7 day menu planner

Vegetable Quinoa
Vegetable Quinoa

SUNDAY: Take the family's taste buds on a special trip with Moroccan-Spiced Lamb With Couscous (see recipe). On the side, try Baked Onions. Peel 4 medium Vidalia onions (or other sweet onions), leaving root end intact. Trim top third of each onion and reserve for another use. Arrange onions in an 8-inch square baking dish. Cover and microwave on 100 percent power for 11/2 minutes to 21/2 minutes per onion or until softened. Let stand 3 minutes, covered. Heat broiler. Meanwhile, combine 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs, 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/8 teaspoon dried) and ground black pepper to taste; blend. Gently pat mixture evenly onto onions. Broil about 1 minute or until cheese mixture begins to brown; serve. Add a romaine salad and flatbread. For dessert, buy a blueberry pie.

Plan ahead: Save enough lamb and vegetables, couscous and pie for Monday.

MONDAY: Make Stuffed Pitas from Sunday's leftovers. Chop the lamb and vegetables, drain the broth, and heat along with the leftover couscous. Stuff whole-grain pitas with the mixture. Serve with cucumber spears and tomato wedges. Slice the leftover pie for dessert.

TUESDAY: There will be no complaints with no-meat Vegetable Quinoa (see recipe) for dinner tonight. Add a mixed greens salad and whole-grain rolls. Serve fresh strawberries over vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough ice cream for Thursday.

WEDNESDAY: Teach the kids the alphabet with A-B-C Soup. In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil on medium-high. Add 2 cups mixed fresh vegetables, such as sliced zucchini, carrots, green peas and celery. Cook uncovered about 10 minutes; stir occasionally. Remove half the vegetables; set aside. Add 2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth to remaining vegetables in pot. Bring to boil. Stir in 1 (15-ounce) can white beans (rinsed) and 1/2 cup alphabet-shaped pasta. Return to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves. Ladle into 4 bowls; add reserved vegetables. Serve with one of the kids' all-time favorites, peanut butter sandwiches on whole-grain bread. Add a chopped lettuce salad. A bowl of fresh blueberries with a dollop of whipped cream is dessert.

THURSDAY: Chicken salad from the deli, with added grape halves and sliced almonds, makes a good entree. Serve it on a bed of salad greens. Make or pick up some deviled eggs to boost the protein and add bread sticks. For dessert, leftover ice cream sure looks good.

FRIDAY: We sure didn't mind saving money with Salad Nicoise With Roasted Mushrooms (see recipe), a new version of the standard. Serve with French onion soup and baguettes. Enjoy fresh peaches for dessert.

SATURDAY: Serve your guests Italian Baked Cod With Potatoes and Tomatoes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Thinly slice some potatoes and onions and place in a baking dish coated with oil. Top with cod filets and canned diced Italian-seasoned tomatoes. Cover with foil and bake 20 to 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender and fish is opaque. Serve with Italian green beans and garlic bread. Wow your guests with Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries. Wash and chill 12 large strawberries with caps. Melt 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Dip berries into chocolate halfway up sides. Place on foil until set. Serve the strawberries with almond cookies.

THE RECIPES

Moroccan-Spiced Lamb With Couscous

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound lamb shoulder, well-trimmed and cut into chunks

2 medium onions, cut into wedges

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3 cups water

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup chickpeas, rinsed

6 prunes, halved

4 cups cooked couscous

In a Dutch oven, heat oil on low. Add lamb, onions, garlic, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Cook 5 to 6 minutes or until lamb is browned on all sides. Add carrots and water and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Add zucchini, chickpeas and prunes; simmer 10 more minutes.

Mound the cooked couscous on a platter. Place vegetables and lamb on the couscous. Skim the broth and pass separately.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 275 calories, 16 g protein, 7 g fat, 36 g carbohydrate, 36 mg cholesterol, 58 mg sodium and 5 g fiber.

Dietary exchanges: 11/2 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat.

Vegetable Quinoa

1 (8-ounce) package quinoa

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 sweet onions, such as Vidalia or another variety, finely chopped

2 fresh banana chile peppers, seeds and stems removed, sliced into rounds

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped carrot

2/3 cup chopped zucchini

2/3 cup chopped yellow squash

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Ground black pepper to taste

Prepare quinoa according to package directions.

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high. Add onions, banana peppers, red bell pepper, carrot, zucchini and yellow squash; cook, stirring, about 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic; cook 1 minute or until fragrant.

In a serving bowl, combine quinoa and vegetable mixture; stir in salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 326 calories, 10 g protein, 11 g fat, 50 g carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 262 mg sodium and 7 g fiber.

Dietary exchanges: 21/2 starch, 3 vegetable, 11/2 fat.

Recipe adapted from Melissa's The Great Pepper Cookbook from Melissa's Produce (Oxmoor House)

Salad Nicoise With Roasted Mushrooms

1 pound small fresh white mushrooms

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole green beans

6 cups mixed salad greens, loosely packed

1/2 cup kalamata olives (or other black olives), pitted

2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

4 hard-cooked eggs, halved

1 (6-ounce) can water-packed albacore tuna, drained and flaked

4 medium red potatoes, cooked and cut into wedges

Coarse salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup light vinaigrette dressing

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place mushrooms in a single layer on one side of a 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking pan coated with nonstick foil. Coat mushrooms with cooking spray. Toss green beans with oil; place on other side of pan. Roast 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

To serve: Arrange greens on a large platter, or on individual plates. Place mushrooms in center; top with olives.

Arrange tomatoes, eggs, tuna, potatoes and beans around mushrooms. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle with dressing.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 362 calories, 25 g protein, 16 g fat, 34 g carbohydrate, 205 mg cholesterol, 789 mg sodium and 7 g fiber.

Dietary exchanges: 11/2 starch, 3 vegetable, 21/2 lean meat, 1 fat.

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email:

[email protected]

Food on 07/09/2014

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