7-DAY MENU PLANNER: Put a healthy spin on entertaining with pan-seared tilapia

Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen
Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen

SUNDAY: Family day

For an easy family meal, buy a smoked turkey breast. Pair it with scalloped potatoes, frozen peas with pearl onions, a spinach salad and sourdough bread. Enjoy coconut cake for dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough turkey and cake for Monday.

SHOPPING LIST: smoked turkey breast, scalloped potatoes, frozen peas with pearl onions, fresh spinach, sourdough bread, coconut cake.

MONDAY: Heat and eat

Use the turkey leftovers for smoked turkey and mozzarella sandwiches on whole-grain bread. Slather some chutney on the bread for a flavor boost. Serve with deli coleslaw. Slice the leftover cake for dessert.

SHOPPING LIST: mozzarella cheese, whole-grain bread, chutney, deli coleslaw.

TUESDAY: Meatless meal

Enjoy savory mushroom stroganoff (see recipe) over whole-grain noodles for a satisfying no-meat dinner. Serve with mixed greens and crusty bread. For dessert, sprinkle nutmeg over peaches.

SHOPPING LIST: extra-virgin olive oil, onions, paprika, cayenne pepper, lemon, cremini mushrooms, unsalted vegetable broth, coarse salt, black pepper, flour, Greek yogurt or reduced-fat sour cream, fresh dill, whole-grain noodles, mixed greens, crusty bread, nutmeg, peaches.

WEDNESDAY: Express cooking

Treat the family to their favorite burgers tonight. Serve the burgers on whole-grain buns and top with lettuce, tomatoes, low-fat mayonnaise, mustard and pickles. Alongside, add deli pasta salad with shredded carrots stirred in. For dessert, try blueberries.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough blueberries for Saturday.

SHOPPING LIST: any burgers, whole-grain buns, lettuce, tomatoes, low-fat mayonnaise, mustard, pickles, deli pasta salad, carrots, blueberries.

THURSDAY: Kids favorite

The children will thank you for preparing chicken nuggets (from frozen) for dinner. Adults will like them, too. Make sure the first ingredient on the label is chicken and the sodium content is moderate. Add frozen oven fries and carrot salad to round out the meal. Kiwis are your dessert.

SHOPPING LIST: frozen chicken nuggets, frozen oven fries, carrot salad, kiwis.

FRIDAY: Budget dining

Keep the cost down and enjoy corn-and-potato chowder (see recipe) for a hearty winter meal. Serve it with a lettuce wedge with crumbled hard-cooked eggs and crackers. For dessert, spoon strawberries over vanilla ice cream.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough ice cream for Saturday.

SHOPPING LIST: olive oil, Canadian bacon, onions, celery, flour, garlic powder, dried oregano, rosemary, unsalted chicken broth, red potatoes, bay leaves, 1 percent milk, frozen corn, lettuce, eggs, crackers, strawberries, ice cream.

SATURDAY: Easy entertaining

Serve your guests pan-seared tilapia with blistered green beans and red pepper relish (see recipe). Add a red-tipped lettuce salad and garlic bread. For dessert, make a blueberry parfait by layering leftover ice cream and leftover blueberries in stemmed glasses. Top the parfaits with light whipped cream.

SHOPPING LIST: skinless tilapia fillets, coarse salt, jar roasted red peppers, whole almonds, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil, sherry vinegar, black pepper, fresh green beans, red-tipped lettuce, garlic bread, light whipped cream.

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: [email protected]. Follow Susan on Twitter: @7DayMenu. The Menu Planner is also accessible at 7daymenuplanner.com. Read Susan's blog: makingthemenu.com. And check out Susan's book! "7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies" is on shelves now. Order yours on Amazon.com today!

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MUSHROOM STROGANOFF (Tuesday)

Makes: 4 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes, plus pasta

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups thinly sliced onions

1 tablespoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 1/4 pounds cremini mushrooms, sliced

2/3 cup unsalted vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup Greek yogurt or reduced-fat sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Heat oil in a Dutch oven on medium; add onions. Cook 15 minutes or until the onions begin to brown. Stir in paprika, cayenne and lemon zest. Then add mushrooms and broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let stand 2 minutes. Meanwhile, stir flour into yogurt or sour cream. Swirl dairy mixture into mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with dill and serve.

Per serving: 179 calories, 8 grams protein, 11 grams fat (51% calories from fat), 1.6 grams saturated fat, 15 grams carbohydrate, 2 milligrams cholesterol, 295 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber. Carb count: 1.

CORN-AND-POTATO CHOWDER (Friday)

Makes: about 8 cups

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces Canadian bacon, chopped (about 3/4 cup)

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup thinly sliced celery

3 tablespoons flour

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon crushed rosemary

2 cups unsalted chicken broth

1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 bay leaves

2 cups 1 percent milk

3 cups frozen corn

Heat oil in a Dutch oven on medium. Add Canadian bacon; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add onions and celery; cook and stir 6 minutes or until softened. Sprinkle with flour, garlic powder, oregano and rosemary. Cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in broth; mix well. Add potatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in milk and corn. Bring to a simmer but do not boil. Simmer 5 minutes or until corn is tender. Discard bay leaves. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Per cup: 195 calories, 9 grams protein, 3 grams fat (15% calories from fat), 1 gram saturated fat, 34 grams carbohydrate, 11 milligrams cholesterol, 274 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber. Carb count: 2.

PAN-SEARED TILAPIA WITH BLISTERED GREEN BEANS AND RED PEPPER RELISH (Saturday)

Makes: 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes; standing time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 13-17 minutes

4 (4- to 6-ounce) skinless tilapia fillets, halved lengthwise down natural seam

1 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, divided

1 cup roasted red peppers, patted dry and finely chopped

1/4 cup whole almonds, toasted and finely chopped

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

1/8 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed

1/4 cup water

Sprinkle tilapia with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine red peppers, almonds, 1 tablespoon oil, basil, vinegar, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl; set aside relish until ready to serve. Combine beans, water and 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining pepper in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cover and cook at medium-high, shaking pan occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until water has evaporated. Uncover and continue to cook 2 minutes or until beans are blistered and browned. Transfer to serving platter; tent with foil to keep warm.

Pat tilapia dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add thick halves of tilapia to skillet and cook, tilting and gently shaking skillet occasionally to distribute oil, 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Using 2 spatulas, flip fillets and cook second sides 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to platter with beans. Return skillet to high heat. When oil is just smoking, add thin halves of fillets and cook 1 minute or until golden brown. Transfer tilapia to platter with beans. Serve with relish. (Adapted from "More Mediterranean," America's Test Kitchen.)

Per serving: 320 calories, 27 grams protein, 20 grams fat (55% calories from fat), 2.9 grams saturated fat, 11 grams carbohydrate, 57 milligrams cholesterol, 576 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber. Carb count: 1.