7-DAY MENU PLANNER
Sunday (Family)
Dazzle the family with FLANK STEAK WITH RED WINE PAN SAUCE (see recipe) for dinner. Serve it with ROASTED RED POTATOES, GRILLED ASPARGUS, MIXED GREENS and WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. Buy a KEY LIME PIE for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough beef and pie for Monday.
Shopping list: flank steak, coarse salt, pepper, butter, green onions, dry red wine, lower-sodium beef broth, Dijon mustard, cracked peppercorns, red potatoes, asparagus, mixed greens, whole-grain bread, key lime pie.
Monday (Heat and Eat)
Use the leftover beef, any stir-fry sauce and stir-fry vegetables to prepare a BEEF STIR-FRY. Serve your creation over BROWN RICE. Add a LETTUCE WEDGE and BREAD STICKS. Slice the leftover PIE for dessert.
Plan ahead: Cook enough brown rice for Tuesday.
Shopping list: stir-fry sauce, stir-fry vegetables, brown rice, lettuce, bread sticks.
Tuesday (Express)
Try a jar of premade simmer sauce, such as chicken tikka masala, and stir up an Indian feast to remember. Serve it over leftover RICE. Add a packaged GREEN SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS, and that’s dinner. Add a slice of CANTALOUPE for a refreshing ending.
Shopping list: ingredients for chicken tikka masala, packaged green salad, whole-grain rolls, cantaloupe.
Wednesday (Meatless)
Try GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS CAPRESE (see recipe) for a special no-meat dinner. Serve the mushrooms on WHOLE-GRAIN BUNS along with POTATO SALAD. Slice MANGOES for dessert.
Shopping list: balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, fresh basil, coarse salt, portobello mushroom caps, fresh mozzarella, prepared basil pesto, Campari tomatoes, wholegrain buns, potato salad, mangoes.
Thursday (Kids)
For a fun summer dinner, treat the kids to TURKEY TORTILLA CONES (see recipe). Add CORN ON THE COB and CHERRY TOMATO HALVES. Fresh PEACHES are your dessert.
Shopping list: Neufchatel cheese, whole-grain tortillas (6-inch), mild salsa, lettuce, cooked turkey breast, 50% light cheddar cheese, red bell pepper, corn on the cob, cherry tomatoes, peaches.
Friday (Budget)
Keep the cost down with OVEN-FRIED BACONWRAPPED CHICKEN
THIGHS: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Microwave 8 slices bacon 30 seconds to 1 minute on high (100% power) or until limp. Wrap 8 bone-in skinless chicken thighs with the bacon. In a flat dish, combine ½ cup cornmeal, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon pepper. Coat chicken in mixture. Arrange on wire rack coated with cooking spray; place in a foil-lined broiler pan. Coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake about 45 minutes, turning once or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Serve with BAKED POTATOES, SLICED TOMATOES and CRUSTY ROLLS. Fresh FIGS are dessert.
Shopping list: bacon, bone-in skinless chicken thighs, cornmeal, coarse salt, paprika, pepper, cooking spray, potatoes to bake, tomatoes, crusty rolls, fresh figs.
Saturday (Easy Entertaining)
Invite guests for APPLE MUSTARD GLAZED PORK CHOPS for dinner: Season 4 boneless pork chops (¾ inches thick) with black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high; brown chops 2 minutes. Turn; add ¼ cup apple juice, 2 tablespoons apple jelly and 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve chops with the pan sauce and JASMINE RICE, STEAMED FRESH ZUCCHINI, a BOSTON LETTUCE SALAD and a BAGUETTE. For dessert, spoon FRESH BLACKBERRIES over VANILLA ICE CREAM.
Shopping list: boneless pork chops, black pepper, canola oil, apple juice, apple jelly, Dijon mustard, jasmine rice, fresh zucchini, Boston lettuce, baguette, fresh blackberries, vanilla ice cream.
FLANK STEAK WITH RED WINE PAN SAUCE (SUNDAY)
Servings: makes 6 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 20 minutes
1 (1 ½-pound) flank steak ½ teaspoon coarse salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground
pepper
5 tablespoons butter,
divided
¼ cup minced green onions ¼ cup dry red wine
½ cup lower-sodium beef
broth
1 tablespoon Dijon
mustard,
2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns Season steak with salt and pepper. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Warm an oven-safe platter in oven. In a large nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add steak; cook 4 minutes. Turn; cook 4 more minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook steak 4 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees for medium-rare. Place steak on warm platter in oven. In same skillet, cook green onions in pan juices on medium-high. Add wine; cook, scraping browned bits from skillet. Cook 1 minute to reduce wine. Stir in broth, mustard and peppercorns. Bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes to reduce by half. Slowly whisk in remaining butter 1 tablespoon at a time, letting it melt and blend into the sauce before adding the next tablespoon. Serve sauce with steak.
Per serving: 266 calories, 24 grams protein, 16 grams fat (56% calories from fat), 9 grams saturated fat, 2 grams carbohydrate, 74 milligrams cholesterol, 341 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.
Carb count: 0.
GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS CAPRESE (WEDNESDAY)
Servings: makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes; marinating time: 30 to 60 minutes
Cooking time: 14 to 18 minutes
¼ cup balsamic vinegar ¼ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon chopped
fresh basil
½ teaspoon coarse salt 4 portobello caps (about 9
ounces)
4 slices (4 ounces) fresh
mozzarella
¼ cup prepared basil pesto 2 Campari tomatoes,
sliced
Fresh basil leaves
In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, garlic, chopped basil and salt until blended. Transfer mixture to a resealable plastic bag. Add portobello caps. Marinate 30 to 60 minutes, turning once. Remove mushrooms; discard marinade. Meanwhile, heat grill to medium for direct-heat grilling. Grill 7 to 9 minutes per side or until tender, turning once. Arrange on serving platter. Top each with a mozzarella slice, 1 tablespoon pesto, 2 tomato slices and a fresh basil leaf.
Per serving: 188 calories, 9 grams protein, 15 grams fat (70% calories from fat), 5.4 grams saturated fat, 6 grams carbohydrate, 24 milligrams cholesterol, 273 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Carb count: 0.5.
TURKEY TORTILLA CONES (THURSDAY)
Servings: makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: none
4 ounces Neufchatel
cheese, softened 4 (6-inch) whole-grain
tortillas
¼ cup mild salsa
4 lettuce leaves
4 ounces cooked turkey
breast, cut into strips 4 ounces 50% light cheddar cheese, cut into strips
1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
Spread Neufchatel evenly on top ⅔ of each tortilla; spread salsa over cheese. Top with lettuce, turkey, cheddar cheese and bell pepper strips. Fold up bottom third of each tortilla; roll to make cone shape with folded end on bottom. Keep tortilla in cone shape with toothpick. Serve with additional salsa.
Per serving: 292 calories, 23 grams protein, 13 grams fat (38% calories from fat), 7.2 grams saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 58 milligrams cholesterol, 633 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Carb count: 1.5.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: susan@7daymenu. com. 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!