7day menu planner

Moroccan Orange Beet Salad
Moroccan Orange Beet Salad

SUNDAY: Buy smoked turkey breasts for family day. On the side, add corn-on-the-cob along with Moroccan Orange Beet Salad (see recipe) and whole-grain rolls. For dessert, slice pound cake and top it with strawberry sauce and whipped cream.

Plan ahead: Save enough turkey for Monday and Tuesday; save enough cake for Monday.

MONDAY: Make Turkey BLT Roll-Ups for a quick meal. Spread horseradish-mayonnaise (from a jar) on flour tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, thinly sliced tomatoes, leftover turkey slices and crumbled bacon. Roll and serve with deli broccoli salad. Top leftover cake with chocolate ice cream for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough broccoli salad for Tuesday; save enough ice cream for Thursday.

TUESDAY: Since it's low-cost and tasty, you'll love Open-Face Turkey Sandwiches on dense white bread. Place the bread on a plate, top with sliced leftover turkey and heated turkey gravy (or chicken gravy). Make or buy mashed potatoes and add the leftover broccoli salad. For dessert, sliced peaches go down easily.

WEDNESDAY: With just a few ingredients, you can have Mac 'N' Cheese With Shrimp. Cook 2 (12-ounce) boxes macaroni and cheese according to package directions. Two minutes before pasta is done, add 1 (12-ounce) package frozen, cooked medium shrimp (peeled and deveined). Cook, stirring often, 2 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Drain pasta and shrimp; return to pot. Stir in cheese sauce from packets. Pour into serving dish. Top each serving with some salsa. Serve with a romaine salad and garlic bread. Fresh pineapple spears are an easy dessert.

THURSDAY: Here come the kids for Beany Enchiladas. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread flour tortillas with canned refried beans. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese; roll. Place in baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with canned enchilada sauce and more shredded cheese. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with sliced avocado on lettuce. Top leftover ice cream with chocolate sprinkles for dessert.

FRIDAY: Skip meat tonight and enjoy Tomato Olive Frittata (see recipe). Add fresh yellow squash, a spinach salad with hard-cooked egg wedges and toasted English muffins. Tapioca pudding is an easy dessert.

SATURDAY: Our guests came back for seconds of Baked Chicken Florentine (see recipe). Serve over spaghetti tossed in olive oil and a mixed greens salad. Add Italian bread. Buy fruit tarts for dessert.

THE RECIPES

Moroccan Orange Beet Salad

1 (16-ounce) jar whole pickled beets, drained and quartered

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Ground black pepper, to taste

4 cups mixed baby salad greens

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Place beets and chickpeas in a medium bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together orange zest, juice, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour over beet mixture and toss gently to coat. Arrange greens on 4 individual plates. Spoon beet mixture over greens; sprinkle with cheese and pistachios.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with reduced-sodium beans and reduced-fat cheese) contains approximately 300 calories, 12 g protein, 13 g fat, 37 g carbohydrate, 5 mg cholesterol, 751 mg sodium and 7 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 21/2.

Tomato Olive Frittata

3 eggs PLUS 2 egg whites, divided use

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 (3.8-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1 cup seeded and chopped tomato

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In medium bowl, whisk 1 whole egg with flour until blended. Whisk in remaining eggs and egg whites and pepper. Stir in cheese, olives, green onions, tomato and Italian seasoning. Spread in a 7-by-11-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until golden and center is set.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with reduced-fat cheese) contains approximately 254 calories, 23 g protein, 16 g fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 170 mg cholesterol, 626 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 1/2.

Baked Chicken Florentine

1/2 cup Italian-seasoned or regular fine dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

6 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup 1 percent milk

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

4 ounces diced cooked ham

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine bread crumbs and cheese; coat chicken lightly with mixture. Arrange chicken in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Set remaining crumb mixture aside.

In a pan, cook onions on medium-high in butter for 3 minutes or until softened. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in flour; then stir in milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; continue to cook and stir 1 more minute. Stir in spinach and ham.

Divide and spoon mixture over each chicken breast, pressing lightly into chicken. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake, uncovered, 40 to 45 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 300 calories, 41 g protein, 9 g fat, 13 g carbohydrate, 111 mg cholesterol, 779 mg sodium and 2 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

Food on 09/24/2014

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