SUNDAY: Buy a spiral-sliced ham and pair it with Rice, Zucchini and Corn Casserole (see recipe). Add a romaine salad and whole-grain bread. Your apple crisp is good for dessert, especially with a little vanilla ice cream on top.
Plan ahead: Save enough ham and crisp for Tuesday; save some ice cream for Saturday.
MONDAY: Be penny-wise and prepare Brown Rice Taco Bowl (see recipe) for a low-cost entree. Serve it with mixed greens. Buy a flan for dessert.
TUESDAY: Leftover ham makes a great sandwich. Spread basil pesto on Italian bread and layer with arugula, brie and the ham. Add broccoli slaw on the side. Leftover apple crisp would be good for dessert.
WEDNESDAY: I'm always looking for an easy risotto, and this microwave recipe for Tomato-Basil Risotto (see recipe) caught my attention. Serve it with a spinach salad with hard-cooked egg wedges and red bell pepper rings. Add cheese toast. For an easy dessert, try orange sections sprinkled with toasted coconut.
THURSDAY: You can have a quick dinner with Beefy Korean Sandwiches. For each sandwich: Spread 2 tablespoons horseradish sauce on both sides of a 6-inch split baguette. Layer with 3 ounces thinly sliced deli roast beef. Top the other side with 2 tablespoons drained, chopped kimchi and 2 cups baby arugula and combine (adapted from a Rachael Ray recipe). Serve with sweet potato chips. Fresh kiwi is good for dessert.
FRIDAY: Have fun with the kids on a Sloppy Hot Dog night. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil on medium. Cook 1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper for 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce and 1 pound hot dogs (cut into 1/4-inch pieces). Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into 8 split whole-grain hot dog buns. Serve with carrot and celery sticks. Finish with a Mixed Berry Smoothie. Combine 1 pint raspberry sorbet, 3/4 cup raspberries, 3/4 cup blackberries, 1/2 cup blueberries and 2 cups milk in a blender. Puree until smooth; strain seeds and serve.
Tip: Use fresh or frozen berries (no need to thaw frozen ones).
SATURDAY: Make it a casual entertaining evening with burgers on the menu. On the side, add Barbecue Potato Salad. In a large bowl, combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons chicken broth, 1/2 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground mustard, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt; mix well. Add 3 pounds warm, cooked, quartered red potatoes, 1 cup thinly sliced celery, 1 cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper and 1/2 cup chopped red onion; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately. Add deviled eggs. Make butterscotch sundaes for dessert with leftover ice cream and butterscotch topping.
THE RECIPES
Rice, Zucchini and Corn Casserole
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 pound grated zucchini
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 eggs PLUS 2 egg whites
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup corn
2 (4-ounce) cans chopped green chiles, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 ounces crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium. Add zucchini and onion; cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until zucchini is softened. Remove from heat; set aside.
In a large bowl, beat eggs with a fork; stir in cooked rice, corn, chiles, cheeses and zucchini mixture. Mix well. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with reduced-fat cheese) contains approximately 238 calories, 15 g protein, 9 g fat, 26 g carbohydrate, 66 mg cholesterol, 333 mg sodium and 3 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2.
Brown Rice Taco Bowl
1 cup uncooked brown rice (for 3 cups cooked)
1 pound lean ground beef
2 to 3 teaspoons chile powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup salsa
2 avocados, pitted, peeled and sliced
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
4 tablespoons sour cream
1 green onion, sliced on the diagonal
Cook rice according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef, chile powder, cumin, salt and garlic powder on medium-high 6 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Stir in salsa; cook 2 minutes or until heated through.
To assemble: Divide ingredients evenly among four bowls, beginning with brown rice. On top of rice, compose beef mixture, avocado, tomatoes, cheese and onion around edges of bowls. Top with sour cream and sliced onions for garnish. Serve with additional salsa if desired. (Adapted from SwirlsOfFlavor.com).
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with reduced fat cheese and sour cream) contains approximately 620 calories, 39 g protein, 29 g fat, 54 g carbohydrate, 87 mg cholesterol, 648 mg sodium and 10 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3 1/2.
Tomato-Basil Risotto
2 (14-ounce) cans unsalted vegetable broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, divided use
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
2 cups arborio rice
3 medium tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), chopped
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Heat broth and wine at medium-high until bubbles form around edge of pan.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop basil.
In a large microwave-safe dish, combine 1/4 cup basil, oil and shallot. Microwave, uncovered, on 100 percent power for 1 minute or until shallot softens. Add rice and stir to coat. Microwave on 1 minute more. Stir broth into rice.
Cover and microwave on 50 percent power for 15 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed, stirring once. Stir tomatoes, salt and pepper into rice mixture. Cover and microwave on 100 percent power for 3 to 4 minutes or until rice is tender but still firm; stir once. Stir in parmesan and remaining basil. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 228 calories, 6 g protein, 3 g fat, 41 g carbohydrate, 4 mg cholesterol, 286 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 3.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
susan@7daymenu.com
Food on 10/04/2017