7day menu planner
SUNDAY: Get out the slow cooker and relax with the family while Caramelized Onion Pot Roast ( see recipe) heats up. Serve the savory entree with mashed potatoes and green beans. Add a spinach salad and crusty bread. For dessert, Chocolate and Vanilla Swirl Pudding has a flavor for everyone. Mix ¼ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a large bowl. Stir in 2 cups milk and ¼ cup egg substitute. Microwave, uncovered, on 100 percent power for 5 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until mixture thickens and boils. Stir in 1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Stir ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips into 1 cup of the pudding until melted. Alternately layer vanilla and chocolate puddings in parfait glasses or swirl in dessert dishes. Plan ahead: Save enough pot roast for Monday.
MONDAY: For a great Mamma Mia sauce over spaghetti, add 1 to 2 cups chopped leftover beef and onions to a 16- ounce jar of tomato- based pasta sauce; heat and serve over spaghetti, along with mixed greens and garlic bread. Pears make a light dessert.
TUESDAY: Turkey Ranch Pie is kid friendly. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9- inch pie plate with cooking spray. Place 1 ½ cups chopped cooked turkey ( or a 10- ounce can drained chicken breast) and 1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables in pie plate. Sprinkle with ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese. In a small bowl, blend ½ cup baking mix ( such as Bisquick), 1 ( 1- ounce) envelope ranch dressing mix, 1 cup milk and 2 eggs ( lightly beaten). Spoon over turkey mixture. Bake 33 to 38 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes and serve with celery boats with cream cheese and raisins and bread sticks. Slurp Fudgsicles for dessert.
WEDNESDAY: Serve this budget- pleasing Contemporary Tuna Noodle Casserole ( see recipe) tonight. Add a sliced avocado salad and sourdough bread. For dessert, fresh pineapple is refreshing.
THURSDAY: You’ll have dinner on the table in no time with a Seapak ( or another brand) seafood entree. ( Do pay attention to the sodium content, as with any frozen entree.) Add
fresh broccoli, a packaged green salad and whole- grain rolls to round out your meal. Peaches are a light dessert.
FRIDAY: Skip the meat for Vegetable “Jambalaya” ( see recipe) tonight. Just before serving, sprinkle with red pepper sauce to jazz it up. Add a lettuce wedge and corn muffins ( from a mix). For a simple dessert, plums are a good choice.
SATURDAY: Your guests will welcome Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin for dinner. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard and ¼ cup honey; mix well. In baking dish, coat 1 ( 1- to 1 ¼ - pound) pork tenderloin with sauce. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, basting occasionally, until meat thermometer registers 145 degrees. Remove pork from oven, tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes. Slice and serve with packaged long- grain and wild rice, steamed fresh zucchini and dinner rolls. For dessert, Baked Bananas With Coconut Over Vanilla Ice Cream is delicious. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 10- inch pie plate with cooking spray. Cut 6 medium bananas crosswise in half and then lengthwise in half. Place in pie plate. Dot bananas with 1 tablespoon cut- up butter. Drizzle with ⅓ cup fresh orange juice and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle with ¼ cup packed light brown sugar and
⅔ cup shredded coconut. Bake uncovered 8 to 10 minutes or until coconut is golden. Spoon over ice cream for a doubleyum dessert. Tip: Honey will slide out of the measuring cup more easily if you first coat it with cooking spray.
THE RECIPES Caramelized Onion Pot Roast
1 tablespoon canola oil 1 ( 3- to 3 ½ - pound) boneless chuck roast, well trimmed ½ teaspoon coarse salt ½ teaspoon pepper 4 medium onions, sliced 1 ½ cups lower- sodium beef broth ¾ cup regular or nonalcoholic beer 2 tablespoons packed light
brown sugar 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium- high heat. Cook roast 10 minutes or until browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place onions in a 4- quart or larger slow cooker. Place roast on onions. Mix broth, beer, sugar, Dijon mustard and cider vinegar; pour over roast and onions. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or until roast is tender. Remove roast and onions from cooker, using slotted spoon. Cut roast into slices. Skim fat from juices in cooker. Serve roast with juice. Makes 10 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 261 calories, 29 g protein, 11 g fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 78 mg cholesterol, 307 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: ½ .
Contemporary Tuna Noodle Casserole
2 cups fusilli pasta ( 6 ounces) 16 ounces reduced- fat Alfredo sauce ( jar or refrigerated) ⅓ cup unsalted chicken broth or white wine 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon lemon zest 2 ( 5- ounce) cans albacore
tuna in water, drained 1 ( 9- ounce) package frozen sugar snap peas, thawed and drained 1 ( 4.5- ounce) jar whole mushrooms, drained ¼ cup unseasoned panko crumbs 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
In a large bowl, combine Alfredo sauce, broth ( or wine), Italian seasoning, lemon zest, tuna, peas, mushrooms and pasta. Spoon into a 7- by- 11inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together panko crumbs and butter; sprinkle over mixture. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until casserole is bubbly and top is golden.
Makes 5 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 382 calories, 26 g protein, 13 g fat, 41 g carbohydrate, 54 mg cholesterol, 756 mg sodium and 4 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2 ½ .
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker: The Big Book of One- Pot
Dinners edited by Grace Wells
Vegetable ‘ Jambalaya’
1 tablespoon canola oil 1 large onion, coarsely
chopped 1 medium green bell pepper,
coarsely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup rice 1 ( 14- ounce) can unsalted
vegetable broth 1 cup frozen corn 2 tablespoons less- sodium Worcestershire sauce ⅛ teaspoon red pepper ( cayenne) 1 ( 15- ounce) can black- eyed
peas, rinsed 1 ( 14 ½ - ounce) can stewed
tomatoes, undrained
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium- high. Cook onion, bell pepper and garlic 6 minutes or until vegetables are softened; stir occasionally. Stir in rice. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is light golden. Stir in broth. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in corn, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, black- eyed peas and tomatoes. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables and rice are tender. Makes 7 cups. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 223 calories, 7 g protein, 2 g fat, 44 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 78 mg sodium ( using low- sodium ingredients) and 5 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3.