Menu Plan Monday - January 11

Menu Plan Monday once again -  join in the fun at Organizing Junkie.

Eating healthier foods is going well for those of us who dare to take the challenge - not going so well for two of my most finicky children. The hardest part of it all is #1 - finding good recipes and #2 - being able to afford the extra cost of some of the stuff (i.e. whole wheat flour, sugar substitute, etc.)

Anyway, here's this week's menu:

Monday

Chicken Piccata*

Marinated Pasta Salad*

Smashed and baked Acorn Squash

Tuesday

Individual Chicken Pot Pies*

Garden Salads

Fruit

Wednesday

Meat Loaf (lean ground beef & whole wheat bread crumbs)

Mashed Potatoes

Savory Green Beans

Vanilla Pudding

Thursday

Pizza & Pop

Friday

Lean Roast Beef w/carrots & potatoes

Zucchini Saute

Fruit

Saturday

Split Pea Soup

Whole Wheat Bread Sticks

Low-fat Oatmeal Bars w/homemade cherry sauce(can control sugar & fat)

Sunday

On Your Own

*Chicken Piccata*

6 pieces chicken

3 Tbsp flour - I will use 1 Tbsp whole wheat flour mixed with 2 Tbsp white

1 1/4 tsp paprika

Vegetable cooking spray

3 Tbsp  lemon juice

3 Tbsp water

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 tsp  dried parsley

3 tsp margarine

Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove skin from chicken and discard. Combine flour and paprika  in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place over medium high heat until hot. Add chicken and cook on all sides until browned well. Remove to a lightly buttered oven-safe casserole.

Add lemon juice, water, bouillon cube and margarine to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Drizzle mixture over chicken and crumble parsley on top. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until chicken tests done and is no longer pink. May cover partway through cooking if it gets too brown. 6 servings.

*Marinated Pasta Salad*

3 oz. macaroni or other pasta

1 cup chopped tomato

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp crushed parsley

1 Tbsp vinegar

2 tsp vegetable oil (or olive)

1/2 tsp crushed basil

1/2 tsp crushed oregano

1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup cheddar cheese (opt)

Cook pasta according to package directions - to al dente. Rinse with cold water and drain well. Combine pasta and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and toss. Cover and chill for at least one hour. 4 servings

*Individual Chicken Pot Pies*

1 (10 3/4 oz) can low sodium cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 cup water

3/4 tsp sage

2 cups diced cooked chicken

10 oz. mixed vegetables (frozen or canned)

a few slices of fresh mushrooms

Vegetable cooking spray

1 cup biscuit dough, prepared with skim milk

Preheat oven to 450 F. Combine soup, water and sage in a bowl. Stir well. Add chicken, vegetables and mushrooms. Stir well.

Spoon mixture evenly into four small baking dishes coated with spray. Divide dough into four equal portions. Drop one portion over each serving. Bake at  450 F. for 12 minutes or until golden. 4 servings