7-Day Menu Planner
A week’s worth of quick, healthful meals for budgetminded families
SUNDAY: Make family day a delicious one with Moroccan Sheet Pan Chicken With Olives and Onions (see recipe) for dinner. (It’s in our “favorites” file.) Serve it with yellow rice (from mix), an arugula salad and flatbread. Enjoy coconut pudding with apricots for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough chicken, rice and flatbread and some pudding for Monday.
MONDAY: Lucky you! You have the delicious leftover Moroccan chicken and yellow rice for leftovers tonight. Add steamed broccoli and a mixed green salad. Enjoy the leftover pudding for dessert.
TUESDAY: Take the ordinary Salisbury steak to new heights with this Roasted Salisbury Steak With Mushrooms: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut 12 ounces (of 16 ounces total) fresh crimini mushrooms into halves; finely chop the remaining 4 ounces and set aside. To the halves, add 2 medium onions, each cut into 6 wedges; set aside. In a bowl, combine the finely chopped mushrooms with 1 pound lean ground beef, ¼ cup seasoned bread crumbs, 1 egg, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and ¼ teaspoon coarse salt; mix well. Form into 4 oval patties. Gently toss mushroom halves and onion wedges with 2 tablespoons olive oil and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place the patties on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the mushrooms and onions around steaks. Roast 20 minutes or until patties are cooked through and vegetables are tender, turning patties once and stirring vegetables. Serve patties topped with mushrooms and onions. Add corn-on-the-cob, mixed greens and whole-grain rolls. For a simple dessert, try orange sections.
WEDNESDAY: Enjoy this Pumpkin Curry Soup (see recipe) on a crisp, cool fall night. Add a mixed green salad and bread sticks. Serve with lemon yogurt mixed with chopped peaches for dessert.
THURSDAY: Make the kids happy with Tomato Mac ’n’ Beef for dinner. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium-high; add 1 pound lean ground beef, ½ cup finely chopped onion and finely chopped carrots. Cook 6 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain well. Add 1 (14-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with mild green chiles (with liquid) and 1 cup water; bring to a boil. Stir in 1 cup elbow macaroni. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Top with sour cream and serve immediately. Serve with celery sticks, hummus for dipping and soft rolls. For dessert, stir sliced bananas into chocolate pudding.
FRIDAY: Dinner will be quick tonight when you put deli egg salad on toasted whole-wheat English muffins on the menu. Top with sliced tomatoes, lettuce and Canadian bacon. Serve with sweet potato chips. For dessert, try plums.
SATURDAY: For an extra-easy and extra-tasty dinner for guests, present them with Asian Flounder Bake (see recipe). Serve the colorful entree with jasmine rice, fresh broccoli rabe, a Boston lettuce salad and a baguette. Surprise your guests with Blueberry Pudding Pie for dessert: Fill a graham cracker crust nearly to the top with fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blueberries and gently spread with a layer of prepared vanilla pudding. Chill well, slice and serve.
THE RECIPES Moroccan Sheet Pan Chicken With Olives and Onions
3 medium Vidalia or other sweet onions, halved and cut into half-moons
¾ cup pimento-stuffed olives, drained
2 lemons, sliced into rounds
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
4 teaspoons adobo all-purpose seasoning with pepper, divided use 1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon cumin
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground (red) cayenne pepper
10 bone-in skinless chicken thighs (about 3 to 3 ½ pounds)
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan or other large rimmed baking pan with foil.
In a medium bowl, toss together the onions, olives, lemons, 2 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning. Spoon onto baking pan in an even layer.
In a small bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons oil, remaining adobo seasoning, garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Rub chicken with spice paste. Arrange chicken over vegetables. Roast 35 to 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Makes 10 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 231 calories, 22 g protein, 14 g fat, 5 g carbohydrate, 112 mg cholesterol, 916 mg sodium and 1 g fiber. Carbohydrate choices: ½
Pumpkin Curry Soup
2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons curry powder
4 cups unsalted vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
1 ½ cups half-and-half
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar Coarse salt and ground black pepper to taste
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange pumpkin seeds in a single layer on rimmed baking pan. Toast in oven 10 minutes or until seeds begin to brown. Melt butter in a large pot on medium. Stir in flour and curry powder until smooth and mixture begins to boil. Gradually whisk in broth; cook until thickened. Stir in pumpkin and half-and-half. Season with soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Bring just to a boil, then keep warm on low. Dish into serving bowls and garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds. (Adapted from “Kneaders Bakery & Cafe Cookbook,” Colleen Worthington, Shadow Mountain Publishing)
Makes 6 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 199 calories, 4 g protein, 12 g fat, 20 g carbohydrate, 31 mg cholesterol, 334 mg sodium and 3 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1 ½
Asian Flounder Bake
¼ cup lower-sodium soy sauce 2 tablespoons dry sherry 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated, peeled
fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil 1 (10-ounce) package
shredded carrots 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 (5- to 6-ounce) flounder or
tilapia filets
1 green onion, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sherry, sugar, ginger and oil.
In bottom of 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, spread carrots evenly. Spread spinach over carrots; top with fish. Pour soy sauce mixture evenly over flounder. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until fish turns opaque throughout. To serve, sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds.
Makes 4 servings. Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 176 calories, 19 g protein, 5 g fat, 13 g carbohydrate, 55 mg cholesterol, 853 mg sodium and 4 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1 Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: susan@7daymenu.com