Better for You and Budget Friendly Meal Plan(w/Coupon MatchUps)

As we’re approaching 4th of July and the temps are getting warmer, traditional summer fare with a little flare seemed appropriate. So, we’ve got turkey burgers and NOT fried chicken to give healthy twists to tried and true favorites.  I’ve also included a Bonus Recipe Suggestion from the Snappy Gourmet, that comes with an added extra “Pop”.  Last, but not Least, I definitely think it is time to start giving some stuff away around here.  I’m launching my first ever Giveaway.  Since we are aiming for easy, healthy meals on a BUDGET, let’s make them even MORE budget friendly with a $50 gift card to the winner’s grocery store of choice.*  You can enter up to three times in the following ways:

1.  Leave a comment on THIS post about recipes you’d like to see in the future, tips and tricks you use for meal planning or a favorite recipe you’ve prepared from one of my meal plans. (1 entry)

2.  If you follow couponchaosmama.com on facebook, then leave a comment on this post letting me know! If you’re not a follower, you can “like” couponchaosmama.com on facebook and then come on back and leave a comment!  (1 entry)

3.  Refer a friend to this post and have them leave a comment with your name. (1 entry)
(If you’re a great friend who comes as a referral (welcome!) and you can enter too, you’ll just have make a 2nd comment)

For additional details visit the Official Giveaway Post. Also, if you go decide to check out those yummy strawberry shortcake poppers, Snappy Gourmet is having a giveaway for $20 certificates to Williams Sonoma!

Easy BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs split chicken breasts
1 (18 oz.) bottle Kraft barbeque sauce

Directions:

Skin and wash chicken pieces, if prepping ahead place chicken pieces in a ziploc bag with BBQ sauce and let marinate in the fridge for a few hours. When ready to cook, place in a baking pan lined with aluminum foil. If not marinated in advance, simply place chicken pieces directly into baking dish lined with aluminum foil and pour barbeque sauce evenly over chicken. Bake on lower rack in oven at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. avocado and papaya salad below.  Remove the chicken from the bone of the remaining breasts, place in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for use in the Day 5 recipe.

INGREDIENTS
2 limes, juiced
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
4 cups mixed baby lettuce greens
2 papayas
2 avocados

Directions:
Combine the lime juice, honey, salt and pepper; blend until smooth.  Peel the papayas and cut them in half. Using a spoon, remove the seeds; discard seeds. Slice the papaya halves into thin wedges. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Slice the flesh into thin strips.  Arrange the fruit slices on salad plates, alternating between papaya and avocado.  Combine the greens and dressing in a bowl and toss well to coat.  Mound a portion of the greens in the center of each plate. Drizzle with a few drops of dressing.

Day 2 – Turkey Burgers w/ Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:

Salsa-
1 ripe avocado, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh (2 tsp dried) cilantro
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/2 tablespoon plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt, to taste

Turkey Burgers
1 pound ground turkey breast
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 medium egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Thoroughly mix all avocado salsa ingredients in a medium bowl;set aside.  In another medium bowl, combine ground turkey, wheat germ, lemon juice, garlic, egg, salt, and pepper; mix well. Form mixture into four patties.  Oil grill grate (or lay a piece of aluminum foil on grill) and heat.
Cook turkey burgers and red pepper quarters for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove; cut grilled red peppers into thin strips. Toss arugula or mixed greens with olive oil and lemon juice; divide among four plates. Top each with a burger and avocado salsa; garnish with grilled red pepper strips and sunflower seeds. Serve right away.

Day -3 Green Spaghetti
(From Philly Cooking Creme Recipes)

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. spaghetti, uncooked

2 tsp. oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves

1 tub (10 oz.)PHILADELPHIA Italian Cheese and Herb Cooking Creme

1/4 cup low-fat milk

1 cup fresh cilantro
1 cup Shredded Low-Fat/ Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

Directions:

Cook spaghetti as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add onions, peppers and garlic; cook and stir 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Stir in lettuce; cook 2 min. or until wilted. Transfer to blender. Add cooking creme, milk and cilantro; blend until smooth. Return to skillet.  Drain spaghetti. Add to sauce in skillet; cook and stir 1 to 2 min. or until heated through.  Remove from heat. Top with mozzarella; cover. Let stand 2 to 3 min. or until mozzarella is melted.

Day 4 – Not Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved length-wise (to make a thin cutlet)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup non-fat or low-fat milk
1 egg
3 cups crushed corn flakes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  For a healthier, lower fat option you can remove the skins.  Either way, rinse and pat the chicken drumsticks dry.  Prepare batter by mixing milk and egg together and beating until combined, then stir in flour until thick. Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare corn flakes by placing in a ziplock bag and crushing with a rolling pin(or I smash the heck out of them with the back of spoon- kinda therapeutic).  You do want some texture  so don’t  smash them up too badly.  Add 1/4 tsp of salt(you can also use garlic powder or another seasoning salt like lowry’s) and mix with a fork.  Place batter and crushed corn flakes in shallow bowls.  Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with foil. Dip chicken pieces first in the batter, allowing the excess batter to drip off into the batter bowl, then place the battered  chicken piece into the crushed corn flakes.   You may have to press the chicken pieces in lightly to make sure they are coated.  Flip and repeat. Place the crusted chicken pieces on the cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 45-60 minutes until golden and crisp.

Day 5 – Tangy Tropical Pork Tenderloin
(adapted from a food.com recipe)

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless pork loin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/3 cup dijon
1/4 cup pineapple preserves
2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Place the pork in a roasting pan and sprinkle all sides with the salt, pepper and thyme.  Mix Dijon, pineapple preserves and honey then pour over the pork. Loosely cover and roast for about 60 minutes, (basting with sauce every 20 minutes) or until internal temp reaches 160°F.  Serve with freshly cut up pineapple.

For a Scrumptious Bonus Dessert Recipe, Head on over to the Snappy Gourmet and check out her recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Poppers. They have a “SECRET” ingredient that is sure to surprise and potentially even be a bit nostalgic.

Grocery List:

3 lbs Split Chicken Breast, $1.79/lb  (This is for 2 recipes!!) or
Publix GreenWise Market Split Chicken Breast, $3.49/lb

1 – 1 1/2 lbs Publix Fresh Ground Turkey, $2.69/lb

1lb Whole Pork Tenderloin, $4.99/lb

Barilla Plus Multigrain Pasta, BOGO $2.39
-$1/2 Barilla Pasta AND Sauce 5/1/2011 SS Insert (exp 6/26/2011)
-$0.55/2 Barilla Pasta AND Pasta Sauce 5/1/2011 SS Insert (exp 6/26/2011)

Dannon Activia Plain Yogurt 4 pk, 3/$6
-$1/1 Dannon Activia, Activia Light, Activia Fiber, Any 4-pack, Activia Drinks or Activia 24 oz. tearpad (exp 3/1/2012)
-$1/2 Dannon Activia, any 4-packs, 8-packs, 12-packs or tubs (not valid in LA) – 06-05-11 RP Insert (exp 7/31/2011)

Eggland’s Grade A Best Large Eggs, dozen, 2/$4
-$.45/1 Eggland’s Best large eggs hangtag (exp 6/30/2011)
-$1/2 Eggland’s Best Eggs, any – 05-01-11 SS Insert (exp 9/30/2011)
-$.50/1 Eggland’s Best Eggs, any – 05-01-11 SS Insert (exp 9/30/2011)
-$.50/1 Eggland’s Best Eggs, any – Weight Watchers, February 2011 (exp 6/30/2011)

Kraft Philadelphia Cooking Creme 10 oz(Italian Cheese and Herb), 2/$4
-$1/1 Philadelphia Cooking Creme 6/5/2011 SS Insert (exp 7/16/2011)
-$1/1 Philadelphia Cooking Creme Coupons.com (no longer available)
-$1.50 off chicken wyb any Philadelphia Cooking Creme (DND9) peelie (exp 6/30/2011)

Whole wheat flour, $3.79
$1/ 1 Arrowhead Mills Product

Non-fat or low-fat milk
$1.50/1 Stonyfield Organic Milk Rolling
$1.50/1 Smart Balance Milks SS 6/5
$.50 off Omega 3 Milk Organic Valley
$0.55/1 Horizon Organic Milk Plus DHA Half Gallon Rolling

Publix Shredded Cheese (Low-Fat Mozzarella), 16 oz, $3.99
-$1/1 Cheese 1lb or larger (Florida only)

Corn flakes, $3.29 (Kellogg’s cereals are BOGO this week, but looks like cornflakes may not be included)
$1/2 Kellogg’s Corn Flakes
$1/2 Kellogg’s Cereal (Peelie)
$1/2 Kellogg’s Corn Flakes

OR

Nabisco Whole Wheat Ritz Crackers 9.5 to 16 oz, BOGO $3.39
-$1/2 Ritz Crackers AND any Coca-Cola 1.25 liter
-$1/2 Nabisco Crackers SS 6/19
-$1/2 Ritz crackers  SS 5/15

2 -3 Vidalia Sweet Onions, $.79/lb

3 Persian Limes, 5/$1

3 Florida Avocados, 2/$4

2 Maradol Papaya, $.99/lb

1 Green Pepper, $.62

Raspberries, Blueberries, or Blackberries, 5.6 to 16 oz, 3/$6
$0.50/1 Driscoll’s Berries Rolling

1 Del Monte Gold Ripe Pineapple, $2.99
-$1.50/2 Del Monte Gold Pineapple Printable (no longer available, but was on coupons.com last week if you printed it)

Fresh Express Salad Blends(Romaine and Blend), 5 to 12 oz, BOGO $3.99
-$.50/1 Fresh Express Blends Or Tender Leaves – Coupons.com (no longer available)
-$1/2 Fresh Express $1 off any 2 packaged salad mix tearpad (exp 12/31/2011)
-$1/2 Fresh Express Publix Coupon peelie found on vidalia onions (exp 6/30/11)

Bread Crumbs (Seasoned or Plain), $1.59

Garlic, Fresh $1.03 or Dried $1.99

Cumin, $1.99

Cilantro, Fresh $.99

Lawry’s Garlic Salt, 11 oz, or Seasoned Salt, 16 oz, $2.99 (Optional)

Thyme, $3.29

Honey, $3.59
$0.55/1 Sue Bee Honey Rolling

Dijon Mustard, $2.79
$1/1 French’s Dijon Mustard 4/10/2011 SS Insert (exp 7/31/2011)

Pineapple Preserves,
$1/2 Smucker’s Jam, Jelly , Preserves or fruit 5/22/2011 RP Insert (exp 7/30/2011)

Pompeian Olive Oil 32 oz, BOGO $12.09
-$1/1 Pompeian Olive Oil (exp 6/30/2011)
-$1/1 Pompeian Olive Oil or OlivExtra Plus 5/22/2011 RP Insert (exp 7/31/2011)

Kraft Barbecue Sauce 16.25 to 18 oz bottle, BOGO $1.33
-$2/1 Country Time or Kool Aid WYB Kraft BBQ Sauce peelie (exp 10/31/2011)
-$2/4 Fresh Meat, save WYB (1) 18 oz.+ Kraft Barbecue Sauce AND any two (2) other participating products: Country Time Drink Mix (8 qt.+), Kraft Dressing (16 oz.+), Kraft Mayo (22 oz.+), Miracle Whip Dressing (22 oz.), or A.1. Steak Sauce (10 oz.) tearpad (exp 10/31/2011)
-$.25/1 Kraft Barbeque Sauce, any tearpad (exp 12/31/2011)

Thomas’ Bagel Thins 8 ct, BOGO $3.69

Alexia Sweet Potato Fries 7.7 to 8 oz, BOGO $3.59
-$1/1 Alexia Product
-$1/1 Alexia Frozen Product Rolling

* If the winner’s grocery store of choice does not offer gift cards or coupon chaos mama is unable to obtain one, then a Visa gift card will be provided instead.

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Tagged as: budget meal plans, easy meal plans, easy meals, giveaway, Healthy Meal Plans, Kid Friendly Recipes, Kids Friendly Meal, Meal Plan, Meal Plans with Coupons