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
Smoked Turkey Salad With Bulgur, Olives, Raisins and Pine Nuts (see recipe) is a no-cook summer dish that the family is sure to enjoy. Your own sauteed mushrooms will make a savory accompaniment. You'll want crusty bread, too. Bring on the angel food cake with fresh peaches and fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save the leftover turkey for Monday and the leftover frozen yogurt for Wednesday.
Tip: For convenience, buy a ready-to-eat smoked turkey breast.
Monday/Kids
The kids will give you a gold star when you prepare White Bean Chili (see recipe). Serve with crispy carrot sticks and corn bread. For dessert, the children can make slice-and-bake cookies.
Plan ahead: Save half the chili and the leftover carrots and cookies for Tuesday.
Tuesday/Heat and Eat
Reheat Monday's leftover chili and serve over rice tonight for an easy meal. Chop and cook any leftover carrots sticks in the microwave and add them to the chili. Add bread. For dessert, fresh fruit goes well with leftover cookies.
Wednesday/Meatless
Try not to eat all the Linguine With Spinach, Red Peppers and Gouda Cheese yourself (see recipe). It won't be easy, though. The addition of Gouda is a little like having the smoked flavor of bacon. Add a green salad and Italian bread. For dessert, fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt with caramel sauce is just right.
Thursday/Budget
Save money on a simple, flavorful Mexican Chicken and Rice Dinner (see recipe). Serve with canned pinto beans and warm corn tortillas.
Friday/Express
Look for Amy's Frozen Spinach or Roasted Vegetable Pizza. The 10-inch (12- to 14-ounce) pizzas are some of the best vegetarian pizzas I've tried. They range in price from $4 to $5. The maker claims three servings per pizza, but not at our house! Two servings per pizza is more realistic. Serve the pizza with your favorite canned soup. For dessert, fresh cantaloupe chunks pack a vitamin punch.
Saturday/Entertaining
Fire up the grill and cook a pork loin roast. Serve with store-bought mango chutney. Make garlic mashed potatoes and steam fresh green beans to accompany the roast. Add rosemary bread or another dense-flavored bread. Low-fat, candylike Chocolate Meringue Kisses will melt in your mouth for a sweet finish (see recipe).
Shopping List
What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)
Sunday
fine bulgur
lemon
extra-virgin olive oil
smoked turkey breast
green olives
raisins
pine nuts
fresh parsley
salt
fresh mushrooms
crusty bread
angel food cake
fresh peaches
fat-free frozen vanilla yogurt
Monday
oil
cooking spray
onions
dried oregano
ground cumin
smoked turkey breast
chili powder
bay leaves
salt
canned stewed tomatoes
beef broth
tomato sauce
canned small white beans
red onion
fat-free sour cream
carrot sticks
corn bread
slice-and-bake cookies
Tuesday
rice
bread
fresh fruit
Wednesday
linguine
olive oil
garlic
red bell pepper
packaged fresh spinach
salt
black pepper
smoked Gouda cheese
green salad
Italian bread
caramel sauce
Thursday
uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts
chunky salsa
taco seasoning mix
quick-cooking rice
shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
canned pinto beans
corn tortillas
Friday
Amy's or other vegetarian pizza
canned soup
cantaloupe
Saturday
pork loin roast
mango chutney
garlic
potatoes
skim milk (for potatoes)
fresh green beans
rosemary or other dense-flavored
bread
eggs
cream of tartar
sugar
salt
unsweetened cocoa powder
reduced-fat or regular semisweet chocolate-flavor baking chips
confectioners' sugar (optional)
Smoked Turkey Salad With Bulgur, Olives, Raisins and Pine Nuts (Sunday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
1 cup each: fine bulgur and water
2 tablespoons each: fresh lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup shredded smoked turkey
10 pitted, chopped green olives
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons each: pine nuts and chopped fresh parsley
Combine bulgur, water, juice and oil in a medium bowl. Let stand 30 minutes so bulgur can absorb liquid; fluff with fork. Stir in turkey, olives, raisins, pine nuts and parsley, and salt to taste. Serve at room temperature.
(Adapted from "Cool Kitchen" by Lauren Chattman, Morrow, $22.)
Per serving: 276 calories, 11 grams protein, 11 grams fat (35 percent calories from fat), 1.5 grams saturated fat, 37 grams carbohydrate, 11 milligrams cholesterol, 510 milligrams sodium, 7 grams fiber.
White Bean Chili (Monday)
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 70 minutes
1 teaspoon oil
cooking spray
2 medium chopped onions
1 1/2 teaspoons each: dried oregano and ground cumin
2 cups chopped smoked turkey
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chopped stewed tomatoes and juice
3 cups beef broth
1 cup tomato sauce
3 15-ounce cans small white beans, rinsed and drained
chopped red onion and fat-free sour cream for garnish
Heat oil on medium in a large, nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray and cook onions until softened, about 7 minutes. Add oregano and cumin and stir 1 minute. Add turkey, chili powder, bay leaves, salt, tomatoes and juice, broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add beans. Simmer 10 minutes; discard bay leaves. Garnish with red onion and sour cream.
Per serving: 182 calories, 13 grams protein, 2 grams fat (10 percent calories from fat), 0.1 gram saturated fat, 29 grams carbohydrate, 11 milligrams cholesterol, 1,448 milligrams sodium, 7 grams fiber.
Linguine With Gouda (Wednesday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
3/4 pound linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 minced garlic cloves
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin, 2-inch-long strips
1 10-ounce package fresh spinach, stems discarded
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup grated smoked Gouda cheese
Cook pasta according to directions; reserve 1/4 cup liquid and drain pasta. Set aside. Heat oil on medium in a large, nonstick skillet. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in red bell pepper and saute until softened, about 7 minutes. Pile on spinach and cover. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in salt and ground pepper. Add reserved pasta water. Toss sauce with pasta; stir in cheese and serve.
(Adapted from "Simple Vegetarian Pleasures" by Jean Lemlin, HarperCollins, $24.)
Per serving: 462 calories, 20 grams protein, 12 grams fat (23 percent calories from fat), 5.1 grams saturated fat, 70 grams carbohydrate, 28 milligrams cholesterol, 411 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Mexican Chicken and Rice Dinner (Thursday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 cup chunky salsa
1 package (1 1/4 ounces) taco
seasoning mix
2 cups water
2 cups quick-cooking rice
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
In a large, nonstick skillet, bring chicken, salsa, taco mix and water to boil. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Return to boil; stir in rice; sprinkle with cheese and cover. Cook on low 5 minutes; serve.
Per serving: 402 calories, 35 grams protein, 7 grams fat (16 percent calories from fat), 3.4 grams saturated fat, 44 grams carbohydrate, 81 milligrams cholesterol, 839 milligrams sodium.
Chocolate Meringue Kisses (Saturday)
Makes 40 cookies (1 1/2 inches)
Preparation time: about 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 to 35 minutes
3 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup plus 40 semisweet, chocolate-flavor baking chips
confectioners' sugar (optional)
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cover 2 large baking sheets with foil. In a large bowl, with electric mixer on medium, beat egg whites HTC and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and salt, beating until sugar dissolves and stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Sift cocoa onto egg mixture and gently fold in until mixture is blended. Fold in the 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Drop tablespoonfuls of batter, 1 inch apart, onto baking sheets. Place 1 of the remaining chocolate chips in center of each cookie and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or just until cookies are dry. Peel cookies from foil. Cool on wire racks. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar if desired.
(Adapted from "Picnics and Porch Suppers," R. Newman, editor, Hearst, $29.95.)
Per serving: 30 calories, 1 gram protein, 1 gram fat (24 percent calories from fat), 0.5 grams saturated fat, 6 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 12 milligrams sodium.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanneindspring.com.
Pub Date: 7/26/98