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
Plan a family gathering and enjoy Broiled Pepper Steak and Oven Fries (see recipe). Lemony Artichokes (see recipe) are a good accompaniment. Add multigrain rolls. For dessert, raspberry sorbet topped with fresh raspberries and light whipped cream is as welcome as a breeze on a hot summer day.
Plan ahead: Save half the steak, potatoes and sorbet for Monday.
Monday/Heat and Eat
Steak salad is a great way to use Sunday's leftovers. Arrange a bed of about 8 cups mixed salad greens on a large platter. Top with sliced steak and the potato wedges. Drizzle a light vinaigrette over the salad. Top with crumbled blue cheese. Add crusty bread. Leftover sorbet is a light finish to an easy meal.
Tuesday/Meatless
Who needs meat when you have Penne Pasta With Tomatoes and White Beans (see recipe)? Use Romano cheese in place of feta if desired. All you need with the pasta are a big green salad and Italian bread.
Wednesday/Kids
It's a wrap ' that's kid talk for good food. Avocado Wraps are not just for kids, however. Heat four 8-inch flour tortillas in the micro-wave between two white, dampened, paper towels on high (100 percent power) about 30 seconds. Spread each tortilla with 1 teaspoon low-fat mayonnaise. Top with 2 leaves of dark-green lettuce, 2 thin tomato slices, a few thin slices of avocado and a little salt and pepper. Roll and slice on the diagonal. Serve with canned turkey chili with beans. For dessert, oatmeal raisin cookies and fresh fruit sound good.
Thursday/Budget
Too bad my mother didn't know about Spaghetti Pie (see recipe) when she was trying to save money on groceries. Her munchers would have been a lot happier with that than with the mixture in the can she served. Accompany the pie with fresh green beans and garlic bread. Make instant pistachio pudding with skim milk for dessert. Pistachio flavor was always a mother-favorite at our house.
Friday/Express
Mardi Gras Red Beans and Rice is easy and quick. Prepare packages red beans and rice according to directions. After the water comes to a boil, add sliced low-fat sausage and some frozen chopped green bell pepper and frozen chopped onions, and cook until vegetables are tender and liquid is absorbed. Microwave frozen turnip greens to accom-pany the beans and rice. What's missing? Hot sauce and corn bread (from a mix), of course.
Saturday/Entertaining
Entertain in style and serve Mustard-Crusted Salmon (see recipe) with rosemary roasted red potatoes and a fresh spinach salad. For dessert, Macaroon-Baked Peaches are delicious (see recipe).
Shopping List
What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)
Sunday
garlic
oregano
lemon pepper
boneless beef top sirloin steak
olive oil
white potatoes
medium artichokes
reduced-sodium chicken broth
lemons
multigrain rolls
raspberry sorbet
fresh raspberries
light whipped cream
Monday
mixed salad greens
light vinaigrette
blue cheese
crusty bread
Tuesday
penne or other tubular pasta
canned Italian-style tomatoes
canned white beans
packaged fresh spinach
feta cheese
green salad
Italian bread
Wednesday
flour tortillas
white paper towels
low-fat mayonnaise
dark-green lettuce
fresh tomatoes
avocado
turkey chili with beans
oatmeal raisin cookies
fresh fruit
Thursday
spaghetti
cooking spray
dried bread crumbs
convenience red pasta sauce
eggs
Parmesan cheese
fresh green beans
garlic bread
instant pistachio pudding
skim milk
Friday
packaged red beans and rice
low-fat sausage
frozen chopped green bell pepper
frozen chopped onions
frozen turnip greens
hot sauce
corn-bread mix
Saturday
cooking spray
salmon fillets
reduced-fat sour cream
coarse-grain mustard
lemons
red potatoes
fresh rosemary
fresh spinach
fresh peaches
dates
macaroon cookies
Broiled Pepper Steak and Oven Fries (Sunday)
Makes 6 servings
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 21 to 26 minutes
3 large crushed garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon lemon pepper, divided
1 1/2 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef top sirloin steak, 1 1/4 inches thick
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium white potatoes, cut in 6 wedges each
Heat broiler. In a small bowl, combine garlic, oregano and 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper. Press on both sides of steak; set aside. In a large bowl combine olive oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper. Add potatoes and toss to coat.
Place steak on one side of rack in broiler pan with surface of meat 3 to 4 inches from heat; arrange potatoes on other side. Broil 21 to 26 minutes or until steak is medium-rare to medium and potatoes are tender; turn once. Remove from oven; let stand 3 minutes and carve meat crosswise.
Per serving: 278 calories, 28 grams protein, 8 grams fat (28 percent calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 22 grams carbohydrate, 75 milligrams cholesterol, 127 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Lemony Artichokes (Sunday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
4 medium artichokes, stems removed, leaf tips trimmed
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 clove crushed garlic
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel (yellow part only)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup water
Tightly arrange artichokes, stems-side-down, in a 3-quart saucepan. In a medium bowl, combine broth, garlic, lemon peel, juice and water. Pour over artichokes, cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 50 minutes or until one leaf pulls out easily. Drain well and serve at room temperature.
(Adapted from Ladies' Home Journal)
Per serving: 64 calories, 5 grams protein, 0 grams fat, 14 grams carbohydrate, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 156 milligrams sodium, 7 grams fiber.
Penne Pasta With Tomatoes and White Beans (Tuesday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 12 to 14 minutes plus time to cook pasta
8 ounces penne or other tubular pasta
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chopped Italian-style tomatoes
1 (16-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach, chopped (discard tough stems)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Cook pasta according to directions; drain. In a large, nonstick skillet, combine tomatoes and beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add spinach; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring occasionally. Divide pasta and top with sauce and cheese.
Per serving: 379 calories, 17 grams protein, 5 grams fat (13 percent calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 63 grams carbohydrate, 17 milligrams cholesterol, 805 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber.
Spaghetti Pie (Thursday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 to 45 minutes plus time to cook pasta
8 ounces spaghetti, broken into pieces
cooking spray
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
2 cups convenience red pasta sauce
2 whole eggs
4 egg whites
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Use a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or cover outside of 8- or 9-inch springform pan with foil. Coat bottom and 1 inch up inside of skillet or pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
In a medium bowl, mix spaghetti and 1 1/2 cups sauce. In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs and add to spaghetti mixture. Transfer to skillet or pan and bake 40 minutes (skillet), 45 minutes (pan) or until eggs are set and knife inserted in center comes out clean. Heat remaining sauce. Cut pie in quarters and serve with sauce and cheese.
(Adapted from Family Circle magazine)
Per serving: 346 calories, 18 grams protein, 5 grams fat (12 percent calories from fat), 1.5 grams saturated fat, 57 grams carbohydrate, 109 milligrams cholesterol, 591 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Mustard-Crusted Salmon (Saturday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: under 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 to 12 minutes
4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 lemon wedges
Heat broiler. Coat a foil-lined metal pan with cooking spray. Place salmon, skin-side-down, in pan. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine reduced-fat sour cream, mustard and juice. Spread mixture evenly over salmon. Broil, 5 inches from heat for 10 to 12 minutes or until fish is opaque in center. Garnish with lemon wedges.
From Eating Well magazine
Per serving: 227 calories, 29 grams protein, 10 grams fat (42 percent calories from fat), 2.1 grams saturated fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 83 milligrams cholesterol, 257 milligrams sodium, 0 grams fiber.
Macaroon-Baked Peaches (Saturday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 38 minutes
4 large peaches (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped, pitted dates
1 cup coconut macaroon crumbs (about 6 cookies)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Peel top third of each peach. Use TC small knife to cut around stem end and pit to loosen and remove pit, leaving peach bottom intact. If necessary, slice about 1/4 inch from bases of peaches so they will sit flat. Brush with lemon juice. Spoon 1 tablespoon dates into cavity of each peach. Gently press [ cup macaroon crumbs on top of each peach. Place in 1 1/2-quart casserole; cover and bake 30 minutes or until peaches are tender. Uncover and bake 8 more minutes or until crumbs are brown.
(Adapted from Cooking Light magazine)
Per serving: 240 calories, 3 grams protein, 8 grams fat (25 percent calories from fat), 6 grams saturated fat, 48 grams carbohydrate, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 83 milligrams sodium, 7 grams fiber.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanneindspring.com.
Pub Date: 8/02/98