One Of My Yummy Diet Dinners…BBQ turkey burger

I know it was not on my menu plan this week or anything, but tonight I had a BBQ turkey burger with (low-fat) blue cheese crumbles and sautéed mushrooms on top. On the side I served green beans. My plate was COVERED in food and I really did get full (so full I cannot eat the rest of what I am supposed to eat today). I got my BBQ craving in AND I have yummy leftovers for lunch tomorrow! yay!!!
The BBQ sauce was a recipe from the book, 17 Day Diet by Dr. Mike Moreno. It was very good—a mixture of low sugar ketchup (3/4 c.), Worcestershire sauce (2 tbsp.), chili powder (1 tsp.), and agave nectar (1 tbsp.). It grills up very well and has a taste similar to a cross between A1 and Heinz 57. There was enough to liberally coat 4 burgers and have enough left to probably use on another meal.
Yes, turkey burgers can be dry. That’s why there is BBQ sauce!! (I really like the taste of turkey burgers, and DD9 actually prefers it to beef burgers.)
Meals like this and my grill are why I have been able to stick to this diet so far!!!

I Humbly Accept...

Well, I was actually given this award from Melissa at the blog, Chronicles of a Rookie Mom. This lovely blogger is currently changing the name and address of her blog to http://www.loveandpancakes.com/, so you can check it out there. There is the pic of a gorgeous little girl with beautiful eyes and some yummy food at the top!

Anyway, the rules say I am supposed to nominate 15 blogs. In the tradition of the blog before me, I am going to break that rule and nominate just a few.

My Nominees for the Award Are:
http://anirishitalianblessing.blogspot.com/
http://www.diaryofadevildogwife.com/
http://savingthosedollars.blogspot.com/
http://shinebrightlyforjesus.blogspot.com/

Menu Plan for the Week of March 28

Well, I must say this diet is amazing! I am down 10.2 pounds as of Sunday morning!!! I have had much more energy and have felt wonderful—until Thursday evening. That is when the CRUD struck…I think it is just a nasty cold. I have stuck with the diet through being sick, though what I really wanted while I was sick was not on this diet!! This week (on the 31st) I move to cycle 2, which is a few other choices of meat and adding in certain carbs every other day—such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal, potatoes, and brown rice. These probably won’t show up much on my menu, though, because these carbs are eaten before supper. I just hope this cycle isn’t where I blow it!!!

Monday: grilled chicken with veggies

Tuesday: turkey tenderloin with veggies

Wednesday: grilled pork chops with veggies

Thursday: turkey tenderloin with veggies

Friday: grilled pork chops and veggies

Saturday: baked fish with veggies

Sunday: chicken with veggies

 

Veggies that I have to use this week include: salad mix, green beans, onions, mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower, carrots, asparagus

 

This post is linked to Menu Planning Mondays.

Sunday Morning Thoughts

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character, hope –Romans 5:1-4

Menu Plan for the Week of March 20th

I lost 5.1 pounds this week on the 17 day diet! This diet really does fill you up. I feel like I gorge myself all day. 

Monday: grilled chicken with veggies

Tuesday: turkey tenderloin with veggies

Wednesday: chicken fajitas without tortillas (This really filled me up last week!)

Thursday: turkey tenderloin with veggies

Friday: more chicken and veggies

Saturday: baked fish with veggies

Sunday: chicken with veggies

 

Veggies that I have to use this week include: spring salad mix with spinach, green beans, onions, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower, carrots, bean sprouts, asparagus

 

This post is linked to Menu Planning Mondays.

Sunday Morning Thoughts

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139: 23-24

Friday Blog Hopping

Women In The Word Wednesdays--On Thursday

I have been reading in James for almost 9 weeks now. I have felt ashamed and I have had my toes stepped on-a lot! Most recently I have begun thinking about how blessed I am, which is something I am sure a lot of people have been thinking about since last Friday. Life is like a vapor-it is only here for a short time. We will only be here for a short time.
WE can't make decisions on our own; He makes the decisions. WE need to be fully surrendered to Him. WE need to understand that the next breath we take is one of the greatest blessings. I know that this is all something I struggle with, daily, hourly, minute-by-minute. I am not fully submitted. I have not relinquished all control over my decisions, thoughts, words, and actions. I really need to be praying about this.

Menu Plan for the Week of March 14

 

Monday: grilled chicken with veggies

Tuesday: turkey tenderloin with veggies

Wednesday: chicken fajitas without tortillas

Thursday: turkey tenderloin with veggies

Friday: more chicken and veggies

Saturday: baked fish with veggies

Sunday: chicken with veggies

 

Veggies that I have to use this week include: spring salad mix with spinach, green beans, onions, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli and cauliflower, carrots

 

This post is linked to Menu Planning Mondays.

Sunday Morning Thoughts

Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects, therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty.-Job 5:1

Happy Birthday to My Baby!

Friday Blog Hops-March 11

Freezer Cooking Results for March 5

Well on Saturday I was at it again—freezer cooking that is. I have usually made batches of cooked ground beef or shredded chicken, but this time I concentrated on complete meals. I am hoping that they will keep us eating at home and not out at a restaurant or a fast food place. I am happy to report that I froze two quarts of chili, two quarts of white chicken chili, and two Mexican Rice Casseroles (recipe from the $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook). We also ate chili for supper
Saturday night, so it really yielded a lot! Now I need to restock the pantry since chili meals used a lot of canned beans and canned tomatoes!! Six meals in the freezer with a fairly small amount of work—not too shabby !
(This pic only shows8 my yummy casseroles.)

This is linked up with http://www.lifeasmom.com/

Menu Plan for the Week of March 7

First of all, I have to say Happy Birthday to my little brother. I love you Mitchell! Second, I have to say Happy Birthday to my baby girl, dd9! Her birthday is Friday and she will be NINE YEARS OLD!! It doesn’t seen like nine years ago she was a baby—it just seems like yesterday.

Anyway, let’s get on with the menu…Last week was kind of a wash. I think I cooked ONE night—kinda pathetic, but I didn’t eat out all those other nights. I went to my parents to eat and ate some leftovers too ! So—on Saturday I had a little time and I decided to make some chili and casserole to freeze. More on that later…

Monday: Beef soft tacos

Tuesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce

Wednesday: Mexican Rice Casserole (from the $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook)

Thursday: Not My Mama’s Chili

Friday: eat out for dd9’s birthday!!

Saturday: eat out again for the birthday celebration

Sunday: Chicken fajitas

 

Sunday Morning Thoughts

But exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.—Hebrews 3:13

Our Adoption Story—Part 3

Well, after the kids had lived with us for about three weeks it just seemed like they had been with us from the beginning. Everyone got along fairly well. We had put a (temporary) end to the “fit pitching” that the little girl did. The little boy had been forever squealing at the top of his lungs—not a good thing when you have a commute! He had finally stopped that. Everything was going well. I should say here that the kids came to us the day before Halloween of that year. Yes, we even took them trick-or-treating! Everything was going swimmingly at the Brooks household until right before Christmas—we were informed that the parents wanted a visitation. We really did not know what to think about this. They were family—but they were the kids’ parents. It was all very awkward.

The first visitation was Christmas Eve. It was supervised—not by us. When we dropped them off the little boy was very hesitant to go to his parents. He cried. The little girl was somewhat hesitant at first, then fine. They got some small presents and a lot of junk food. We had sent them in new outfits (we learned our lesson!) and they came back filthy. We noticed a change in behavior right after the visit. The little boy was very clingy and whiny.

The next visit was nearly a month later. I don’t understand why. Anyway, it was the beginning of a lot of pain for us and the children—our daughter included!

 

The previous parts to this story can be viewed by going to archives.

Women In the Word Wednesday

Well this week I have been learning about wisdom--Godly wisdom and worldly wisdom. I think I exercise heaps of worldly wisdom--but I want and need Godly wisdom. Today's verse-James 3:16 spoke volumes to me today. It really hit me in the area of parenting. I need to be a Godly mom who shows mercy and grace to her children, who is willing to yield, who is not partial , gentle, peaceable, and not a hypocrite. That is what my children need from me. That is the example I want them to see and follow.

This is linked up to Good Morning Girls.

Oh How We Love Our Timer!

One of the best purchases I have ever made is my timer. I've always had one for cooking and baking, but a couple of years I ago I found Flylady from an Elizabeth George book and I really liked her idea of doing anything for 15 minutes and using a timer. I believe I purchased mine for $5-6 at Wal-Mart, but I have also purchased them for $1 at Dollar Tree. Those are particularly great for school, where I use it to time my students on how many words they can read correctly in one minute. We also use them to see how many basic math fact problems they can do in one minute. And then there is the one minute "swish and spit" fluoride rinse! I have even given my kids a timer.
Some other useful ways that we use timers:

• Let your children set a timer to make sure they read long enough each night (my daughter has 20 minutes of reading that she needs to do each evening and a timer helps ensure that she reads long enough.)
• Set it for time-outs.
• Give your children a time-limit on showers or baths and use the timer to get them use to that amount of time.
• Set it to let your children know how much time they have until you leave the house each morning. (That one has been a life-saver recently!!)
• Set it for 5 minutes and let your children see how many toys or belongings they can put away.

As you can see-WE LOVE TIMERS!! They are so multi-purpose. If you don't have one it is one of the best purchases I have ever made. It really helps my time-management skills. If you want to know more about using timers definitely check out Flylady.