7-day menu planner

PLAN AHEAD: Save enough ham, coleslaw and pie for Monday; cook and freeze enough plain rice for Wednesday.

MONDAY (Heat and Eat)

Use the leftover ham to make Ham-Stuffed Potatoes (see recipe) for dinner. Serve with leftover coleslaw and whole-grain rolls. Bring out the leftover pie for dessert.

TUESDAY (Budget)

Count the savings when you prepare Fettuccine with Prosciutto, Prunes and Black Pepper (see recipe). Add a mixed green salad and whole-grain rolls. Peaches are your dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Thaw leftover rice for Wednesday.

WEDNESDAY (Meatless)

Skip meat tonight and enjoy a Spinach Frittata (see recipe) using leftover rice. Serve with your own broiled tomatoes and toasted whole-grain English Muffins. Make instant Vanilla Pudding with 1% milk and top with fresh strawberries for dessert.

PLAN AHEAD: Buy enough strawberries for Friday, and cut and freeze watermelon chunks for Thursday.

THURSDAY (Kids)

Calling all kids for Pizza tonight! Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place 1 (12-inch) ready-to-bake thin whole-grain pizza crust on a pizza pan or cookie sheet. Evenly spread 3/4 cup any pizza sauce over crust, leaving a small border around the rim. Evenly top with 1 (8- to 10-ounce) package cooked carved chicken breast, 10 slices pepperoni and 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Serve with green beans. For dessert, make a Watermelon Slushy: Puree frozen chunks of watermelon in a food processor until smooth. Add sugar and fresh lemon or lime juice to taste; process until blended. Serve immediately.

FRIDAY (Express)

Stay cool with deli (or your own) Tuna Salad. Spoon it over a bed of mixed greens. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and add Deviled Eggs and whole-grain rolls on the side. Spoon leftover strawberries over Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert.

SATURDAY (Easy Entertaining)

Your lucky guests will rave over your Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta: In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil on medium. Add 1 medium chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 minced large garlic clove and cook 2 minutes. Stir in 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onions with liquid, 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; cook over medium-high 6 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in 1 pound uncooked deveined shrimp; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Serve over couscous and top with crumbled reduced-fat Greek feta cheese. Serve with asparagus and a baguette. For dessert, fresh pineapple drizzled with orange liqueur (or honey) and sprinkled with shredded toasted coconut is smashing.

HAM-STUFFED POTATOES (Monday)

Servings: makes 8 potato halves

Preparation time: about 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45 to 55 minutes

4 large (10 to 12 ounces each) baking potatoes

1 Tablespoon butter

3 cups chopped cooked ham

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Microwave potatoes 15 to 18 minutes on high (100% power). Wrap potatoes in white paper towels, then in a terry towel; let stand 5 minutes. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, halve them lengthwise. Scoop out pulp and place in a bowl, leaving shells intact; set shells and pulp aside. Melt butter in a medium skillet on medium-high. Add ham, onion and garlic; cook 5 minutes or until onion is softened. Meanwhile, mash potato pulp. Stir in ham mixture, sour cream, salt and pepper. Stuff shells; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place potatoes in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish with chives.

Per serving: 269 calories, 16 grams protein, 10 grams fat (33% calories from fat), 4.7 grams saturated fat, 30 grams carbohydrate, 46 milligrams cholesterol, 894 milligrams sodium, 2 grams fiber.

Carb count: 2.

FETTUCCINE WITH PROSCIUTTO, PRUNES AND BLACK PEPPER (Tuesday)

Servings: makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

8 ounces dry fettuccine

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced into half-rings

2 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

8 pitted prunes, chopped

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving (optional)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Cook fettuccine according to directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring frequently, until crispy, about 3 minutes. Add prunes and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup reserved pasta water and stir until everything is mixed well. Using tongs, transfer cooked fettuccine to skillet and toss to coat. Stir frequently until liquid is almost all absorbed, about 1 minute. Add additional 1/3 cup pasta water. Continue to stir frequently until almost all liquid is absorbed, about another minute. Add 1/4 cup cheese and mix well. Mix in 2 to 3 additional Tablespoons pasta water to help incorporate the cheese and toss well. Remove from heat. Mix in remaining 1/4 cup cheese and toss well, until pasta is coated and all the liquid is absorbed. Top pasta with more black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 395 calories, 15 grams protein, 12 grams fat (28% calories from fat), 3.3 grams saturated fat, 58 grams carbohydrate, 21 milligrams cholesterol, 456 milligrams sodium, 3 grams fiber.

Carb count: 4.

SPINACH FRITTATA (Wednesday)

Servings: makes 8 wedges

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: less than 30 minutes

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

8 egg whites

2 whole eggs

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

8 ounces 1% or 2% cottage cheese

1/3 cup 1% milk

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In a large nonstick oven-safe skillet, heat oil on medium. Add onion and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together egg whites, whole eggs, spinach, rice, cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan cheese, salt and nutmeg until blended. Stir egg mixture into onion in skillet and place in oven. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until frittata is set in center. Remove from oven and cut into wedges to serve.

Per serving: 137 calories, 12 grams protein, 4 grams fat (27% calories from fat), 1.3 grams saturated fat, 13 grams carbohydrate, 50 milligrams cholesterol, 386 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.

Carb count: 1.

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: susan@7daymenu.com. Follow Susan on Twitter: @7DayMenu. The Menu Planner is also accessible at 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.