Yield: 14 (4-inch) Belgian waffles, about 7 servings

Nutritional Information: Per serving (including pecans): 289 calories, 9.5 g protein, 40 g carbohydrate, 10.5 g fat (1.4 g saturated fat, 6 g monounsaturated, 2.7 g polyunsaturated), 33 mg cholesterol, 3.5 g fiber, 371 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 33%.

Lunch: No matter what age they are, most people love making their own personal pizzas, even if using an already prepared crust (or French bread, as in Easy French Bread Pizza). You can buy pizza sauce in bottles or cans, then grab a bag of reduced -fat shredded sharp cheddar and a bag of shredded, part-skim mozzarella. Toppings to have on hand include chopped green onions, green peppers, sliced mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, sliced reduced fat salami or pepperoni, Canadian bacon, crushed or chunks of pineapples (drained).

Easy French Bread Pizza

2 French-bread sandwich rolls, split in half
Olive oil or canola cooking spray
1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
1/2 cup bottled pizza sauce (or substitute marinara sauce)
3/4 cup shredded, reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup shredded, part-skim mozzarella cheese

Assorted vegetable toppings:
Chopped green onions
Tomato slices
Zucchini slices
Mushroom slices
Artichoke hearts
Sliced olives

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Spray the tops of the French-bread roll halves with canola or olive oil cooking spray, then sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the top of each.
3. Broil bread halves until lightly brown on top (watch carefully).
4. Spread 1/8 cup pizza sauce over each half, then sprinkle 1/4 of the cheddar cheese and 1/4 of the mozzarella over each bread half.
5. Arrange any vegetables you choose on top of the cheese.
6. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly (about 2 minutes).

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information: Per serving (without the vegetable toppings): 189 calories, 12 g protein, 20 g carbohydrate, 6.5 g fat (4.3 g saturated fat), 15 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 430 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 36%.

Dinner: Salad Night! With a bag of greens (spinach or Romaine) in your crisper, along with baby carrots, cherry or grape tomatoes, dried cranberries and cherries, pre-shredded cheese, etc., tossing a main dish salad together can be simple! Need an idea? Try this Shrimp & Avocado Salad recipe.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili sauce
1 cup cooked shrimp meat, rinsed and patted dry (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and halved lengthwise
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
4 pinches of paprika

1. Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and chili sauce in a medium bowl and whisk briefly to blend well.
2. Stir shrimp, red pepper, and chives into the dressing. Spoon the shrimp mixture into the avocado halves, and sprinkle lemon juice over the top of each.
3. Serve each avocado half on a bed of romaine lettuce (about 1 cup each). Dust the top of each shrimp-stuffed avocado half with a pinch of paprika.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutritional Information: Per serving: 239 calories, 13 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 14.5 g fat (2.6 g saturated fat, 9.7 g monounsaturated fat, 2.2 g polyunsaturated fat), 84 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 206 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 53%.

WEDNESDAY

In anticipation of "Turkey Day," Wednesday shall be poultry-free!

Breakfast: Have a no fuss bakery breakfast today (try a make-ahead dish like Overnight Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake) so you can get a head start making some of your Thanksgiving dishes.

Overnight Blueberry Streusel Coffee Cake

Canola cooking spray
1 cup cake flour (regular white flour can be substituted)
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (you can delete this and use 2 cups of cake flour if desired)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (Splenda® can be substituted)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons fat-free sour cream (light can be substituted)
3/4 cup low-fat milk
1 large egg
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Crumb topping:
1/2 cup granulated sugar (Splenda® can be substituted)
6 tablespoons cake flour or white flour
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons no- or low-trans fat margarine (butter can be substituted)
2 tablespoons fat-free sour cream.

1. Coat a 9x9x2-inch square baking dish (or similar round pan) with canola cooking spray.
2. Add cake flour, whole-wheat pastry flour, sugar or Splenda®, baking powder, salt, canola oil, fat-free sour cream, low-fat milk, and egg to large mixing bowl and beat for about 30 seconds until blended. Carefully stir in blueberries and spread in prepared pan.
3. Add the crumb topping ingredients to a small food processor (or use a pastry blender and a medium-sized bowl) and mix together briefly -- just until blended and crumbly. Sprinkle topping evenly over cake batter.
4. Cover dish well and put in refrigerator overnight.
5. In the morning, preheat oven to 375°F. Bake in center of oven until cake tests done (about 45 minutes).

Yield: 8 servings

Nutritional Information: Per serving (using Splenda): 219 calories, 6 g protein, 32 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 4.1 g monounsaturated fat, 2.6 g polyunsaturated fat), 27 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 398 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 33%. Per serving (using sugar): 340 calories, 6 g protein, 63 g carbohydrate, 8 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 4.1 g monounsaturated fat, 2.6 g polyunsaturated fat), 27 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 398 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 21%.

Lunch: Enjoy a meatless sandwich, such as a Tuscany Meatless Sandwich.

Tuscany Meatless Sandwiches