Each day of the week offers a menu aimed at a different aspect of meal planning. There's a family meal, a kids' menu aimed at younger tastes, a heat-and-eat meal that recycles leftovers, a budget meal that employs a cost-cutting strategy, a meatless or less- meat dish for people who may not be strict
vegetarians but are trying to cut down on meat, an express meal that requires little or no preparation, and an entertaining menu that's quick.
Sunday/Family
Spiral-Cut Ham With Peach-Mustard Glaze will please the family (see recipe). Accompany the ham with your own scalloped potatoes. Green peas provide color and flavor. Don't forget bread. Mrs. Smith's makes a good apple pie for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save leftover ham for Monday and Tuesday; save some pie and prepare 1 extra cup peas for Monday.
Monday/Budget
Macaroni, Ham and Vegetable Salad (see recipe) is a light meal and light on the pocketbook. Canned tomato-basil soup is easy and quick. Add crackers. Warm yesterday's apple pie for dessert. Dinner is ready!
Plan ahead: Save half the salad for Tuesday.
Tip: Use leftover cooked green peas in salad.
Tuesday/Salad and Sandwich
Tonight's macaroni salad on a bed of red-tip lettuce is easy, because you prepared the salad yesterday. Make grilled cheese sandwiches on dense, sun-dried-tomato or whole-wheat bread to accompany the salad. For the sandwiches, use reduced-fat shredded sharp Cheddar cheese and a little Dijon mustard for a flavor boost. For dessert, serve fat-free butterscotch pudding with light whipped cream.
Tip: For the sandwiches, use cooking spray to coat the bread instead of butter or margarine; you'll cut fat and calories.
Wednesday/Kids
Any kid would like Burger Tortillas (see recipe). Serve with oven-fried potatoes and carrot-raisin salad. Oreos and sliced pears complete the meal.
Tip: To warm tortillas, wrap them in damp white paper towels and heat in microwave on high (100 percent power) 20 seconds.
Thursday/Express
We liked Carolina Turkey's Turkey Mignons. The bacon-wrapped turkey breast entrees are packed two per package for $4.99 (look for coupons) and weigh about 6 ounces each. They are good grilled or broiled. They even have a pop-up timer that activates when the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. (Note: If you can't find Turkey Mignons, pick up your favorite cooked turkey breast fillets or cutlets.) Serve with red potato salad and fresh broccoli salad from the deli. Add sourdough rolls.
Friday/Meatless
Because I'm corny myself, Corny Pizza appeals to me (see recipe). Serve with a mixed green salad. For dessert, angel food cake with fresh berries and a little light whipped cream is just right on a warm summer night. Pure corn, eh?
Saturday/Entertaining
You will have time to enjoy your guests when you serve Roasted Vegetables With Polenta (see recipe). Serve with a bibb lettuce salad and light vinaigrette and crusty bread. Haagen-Dazs Tropical Passion Fruit or other fruit sorbet is a refreshing finish.
Shopping List
What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)
Sunday
spiral-cut, fully cooked ham
peach jelly or preserves
Dijon mustard
lemon
ground cloves
peach slices for
garnish
prepared scalloped potatoes or ingredients
fresh or frozen green peas
bread
apple pie
Monday
macaroni
low-fat sour cream
reduced-fat mayonnaise
fresh parsley
sweet pickle relish
spicy brown mustard
ground pepper
scallions
reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
fresh carrots
green bell pepper
celery
canned tomato-basil soup
crackers
Tuesday
red-tip lettuce
sun-dried-tomato or whole-wheat bread
reduced-fat shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
cooking spray
Dijon mustard
fat-free butterscotch pudding
light whipped cream
Wednesday
lean ground beef
ground turkey
reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese
package of 10- to
12-inch flour tortillas
white paper towels
salsa
dark-green lettuce
frozen or fresh
potatoes
carrot-raisin salad
Oreos
fresh or canned pears
Thursday
Carolina Turkey's Turkey Mignons, or baked turkey breast
fillets or cutlets
red potato salad
fresh broccoli salad
sourdough rolls
Friday
prebaked pizza crust
pizza sauce
reduced-fat shredded Mexican-blend cheese
canned whole-kernel corn
canned black or pinto beans
onions
green chilies
black olives
mixed greens
angel food cake
fresh berries
light whipped cream
Saturday
zucchini squash
red and green bell
peppers
fresh tomato
celery
garlic
dried thyme
black pepper
olive oil
onions
cooking spray
salt
cornmeal
margarine or butter
Parmesan cheese
bibb lettuce
light vinaigrette
crusty bread
Haagen-Dazs or other fruit sorbet
Spiral-Cut Ham (Sunday)
Makes 25 to 33 (3-ounce) servings
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: about an hour
THE HAM:
7- to 9-pound spiral-cut, fully-cooked, bone-in ham
THE GLAZE:
1/2 cup peach jelly or preserves
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
peach slices for garnish
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place ham, cut side down, in a roasting pan and bake about 8 minutes per pound. Meanwhile, in small bowl, melt the jelly or preserves, covered, in the microwave. Stir in the mustard, lemon juice and cloves. Remove ham from oven. Increase the temperature to 450 degrees. Brush the ham with glaze. Return ham to oven 6 to 7 minutes; remove and let stand 10 minutes. Place the ham on its side and spread slices like a fan. Garnish with peach slices.
Per serving: 151 calories, 20 grams protein, 5 grams fat (32 percent calories from fat), 1.7 grams saturated fat, 5 grams carbohydrate, 47 milligrams cholesterol, 1,393 milligrams sodium, 0 grams fiber.
Macaroni, Ham and Vegetable Salad (Monday)
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: See macaroni box
8 ounces elbow macaroni
2/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons each: chopped parsley and sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
1 cup each: sliced scallions and green peas
1/2 cup reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup each: fresh diced carrots, green bell pepper and sliced celery
1 cup diced ham
Cook macaroni according to directions. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, parsley, relish, mustard and pepper; mix well. Add macaroni, scallions, peas, cheese, carrots, bell pepper, celery and ham. Toss to coat; chill.
Per serving: 286 calories, 18 grams protein, 10 grams fat (31 percent calories from fat), 3.8 grams saturated fat, 31 grams carbohydrate, 46 milligrams cholesterol, 250 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Burger Tortillas (Wednesday)
Makes 4 servings
Cooking time: 6 to 10 minutes
6 ounces lean ground beef
6 ounces ground turkey
3 ounces reduced-fat shredded Cheddar cheese.
4 flour tortillas (10 to 12 inches)
2 cups salsa, divided
2 cups shredded dark-green lettuce, divided
Heat broiler. Combine ground beef and turkey; divide into 4 portions. Divide cheese and shape into 4 balls. Cover each cheese ball with ground meat and flatten into a patty. Broil patties 3 to 5 minutes per side or until juices run clear. Warm tortillas between white paper towels in the microwave. Place one patty into center of each tortilla. Top patties with 1 cup of salsa and 1 cup of lettuce. Fold edges of tortilla around burger; top with remaining salsa and lettuce.
Per serving: 475 calories, 30 grams protein, 16 grams fat (32 percent calories from fat), 5.7 grams saturated fat, 46 grams carbohydrate, 61 grams cholesterol, 1,050 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Corny Pizza (Friday)
Makes 6 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
1 (12-inch) prebaked pizza crust
3/4 cup pizza sauce
1 cup reduced-fat shredded Mexican-blend cheeses
1 (15-ounce) can corn, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup canned black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons chopped onions
2 tablespoons diced green chilies
2 tablespoons sliced black olives, rinsed and drained
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place crust on a flat baking pan.
Spread pizza sauce, cheese, corn, beans, onions, chilies and olives on crust.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until crust is crisp and cheese melts. Cool 5 to 7 minutes and slice.
Per serving: 327 calories, 10 grams protein, 10 grams fat (27 percent calories from fat), 3.3 grams saturated fat, 48 grams carbohydrate, 11 milligrams cholesterol, 625 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.
Roasted Vegetables With Polenta (Saturday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes for vegetables; about 10 minutes for polenta
2 small zucchini, diagonally sliced, 3/4 inch thick
1 each: medium red and green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 -inch squares
1 large tomato, cored and cut in eighths
2 celery ribs, sliced diagonally 1/2 inch thick
8 peeled garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced 1/2 inch thick
cooking spray
salt to taste
POLENTA:
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 tablespoon margarine or butter, cut into bits
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place zucchini, peppers, tomato, celery and garlic in a large bowl. Sprinkle with thyme and season with pepper.
Add oil and toss to coat.
Spread mixture on large baking sheet in one layer. Set aside.
Coat both sides of onions with cooking spray and place in a 9- to 10-inch shallow baking pan.
Place both pans in oven and cook vegetables 25 to 30 minutes, or until they are tender and browned. (Turn once during cooking, using tongs.)
Season with salt and set aside.
For polenta: Bring water and salt to boil in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and slowly drizzle in cornmeal, whisking constantly.
Continue to whisk until polenta is thick and begins to pull away from sides of pan, about 7 minutes. Stir in margarine or butter and cheese.
Divide polenta among 4 plates and top with roasted vegetables.
(Adapted from "Main-Course Vegetarian Pleasures," J. Lemlin, HarperPerennial, $15.)
Per serving: 345 calories, 10 grams protein, 13 grams fat (32 percent calories from fat), 2.8 grams saturated fat, 50 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 470 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanneindspring.com.
Pub Date: 7/19/98