Advertisement Your family will be impressed with Steak Kebabs with Long Grain and Wild Rice (see recipe) for a fall feast. Serve the combo with tiny frozen green peas and sourdough bread. Dessert is as simple as fat-free strawberry ice cream.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough ice cream for Tuesday.
Express Monday
Make your own quick Grilled Margherita Pizza tonight. Evenly spread 1 cup red pasta sauce on 1 (12-inch) prebaked pizza crust; top with 4 ounces thinly sliced fresh Mozzarella cheese. Grill, covered, on medium heat, rotating pizza occasionally, 10 minutes or until sauce is hot and cheese is melted. Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle with dried or fresh basil and serve immediately. Add a packaged green salad. Enjoy peaches for dessert.
Meatless Tuesday
Skip meat and go for a baked potato with vegetables. Bake the potatoes, slash the tops. Top with mixed vegetables (frozen) and reduced-fat cheddar cheese or ranch dressing. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Add a spinach salad with wedges of hard-cooked eggs. Top the leftover ice cream with fresh strawberries for dessert.
Kids Wednesday
We call it kids night, but the adults will want some Salsa Chili (see recipe) for themselves. Serve the easy chili with baby carrots and a vegetable dip along with tortilla chips. For dessert, the kids always like kiwifruit.
Budget Thursday
Stretch your food dollar with Mexican Lasagna (see recipe). Serve it with sliced avocado on lettuce with a fat-free sour cream garnish. For dessert, pears are easy.
PLAN AHEAD: Save enough lasagna for Friday
Heat and Eat Friday
Keep dinner simple and heat the leftover lasagna for an easy meal. Serve with mixed greens. Fresh pineapple spears are what you’ll want for dessert.
Entertaining Saturday
For your special guests, prepare Lamb Chops with Herbs de Provence. Nick edges of 8 trimmed (3/4- to 1-1/4-inch) lamb chops in several places to prevent curling. Brush some olive oil on both sides of chops. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.
For the Herbs de Provence: combine 2 tablespoons each basil and thyme, 1 tablespoon savory, 2 teaspoons rosemary, 1 teaspoon each tarragon, lavender and fennel. Rub 2 tablespoons of seasoning into chops. Grill on high heat 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare (145 degrees). Transfer to a platter, tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serve the chops with roasted red potatoes, green beans, a Bibb lettuce salad and baguettes. Fruit tarts are a very French dessert.
TIP: Rather than making your own herbs de Provence, you can find them on the spice aisle.
Steak Kebabs with Long Grain and Wild Rice
For the kebabs:
1 pound boneless beef round tip steak, cut 1-inch thick
2 tablespoons each water, coarse-grain Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar
2 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 cups thinly sliced crimini mushrooms
1 (6-ounce) package long grain and wild rice blend
1/2 small red onion, cut into 3/4-inch wedges
1 small yellow squash, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1-inch slices
1 small red or green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
Cut steak into 1-1/4-inch pieces. Place beef, water, mustard, vinegar and garlic in a resealable plastic bag. Turn to coat. Marinate in refrigerator 6 hours to overnight. When ready to grill, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add mushrooms; cook and stir 5 minutes or until mushrooms release their moisture and are tender. Remove and keep warm.
Meanwhile, cook rice according to directions without butter or salt. When rice is done, stir in mushrooms. Remove beef; discard marinade. Alternately thread beef, onion, squash and bell pepper evenly onto 4 skewers. Grill, on medium, 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare to medium-doneness, turning occasionally. Serve kebabs over rice.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 336 calories, 32 grams protein, 7 grams fat (19 percent calories from fat), 1.4 grams saturated fat, 36 grams carbohydrate, 64 milligrams cholesterol, 759 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.
Salsa Chili
1 pound 95 percent lean ground beef
1 medium finely chopped onion
2 medium shredded carrots
2 cups mild chunky salsa
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (4-ounce) can mild chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 (15-ounce) can rinsed pinto beans
Shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
In a large nonstick skillet, cook beef, onion and carrots on medium 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain. In a 3- or 4-quart slow cooker, mix beef mixture and remaining ingredients, except beans. Cover; cook on low 7 to 9 hours. Stir in beans. Cover; cook on low 5 minutes longer or until beans are hot. Top with cheese.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving: 337 calories, 32 grams protein, 7 grams fat (18 percent calories from fat), 2.3 grams saturated fat, 35 grams carbohydrate, 62 milligrams cholesterol, 1,488 milligrams sodium, 9 grams fiber.
Mexican Lasagna
1-1/2 pounds 95 percent lean ground beef
12 corn tortillas
2 (10-ounce) cans mild enchilada sauce
2 (15-ounce) cans rinsed black beans
1-1/2 cups frozen corn
2 teaspoons cumin
1-1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat or regular Mexican cheese blend
1 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large nonstick skillet on medium, cook beef 8 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain. Stir in 1 can enchilada sauce, the beans, corn and cumin; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange 4 tortillas in dish, cutting as needed to cover bottom. Spread 1/4 cup remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas; cover with 1/3 beef mixture, then 1/3 cheese. Repeat layers twice, omitting final cheese layer. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top. Cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with tomatoes and cilantro.
Makes 8 servings.
Per serving: 369 calories, 32 grams protein, 10 grams fat (25 percent calories from fat), 4.3 grams saturated fat, 38 grams carbohydrate, 60 milligrams cholesterol, 883 milligrams sodium, 9 grams fiber.
Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by e-mail: menuplanner@mindspring.com. The Menu Planner is also accessible at www.7daymenuplanner.com.
