Here's one...the leaner the ground beef the fewer calories..but I guess that's obvious.
Cabbage Rolls from
Sara Rosen

Separate cabbage leaves by putting head of cabbage in a large pot of boining water and lettint ti sit for 20 minutes or so.
Separate out individual leaves and fill with the following:
Mix together....
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup beef broth....or water
1/4 cup uncooked long grain rice.
2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
Pepper to taste
Mix together and place about 1 1/2 Tablespoons full in each cabbage leaf, roll up and fasten with a tooth pick.
Meanwhile....shred the rest of the cabbage, an onion, a couple stalke of celery finly sliced and a carrot chopped fine, and a 1 pound 12 0oz can of whole tomatoes.
Place cabbage rolls in a Dutch oven alternatly with a mixture of the veggies in layers.
Add water to almost cover the cabbage rolls and between 1/2 and 3/4 cups brown sugar, juice of a lemon and a crushed clove of garlic.
Cover the rolls and sauce with a couple of whole cabbage leaves and top with a drizzle of catsup over all.
And bake in a 250 degree oven for 4 hours......check often to see that it doesn't cook dry.

Here's another....make this with turkey for less fat...good on a bun or with cooked brown rice.
Danne's BBQ'd pork
( works well with turkey too)
One Large onion,. chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
green pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups broth
2 cloves garlic, mashed ( I like more)
1 T salt ( or to taste)
1 small bottle catsup ( or a bottle chili sauce)
2 T brown sugar
2 T vinegar
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp tobasco 1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp paprika.
Cook about a 5 pound pork roast, covered with some water until very tender. Cool and cut up, Simmer for about 3 hours with the sauce ingredients. Serve on a bun.

This is from Sharon CB..and can be cooked frozen and reheated in the micro.
Fresh Salmon Cakes
2 cloves garlic; minced
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 dashes Tabasco (or 1 teaspoon Old Bay)
1 egg yolk (or egg white)
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons real mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (less if table salt)
fresh ground pepper to taste
2/3 cup coarse white bread crumbs
1 pound fresh salmon
1/2 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil
In a small bowl, combine garlic, onion, Tabasco, egg, parsley, mayonnaise, salt and pepper; set aside. Remove skin and bones from salmon and cut into small cubes (about 1/2-inch); place in a medium bowl and gently stir in bread crumbs. Gently fold egg mixture into salmon and bread and refrigerate at least 2 hours before shaping into 4 patties.
Carefully coat the outside of each patty with Panko crumbs. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot and add salmon cakes. Fry the cakes until brown, about 4 minutes on each side turning only once. Serve with lemon wedges or your favorite tarter sauce.
*May substitute cracker crumbs or bread crumbs for the Panko.

And this, chill and remove fat before freezing.
Gypsy Stew..Pink Adobe, Santa Fe
1 large frying chicken cut into pieces
3 yellow onions peeled and quartered
8 cloves garlic, peeled and halved ( I chop!)
2 cups dry sherry
1 cup chicken stock
12 medium hot chilis like poblano, roasted, peeled and seeded (or use canned)
6 large ripe tomatoesÂAgain I use whole canned plum tomatoesÂ.cut in 4thsÂpull apart using 2 forks)
Salt to taste and ½ pound grated jack cheese
Put chicken, onions, garlic 1 cup of sherry and the broth in a large heave kettle ( add more broth to cover if neededÂ..simmer one hourÂ.cool somewhat and remove skin and bonesÂ.I also cool the pan juices somewhat and skim the fat..
Put chicken tomatoes, chilis and rest of the sherry back in the pot and simmer about 45 minutes.
To serveÂplace cheese cubes in the bottom of bowl and ladle hot soup over the top.
Good made ahead and reheated.

Linda C

How about a chili, that always freezes and you can make it mild or spicy depending on what they can eat.
1 1/2 lbs extra-lean ground beef or you can substitute chicken or turkey.
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup each diced celery, diced green bell pepper, and diced red onion.
1 1/2 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp each ground cumin and dried oregano
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 can 19 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can 14 oz tomato sauce
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup chopped celery leaves
1 tbsp hickory-flavored BBQ sauced
1 can 19 oz red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can 14 oz white beans
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp liquid honey
Cook been and garlic in a large, deep, non-stick skillet or pot over med-high heat until beef is no longer pink. Stir in celery, green pepper, and red onions. Cook and stir for 3 mins. or until vegetables begin to soften.
Stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and black, tomato sauce, beef broth, celery leaves, and BBQ sauce. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 mins., stirring occasionally.
Add beans and simmer, covered for 10 mins more. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro, lime juice and hone Serve hot. May cool and freeze.

How about casseroles that can be made ahead and frozen. Spaghetti sauce and then all they need to do is the pasta and a salad. Or precook the pasta and freeze it too!!

Linda

Grilled boneless - skinless chicken breasts. Sliced they can be served as fajitas, on salad greens, on a roll or tortilla shell.
I also freeze grilled shrimp, onions & green peppers to serve as a fajita meal.
Taco meat - prepared.
Chili freezes great.
Freezing meals is my gift to myself - I think a very great gift to your Mom!

Burritos with any number of fillings including breakfast!
Use the lower fat and/or whole wheat tortillas.

Spanish Rice
Cioppino (Fisherman's Stew)

Breakfast things:
Waffles and pancakes can be frozen
I make "McMuffins" all the time with ham or turkey, cheese and egg. You could omit the cheese or use a low-fat variety.

And a whole different direction for birthday gift....
Plan an 'event' rather than buy gifts.
Gather family, friends, etc and surprise her!!

I hired a local Glider School last year when my mom turned 65 and she got to go up in a Glider (her wish). Then we all went out for pizza!

When she turned 60, she skydived and my brother arranged that for her!

Not for everyone, obviously, but what about tickets to a concert, opera, museum or something she's interested in? A day at a spa? A family photo in a beautiful frame?

Good luck!
Deanna

I was going to suggest chili and spaghetti sauce. Both seem to freeze well. How about stew, and an already-cooked roast beef? My parents freeze those in small quantities quite often, putting them into their RV freezer. They have a standing joke - when they're on an RV trip and stop for the night someplace, they eat whatever falls out of the freezer when they open the freezer door. (We tease them back that it better be something more nutritious than frozen apple or orange juice concentrate!)

DonnaR/CA

Linda -- you must have been reading my mind. I was thinking about cabbage rolls and wondering how well they would freeze. It's one of my mom's favorite dishes!

Thanks everyone for some great suggestions - and I love the recipes.