7-Day Menu Planner, June 2-8

Add fresh steamed asparagus and buns to your meal. Serve these easy fruit tartlets (see recipe) for dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Grill enough plain chicken (no rubbing) and reserve a few tartlets for Monday.

MONDAY (Heat and eat)

Cobb salad makes good use of leftover chicken. In a large bowl, combine 12 cups torn romaine with 1/3 cup low-fat blue cheese dressing; divide between 4 plates. Divide and arrange 2 cups diced cooked chicken, 2 slices cooked and crumbled bacon and 3 medium seeded and chopped tomatoes on plates. Top each salad with 1 to 2 tablespoons additional blue cheese dressing.

Serve immediately with any bean soup and crackers. Leftover pies are your dessert.

TIP: To make your own low-fat blue cheese dressing: Whisk together 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, 2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream and 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise. Stir in 1/4 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, and 1 tablespoon sliced ​​green onion. Season with coarse salt and pepper to taste.

TUESDAY (without meat)

Vegetable Fusilli Mix (see recipe) makes an easy meatless meal. Add a spinach salad with hard-boiled egg wedges on the side. Serve with garlic bread. For dessert, cut some kiwis in half and enjoy.

WEDNESDAY (Budget)

Put extra pennies in your pocket when you serve Beany Sloppy Joes. In a large skillet, combine 1 (15 ounce) can rinsed and drained black-eyed peas, 1 (15 ounce) can rinsed and drained kidney beans, 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce, 1/2 cup green beans frozen cuts. , 1/2 cup chopped green pepper, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer 12 minutes or until peppers are tender. Pour onto toasted whole grain hamburger buns.

Accompany the sandwiches with hash browns (frozen) and a mixed green salad. For dessert, peaches are the way to go.

THURSDAY (Children)

The kids will come home early to eat spaghetti and meatballs. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix 1 pound 95% lean ground beef, 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs, 1 egg, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1 minced garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into 12 (2-inch) meatballs. Place on a rack in the broiler pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Meanwhile, cook 8 ounces of spaghetti according to package directions; draining. Combine cooked meatballs and 1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) red pasta sauce in a large saucepan; heat, stirring occasionally. Serve over spaghetti.

Add chopped lettuce salad and Italian bread. Let the kids make ready-to-bake refrigerated brownies for dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough brownies for Saturday.

FRIDAY (Express)

Make a quick pork stir-fry tonight. Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a 1-pound pork loin cut into 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch strips and cook 2 minutes or until cooked through. Add 1 package (16 ounces) frozen vegetable stir-fry mix and 1/2 cup stir-fry sauce. Continue to stir-fry for 3 minutes or until mixture is hot.

Serve it over quick-cooking rice. Add a packed green salad and whole grain rolls. Enjoy fresh tropical fruits for dessert.

SATURDAY (easy entertainment)

Which guest could resist baked snapper with tomato-orange sauce (see recipe)? Serve with couscous and Bibb lettuce salad.

For dessert, pickled strawberries are almost perfect. Mix 4 cups halved medium fresh strawberries, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. Mix and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir before serving. Serve with leftover brownies.

FRUIT TARTS (Sunday)

Servings: for 10 tartlets

Preparation time: less than 15 minutes

Cooking time: 9 to 13 minutes; cooling time: 30 minutes

1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crusts

5 cups fresh berries (such as blueberries, raspberries, or medium sliced ​​strawberries)

1 jar (16 ounces) strawberry frosting

Light whipped cream

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Unfold the crusts; press the fold lines. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut 5 rounds from each crust. Place rounds on back of ungreased muffin cups. Pinch 5 equally spaced pleats on the sides of each cup. Generously prick each baking mold with a fork. Bake for 9 to 13 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for 30 minutes or until completely cooled. (Remove from muffin cups to cool.) Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine fruit and frosting; stir gently to combine. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until completely cooled. Just before serving, spoon 1/2 cup of the fruit mixture into each cooled pie crust. Garnish with whipped cream and serve immediately.

Per pie: 242 calories, 2 grams protein, 9 grams fat (32% calories from fat), 3.7 grams saturated fat, 41 grams carbohydrates, 7 milligrams cholesterol, 253 milligrams sodium, 2 grams of fiber.

Number of carbohydrates: 3.

FUSILLI MIXED VEGETABLES (Tuesday)

Servings: makes 6 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: pasta; cooling time: 2 hours

3 cups of fusilli pasta

1 cup fresh broccoli florets

1 cup grated carrots

1 can (14 ounces) quartered artichoke hearts filled with water, drained

1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half

4 green onions, sliced

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup Italian Parmesan dressing

Freshly grated Parmesan for garnish

Cook the fusilli according to the instructions. A minute before the pasta is done, add the broccoli and carrots and cook for 1 minute; draining. Rinse with cold water; draining. Return to the pot and stir in the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, green onions, oregano and basil. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve cold.

Per serving: 267 calories, 9 grams protein, 4 grams fat (14% calories from fat), 0.7 grams saturated fat, 48 grams carbohydrates, 2 milligrams cholesterol, 265 milligrams sodium, 4 grams of fiber.

Number of carbohydrates: 3.

BAKED SNAPPER WITH TOMATO-ORANGE SAUCE (Saturday)

Servings: for 4 servings

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

3 cups chopped red tomatoes (about 2 pounds)

2 cups chopped yellow tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

4 (6 ounces) red snapper fillets (or grouper or other firm white fish)

Olive Oil Cooking Spray

1/4 teaspoon of coarse salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine red and yellow tomatoes, onion, wine, orange zest, juice and garlic in an 11×7-inch baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Arrange fish on tomato mixture; coat fish with olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with foil; bake for 20 minutes or until fish is opaque throughout. Pour the sauce over the fish and serve immediately.

Per serving: 245 calories, 37 grams protein, 3 grams fat (11% calories from fat), 0.6 grams saturated fat, 17 grams carbohydrates, 60 milligrams cholesterol, 211 milligrams sodium, 5 grams of fiber.

Number of carbohydrates: 1.

Susan Nicholson is a cookbook author and dietitian based in Atlanta. She can be reached by email: susan@7daymenu.com. Follow Susan on Twitter: @7DayMenu. The menu planner is also accessible on 7daymenuplanner.com. Read Susan’s blog: makingthemenu.com. And check out Susan’s book: “7-Day Menu Planner for Dummies” is on shelves now. Order yours on Amazon.com.