Week 27 Summary |
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Notes for this week |
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Day 1 |
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| 5 Ingredient Asian Glazed Fish | Couscous | Green Peas |
Day 2 |
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| Carne Guisada | Tortillas | |
Day 3 |
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| Shortcut Spinach Calzones | Green Salad | |
Day 4 |
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| Cheddary Spirals with Broccoli | Carrot Raisin Salad | |
Day 5 |
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| Cowboy Hotdogs | Mediterranean Lentil Salad | |
Celebrate with this Flag Cake on or around the 4th of July
4th of July Flag Cake
This scrumptuous flag-themed dessert is actually a Cherries in the Snow recipe with a twist for the 4th of July. Fluffy Dream Whip mix is prepared with cream cheese and powdered sugar and spread over crumbled Angel Food cake for the base. Fresh fruit or pie filling can be used to design the flag topping.
Ingredients
- 1 prepared angel food cake, crumbled
- 2.6 oz. Dream Whip, 1 box
- 16 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1-½ cups powdered sugar
- 15 oz. cherry pie filling
- 1 cup blueberries, fresh
Instructions
- Place angel food cake in the bottom of a 9x13 pan (I usually only use about ⅔ of the cake because my pan is not deep).
- In a medium bowl, mix Dream Whip according to package directions, using both envelopes. Set aside.
- Combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy. Gently mix in prepared Dream Whip.
- Carefully spread cream cheese mixture over the cake, taking care not to mix crumbs in.
- Place blueberries in a square in the upper left corner of the cake.
- Spread cherry pie filling in stripes to resemble a flag.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
Notes
If you prefer, you can use fresh strawberries or strawberry pie filling in place of the cherry pie filling, or you could substitute blueberry pie filling for the fresh blueberries.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 294 calCarbohydrates: 41 gProtein: 4 gFat: 13 gSodium: 273 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 19 g
4th of July Flag Cake Permalink
🗓️ Day 1
- 5 Ingredient Asian Glazed Fish
- Couscous
- Green Peas
5 Ingredient Asian Glazed Fish
Asian Glazed Fish is a perfect recipe for flaky white fish like tilapia. This quick and easy recipe only calls for 5 ingredients including the fish and is perfect for grilling.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fish fillets such as tilapia
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 lemon, quartered
- non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
- Heat broiler or preheat grill.
- Spray cooking tray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix together mayonnaise, soy sauce, and ginger.
- Place fish on tray and spread with half of mixture.
- Cook 3-4 minutes, flip fish, and spread that side with remaining mixture.
- Cook until fish flakes easily.
- Serve with lemon quarters.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 207 calCarbohydrates: 1 gProtein: 23 gFat: 12 gSodium: 354 mgSugar: 1 g
5 Ingredient Asian Glazed Fish Permalink
🗓️ Day 2
- Carne Guisada (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
- Tortillas
Carne Guisada for the Instant Pot
Carne guisada, a flavorful Mexican beef stew, is quick and easy when made in the Instant Pot. Try it over rice or served with tortillas.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup water
- 3-4 lbs beef stew meat
- salt and pepper to taste
- 20 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chilies or plain diced tomatoes, reserve juices
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoon flour
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
Garnishes:
- fresh cilantro
- grated cheese
- pico de gallo
- sour cream
Instructions
- Put water in Instant Pot and add meat. Salt and pepper as desired.
- Drain juice from tomatoes with green chilies into a 2 cup measuring cup and place tomatoes with green chilies over meat. Add garlic, onion, and green pepper.
- Cook on manual pressure (high if you have the option) for 25 minutes. NPR for 15 minutes, then release pressure and open lid. Add spices and stir.
- Add enough water to the reserved juice from tomatoes with green chilies to make 1-½ cups liquid. Heat liquid in microwave or on stovetop.
- Add flour to liquid and mix well. Add flour mixture to cooked meat and stir to blend well. Cook on sauté mode for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, to thicken the sauce.
- Turn off Instant Pot to stop the hard boil, and let sit for 10 minutes. Turn back on to slow cooker mode to keep warm while serving.
- Garnish with cilantro, cheese, pico de gallo, sour cream, and serve with tortillas for dipping.
Video
Notes
- If you prefer mild vs. spicy food, substitute the canned tomatoes for the tomatoes with green chilies.
- Leftovers from Carne Guisada can be used to make beef enchiladas, Tex-Mex Beef Casserole, or burritos.
- These instructions are for making Carne Guisada in the Instant Pot; you can find the instructions for the slow cooker here.
- Nutrition data does not include garnishes.
- This recipe uses flour to thicken the gravy, but you could substitute a mixture of 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch with the room temperature reserved juices instead (do not heat the liquid when using cornstarch) to make it gluten-free. Serve with corn tortillas or rice instead of flour tortillas.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 217 calCarbohydrates: 6 gProtein: 31 gFat: 6 gSodium: 437 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 2 g
Carne Guisada for the Instant Pot Permalink
🗓️ Day 3
- Shortcut Spinach Calzones
- Green Salad
Shortcut Spinach Calzones
Using pre-made pizza dough makes these Shortcut Spinach Calzones quick and easy.
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- dash pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
- 2 tsp. milk
- spaghetti sauce for dipping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, mix together spinach, cream cheese, Parmesan, pepper, and salt.
- Unroll pizza dough and roll out on a floured surface until it is desired thickness, thin enough to make 8 - 5-inch squares.
- Cut dough into 8 5-inch squares and put about 2-3 tablespoon of spinach mixture on one side of each dough square.
- Fold dough over and pinch all sides together.
- Place each calzone on a baking sheet and lightly brush milk over top of each calzone.
- Bake for about 10 -15 minutes or until calzones are lightly browned. Serve with spaghetti sauce if desired (I served with vodka sauce and it was delicious).
Notes
Spaghetti sauce is not included in nutrition calculation.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 175 calCarbohydrates: 25 gProtein: 7 gFat: 6 gSodium: 528 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 3 g
Shortcut Spinach Calzones Permalink
🗓️ Day 4
- Cheddary Spirals with Broccoli
- Carrot Raisin Salad
Cheddary Spirals with Broccoli
This stovetop dish can be easily adapted to use what you have on hand; the basic recipe can be used in any number of unique combinations. Substitute any pasta for fusilli, any vegetable or vegetable mix for broccoli, add chicken, or experiment with various cheeses. Omit the lemon juice if your combination of vegetables and cheese doesn't work well with the citrus flavor, and adjust the cooking time of the pasta and vegetables as needed.
Ingredients
- 16 oz. fusilli pasta
- 4 cups frozen broccoli florets
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 3 Tbsp. flour
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth, divided
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, approx. the juice of ½ lemon
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Add pasta to a large stock pot of boiling water on the stove. Cook for 5 minutes. Add broccoli and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Drain in colander.
- While pasta and broccoli are draining, put the stock pot back on the heat and cook off any excess water in the pan. Add butter and melt but do not brown.
- Add flour and stir with a whisk over medium heat for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of broth and combine well with whisk until mixture starts to thicken. Add another cup of broth and whisk until smooth. Add remaining broth and cook and stir over medium heat until heated through and even consistency.
- Stir in garlic salt, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Add cheese a cup at a time, stirring to integrate into broth mixture.
- Heat and stir occasionally over medium heat for about 10 minutes as cheese melts. A whisk will help the mixture conform to an even consistency.
- Gently fold in pasta and broccoli until well coated in cheese sauce. Serve garnished with shredded cheddar cheese.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 461 calCarbohydrates: 51 gProtein: 20 gFat: 20 gSodium: 913 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 3 g
Cheddary Spirals with Broccoli Permalink
Carrot Raisin Salad
Carrot Raisin Salad is an easy and refreshing summer side dish.
Ingredients
- 3 C carrots, shredded
- ½ C raisins
- ½ C mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak carrots in warm water to cover for about 5 minutes to plump.
- While carrots are soaking, mix together remaining ingredients in a bowl.
- Drain carrots and combine carrots and mayonnaise mixture. Mix well and chill well before serving.
Notes
Plan ahead to give the salad time to chill.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 197 calCarbohydrates: 18 gProtein: 1 gFat: 14 gSodium: 554 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 5 g
Carrot Raisin Salad Permalink
🗓️ Day 5
- Cowboy Hotdogs
- Mediterranean Lentil Salad
Cowboy Hot Dogs
Grilled onions and cheddar cheese dress up hot dogs in this easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 6 beef franks
- 6 hot dog buns
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 Tbsp. oil
- Mayonnaise
- Deli style mustard
- BBQ Sauce
- Shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Grill or fry hot dogs. While hot dogs are cooking, sauté onion in oil over medium heat until browned.
- If desired, heat buns. Serve hot dogs with desired toppings.
Notes
Calories are based on one hot dog in a bun topped with 1 tsp. mayonnaise, ⅙ of the sautéed onion, and 1 Tbsp. shredded cheddar cheese.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 356 calCarbohydrates: 24 gProtein: 12 gFat: 24 gSodium: 753 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 4 g
Cowboy Hot Dogs Permalink
Mediterranean Salad
The citrus and garlic dressing lends the perfect flavor to lentil and carrots with artichokes. Serve it as a side, or add cooked chicken and make it a meal.
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 2 10.5 oz cans chicken broth
- water, as needed
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup almonds, sliced or slivered
- 4 oz. jar artichoke hearts, chopped
Dressing
- 1 cup olive oil
- salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1-½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the chicken broth to boiling. Add bay leaf and lentils. Cook for 20 minutes or until lentils are just tender, adding water if needed.
- In a medium bowl, combine carrots, almonds, and artichoke hearts. In a jar, combine all dressing ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
- When lentils are cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. Remove bay leaf and discard. Add lentils to other ingredients in the bowl and mix gently.
- Cover with dressing and mix well. Serve cold.
Notes
We love garlic so I used over half of a bulb in my dressing, but feel free to reduce that based on your preference—half a bulb is a lot of garlic!
I made this salad using what I had on hand; it's very flexible and can be adjusted to your needs.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 547 calCarbohydrates: 68 gProtein: 32 gFat: 18 gSodium: 1124 mgFiber: 32 gSugar: 6 g
Mediterranean Salad Permalink
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Note that any recipe scaling from the recipes above does not carry over to the starting point for the grocery list, so you will need to make those same serving adjustments below after you click the Shopping List button. To print the notes for each day, after clicking the Shopping List button, click Print Collection.
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