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Make family day special with Flank Steak Verde. Brush 2 (1-pound) flank steaks (1-inch thick) with canola oil; grill 9 to 11 minutes, turning once, for medium-rare to medium. Remove to cutting board; let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup salsa verde (green salsa) and 1 cup cilantro leaves in a food processor. Process until smooth and serve with steak.
Add roasted red potatoes. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss 21/2 pounds small quartered red potatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Place potatoes on a nonstick, foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; cook 25 minutes or until tender. Add tomato wedges to the colorful plate along with multigrain bread.
For a special dessert, cherry cheesecake is delicious and light. With electric mixer on high, beat 1 (8-ounce) package softened fat-free cream cheese with 1/3 cup sugar until smooth. Gently stir in 1 (8-ounce) container fat-free frozen whipped topping (thawed). Spoon into 1 (6-ounce) graham cracker crumb pie crust. Refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Spoon canned light cherry pie filling over top of cheesecake. Slice and serve.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough steak, potatoes and cheesecake for Monday.
TIP: Look for salsa verde with other Mexican food.
Heat and Eat Monday
Make steak salad with Sunday’s leftovers. Combine some mixed greens with the leftover potatoes, sliced drained pickled beets and tomato wedges; toss to coat with a light vinaigrette. Sprinkle with crumbled gorgonzola cheese. Top with thin slices of leftover steak. Serve with crusty rolls. For dessert, slice the leftover cheesecake.
Express Tuesday
For a quick meal, make Smoked Turkey Pitas. Fill split warmed pitas with sliced smoked turkey, drained roasted red peppers (from a jar), sliced onion, watercress and hummus. Serve with deli tabbouleh. Fresh blueberries with light whipped cream is a great dessert.
Budget Wednesday
Ham and Lentil Stew (see recipe) is a low-cost slow-cooker meal. Serve with a lettuce wedge and cornbread (from a mix). Peaches are your dessert.
Meatless Thursday
Keep dinner simple with Mediterranean Quesadillas. Drain and coarsely chop artichoke hearts. Slice red bell pepper into strips. Place 8 fat-free flour tortillas on a flat surface. Top half of each tortilla with artichokes, peppers and crumbled feta cheese; fold other half over. Heat a nonstick skillet on medium. Add tortillas, two at a time, and cook 3 minutes; flip and cook 1 more minute or until heated. Cut into quarters; serve with salsa. (Adapted from Health magazine.)
Serve with brown rice. Enjoy plums for dessert.
Kids Friday
Celebrate the Fourth like kids! Pile the burgers (any kind) on whole-wheat buns with all the trimmings, such as tomatoes, lettuce, mustard, low-fat mayonnaise, ketchup, onion and pickles.
Add Atlanta friend and cookbook author Virginia Willis’ recipe for Mama’s Potato Salad to the celebration. Cook 3 pounds peeled potatoes (cut into 1/2-inch pieces) in boiling water about 30 minutes or until tender; drain and cool. Meanwhile, for the dressing: Combine 11/2 cups low-fat mayonnaise (or homemade mayonnaise), 5 grated hard-cooked eggs, 1 small finely chopped Vidalia onion, 4 ribs finely chopped celery and 1/4 cup sweet or dill pickle relish. When the potatoes have cooled completely, spoon into a large bowl. Pour dressing over potatoes and stir gently to combine. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. (Adapted from “Bon Appetit, Y’all,” Virginia Willis; Ten Speed Press; $32.50).
For dessert, Star-Spangled Blueberry Parfaits (see recipe) are just right for the occasion
Easy Entertaining Saturday
Invite guests for Island Shrimp with Black Bean Citrus Salsa (see recipe). Serve with rice and a romaine salad and sourdough bread.
Dessert is Vanilla Banana Sundaes. Layer vanilla pudding and banana slices in stemmed glasses. Top with a layer of crushed vanilla wafer cookies and toasted shredded coconut. Garnish with light whipped cream, more banana slices, coconut and whole cookies.
Ham and Lentil Stew
1 cup diced ham
2 cups rinsed lentils
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups sliced celery
1 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 cups water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2-1/4 cups fat-free chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (5- to 6-ounce) package baby spinach leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, combine the ham, lentils, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, water, oregano, broth and pepper. Cover and cook on high 7 hours or until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in lemon juice. Serve.
Makes 8 servings.
Per serving: 239 calories, 20 grams protein, 1 gram fat (5 percent calories from fat), 0.4 gram saturated fat, 40 grams carbohydrate, 9 milligrams cholesterol, 380 milligrams sodium, 9 grams fiber.
Star-Spangled Blueberry Parfaits
1 (10-3/4-ounce) loaf frozen low-fat or regular pound cake
1/4 cup red currant jelly or other red fruit jam
2 (6-ounce) containers low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 cups fresh blueberries
With a serrated knife, cut 14 slices, 1/4 inch thick, from pound cake (return remaining cake to freezer for another time). Spread 7 of the slices with jelly; top with plain slices; trim and discard (or eat!) crusts. With a 11/4 inch-star (or another shape cookie cutter), cut a star from four sandwiches; set stars aside. Cut sandwich trimmings and remaining whole sandwiches into 3/4-inch squares.
Into 4 (8-ounce) stemmed glasses, place half the cake squares, half the blueberries and 11/2 containers yogurt, dividing equally. Top with the remaining cake squares and blueberries. Spoon dollops of the remaining yogurt on top of each parfait; top each with a star and serve.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 309 calories, 7 grams protein, 8 grams fat (22 percent calories from fat), 4.2 grams saturated fat, 55 grams carbohydrate, 59 milligrams cholesterol, 196 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Island Shrimp with Black Bean Citrus Salsa
For the marinade:
2 teaspoons orange zest (orange part only)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon reduced-sodium seasoned salt
4 cloves minced garlic
1 pound uncooked peeled and deveined medium or large shrimp
1 tablespoon canola oil
For the salsa:
1 (19-ounce) can rinsed black beans
1 medium orange, peeled, divided into segments, membrane removed and cut in half
1/4 cup thick and chunky salsa
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon lime zest (green part only)
2 cloves minced garlic
In a square baking dish, mix orange zest, juice, salt and garlic. Add shrimp; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours. Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine beans, orange pieces, salsa, cilantro, lime zest and garlic. Cover and refrigerate.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Drain shrimp; discard marinade. Cook and stir shrimp in oil 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp are pink. To serve: Divide salsa among 4 plates. Arrange shrimp around salsa.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 259 calories, 26 grams protein, 6 grams fat (20 percent calories from fat), 0.5 gram saturated fat, 24 grams carbohydrate, 168 milligrams cholesterol, 633 milligrams sodium, 8 grams fiber.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail at menuplanner@mindspring.com.
