Seven-Day Menu Planner

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough turkey and apple crisp for Monday.

12/ 15

Heat-and-Eat Monday

Enjoy the leftover turkey in open-faced SMOKED TURKEY REUBEN SANDWICHES. Toast 4 slices pumpernickel bread. Spread each slice with 1 tablespoon reduced-fat ranch dressing. Top each slice of bread with thin-sliced leftover turkey, some deli coleslaw and thin slices of Swiss cheese. Broil 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Serve with OVEN FRIES (frozen). Add fresh BABY CARROTS to munch on. Warm and top the leftover CRISP with fat-free VANILLA ICE CREAM.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough ice cream for Tuesday. Buy enough carrots for Friday.

12/ 16

Meatless Tuesday

You’ll enjoy the fragrance as well as the flavor of VEGETABLE CURRY WITH COUSCOUS (see recipe). Serve it with sliced CUCUMBERS in cider vinegar and FLATBREAD. Drizzle butterscotch sauce over leftover ICE CREAM for dessert.

12/ 17

Budget Wednesday

This CREAMY SLOW COOKER CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP is just what you’re looking for on a cold evening. In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, combine 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces, 1 medium chopped onion, 3 sliced carrots, 2 ribs thinly sliced celery, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add 6 cups unsalted chicken stock.

Cover; cook on low 6 hours. Add 2 to 2 1/2 cups no-yolk noodles. Cover; cook 30 minutes on low. Mix together 1/2 cup flour and 1 cup whole milk until smooth. Pour into slow cooker and cook on high 1 hour more, stirring once or twice. Ladle into bowls and serve. (Adapted from “Seriously Delish,” Jessica Merchant; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014.)

Add a ROMAINE SALAD AND CRACKERS. PEACHES will be your dessert.

12/ 18

Express Thursday

For a quick meal tonight, prepare TORTELLINI WITH PEAS AND HAM. Cook any refrigerated tortellini according to directions; add some frozen green peas to pasta water the last 5 minutes of cooking; drain.

Meanwhile, heat light Alfredo sauce with packaged diced ham. Add the cooked tortellini with peas; toss to mix and serve.

Add packaged GREENS and GARLIC BREAD. Fresh PINEAPPLE makes a good dessert.

12/ 19

Kids Friday

The kids won’t want to miss STOVE-TOP HOT DOG PIZZA CASSEROLE. Cook 2 cups (about 4 ounces) mini lasagna noodles according to directions; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in same pot, combine 1 (15-ounce) can pizza sauce and 2/3 cup water; heat over medium until hot. Stir in cooked noodles and 3 hot dogs (lowest-sodium and lowest-fat; cut into 1/2-inch slices); cook until heated through. Stir occasionally.

Serve with leftover BABY CARROTS and SOFT ROLLS. Kids of any age will like OATMEAL COOKIES for dessert.

12/ 20

Easy Entertaining Saturday

Treat your lucky guests to BALSAMIC-MOLASSES CHICKEN (see recipe). Serve the flavor-packed chicken with RICE tossed with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped Italian parsley. Add steamed fresh ZUCCHINI, a BIBB LETTUCE SALAD and WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS. Buy FRUIT TARTS for dessert.

THE RECIPES

SCALLOPED POTATOES (Sunday)

INGREDIENTS

4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed, reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of celery soup

1/2 cup 1 percent milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 1 1/2-quart to 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Place potatoes in dish, and then onions. Mix soup and milk together and pour over potatoes and onions. Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until potatoes are tender. Serves 4.

Per serving: 198 calories, 6 grams protein, 2 grams fat (10 percent calories from fat), 0.9 gram saturated fat, 39 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 319 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.

Carb choices: 2 1/2.

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VEGETABLE CURRY WITH COUSCOUS (Tuesday)

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1/4 cup unsalted vegetable stock (such as Kitchen Basics or another brand)

1 tablespoon red curry powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, carrots and cauliflower (or another combination)

1/2 cup raisins

1/3 cup chutney

2 cups hot cooked couscous

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Cook bell pepper 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in vegetable stock, curry powder, salt and vegetables. Heat to boiling. Boil about 4 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Stir in raisins and chutney. Serve with couscous, sprinkled with peanuts. Serves 4.

Per serving: 319 calories, 9 grams protein, 9 grams fat (24 percent calories from fat), 1.1 grams saturated fat, 54 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 455 milligrams sodium, 7 grams fiber.

Carb choices: 3 1/2.

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BALSAMIC-MOLASSES CHICKEN (Saturday)

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon dried basil

4 (5- to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

In medium bowl, mix together molasses and vinegar. Add salt, pepper, garlic and basil; stir to mix well. Place chicken in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and cover with marinade, turning to coat chicken on all sides. Place in refrigerator to marinate 30 minutes, turning to coat after 15 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove chicken from refrigerator, cover dish with foil, and bake 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Serves 4.

Per serving: 260 calories, 30 grams protein, 4 grams fat (13 percent calories from fat), 0.8 gram saturated fat, 25 grams carbohydrate, 91 milligrams cholesterol, 300 milligrams sodium, no fiber.

Carb choices: 1 1/2.