SUNDAY: Family night
Our family is putting pork medallions with cinnamon couscous and mango chutney (see recipe) on our favorites list. Serve it with steamed fresh zucchini, a mixed green salad and crusty rolls. Buy or make banana pudding for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: coarse salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, pork tenderloin, cinnamon, butter, couscous, mango or peach chutney, fresh zucchini, mixed greens, crusty rolls, banana pudding.
MONDAY: Express cooking
Stop by the deli for the always-popular barbecue rotisserie chicken. While you're there, add deli macaroni salad and coleslaw to your menu. Make cornbread (from mix) and slice watermelon for dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough coleslaw and watermelon for Tuesday.
SHOPPING LIST: deli barbecue rotisserie chicken, deli macaroni salad, deli coleslaw, cornbread mix, watermelon.
TUESDAY: Meatless meal
Keep it simple tonight and make pinto bean chili. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium. Add one finely chopped onion; cook 7 minutes or until softened. Add three cloves minced garlic; cook 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder and 3/4 teaspoon cumin. Stir in 3 tablespoons tomato paste. Add 3 1/2 cups unsalted vegetable broth, 8 ounces frozen white-kernel corn and one (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce. Stir in four (15-ounce) cans rinsed reduced-sodium pinto beans. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 30 minutes. Stir in a handful of chopped fresh cilantro and serve with grated light sharp cheddar cheese, finely chopped red onion, reduced-fat sour cream and corn chips for garnish. Add leftover coleslaw and your own fresh guacamole. Leftover watermelon is a sweet summer dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: olive oil, onion, garlic, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, tomato paste, unsalted vegetable broth, frozen white-kernel corn, canned no-salt-added tomato sauce, canned reduced-sodium pinto beans, fresh cilantro, light sharp cheddar cheese, red onion, reduced-fat sour cream, corn chips, avocados for guacamole.
WEDNESDAY: Kids favorite
Here come the children for chicken calzones! Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. On a lightly floured surface, roll 16 ounces of refrigerated pizza dough to form a 9-by-14-inch rectangle (1/4-inch thick). Transfer to baking sheet. Spread 1/2 cup pizza sauce, 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, 1 cup cooked shredded carrots and one (6-ounce) can drained chicken breast over half the dough. Fold other half of dough over filling. Seal edges by pressing with the tines of a fork. Prick top with fork and coat with cooking spray. Bake 20-25 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes, then cut and serve.
Add celery sticks to munch on. For dessert, make a sunshine lemon smoothie. In a blender, combine 2 cups 1 percent milk, 2 cups reduced-fat lemon yogurt, 1/2 cup ice and 3 tablespoons powdered lemonade mix. Blend until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour and drink.
SHOPPING LIST: cooking spray, flour, refrigerated pizza dough, pizza sauce, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded carrots, canned chicken breast, celery, 1 percent milk, reduced-fat lemon yogurt, powdered lemonade mix.
THURSDAY: Budget dining
The family is always at the table on time when these beef stuffed peppers (see recipe) are on the menu. Serve this updated family favorite with baked potatoes and top with reduced-fat sour cream. We always have fresh green beans from the garden on the side. For dessert, peaches are all we want.
PLAN AHEAD: Bake two extra peppers for Friday.
SHOPPING LIST: red, green, yellow or orange bell peppers, 93 percent lean ground beef, onion, garlic, canned diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions, brown or white rice, tomato paste, parsley, coarse salt, black pepper, potatoes to bake, reduced-fat sour cream, fresh green beans, peaches.
FRIDAY: Heat and eat
Chop the leftover peppers and fill corn taco shells for pepper tacos tonight. Garnish them with shredded 50 percent light cheddar cheese and reduced-fat sour cream. Alongside, you'll want pinto beans. Fresh plums make a dandy dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: corn taco shells, shredded 50 percent light cheddar cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, pinto beans, fresh plums.
SATURDAY: Entertain the family
Showcase your grilling skills to the family with your grilled salmon. Top it with this cucumber dill sauce: In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream, 1/4 cup seeded and diced cucumber, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce and 1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper.
Serve the delicious combo with your roasted red potatoes and steamed fresh asparagus. Add a baguette. For a special treat, slice million-dollar pound cake (see recipe) for dessert and top it with fresh strawberries.
SHOPPING LIST: salmon to grill, reduced-fat sour cream, cucumber, fresh dill, light brown sugar, coarse salt, hot pepper sauce, white or black pepper, red potatoes, fresh asparagus, baguette, butter, sugar, eggs, all-purpose flour, whole milk, almond extract, pure vanilla extract, strawberries.
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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PORK MEDALLIONS WITH CINNAMON COUSCOUS AND MANGO CHUTNEY (Sunday)
Makes: 4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: less than 10 minutes, plus couscous
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 1/4 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1-pound pork tenderloin, well-trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch-thick medallions
2 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon butter
1 1/2 cups couscous
Mango or peach chutney for garnish
Combine salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder; rub mixture over all surfaces of medallions. Heat broiler. Broil 6-8 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees; turn once. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring water, cinnamon and butter to a boil; stir in couscous. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Serve medallions with couscous and chutney.
Per serving: 380 calories, 30 grams protein, 5 grams fat (11 percent calories from fat), 1.7 grams saturated fat, 52 grams carbohydrate, 62 milligrams cholesterol, 210 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber. Carb count: 3.5.
BEEF STUFFED PEPPERS (Thursday)
Makes: 4 servings
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
4 medium red, green, yellow or orange bell peppers
1 pound (93 percent lean) ground beef
1/2 cup minced onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions, drained
1/2 cup cooked brown or white rice
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced parsley, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cut tops from peppers (reserve); carefully remove seeds and membranes from peppers and discard. Arrange peppers, cut side down, in a large baking dish. Place tops in dish. Microwave on high 1 -1 1/2 minutes per pepper; drain, turn right side up in dish and set aside. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet on medium until hot. Add ground beef, onion and garlic; cook 3-4 minutes, breaking beef apart; stir occasionally. Stir in tomatoes, rice, tomato paste, parsley, salt and black pepper; cook 3-4 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Divide mixture evenly among peppers; replace tops. Bake 17-22 minutes or until thermometer inserted into center of beef mixture reaches 160 degrees. Garnish with additional parsley.
Per serving: 374 calories, 27 grams protein, 13 grams fat (31 percent calories from fat), 4.3 grams saturated fat, 37 grams carbohydrate, 65 milligrams cholesterol, 698 milligrams sodium, 7 grams fiber. Carb count: 2.5.
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MILLION-DOLLAR POUND CAKE (Saturday)
Makes: 16 slices
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour and 40 minutes; cooling time: 10-15 minutes
1 pound butter, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Heat oven to 300 degrees. In an electric mixer, beat butter on medium 1-7 minutes (or until creamy and lighter-yellow color). Gradually add sugar, beating on medium, until a fluffy white. (Times vary according to power of mixer.) Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yolk disappears. Add flour to creamed mixture, alternating with milk; begin and end with flour. Beat at low speed until just blended after each addition. (Batter should be smooth, and flour should be well-incorporated. If batter has lumps, stir gently with a rubber spatula.) Stir in almond extract and vanilla extract. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. (To grease pan: Use butter or vegetable shortening, greasing every part of pan. Sprinkle with a light coating of flour over greased surface.) Bake 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack. (Adapted from Southern Living magazine.)
Per slice: 499 calories, 6 grams protein, 26 grams fat (45 percent calories from fat), 15.4 grams saturated fat, 62 grams carbohydrate, 132 milligrams cholesterol, 235 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber. Carb count: 4.