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01/09/2000
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 lean and flavorful SESAME-ORANGE MARINATED FLANK STEAK with the family today. In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons each sesame oil, beef broth, dark brown sugar and finely chopped fresh ginger, 4 crushed garlic cloves and 4 strips orange zest (orange part only); mix well. Divide and pour into 2 resealable plastic bags. Add 1 (1-pound) flank steak to each bag. Marinate in refrigerator 2 to 8 hours.

To broil both steaks: Remove meat and discard marinade. Broil 6 inches from heat for 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let stand 10 minutes. To serve, slice thinly across the grain.

Serve with POPPY SEED (eggless) NOODLES (see tip). Steam fresh or frozen SNOW PEAS for a colorful side dish. Add BREAD. For dessert, serve fat-free POUND CAKE with any SHERBET.

PLAN AHEAD: Save 1 cooked flank steak and enough cake for Monday.

TIP: Toss 12 ounces cooked noodles with a little margarine or butter and about 1 teaspoon poppy seeds.

Heat and Eat MONDAY
Use leftover flank steak to make your own BEEF and VEGETABLE STIR-FRY. Use frozen stir-fry vegetables or fresh ones from the salad bar and a store-bought stir-fry sauce. Cut the meat into thin slices, then strips, and add them after the vegetables are almost done; cook just enough to heat. Serve this quick combo over RICE and add WHOLE-WHEAT ROLLS. Leftover CAKE is a quick dessert.

Budget TUESDAY
On a cold winter evening, LUSTY LEEK AND POTATO SOUP (see recipe) will warm you. Serve with a ROMAINE SALAD and FOCACCIA. For dessert, leftover SHERBET and COOKIES are simple.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Kids' WEDNESDAY
If you have kids, you'll love the cookbook "One Bite Won't Kill You." Even if you don't have munchers, the book is a hoot. Here's one of the author's favorites for her own angels; she calls it "More" (see recipe). At our house we always say something good tastes like "more," and maybe she agrees. Serve "MORE" with a CHOPPED LETTUCE SALAD and BREAD. Store-bought CUPCAKES are a kid kind of dessert.
Check out the recipe for this day!

Express THURSDAY
Prepare a quick TUNA MELT tonight. Make or buy the tuna salad. Spread it on whole-wheat bread, add a sliced tomato (if they are not too horrible) and top with reduced-fat shredded Swiss cheese. Broil just until cheese melts and the sandwich is hot. Serve with store-bought TOMATO BASIL SOUP. Add a little crushed dried or fresh sliced basil to the soup for added flavor. Serve with store-bought BROWNIES.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough brownies for Friday.

Meatless FRIDAY
Tonight's combination, PASTA WITH SPINACH AND TOMATOES, makes you think you're in Italy. Well, kinda. Cook 12 ounces of fettuccine according to directions without salt or oil. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook 1 medium sliced onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil 5 minutes or until softened. Add 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can drained Italian-style or stewed chopped tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Microwave 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach 4 minutes on high; drain well. Add spinach to tomato mixture, mix well, and cook 3 or 4 more minutes or until heated. Drain pasta, toss with sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese.

Serve with MIXED GREENS and GARLIC BREAD. Add leftover BROWNIES.

Entertaining SATURDAY
You've just been to Italy; now take your guests to France with PORK CHOPS NICOISE (see recipe). Serve this Mediterranean favorite with boiled small RED POTATOES and sauteed ZUCCHINI. Your meal demands BAGUETTES. SORBET is a natural dessert. Now add some dainty SUGAR COOKIES.
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.