Seven-Day Menu Planner

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietician. She can be reached by email at menuplanner@mindspring.com. Look for Susan's new book, "The 7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies," in bookstores. The Menu Planner is also accessible at www.7daymenuplanner.com. Read Susan's blog at www.makingthemenu.com.

7/ 14 -- Family Sunday

Take it easy and prepare or buy a SMOKED TURKEY BREAST for family day. Alongside, GRILLED CORN SALAD (see recipe) is delicious. Add more color and a real summer favorite, SLICED TOMATOES, to the plate, along with WHOLE-GRAIN ROLLS on the side.

No one can resist PEACH CRUMBLE for dessert. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine 12 (about 3 pounds) fresh peaches (peeled and sliced) and 1/4 cup sugar; spoon into a 3-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 3 tablespoons butter in a medium bowl. With 2 knives, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; sprinkle over peaches. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until golden.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough turkey, corn salad, tomatoes and peach crumble for Monday.

7/ 15 -- Heat-and-Eat Monday

Use the leftover turkey and tomatoes for GRILLED TURKEY, TOMATO AND SWISS CHEESE SANDWICHES. Use reduced-fat Swiss cheese and spread Dijon mustard on sliced sourdough bread; coat the bread with cooking spray before grilling. Serve with leftover CORN SALAD. Warm the leftover PEACH CRUMBLE for dessert.

7/ 16 -- Express Tuesday

Make dinner simple tonight and buy a fully cooked HAM STEAK. Rub Cajun seasoning blend on both sides before heating, if desired. Serve ham with frozen SWEET POTATO FRIES and deli BROCCOLI SALAD. Make CORNBREAD from a mix. PLUMS are your dessert.

7/ 17 -- Kids Wednesday

Make it TACO NIGHT for the kids. Let them choose their favorite ingredients, such as lean ground beef, shredded cheese, mild salsa, reduced-fat sour cream and diced avocado, to fill the taco shells. Add some RICE on the side. Bite into a NECTARINE for dessert.

7/ 18 -- Meatless Thursday

We enjoyed these BELLA BURGERS for a meatless dinner. Heat grill on medium and coat 4 large portobello mushrooms, 1 large red bell pepper (cut into quarters) and 1 sliced red onion on both sides with cooking spray. Grill the vegetables on both sides 4 to 6 minutes or until lightly charred and tender.

Meanwhile, whisk together 2 tablespoons reduced-fat Italian dressing with 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise. Spread whole-grain hamburger buns with dressing mixture and layer with lettuce, tomato, mushroom, peppers and onion. Serve immediately with BAKED CHIPS. Scoop low-fat VANILLA ICE CREAM for dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough ice cream for Saturday.

7/ 19 -- Budget Friday

Save some money and serve OVEN-FRIED PORK CHOPS (see recipe). Add GREEN BEANS, a crisp LETTUCE WEDGE and CRUSTY BREAD. For dessert, STRAWBERRIES are good.

7/ 20 -- Easy Entertaining Saturday

Entertain your friends with your own LAMB CHOPS. Serve with CANNELLINI BEANS WITH ROSEMARY (see recipe), FRESH ASPARAGUS, ROMAINE SALAD and SOURDOUGH ROLLS. For dessert, a wedge of chilled CANTALOUPE with a scoop of leftover ICE CREAM is refreshing.

GRILLED CORN SALAD (Sunday)

Makes 8 servings

Preparation time: about 30 minutes

Cooking time: about 10 minutes

For the dressing:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground back pepper to taste

For the salad:

5 ears corn-on-the-cob, shucked and rinsed

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into thin strips

1/4 cup red onion, diced

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, juice and salt and pepper. Soak corn in water 30 minutes. Heat grill to medium; drain corn and grill 3 to 5 minutes on each side or just until char marks begin to appear. Remove from grill, cool and cut kernels from cob. In a large bowl, mix corn, tomatoes, basil and onion. Add dressing and toss. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. (Salad may be prepared 4 hours in advance.) (Adapted from “The Recipe Girl Cookbook,” Lori Lange; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013.)

Per serving: 113 calories, 3 grams protein, 6 grams fat (44 percent calories from fat), 0.9 gram saturated fat, 15 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 134 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

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OVEN-FRIED PORK CHOPS (Friday)

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup packaged cornbread stuffing mix

4 trimmed pork loin chops (about 1 1/2 pounds 1/2-inch-thick chops)

1 (20-ounce) package frozen roasted potato pieces

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In shallow bowl, beat egg and then stir in milk. Place stuffing mix in a pie plate. Dip chops into egg mixture; coat both sides with stuffing mix. Arrange chops in a single layer on side of a large rimmed baking sheet coated with cooking spray. On other side of sheet, arrange potatoes, mounding potatoes as necessary. Bake 20 minutes or until pork is 145 degrees and potatoes are browned and crisp; turn and stir once. (Adapted from “Better Homes and Gardens Budget-Friendly Meals,” Jan Miller and Lisa Kingsley, editors; Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010.)

Per serving: 462 calories, 44 grams protein, 10 grams fat (20 percent calories from fat), 2.3 grams saturated fat, 44 grams carbohydrate, 164 milligrams cholesterol, 837 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.

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CANNELLINI BEANS WITH ROSEMARY (Saturday)

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: about 5 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon (optional)

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 small clove garlic, peeled and minced