7-day menu planner

Roasted Shrimp and Mango Salad (Courtesy of National Mango Board)
Roasted Shrimp and Mango Salad (Courtesy of National Mango Board)

A week’s worth of quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families

SUNDAY: Make it an easy family dining day and prepare your own baked turkey breast. Accompany the turkey with savory Potato and Sun-Dried Tomato au Gratin (see recipe). Add sauteed yellow squash. Serve with dinner rolls. Buy a carrot cake for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough turkey, potatoes and cake for Monday.

MONDAY: Make Open-Faced Hot Turkey Sandwiches for dinner. Place a slice of dense white bread on each plate; cover with slices of heated leftover turkey. Pour any hot gravy over the sandwiches. Serve with leftover potatoes. Add a mixed green salad. Slice the leftover cake for dessert.

TUESDAY: Look for an all-in-one chili kit and follow the directions on the package for some lip-smacking chili. For more fiber, add 2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans (rinsed) to the pot along with any optional ingredients listed on the package. Serve with deli coleslaw and cornbread. Have some pears for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough chili for Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY: The kids will like Super Nachos for dinner. Heat and spread leftover chili over baked corn chips. Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over chili and then top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream. Add extra chips on the side if desired. Nachos need guacamole. Enjoy flan for dessert.

Tip: Adults might want sliced jalapeno peppers and sliced black olives over their nachos.

THURSDAY: Be a penny-pincher and make Lentil Stew (see recipe) tonight. Serve with deli carrot salad and crusty bread. For dessert, munch on oatmeal cookies.

Plan ahead: Make Friday's soup tonight; save enough cookies for Friday.

FRIDAY: Make it a soup-and-sandwich night with Split Pea Soup and egg salad sandwiches. For the soup: In a large pot, combine 8 ounces dried split peas, 1 cup chopped carrots, 1 cup cubed potatoes, 1 cup chopped onion, ½ teaspoon dried thyme and ½ teaspoon coarse salt. Add 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. For the sandwiches, buy egg salad from the deli and spread on whole-grain toast. Top with sliced tomatoes and lettuce. Serve peaches and leftover cookies for dessert.

SATURDAY: Invite guests for Roasted Shrimp and Mango Salad (see recipe). Add jasmine rice and baguettes. Cheesecake is good for dessert.

THE RECIPES

Potato and Sun-Dried Tomato au Gratin

1 cup boiling water

¾ cup (about 2 ounces) sun-dried tomatoes packed without oil

3 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup chopped onion

½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon coarse salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 ¼ cups milk

2 cups (8 ounces) freshly grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine water and tomatoes; cover and let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain, pat dry and coarsely chop; set aside. Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Arrange potatoes in baking dish.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 minutes or until softened. Add tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle tomato mixture with flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Pour sauce over potatoes, tossing gently to coat. Bake 20 minutes until bubbly and golden, then serve.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with skim milk) contains approximately 195 calories, 10 g protein, 5 g fat, 28 g carbohydrate, 15 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium and 3 g fiber.

Carbohydrate choices: 2.

Lentil Stew

1 pound lentils, rinsed and sorted

9 cups unsalted chicken broth

2 large cloves garlic, sliced

2 pounds potatoes, cut into chunks

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

7 ounces kielbasa, sliced

In a large pot, combine lentils, broth and garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Add potatoes. Simmer 10 minutes or until almost tender. Add spinach; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until lentils and vegetables are tender. Stir in kielbasa and heat through; serve warm.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving (prepared with low-fat kielbasa) contains approximately 350 calories, 20 g protein, 2 g fat, 61 g carbohydrate, 9 mg cholesterol, 388 mg sodium and 13 g fiber.

Carbohydrate count: 4.

Roasted Shrimp and Mango Salad

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided use

2 teaspoons paprika

½ teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon honey

6 cups mixed baby lettuces

2 large mangoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and diced

¼ cup shaved or shredded parmesan

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss shrimp with 2 tablespoons oil, paprika, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Roast 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through and beginning to lightly brown. Remove from oven; transfer to bowl and chill in refrigerator.

In large bowl, whisk together remaining 4 tablespoons oil, lemon juice and honey; season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss lettuce, mangoes and shrimp in lemon juice mixture. Divide among plates and sprinkle with parmesan.

Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 246 calories, 18 g protein, 13 g fat, 17 g carbohydrate, 145 mg cholesterol, 429 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:

[email protected]

Food on 02/27/2019

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