A week's worth of quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families
SUNDAY: Fire up the grill today for your own grilled chicken breasts. Serve the easy entree with Mediterranean Couscous With Raisins and Feta: Heat 2 ¼ cups unsalted chicken broth to a boil in a 3-quart pot. Stir in 1 ½ cups couscous, ½ cup raisins, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, pinch or two ground red pepper (cayenne), 1 chopped small tomato and 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans/chickpeas (rinsed); remove from heat. Cover and let stand 5 minutes; fluff with fork. Sprinkle each serving with crumbled Greek feta cheese. Add steamed fresh cauliflower and flatbread on the side. Make or buy a banana cream pie for dessert.
Plan ahead: Grill enough chicken and save enough couscous and pie for Monday.
MONDAY: Make a favorite, Chicken Club Sandwiches, with leftover chicken. Toast 8 slices whole-grain bread and spread one side with mayonnaise. Layer 4 slices toast with lettuce, sliced chicken, sliced tomato and cooked bacon slices. Top with remaining toast; secure with wooden picks and cut into triangles. Serve with leftover couscous. Slice the leftover pie for dessert.
TUESDAY: Make dinner low-cost with Southwestern "Stroganoff." Cook 1 pound lean ground beef in a large skillet on medium about 6 minutes or until no longer pink; drain well. Return beef to skillet; add 1 cup water, 2 cups chunky salsa, 2 cups spiral pasta and ½ teaspoon coarse salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in ½ cup sour cream. Serve with a mixed green salad and whole-grain rolls. For dessert, fresh pineapple spears are good.
WEDNESDAY: The kids will like this Chili without any "yucky stuff." Cook 1 pound lean ground beef in a 3-quart pot about 6 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain well and return to pot. Stir in 2 (15-ounce) cans rinsed reduced-sodium pinto beans, 2 (10 ¾-ounce) cans condensed tomato soup, 2 soup cans water, 2 tablespoons instant minced onion and 2 teaspoons chile powder. Heat to boiling and serve, topped with fish-shaped crackers. Alongside, add deli carrot salad and bread sticks. The kids can help prepare Fruity Sundaes for dessert. Mix sliced bananas, halved seedless grapes and frozen strawberries (thawed) in syrup. Spoon into small bowls. Top with light whipped cream.
Plan ahead: Save enough chili for Thursday.
THURSDAY: Sloppy Spuds will be on the table in no time. Prepare 1 (26-ounce) package frozen hash-browned potatoes according to directions. Meanwhile, heat leftover chili until hot. Spoon chili over potatoes and sprinkle with shredded jalapeno cheese. On the side, add a packaged green salad and corn muffins from the bakery. Fresh tropical fruit is an easy dessert.
FRIDAY: Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole makes an easy dinner (see recipe). Serve the no-meat dish with a spinach salad and crusty bread. For dessert, orange sherbet is light.
SATURDAY: Splurge tonight and serve your lucky family Beef Medallions in Portobello Wine Sauce (see recipe). Serve with your garlic mashed potatoes and fresh broccoli florets. Add a mixed green salad and sourdough rolls. Chilled Lemon Dessert (see recipe) ends your fine meal.
THE RECIPES
Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chile powder
½ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups enchilada sauce
1 cup black beans, rinsed
2 cups pinto beans, rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
10 soft corn tortillas
8 ounces (2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided use
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Sliced jalapeno peppers
Sour cream
Heat oven to 375 degrees and coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat oil in a large pot on medium. Add onion and cook 8 minutes or until softened. Add green pepper, garlic, chile powder, salt and black pepper, and cook 3 minutes or until the peppers are softened. Add enchilada sauce, black beans, pinto beans, corn and cilantro. Bring to a simmer briefly.
Assemble the casserole by placing 5 tortillas in the bottom of the baking dish. Add half the bean mixture on top, and sprinkle half of the cheese on top of that. Then make a second layer, starting with tortillas, then bean filling, then the remaining cheese on top. Bake, covered with nonstick foil, 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted. Serve warm, garnished with your choice of enchilada toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos and sour cream).
Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with reduced-sodium beans) contains approximately 299 calories, 15 g protein, 13 g fat, 31 g carbohydrate, 30 mg cholesterol, 601 mg sodium and 6 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 2.
Beef Medallions in Portobello Wine Sauce
1 cup unsalted chicken broth
½ cup Madeira or port (see note)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
6 beef tenderloin steaks, cut 1 inch thick (about 1 ½ pounds)
½ medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon coarse salt
In a medium bowl, mix together broth, wine, thyme, pepper and garlic powder until blended. Add mushrooms; toss to coat well. Cover and set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter on medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove steaks from skillet; place on plate and cover loosely to keep warm. Add onion to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add flour and salt; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour mushroom mixture into skillet. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce is thickened and mushrooms are tender. Add steaks to sauce; heat 1 minute. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: For an alcohol-free version substitute 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 6 tablespoons unsalted chicken broth and ½ teaspoon sugar; mix well to dissolve sugar.
Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with Madiera) contains approximately 222 calories, 26 g protein, 8 g fat, 7 g carbohydrate, 66 mg cholesterol, 271 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 0.5.
Chilled Lemon Dessert
1 refrigerated pie crust from (15-ounce) package
1 (2.9-ounce) package lemon pudding mix (not instant)
½ cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed
Unfold pie crust according to directions; press out folds. Place crust into 9-inch springform pan, trimming to fit bottom only. Bake according to package directions. Cool completely.
Mix pudding mix, sugar, egg yolks and ¼ cup water in medium saucepan until blended. Stir in 2 cups more water. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly; cool slightly. Stir in cream cheese until well-blended. Cool completely (about 1 hour). Fold in marshmallows and whipped topping. Spread pudding mixture over cooled crust. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours or until set (but not longer than 24 hours). Run metal spatula around edge of dessert to loosen; remove side of pan. Slice and serve.
Makes 16 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 175 calories, 2 g protein, 8 g fat, 25 g carbohydrate, 35 mg cholesterol, 158 mg sodium and no fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 1.5.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:
susan@7daymenu.com
Food on 05/27/2020
CORRECTION: The recipe for Chilled Lemon Dessert in Susan Nicholson’s 7day menu planner column omitted the exact measurement of water. The complete amount of water is 2 ¼ cups. The recipe above has been corrected.