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previous columns | Recipes
by Susan Nicholson
SUNDAY (Family) -- Sometimes, for family day, everyone would just like to relax and have your ROAST CHICKEN, MACARONI AND CHEESE, TURNIP GREENS, COLESLAW and DINNER ROLLS. Lighten up dessert with LIME SHERBET.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough chicken and sherbet for Monday.
SHOPPING LIST: chicken to roast, ingredients for macaroni and cheese, turnip greens, coleslaw, dinner rolls, lime sherbet.
MONDAY (Budget) -- BAKED CHICKEN AND RICE WITH BLACK BEANS (see recipe) makes economic use of leftover chicken. Serve it with a LETTUCE WEDGE and CORNBREAD (from a mix). Scoop the leftover SHERBET for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: yellow rice mix, olive oil, onion, green bell pepper, carrot, canned black beans, canned diced tomatoes and green chilies, Monterey Jack cheese, cooking spray, lettuce, cornbread mix.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough chicken and rice for Tuesday.
TUESDAY (Express) -- Dinner is almost ready or it will be as soon as you heat the leftover BAKED CHICKEN entree. Serve it with YELLOW SQUASH, a packaged GREEN SALAD and warmed CORN TORTILLAS. Summer is a great time for fresh PEACHES for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: yellow squash, packaged salad greens, corn tortillas, peaches.
WEDNESDAY (Meatless) -- Enjoy the summer-freshness of TOMATO AND BASIL PASTA (see recipe). Serve it with a SPINACH SALAD and GARLIC BREAD. For dessert, keep the easy theme with FRESH STRAWBERRIES and VANILLA YOGURT.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough tomato and basil pasta for Thursday.
SHOPPING LIST: tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, black pepper, salt, angel hair pasta, parmesan cheese, fresh spinach, garlic bread, fresh strawberries, vanilla yogurt.
THURSDAY (Heat and Eat) -- It was so good, you won't mind repeating yesterday's TOMATO AND BASIL PASTA for dinner tonight. Add a ROMAINE SALAD and ITALIAN BREAD. Keep it fresh with SLICED BANANAS in BANANA PUDDING for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: romaine, Italian bread, bananas, banana pudding.
FRIDAY (Kids) -- Stop the kids racing through the kitchen with a pit stop of reduced-fat HOT DOGS on WHOLE-WHEAT BUNS. Serve them with vegetarian BAKED BEANS and CARROT SALAD. Slurp on POPSICLES for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: reduced-fat hot dogs, whole-wheat buns, vegetarian baked beans, carrot salad, Popsicles.
SATURDAY (Easy Entertaining) -- If you're in Florida or Atlanta, stop into one of the Seasons 52 restaurants for dinner. The restaurants pay close attention to calories, salt and fat levels in their offerings, trying to keep their guests healthier. In the meantime, treat your guests to a special meal from the executive chef of Seasons 52, Cliff Pleau: GRILLED SHRIMP WITH ROASTED CORN SALAD (see recipe). On the side, add RICE and SLICED AVOCADO on SHREDDED LETTUCE along with warm CORN TORTILLAS.
For dessert, CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA SWIRL PUDDING has a flavor for everyone. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a large bowl. Stir in 2 cups 1 percent milk and 1/4 cup frozen egg substitute (thawed). Microwave uncovered on high (100 percent power) for 5 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until mixture thickens and boils. Stir in 1 teaspoon each butter and pure vanilla extract. Stir 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips into 1 cup of the pudding until melted. Alternately layer vanilla and chocolate pudding in parfait glasses or swirl in dessert dishes.
SHOPPING LIST: extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, corn-on-the-cob or no-salt-added or regular canned corn, roasted red peppers, fresh cilantro, limes, salt-free Creole spice (optional), cumin seeds, chipotle Tabasco sauce, coarse salt, uncooked shrimp, salsa verde, arugula, cherry tomatoes, rice, avocado, lettuce, corn tortillas, sugar, cornstarch, 1 percent milk, frozen egg substitute, butter, pure vanilla extract, semisweet chocolate chips.
THE RECIPES
BAKED CHICKEN AND RICE WITH BLACK BEANS (Monday)
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes, plus rice
1 (10-ounce) package yellow rice mix
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped carrot
2 cups chopped cooked (leftover) chicken
1 (15-ounce) can rinsed black beans
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
2 cups grated, reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare rice according to directions. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium; add onion, bell pepper and carrot and cook 10 minutes or until softened. Combine hot cooked rice, onion mixture, chicken, beans, tomatoes and chilies and 1 1/2 cups cheese in a large bowl. Spoon into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted. (Adapted from Southern Living magazine.)
Per serving: 337 calories, 25 grams protein, 9 grams fat (23 percent calories from fat), 3.8 grams saturated fat, 39 grams carbohydrate, 45 milligrams cholesterol, 928 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
TOMATO AND BASIL PASTA (Wednesday)
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes; standing time: 1 hour
Cooking time: for the pasta
8 medium diced tomatoes (about 8 cups)
1/2 cup sliced fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 ounces angel hair pasta
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
In a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, basil, garlic, pepper and salt. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour. Cook pasta according to directions; drain. Spoon sauce over pasta and garnish with cheese and serve. (Adapted from "Quick and Healthy Recipes and Ideas," Brenda Ponichtera, RD, Small Steps Press, $18.95.)
Per serving: 235 calories, 9 grams protein, 1 gram fat (5 percent calories from fat), 0.2 gram saturated fat, 48 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 156 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
GRILLED SHRIMP WITH ROASTED CORN SALAD (Saturday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: less than 10 minutes; standing time (corn salad): 1 hour, plus chilling time for shrimp
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 ears roasted corn (cut from cob) or 3 cups rinsed no-salt-added or regular canned corn
1/2 cup diced roasted red peppers
3 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3/4 teaspoon salt-free Creole spice (optional)
1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds (see Note)
1 teaspoon chipotle Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 pound peeled and deveined uncooked shrimp, tails on
1/2 cup salsa verde
4 cups fresh arugula
Cherry tomato halves for garnish
Cilantro leaves for garnish
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Cook garlic 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat; place garlic in medium bowl. Add corn, red peppers, cilantro, juice, blackening spice if desired, cumin, chipotle Tabasco and salt. Mix well. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour; refrigerate.
Meanwhile, grill shrimp about 2 minutes per side or until opaque. Chill. To assemble: Drizzle a ring of salsa verde around edges of each plate. Place 1 cup arugula in center of each plate. Top arugula with corn salad. Finish with a quarter of the shrimp in the center of corn salad. Garnish with cherry tomatoes and cilantro. (Adapted from recipe by Cliff Pleau, executive chef, Seasons 52 restaurants.)
Note: Place cumin seeds in a small, dry skillet; toast lightly on medium-high heat for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Grind into a fine powder.
Per serving: 256 calories, 23 grams protein, 6 grams fat (21 percent calories from fat), 1 gram saturated fat, 31 grams carbohydrate, 168 milligrams cholesterol, 480 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
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