Advertisement
Enjoy family day with Caesar Beef Kebabs (see recipe) on the menu. Serve the juicy kebabs with green beans, a mixed green salad and whole-wheat rolls.
For dessert, the family will swoon over blueberry cream pie. Beat 4 ounces softened fat-free cream cheese, 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer until well-blended. Fold in 1-1/2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping (thawed). Spoon half the mixture into 1 (8- to 9-inch) graham cracker piecrust; top with 1 cup fresh blueberries. Spoon remaining cheese mixture over berries. Scatter 1 more cup blueberries on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 5 hours or until set. Slice into 8 pieces and serve.
PLAN AHEAD: Prepare 2 extra kebabs and save enough pie for Monday.
Heat and Eat Monday
Use Sunday’s leftover beef for steak and blue cheese salad. Dice steak and vegetables; mix with packaged greens and cherry tomatoes, drained quartered artichokes and crumbled blue cheese. Toss with reduced-fat blue cheese dressing. Add multigrain bread. Serve leftover pie for dessert.
Budget Tuesday
Pasta is always a money-saver, as is this Caramelized Onions with Red Peppers and Balsamic Vinegar over Fettuccine (see recipe). Serve with a romaine salad and garlic bread. Enjoy fresh plums for dessert.
Express Wednesday
For a light and pretty meal, prepare Asian spinach and grape salad. For the dressing, combine in a blender 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 tablespoon candied ginger, 2 tablespoons each canola oil and chicken broth and 1/2 teaspoon dark (toasted) sesame oil. Blend until smooth. In a large bowl, combine 6 cups baby spinach, 2 (8- to 10-ounce) packages grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts (diced), 1 cup green seedless grapes (halved) and 1/2 cup frozen (thawed) edamame. Toss with dressing.
Serve with red potatoes (refrigerated; follow directions) and sesame bread sticks. Make instant butterscotch pudding with 1 percent milk for dessert.
Meatless Thursday
For an easy no-meat dinner, try creamy mushrooms. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add 1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms; cook and stir 5 minutes or until moisture has evaporated. Meanwhile, mix 1 (0.75-ounce) package mushroom gravy mix and 1 cup water. Add to skillet; bring to boil. Simmer 1 minute. Mix 2 tablespoons gravy mixture with 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream. Slowly stir into gravy.
Serve the mushroom mixture over no-yolk noodles. Serve with a green salad and sourdough bread. You’ll like nectarines for dessert.
PLAN AHEAD: If time permits, make Friday’s meatballs today.
Kids Friday
For a special treat for the kids, try these Mexican meatballs. In a medium bowl, lightly mix together 12 ounces lean ground pork, 1/2 cup each grated zucchini and crushed baked or regular tortilla chips, 1/4 cup each thinly sliced green onions and fresh cilantro, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon each minced garlic, cumin and dried oregano. Roll into 24 meatballs. Brown in 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce and 1 (10-ounce) can enchilada sauce. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through (160 degrees).
Serve them with rice, green beans and soft rolls. For an extra-slurpy dessert, choco-nana milk blast is kid-perfect. For 2 servings: Cut 1 banana into chunks and place in blender; add 1 cup low-fat chocolate milk, 1 cup low-fat chocolate yogurt and 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup. Cover and blend until smooth. Top with multicolored sprinkles if desired.
TIP: For the lean ground pork, the meat cutter in my market ground lean pork chops.
Entertaining Saturday
Shrimp and Pesto Pasta (see recipe) is an excellent dish for guests and a recipe you’ll prepare often. Serve it with an agugula salad and baguettes. Buy a coconut merengue pie for dessert.
Caesar Beef Kebabs
4 small new potatoes (about 1/2 pound) cut into quarters
1 pound boneless beef top sirloin, 1 inch thick
1 medium red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup store-bought non-creamy Caesar dressing (such as Ken’s), divided
Salt and pepper to taste
Microwave potatoes on high (100 percent power) 3 to 4 minutes or just until tender. Cool slightly. Cut beef into 1-1/2-inch pieces. In a large bowl, combine beef, potatoes, bell pepper and onion. Reserve 2 tablespoons dressing; set aside. Pour remaining dressing over kebab mixture and toss to coat. Alternately thread beef and vegetables onto metal skewers. Grill, uncovered, 10 to 12 minutes for medium-rare to medium; turn occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle kebabs with reserved dressing just before serving.
Makes 4 servings.
Note: To broil, put on rack in broiler pan. Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat for 8 to 10 minutes.
Per serving: 232 calories, 27 grams protein, 7 grams fat (30 percent calories from fat), 2.3 grams saturated fat, 12 grams carbohydrate, 49 milligrams cholesterol, 275 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Caramelized Onions with Red Peppers and Balsamic Vinegar over Fettucine
12 ounces spinach or regular fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup sliced drained roasted red peppers (jar)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup fat-free chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook pasta according to directions; drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add onions and sugar and cook 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are gold and caramelized. Stir in red peppers and vinegar and cook 2 minutes. Add broth and pasta; simmer 2 minutes or until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and serve. (Adapted from “Robin to the Rescue,” Robin Miller; The Taunton Press, $18.95.)
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 396 calories, 12 grams protein, 5 grams fat (11 percent calories from fat), 0.7 gram saturated fat, 76 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 136 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.
Shrimp and Pesto Pasta
8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup sliced roasted red peppers (jar)
1/4 cup prepared pesto
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound uncooked shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 cup dry white wine
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Cook fettuccine according to directions. Three minutes before end of cooking time, add asparagus and continue cooking 3 minutes or until the pasta and asparagus are just tender. Drain the fettuccine and asparagus and return to the pot. Stir in peppers and pesto. Cover to keep warm. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until lightly browned. Add wine; increase heat to high and continue cooking 3 to 4 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque and the wine is reduced by about a third. Add the shrimp to the pasta; toss to coat. Season with pepper and serve immediately. (Adapted from Eating Well magazine.)
Makes 6 servings.
Per serving: 299 calories, 20 grams protein, 8 grams fat (23 percent calories from fat), 1.3 gram saturated fat, 33 grams carbohydrate, 115 milligrams cholesterol, 232 milligrams sodium, 7 grams fiber.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanner(at)mindspring.com. The Menu Planner is also accessible at www.7daymenuplanner.com.
