A week's worth of quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families.
SUNDAY: Add some extra flavor to the usual family feast when you make Roast Chicken With Herbs (see recipe). On the side, add baked sweet potatoes, green beans with sliced almonds, a mixed green salad and dinner rolls. Slice angel food cake for dessert and top it with blueberries and whipped cream.
Plan ahead: Save enough chicken for Monday.
MONDAY: Make good use of Monday's leftover chicken and enjoy Chicken Fajitas tonight. Slice and saute any color bell peppers and red onion until softened. Add shredded leftover chicken and heat. Serve with warm flour tortillas, sour cream, salsa, corn-on-the-cob and coleslaw. For a quick dessert, try kiwis.
TUESDAY: Make Spicy Almond Soba Noodles With Edamame (see recipe) and skip the takeout line. You can also skip meat tonight and serve the noodle dish with a spinach salad with orange sections and sesame bread sticks. For dessert, stir some toasted coconut into vanilla pudding for a special dessert.
WEDNESDAY: Keep costs down with Roasted Cauliflower Fettuccine: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut 1 large head of cauliflower into ½-inch pieces; cut 4 strips bacon into ¼-inch pieces. Place bacon, then cauliflower in a large, rimmed baking pan lined with nonstick foil. Roast 35 minutes or until browned. Meanwhile, cook 12 ounces fettuccine according to package directions; drain. Return fettuccine to pot and add 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon capers (rinsed) and the cauliflower mixture. Toss to coat. Serve with a romaine salad and garlic bread. Have some strawberry ice cream for dessert.
Plan ahead: Save enough ice cream for Saturday.
THURSDAY: Make it quick tonight with Roast Beef Wraps: Spread horseradish mayonnaise on whole-grain tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, thinly sliced tomato, Swiss cheese and deli roast beef. Roll and slice on diagonal. Serve with deli potato salad. Nibble on oatmeal raisin cookies for dessert.
FRIDAY: The kids will like Italian Pasta and Meatballs. Bring 1 ¾ cups unsalted chicken broth and 1 cup water to a boil in a large nonstick skillet. Stir in 8 ounces mini rigatoni pasta; reduce heat to medium-high and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1 (12-ounce) package refrigerated heat-and-eat Italian turkey meatballs, 1 (9-ounce) package frozen Italian green beans, 1 pint grape tomatoes (halved) and 3 tablespoons Italian salad dressing; return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium; simmer 5 minutes, stirring often, until pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Serve with a chopped lettuce salad. Enjoy pears for a light dessert.
SATURDAY: Serve your lucky guests Marinated Flank Steak (see recipe). On the side, add rosemary roasted red potatoes, grilled asparagus, a romaine salad and sourdough bread. Spoon fresh strawberries over leftover ice cream for a scrumptious dessert.
THE RECIPES
Roast Chicken With Herbs
- 4 fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped flatleaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- Coarse salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (5-pound) roasting chicken
- 2/3 cup dry white wine or water
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Mash the herbs with the butter; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Carefully lift skin of the breast of the bird so that you have a pocket into which to stuff the butter. Ease the skin from legs in same way. Push in as much butter as possible without tearing the skin. Set chicken in roasting pan; spread remaining butter on outside. Roast about 1 hour and 50 minutes, pouring the wine or water into the pan halfway through. Chicken is done when internal temperature of thigh reaches 165 degrees and juices run clear. Remove from oven; tent with foil and let stand 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
Makes 10 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving of white meat without skin contains approximately 157 calories, 26 g protein, 5 g fat, no carbohydrate, 89 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium and no fiber.
Nutrition information: Each serving of dark meat without skin contains approximately 158 calories, 22 g protein, 7 g fat, no carbohydrate, 113 mg cholesterol, 126 mg sodium and no fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 0
Spicy Almond Soba Noodles With Edamame
- 8 ounces dried soba noodles
- 2 cups fresh or frozen shelled edamame
- 1 tablespoon almond or other nut butter
- 2 tablespoons PLUS 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ cup hot water, plus more as needed
- Coarse salt to taste
- 4 green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
- 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped and toasted
Cook noodles in boiling water according to directions. Use tongs to transfer the cooked noodles to individual serving bowls; reserve cooking water. Return water to a boil on medium-high. Add edamame and cook 5 minutes or until tender; drain and add to noodles.
Meanwhile, for the dressing: Combine almond butter, vinegar, garlic and red pepper in a small bowl. Add hot water, stirring to mix well. Thin with more water, a teaspoon at a time, if necessary. Add salt to taste; add more vinegar for a tangier sauce and more red pepper to make it spicier. Add dressing to noodles and edamame, along with scallions, bell pepper and chopped almonds. Toss to combine; serve. (Adapted from "Serve Yourself" by Joe Yonan, Ten Speed Press)
Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 379 calories, 21 g protein, 9 g fat, 58 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 101 mg sodium and 10 g fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 4
Marinated Flank Steak
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 beef flank steak (about 1 ½ pounds)
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients except steak, salt and pepper in small bowl. Place steak and marinade in a sealable plastic bag; turn steak to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 6 hours to overnight, turning occasionally.
Prepare grill for medium heat.
Remove steak from bag; discard marinade. Place steak on grill over medium ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 11 to 16 minutes (or 16 to 21 minutes over medium heat gas grill) for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. Season steak with salt and pepper as desired. Carve steak crosswise into thin slices.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 159 calories, 23 g protein, 7 g fat, no carbohydrate, 65 mg cholesterol, 71 mg sodium and no fiber.
Carbohydrate choices: 0
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: susan@7daymenu.com