Skinnytaste Meal Plan (January 29-February 4)

posted January 27, 2018 by Gina

A free 7-day flexible meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Freestyle Smart Points.

Hope everyone is enjoying these meal plans! I’ve been incorporating more meal prep dishes into the meal plan, meals you can make on the weekend so they are ready for the week. If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing free, 7-day flexible meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc. You should aim for around 1500 calories* a day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them!

MONDAY (1/29)
B: Sausage, Cheese and Veggie Egg Bake (4)
L: Cobb Salad in a Jar with Buttermilk Ranch (5)
D: Cream of Zucchini Soup (1) with 2 Easy Garlic Knots (4)
Totals: Freestyle Points 14, Calories 832*

TUESDAY (1/30)
B: Sausage, Cheese and Veggie Egg Bake (4)
L: Cobb Salad in a Jar with Buttermilk Ranch (5)
D: Instant Pot Pork Carnitas (3) with 2 corn tortillas (3) and 1 ounce avocado (1)

Totals: Freestyle Points 16, Calories 919*

WEDNESDAY (1/31)
B: Sausage, Cheese and Veggie Egg Bake (4)
L: LEFTOVER Instant Pot Pork Carnitas (3) with 2 corn tortillas (3) and 1 ounce avocado (1)
D: Skillet Chicken Cordon Bleu (5) with Roasted Asparagus (0)
Totals: Freestyle Points 16, Calories 832*

THURSDAY (2/1)
B: Sausage, Cheese and Veggie Egg Bake (4)
L: LEFTOVER Instant Pot Pork Carnitas (3) with 2 corn tortillas (3) and 1 ounce avocado (1)
D: Crock Pot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili (0) with 1 tablespoon light sour cream (1) and 1 ounce (about 18) baked tortilla chips (3)
Totals: Freestyle Points 15, Calories 957*

FRIDAY (2/2)
B: 6 ounces nonfat Greek yogurt (0) with ½ cup blueberries (0) and 1 teaspoon honey (1)
L: LEFTOVER Instant Pot Pork Carnitas (3) with 2 corn tortillas (3) and 1 ounce avocado (1)
D: Shrimp Cakes (7) with Quick Cabbage Slaw (2)
Totals: Freestyle Points 17, Calories 836*

SATURDAY (2/3)
B: Easy Bagel (3) with 2 tablespoons light cream cheese (3) and an orange (0)
L: LEFTOVER Crock Pot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili (0) with 1 tablespoon light sour cream (1)
D: Dinner Out!
Totals: Freestyle Points 7, Calories 563*

SUNDAY (2/4)
B: Easy Bagel (3) with 2 strips bacon (2), 1 egg (0) and an orange (0)
L: Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms (7)
D: Cheese Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf (7) with Creamy Cauliflower Puree (1)
Totals: Freestyle Points 20, Calories 955*

*This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.

Shopping List

Produce

7 ounces shiitake (or cremini) mushrooms
3 medium zucchini
1 pound fresh asparagus
½ small head (about 5 cups chopped) white cabbage
8 oranges
4 medium portobello mushrooms (with no cracks)
1 medium head cauliflower
1 large and 1 small shallot
1 small head broccoli florets
1 dry pint grape tomatoes
1 large head romaine lettuce (or 4 cups chopped)
1 small bunch scallions
2 large heads garlic
1 large red bell pepper
1 small red onion
1 small green bell pepper
2 medium lemons
1 medium (5-ounce) and 1 small (4-ounce) Hass avocado
1 small and 1 medium yellow onion
1 small bunch fresh Italian parsley
1 (6-ounce) container fresh blueberries
1 small bunch celery
1 small bunch or bag baby spinach

Meat, Poultry and Fish

6 ounces sirloin steak
2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
2 pounds 99% lean ground turkey (or buy 2 more pounds 93% lean)
7 ounces (2 links) sweet Italian chicken sausage
1 (12-ounce) package center-cut bacon
2 1/2 pounds trimmed, boneless pork shoulder blade roast
3 ounces (4 thin slices) low sodium deli ham (I like Boar’s Head)
1 pound raw, peeled, deveined, tail-off jumbo shrimp
4 ounces cooked chicken breast (or buy 1 [5-ounce] raw breast)
1 pound (4) thin boneless, skinless chicken cutlets

Grains

1 (2-pound) bag all purpose, white whole wheat or gluten free flour
1 (6.5-ounce) bag baked tortilla chips (or use corn tortillas to make your own)
1 container whole wheat (or gluten-free) plain panko breadcrumbs
1 container Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 large bag corn tortillas

Condiments and Spices

Extra virgin olive oil
Cooking spray
Olive oil spray (or get a Misto oil mister)
Kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
Pepper grinder (or fresh peppercorns)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Dried parsley
Dried basil
Cumin
Sazon*
Dried oregano
Adobo seasoning (I like Goya)
Bay leaves
Dijon mustard
Chili powder
Honey
Light mayonnaise
Hot sauce (optional)
Apple cider vinegar
Old Bay seasoning
Bagel toppings of your choice (everything bagel seasoning, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried garlic flakes, dried onion flakes [optional])
Dried marjoram
Ketchup
Brown sugar
Worcestershire sauce

Dairy & Misc. Refrigerated Items

1 (8-ounce) bag shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
2 dozen eggs
1 quart nonfat plain Greek yogurt (I like Fage)
1 wedge fresh Parmesan cheese
1 (8-ounce) bag reduced fat cheddar cheese (I like Sargento)
3 ounces shredded mild provolone cheese (or cheese of your choice)
1 (8-ounce) container light sour cream
1 (1/2 pound) box butter
1 container whipped butter (or sub 2 tsp regular butter [for Cauliflower Puree])
1 (8-ounce) box light cream cheese
1 pint 1% buttermilk
1 pint nonfat (skim) milk
1 small wedge gorgonzola or bleu cheese (or sub 1 Tbsp of another cheese [for Cobb Salad])
4 slices (3 ounces total) light Swiss Cheese, such as Alpine Lace

Canned and Jarred

1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers
2 (32-ounce) boxes reduced (or low) sodium (or vegetable) chicken broth
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chilies
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
2 (15-ounce) cans white Great Northern or navy beans
1 (7-ounce) can chipotle chilis in adobo sauce

Misc. Dry Goods

posted January 27, 2018 by Gina

These Vietnamese Sticky Chicken Skewers balance all the flavors—sweet, salty, sour, and savory! Great as a party appetizer or fun weeknight meal.

Photography Credit: Sally Vargas

There’s a lot to love here with these sweet, sour, spicy nuggets of chicken on a skewer — barbecued when the weather cooperates, or broiled in the oven when it does not.

They’re real crowd-pleasers (watch out, Super Bowl food competitors, this one’s in the running!), but they’re so good that you’ll want to put them on the menu every week!

Vietnamese cooking, like many Southeast Asian cuisines, is all about balance. These skewers have palm sugar for sweetness and fish sauce for salt and umami (don’t worry, the fish sauce really does blend in with the rest of the flavors).

Chili sauce and ginger bring some heat, bright acidity comes from rice wine vinegar, and then it’s all topped off with some pungent cilantro. Fresh mint or Thai basil are also good.

There’s more than enough here to excite your palate and make you reach for just one more skewer.

Vietnamese Sticky Chicken threaded onto skewers

Roadside stands all over Vietnam sell grilled meats and fish, and they always, always serve them with rice — either in the form of rice noodles or cooked rice. I suggest you do the same!

If I’m making this for a weeknight dinner, I like to remove the meat from the skewers and serve it on top of a bed of rice noodles that I’ve tossed with a little rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. A crunchy salad served alongside completes the meal.

You can do the same for a party, or just serve them left on the skewer.

Really, you can serve these any way you like—the only thing that matters is that you make them!

Tips for Success!

Look for specialized ingredients such as rice wine vinegar and fish sauce at Asian groceries or large urban markets. If you have trouble finding palm sugar, then brown sugar is a fine substitute.
Chicken thighs are practically impossible to overcook, so they stand up nicely to the intense heat of the grill or in the oven. I don’t recommend substituting chicken breasts for this recipe.
If you use bamboo skewers, they need to be soaked first. That said, I find they almost always scorch a little. You can also use metal skewers if you prefer.

Vietnamese-Style Sticky Chicken Skewers Recipe

Double or triple this recipe as needed if making skewers for a larger crowd.

Grilling Instructions: Light a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken 4 to 6 minutes on a side, or until cooked through (an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken should register 165 degrees F).

Ingredients

1/2 cup palm sugar (or substitute brown sugar)
1/2 cup unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/3 to 1/2 cup chili sauce, like Sriracha, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
Vegetable oil (for the baking sheet)
Leaves from 1/4 bunch cilantro, for garnish
2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish
Cooked rice or rice noodles, for serving

Special equipment:

Method

1 Soak the skewers: If using bamboo skewers, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes.

2 Marinate the chicken: In a bowl, stir together the sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, chili sauce, garlic, and ginger. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 10 minutes at room temperature but no more than 30—otherwise the flavors become too pungent.

Vietnamese Sticky Chicken Skewers

3 Heat the broiler: Set an oven rack 4 inches from the broiler element and turn on the broiler to high.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lightly oil or spray it with vegetable oil. (This is important—the marinade tends to burn on the pan, but not on the chicken, and you will save yourself from a tedious cleaning job.)

4 Thread the chicken on the skewers: Place 3 to 5 pieces of chicken on each skewer, depending on whether you're using small or large skewers. Don't crowd the chicken pieces too close together; they will brown better if there's a little bit of space in between each piece.

Transfer the skewers to the baking sheet. Pour the excess marinade into a small skillet.

5 Cook the excess marinade: In a small skillet over medium heat, bring the excess marinade to a boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Brush the chicken all over with the reduced marinade.

Vietnamese Sticky Chicken Skewers

6 Broil the chicken skewers: Broil for 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned on top. With tongs, turn skewers over and brush with more marinade.

Broil for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned on the other side and cooked all the way through. Exact time will depend on the heat of your particular broiler; when done, the chicken should no longer be pink in the middle.

7 Serve the skewers: Transfer the skewers to a platter, or remove the chicken from the skewers and serve the pieces on a platter without the skewers, whichever you prefer. Sprinkle with cilantro and scallions and serve with rice or rice noodles.

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