7day menu planner
A week’s worth of quick, healthful meals for budgetminded families
SUNDAY: Enjoy family time with Glazed Pork Roast (see recipe) today. Serve with Baked Broccoli and Rice: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 7-by-11inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup uncooked instant rice, ½ cup chopped onion, ¼ cup milk, 4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, 1 tablespoon softened butter, 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli (thawed and drained) and 1 (10 ¾-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup. Mix well and spoon into baking dish. Bake 45 minutes or until bubbly. To serve alongside the rice, make your own baked apples. Serve with a lettuce wedge and sourdough rolls. Scoop vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough pork and broccoli and rice for Monday; prepare enough apples for Tuesday. Save leftover ice cream for Wednesday.
MONDAY: Use leftovers and make Italian Pork Soup for a quick meal. In a large saucepan, combine 1 (14 ½-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes and juice, 2 (14-ounce) cans unsalted chicken broth, 1/3 cup minced onion, 1 (15-ounce) can white beans (rinsed); mix well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in 8 ounces torn fresh spinach leaves and 2 cups chopped cooked (leftover) pork; cook 4 minutes. Ladle into bowls. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve with the leftover broccoli and rice and focaccia. For dessert, buy banana pudding; stir in sliced bananas.
TUESDAY: Try a frozen familysize skillet meal such as fajita chicken (or another flavor). Stir in more frozen vegetables to pump up the nutrition. Add a spinach salad. Serve with cornbread. For dessert, warm the leftover baked apples and sprinkle with chopped toasted pecans.
WEDNESDAY: Make Pizza Muffins for the kids. Heat broiler. Place 8 toasted English muffin halves on a cookie sheet covered with foil. Spread 2 tablespoons pizza sauce on each muffin half. Add 2 tablespoons canned black beans (rinsed and drained), 2 tablespoons shredded partskim mozzarella cheese and 1 tablespoon sliced black olives to each half. Broil until cheese melts. Serve with a bibb lettuce salad. For dessert, make a Kiwi and Banana Smoothie. For two servings: In a blender or food processor, combine 1 cup leftover vanilla ice cream, 1 cup milk, 1 kiwi (peeled and quartered), ½ ripe banana (peeled and chopped) and 4 ice cubes. Pulse for 30 to 45 seconds or until blended; serve frosty.
THURSDAY: You can be frugal and hospitable when you serve Hearty Italian White Bean Basil Soup (see recipe). All you need with it is a mixed green salad and garlic bread. Add fresh fruit chunks for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough garlic bread for Friday.
FRIDAY: What could be easier than Portapasta for a no-meat, no-stress night? Cook 8 ounces spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet on medium. Add 1 (6-ounce) package sliced portobello mushrooms and 1 teaspoon minced garlic; cook 5 to 6 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Stir in 2 cups marinara sauce and cook 3 minutes or until hot. Add pasta; toss to combine. Season with coarse salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a romaine salad and leftover garlic bread. Add lime sherbet for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough sherbet for Saturday.
SATURDAY: Invite guests for Chicken With Chutney (see recipe) for an entertaining dinner. Serve with basmati rice and steamed fresh broccoli. Add whole-grain rolls. Dessert will be leftover sherbet and butter cookies.
THE RECIPES Glazed Pork Roast
1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed in garlic press
1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest
(yellow part only) 1 ½ teaspoons lime zest
(green part only)
½ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup currant jelly
1 (3-pound) well-trimmed
boneless pork loin roast
2 cups apple juice
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pour ½ cup water into small roasting pan; set aside.
In a small bowl, mix ginger, garlic, both zests, salt and pepper. Add 2 teaspoons of ginger mixture to jelly for glaze; rub remaining mixture over pork. Place pork in roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes; brush roast with one-third of glaze. Roast 45 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 135 degrees, brushing pork with glaze every 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Heat broiler. Broil roast 3 to 5 minutes to brown top. Transfer roast to serving platter; tent with foil and let stand 3 minutes before slicing. Place roasting pan over high heat; add apple juice. Boil 8 to 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Serve sauce with roast. Makes 12 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 160 calories, 22 g protein, 3 g fat, 11 g carbohydrate, 60 mg cholesterol, 129 mg sodium and no fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1.
Hearty Italian White Bean Basil Soup
4 ½ cups vegetable broth
½ cup uncooked jasmine rice
1 ¼ cups tomato sauce, divided use
1 packed cup finely chopped onion
4 large cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon
Italian seasoning
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, rinsed
¼ packed cup finely chopped fresh basil
In a large Dutch oven, combine broth, rice, 1 cup of the tomato sauce, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper and red pepper (if desired); stir well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to mediumlow. Cook, partly covered, for 10 minutes or until rice is tender; stir to keep from sticking. Add beans; simmer on medium-low 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add fresh basil and remaining ¼ cup tomato sauce. Heat 2 minutes; remove pot from heat. Let stand to thicken. (Adapted from
The Vegan 8 Brandi Doming, Oxmoor House)
Makes 6 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 212 calories, 10 g protein, trace fat, 46 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, sodium varies and 10 grams fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3.
Chicken With Chutney
4 bone-in, skinless chicken breast halves (2 ½ to 3 pounds total)
½ teaspoon coarse salt
5 teaspoons curry powder, divided use
3 tablespoons chutney
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
Season chicken on both sides with salt, then rub all over with 4 teaspoons of the curry powder. Place breast side down in baking dish. Bake 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine chutney, lime juice and remaining 1 teaspoon curry powder.
Turn chicken pieces over and spoon chutney mixture on top. Bake 15 to 20 minutes more, or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Spoon pan juices over chicken and serve.
Makes 4 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 302 calories, 48 g protein, 6 g fat, 10 g carbohydrate, 145 mg cholesterol, 506 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 0.5.