My weekly menu starts on Saturday and ends on Friday. On Thursday I
decide what I'm going to make the following week. And Friday is grocery
shopping day. The night before I set out all the non perishables that I
need for the next day. And everyday by 4:30, after picking up my
daughter and walking my dogs, I get started on dinner. That way it's on
the table by 6pm. I also try not to have the same kind of protein
two days in a row. So if we have ground beef one night then I try to
have turkey or pork or chicken the next night. It doesn't always work out that way but that's the idea.
Saturday: Chili-lime Cod, Southwest Pasta Salad, and green beans. Bake your fish! It's so good and it really doesn't take a long time.
Chili Lime and Cumin Cod
1 lb cod
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tbsp. light canola butter
1/8 tsp. cumin
juice of 1/2 lime
Heat oven to 450. Coat an oven safe pan with Pam. Place cod in pan.
In a small bowl combine chili powder, oregano, and seasoned salt.
Sprinkle evenly over the cod. Roast 7-10 minutes or until opaque. In a
small microwave safe bowl melt the butter. Add the cumin and lime
juice and microwave for an additional 10 seconds. Before serving
drizzle butter mixture over cod.
Southwest Pasta Salad
8 oz uncooked fusilli (you can use pretty much any kind of short pasta)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn, drained (if using frozen, then thaw first)
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
FOR THE DRESSING:
3/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp. honey
1-2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Cook pasta according to package directions. Once the pasta is done rinse with cool water and transfer to large bowl. Add black beans, corn and tomatoes; gently stir with a spoon to combine. In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients. Mix well. Add dressing to pasta and stir well to combine and coat all of the pasta. Cover and refrigerate for an hour, then serve cold.
For the veggies, they are the frozen ones. You can
steam them right in the bag. Just follow the directions on the
package. Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl. Add
1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, and pepper. Then toss to coat and serve.
Sunday: Honey Cashew Chicken, brown rice, and Asian veggies. 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.
For the veggies, they are the frozen ones. You can
steam them right in the bag. Just follow the directions on the
package. Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl. Add
1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, and pepper. Then toss to coat and serve.
Monday: Dined out. Today was my uncle's birthday. And since he does a lot for us, fixing our plumbing, or changing out my broken headlight, we decided to take him out for dinner. I had chicken tacos. And I am pretty sure I got food poisoning. The next day I was very sick. Yikes. I guess it's better to make my own chicken then I can be sure that it's cook all the way.
Tuesday: Burrito Night. This was the day I was sick. Cooking was out of the question. When I finally trusted myself to try to eat something I had a bowl of Progresso Southwestern Chicken soup and some toast. Had someone else been sick or had I been brave enough to cook something this is the recipe that I LOVE for chicken soup.
(see how much yummier my homemade soup looks!)
Mexican Lentil Soup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup yellow
onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery,
chopped
1 cup carrots,
chopped
2 cloves garlic,
minced
1/2 cup lentils
14 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes
1 jalapeno pepper,
seeded & minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried
coriander
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash
1/4 tsp black
pepper
1/4 cup cilantro,
chopped
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
In a large pot,
heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook until
tender, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add lentils, chicken broth, tomatoes, jalapeno, cumin, coriander, Mrs. Dash, pepper, and
cilantro. Bring to a boil
and turn down heat to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes.
A cup of this soup is about 88 calories!!! To serve the soup I pour 1
1/2 cups of soup in a large bowl. Add 2 to 3 ounces of diced chicken, 1
corn tortilla, and the juice of one lime wedge! OH MY GOODNESS is it
good! Why I still buy cans of soup is beyond me. This one is
flavorful, packed with fresh vegetables, and it's just amazing.
Wednesday: Leftovers. Chicken Tostadas. Thank goodness this day I was much better. I was still a little weak from the day before, but at least I was able to eat. For this dish I 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 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: Fiesta Beef O'Brian Potatoes, black beans, and veggies. This is an all in one meal. And it's pretty simple to make.
Fiesta Beef O'Brian Potatoes
1 lb 93/7 lean ground beef
1 (1 oz) package 25% less sodium taco seasoning mix (or you can use your own)
1 (15.25) oz. can golden sweet whole kernel corn (no salt
added), drained
1 (10 1/2 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 1/2 oz) can cheddar cheese soup
2/3 cup low sodium beef broth
1 (32 oz) bag diced hash browns, thawed
In a microwave safe bowl place potatoes and water. Cover
with saran wrap and microwave on high for 10 minutes, stirring twice, or until
tender.
While potatoes are cooking
prepare beef and taco seasoning according to directions on taco seasoning
package.
In a small bowl whisk together
soups and beef broth until well blended. Add to beef mixture and stir in corn
and potatoes. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 10 minutes or until
heated through.
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 always have black beans in my fridge. It's one of the foods that I prep along with chicken. 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.
For the veggies, they are the frozen ones. You can
steam them right in the bag. Just follow the directions on the
package. Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl. Add
1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, and pepper. Then toss to coat and serve.
Friday: Chicken Spaghetti, black beans, and mixed veggies.
Chicken Spaghetti
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
8 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed
1 13.25 oz box whole wheat spaghetti
32 oz bag frozen broccoli florets, thawed
26 oz can cream of chicken soup
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp oregano leaves
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 tbsp canola oil
Boil spaghetti according to directions. Meanwhile, cut chicken into 1" bite size
pieces. In a large pan, heat oil over
medium-high heat cook chicken until no longer pink. Add soup, broccoli, chicken broth, spices,
and Velveeta. Lower heat to simmer and heat through. If the sauce is too thick
for your liking, then add 1/4 cup water. Once the pasta is done, pour chicken mixture
over and stir to combine. Serve.
I always have black beans in my fridge. It's one of the foods that I prep along with chicken. 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.
For the veggies, they are the frozen ones. You can
steam them right in the bag. Just follow the directions on the
package. Once they are done, I'll pour them into a mixing bowl. Add
1/2 tsp. butter, Mrs. Dash, and pepper. Then toss to coat and serve.
Here is a question that I get asked often, "What do you eat?" Usually
with a look on their face that says, "You must not eat anything." No, I
don't starve myself. I tried that many times in the past. It doesn't
work. Well it works, but only until you get really freaking hungry. So
maybe it worked for about a week, and then I ate everything in sight.
To answer the question of what I eat...I eat all kinds of stuff. The
difference is that I try to eat the right amount. It's not about eating
less but eating RIGHT. Before I changed to a healthy lifestyle, I
would skip breakfast, some days I would skip lunch. Then for dinner I
would pig out on whatever was in sight, usually fast food. Oh let's not
forget about eating dessert, because chocolate cake is the perfect
thing to help wash down a double quarter pounder. And lastly I would
eat a bunch of junk food before bed. So I had to relearn how to eat. I
stopped drinking sodas, sweet teas, Kool-aid, all those sugary drinks.
I cut out all junk food. Now I try to get 2-3 servings of fruit and
3-5 serving of vegetables a day. I had to force myself to get used to
eating breakfast. Incorporate a healthy lunch. Learn how to snack
properly, and start cooking healthier dinners. I'm also part of
fatsecret.com where I enter in my meals and keep an eye on my calories.
