There is a misconception that a healthy balanced diet equals a boring diet requiring you to eliminate many of your favorite foods. Comfort Food – Out! Red Meat – Out! The reality is that when eaten in moderation and correct portion size just about anything can be part of balanced weekly meal plan. Beef is actually a great source of protein, zinc, selenium, iron, and B vitamins. However, the key to enjoying beef is to choose leaner cuts and to remember one serving size is only three to four ounces (about the size of a deck of playing cards). Comfort foods also don’t have to be banished, because in today’s world of Total Makeover anything, even the most dubious of dishes have been given a reputation redo with some modifications that alter content but rarely taste. Overall, most people are more likely to follow a healthier diet and be open to trying new foods and recipes, when they discover the little secrets that allow them to also incorporate the foods they love.
Day 1 -Total Make-Over Mac & Cheese
Ingredientss:
8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat elbow macaroni, or penne
3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs, (see Tip)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 16-ounce or 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Place spinach in a fine-mesh strainer and press out excess moisture. Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until melted. Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook pasta according to pkg directions until al dente (not quite done-it will continue to cook during baking). Drain the pasta and add the cheese sauce; mix well. Place half the pasta mixture in the baking dish, then layer with the spinach and cover with the remaining pasta. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the pasta and then bake until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.
Day 2 and Day 5 – Orange Juice Steak for Soft Tacos AND Salad
Ingredients:
2 lb Top Round Steak ( You will cook it all tonight and then save 1 lb for Day 5 meal)
I cup Orange Juice
Bagged Salad (2) – Spring Mix and Spinach
Flatout Bread or Whole Wheat Tortillas
Shredded Cheese (Cheddar or Blend)
Crumbled Cheese – Reduced Fat Feta (For Salad)
2-3 Tomatoes ( Will use in both recipes)
Juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
Minced Garlic
Cilantro – Fresh or Dried
Cumin
Chili Powder
Red Cayenne Pepper (optional)
Salt & Peper
Olive or Canola Oil
Salad Dressing
Preparation:
To prepare the marinade in a small bowl combine 1 cup orange juice, juice from 1 lemon (approx 1/4 cup), 1 Tbsp olive or canola oil, 2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp chili powder, pinch of red pepper (optional), 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/8 cup fresh chopped cilantro or 2 tsp dried cilantro, salt and pepper to taste. Pour marinade over flank steak in a shallow dish and let sit, uncovered, at room temperature while you light or preheat grill. You can also put the steak in a ziploc, pour in the marinade, zip it up and shake (not too hard or you’ll have a mess), then refrigerate steak for several hours or overnight. This makes for amazing flavor and tenderness if you have time.
When you are ready to cook the meat, brush off any excess marinade solids from steak and grill over high heat, turning once, until done to taste, about 5-7 for medium rare (may need longer cooking time if its a thicker piece of beef). Slice in thin slices across the grain to serve. You can also cook the steak in the oven using the broiler. Make sure the surface of beef is 2 to 3 inches from heat and then broil (3/4 inch thick) 12 to 13 minutes (steak 1 inch thick, 17 to 18 minutes) for medium rare doneness, turning once. Do not overcook.
For soft tacos, place a few slices of beef in each flatout bread (or whole grain tortillas if you prefer), then top with a salad mix such as spring mix (even baby spinach -it’s tastes good and its good for you), low-fat cheddar (with the deals this week you may want to go extra sharp or pepper jack) and then the chopped up tomatoes. Avocados, Low-fat sour cream , plain greek yogurt or salsa (see my bonus recipe below) could also be used for added toppings. For the salad, place the sliced beef on top of a generous bed of spring mix greens or spinach and top with diced up tomatoes, crumbled reduced fat feta or blue cheese and then low-fat salad dressing of choice. Once again, you could consider subbing the orange salsa for the tomatoes, cheese and dressing.
Optional Orange Salsa – Consider this in place of sour cream
Mix the following ingredients and serve right away or chilled
½ cup fresh orange segments, diced (you can also use mandarin oranges)
1 cup Roma tomatoes, diced
1 Tbsp. red onions, small diced
1 tsp. jalapeño, minced
2 Tbsp. cilantro leaves, minced
1/8 tsp. salt
Day 3- Chicken with Cran-Cherry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 small onion, cut into thin rings and sliced into quarters
6 ounces sliced button mushrooms
1 large clove garlic, minced (approx 1 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 ounces red wine, divided
1 cup Craisins (Cherry flavor if possible)
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons Canola or Olive oil
1/2 cup cherry preserves
2 tablespoons feta or blue cheese crumbles
DIRECTIONS:
In a small/medium size frying pan over medium high heat, saute the onion and mushrooms. Cook until the onions are brown around the edges and the mushrooms are slightly wilted, approximately 3 – 5 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes and cook for 1minute before adding 1/2 cup of the wine and the salt. Cover, reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently until ready to use. Place the remaining cup of wine into a small bowl with the craisins. Cover and allow to soak until ready to use. Lay chicken breasts in a single layer on a clean surface and sprinkle with salt, pepper and even a little garlic powder if you have it on hand. Turn the chicken over and season the other side. Place a large frying pan over medium heat, add the oil and once it is hot add chicken breasts. Cook for approximately 5 -7 minutes on each side, being careful not to burn. Remove pan from the heat and transfer breasts to a plate. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
While breasts are resting, return frying pan to the heat. Stir pan with a spoon to loosen any bits that are still in the pan. Pour in the wine soaked Craisins. Allow the mixture to heat up to a boil, stirring frequently, allow it to reduce down by about 1/3. Whisk in the cherry preserves, reduce heat to low. Place equal amounts of the mushroom mixture on 6 warm plates. Top with a chicken breast and then a generous amount of the crancherry sauce poured over the top. Sprinkle with the blue cheese crumbles and serve immediately.
Day 4 – Cracker Encrusted Tilapia
Ingredients:
18 of your favorite crackers
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 Tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
4 Tilapia filets, rinsed and patted dry
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Preheat the over to 425 degrees. Crush crackers in a small Ziploc bag. Add cheese, oil, and basil and shake to combine. Place tilapia on prepared baking sheet. Brush top of each filet with about 1/2 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard and season with the salt and pepper. Press the cracker mixture into the mustard coated side of each filet. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily. Serve with lemon wedges and for a side sauce you can use traditional tartar sauce or whip up a quick sweet sauce of your own using 1/2 cup the leftover cherry preserves from yesterday’s meal(or any preserves you have on hand) mixed with 1 tsp of vinegar or even a little OJ.
Day 5 – OJ Steak Tacos or Salad (See Day 2 
Grocery List:
Top Round Steaks, $4.79/lb – You need 2lbs!!! (we’re using this in two recipes)
Fresh Tilapia Fillets, $5.99/lb
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, $2.99lb
Simply 100% Orange Juice, 1.75 L bot, 2/$6
$1/1 Simply orange Juice, any (Does not say DND) blinkie (exp 7/15/2011)
Red Cooking Wine (or any inexpensive red wine will work)
Publix Salad, 5 to 12 oz bag, 2/$5
Flatout Bread, 11.2 oz bag, BOGO $3.19
(I have heard coupons for these can be found at weigh watcher meetings, but nothing confirmed)
Keebler Club Crackers, 11 to 16 oz box, BOGO $3.69
$1.50/3 Keebler: Save $1.50 on Lettuce WYB any two Keebler Town House, Club, and/or Wheatables Crackers (DND) tearpad (exp 9/30/2011)
$1/2 Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cookies and/or Keebler Club Crackers – found on Keebler cookies peelie (exp 7/31/2011)
$1/2 Sunshine Cheez-it Baked Snack Crackers, Keebler Town House Crackers and/or Keebler Club Crackers 7.5 oz larger, any flavor, mix or match – Coca Cola 125 years of summer fun booklet (exp 7/31/2011)
-$1/3 Keebler Club Crackers, any (2) 11 oz or larger AND Produce tearpad (exp 7/31/2011)
Publix Crumbled Cheese, Regular or Reduced Fat or Blue Cheese, 4 oz, $2/4
Ocean Spray Craisins, 6 oz, BOGO $2.45
Tomatoes on the Vine, $1.69/lb
1 Onion
2 Lemon – $.66 each
Minced Garlic (4.5oz) – $1.59
Cilantro -$.89 (fresh) or $2.89 (Dried )
Cumin
Chili Powder
Red Cayenne Pepper
Olive or Canola Oil - Pompeian Imported Olive Oil, 16 oz, BOGO $5.99
Ken’s Steak House Dressing, 16 oz, BOGO $3.25(For the Salad)
-$1/1 Ken’s Dressing 5/8/2011 SS Insert (exp 6/30/2011)
-$1/2 Ken’s Salad Dressings 5/8/2011 SS Insert (exp 6/30/2011)
Dijon Mustard
$0.75/1 French’s Dijon Mustard 6/5/2011 SS Insert (exp 9/30/2011)
$1/1 French’s Dijon Mustard 4/10/2011 SS Insert (exp 7/31/2011)
Cherry Preserves
$1/2 Smucker’s Jam, Jelly , Preserves or fruit 5/22/2011 RP Insert
Ronzoni Pasta 12 to 16 oz (excluding Lasagna, Jumbo Shells, Manicotti, Healthy Harvest, and Garden Delight), BOGO $1.39
