7day menu planner
Quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families
SUNDAY: Make it easy today with Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin (see recipe) at the center of the plate. Accompany it with a delicious dish, Green Beans and Potatoes With Rosemary and Lemon Zest (see recipe). Alongside, add tomato wedges and deviled eggs. Dessert will be light with orange sections with toasted coconut. Plan ahead: Save enough pork and orange sections for Monday.
MONDAY: Make Pork and Brie Sandwiches for an easy meal. Spread pesto on Italian bread; top with the leftover pork, slices of brie cheese and arugula. Serve with baked kale chips. Enjoy the leftover orange sections for dessert.
TUESDAY: You can have Tomato Soup With Spinach and Corn on the table in no time. Prepare 2 (10-ounce) cans condensed tomato soup according to package directions, using 1 percent milk. Add 1 (10-ounce) thawed package frozen chopped spinach and 1 cup thawed frozen corn. Heat through. Serve with a lettuce wedge and cheese toast. Enjoy pears for dessert.
WEDNESDAY: Ziti With Red Peppers and Almonds (see recipe) makes a great no-meat meal. Serve the pasta with a mixed green salad and garlic bread. For a light dessert, raspberry sorbet is perfect. Plan ahead: Save enough sorbet for Saturday.
THURSDAY: It’s fun to save money, especially when the results are as good as Crunchy Catfish. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Dip catfish filets in cornmeal seasoned with garlic powder, coarse salt and pepper. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until browned and opaque throughout. Serve with oven fries and tomato wedges. Make cornbread. For dessert, kiwi is easy.
FRIDAY: Throw Burger Dogs into a whole-grain hot dog bun, and the kids will love them. Season ground turkey with a little chile powder, cumin, coarse salt and pepper to taste. Form into hot dog shapes. Broil or pan-fry until cooked through, then place into buns. Top with salsa and sour cream. Serve
with baked beans and celery sticks stuffed with light cream cheese spread and raisins. Munch on oatmeal cookies for dessert.
SATURDAY: Dill-Infused Shrimp Scampi will be a favorite with your guests. Heat ¼ cup avocado or olive oil in a large skillet on medium. Add 2 cloves minced garlic. Cook and stir 30 seconds or until fragrant; do not brown. Stir in 1 pound peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp, 1 tablespoon fresh dill (or ½ teaspoon dried) and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Stirring frequently, cook 3 to 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Serve this winner over cooked linguine. Add a spinach salad and baguettes. For dessert, top chocolate cake with leftover sorbet.
THE RECIPES Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1 teaspoon ground black
pepper
1 teaspoon apple pie spice 3 tablespoons honey
1 ½ tablespoons butter,
melted
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Brush all sides of pork with oil. Stir together the cumin, salt, pepper and apple pie spice; rub all over pork. Place pork in roasting pan. Bake 12 minutes.
Whisk together the honey and melted butter; brush half the mixture over pork, bake 1 minute. Turn pork and brush with remaining mixture. Bake 2 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Makes 8 servings. Recipe adapted from
$10 Dinners by Julie Grimes (Oxmoor House)
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 200 calories, 22 g protein, 9 g fat, 7 g carbohydrate, 62 mg cholesterol, 294 mg sodium and no fiber.
Carbohydrate choice: 0.5.
Green Beans and Potatoes With Rosemary and Lemon Zest
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 ½ tablespoons finely
chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoon lemon zest (yellow
part only)
¼ teaspoon crushed red
pepper
1 ½ pounds red potatoes, cooked and quartered lengthwise
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and blanched (see note)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice Coarse salt to taste
In a large skillet, heat oil on medium; add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add rosemary, lemon zest and crushed red pepper; cook 1 minute or until fragrant. Add potatoes and green beans; cook vegetables 4 minutes or until hot and coated with seasoning. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Season with salt. Serve warm.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: To blanch green beans, cook in boiling water for 2 minutes, then immediately plunge into ice water.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 154 calories, 4 g protein, 5 g fat, 25 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 12 mg sodium and 5 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1.5.
Ziti With Red Peppers and Almonds
1 pound uncooked ziti pasta 1 cup panko-style bread
crumbs
¼ cup slivered almonds,
toasted and chopped
1 cup julienned roasted red
bell peppers
3 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning ¾ cup freshly grated parmesan
cheese
½ cup chopped fresh basil
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
Place pasta in a large bowl and add panko, almonds, peppers, oil and Italian seasoning; toss to mix. Divide among 6 serving bowls; garnish with cheese and basil. Makes 6 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 446 calories, 16 g protein, 13 g fat, 9 mg cholesterol, 194 mg sodium and 3 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 4.5.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: