Weekly Dinner Menu

Tested Jan 17-20 

Menu

Monday:  Seasoned Tilapia, with Onions and Red Peppers, Green Beans, Fresh Avocado, and a Side Salad

Tuesday: Hawaiian Chicken, Broccoli and Rice

Wednesday: Meatloaf w/ Ground Chicken and Beans, Broccoli

Thursday: Lettuce (or Tortilla) Hawaiian Chicken Tacos, with Mango, Avocado, Cheese, Tomato and Lettuce

Bonus: Weekend Dinner or Lunch:  Meatloaf Sandwiches!

 

Pre-Prep

There are lots of pre-prep opportunities to make the actual dinner time prep even faster and easier. They are mentioned at the end of each recipe.  Consider carving out time at the beginning of the week to get some or all of the suggested pre-prep done.

 

 

Recipes

Seasoned Tilapia, with Onions and Red Peppers, Green Beans, Fresh Avocado, and a Side Salad

Serves 2 Adults and 2 Kids

Ingredients
1 Large Onion

2 Red Bell Peppers

1.5 lbs. Tilapia

2 t Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Magic Seasoning Blends Seafood Magic

Green Beans, Fresh or Frozen

Greens for Salad

1 Tomato

1 Avocado

Low Fat Dressing – I use no oil balsamic or a low-fat balsamic vinaigrette

Instructions

Pre-heat Grill to high or oven to 350

1. Cut onion and bell pepper into strips.  (If you can buy pre-chopped, go for it.)
2. Rinse tilapia and place on foil on top of a baking sheet.
3. Sprinkle Seafood Magic seasoning on tilapia and top with onions and red bell pepper.
4. Place on grill and turn heat down to low, or place in oven.
5. Place enough green beans for your family in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 2 ½ minutes.  Check and heat for another 2 ½ minutes.  Repeat until beans are done. (Based on how quickly your microwave cooks, adjust the time intervals as necessary.)
6. In the meantime check tilapia after 4-5 minutes.
7. Portion greens on plates and top with tomato and avocado and a light sprinkling of dressing.  For my kids, I put a few leaves of lettuce, and separate the tomato and avocado on the plate.  I also sprinkle a bit of salt on the avocado.
8. Pull tilapia when the top of the fish begins to crack and the fish springs back to the touch (like in baking).
9. Serve and see if this isn’t one of the easiest dinner recipes out there!

 Pre-Prep Opportunity

1.  Cut onions and bell pepper up to a day ahead of time.  Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Hawaiian Chicken, Broccoli, Tomato, and Rice

Serves 2 Adults and 2 Kids + Enough Chicken for another meal (Hawaiian Tacos) + 2-3 Lunches

Ingredients

1 Cup White Rice (If you can make ahead, change to brown rice as it is healthier but takes longer to cook)

2 Cups Water

3.0 lbs. of Chicken (You will be cooking all the chicken for the week.  If you are cooking this stand alone, use 1.5 lbs. of chicken.)

Braggs Hawaiian Dressing and Marinade

1 Bunch Broccoli*

1 t salt*

1 T Basil*

1 T Oregano*

1 T Minced Onion*

1 Tomato

*Make a double batch so that the broccoli is cooked for the week. You just have to warm up!

Instructions

Preheat Grill to High or Oven to 350

1. Measure 1 Cup rice and 2 Cups Water in a rice cooker and turn on. Or prepare using your preferred method.
2. Wash Chicken and mix with Hawaiian Dressing. Set aside.
3. Wash Broccoli and cut into small florets.
4. Place on lightly sprayed roasting pan and sprinkle salt, basil, oregano, and minced onion.
5. Place Chicken on grill and turn heat down to medium, or place in oven.
6. Place broccoli in oven.
7. Slice tomato and divide across plates.
8. Check on broccoli and chicken.  Stir broccoli and if chicken is on grill turn it over.
9. Broccoli should be done in 8 -9 minutes.  Oven chicken should take about 15-20 minutes and grilled chicken 12-15 minutes, (flipping chicken halfway through.)

10. Portion plates with chicken, rice, broccoli, and tomato.

11. Drizzle some extra Hawaiian Dressing on the chicken.

12. Serve and enjoy!

Pre-Prep Opportunities
1.  Make rice a day ahead or earlier in the day that you will be serving it.  Use brown rice since it will have more time to cook.

2.  Wash chicken a day or two ahead and store in fridge.

3.  Wash and cut the broccoli a day or two ahead and store in the fridge.

 

 

 

Meatloaf w/ Ground Chicken and Beans, Broccoli, Tomato

Serves 2 Adults and 2 Kids for 2 meals -Meatloaf sandwiches, are in you future! YUM!)

Ingredients

1 15 oz. can or other shelf stable container of White Beans

½ of a 15 oz. can or other shelf stable container of Black Beans

5 Cloves Garlic, minced or pressed – include the garlic membranes if pressing

1 lb. Ground Chicken*

1 lb. Ground Beef*

1 small onion, diced – or purchase pre-chopped onion

5 oz. of tomato paste (buy smallest can and use it all)

Olive or canola oil spray

1 Bunch Broccoli**

1 t Salt

1 T Basil

1 T Oregano

1 T Minced Onion

1 Tomato

*You can substitute turkey or pork for chicken and beef – be sure to modify your shopping list accordingly.

**If you made all the broccoli yesterday, you have saved yourself some time. Just warm it up for today!

Instructions

Ahead of Time:

Mash white and black beans with 5 cloves of minced or pressed garlic (throw in garlic membranes if pressing).  Store in fridge until ready to use.

Side Bar:  Snack opportunity!  Warm a small portion of bean and garlic mixture and spread on rice cracker or other cracker.  My son loves this as a snack on teriyaki rice crackers!

Pre-heat oven to 350

1. Lightly spray loaf pan with olive or canola oil.
2. Mix bean-garlic mixture, ground chicken, ground beef and diced onion in a bowl.
3. Form mixture into a meatloaf shape and put in loaf pan.
4. Top with tomato paste.
5. Pop in oven for 1 – 1.25 hours, until meatloaf starts to pull away from pan.  (Like in baking)
6. Wash and slice tomato, portioning across 4 plates.
7. Wash broccoli and cut into small florets.*
8. Sprinkle with 1 t Salt, 1 T Basil, 1 T Oregano, 1 T Minced Onion.
9. Catch up on the mail, help kids with homework, drive a carpool, call your mother – you can relax for a while!

10. Place broccoli in oven for about the last 5 minutes of the meatloaf’s bake time, stirring broccoli around just before you take the meatloaf out.

11. When meatloaf starts to pull from the sides of the pan, remove from oven – let rest for 5-10 minutes.

12. Remove broccoli from oven after about 10 minutes, when broccoli stems can be easily pierced with a fork.

1. 13.  Portion meatloaf and broccoli and serve!

14. This is not the way your mother made meatloaf, but it is really delicious!

Pre-Prep Opportunities

1. Put the meatloaf together ahead of time, place in loaf pan and store in fridge until ready to use.   All that is left to do is pop it in the oven.  Because it will be cold, you might consider putting the meatloaf in the oven earlier – during preheating.
2. Wash and cut the broccoli up to two days before.

*If you made the broccoli in yesterday’s meal, skip broccoli preparation steps.   You just have to warm it up!

Lettuce or Tortilla Hawaiian Chicken Tacos, with Mango, Avocado, Cheese, Tomato and Lettuce

Serves 2 Adults and 2 Kids; with extra chicken for another dinner or 4 lunches

Ingredients

1 Avocado

1 Tomato

1 Mango

Remaining ½ can of Black Beans

Whole Wheat Tortillas, corn tortillas and/or big leaves of lettuce – boston leaf lettuce, romaine, other good “sandwich” lettuce

Cheddar Cheese –  derived from cow or goat or soy

1 radish (optional)

1.5 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – use the left over from the Hawaiian Chicken

Salsa

Bragg Hawaiian Fat Free Dressing and Marinade

Instructions

1. Slice and Dice Avocado, Tomato, and Mango.
2. Dice chicken and warm on skillet over medium heat.  Set chicken aside.
3. Heat Tortilla(s) on a skillet over medium heat.
4. When tortilla starts to bubble ( is heated through), flip tortilla, sprinkle cheese on the hot side, and turn off heat.
5. As cheese begins to melt, sprinkle chicken, avocado, tomato, mango, radish (if including) and black beans.
6. If using flour tortillas, roll into a “burrito”: fold the bottom 1/8 of the tortilla on top of the chicken and other stuffings.  Fold in the sides  of the burrito and roll the tortilla into a log.
7. Set on the side of the grill and make one for each person.
8. If using corn tortillas, serve as a taco
9. If using lettuce (and I used tortillas for the kids and lettuce for me):
   1. Warm chicken and beans.
   2. Sprinkle cheese in lettuce cup
   3. Add chicken and beans
   4. Top with avocado, tomato and mango, salsa, and Hawaiian dressing.

10. Serve – with carbs or without!

Pre-Prep Opportunities

1.  Make tacos as the second chicken meal of the week.  Prepare all chicken at the beginning of the week, storing leftovers in the refrigerator for later use.

2. Cut Mango, tomato, and radish ahead of time.  Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Bonus Meal:  Meatloaf Sandwiches!

Serves 2 Adults and 2 Kids

Ingredients

Left over meatloaf from above

Baguette / baguette rolls or other preferred bread

Barbeque Sauce

Side Salad – what’s leftover in your fridge?  Lettuce, tomato, nuts, sunflower seeds, avocado, broccoli, green beans, bell pepper, mango, radish? – Finish things up!

Instructions

1. Slice meatloaf into ½ – ¾ inch slices.
2. Lightly spray griddle with canola oil and warm meatloaf on medium heat, flipping after a few minutes.
3. Portion salad on plates.
4. Spread barbeque sauce on bread – consider using ½ a roll or less bread since the meatloaf is so satisfying.
5. When Meatloaf is heated through, 6-8 minutes, make into a sandwich and serve.
6. Now that’s a sandwich!

Shopping List

For 2 Adults and 2 Kids

Entrees

1.5 lbs. Tilapia

3.0 lbs. of Chicken

1 lb. Ground Chicken*

1 lb. Ground Beef*

* substitute ground turkey if preferred

Vegetables

1 Large Onion

2 Red Bell Peppers

Green Beans, Fresh or Frozen

2 Tomatoes

1 Avocado

Greens for Salad

lettuce, romaine, other good “sandwich” lettuce

2 Bunches Broccoli – for 2 meals

1 Tomato

5 Cloves Garlic, minced or pressed – use the garlic membranes if pressing

1 small onion, diced – or purchase pre-chopped onion

1 Avocado

1 Tomato

1 radish (optional)

Fruit

1 Mango

Dry Goods

2 t Salmon Seasoning

Low Fat Dressing – I use no oil balsamic

1 Cup White Rice (If you can make ahead change to brown rice as it takes much longer to cook)

Bragg Hawaiian Fat Free Dressing and Marinade

1 t salt

1 T Basil

1T Oregano

1 T Minced Onion

1 15 oz can or other shelf stable container of White Beans

1 15 oz can or other shelf stable container of Black Beans

Olive or canola oil spray

3.5 oz of tomato paste

Salsa

Barbeque Sauce

Bakery

Whole Wheat Tortillas, corn tortillas and/or big leaves of lettuce – boston leaf

Baguette / baguette rolls or other preferred bread – despite the goal of shopping 1 time per week, fresh bread is key to a successful sandwich.  You may want to purchase this bread over the weekend if you plan to have for a weekend meal.

Dairy

Cheddar Cheese –  derived from cow or goat or soy