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
Nothing brings the family to the table faster than Oven Fried Chicken (see recipe). Serve with homemade mashed potatoes and store-bought gravy. Add fresh, sliced, steamed carrots tossed with chopped fresh parsley and a little butter. You'll want dinner rolls, too. For dessert, store-bought chocolate cake is easy.
Plan ahead: Save half the chicken and enough cake for Monday.
Monday/Heat and Eat
Make chicken sandwiches on kaiser rolls tonight. Warm the chicken, toast the rolls and slather them with store-bought honey-mustard sauce, and add lettuce. Serve with frozen oven fries and drained store-bought coleslaw. Top leftover cake with fat-free strawberry ice cream.
Plan ahead: Save enough ice cream for Wednesday.
Tuesday/Kids
The kids will be home early for Kids' Taco Bake (see recipe). No need to tell them the savory dish is full of fiber and vitamin C. Add some crunch with a lettuce and cherry tomato salad. Let everyone be kids with animal crackers and fresh fruit for dessert.
Wednesday/Budget
No one will call you baa, baa black sheep with Lamb and White Beans (see recipe) because you're so economical. Serve the hearty stew with an escarole salad and crusty bread. Finish with leftover fat-free strawberry ice cream drizzled with strawberry sauce.
Thursday/Meatless
Tonight's Linguine with Sauteed Mushrooms is quick.
Cook 12 ounces linguine according to directions. In a large, deep, nonstick skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 1/2 pounds sliced fresh mushrooms and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until tender, about 4 to 6 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are light golden. Toss mushrooms with linguine and serve immediately. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Add mixed salad greens and garlic bread.
Friday/Express
Dinner will be quick tonight with Turkey Roll-ups (see recipe). Serve with frozen french-cut green beans and multigrain rolls. Some store-bought brownies would be welcome for dessert.
Saturday/ Entertaining
Our guests always enjoy Beef Stroganoff (see recipe). You'll enjoy it too because it's so easy. Serve the beef classic over parsley buttered noodles. Accompany the beef-noodle combo with sugar snap peas and dinner rolls. For a delicious dessert, try Pears Filled With Ricotta Mousse (see recipe).
Shopping List
What you'll need for this week's menus (consult recipes for exact amounts)
Sunday
cooking spray
fat-free buttermilk
hot sauce
cornflake crumbs
paprika
cayenne pepper
bone-in skinless chicken breast halves
potatoes to mash
skim milk (for potatoes)
store-bought gravy
fresh carrots
fresh parsley
butter
dinner rolls
store-bought chocolate cake
Monday
kaiser rolls
store-bought honey-mustard sauce
lettuce
frozen oven fries
store-bought coleslaw
fat-free strawberry ice cream
Tuesday
ground turkey breast or lean ground beef
tomato sauce
thick, chunky salsa
skim milk
corn tortillas
shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
lettuce
cherry tomatoes
animal crackers
fresh fruit
Wednesday
salt
pepper
boneless lean lamb
olive oil
garlic
dried rosemary
dry white wine or fat-free chicken broth
canned white beans
canned stewed tomatoes
escarole
crusty bread
strawberry sauce
Thursday
linguine
olive oil
fresh mushrooms
garlic
salt
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salad greens
garlic bread
Friday
packaged stuffing mix
deli sliced turkey breast
jar of turkey gravy
frozen French-cut green beans
multigrain rolls
store-bought brownies
Saturday
well-trimmed beef sirloin
white pepper
olive oil
fresh mushrooms
scallions
canned beef gravy
balsamic vinegar
fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream
fresh parsley
butter
egg noodles
sugar snap peas
dinner rolls
white wine
sugar
Bosc pears
fat-free ricotta cheese
cocoa powder
Oven Fried Chicken (Sunday)
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes
2/3 cup fat-free buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 1/4 cups cornflake crumbs
3/4 teaspoon each paprika and cayenne pepper
8 bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with foil and then cooking spray. In medium bowl mix together buttermilk and hot sauce. In a pie plate, mix together crumbs, paprika and cayenne pepper. Dip chicken breasts into buttermilk (let excess liquid drip off), then roll in crumb mixture to coat. Arrange bone side down on baking sheet. Coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is no longer pink.
Per serving: 168 calories, 27 grams protein, 2 grams fat (8 percent calories from fat), 0.4 grams saturated fat, 9 grams carbohydrate, 66 milligrams cholesterol, 200 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Kids' Taco Bake (Tuesday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 35 minutes
1 pound ground turkey breast or lean ground beef
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup thick, chunky salsa
1/2 cup skim milk
8 (6- to 8-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a shallow 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. In a large nonstick skillet, cook turkey or beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain. Add tomato sauce, salsa, milk, tortillas and half the cheese; mix well. Spoon into baking dish. Cover. Bake 30 minutes or until hot. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Serve.
Per serving: 355 calories, 40 grams protein, 6 grams fat (16 percent calories from fat), 3.1 grams saturated fat, 33 grams carbohydrate, 90 milligrams cholesterol, 852 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
Lamb and White Beans (Wednesday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: less than
15 minutes
Cooking time: less than
35 minutes
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1 pound well-trimmed lean lamb, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried, crushed rosemary
1 cup dry white wine or fat-free chicken broth
2 (15-ounce) cans rinsed and drained white beans
2 (14 1/2 -ounce) cans chopped stewed tomatoes, drained
Sprinkle salt and pepper over lamb. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat and saute lamb to brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine or broth and bring to boil over high heat, stirring in any browned bits collected on bottom of pan. Add beans and tomatoes and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until meat is no longer pink and sauce is somewhat thickened, about 25 minutes. Serve.
Per serving: 428 calories, 37 grams protein, 11 grams fat (21 percent calories from fat), 3.4 grams saturated fat, 47 grams carbohydrate, 73 milligrams cholesterol, 1,437 milligrams sodium, 12 grams fiber.
Turkey Roll-ups (Friday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: less than
10 minutes
Cooking time: 6 to 8 minutes
plus stuffing mix
1 (6 1/2 -ounce) package stuffing mix
8 1/4 -inch slices deli turkey breast
1 (12-ounce) jar turkey gravy
Prepare stuffing mix according to microwave directions. Divide into eighths and place on turkey slices. Roll and place, seam side down, in an 8- x 12-inch baking dish. Pour gravy over rolls. Cover with wax paper. Microwave on high (100 per cent power) 6 to 8 minutes or until heated. Stand 5 minutes.
Per serving: 279 calories, 17 grams protein, 5 grams fat (16 percent calories from fat), 0.4 grams saturated fat, 40 grams carbohydrate, 29 milligrams cholesterol, 1,778 mgs sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Beef Stroganoff (Saturday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: less than
15 minutes
1 pound well-trimmed beef sirloin, cut across grain in thin strips
1/2 teaspoon white pepper, divided
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
4 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (about 6 ounces)
6 thinly sliced scallions (white part only)
1 (10 1/2 -ounce) can beef gravy
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup fat-free or reduced-fat sour cream
chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Sprinkle steak with half the pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, scallions and remaining pepper and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 7 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to a bowl. Wipe skillet clean; add remaining oil and heat over high until hot. Add beef and cook, stirring constantly until browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in gravy and vinegar; bring to boil. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream until smooth. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve.
Per serving: 278 calories, 31 grams protein, 11 grams fat (37 percent calories from fat), 4.3 grams saturated fat, 12 grams carbohydrate, 81 milligrams cholesterol, 495 mgs sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Pears Filled With Ricotta Mousse (Saturday)
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 cup sugar, divided
4 halved, cored and peeled Bosc pears
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
In a wide saucepan large enough to hold pears in one layer, combine wine and 2 tablespoons sugar; bring to boil over low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil 2 minutes. Add pear halves, hollow side down, and continue to cook over low heat, turning once until tender, about 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon and transfer pears to a plate to cool. Reserve liquid. In a bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cocoa powder until well-mixed. Arrange pears on platter hollow side up. Divide ricotta among tops of each pear half. Pour reserved liquid over top and serve.
Per serving: 191 calories, 9 grams protein, 1 gram fat (3 percent calories from fat), 0.1 grams saturated fat, 36 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 121 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.
-- Adapted from "Italy Today: The Beautiful Cookbook," by Lorenza de'Medici (Collins, $50, 1997)
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanner@mindspring.com.
Pub Date: 04/11/99