7 Day Menu Planner

Plan ahead: Save enough pie for Tuesday.

4/ 10

Kids Monday

Calcium-rich Pizza Squares are the star attraction for the kids tonight. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Press 1 (13.5-ounce) can refrigerated pizza dough into a 10-by-15-inch jellyroll pan. Bake 12 minutes; remove from oven and spread with 1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese. Top with 2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, 2 ounces sliced turkey pepperoni, 2 sliced plum tomatoes, 1 small sliced yellow bell pepper and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Return to oven and bake 6 more minutes or until cheese melts. Cut into 10 squares and serve.

Add a carrot salad on the side and serve pears for dessert.

4/ 11

Meatless Tuesday

We didn't miss the meat with all the flavor in these Huevos Rancheros. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, mix 2 (15- to 19-ounce) cans rinsed reduced-sodium black beans, 1 1/2 cups mild or medium salsa and 1/3 cup water. Heat to boiling on medium-high, stirring frequently. Break 1 egg into a custard cup and slip into skillet on top of bean mixture; repeat immediately with 3 more eggs. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until eggs are cooked to desired firmness. To serve: Sprinkle bean mixture and eggs with shredded 50 percent light pepper jack cheese and chopped fresh cilantro.

Serve with warm corn tortillas and sliced avocado on shredded lettuce. Enjoy leftover pie for dessert.

4/ 12

Express Wednesday

Make a quick meal tonight of Empanadas (frozen) and Spanish rice (packaged), along with packaged salad greens. Keep dessert simple with plums.

4/ 13

Budget Thursday

Here's another really good Turkey Chili (see recipe) to add to your collection of favorites. Serve with a romaine salad and whole-grain rolls. Kiwifruit is good for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough chili for Friday.

4/ 14

Heat-and-Eat Friday

Chili always tastes best to me the next night, so leftover Chili goes well over split and toasted cornbread muffins (from a mix). Serve with a red-tipped lettuce salad. Try peaches for dessert.

4/ 15

Easy Entertaining Saturday

Jambalaya is a company-friendly dish. Serve it with mixed greens and a baguette. For dessert, bread pudding (buy or make), topped with your own bourbon sauce, will be divine.

** ** **

THE RECIPES

Steak With Spicy Balsamic Glaze (Sunday)

1 pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, about 1 inch thick, trimmed of fat

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup apple cider

1/4 cup less-sodium Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Black pepper to taste

1/4 cup honey

Place steak in a resealable plastic bag. Add water, cider, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and red pepper. Seal bag, turning to coat meat. Let stand 20 minutes; turn to coat again. Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray on medium. Remove beef from marinade, reserving marinade. Season steak with coarse salt and pepper. Cook 8 to 15 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning once. Remove steak from skillet; keep warm. Add marinade and honey to skillet; whisk to combine. Bring to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, 7 minutes or until reduced to 1/3 cup. Serve glaze with steak. (Adapted from “Better Homes and Gardens Skillet Meals,” Jan Miller, editor; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016.) Serves 4.

Per serving: 234 calories (percent calories from fat, 16), 21 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrate, no fiber, 4 grams fat (1.5 grams saturated fat), 56 milligrams cholesterol, 239 milligrams sodium.

** ** **

Turkey Chili (Thursday)

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

1 tablespoon roasted minced garlic (see Note)

1 1/4 pounds ground turkey breast

1 (1.25-ounce) packet 30 percent less-sodium chili seasoning mix or Tex-Mex flavor

2 (16-ounce) cans chili beans, undrained

1 (10-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes and green chilies (mild or original), undrained

1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce

In a Dutch oven, heat oil on medium-high. Add onion and garlic; cook 6 minutes or until browned. Reduce heat to medium; add turkey and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until no longer pink. Mix in chili seasoning mix, beans, tomatoes and green chilies and tomato sauce. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve immediately. Makes 8 cups.

Note: In my supermarket, the roasted minced garlic is in produce.

Per cup: 260 calories (percent calories from fat, 19), 24 grams protein, 27 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams fiber, 5 grams fat (0.9 gram saturated fat), 48 milligrams cholesterol, 562 milligrams sodium.

** ** **

Jambalaya (Saturday)

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried basil

Dash cayenne pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans no-salt-added stewed tomatoes (such as Del Monte or another brand), undrained

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

6 ounces andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1 (2-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained

3 cups hot cooked rice

1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Heat oil in a Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, tomato paste, basil, cayenne pepper, garlic, bay leaf, tomatoes, Cajun seasoning, sausage and pimentos; cook 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in rice and shrimp; cook 6 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Serves 5.

Per serving: 334 calories (percent calories from fat, 29), 18 grams protein, 41 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 11 grams fat (3.3 grams saturated fat), 94 milligrams cholesterol, 487 milligrams sodium.