Aim for a balanced family breakfast of carbohydrates, protein and fat to help maintain blood sugar levels and delay hunger until it’s time for lunch or mid-morning snack.
for The Main Dish
6 boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds)
2 Tbsp light margarine, melted
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup dried bread crumbs, whole grain
1 tsp oregano leaves
1 tsp parsley flakes
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp black pepper
Preheat oven 400°F
Spray baking sheet.
Dip chicken: coat with combined remaining ingredients.
Bake 20-25 minutes
• option, use red pepper for added spice
Serves: 6
6 ounces whole wheat lasagna noodles
½ cup tomato sauce
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
1 cup mushroom, sliced
1 ½ cup low fat cottage cheese
2 eggs
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
3 ounces mozzarella cheese (part skim), shredded
Preheat oven 350°F
Cook pasta according to package directions, without adding salt or fat to cooking process and set aside.
Combine tomato sauce, onion, spinach and mushrooms.
In a separate bowl combine cottage cheese, eggs and 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese.
In 8 x 8 casserole dish combine half the pasta and layer the cottage cheese mixture and the mozzarella. Top with the tomato mixture and the rest of the pasta.
Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Serves: 4
1 Tbsp canola oil or olive oil
10 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
1 ½ Tbsp chili powder
1 ½ Tbsp cumin
2 cans diced tomatoes, no salt added
1 can black, kidney or red beans, no salt added, rinsed
1 small can minced green chilies
1 cup whole kernel corn, frozen
½ tsp cayenne pepper (add to taste)
In medium saucepan, sauté chicken in oil over medium heat until white.
Stir in chili powder and cumin to coat chicken.
Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; heat thoroughly.
Serves: 4
3 red bell peppers, sliced
2 yellow bell peppers, sliced
2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
1 cup baby carrots
¾ pound red potatoes, scrubbed, cut into chunks
5 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
2 Tbsp olive oil (canola or vegetable)
1 ½ pounds eye-of-round beef roast
¾ tsp dried thyme
Preheat oven 400°F
Place peppers, onions, carrots, potatoes and garlic on a large baking sheet.
Drizzle with half the oil, season with some salt and pepper, toss to coat.
Make 12 small slits in the top and sides of the roast.
Move vegetables to the side on the sheet and place the roast, coat with remaining oil.
Rub thyme, ½ tsp of pepper, 1 tsp coarse salts into roast.
Roast 40-50 minutes, tossing vegetables a few times.
Cook until meat thermometer reads 160°F. Let meat stand for about 10 minutes.
Serves: 4
2 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta (macaroni, penne)
2 6 ½ oz cans tuna, light, packed in water
½ cup zucchini, chopped
½ cup carrots, diced
1/3 cup celery, diced
1/3 cup radishes, sliced *
¼ cup plain non-fat yogurt or reduced-fat mayonnaise
black pepper
salt substitute
• optional
Cook pasta according to package directions.
Drain pasta and tuna.
Wash vegetables. Chop, slice and dice veggies.
Mix pasta, tuna, and vegetables together in a bowl.
Stir in yogurt.
Season to taste with pepper and salt substitute.
Chill until ready to serve.
Serve on whole-wheat bread or pitas.
Serves: 4
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cup onion, chopped
1 cup grapefruit juice, fresh and segments
4 6-ounce salmon steaks, boneless, skinless
Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until tender. Place salmon and grapefruit juice with segments in pan. Cover and simmer over low heat for 6-8 minutes or until fish is cooked to taste. Serve salmon with pan sauce, garnished with grapefruit segments.
Serve with steamed veggies.
Serves: 4
- YMCA of the USA Family Family
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1 tsp olive or canola oil
1 cup onion, chopped
½ cup green peppers, diced
1 cup zucchini (squash), chopped
½ cup carrots, shredded
4 cloves garlic
1 ½ pounds extra-lean ground beef or ground turkey
¾ cup old-fashioned oats
2 egg whites
1 cup tomato sauce
½ tsp black pepper
Preheat oven 375°F
Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat; add garlic, onion, green peppers and squash; cook 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl and let cool 5 minutes.
Add beef (turkey), oats, egg whites, ½ cup tomato sauce and pepper. Mix well.
Make into 6 small loaves.
Place on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil.
Spoon rest of tomato sauce over loaves.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until internal temperature reads 160°F.
Serves: 6
1 pound turkey or chicken, ground
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ cup mozzarella cheese, part-skim
¾ cup green bell pepper, diced
½ cup, spinach
Preheat oven 350°F
Coat a 9-inch cake pan with non-stick spray.
Press turkey into pan and bake for 18-20 minutes, until it is no longer pink.
Top baked turkey meat with sauce, vegetables and cheese.
Bake until cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes.
Options: add sliced tomatoes, add broccoli or diced onions
Serves: 4
1 eggplant, 3 inches in diameter, peeled and cut into 4 half-inch thick slices
4 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup pasta sauce
1/2 cup (2 1/2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
4 ounces Canadian bacon*
• optional
Preheat oven 425°F
Brush both sides of the eggplant with the oil and season with the salt and pepper.
Arrange on a baking sheet and bake until browned and almost tender, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once.
Spread 1 tablespoon of pasta sauce on each eggplant slice. Top, if desired, with the Canadian bacon (optional) and shredded cheese.
Bake until the cheese melts, 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve hot.
Serves: 4
- Castaneda Family
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1 onion, diced
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced
2-3 roma tomatoes*
1 clove, garlic, diced
½ cup water
16 ounce bag of whole-wheat pasta
Parmesan cheese
• if not in season, used diced canned tomatoes
Prepare pasta according to package.
Sauté onion in the oil, about 10 minutes.
Add squash, tomatoes and garlic and season to taste with black pepper.
Add water, cover and let simmer, about 12-15 minutes.
Be careful not to overcook squash.
Serve immediately over warm pasta, sprinkled with parmesan cheese.
Serves: 4
Oatmeal pancakes
1 cup oatmeal (5 min. Quaker Oats)
½ cup cottage cheese
6 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
Cinnamon to taste
Blend all of the ingredients above, adding up to ¼ cup of water to keep the consistency like pancake batter. Pour batter on a griddle (use olive oil or canola oil instead of butter) and brown both sides.
Serve with fruit or unsweetened applesauce or small amounts of natural peanut butter and pure maple syrup.
Serves: 3-4
- Martin Family, Easley, SC
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1 pound fish fillets (cod, sea bass, tilapia), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 can diced tomatoes with chilies
3 Tbsp black olives, pitted and sliced
• Ground black pepper
• optional
Pre heat oven 400°F
Coat baking dish with non-stick spray or line with aluminum foil.
Arrange fish in pan, season with pepper, if desired.
Combine tomatoes and olives and spoon over fish.
Bake 20 minutes or until fish flakes apart when tested with a fork.
Alternatives:
Add garlic 1 tsp
Diced Italian-style tomatoes
Serves: 4
1 pound perch fillets, fresh or frozen
1 ½ cup tomato sauce
½ cup sweet onions, diced
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano, dried
Dash cumin
Preheat oven 350°F
Thaw fish according to package.
Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil, separate fish into four pieces.
Mix tomato sauce, onions, chili powder, oregano and cumin together and pour over fish.
Bake until fish flakes easily when touch with a fork, about 12-20 minutes.
Serves: 4
1 can white beans (navy or cannelloni), drained, rinsed
1 can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (7 oz.) water packed tuna, drained
2 carrots, medium sized, peeled, shredded
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
12 whole black olives, pitted
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard*
Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste
4 cups washed and dried romaine
• optional
In a bowl combine beans, tuna, carrots, red pepper, celery and olives.
Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper (and mustard if using). Pour over salad and lightly toss.
Serve over a bed of romaine.
Serves: 4
4 pork loin chops (about 3 pounds)
4 cloves garlic, diced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt (optional)*
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground red pepper
1 tsp ground black pepper
Preheat oven 350°F
Trim away visible fat from pork chops (place in the freezer briefly to allow easier trimming of fat).
Combine garlic, cumin, salt*, coriander, red and black pepper.
Spread the mixture thickly on both sides of chops and cover.
Refrigerate (marinate) for 2-8 hours.
Place chops on broiler rack and broil for 8-12 minutes per side or until the chops are browned and crusty.
Serves: 4
Veggies and Beans in a Blanket
2 tsp oil (olive, canola)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can pinto beans, rinsed
1 of each red and green bell pepper, chopped
2 zucchini, sliced thinly
2 green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
8 whole wheat tortillas
1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Combine yogurt and cilantro, set aside.
Heat oil in a nonstick frying pan. Add garlic, beans, peppers, zucchini and cook until tender.
Add green onions and vinegar and cook for 1 minute.
Heat tortillas until soft (pan or microwave).
Spread cilantro yogurt on tortilla and add a scoop of bean mixture. Fold in both sides and the bottom of the tortilla up and over the filling, and then roll to close.
Serves: 4
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
6 whole grain crackers, crumbled
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
¾ cup spaghetti sauce, divided
12 part-skim cheddar cheese cubes
Preheat the oven to 400°F
Mix meat, cracker crumbs, parmesan, and 1/2 cup of the spaghetti sauce in a bowl. Shape into 12 meatballs.
Place 2 inches apart in a shallow greased pan. Press 1 cheese cube deeply into the center of each meatball.
Bake 14 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
Heat up remaining spaghetti sauce and serve as "lava".
Serves: 4
- YMCA of the USA Family
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2 carrots, peeled, chopped
4 small cloves garlic
¼ cup olive oil
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
1 cup salsa
1 cup prepared spaghetti sauce
2 Tbsp basil, chopped
Freshly ground pepper
1 pound bowtie pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Combine garlic and carrots, chop well.
Heat oil in large skilled, add carrots and garlic.
Lower heat, simmer until carrots soften.
Add chicken; cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add salsa and spaghetti sauce to chicken.
Cover and simmer on low heat 5 minutes.
Add basil and pepper to taste.
Pour over pasta.
Serves: 6
