Meal Plans

Sorry for the delay, but hopefully better late than never.  Some weeks the sales and coupons just don’t come together for the healthiest choices. However, when that happens, if you plan simple meals with fewer ingredients, plan at least to the healthier items on sale and potentially dip into your stockpile, you can still easily keep to your budget. For people that feel like they don’t have time to deal with coupons, this is an excellent example that saving money doesn’t have to be all consuming and neither does preparing easy, budget friendly, better for you meals.  Most of my meals this week are between $4 -$5.50 a serving, Two only have 5 ingredients and all of them are far superior to processed frozen quick meals or fast food. In most cases, you can prepare these meals faster than you could drive to the local chain, and you’ll save on the gas money, extra calories, fat and sodium that often come when eating out.

Day 1- Parmesan Salmon Fish Sticks
(Recipe from Giada de Laurentiis at Foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients:

Fresh Salmon FIllets 1lb

Eggs

Low-Fat Mayonnaise

Low-fat Plain Yogurt

Dijon MustardFresh Parsley (Dried is fine) $.89

Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Parmesan

Flour

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Frozen Veggies – Green Beans or Broccoli would be good choices

Note: You can reduce the per serving cost by purchasing Honey Dijon Dressing or even low-fat Ranch rather than making your own sauce – if you choose this option then eliminate the mayo, yogurt, dijon and parsley from your list.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Then rinse the salmon fillet (s) and pat dry with paper towels. Slice the fillets into 1/2-inch strips. Lay the widest pieces, from the center, cut side down, and slice in half lengthways so all the pieces are equally about 1/2 by 1/2 by 4 1/2-inches in size (think about the typical size of a fish stick and you’ll have it). Place 1/2 cup all purpose flour in a medium bowl and season with the 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place 3 egg whites in another bowl and beat until frothy, about 30 seconds. Combine 1 cup grated Parmesan and 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs in a third bowl.

Coat the salmon pieces in the seasoned flour and pat to remove any excess flour. Dip the floured salmon in the egg whites and then into the Parmesan mixture, gently pressing the mixture into the fish. Place the breaded salmon pieces on a liberally oiled baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

For the dipping sauce, mix 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise, 1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt, 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard, and 1 Tbsp fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried) in a small dipping bowl.  Arrange the fish sticks on a serving platter and serve with the dipping sauce and a side of vegetables such as green beans or broccoli (if you’ve got kids, you might get them to eat more of their veggies if you let them dip those in the sauce as well).

Day -2 Red Wine Braised Short Ribs (Could be a Great Father’s Day Meal!!)
(Recipe from Claire Robinson at Foodnetwork.com)

4 English cut beef short ribs, trimmed (roughly 8 ounces each)

Kosher Salt

Pepper

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 bottle full bodied red wine (Cabernet is a good choice)

4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Pat ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on all sides.  Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ribs and brown on all sides. Transfer the ribs to a plate, then add the garlic and stir until softened but not brown, about 1 minute. Carefully pour in the wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1 cup. Add the ribs and any juices they have released back to the pot along with the stock. Reduce the heat and bring to a simmer, then cover the pot and transfer it to the oven, to braise, until the meat easily falls off the bone, about 3 hours.

Transfer the ribs to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh sieve into a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Simmer the liquid, skimming fat as necessary, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if necessary. Transfer the ribs and sauce to a serving dish and serve with corn on the cob (shuck each corn, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the microwave on a microwave safe plate for approx 7-9 minutes, even better than grilled!!!).

Day 3 – Just Peachy Pork Loin Chops

Ingredient prices are based on the Publix Circular starting Wed. or Thurs. depending on your location:

Ingredients:

4 B0neless Pork Loin Country Chops

Kraft Balsamic Dressing

Cinnamon

Garlic Powder

Chicken Broth

Butter

Sweet Vidalia Onions

Tree Ripened Peaches

Near East Rice Whole Wheat Couscous

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil (Canola Oil will also work)
Directions:
Start with four pork loins and place each between sheets of plastic wrap and pound down to a 1-inch thickness. Season with a mixture of  mixture of 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.  Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 1 tsp of butter and 1 Tbsp of olive oil, swirl to coat the pan. Sear pork loin chops until golden brown on each side, turning only once. Remove to a platter and keep warm.

Reduce heat, add another tablespoon of olive oil, and saute 1/4 cup minced onions for 2 minutes. Add 1 tsp of butter and 2 fresh peeled and chopped peaches peeled, cook another 2 minutes. Carefully pour 1/4 cup balsamic dressing into the pan. Stir and scrape up any browned bits, cooking about 1 minute. Add 1 cup chicken broth stirring to combine. Simmer until reduced by half and thickened.  Return pork loin chops to the pan, along with any juices that have accumulated on the platter. Coat both sides with sauce and simmer for 2 minutes to re-warm.  Serve pork loin chops over whole wheat cous cous covering with the balsamic peach sauce, garnish with fresh peach slices and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Day -4 SKILLET BLACK BEANS WITH POTATOES AND TORTILLAS

Ingredients:

4 medium-large potatoes

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium-large onion, chopped

2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 – 2 tsp jarred)

1 medium green bell pepper, diced

One 4-ounce can mild diced green chiles

One 16-ounce can diced tomatoes

One 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

Juice of 1 lime

6 corn tortillas, cut into short, narrow strips

Toppings (any or all):

Shredded Cheese (cheddar, mexi blend)

Salsa

Microwave the potatoes until done but still firm. when cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Set aside until needed. Heat the oil in an extra-large skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and bell pepper and sauté over medium heat until the onion is golden.Add the chiles, tomatoes, black beans, and cumin. Bring to a simmer, then simmer gently, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice, tortillas, and potatoes and cook briefly, just until heated through. Serve at once

Day 5 – Dr. Oz Grilled Honey Dijon Chicken

Ingredients:

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grill

1/2 tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lb chicken breast cutlets or tenderloins

1 lime, cut into wedges

* Again in this meal, you can choose to use store bought honey -dijon salad dressing instead, like I suggested for the fish sticks, since Kraft is on sale with coupons to match with it. This actually simplifies the recipe and makes it all a bit quicker.  However, if you go this route, eliminate the salt from the recipe as well since often store bought dressing can be high in salt and sugar, even when you’re purchasing low-fat and lite varieties.

Directions:
In a small bowl, add the honey, mustard, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Put the mixture into a large plastic resealable bag. Add the chicken, seal the bag and shake. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.  Preheat the grill to medium heat. Remove the chicken from the bag and arrange it on a well-oiled grill. Cook until a nice crust forms on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Let the chicken rest on a serving platter for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with lime wedges. You can also prepare in the oven or even in a skillet on the stove top, baked chicken breasts usually take about 25 -30 minutes on 350 (depends on the thickness of the cuts) and in the skillet it’s typically 15-20 minutes, just cut into the chicken slightly to make sure there is no pink. Serve with a side of cut up cantaloupe.

Grocery List:

4 B0neless Pork Loin Country Chops, $3.99/lb

Fresh Salmon FIllets, $9.99/lb

4 beef short ribs, trimmed (roughly 8 ounces each), $3.99 lb

1 lb chicken breast cutlets or tenderloins

Kraft Balsamic Dressing 24 oz, BOGO $3.99
$1/2 Kraft Salad Dressings TARGET coupon
$1/2 Kraft Dressing  RP 5/15

Cinnamon, $1.69
$1/2 Simply Organic Glass Bottle Spices

Garlic Powder, $2.19

Chicken Broth, $2.99
$1/1 Pacific Natural Foods Soup or Broth
$1/1 Pacific Natural Foods

Butter, $2.50
$1/2 Smart Balance Sticks  SS 6/5

2 Sweet Vidalia Onions, $.79/lb

3-4 Tree Ripened Peaches, $1.99/lb

Near East Rice Whole Wheat Couscous, 5.25 to 10 oz, BOGO $2.19

Eggs, $1.59
$0.50/1 Eggland’s Best Eggs 5/1/2011 SS Insert (exp 9/30/2011)
$0.50/1 Eggland’s Best Eggs Woman’s Day Magazine (exp 6/30/2011)
$0.35/1 4Grain Eggs 2/13/2011 SS Insert (exp 6/30/2011)
$1/1 Great Day All Natural Omega-3 Eggs Rolling

Kraft Low-Fat Mayonnaise, 30 oz, BOGO $4.39
$0.75/1 Kraft Miracle Whip or Mayo 6/19/2011 SS Insert (exp 7/17/2011)

Liberte Mediterranee Plain Yogurt 6 oz, 10/$8 OR
Any Low-Fat Plain Yogurt (a few coupons below)
$0.75/1 Voskos Greek Yogurt Rolling
$1/1 Stonyfield Organic Yogurt Rolling
$1/1 Okios Organic Yogurts Rolling

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

Fresh Parsley (Dried is fine) $.89

Seasoned Bread Crumbs, $1.49

Parmesan, $1.79

Kraft Dressing 24 oz, BOGO $3.99
-$1/2 Kraft Salad Dressings TARGET coupon Target.com (exp 6/28/2011)
-$1/2 Kraft Dressing 5/15/2011 RP Insert (exp 8/12/2011)

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Broccoli or Green Beans 11 to 12 oz, BOGO $2.39

1 bottle full bodied red wine, Smoking Loon Cabernet $7.59

low-sodium vegetable stock, $2.99

fresh corn on the cob, 5 for $2

1 Southern Athena Cantaloupe, 2 for $5

2 limes, $.66

4 medium-large potatoes, $2,99 -$4.49

1 medium green bell pepper, $1.49 lb

One 4-ounce can mild diced green chiles, $1.35

One 16-ounce can diced tomatoes, $1.49

One 16-ounce can black beans, $1.13
$0.60/2 Goya Low Sodium Beanshttp (IE) 11/3/2010 Printable (FF)

ground cumin, $1.99

6 corn tortillas, $1.57
$0.50/1 Chi-Chi’s Tortillas 6/12/2011 SS Insert (exp 8/21/2011)
$1/1 Chi-Chi’s Tortillas 5/15/2011 SS Insert (exp 7/31/2011)

Low-Fat Shredded Cheese
(Hoping some of you picked up all the great cheese sales last week)

Salsa
$0.50/1 Chi-Chi’s Salsa or Snackers Salsa and Cheese 6/12/2011 SS Insert (exp 8/21/2011)
$0.50/1 Newman’s Own Products 6/5/2011 RP Insert (exp 7/30/2011)

honey
$0.75/1 Golden Blossom Honey Rolling
$0.55/1 Sue Bee Honey Rolling

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

Common items that if you don’t have on hand you will also need:

Salt& Pepper

Flour

Olive Oil

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