7-Day Menu Planner
A week’s worth of quick, healthful meals for budgetminded families
SUNDAY: Treat the family to Rib-eye Steaks With Fresh Tomato Tapenade (see recipe) for family day. Accompany it with your potato and mushroom skewers and these Green Beans and Onions: Cook 1 ½ pounds trimmed fresh green beans in boiling water about 4 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-low. Add 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden. To skillet, add beans, coarse salt and pepper to taste and cook 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in 4 slices cooked bacon (crumbled) and serve. Add whole-grain rolls. Make or buy a poppyseed cake for dessert.
Plan ahead: Grill an extra steak and save some cake for Monday.
MONDAY: Make a Steak Salad with the leftover steak and a packaged Italian salad for an easy summer meal. Just slice the steak and toss with the salad ingredients. Serve with bread sticks. Slice the leftover cake for dessert.
TUESDAY: Make the kids happy with Double Bean Sloppy Joes for dinner. In a large nonstick skillet, combine 1 (15- or 16-ounce) can black-eyed peas (rinsed) and 1 (15- or 16-ounce) can pinto beans, 1 ½ cups marinara sauce, 1 (14 ½-ounce) can diced tomatoes (drained), 1 cup finely chopped shredded carrots, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar and 1 ½ teaspoons chili seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover skillet and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots are tender. Spoon onto bottom halves of 4 split toasted kaiser rolls; add tops. Serve with chopped lettuce. Slurp on a Strawberry Banana Smoothie for dessert: Puree a semithawed 16-ounce bag frozen strawberries, 1 ripe banana, ½ cup plain yogurt, ½ cup milk and 2 tablespoons sugar in blender. Serve cold.
Plan ahead: If time permits, cook Wednesday’s brown rice today.
WEDNESDAY: Make delicious Baked Brown Rice With Broccoli and Mushrooms (see recipe) for an easy nomeat dinner. Serve with sliced tomatoes and whole-grain rolls. Juicy Nectarines are dessert.
THURSDAY: Low-cost Mexican Salad is just right for summer: In a large skillet, cook ½ pound lean ground beef, ½ pound ground turkey breast and 1 small onion (chopped) for 8 to 10 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink and onion is softened; drain well. Stir in 1 tablespoon chile powder, ¾ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Cook 2 to 3 more minutes. Meanwhile, combine ½ cup ranch dressing, ¾ teaspoon cumin and 1/8 teaspoon pepper sauce; mix well. To serve, place 5 cups sliced romaine on a serving platter. Top the romaine with 1 ½ cups halved grape tomatoes, ½ cup canned black beans (rinsed) and meat mixture. Sprinkle with ½ cup shredded pepper jack cheese and chopped fresh cilantro to taste. Serve with warmed flour tortillas. Dessert is just a bowl of cherries.
FRIDAY: A new twist on an old theme makes Reuben Quesadillas an easy meal. Spread 2 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing on one side of 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas. Layer 2 ounces thinly sliced deli corned beef, ½ cup refrigerated sauerkraut (rinsed and well drained) and 2 slices Swiss cheese onto half of each tortilla. Fold tortillas over filling, pressing gently to seal. Heat a large nonstick skillet to medium; add quesadillas in batches and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden and cheese is melted. Cut into wedges and serve immediately with corn on the cob and a lettuce wedge. Try fresh plums for dessert.
SATURDAY: Your lucky friends will enjoy Curried Walnut Chicken (see recipe) tonight. Serve the fresh-flavored dish over rice with snow peas on the side. Add sourdough bread. Buy fruit tarts for dessert.
THE RECIPES
Rib-eye Steaks With Fresh Tomato Tapenade
2 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 boneless beef rib-eye steaks, cut
1 inch thick (about 12 ounces each) For the tapenade:
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 (2 ½-ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
Prepare grill for medium heat.
Press pepper and salt evenly onto both steaks. Place steaks on grill over medium, ashcovered coals. Grill, covered, 9 to 14 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally.
Meanwhile, combine tapenade ingredients in a small bowl. Season steaks with salt to taste. Cut each steak in half and top evenly with tapenade.
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 285 calories, 41 g protein, 12 g fat, 5 g carbohydrate, 113 mg cholesterol, 799 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: ½
Baked Brown Rice With Broccoli and Mushrooms
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup thinly sliced celery
3 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 (8-ounce) package sliced cremini mushrooms
4 cups cooked brown rice
1 (10 ¾-ounce) can condensed broccoli cheese soup
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided use
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine onions and celery; cover and microwave on high 4 minutes; drain. Spoon into large bowl.
In same microwave dish, combine broccoli and mushrooms and microwave 3 minutes; drain and add to large bowl. Add cooked rice, soup, ¾ cup cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper to bowl; mix well. Spoon into a 9-by13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake 35 minutes; top with remaining cheese. Bake 3 more minutes or until cheese is melted; serve warm.
Makes 6 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with reducedfat soup, cheese and sour cream) contains approximately 331 calories, 14 g protein, 13 g fat, 43 g carbohydrate, 33 mg cholesterol, 756 mg sodium and 5 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3
Curried Walnut Chicken
For the chicken:
¼ cup lower-sodium soy sauce
¼ cup dry red wine or dry sherry
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 to 1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts For the sauce:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder 1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
½ cup toasted walnuts (see note)
In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, wine or sherry, oil, sugar, garlic and ginger until sugar is dissolved.
Between two pieces of wax paper, flatten chicken to ½-inch thickness. Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag; pour marinade over. Press air out and seal bag. Massage the bag gently to distribute the marinade. Place in a dish and refrigerate 2 to 12 hours.
Remove chicken from marinade; reserve marinade. Heat broiler.
Broil chicken 6 inches from heat for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, brushing with marinade several times during the first half of cooking; discard marinade.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, curry powder, garlic, salt and pepper to taste; stir in walnuts. Serve chicken with sauce. Makes 4 servings. Note: To toast walnuts: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts on a flat baking sheet and bake 5 to 8 minutes or until golden.
Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with lowfat mayonnaise and fat-free yogurt) contains approximately 291 calories, 28 g protein, 15 g fat, 12 g carbohydrate, 73 mg cholesterol, 479 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1