Seven-Day Menu Planner

Alongside, RED CABBAGE is perfect. In a large microwave-safe baking dish, combine 1 1/2 pounds shredded red cabbage, 2 chopped Granny Smith apples, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, coarse salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 teaspoon caraway seed, 2 tablespoons water and 1/4 cup cider vinegar; mix well. Cover and microwave on high (100 percent power) 12 to 14 minutes; stir after 6 minutes. Serve with DINNER ROLLS.

This CHOCOLATE-BUTTERMILK BUNDT CAKE (see recipe) adds a sweet finish. Top with sliced fresh strawberries.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough chicken and strawberries for Monday; save enough cake for Tuesday.

4/ 13

Heat-and-Eat Monday

CURRIED CHICKEN POTPIE (see recipe) is everything leftovers should be: easy, delicious and inexpensive. Serve it with a deli CARROT SALAD. Add leftover STRAWBERRIES for dessert.

4/ 14

Budget Tuesday

Even if it’s a little warmer outside, CORN AND SAUSAGE CHOWDER will hit the spot. In a large pot, combine 1 (20- to 25-ounce) package refrigerated shredded hash-browned potatoes, 1 (14-ounce) can unsalted chicken broth and 2 cups frozen corn. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender; stir occasionally. Slightly mash the potatoes. Stir in 2 cups 1 percent milk, 1 (14-ounce) package reduced-fat cooked sausage (halved lengthwise and sliced), and 1/3 cup sliced green onions; heat through. Add coarse salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce to taste.

Serve with a SPINACH SALAD with MANDARIN ORANGES and add WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Leftover CAKE is dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Bake 3 medium potatoes for Wednesday.

4/ 15

Express Wednesday

Make it quick tonight with TURKEY BURGERS on WHOLE-GRAIN BUNS topped with LETTUCE, TOMATOES, ONIONS and MUSTARD.

Serve with SPICY POTATO WEDGES. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut pre-baked potatoes into wedges, coat with cooking spray and sprinkle with cayenne pepper. Bake 15 minutes or until hot.

For dessert, sprinkle sliced PEACHES with nutmeg.

4/ 16

Kids Thursday

Kids will like the mild flavor of SKILLET PASTA. In a large nonstick skillet, cook 1 pound lean ground beef and 1 pound ground turkey breast for 8 minutes or until no longer pink; drain well. Return meat to skillet and add 3 cups water; bring to boil. Stir in 8 ounces elbow macaroni. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until pasta is tender; stir often and drain. Mix in 3 cups no-salt-added red pasta sauce; sprinkle with 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella, 1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan and 1 (3- to 4-ounce) can sliced black olives (drained). Sprinkle with 1 more cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan. Cover and cook 4 minutes or until cheese melts.

Serve with CHERRY TOMATOES and any DIP. Add SOFT ROLLS.

For dessert, APRICOT SUNDAES are perfect for the kids. Puree canned apricots and pour over fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM.

TIP: The adults might like crushed red pepper on their entree. We did.

PLAN AHEAD: Cook rice for Friday and Saturday.

4/ 17

Meatless Friday

You’ll think the texture is meatlike, but it’s the eggplant in EGGPLANT PARMESAN (see recipe) that surprises you. Serve the easy entree with MIXED GREENS with hard-cooked egg slices. Add ITALIAN BREAD. For dessert, make or buy BANANA PUDDING.

4/ 18

Easy Entertaining Saturday

Invite guests for ORANGE SESAME ROAST PORK TENDERLOIN. Place 2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins in a resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, mix together 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, 4 cloves crushed garlic, 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce, 3 tablespoons sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Pour half of marinade over pork, turn to coat evenly and refrigerate 8 hours. Turn occasionally. Cover and reserve remaining marinade for basting.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Remove tenderloins from bag; discard marinade. Place meat in shallow roasting pan; roast 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 145 degrees, basting occasionally with reserved marinade. Remove pork from oven; cover lightly with foil and let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

MOO GOO RICE goes well alongside. Add cooked sliced mushrooms and canned sliced water chestnuts (drained) to hot cooked rice; mix well.

Serve with STEAMED SNOW PEAS and SOURDOUGH BREAD. Buy a COCONUT CREAM PIE for dessert.

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THE RECIPES

CHOCOLATE-BUTTERMILK BUNDT CAKE (Sunday)

2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt (not coarse salt)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 ounce semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/3 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 egg white

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, combine cocoa and chopped chocolate. Pour boiling water over cocoa mixture, stirring until chocolate is melted. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, canola oil, egg, egg white and vanilla; stir in cocoa mixture. Add flour mixture, stirring just until no longer visible. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into pan; bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert; remove pan and cool completely. (Adapted from “Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook, Fourth Edition”; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011.) Makes 24 servings.

Per serving: 164 calories, 3 grams protein, 6 grams fat (33 percent calories from fat), 1.8 grams saturated fat, 25 grams carbohydrate, 8 milligrams cholesterol, 125 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.

Carb choices: 1 1/2.

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CURRIED CHICKEN POTPIE (Monday)

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 medium carrots, sliced

2 cups cooked (leftover) chopped chicken

1 cup unsalted chicken broth

1/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 medium Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1/2 cup 2 percent milk

1 refrigerated piecrust

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add onion and carrots and cook 4 minutes or until softened. Add chicken and cook 1 minute.

Meanwhile, whisk together broth, flour, curry powder and salt. Add to skillet and bring to boil. Stir in apple. Reduce heat to medium and cook 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in peas and milk. Pour into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Lay the piecrust over the top; crimp or flute edges around the rim to seal tightly. Cut several small slits in crust so steam can escape. Place pie plate on cookie sheet and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until top of crust is golden. Serves 6.

Per serving: 319 calories, 18 grams protein, 13 grams fat (36 percent calories from fat), 4.9 grams saturated fat, 34 grams carbohydrate, 45 milligrams cholesterol, 457 milligrams sodium, 3 gram fiber.

Carb choices: 2 1/2.

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EGGPLANT PARMESAN (Friday)

1 medium eggplant, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons water

2/3 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

3/4 cup parmesan, divided

3 cups cooked rice

3 cups no-salt-added red pasta sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place eggplant and garlic in a 9-by-13-inch microwave-safe baking dish; add water. Cover and microwave on high (100 percent power) 5 to 7 minutes or until tender; drain well. Combine bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons parmesan. Sprinkle eggplant with bread crumb mixture. In large bowl, combine rice, sauce and remaining parmesan; spoon mixture evenly over eggplant. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Serves 6.

Per serving: 340 calories, 16 grams protein, 11 grams fat (29 percent calories from fat), 5.3 grams saturated fat, 44 grams carbohydrate, 24 milligrams cholesterol, 787 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.

Carb choices: 3.