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
Treat the family to lamb prepared a different way. Green Chili Lamb Roast (see recipe) is not the same old lamb your mother used to prepare. Serve your lamb with canned red beans. Serve rice made with tomato juice; then stir some drained salsa into the cooked rice for your version of Spanish rice. Continue the theme with flour tortillas. Lighten up with lime sherbet for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save the leftover lamb roast and sauce, and make enough rice for Monday.
Tip: Rinse and drain the red beans to remove excess sodium.
Monday/Heat and Eat
Take advantage of leftovers and make Lamb and Rice Stew (see recipe). Add a mixed green salad and whole-wheat rolls. For dessert, fresh fruit is easy.
Tuesday/Meatless
You'll enjoy Pasta With Goat Cheese and Onions Confit (see recipe) and never miss having meat. Serve the flavorful pasta with sugar snap peas and sun-dried tomato bread or other dense bread. Cookies and fat-free strawberry ice cream are a sweet finish.
Plan ahead: Save enough ice cream for Wednesday.
Wednesday/Budget
Tighten your purse strings and make a Crustless Spinach Tart tonight (see recipe). Serve with baked potatoes and a tossed salad. Add store-bought muffins. For dessert, top leftover ice cream with strawberry sauce.
Plan ahead: Bake 4 extra potatoes for Thursday.
Thursday/Express
Hit the fast track and make Fish Tacos tonight. Toss 4 cups shredded coleslaw mix with 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice and 1 tablespoon sugar; set aside. Prepare one (11-ounce) package frozen fish fillets according to directions. In the same pan, heat 8 taco shells for 4 minutes. In small bowl, flake fish. Spoon into taco shells and top with slaw mixture. Cut leftover baked potatoes into wedges, coat with cooking spray, sprinkle with paprika and bake until hot. You just made your own oven fries. Chocolate layer cake (store-bought) is a welcome dessert.
Plan ahead: Save leftover cake. Cook 1 cup brown rice in reduced-sodium chicken broth for Friday.
Friday/Kids
Kids always want burgers, so Smorgasburgers will make you a popular order-taker. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a large, nonstick skillet. Cook 1 medium chopped onion, 1 medium apple (peeled and chopped) and 1/2 teaspoon dried sage for 3 minutes or until onion is soft. Remove from heat. In a large bowl, combine onion mixture, 1 pound ground turkey breast, 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, 3 cups cooked (1 cup uncooked) brown rice, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Shape into 6 patties. Using the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil until hot. Saute burgers for 6 minutes a side or until thoroughly cooked. Serve the burgers on hamburger buns with lettuce, tomato, low-fat mayonnaise and mustard. On the side, canned vegetarian baked beans are good. Don't forget the leftover cake.
Saturday/Entertaining
Mustard-Tarragon Chicken (see recipe) makes an easy meal for company. Accompany the chicken with boiled new potatoes with fresh parsley and a little butter. Add a romaine and cherry-tomato salad. Fat-free pound cake topped with berries and light whipped cream completes your meal.
Shopping List
What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)
Sunday
boneless, rolled, well-trimmed lamb leg or shoulder roast
dried oregano
dried sage
pepper
cooking spray
onions
garlic
canned diced tomatoes
canned diced green chilies
cider vinegar
chili powder
salt
canned red beans
rice
tomato juice
salsa
flour tortillas
lime sherbet
Monday
cooking spray
fresh carrots
fresh mushrooms
green bell pepper
salad greens
whole-wheat rolls
fresh fruit
Tuesday
spaghetti
cooking spray
onions
garlic
dried sage
dried rosemary
sugar
white wine or chicken broth
fat-free cream cheese
goat cheese
salt
white pepper
walnuts
sugar snap peas
sun-dried tomato bread or other dense bread
cookies
fat-free strawberry ice cream
Wednesday
cooking spray
frozen chopped spinach
eggs
Parmesan cheese
nutmeg
salt
garlic
pepper
fat-free small-curd cottage cheese
pine nuts
baking potatoes
salad greens
muffins
strawberry sauce
Thursday
packaged coleslaw mix
low-fat mayonnaise
limes
sugar
frozen fish fillets
taco shells
cooking spray
paprika
chocolate layer cake
brown rice
reduced- sodium chicken broth
Friday
vegetable oil
onion
apple
dried sage
ground turkey breast
ketchup
salt
pepper
hamburger buns
lettuce
tomato
low-fat mayonnaise
mustard
canned vegetarian baked beans
Saturday
margarine or butter
cayenne pepper
dried or fresh tarragon
balsamic vinegar
Dijon mustard
salt
black pepper
boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
new potatoes
cooking spray
fresh parsley
romaine lettuce
cherry tomatoes
fat-free pound cake
berries (any kind)
light whipped cream
Green Chili Lamb Roast (Sunday)
Makes 11 to 18 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 3/4 to about 3 hours, plus standing time
1 (3- to 5-pound) boneless, rolled, well-trimmed lamb leg or shoulder roast
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon pepper
cooking spray
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 1/2 -ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies, drained
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place lamb on rack in shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine oregano, sage and pepper. Rub mixture all over lamb. Roast 35 to 40 minutes per pound, or until meat thermometer registers 140 to 145 degrees for medium rare or 150 degrees for medium. Remove from oven. Cover with foil; let stand 15 to 20 minutes.
For the sauce: In a medium, nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray, cook onion and garlic over medium heat until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and juice, chili peppers, water, vinegar, chili powder and salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer half of sauce to small saucepan; set aside. Spoon remaining sauce over roast the last hour of roasting. Heat remaining sauce and serve with lamb.
Per serving: 191 calories, 26 grams protein, 7 grams fat (34 percent calories from fat), 3.2 grams saturated fat, 5 grams carbohydrate, 79 milligrams cholesterol, 363 mgs. sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Lamb and Rice Stew (Monday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: less than 20 minutes
cooking spray
2 large carrots, cut in 1/2 -inch slices
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, halved
2 tablespoons water
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cups cubed cooked lamb
leftover lamb sauce (if desired)
Coat large, nonstick saucepan with cooking spray. Add carrots, mushrooms and water; cook until carrots are soft or about 8 minutes. Add bell pepper; cook until soft or about 5 minutes; drain. Add lamb and leftover sauce if desired and heat through or about 5 minutes.
Per serving: 173 calories, 22 grams protein, 6 grams fat (30 percent calories from fat), 2.6 grams saturated fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 63 milligrams cholesterol, 64 mgs. sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Crustless Spinach Tart (Wednesday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes plus time to cook spinach
cooking spray
2 (10-ounce) packages chopped spinach
4 slightly beaten egg whites
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon each: nutmeg and salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup fat-free small-curd cottage cheese, drained
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9- or 10-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Cook spinach according to directions and drain very well. In medium bowl, combine spinach with egg whites, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt, garlic, pepper and cottage cheese. Spread evenly in pan. Top with pine nuts. Bake 20 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve.
Per serving: 143 calories, 19 grams protein, 4 grams fat (26 percent calories from fat), 1.7 grams saturated fat, 9 grams carbohydrate, 10 milligrams cholesterol, 1,043 mgs. sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Pasta With Goat Cheese and Onion Confit (Tuesday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 to 40 minutes, plus time to cook pasta
8 ounces spaghetti
cooking spray
4 cups thinly sliced onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
2 ounces fat-free cream cheese
2 ounces goat cheese
salt and white pepper to taste
1/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Cook spaghetti according to directions; drain.
Heat a large, nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray until hot. Add onions and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until onions are very soft, about 20 minutes. Stir in garlic, sage, rosemary and sugar; cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until onions are caramelized and brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in wine or chicken broth. Simmer 2 or 3 minutes longer. Stir in cream cheese and goat cheese and cook over low heat, stirring until melted, 2 or 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
Spoon pasta and onion mixture on serving platter and toss; sprinkle with walnuts.
(Adapted from "Simply Vegetarian," by Sue Spitler, Surrey Books, 1998, $14.95.)
Per serving: 423 calories, 17 grams protein, 11 grams fat (23 percent calories from fat), 4.2 grams saturated fat, 60 grams carbohydrate, 16 milligrams cholesterol, 138 mgs. sodium, 5 grams fiber.
Mustard-Tarragon Chicken (Saturday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon fresh
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon each: salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
cooking spray
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium container, melt margarine or butter and stir in cayenne, tarragon, vinegar, mustard, salt and black pepper. Coat chicken in mixture and place in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes, uncovered, or until the juices run clear.
(Adapted from "Quick Cuisine," by Ann Clark, Plume, 1993, $13.95.)
Per serving: 168 calories, 27 grams protein, 5 grams fat (29 percent calories from fat), 0.9 grams saturated fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 66 milligrams cholesterol, 682 milligrams sodium, trace fiber.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanner@mindspring.com.
Pub Date: 01/31/99