Dinners?
 

I was wondering what kinds of dinners everyone makes? You know... other than baked skinless, boneless chicken breast with roasted veggies. ;)

I have made some barley stuffed peppers a few times. I cut the peppers in half and fill them. Each half is about 150 calories. (so, I eat two for dinner - and a half makes a great snack, too)

I just this past week tried a Cajun Unstuffed Cabbage recipe. Yum-freakin'-O!! (And I don't even like cabbage!)

The other night we had burbon marinated salmon with asparagus. (bought the salmon pre-marinated from BJ's) Let me tell you... it was toe-curling good. (And I don't even like salmon!)

I am trying to plan out my dinners for the month. I want to buy the ingredients needed each week, but have all the recipes ready to go so I don't have to think about it. If I have a recipe with the ingredients ready to go, then I won't be likely to say f-it and eat a frozen pizza or some other such garbage.

How 'bout Eggbeater veggie no crust 'Quiche'?

Ooo! That would be good for breakfast, too. I am getting ready to switch that up, too!

We do a lot of chicken, BBQ, garlic, plain, whatever. And of course roasted veggies. ;)

Salsa chicken over fried cabbage: Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken in a skillet, pour on a jar of salsa and cook until chicken is done. Stir fry a head of shredded cabbage. Serve the chicken over cabbage. Delicious!

Chili: Ground turkey, tomato sauce, chili powder, canned tomatos and (per suggestion from 3FC and it's FABULOUS) a can of pure pumpkin. Served over spaghetti.

Most of my meals are a lean meat with occasional servings of roasts. My sides are more interesting: Sweet potatoes, winter squash either cubed or mashed with soy milk, quinoa, roasted onions, peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, beans, corn, etc.

This is my new absolute fave:

Mexican rice (no butte/oil, just seasonings), baked chicken, shredded and coated in a thick red enchilada sauce, topped with 1 serv shredded cheddar cheese, then....now this is the good part... ;) Green salsa (salsa verde), blended with light sour cream, and pour the cool sauce over top the hot enchilada.

I die a little of happiness when I eat this, then die a little more when I realize the meal is gone, out of sadness! :P

Could you share your recipe for Cajun Unstuffed Cabbage recipe please.

Cajun Cabbage: (easy)

-1# hamburg (I used ground turkey 'cause that's what I had)
- 1 chopped green pepper
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (4 oz) can green chilies
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 3/4 cup regular rice
- 1 t. salt
- 1/2 t. each of basil, oregano, black and cayenne pepper
- 1 t. cajun seasoning
- 4-6 drops hot pepper sauce (If you want it spicey, you can do more!)
- 1 smallish cabbage, chopped in about 1 or 2 inch pieces. (Next time, I will use a BIGGER cabbage)
- 1 cup each cheddar and mozzarella cheese, more or less.

1. Brown and drain meat and veggies.
2. Stir in tomatoes, sauce, rice and seasonings.
3. Spread in greased 13x9 pan, cover and bake at 350 for 65 to 75 minutes. (About midway I stir gently and drizzle maybe 1/4 cup or so of water around the edges)
4. Uncover, top with cheeses and return to oven a few minutes to melt.

My husband and I started this thing where we bring out an appliance at the beginning of the week and try to make dinner around that. This week is the panini maker. Sometimes it's the pressure cooker. It keeps us thinking of fun dinners.

Great ideas! Keep them coming.

I have to do more with my crock pot.

Do you guys plan out your meals a week at a time? Day at a time? Month?

What a great idea!!

Thanks so much!

Shrimp Stir Fry

frozen shrimp
red pepper
green pepper
yellow pepper
tomatos
scallions

Can be served over brown rice or romaine lettuce for lunch.

Charms --
What a "V8 moment" I had with your idea to put stir fry over lettuce!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!

That is a GREAT idea! I have also done "sandwich wraps" using lettuce leaves instead of a "wrap".

Omelettes stuffed full of veggies. There's a popular Japanese food called "omurice" where you wrap rice in egg and put ketchup on top, but I don't see why rice has to have all the fun. ;)

On this weeks Menu are Turkey Burgers with salad, Broccoli Chicken Soup, Spaghetti Squash with ground turkey and Sauce, Turkey Cutlets with veggies & quinoa, Chicken Avocado Salad, and then just plain ole baked Chicken with veggies of course. =)

I love Quinoa, but now that I'm counting calories I try to only have it once a week or less.

I like to look far afield to keep dinners interesting. Last night was a madras chicken curry prepared with a jar of pre-fab sauce (Deep Foods makes a really tasty version, and though I don't like a lot of packaged spice mixtures, those jarred curry pastes they make are an exception), acorn squash, green beans, tomatoes, peas, and carrots. Not only was it delicious, but the portions were big and still came in under 500 calories including half a cup of rice.

Tomorrow night might be stir-fried scallops with vegetables. It might be chicken with forty cloves of garlic, a favorite of mine that "lightens up" well. It might be homemade vegetable-beef-bean stew if that cold front comes through and I feel in a soup-makin' mood. We generally decide on tomorrow's dinner the night before so we can defrost anything that needs defrosting.

My husband's a chef and we live in New Orleans; there's no way I could stand to eat dull food, so I am reading this thread avidly for more ideas. I'm looking forward to trying some I've seen already! :)

Right now I'm canning like crazy before my surgery on 11/11, so dinners are the leftover soup/stew/whatever that didn't fit into the canner that day. That's how it always works around here during canning season. Today was Chicken & Roasted Veggie soup, tomorrow it will be Senate Bean. I have gallons of frozen homegrown tomatoes in the freezer, so tomato sauce and tomato soup is coming soon. :-)

I love www.skinnytaste.com and Fix It and Forget About Light for recipes. For skinnytaste recipes, I love the lasagna rolls, the carnitas, and the minestrone. In the Fix It and Forget It book, I love the ham and scalloped potatoes, pizza in a bowl, and Mexican casserole.

Most of the time I make my family our regular dinner and make it lighter for me. If we have tacos, I have a big taco salad with no shell and reduced fat shredded cheese (the Mexican blend is pretty good). If we have burgers (not very often, but as an example) I have it without the bun and with veggies on the side. If we have spaghetti with meat sauce, I use Dreamfields pasta, have a small portion, and a side salad inside of garlic bread. If we have Italian beef sandwiches, I just eat the beef and have no roll, vveggies on the side. Etc, etc.