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12/09/2012

Plan your meals a week at a time or pick and choose your favorites. Each meal comes with a handy shopping list. Bon Appetite!

Family SUNDAY

Enjoy a family gathering with a special meal of CHICKEN THIGHS WITH YOGURT SAUCE AND COUSCOUS (see recipe). Add a ROMAINE SALAD and FLATBREAD. For dessert, ORANGE SHERBET and BUTTER COOKIES will taste good.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough sherbet for Monday.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Express MONDAY
For a super-quick meal, make TEX-MEX MAC AND CHEESE. Add salsa and chopped cilantro to cooked macaroni and cheese. Serve the easy entree with a packaged CAESAR SALAD and BREAD STICKS. Scoop the leftover SHERBET for dessert.

Budget TUESDAY
The holidays are around the corner, so save some bucks with economical TURKEY PICADILLO (see recipe). Add a fresh SPINACH SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. For dessert, PEACHES are easy.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough picadillo for Wednesday.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Heat and Eat WEDNESDAY
Make PICADILLO WRAPS with the heated leftover picadillo, topped with any shredded cheese and wrapped in warmed fat-free whole-grain flour tortillas. Serve with a LETTUCE AND TOMATO SALAD. Enjoy PEARS for dessert.

Meatless THURSDAY
Skip meat tonight and enjoy RED LENTIL AND VEGETABLE SOUP. In a Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium. Add 4 medium chopped carrots and 1 small chopped onion. Cook 6 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Stir in 1 teaspoon cumin; cook 1 minute. Add 1 (14.5-ounce) can undrained, no-salt-added diced tomatoes, 1 cup red lentils (picked over and rinsed), 1 (14.5-ounce) can vegetable broth, 2 cups water, 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cover and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Just before serving, stir in 1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach. (Adapted from "Good Housekeeping Simple Vegan!" Susan Westmoreland, food director; Hearst Books, 2011.) Add a LETTUCE WEDGE and WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD. Buy a COCONUT CAKE for dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough cake for Saturday.

Kids' FRIDAY
The kids will love BARBECUE SLOPPY JOES. Heat some canola oil on medium in a large nonstick skillet. Add a medium chopped onion and cook until softened. Add 1 pound lean ground beef and cook 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in 3/4 cup barbecue sauce (any kind) and heat through. Serve on toasted whole-grain buns. Alongside, add BAKED BEANS and ZUCCHINI STICKS with the kids' favorite DIP. Sprinkle APPLE SLICES with cinnamon for dessert.

Entertaining SATURDAY
INDIAN-SPICED ROAST SALMON (see recipe) is fit for a king or any honored guest. Serve the delicious salmon with BASMATI RICE and STEAMED BROCCOLI. Add a RED-TIPPED LETTUCE SALAD and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Slice the leftover CAKE for dessert.

Check out the recipe for this day!

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. E-mail Susan at menuplanner@mindspring.com.