Dinner Menu September 19 to September 25

How much water should we be drinking a day?  The old stand by is 8 cups a day.  But after doing lots and lots of research I have found several different places that say what you should do is take your body weight divide it in half and that is the number of ounces you should be drinking in a day...at least. Example:  Let us say you weigh 150 pounds then you should be drinking AT LEAST 75 ounces of water a day.  If you are physically active then you should drink more.  Drink during workouts and after especially if you got really sweaty.   I use two different glasses, one for home, and one that I take to the gym.  Both 4 cup or 32 ounces.  At home I drink 3-32 ounces through out the day, one with breakfast, one with lunch, and one with dinner.  And since I workout twice or even three times at the gym I drink a lot of water there too.  When I was at my heaviest 280 I had to drink 140 ounces of water a day and I just got used to it. So that's why I still drink that much water.  Besides I always loved water so it wasn't that hard for me to get used to drinking so much of it.  Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink.  By that time your body is begging for water.

Saturday:  Dined Out.  Green Chile Cheeseburger and fries.  So today I was going to make some flounder.  But my brother was visiting my mom and it was his oldest son's birthday.  And, you guessed it...we went out for dinner.

Sunday:  Beef Pot Pie, black beans, and green beans.  I love beef pot pie, but it's always loaded with calories. This one is from the Hungry Girl website so you know it's gonna slash the calories and be just as delicious. http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/show/low-calorie-beef-pot-pie

Beef Pot Pie

1 lb. 93/7 lean ground beef

1 (32 oz) bag mixed vegetables, thawed

1/8 tsp. Mrs. Dash

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 (10.5) cans 98% fat free condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. water

1 (8 oz) tube Pillsbury reduced fat crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 13X9 inch baking pan with Pam.  Spray a large skillet with Pam and heat to medium high. Add beef and season with Mrs. Dash and pepper. Cook and stir until cooked through.  Add the thawed vegetables, soup, 1/2 cup water, and mix well. Evenly transfer to the baking pan. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 minutes.  Firmly pinch the edges of the crescent dough to make one seamless sheet. Place dough over the meat mixture and carefully stretch to cover.  Bake until dough is fully cooked and golden brown, about 18 minutes.

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 to 1/2 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 green beans, 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, pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Monday:  Chili Verde Soup with Papas and cornbread.  All the flavors of chile verde in a soup, made in a crockpot.  I love my crockpot!

Chile Verde con Papas Soup

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp ground oregano

1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2" cubes

1 15 1/2 oz great northern beans

1 15 1/2 oz cannellini beans

7 oz chopped green chilies

3 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1" pieces

3 tbsp yellow corn meal

3/4 cup water

Spray a non stick skillet with Pam and cook pork over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, until browned. Add about a 1/4 cup of chicken broth to the pan to loosen the browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Place pork along with the chicken broth in a crockpot.  Add remaining ingredients, except the corn meal and water. Stir well.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. The last 30 minutes of cook time mix together the corn meal and water. Add to crockpot and stir.   Sprinkle cilantro over each serving, if desired. Serve.

The cornbread is from a mix.  Hey there is nothing wrong with taking a few short cuts.

Tuesday:  Chicken Tamale Casserole, black beans, and mixed veggies.  The first time I made this I used red enchilada sauce, tonight I'm going to use green enchilada sauce.  I would much rather have green enchilada sauce with chicken.  But you can use either red sauce or green sauce it's up to your taste buds.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

1 (8.5 oz.) box corn muffin mix

1 (14.75 oz.) can sweet corn cream style (no salt added)

2 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup 1% milk

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1 cup shredded mozzarella (part skim milk, low moisture)

1 (10 oz.) can mild enchilada sauce

3 cups cooked, diced skinless chicken breast

Preheat oven to 400. Lightly spray a 13X9 inch baking dish with Pam. Set aside. In a large bowl combine the corn muffin mix, cream-style corn, eggs, milk, chili powder, cumin, and 1/2 cup cheese. Stir till combined then pour into baking dish. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and use a knife to pierce the cornbread mixture several times all over. Pour the enchilada sauce all over the top. Then top with the chicken and remaining cheese. Bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing into pieces and serving with optional toppings: diced tomato, sour cream, shredded lettuce, sliced black olives, chopped green onions, finely chopped cilantro, and/or salsa.

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 mixed 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, pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Wednesday:  Leftovers.  Chicken Bacon Sandwich and cracker chips.  I used a flatbread.  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.  For these sandwiches, I use Laughing Cow cheese, mustard, spinach, and a couple of pieces of bacon, and 4 to 5 ounces of chicken.   You can serve it with chips, veggie straws, or just fresh vegetables and a side of hummus.  If you don't like mustard you can use mayo.  I have a mayo for my husband that is made with canola oil.  Or you can use hummus, or pesto.

Thursday:  Cheddar Burger Bake, black beans, and green beans.  The cheddar burger mashed potato bake is pretty much a rift on Shepard's Pie.  A cheesy rift.  And this one doesn't have any vegetables added.  Also you don't have to make your own mashed potatoes, you can use the powdered stuff, but nothing beats homemade.

 

Cheddar Burger Mashed Potato Bake

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cups mashed potatoes

2 tsp dry mustard

16 oz double cheddar sauce

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 425. In a skillet, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes.  Stir in cheese sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and if desired salt and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes or until heated through.  Pour meat mixture into a 2-quart casserole and evenly top with mashed potatoes.  Bake 25 minutes or until potatoes are lightly golden.

If you want to make your own mashed potatoes here is my recipe:

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.

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 broccoli, 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, pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Then toss to coat and serve.

Friday:  Swiss Chicken, black beans, and squash.  I'm always trying to find new ways to make chicken and this recipe just stood out.  One of the reasons is because of the stuffing.  We love stuffing and pairing it with the chicken and the cheese is really yummy.


 

Swiss Chicken

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast

6 slices Swiss cheese

1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

1 (6 oz) box Kraft Stove Top Stuffing Mix for chicken, unprepared

1/4 cup Land O'Lakes light butter with canola oil, melted

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam. Lay chicken in bottom of prepared pan. Place cheese slices over chicken. In a bowl mix together soup and water. Spoon soup mixture over chicken. Sprinkle dry stuffing mix over soup layer and drizzle butter over top. Cover and bake 30-35 minutes or until chicken is done.

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 broccoli, 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, pepper, and crushed red pepper.  Then toss to coat and serve.