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Menu Plan: Cooking Light Recipes for Family Dinners


 

As springtime approaches, many of us want to get healthier and start cooking light recipes for dinner.  We’ve been eating heavy meals and thick winter soups for months now, and it’s time to ease up on the textures and the calories!  Our menu plan this week features low calorie and low fat recipes that will have you cooking light in no time. 

Home Ever After’s exclusive free printable Take and Make Menu Plans contain everything you need for an entire week’s dinners and all you have to do is the shopping and cooking!  Print out the menu plan each Sunday, which includes:

  • A printable grocery shopping list of ingredients.  Print out the list, check off what you already have on hand, then take your shopping list to the store.
  • A dinner meal for each day. Click the name of the meal to print the recipe and directions.  (After the week is over, add the recipes to your cookbook for future use.) 

If you’d like to suggest your recipes to be featured, email tips(at)homeeverafter.com.


Home Ever After’s Take And Make Menu Plans:

Cooking Light Recipes for Your Family

Menu is planned for a family of 4.  Please adjust ingredients and recipes up to accommodate extra people.

Printable Grocery Shopping List:

Meats and Proteins:
____  4 ounces sliced deli roast beef
____  1 pork tenderloin (1 pound)
____  12 chicken breast halves
____ 1-1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins
____ 1-1/2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese
____ 3 bacon strips
____ 1 can (15 ounces) black beans
____ 1 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans
Vegetables/Fruits:
____  9 oz green beans
____  5 garlic cloves
____  1/4 cup green onions
____  2 medium apples
____ 1 1/2 cup carrots
____ 3 celery ribs
____ 3 onions
____ 2 plum tomatoes
____ 1 sweet red pepper
____ 1/2 cup broccoli
____ 1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts
Liquids:
____  Soy sauce
____  3 tablespoons lime juice
____  2/3 cup fat-free milk
____  1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
____  5 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
____  3 teaspoons olive oil
____ 5 teaspoons vegetable oil
Spices: 
____  Salt and pepper
____  1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
____  Paprika
____  3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
____  1/2 teaspoon paprika
____ 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
____ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
____ 1 bay leaf
____ 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
____ 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
____ 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
____ 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Other:
____ 1/4 cup plum sauce
____ 1 tablespoon butter
____ 1/4 cup tomato paste
____ 1/2 teaspoon reduced-sodium chicken bouillon granules
____ 1/2 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
____ 4-1/2 teaspoons minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
____ 1-1/2 teaspoons grated fresh gingerroot
____ 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Grains / Baking:
____ 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
____ 8 oz uncooked linguine
____ 2 teaspoons cornstarch
____ 3 1/2 cups uncooked rice
____ 1 2/3 cups reduced-fat baking mix
____ Cornstarch

Meals with Recipes:

Monday

Dinner: Thai Beef and Noodle Salad.  This low calorie light recipe has only 176 calories per serving.

 

Tuesday

Dinner: Broiled Pork with Sauteed Apples and Vibrant Beans recipe. 4 servings.

Wednesday

Dinner: Easy Chicken and Dumplings.  Cooking light recipes doesn’t always mean you choose low fat or low calories.  This recipe has only 282 calories and 5 grams of fat per serving!  Makes 6 servings.

Thursday

Dinner: Tasty Italian Chicken- ready in only 30 minutes!  This light recipe has only 163 calories and 3 grams of fat, so you can be cooking light without spending a lot of time.

 

Friday

Dinner: Chipotle Chicken and Beans. Makes 6 servings.

Saturday

Dinner: Stir-Fried Walnut Chicken Recipe served over white rice. Serves 6. 

Sunday

 

Dinner: Leftover Love. Spread out a buffet table of all the leftovers from the week’s meals.  This means a day-off for the chef!


Print out our other Take and Make Menu Plans or check out other menu plans at Menu Plan Monday.

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  1. [...] Menu Plan: Cooking Light Recipes for Family Dinners | Homemaker Barbi By Homemaker Barbi We?ve been eating heavy meals and thick winter soups for months now, and it?s time to ease up on the textures and the calories! Our menu plan this week features low calorie and low fat recipes that will have you cooking light in no time. … A printable grocery shopping list of ingredients. Print out the list, check off what you already have on hand, then take your shopping list to the store. A dinner meal for each day. Click the name of the meal to print the recipe and … Homemaker Barbi – http://www.homemakerbarbi.com/ [...]

  2. These sound great especially chicken and dumplings lightened uP! Comfort food!! :D YEAH!


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