Seven-Day Menu Planner

10 /18

FAMILY SUNDAY

Celebrate family day with your favorite recipe for leg of lamb. Accompany it with colorful Broccoli-Walnut Noodles (see recipe). For more color and flavor, add lemony stewed tomatoes. With a vegetable peeler, remove a strip of peel from a lemon. Add peel and a squeeze of lemon juice (to taste) to canned stewed tomatoes and heat. Remove peel and serve. Add whole-grain rolls. For dessert, make or buy a red velvet cake. Plan ahead: Save enough lamb and cake for Monday.

10/ 19

HEAT-AND-EAT MONDAY

Make delicious Mediterranean Lamb Stew with Sunday’s leftovers. In a saucepan, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 cups cooked chopped lamb, 1 (16-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium chickpeas, 1 (14 ½-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juice, 1 (7ounce) can caponata (eggplant appetizer). Mix well. Heat through and serve. Add couscous, cucumber spears and flatbread. Leftover cake works for dessert.

10/ 20

KIDS TUESDAY

What kid wouldn’t like Beany Roll-Ups? Mix 1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans, ½ cup mild salsa and ¼ teaspoon chili powder in a small saucepan. Heat on medium about 5 minutes or until warm. Spread about ¼ cup mixture along center of 8 (8- to 10-inch) whole-grain flour tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce and 1 tablespoon shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Fold over sides and ends and serve with additional salsa. Add rice cooked with shredded

Tomato and sweet onion salad. carrots. The kids can make celery boats with cream cheese and dried cranberries or cherries. Pears make a dandy dessert. Tip: Adults might want chopped tomatoes and jalapeno peppers on their roll-ups.

10/ 21

EXPRESS WEDNESDAY

Little time to cook tonight? Here’s where canned Lentil Soup with grilled chili-cheese sandwiches on whole-grain bread come to the rescue. Drain 1 (4-ounce) can whole green chilies. Put 1 chili between 2 slices (any) cheese on whole-grain bread. Coat both sides of bread with cooking spray and grill in skillet until cheese melts. Slice diagonally and serve with pickles. For dessert, fat-free strawberry ice cream is easy. Plan ahead: Save enough ice

cream for Friday.

10/ 22

BUDGET THURSDAY

When the food budget is going down the drain, this Ham and Egg Scramble (see recipe) will keep you afloat. Serve with tomato and sweet onion salad. Slice 2 pounds ripe, cored tomatoes (any kind) into 1-inch chunks. Tear 20 fresh mint leaves into small pieces. Thinly slice a medium sweet onion. Place tomatoes, mint and onions in a medium bowl. Add juice of one lemon, 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon coarse salt and some pepper. Combine and gently toss. (Adapted from“Rose Water and Orange Blossoms,” Maureen Abood; Running Press,

2015.)

Add toasted English muffins. Peaches are an economical

dessert.

10/ 23

MEATLESS FRIDAY

Skipping meat tonight couldn’t be easier with Savory Bean and Pasta Salad (see recipe). Serve with a lettuce wedge and garlic bread. Scoop the leftover ice cream for dessert.

10/ 24 EASY ENTERTAINING SATURDAY

Invite friends for PepperLime Chicken. Place 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (flattened to an even thickness) on unheated rack (coated with cooking spray) of broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat about 6 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. Meanwhile, mix together ½ teaspoon lime zest (green part only), 1 tablespoon canola oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper and ¼ teaspoon coarse salt. Brush both sides of chicken with glaze. Broil 5 to 15 minutes more, until chicken is tender or registers 165 degrees, brushing often during the last 5 minutes. Serve with brown rice tossed with toasted pistachio nuts,

French green beans (thin) and sourdough bread. Make dessert

light with orange sorbet and chocolate wafer cookies.