7day menu planner
SUNDAY: Make the day special and serve Roasted Pork Loin With Pine Nut Stuffing (see recipe). Serve the juicy pork roast with aromatic basmati rice. Add a red-tip lettuce salad and naan. Slice angel food cake for dessert and top it with a dab of strawberry ice cream. Plan ahead: Save enough pork, rice and cake for Monday. Save enough ice cream for Tuesday.
MONDAY: Warm the leftover pork. Toss cooked tiny green peas (from frozen) with warmed leftover rice and stir in chopped fresh mint. Add whole-grain rolls. Spoon peaches over leftover cake for dessert.
TUESDAY: Start with a few ingredients and end with Chicken-Tabbouleh Toss. You’ll need 2 cups chopped cooked chicken (from rotisserie or other cooked chicken) and 2 cups tabbouleh from the deli. Toss them both with a salad kit such as Dole’s Sunflower Ranch Salad using half the salad dressing. Serve with crusty rolls. Scoop leftover ice cream for dessert. WEDNESDAY: For an easy budget meal, Italian White Beans With Chicken has a good flavor. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium. Add 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil and 1 clove minced garlic. Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, ½ cup well-drained chopped sundried tomatoes (oil-packed), ¼ cup sliced black olives and 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans (rinsed). Cook, stirring frequently, until hot. Serve with mixed greens and garlic bread. Fresh pears are dessert.
THURSDAY: Make it slow cooker time with Lentil Stew (see recipe). Serve with mixed greens and sourdough bread. Plums are a simple dessert.
FRIDAY: Ham and Cheese Melt will satisfy kids and adults, too. Spread one side of 8 slices multigrain bread with softened butter. Place 4 slices bread, buttered side down, on grill. Add 4 thin slices provolone cheese, 4 well-drained pineapple rings and 4 thin slices ham. Add second slices of bread, buttered side up. Cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes per side or until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. Serve with oven fries. Dip apple slices in vanilla yogurt for dessert. SATURDAY: Invite guests for simple and delicious Seared Shrimp With Peas and Yellow Rice (see recipe). Serve with a romaine salad and baguettes. Bread pudding is dessert.
THE RECIPES Roasted Pork Loin With Pine Nut Stuffing
1 teaspoon canola oil
¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
¾ cup soft bread crumbs
1 (15-ounce) can pears, drained and diced
½ cup toasted pine nuts
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon dried sage
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin roast, well-trimmed
Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until softened. Remove from heat; stir in spinach, bread crumbs, pears, pine nuts, salt, sage, pepper and thyme. Set aside.
Cut a lengthwise pocket in roast to ½ inch of ends and uncut side. Spoon stuffing into pocket; tie securely with heavy string. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place on rack in large roasting pan. Bake 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven; cover and let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Makes 15 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 224 calories, 26 g protein, 11 g fat, 6 g carbohydrate, 68 mg cholesterol, 107 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices:½.
Lentil Stew
1 ½ cups dried lentils
3 cups water
1 small acorn squash (about 1 ¼ pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 cups marinara sauce
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium baking potato cut, into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (10-ounce) package frozen cut green beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
Combine lentils and water in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
In a large bowl, combine squash, marinara sauce, bell pepper, potato, onion and garlic; mix well. Add to slow cooker. Cook on low 6 hours; add green beans and oil. If too thick, stir in about ½ cup water. Cook 1 hour more or until lentils and vegetables are done; serve. Makes about 14 cups. Nutrition information: Each cup contains approximately 140 calories, 8 g protein, 2 g fat, 25 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 175 mg sodium and 5 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1 ½.
Seared Shrimp With Peas and Yellow Rice
1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided use
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tablespoons butter
1 (12-ounce) package yellow rice mix (such as Zatarain’s or another brand)
¾ cup green peas (thawed from frozen)
¼ cup sliced green onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Lemon slices for garnish
Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large skillet on mediumhigh. Add 1/3 of the shrimp; cook 2 minutes or until browned on both sides. Remove shrimp; keep warm. Repeat with remaining shrimp and oil as needed. Once all of the shrimp are cooked and removed, to the skillet add 2 ½ cups water and the butter; bring to a boil. Stir in rice mix; return to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in shrimp, peas, onion and juice until well-mixed. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with lemon slices. Makes 4 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 490 calories, 32 g protein, 10 g fat, 70 g carbohydrate, 198 mg cholesterol, 1,328 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 4 ½.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: