A week's worth of quick, healthful meals for budget-minded families.

SUNDAY: Make the family happy and serve them grilled chicken, your potato salad and this beautiful Cucumber, Kalamata and Tomato Salad (see recipe). Add crusty rolls. Buy a yellow layer cake for dessert.

Plan ahead: Save enough cake for Monday.

MONDAY: How about Barbecue Meatloaf (see recipe) for dinner tonight? Serve the comfort food with mashed potatoes, green beans and whole-grain rolls. For dessert, slice the leftover cake and top it with blueberries.

Plan ahead: Save enough meatloaf for Wednesday.

TUESDAY: Turkey-Raisin Picadillo Sliders (see recipe) have great kid appeal. Serve the little sandwiches with baked chips and celery sticks. Try peaches for a simple dessert.

WEDNESDAY: Here comes your favorite part of leftover meatloaf: Meatloaf Sandwiches! Use whole-grain bread and slather a little low-fat mayonnaise on it, along with a layer of lettuce. Serve the sandwich with hash browns and coleslaw. Slice kiwis for dessert.

THURSDAY: Gnocchi With Tomato Sauce hits the spot for a no-meat dinner. Add 1 (16- to 18-ounce) package gnocchi to a pot of boiling water; cook according to package directions and remove with slotted spoon when they float to top. Add 1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach to water once gnocchi has been removed. Boil spinach 1 to 2 minutes; remove with slotted spoon; drain. Set aside. Meanwhile, puree 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper to skillet; cook 1 minute, stirring. Stir tomatoes into skillet. Cook 4 minutes to thicken. Stir cooked gnocchi and spinach into skillet. Divide mixture among 4 bowls; top each with 2 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil. Serve with a green salad with egg wedges and garlic bread. How about banana pudding for dessert?

FRIDAY: Make a quick meal of Thai Beef and Noodle Salad. Put 1 (3 ¾-ounce) package cellophane noodles and ¾ cup halved snow peas in a large bowl. Pour 4 cups boiling water over all. Let sit 10 minutes or until noodles are tender. Drain; rinse under cold running water and drain again. Shake colander to remove excess water; return to bowl. Combine ¼ cup white vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and ½ teaspoon coarse salt in a jar; shake to dissolve sugar. Pour dressing over noodles and snow peas. Add 8 ounces thickly sliced deli roast beef (cut into strips), 1 ½ cups sliced seedless cucumber and ½ cup chopped fresh mint. Garnish with chopped peanuts and serve. Alongside, add packaged salad greens and sesame bread sticks. Enjoy pears for dessert.

SATURDAY: Invite friends for Parma-Style Flounder. In a small bowl, mix ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, ¼ teaspoon coarse salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Brush one side of 4 (6-ounce) flounder filets with olive oil; sprinkle each with spice mixture. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around center of each filet; set aside. In an 8-by-11-inch baking dish, arrange 8 tomato slices in a single layer; drizzle with another teaspoon oil. Microwave on 100% power for 1 minute. Place flounder in a single layer on tomatoes; cover with waxed paper. Microwave on high 3 minutes or until opaque throughout. Remove from microwave; let stand 2 minutes, covered. Serve with roasted red potatoes, steamed sliced zucchini, an arugula salad and sourdough bread. For dessert, raspberry sorbet and butter cookies are company fare.

Cucumber, Kalamata and Tomato Salad

In a large serving bowl, combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion and olives.

In a small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; pour over cucumber mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 2 hours. Top with feta before serving. (Adapted from "Y'all Come Over: Charming Your Guests With New Recipes, Heirloom Treasures, and True Southern Hospitality," Rebecca Lang, Rizzoli International Publications.)

Nutrition information: Each cup contains approximately 114 calories, 1 g protein, 10 g fat, 5 g carbohydrate, 4 mg cholesterol, 311 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.

In a large bowl, combine beef, breadcrumbs, onion, 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce, mustard, chile powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and egg whites. Shape mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Spread remaining barbecue sauce over top of loaf. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Cut into slices.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 254 calories, 26 g protein, 9 g fat, 15 g carbohydrate, 64 mg cholesterol, 391 mg sodium and 1 g fiber.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil on medium in a Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir 5 minutes or until softened. Add bay leaves, cumin, chile powder and allspice; stir together for 1 to 2 minutes. Add turkey, salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink. Stir in tomato paste, ¾ cup water and raisins; cook 5 minutes to blend flavors. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 minutes or until thickened. If mixture is too thick, add a little more water. Toast rolls in oven until lightly browned. Remove bay leaves. Spoon turkey mixture onto rolls and serve.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 237 calories, 21 g protein, 5 g fat, 28 g carbohydrate, 41 mg cholesterol, 223 mg sodium and 2 g fiber.

Susan Nicholson is an Atlanta-based cookbook author and registered dietitian. She can be reached by email: susan@7daymenu.com

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