SUNDAY: Family night
November is just the right time for lemon-herb beef pot roast. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven on medium. Combine 2 teaspoons lemon pepper, 2 teaspoons minced garlic and 1 teaspoon dried basil; press onto a 21/2- to 31/2-pound beef shoulder roast. Brown on all sides; pour off drippings. Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 2 hours. Add 2 cups baby carrots, 1 pound small red potatoes (halved) and 1 medium onion (cut into six wedges). Continue cooking, covered, 30-45 minutes or until roast and vegetables are fork-tender. Remove roast and vegetables; keep warm. Skim fat from liquid. Stir in 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water. Cook and stir 1 minute or until thickened and bubbly. Carve roast; serve with vegetables and sauce.
Add a green salad with shiitake mushrooms and whole-grain rolls. Top angel food cake with strawberries and light whipped cream for dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough beef, vegetables and strawberries for Monday. Save enough cake for Tuesday.
SHOPPING LIST: olive oil, lemon pepper, garlic, dried basil, beef shoulder roast, baby carrots, red potatoes, onion, cornstarch, salad greens, fresh shiitake mushrooms, whole-grain rolls, angel food cake, strawberries, light whipped cream.
MONDAY: Heat and eat
Make beef and broccoli slaw wraps with leftover beef. Shred 2 cups of the beef and combine with 3 cups packaged broccoli slaw mix and 1/4 cup hoisin sauce; mix well. Spoon onto warmed whole-grain tortillas; roll, halve and serve.
Heat the leftover vegetables to serve alongside. Add mixed greens. For dessert, top vanilla ice cream with leftover strawberries.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
SHOPPING LIST: packaged broccoli slaw mix, hoisin sauce, whole-grain tortillas, mixed greens, vanilla ice cream.
TUESDAY: Express cooking
Stop by the market on the way home, and in no time, you'll have smoked turkey, brie and granny smith apple sandwiches on baguettes for a quick dinner. Serve with veggie chips. For dessert, cut the leftover cake into cubes and mix with instant banana pudding made with 1 percent milk.
SHOPPING LIST: deli smoked turkey, brie cheese, Granny Smith apples, baguette, veggie chips, instant banana pudding, 1 percent milk.
WEDNESDAY: Meatless meal
Make it meatless and easy with linguine with zucchini and fresh mint (see recipe). Serve with an Italian salad and garlic bread. Plums are your dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: linguine, olive oil, butter, zucchini, garlic, fresh mint, coarse salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, Italian salad, garlic bread, plums.
THURSDAY: Budget dining
We're always in the mood for a good lentil soup (see recipe), and this one is a keeper. Serve the soup with orange and grapefruit sections on lettuce and whole-grain rolls. Buy oatmeal cookies for dessert.
SHOPPING LIST: extra-virgin olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, dried lentils, fresh dill, bay leaves, crushed red pepper, canned no-salt-added tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, coarse salt, black pepper, Greek feta cheese, oranges, grapefruit, lettuce, whole-grain rolls, oatmeal cookies.
FRIDAY: Kids favorite
What child could resist creamy-greeny wagon wheel pasta for dinner? Warm one (10 1/4-ounce) can condensed less-fat less-sodium cream of mushroom soup and 3/4 cup 1 percent milk over low heat. Stir in 2 cups frozen tiny green peas (thawed); cook 5 minutes. Toss soup with cooked wagon wheel (or rotini) pasta.
Serve with cherry tomato halves and soft bread sticks. Make strawberry granola parfaits for dessert: Layer strawberry yogurt, granola and sliced fresh strawberries in a tall glass.
SHOPPING LIST: canned condensed less-fat less-sodium cream of mushroom soup, 1 percent milk, frozen tiny green peas, wagon wheel (or rotini) pasta, cherry tomatoes, soft bread sticks, strawberry yogurt, granola, fresh strawberries.
SATURDAY: Entertain the family
The family will want you to add edamame (green soybeans) to their favorites list after they try shrimp with edamame succotash (see recipe). Serve this protein-packed dish with a Boston lettuce salad and a baguette. For dessert, pour warm caramel sauce over leftover ice cream for dessert.
TIP: High in protein and fiber, edamame is one of the most nutritious soy products.
SHOPPING LIST: frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), bacon, celery, red onion, garlic, jalapeo peppers, frozen or fresh corn, dry white wine, medium peeled and deveined shrimp, coarse salt, black pepper, flatleaf parsley, Boston lettuce, baguette, caramel sauce.
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.
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LINGUINE WITH ZUCCHINI AND FRESH MINT (Wednesday)
Makes: 6 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 5 minutes, plus pasta
12 ounces linguine
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon butter
2 pounds (about 8 cups) fresh zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Cook linguine according to package directions; drain and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until softened. Stir in mint, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Combine zucchini mixture with cooked pasta and remaining olive oil; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining pepper.
Per serving: 311 calories, 11 grams protein, 9 grams fat (25 percent calories from fat), 2 grams saturated fat, 48 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 235 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber. Carb choices: 3.
LENTIL SOUP (Thursday)
Makes: 6 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 45 minutes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups dried lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill, divided
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled Greek feta cheese
In a Dutch oven, heat oil on medium. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic; cook 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Add water, lentils, 1 tablespoon dill, bay leaves, red pepper and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in remaining dill, vinegar, salt and black pepper; discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.
Per serving: 268 calories, 18 grams protein, 6 grams fat (20 percent calories from fat), 1.7 grams saturated fat, 39 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 454 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber. Carb choices: 2.5.
SHRIMP WITH EDAMAME SUCCOTASH (Saturday)
Makes: 4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
1 1/2 cups edamame (frozen, blanched and shelled) (see NOTE)
3 slices bacon
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, split lengthwise, seeded and cut crosswise into thin strips
2 cups frozen or fresh corn
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flatleaf parsley
Cook edamame according to package directions; drain. In a large nonstick skillet on medium-high, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, crumble and set aside; reserve 1 tablespoon drippings in pan. Reduce heat to medium; add celery, onion, garlic and jalapeno peppers to pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in edamame, corn and wine; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add shrimp; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are opaque throughout, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in salt and pepper; sprinkle with bacon and parsley.
NOTE: If you can't find edamame (green soybeans) with other frozen vegetables, look in the frozen health food section of your market.
Per serving: 329 calories, 27 grams protein, 13 grams fat (34 percent calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 28 grams carbohydrate, 139 milligrams cholesterol, 622 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber. Carb choices: 2.