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

Make your own baked turkey breast for the family. Serve with your own gravy, if you like. On the side, Zucchini Casserole makes a great comfort food (see recipe). Add crusty bread. For dessert, cherry pie is always a family favorite.

Plan ahead: Save half the pie and chop 3 cups cooked turkey for Monday; save half the casserole for Tuesday.

Tip: To cut fat and calories, after baking the store-bought pie, discard top crust.

Monday/Kids

Sign up the kids for Turkey Enchiladas (see recipe). Serve this everybody's-favorite with rice. Jicama and carrot sticks add crunch. Warm the leftover pie and top with fat-free frozen vanilla ice cream.

Plan ahead: Save half the enchiladas and the ice cream for Tuesday. Cook 3 extra cups rice for Wednesday (1 cup uncooked).

Tuesday/Heat and Eat

Dinner is as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 tonight. 1. Heat the turkey enchiladas. 2. Heat the zucchini casserole. 3. Make a green salad. 4. Dish up the leftover ice cream. 5. Eat!

Wednesday/Meatless

Savory Western Beans is delicious and easy (see recipe). Serve over hot leftover rice. Add mixed salad greens and multigrain rolls. Fresh fruit over fat-free pound cake is an easy dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough cake for Thursday.

Thursday/Budget

Parmesan Linguine is light in calories and cost (see recipe). Serve with green beans and bread. Leftover pound cake topped with chocolate sauce and light whipped cream makes a perfect dessert.

Friday/Express

With a few grocery-store ingredients, make this Tortellini and Mushrooms dish. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a 3-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray, combine 1 (16-ounce) package frozen and thawed tortellini, 1 (4-ounce) can mushrooms (rinsed and drained), 1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red peppers (drained and chopped) and 1/2 cup shredded reduced- fat mozzarella cheese. Pour 1 (28-ounce) jar red pasta sauce over mixture. Cover and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Add a packaged Italian salad and bread sticks. Buy brownies for dessert.

Saturday/Entertaining

You'll enjoy more time with your guests if you serve this do-ahead meal. Parchment-Baked Fish and Shredded Vegetables (see recipe) can be assembled several hours in advance. Serve the fish-vegetable combo with packaged long-grain and wild rice and a mixed green salad. Add bread. Purchase fresh fruit tarts for dessert.

Tip: Look for parchment paper in large grocery stores or in gourmet-food shops.

Shopping List

What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)

Sunday

turkey breast

ingredients for gravy

zucchini squash

carrots

fat-free sour cream

reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

pepper

pimentos

onion

packaged seasoned bread cubes

margarine or butter

crusty bread

cherry pie

Monday

cooking spray

green bell pepper

onion

flour

coriander

pepper

reduced-sodium chicken broth

reduced-fat shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

fat-free sour cream

salsa

flour tortillas

rice

jicama

carrots

fat-free frozen vanilla ice cream

Tuesday

salad greens

Wednesday

margarine or butter

carrots

onion

celery

canned pinto beans

salt

tomato sauce

hot pepper sauce

salad greens

multigrain rolls

fresh fruit

fat-free pound cake

Thursday

linguine

reduced-sodium chicken broth

flour

garlic powder

pepper

plain yogurt

Parmesan cheese

fresh parsley

green beans

bread

chocolate sauce

light whipped cream

Friday

cooking spray

frozen tortellini

canned mushrooms

jar of roasted red peppers

shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

red pasta sauce

packaged Italian salad

bread sticks

brownies

Saturday

parchment paper

olive oil

orange roughy fillets

paprika

salt

pepper

fresh vegetables (such as carrots, zucchini, yellow squash or shallots)

fresh dill and Italian parsley

packaged long-grain and wild rice

salad greens

bread

fresh fruit tarts

Zucchini Casserole (Sunday)

Makes 8 servings

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

4 medium zucchini squash, cubed

2 large carrots, shredded

1 cup fat-free sour cream

1 (10 1/2 -ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons diced pimentos

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 (8-ounce) package seasoned bread cubes

2 tablespoons melted margarine or butter

1/2 cup warm water

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine zucchini, carrots, sour cream, soup, pepper, pimentos and onion. Set aside. In a 2 1/2 -quart baking dish, mix bread cubes, margarine or butter, and water. Remove half the bread-cube mixture and set aside. Spoon the zucchini mixture over bread cubes and spread it evenly to cover. Place remaining cubes on top to cover zucchini mixture. Cover and bake 25 minutes; remove cover and continue to bake for 20 more minutes or until browned. (Adapted from "Simply Casserole," by Kim Lila, Surrey Books, 1998, $14.95.)

Per serving: 246 calories, 8 grams protein, 10 grams fat (34 percent calories from fat), 2.4 grams saturated fat, 33 grams carbohydrate, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 714 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.

Turkey Enchiladas (Monday)

Makes 8 enchiladas

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: less than 30 minutes

cooking spray

3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon ground coriander

dash of pepper

2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup reduced-fat shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup fat-free sour cream

3 cups chopped cooked turkey (about 1 pound)

1/4 cup salsa

8 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Heat a medium saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot; add bell pepper and onion. Saute 3 minutes or until tender. In a medium bowl, combine flour, coriander and pepper; gradually add broth, whisking until well-blended. Add to saucepan; bring to boil, cook 3 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and sour cream. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup cheese mixture, turkey and salsa. Divide turkey mixture and spread down center of each tortilla; roll. Place in baking dish. Pour remaining cheese mixture over tortillas. Bake 20 minutes or until bubbly. (Adapted from Cooking Light magazine.)

Per serving: 339 calories, 28 grams protein, 8 grams fat (23 percent calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 36 grams carbohydrate, 51 milligrams cholesterol, 496 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Western Beans (Wednesday)

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1 cup shredded carrots

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup sliced celery

2 (16-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1/8 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce

1/2 cup water

In a large, nonstick skillet, melt margarine or butter; add carrots, onion and celery and cook until tender or about 6 minutes. Stir in beans, salt, tomato sauce, hot-pepper sauce and water. Cook until heated through or about 4 minutes

Per serving: 204 calories, 9 grams protein, 4 grams fat (18 percent calories from fat), 0.8 grams saturated fat, 34 grams carbohydrate, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 1,017 milligrams sodium, 10 grams fiber.

Parmesan Linguine (Thursday)

Makes 6 servings

Preparation time: less than

10 minutes

Cooking time: less than 5 minutes plus time to cook pasta

12 ounces linguine

1 (14 1/2 -ounce) can reduced- sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon each: garlic powder and pepper

1/3 cup plain yogurt

6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

chopped fresh parsley

Cook linguine according to directions; drain. In a medium saucepan, gradually mix broth into flour, garlic powder and pepper until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until mixture boils and thickens or about 3 or 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in yogurt. Toss with pasta and 4 tablespoons Parmesan. Sprinkle with 2 more tablespoons Parmesan cheese and a little parsley.

Per serving: 273 calories, 12 grams protein, 3 grams fat (11 percent calories from fat), 1.7 grams saturated fat, 48 grams carbohydrate, 7 milligrams cholesterol, 263 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Parchment-Baked Orange Roughy and Shredded Vegetables (Saturday)

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: about 15 minutes

4 (12-by-12-inch) sheets parchment paper

5 teaspoons olive oil, divided

4 (6-ounce) orange roughy fillets, rinsed and patted dry

paprika

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded vegetables (carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, shallots or any other kind)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill and Italian parsley combined

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Fold each square of parchment paper in half and crease. Spread out flat on work surface and rub one half of one side of each sheet with olive oil. Place 1 fish fillet in middle of each oiled side. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Place 1/2 cup vegetables on each fillet; sprinkle with dill and parsley. Sprinkle again with paprika, salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over each fillet.

Fold second half of parchment over fish and vegetables. Beginning on one side, fold edge over. Repeat, folding parchment a second time to seal the edge well. Repeat for other sides. Follow process with remaining fillets. Place fish packets on a baking sheet. Bake about 15 minutes, until packets are puffed. Serve the fish and vegetables in the parchment immediately. Slice a big "X" in parchment and peel back. (Adapted from "Short-Cut Cooking," by Florence Henderson, Morrow, 1998, $19.95.)

Per serving: 183 calories, 26 grams protein, 7 grams fat (35 percent calories from fat), 0.8 grams saturated fat, 4 grams carbohydrate, 34 milligrams cholesterol, 118 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanner@mindspring.com.

Pub Date: 01/24/99