Healthy recipes to plan for the week ahead

 Breakfasts

(Get your shopping list for the week here!)

1. Easy Oatmeal Pancake
Combine 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup egg whites, 1/4 tsp baking powder & cinnamon to taste in a small bowl.  Cook in a greased skillet until the pancake has set. Flip and cook the other side. Serve with 1 Tbsp maple syrup and 1 tsp butter.

2. Steak & Swiss Omelet
Whisk 1 egg and 1 egg white together in a small dish. Cook 2 Tbsp chopped onion in a skillet until soft. Add the eggs and cook until set. Add 3 oz cooked steak and 1 slice Swiss cheese, fold over the omelet and serve with 1 slice whole-grain toast.

3. Yummy Yogurt Parfait
Layer 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup fruit & 1 serving granola in a dish and serve. 

4. Creamy Honey Toast & Berries
Combine 2 Tbsp cream cheese with 1 tsp honey, then spread on 2 slices whole-grain toast. Top with 1/2 cup berries and sandwich the two slices together. 

5. Hearty Sweet Potato-Sausage Hash
Pierce 1 small sweet potato with a fork and microwave on high until tender. Cook 2 Tbsp chopped onion and 1 breakfast sausage patty in a skillet until meat is cooked through. Add 1 cup kale and cook until wilted. Chop sweet potato and stir into hash. 

6. Peachy Keen Smoothie
Combine 1 cup skim milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup peaches & 1 frozen banana in a blender until smooth. 

7. Avocado Breakfast Toast
Top 2 slices whole-grain bread with 1/3 of an avocado, 1 scrambled egg, and 2 tomato slices. Season with black pepper and salt.

 Lunches

1. Cheesy Broccoli and Rice
Cook 1 cup broccoli and combine with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese & 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard. Heat until the cheese has melted, and season with black pepper. 

2. 'I-Can't-Believe-It's-Not-Meatball' Sub
Heat 1 serving veggie (soy-based) meatballs according to the package directions. Microwave 1 cup fresh spinach and 1/2 cup marinara sauce in a bowl covered with a wet paper towel until the spinach has wilted. Place 1 oz mozzarella cheese inside a whole-grain pita, then add the meatballs, spinach and sauce. 

3. Sausage-Stuffed Pita Sandwich
Cook 1 cup bell pepper strips in a skillet until soft and starting to brown. Add 1 cooked and sliced chicken sausage and 1/2 cup marinara sauce, and cook until heated through. Transfer to a whole-grain pita, adding cheese if desired. 

4. Peanutty Chicken & Veggies
Heat 1 package Green Giant Antioxidant Blend Frozen Vegetables with Olive Oil Seasoning according to package directions. Then combine with 3 oz cooked chicken, 1/2 cup cooked brown rice & 2 Tbsp prepared peanut sauce and heat through. 

5. Smothered Chicken Burrito
Fill 1 whole-grain tortilla with 3 oz chopped cooked chicken, 1/2 cup assorted vegetables & 1/4 cup low-fat Cheddar cheese. Microwave until sauce is bubbling and the burrito is steaming. Combine 1/4 cup salsa and 1/4 cup Greek yogurt in a small bowl, then spread over the burrito.

6. Avocado Chicken Salad
Combine 1/3 of an avocado, 1 Tbsp chopped onion, 1 Tbsp Greek yogurt, juice of 1/2 lime and 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro in a small bowl. Add 3 oz shredded cooked chicken and spread between 2 slices of whole-grain bread; add desired condiments. 

7. Slim & Satisfying Mac 'n Cheese
Cook 1 cup chopped cauliflower in a skillet until tender, then combine with 1 oz cooked whole-grain pasta, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard & 1 slice cooked bacon. Heat until the cheese has melted; serve immediately. 

 Dinners

1. Shrimp & Veggie Alfredo Pasta
Heat 1 package Green Giant Healthy Vision Blend Frozen Vegetables according to package directions. Meanwhile, cook 1 oz whole-grain pasta, adding 3 oz frozen, ready-to-eat shrimp during the last minute of cooking. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, then stir in 2 Tbsp reduced-fat cream cheese. Top with 1 tsp Parmesan cheese. 

2. Almond-Crusted Chicken with Broccoli and Rice
Mix 1 Tbsp flour and 1/4 tsp pepper. Dip 1 (3-oz) chicken breast first into the flour mixture, then 1 beaten egg white, then 2 Tbsp almonds and 1 tsp Parmesan. Bake on a greased baking sheet at 350 until cooked through. Meanwhile, cook 1 cup broccoli and reheat 1/2 cup cooked brown rice. 

3. Quick Tuna Casserole
Prepare 1 oz whole-grain pasta and 1 package Green Giant Digestive Health Blend Frozen Vegetables according to package directions. Drain pasta and combine with 3 oz drained canned tuna, 1 Tbsp reduced-fat cream cheese & 1 Tbsp shredded Cheddar cheese; serve.

4. Chili Mac 'n Cheese
Prepare 1 oz whole-grain pasta according to package directions, reserving one Tbsp of the cooking water. Combine 1 serving canned chili and 2 Tbsp each Greek yogurt & shredded Cheddar cheese; heat through. Mix in the macaroni and reserved cooking water. Serve with a side of spinach salad. 

5. Smashed Potato with Beef and Mushrooms
Bake 1 small potato until tender. Cook 4 oz sliced beef in a skillet with 1/2 tsp olive oil until no longer pink. Season with salt & pepper; set aside. Add 1 cup sliced mushrooms and 1/2 tsp dried herbs to the empty pan, browning mushrooms. Add 2 Tbsp vegetable broth and 1 cup kale; cook until wilted. Return meat to the pan to heat through. Slice potato in half and smash it; serve meat and veggies on top.  

6. Southwest Shrimp Burrito
Cook 3 oz frozen, ready-to-eat shrimp in a skillet. Sprinkle on 1/2 tsp taco seasoning and cook until heated through. Add the shrimp to a whole-grain tortilla, then top with 2 Tbsp chopped onions, 1 chopped banana pepper & 1/4 of an avocado. Garnish with cilantro. 

7. 5-Minute Black Bean Soup
Combine 1 cup canned black beans, 1/4 cup salsa, a cup diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup cooked brown rice & 1/2 cup vegetable broth and heat through. Top with 1/4 of an avocado. 

 Snack Options

 

Choose 1-2 snacks each day:

Veggies dipped in 1/4 cup guacamole

1/2 cup shelled edamame, sprinkled with sea salt  

1 slice of whole-grain toast with 1 Tbsp of peanut butter  

1 cup of vegetable soup  

1 whole-grain tortilla sprinkled with 1/4 cup part-skim cheese and salsa, folded over and grilled

1 cup fruit salad with a dollop of Greek yogurt

1 cup whole-grain cereal with 1/2 cup skim milk

Simple smoothie made with 1 cup frozen berries and 1/2 cup skim milk

A handful of celery stalks with 1 Tbsp of peanut butter

A handful of roasted almonds

Egg white omelet made with 1/4 cup egg white and veggies and spices of your choice

1 cup of sliced cucumber with 1 oz cheese

Small whole-grain tortilla filled with chicken, veggies and salsa

1 package Green Giant Healthy Heart Blend Frozen Vegetables

Half a bran muffin and 1/2 cup of berries

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup sliced fruit