Meal Plan February 9-16

EMPTY Fridge! All condiments, and beverages!

After limping through our post-vacation week on frozen meals, leftovers, and the kindness of friends, I am ready to get to the grocery store, and also get myself organized!!

Sunday Feb 9: Black Bean and bell pepper Burritos with Chicken.  This is a simple wrap that is yummy and has some bite!

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon Canola oil
1 cup diced bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 can (15 oz can) black beans
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 teaspoon Chili powder
4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas (Warm)
1.5 oz reduced fat shredded cheese
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
8 oz boneless skinless chicken (Cut into strips)

Heat oil in large non stick skillet over medium high heat. Cook chicken for 5 min. Lower heat to Medium.  Add bell peppers and onion, cook and stir for 4 minutes.  Stir in Beans, salsa and chili powder.  Cook and stir for 5-8 minutes until veggies are tender and sauce is thickened.

Spoon filling on to the warm tortilla.  top with Cilantro and cheese

Makes 4 burritos at 240 Calories each

Serve with Rice, for a total of 410 Calories


Monday February 10: Pizza
Kids make your own Pizza night! You may have seen Countdown to Spring Post.  We have selected make our own Pizza for Monday. We are going to have Pizza and salad. NOT including the ingredients on here because I am getting half and my firend is getting half.

Tuesday February 11: Wild wedges (Page 36 of 300 Calories) with Frijoles Charros
A quesadilla that is yummy and a great comfort food. Designed as a appetizer, I like it as a meal. The bean recipe  comes from a dear Mexican friend of mine. They are delicious, and filling!

Wild Wedges

Ingredients:

2 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
1/3 cup reduced fat shredded cheese
1/3 cup chopped cooked chicken
1 green onion
2 tablespoons salsa

Heat large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spray one side of 1 tortilla with cooking spray; place in skillet (spray side down). Top with cheese, chicken, green onion and salsa. PLace remaining tortilla on top. spray with cooking spray. cook 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown and cheese is melted.  Cut into 8 wedges.

Makes 2 servings at 170 Calories

Frijoles Charros:
Ingredients
1 Can pinto beans
1/2 cup fresh salsa
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded cheese

Pour beans along with their juice into a pot, and mix in salsa. after it heats up, add cheese and stir. Salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 2 servings at 280 calories each.

Serve together for a dinner at 450 Calories.  Yummy Mexican night! I am eating one serving and the boys will eat the other since John will be working late.

Wednesday Feb 12: Tuscan pork with White Beans (Pg 104 of prevention)
Ingredients:

Tuscan Pork with White Beans

1 lbs well trimmed, lean pork tenderloins
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup sliced shallots
1/4tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 cans (19 oz each) Cannellini Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz) Italian style stewed tomatoes with juice
1/4 cup defatted reduced sodium chicken broth
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups fresh spinach

1- Cut the pork tenderloin crosswise into 8 pieces. Place each piece of tenderloin between 2 sheets of wax paper and pound to 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides of the pork with the pepper and salt.

2- In a large no-stick skillet, warm 3 tsp of the oil over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking.  Add the pork and cook for 3 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked throughly.  With a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a plate; cover loosely to keep warm.

3- Add remaining tsp oil to the skillet.  Add the shallots and thyme, and sauté for 1 minute. Stir in the vinegar and bring to a boil. stir in the beans, tomatoes, broth and red pepper flakes., and return to boil. Reduce the heat to med-low and simmer for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.  Stir in Spinach and simmer for 1 minute, or until wilted.

4- divide the bean mixture among 4 plates, top each potion with 2 pork medallions.

Makes 4 Servings at 428 Calories Each. We will use 3 servings and save one for leftovers.

Serve with Sweet Hawaiian roll

Thursday Feb 13- Leftovers Day!!

Classic Lasagna

Friday Feb 14: Classic Lasagna  (pg 70 300 calories)- This is a favorite in our house, and a great Valentines day treat.  Also, the boys LOVE it. I am going to double this, and try freezing one whole lasagna so I can throw one in the oven when I need it.  Serving this with Green beans or Salad and a sweet Hawaiian roll.

Ingredients:
12 Whole wheat Lasagna noodles
1 lbs lean ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
4 Garlic cloves
2 jars (26 OZ each) tomato Basil pasta sauce
30 OZ fat -free cottage cheese`
4 egg whites
8 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1- Preheat Oven to 375 degrees

2- Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Rinse with Cold water; drain again, and set aside.

3- Brown beef, onion and garlic for 6-8 minutes in a large saucepan over med-high heat, stirring to break up meat. Drain fat.  Add pasta sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

4- Stir Cottage cheese, egg whites, and 4 Tbsp basil in Medium bowl until just combined.

5- Set two pans 13X9 side by side. Spoon 1 cup of sauce mixture onto the the bottom of each baking dish in a thin layer. Layer Three noodles on each pan over sauce mixture.  Spoon the cottage chees mixture over the noodles (Half in each dish). Top with 1/4 of remaining sauce into each pan, and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese for each baking dish. Top with remaining noodles, 3 per pan. and split the remaining sauce mixture on top of each baking dish.

6- cover the lasagna you are going to eat with foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through.

7- on the lasagna you will be freezing- Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 2 Tbsp of basil. Once cool cover with plastic wrap, and mark with directions. "Heat at 375 degrees covered for 40 minutes or until cooked through."

8- Remove tonights lasagna from the oven. Remove foil; Sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 2 Tbsp of basil on lasagna. Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes to serve.

Makes two lasagnas- 6 servings each 336 calories each

Serve with rolls and green beans

Saturday Feb 15: I will be out of town and John will be eating at a work conference. WE will both be eating out.


Check your Kitchen

Canola oil
Cooking spray
Chili powder
Fresh Cilantro
salt and pepper
Dried thyme
crushed red pepper flakes
Fresh Garlic (4 cloves)
Balsamic Vinegar
defatted reduced sodium chicken broth

Shopping List

2 bell peppers
1 very large onion
Fresh Basil
1 green onion
Shallot
2 cups fresh spinach
Large Container of Fresh salsa

Sweet Hawaiian rolls

1 Can pinto beans
1 can (15 oz can) black beans
2 cans (19 oz each) Cannellini Beans
1 can (14.5 oz) Italian style stewed tomatoes
1 Can of green beans
2 jars (26 oz each) tomato Basil pasta sauce

Box of rice
12 Whole wheat Lasagna noodles
6 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas

30 oz fat -free cottage cheese`
egg whites

Bag reduced fat shredded cheese
4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

12 oz boneless skinless chicken (Cut into strips)
1 lbs well trimmed, lean pork tenderloins
1 lbs lean ground beef