Sunday: Family
Gather the family for GREMOLATA-TOPPED ROAST BEEF. Accompany the roast with FINGERLING POTATOES roasted in olive oil and garnished with chopped fresh parsley, along with STEAMED SLICED YELLOW SQUASH. Add SOURDOUGH BREAD. For dessert, top PINEAPPLE SORBET with toasted COCONUT.
Plan
Save enough beef and coconut for Monday.
Shopping List
lemon, fresh parsley, garlic, pepper, boneless rump roast, fingerling potatoes, olive oil, fresh yellow squash, sourdough bread, pineapple sorbet, coconut.
GREMOLATA-TOPPED ROAST BEEF
Servings: makes 10 (3-ounce cooked weight) servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours; standing time: 15 to 20 minutes
- 1 medium lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 (3-pound) boneless rump roast
Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine juice and zest from same lemon, parsley, garlic and pepper. Press mixture evenly into all surfaces of roast. Place roast on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 hours for medium-rare. Remove roast when internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. Transfer to carving board; tent loosely with foil. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Per serving: 185 calories, 29 grams protein, 7 grams fat (33 percent calories from fat), 2.3 grams saturated fat, 1 gram carbohydrate, 79 milligrams cholesterol, 38 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Monday: Heat and Eat
Slice and heat the leftover beef and make TEX-MEX WRAPS on warm corn tortillas along with sliced avocado, shredded lettuce and reduced-fat sour cream. Add CHILI BEANS on the side. Buy MINI VANILLA CUPCAKES for dessert and sprinkle with leftover coconut.
Shopping List
corn tortillas, avocado, lettuce, reduced-fat sour cream, chili beans, mini vanilla cupcakes.
Tuesday: Budget
Stretch the food budget with FUSILLI WITH LENTILS, SAUSAGE AND TOMATOES. Serve with a LETTUCE WEDGE and CRUSTY BREAD. PEARS are good for dessert.
Shopping List
fusilli pasta, olive oil, spicy turkey or other Italian sausage, canned lentil soup, canned diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, fresh parsley, coarse salt, pepper, lettuce, crusty bread, pears.
FUSILLI WITH LENTILS, SAUSAGE AND TOMATOES
Servings: makes 6 servings
Prep time: about 10 minutes
Cook time: about 15 minutes, plus pasta
- 12 ounces fusilli pasta
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 ounces spicy turkey or other Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 (19-ounce) can lentil soup
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can lightly drained diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- Coarse salt to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Cook pasta according to directions; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet over medium, heat oil. Add sausage and cook, breaking up clumps, 3 to 5 minutes or until browned. Add lentil soup and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook 6 to 10 minutes or until heated through and slightly reduced, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Add mixture to pasta; toss and serve immediately.
Per serving: 318 calories, 15 grams protein, 5 grams fat (13 percent calories from fat), 0.9 gram saturated fat, 54 grams carbohydrate, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 496 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.
Wednesday: Meatless
Make STUFFED POTATOES for dinner and skip the meat. Bake large potatoes, slash the tops, squeeze ends, and top the potatoes with a heated mixture of 1 cup drained salsa, 1 (15-ounce) can rinsed reduced-sodium black beans and 1 (11-ounce) can rinsed Mexican-style corn. Add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt. Serve with a packaged low-fat CAESAR SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Scoop STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM for dessert.
Shopping List
baking potatoes, salsa, canned reduced-sodium black beans, canned Mexican-style corn, plain Greek yogurt, packaged low-fat Caesar salad, whole-grain rolls, strawberry ice cream.
Thursday: Express
Make it quick tonight with this TURKEY REUBEN LOAF. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spread bottom half of a split loaf of Italian bread with reduced-fat Russian dressing. Top with rinsed and drained canned sauerkraut, deli sliced turkey and sliced Swiss cheese. Replace top, wrap in foil and bake 30 minutes. Cut into serving-size sandwiches and serve with DILL PICKLES and BAKED POTATO CHIPS. PLUMS are a light dessert.
Shopping List
Italian bread loaf, reduced-fat Russian dressing, canned sauerkraut, deli sliced turkey, sliced Swiss cheese, dill pickles, baked potato chips, plums.
Friday: Kids
Surprise the kids with SPAGHETTI SUNDAES tonight. Cook 8 ounces spaghetti according to directions; drain. Fill 4 ice cream sundae dishes half full with the spaghetti. Divide and pour 2 cups heated marinara sauce over the spaghetti. Thaw and heat frozen mini meatballs and top each sundae with 2 or 3 of them, along with some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Add a CHOPPED LETTUCE SALAD and SOFT ROLLS. Pop RED AND GREEN GRAPES into your mouth for dessert.
Shopping List
spaghetti, marinara sauce, frozen mini meatballs, parmesan cheese, lettuce, soft rolls, red and green grapes.
Saturday: Easy Entertaining
"Yum yum," said our guests, and so will yours when you serve them FLOUNDER WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES AND FETA. Serve with ORZO tossed with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Add FRESH BROCCOLI and a BAGUETTE.
For dessert, make MIXED FRUIT CREPES: Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mash 3 ripe bananas with 2 tablespoons half-and-half and 1 tablespoon sugar. Cover one side of 10 packaged crepes with the mixture. Drain 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can peaches and 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can pears. Cut the fruits into small pieces and lay over the banana mixture. Roll or fold the crepes and place on a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Dot with butter and bake 15 minutes. Divide among serving plates and garnish with a dollop of light whipped cream.
Tip
"Yum yum," said our guests, and so will yours when you serve them FLOUNDER WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES AND FETA. Serve with ORZO tossed with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley. Add FRESH BROCCOLI and a BAGUETTE.
For dessert, make MIXED FRUIT CREPES: Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, mash 3 ripe bananas with 2 tablespoons half-and-half and 1 tablespoon sugar. Cover one side of 10 packaged crepes with the mixture. Drain 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can peaches and 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can pears. Cut the fruits into small pieces and lay over the banana mixture. Roll or fold the crepes and place on a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Dot with butter and bake 15 minutes. Divide among serving plates and garnish with a dollop of light whipped cream.
Shopping List
flounder fillets, onion, canned diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, canned sliced black olives, dried basil, crumbled garlic-and-herb or plain feta cheese, orzo, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, fresh broccoli, baguette, bananas, half-and-half, sugar, packaged crepes, canned peaches, canned pears, cooking spray, butter, light whipped cream.
FLOUNDER WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES AND FETA
Servings: makes 4 servings
Prep time: less than 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
- 1 pound flounder fillets
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
- 1/3 cup sliced black olives
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 cup crumbled garlic-and-herb or plain feta cheese
Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, layer flounder, then onion. Spoon tomatoes and olives evenly over flounder; sprinkle with basil and cheese. Bake, uncovered, 25 minutes or until fish is opaque.
Per serving: 174 calories, 17 grams protein, 7 grams fat (34 percent calories from fat), 2.6 grams saturated fat, 12 grams carbohydrate, 56 milligrams cholesterol, 983 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.