NOTE ON PORTION SIZES and NUTRITIONAL CONTENT OF MEALS
The nutritional information given after each menu is approximate and is based on one serving of each of the menu items listed (excluding any suggested wine).  Our goal is to develop menus and recipes that meet the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III and American Heart Association guidelines.  Also our menus provide servings from all of the My Pyramid (www.mypyramid.gov) food groups to assist in providing balanced meals.  Each recipe will indicate the number of servings it provides.  Other menu items are based on normal portion sizes (i.e.: 1/2 c. vegetable or fruit; 1 piece of fresh fruit; 1 c. salad; 2 T. salad dressing; 1 roll or slice of bread; 1/2 c. rice or potatoes; 1 c. milk or soup; 3-4 oz. meat).  You can also refer to the nutritional facts panel on packaged foods which provide the portion size and number of servings per package.  Please visit www.mypyramid.gov to select an individualized meal plan that meets your daily needs.

Meijer is now using NuVal!  The NuVal system is an easy-to-use, science based food nutrition scoring system that helps you to quickly see the nutritional value of foods you're buying.  It provides one simple score, from 1 to 100.  The higher nutritional value, the higher the NuVal score.  For more information go to www.nuval.com for more scores and category ranges.

Look for NuVal scores in this week's mealbox menus!

Sunday
Quick Taco Salad (See recipe section)

Serve with:
California Plums - NuVal score 99

• 550 calories
• 41g carbohydrate
• 25g fat
• 7g fiber

Meatless Monday
Cabbage Chowder Soup (See recipe section)

Serve with:
Italian Bread
Washington Apricots- NuVal score 100

• 414 calories
• 41g carbohydrate
• 10g fat
• 3g fiber

Tuesday
Stuffed Zucchini (See recipe section)

Serve with:
Fresh Grapes -NuVal score 91
Meijer Fat Free Milk - NuVal score 91

• 449 calories
• 33g carbohydrate
• 18g fat
• 2g fiber

Wednesday
Broiled Chuck Steak

Serve with:
Grilled Homegrown Bi-Color Sweet Corn -NuVal score 91
Homegrown Sliced Cucumbers with Yoplait Fat Free Plain Yogurt
Fruit Frenzy

• 480 calories
• 47g carbohydrate
• 17g fat
• 7 g fiber

Thursday
John Morrell Beef Franks

Serve with:
Aunt Millie's Whole Grain Hot Dog Bun
Earthbound Farm Organic Salad
Marzetti Salad Dressing
Angel Food Cake topped with Sliced Strawberries

• 408 calories
• 53g carbohydrate
• 18g fat
• 4g fiber

Friday
Grilled Shrimp (Mix 1lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, 2 cloves garlic, minced and 2 T. minced fresh thyme in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.  Coat a grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat or preheat the grill to medium-high and oil the grill rack. Cook the shrimp until pink and firm, about 2 minutes per side.)

Serve with:
Uncle Ben's Ready Long Grain & Wild Rice
Birdseye Steamfresh Broccoli Florets
Homegrown Honeyrock Melon Chunks - NuVal score 93
Dean's Ice Cream

• 413 calories
• 61g carbohydrate
• 16g fat
• 7g fiber

Saturday
Grilled Eye of Round Beef (Place 2 Certified Angus Beef Eye of Round steaks on grill, uncovered, 19-23 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees) doneness, turning occasionally.  Carve steaks into thin slices.  Season with salt and pepper.)

Serve with:
Bush's Baked Beans
Corn & Radish Salad (Steam or grill Homegrown Bi-color corn until barely tender.  Cool, then cut kernels from cobs.  In a large bowl, mix corn and 5-8 Homegrown thinly sliced radishes, 1 t. grated fresh ginger, 2 T. chopped fresh cilantro, 3 green onions, thinly sliced, 3 T. fresh lime juice, 1 T. Meijer olive oil and 1/2 t. salt; toss gently.)
Fresh Blueberries - NuVal score 100

• 478 calories
• 68g carbohydrate
• 8g fat
• 10g fiber

SHOPPING LIST

Grocery

• Meijer Olive Oil
• Bush's Baked Beans
• Taco Bell Home Original Taco Seasoning Mix
• Kraft Light Ranch Dressing
• Uncle Ben's Ready Long Grain & Wild Rice
• Tortilla Chips
• Campbell's Cream of Celery Soup

Dairy

• Meijer Fat Free Milk
• Yoplait Fat Free Plain Yogurt
• Kraft 2% Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Smart Balance Margarine
• Kraft Natural Shredded Mexican Four Cheese

Deli/Bakery

• Italian Bread
• Aunt Millie's Whole Grain Hot Dog Bun
• Angel Food Cake

Frozen

• Birds Eye Steamfresh Broccoli Florets
• Dean's Ice Cream
• MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage Crumbles

Meat

• Choice Chuck Steak
• Certified Angus Beef Eye of Round
• John Morrell Beef Franks
• 1 lb. Meijer Shrimp
• 1 lb. Ground Chuck Beef
• 3/4 lb. 90% Lean Ground Beef

Produce

• Homegrown Honeyrock Melon Chunks
• California Plums
• Grapes
• Washington Apricots
• Homegrown Bi-Color Sweet Corn
• Homegrown Cucumbers
• Fruit Frenzy
• Earthbound Organic Salad
• Marzetti's Salad Dressing
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Fresh Thyme
• Gingerroot
• Cilantro
• Green Onions
• Homegrown Radishes
• Limes
• Onion
• Romaine Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Homegrown Cabbage
• Homegrown Zucchini
• Mushrooms
• Red Bell Pepper
• Green Bell Pepper

Pantry Items:

• Garlic
• Caraway Seeds

Recipes

Quick Taco Salad - Serves 4

1 lb. ground chuck beef
1 onion, chopped
1 pkt. (1 1/4 oz.) Taco Bell home original taco seasoning mix
1/4 cup water
10 cups torn romaine lettuce (about 1 large head)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Kraft 2% milk shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups tortilla chips, coarsely crushed
1/4 cup Kraft light ranch dressing

Brown meat with onions in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat; drain.  Add seasoning mix and water; mix well.  Bring to boil.  Simmer on medium-low heat 3 minutes.  Divide lettuce among 4 plates.  Top evenly with meat mixture, tomatoes, cheese and crushed chips.  Drizzle with dressing.

Recipe adapted from www.kraftfoods.com

Calories: 490
Total fat: 25 g
Cholesterol: 100 mg
Sodium: 1040 mg
Carbohydrate: 26 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 32 g

Cabbage Chowder Soup - Serves 6-8

2 cups diagonally sliced carrots
2 tbsp. margarine
1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
2 cans (10 3/4 oz each) Campbell's condensed cream of celery soup,undiluted
1 1/3 cup water
3 cups shredded Homegrown cabbage
12 oz. MorningStar Farms Veggie Sausage Crumbles

In a large kettle, combine the carrots, margarine and caraway seeds; cook over low heat until the carrots are just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Add soup, water, milk, cabbage and sausage crumbles.  Bring to boil; reduce heat and cook until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes.

Recipe adapted from www.tasteofhome.com

Calories: 282
Total fat: 10 g
Cholesterol: 54 mg
Sodium: 988 mg
Carbohydrate: 11 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 11 g

Stuffed Zucchini - Serves 4

2 medium Homegrown zucchini (about 8-inches)
3/4 lb. 90% Meijer lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup large fresh mushrooms, quartered
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup Kraft Natural shredded Mexican four cheese, divided
salt and pepper to taste

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a 1/2 inch shell.  Finely chop pulp.  In a skillet, cook beef, zucchini pulp, onion, mushrooms and peppers over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Remove from the heat.  Add 1/2 cup cheese, salt and pepper; mix well.  Spoon into the zucchini shells.  Place in greased 11x8 inch baking dish.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

Recipe adapted from www.tasteofhome.com

Calories: 309
Total fat: 18g
Cholesterol: 90 mg
Sodium: 563 mg
Carbohydrate: 6g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 30 g

Please consult your physician or healthcare provider with any health-related concerns, including changing your diet or starting an exercise routine.  Information found at Meijer.com should never replace your doctor's advice or care.