Seven-Day Menu Planner

Make this easy DOUBLE-BERRY CRISP for dessert. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Stir 1 (2-layer size) package yellow cake mix and 1/2 cup melted butter in a large bowl until crumbly; set aside. Spoon 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling (light or regular) and 1 (21-ounce) can blueberry pie filling (light or regular) randomly into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. (Do not mix the two flavors.) Sprinkle 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice over fillings; then sprinkle cake mix evenly over pie fillings. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until golden-brown. Serve with fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough Double-Berry Crisp for Monday; save enough ice cream for Saturday.

6/ 15

Meatless Monday

Enjoy delicious, no-meat SOUTHWESTERN PIE (see recipe). Serve the flavor-packed pie with deli COLESLAW. Warm the leftover DOUBLE-BERRY CRISP for dessert.

6/ 16

Kids Tuesday

The kids will come running for CHILI-BEAN BURRITOS. For each burrito, spoon canned chili beans with sauce down center of fat-free flour tortilla; sprinkle with shredded 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese; roll. Place seam-side down in baking dish. Spoon additional chili beans with sauce over tortillas; sprinkle with more cheese. Cover and microwave on high (100 percent power) 3 minutes (for 4 burritos) or until cheese is melted and burritos are hot. Serve with mild salsa and reduced-fat sour cream. Add a deli CARROT SALAD.

Make a yummy FRUIT SMOOTHIE for dessert. In a blender, combine 2 cups frozen raspberries or strawberries, 1 ripe banana (cut in chunks) and 1 cup vanilla yogurt. Blend until smooth.

6/ 17

Express Wednesday

For a quick meal, make SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS. Stir together 1 (26-ounce) jar tomato-basil pasta sauce, 1 teaspoon dried basil and 24 frozen (thawed) cooked meatballs; simmer 10 minutes or until hot. Serve over spaghetti and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan.

Add a packaged ITALIAN SALAD and CRUSTY ROLLS.

BANANA CREAM PIE IN A BOWL is an easy dessert. Prepare 1 (3.4-ounce, 4-serving size) package instant banana pudding according to directions, using 1 percent milk. Layer 1/2 cup (1 cup total) reduced-fat vanilla wafer cookie crumbs, half of the pudding and 1 1/2 (3 total) sliced ripe medium bananas in a 2-quart serving bowl. Repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to 4 hours. Top with light whipped cream.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough Banana Cream Pie in a Bowl for Thursday.

6/ 18

Budget Thursday

Good flavor and low cost make this GARDEN LASAGNA (see recipe) an excellent choice for dinner. Serve with SALAD GREENS and ITALIAN BREAD. Dessert is leftover BANANA CREAM PIE IN A BOWL.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough lasagna for Friday.

6/ 19

Heat-and-Eat Friday

Take it easy tonight and heat the leftover GARDEN LASAGNA for dinner. Add a crisp LETTUCE WEDGE and GARLIC BREAD. RED AND GREEN GRAPES are a simple dessert.

6/ 20

Easy Entertaining Saturday

Use your grilling skills and prepare GRILLED TUNA for your guests. Serve with BROWN RICE tossed with some golden raisins and orange zest.

Add ZUCCHINI WITH FETA AND MINT. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add 1 1/4 pounds zucchini (cut lengthwise into very thin slices like ribbons), 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until just tender. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest. Transfer to serving platter; sprinkle with 1/4 cup reduced-fat crumbled feta. (Adapted from “Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook,” Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.)

Add a BABY ROMAINE SALAD and BAGUETTES. Buy FRUIT TARTS for dessert and serve them with leftover ICE CREAM.

TIP: If you have a mandolin slicer, use it to slice the zucchini.

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THE RECIPES

HERB CHICKEN WITH POTATOES (Sunday)

6 medium red potatoes, quartered

1 (3- to 4-pound) whole chicken

10 cloves garlic, divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Coarse salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth

Juice of 1 lemon

Place potatoes in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Rub chicken with 2 cloves garlic and place garlic in chicken cavity. Place chicken on top of potatoes. Coat chicken with cooking spray; sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. Add remaining garlic cloves and broth. Squeeze juice from lemon over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or until temperature registers 165 degrees. Remove chicken from slow cooker; remove skin, slice chicken and serve with potatoes. Serves 4.

Per serving: 308 calories, 40 grams protein, 9 grams fat (27 percent calories from fat), 2.4 grams saturated fat, 16 grams carbohydrate, 149 milligrams cholesterol, 30 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Carb choices: 1.

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SOUTHWESTERN PIE (Monday)

1 1/2 cups frozen corn (thawed)

8 green onions, sliced

1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium pinto beans, rinsed

1/3 cup shredded 50 percent reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1/2 cup reduced-fat baking mix (such as Bisquick)

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup chunky salsa

2 eggs

Salsa for garnish

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Layer corn, onions and beans in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese. In a small bowl, stir together baking mix, milk, 1/2 cup salsa and the eggs until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Slice into wedges and garnish with extra salsa. Serves 4.

Per serving: 278 calories, 15 grams protein, 6 grams fat (20 percent calories from fat), 2.7 grams saturated fat, 44 grams carbohydrate, 102 milligrams cholesterol, 593 milligrams sodium, 9 grams fiber.

Carb choices: 3.

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GARDEN LASAGNA (Thursday)

1 (15-ounce) can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed

1 (24- to 26-ounce) jar reduced-sodium red pasta sauce

2 medium carrots, grated

1 medium zucchini, grated

1 cup water

1 egg, lightly beaten

16 ounces fat-free or reduced-fat ricotta cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

8 regular lasagna noodles, uncooked

3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together beans, pasta sauce, carrots, zucchini and water. Set aside. In another bowl, combine the egg, ricotta and parmesan. Cover bottom of baking dish with 1 cup pasta sauce mix; top with 4 noodles. Spread the ricotta mixture over all; top with 1 cup sauce and remaining noodles. Pour remaining sauce over all; sprinkle with mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and let stand 15 minutes before serving. Serves 8.

Per serving: 278 calories, 20 grams protein, 4 grams fat (14 percent calories from fat), 1.8 grams saturated fat, 40 grams carbohydrate, 37 milligrams cholesterol, 364 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.

Carb choices: 2 1/2.