an eye.  I know, it's happened to me.  Once they are done.  I split one wedge of Laughing Cow cheese between the two corn tostadas.  Then spread black beans, divide 4-6 ounces of diced warmed chicken and pile it on top, add salsa, sour cream, and devour.  You can add any kind of salsa and guacamole as well.

Thursday:  Smothered Green Chile Chicken, black beans, veggies.  I found this recipe in my Weight Watchers cook book.  It called for a package of less sodium taco seasoning.  But I noticed how much sodium even the less sodium had so I decided to  make my own.  It is so much better than the packaged stuff.  And I had all the ingredients in my spice cupboard.  I should have made my own taco seasoning a very long time ago.  While I was at it, I thought why use the canned roasted green chiles the recipe calls for...I can roast my own.  And I did just that.  The original recipe had over 1000 mg. of sodium, and by changing just those two things I got the sodium down to under 350!!!  Don't be afraid to change a recipe to suit your dietary needs.  So first up is the recipe and then I'll tell you how to mix your own taco seasoning and how I roasted those long green chilies.

Smothered Green Chile Chicken

2 limes, juiced

1 cup. shredded mozzarella cheese

4 long green chile peppers, roasted

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast

2 tsp. taco seasoning

Preheat oven to 400.  Arrange chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish; pour lime juice evenly over chicken. Season with taco seasoning (that's 1/2 tsp per chicken breast or whatever your taste buds tell you).   Lay one roasted green chile over each chicken breast. Cover dish with foil; bake for 30 minutes.   Sprinkle cheese evenly over chicken; bake uncovered an additional 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. paprika

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Mix everything together and then store in an airtight container.  I have a feeling that I am going to be using this spice mix a whole lot!

How to roast green chiles:

1. Prepare chiles:  Clean and dry thoroughly.

2.  Prepare oven:  Pre-heat broiler.

3.  Char chiles:  Place cleaned chiles on a foil lined baking sheet and place under broiler.  Broil 10-15 minutes turning several times to make sure char each side.  The chiles won't be entirely blackened, but should be charred about 60%.

4.  Remove from heat:  Carefully remove the charred chiles from under the broiler.

5.  Sweat chiles:  Carefully place the chiles into a plastic ziplock baggy and seal it.  This will steam the chiles and make the removal of the skin easier.  Sweat for 15-20 minutes.

6.  Remove skin:  Remove one chile at a time and gently pull the skin off.  Use a knife to remove any skin that sticks.  Split the chile open and remove seeds.

7.  Use or store:  When the chiles are peeled you can use them right away or you can freeze them for later use. 

It's super simple and I totally recommend roasting your own.  No more canned green chiles for me!

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

The green beans are the frozen ones.  You just steam them right in the bag.  Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add the juice of 2 lemon wedges, pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  
 

Friday:  Turkey Burgers, Cracker Chips.  I like to try different burger recipes and tonight I opted for turkey.

Turkey Burgers

1/4 cup. panko bread crumbs

2 tbsp. 1% milk

2 large egg white

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tsp. McCormick Grill Mates 25% less sodium Montreal chicken seasoning

2 lb. lean 93/7 ground turkey

Spray a large pan with Pam and heat to medium high.  Combine bread crumbs, milk, and egg whites in a large bowl. Add turkey, steak seasoning, and pepper. Using hands, gently mix until blended. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions and shape into 1/2 inch thick patties.  Place patties in pan. Cook 13-15 minutes or until done, flipping patties half way through cook time.  Remove from pan and let rest 5-8 minutes.

To assemble the burgers I used hamburger buns, as per my husband's request, usually I like to use sandwich thins.  I spread spicy hot mustard on the top bun and a wedge of Laughing Cow Light Swiss Cheese on top of the mustard.  Turkey patty went on the bottom bun.  Then because I had some leftover roasted green chiles I added one to the top of the patty.  Placed a slice of tomato and a couple slices of pickles on top of the turkey patty.  Put the lid on the burger and added a serving of Special K Sour Cream and Chives Cracker Chips.  Yum, yum, yum!

Menu June 6 to June 12

When I do my grocery shopping I always try to find low sodium ingredients.  It's not that I have a high blood pressure problem, but my husband does.  And so does my mom.  I'm just trying to get used to the idea of low sodium stuff.  So when I buy canned corn, condensed soups, taco seasoning, tomato sauce, or other ingredients like that I always look for low sodium, and you can usually find them.  Even the season salt I use for my baked salmon is 25% less sodium.   How they get less salt in salt is beyond me.  Oh and I substitute Mrs. Dash for salt in most of not all of my recipes.

Saturday:  Herb Baked Salmon, coleslaw, and green beans.

Baked Herb Crusted Salmon

1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. dried dill
1 lb. salmon
Pam

Preheat oven to 450.  In a small bowl mix spices.  Spray a baking dish with Pam.  Place the fish in pan and spray the tops of the salmon with Pam as well.  Then sprinkle herbs evenly over fish.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  You can also place the fish close to the broiler after baking for a minute or two to crisp up the herbs a little more.

The recipe for coleslaw is 1 1/2 cups of tricolor coleslaw mix, with 1 tbsp. Kraft Creamy Poppy Seed dressing and the juice of one lemon or lime wedge.

The green beans are the frozen ones.  You just steam them right in the bag.  Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add the juice of 2 lemon wedges, pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  

Sunday:  Out of town.  We had to make a quick trip to Odessa this day.  Lunch was was eaten at Jason's Deli.  I had the Manager's Special.  1/2 sandwich and a bowl of soup.  The sandwich I had was the Cuban Press, not impressed with that sandwich.  It was on the bland side.  The pickles were flavorless and there was no mustard, I couldn't taste the ham or the turkey...isn't there supposed to be cheese on this sandwich?  I don't know how they can get away with calling that a Cuban sandwich. And for my soup I chose the vegetarian vegetable soup, that was delicious.  I went ahead and added steamed veggies just to get even veggie servings thank goodness because that sandwich was a huge let down.  They were also yummy.  Then we did our shopping and before we came home we stopped at The Orange Leaf.  I'm totally obsessed with frozen yogurt.  And I loaded it up.  So when dinner came around I wasn't even the least bit hungry.  Still dreaming about that yogurt.  Some day we shall be together again and I shall devour you just like last time.

Monday: Southwest casserole, black beans, and green beans.  One of the good things about casseroles is that it's an all in one meal. Quick, yummy, and delicious!

Southwest Casserole

1 lb. 93/7 lean ground beef, browned and drained

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (1.25 oz) pkg. taco seasoning mix

12 corn tortillas

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of celery soup

3/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9 in. baking dish with Pam. In a bowl, combine cooked beef, tomato sauce, corn, and taco seasoning. Use 6 tortillas to cover bottom and sides of the baking dish. Spread beef mixture over tortillas. Use remaining tortillas to cover the beef mixture. Mix together soup and milk and pour over tortillas. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges turn golden brown.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

The green beans are the frozen ones.  You just steam them right in the bag.  Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add the juice of 2 lemon wedges, pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  

Tuesday: Herb roasted turkey, garlic mashed mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, and green beans.  It was as if Thanksgiving came early.  I had actually found a recipe to make a turkey breast in my crockpot and well it kinda grew from there.

Herb Roasted Turkey

5-6 lb turkey breast
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. butter, softened
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place turkey breast side up in a crockpot; add water.  Blend together remaining ingredients in a small bowl; spread over outside of turkey.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. 

Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes

2 lbs white potatoes

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp Mrs Dash

1 tsp ranch dry dips mix

1/2 tsp salt

1 light Laughing Cow Swiss cheese wedge

Cut peeled potatoes into large chunks. Add potatoes and garlic to a large pot filled with water. Boil 18-20 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place the potatoes and garlic back into the empty pot. Add milk, butter, cheese, salt, pepper, dry ranch mix and seasoning to the pot. Mash until desired consistency. Serve.  Note: if you want your potatoes to be creamier then add a few more tablespoons of milk until desired creaminess is achieved.

The stuffing was just a lower sodium Stove Top Stuffing.  Just follow the directions, simple.  For the gravy I used a canned one (shhh....it's ok sometimes I have to cut corners too).  

The green beans are the frozen ones.  You just steam them right in the bag.  Once they are done I pour them into a mixing bowl, add the juice of 2 lemon wedges, pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  

 

Wednesday: Leftovers...Chicken bacon sandwich and baked Sour Cream and Cheddar Lay's.  I love me a chicken sandwich.  Add bacon and I'm in heaven.  I usually use sandwich thins.  They are 100 calories and come in different kinds.  Like whole wheat, multi-grain, and honey wheat.  All equally delicious, and all have about the same nutritional value so just pick the one you like best.  This time though I had a left over King's Hawaiian bun so I used it in place of the sandwich thin.  I'm living dangerously here people!  Then I added: I use Laughing Cow cheese, mustard, spinach, a couple of pieces of bacon, and 4 to 5 ounces of chicken.  If you don't like mustard you can use mayo.  I have one for my husband that is made with canola oil.  Or you can use hummus, or pesto.  And I had the Baked Lays.

Thursday: Beefy cornbread casserole, black beans, and grilled vegetable mix. Casseroles are quick and easy to put together and it's an all in one meal.

Beefy Cornbread Casserole

1 lb. 93/7 lean ground beef

1 medium onions, chopped

1 (10 3/4 oz) can tomato soup

1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained

1-2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp Mrs. Dash

1/2 cup water

1 (6.5 oz) pkg. cornbread mix

1 large egg

2 tbsp. light butter with canola oil, melted

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13x9 in. baking dish with Pam. Meanwhile heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add onions and saute until the onions are soft. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Stir in soup, corn, chili powder, Mrs. Dash, and water. Pour into baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix cornbread mix, egg, butter, and milk together. Spread the batter evenly over the top of the meat mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes until cornbread is baked. Sprinkle cheese on top and broil 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.

I also take a day to prep black beans.  I buy a can of No Salt Added whole black beans, not the refried ones.  Rinse them in a colander.  I take a medium size skillet add about 1/4 cup of water.  Heat over medium, and once the water is hot I add the beans.  Then I season them with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, pepper, crushed red pepper, cumin, hot sauce, and 25% less sodium seasoned salt.  Stir it all up and then mash them.  You can add more water if you want them to be bit more runny.  And all the seasonings are to taste.  Just depends on your taste buds.  I cook them for about 5-7 minutes on low.  This is actually one of the foods that I prep on Sundays.  And then after they have cooled down I keep them in the fridge for tostadas, burritos, or just as a side.

The grilled mixed vegetables, I found in the freezer section.  It had a mix of potatoes, zucchini, red and yellow bell peppers.  And the best part is that you just steam them right in the bag.  Once they were done I poured them into a mixing bowl, add the juice of 2 lemon wedges, pepper, Mrs. Dash, crushed red pepper, and 1 tsp. of light canola butter.  

Friday:  Honey cashew chicken, brown rice, spring rolls.  Stir frys are easy and quick. I like to make mine with lots of fresh veggies.  You can use the frozen ones, but I just love using fresh vegetables.

Honey Cashew Chicken

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

2 tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp. canola oil

1 tbsp. sesame seed oil

5 cups chopped broccoli

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups strips or slices carrots

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, sliced

1/2 cup cashew halves & pieces

1 tbsp. rice vinegar

3 tbsp. honey

2 tbsp. less sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp. sriracha hot chili sauce

Combine chicken, cornstarch, Mrs. Dash, and pepper in a bowl; toss to coat. Heat a wok or large skillet to medium high heat. Add canola oil and sesame oil. Add chicken mixture, and saute 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Increase heat to high, and add broccoli, carrots, garlic, onion, and red bell pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp tender and chicken is done, stirring frequently. Stir in cashews. Combine vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and sriracha in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add vinegar mixture to chicken mixture. Toss to coat. Serve with brown rice if desired.

Brown rice is a boil in the bag kind.  Just make it according to package directions.  I like to toss a cube of chicken broth into the water to flavor the rice.  When it's done, I season the rice with Mrs. Dash, a splash of less sodium soy sauce, and 1/2 tsp. Land O'Lakes Light Butter with Canola.

The spring rolls, were mini vegetable spring rolls, that I baked in my toaster oven.  Once again just follow the package directions.