Menu Plan for the Week of May 20

Breakfast
pancakes (already frozen, just thaw)
oatmeal
Bavarian cream pastry (bought from a school fundraiser)
smoothies

Lunch
English muffin pizzas
almond butter sandwiches
leftovers from suppers


Supper
grilled ham and cheese with carrots and chips x2
whole chicken in the crockpot, roasted sweet potato wedges, salad
breakfast for supper: scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and fruit
grilled chicken breasts, sautéed kale, baked sweet potatoes
grilled London broil, sautéed spinach, quinoa
beans and rice, a poor man's supper

Snacks
granola bars
carrots and hummus
string cheese sticks
Greek yogurt
fruit (apples, clementines, bananas, strawberries)
popcorn

Menu Plan for the Week of March 4

Breakfast
slow cooker oats
green smoothies
baked oatmeal

Lunches
leftovers
homemade lunchables for the kids
smoothie pops
monster meatloaf and broccoli

Dinners
chicken fajitas with Ezekiel tortillas
chicken and broccoli stirfry with brown rice
slowcooked beef roast with sweet potato cubes and sauteed cabbage
scrambled eggs and bacon with Ezekiel toast
baked chicken with roasted veggies


Snacks
natural fruit roll-ups
greek yogurt
cheese sticks
apples, bananas, berries, oranges
carrots and hummus or ranch
Kind bars
homemade protein bars

Menu Planning for the Week of February 11-Clean Eating and Mostly Paleo

Breakfast
green smoothies for hubby and me
Kashi cereal for the kiddos
strawberry and cream cheese wafflewiches for the kiddos
some recipe of baked oatmeal
slow cooker apple cinnamon oatmeal

Lunch
homemade lunchables for the kiddos
baked potatoes for the kiddos
soup for the kiddos
leftovers for hubby and me

Dinner
shrimp scampi and roasted broccoli
stuffed peppers and roasted carrots
meatloaf and bacon green beans
garlic pork chops and pistachio "couscous"
orange-rosemary chicken and roasted asparagus
steak burritos and spicy avocado salsa
chicken curry stew and roasted cauliflower
cashew-crusted chicken and zucchini ribbons

**many of these meal ideas came from emeals.com healthy breakfast, healthy lunch, and paleo menus

I'm Back!

Wow! I logged on the old blog this morning and found myself looking at a publish date of May 2012 for my last post! Has it really been that long?
Well, I am back and I hope to begin posting regularly or semi-regularly again. :)

Menu Plan for the Week of May 21

Okay, this is the last week of school!! No more packing lunches for two whole months!! YAY!!!
Update on the freezer/pantry challenge: we are spending WAY less at the grocery store each week and we are using up some of our freezer stockpile--just seems like we have way more food than I ever realized!!!

Breakfast
peanut butter banana smoothies (freezer-still haven't used them)
pumpkin baked oatmeal
oatmeal
eggs and turkey sausage (freezer)

Lunch
turkey and cheese sandwiches
ham and cheese sandwiches
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
frozen meals
chicken noodle soup (pantry)

Dinner
grilled London broil (freezer), Normandy veggies (freezer), white rice (freezer)
spinach pizza (freezer)
grilled chicken breast (freezer), spinach artichoke pasta (freezer)
shredded bbq chicken (freezer), creamed corn (freezer), baked beans
baked tilapia (freezer), quinoa (pantry), Normandy veggies (freezer)
beef and bean burritos (all ingredients in the freezer except beans)

Blueberry Peach Baked Oatmeal

I don’t know about anyone else, but I have gorged myself for the last couple of months. I have been on the see food diet—see food and eat it! I realize that I need to do better and with the new year coming up in a few days it seems like the natural time to be the change I want to see! I was reading the latest issue of Healthy Cooking magazine and found an article about the Comfort Food diet. I had never really heard of it, but several recipes sounded yummy—especially the blueberry peach baked oatmeal. My family and I have been eating a lot of baked oatmeal since school started thanks to the abundance of good recipes on www.lynnskitchenadventures.com. We’ve tried double chocolate baked oatmeal, banana baked oatmeal, pumpkin baked oatmeal, and peanut butter baked oatmeal. So, really it seemed natural to try the recipe from the Healthy Cooking magazine. I did modify their recipe some because I was missing several ingredients, but my version was scrumptious!! I also think this would be heavenly with raspberries or blackberries instead of blueberries !

3 cups of quick cooking oats (original recipe called for old-fashioned oats)

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed ( I added a little less)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon (not in the original recipe)

2 egg whites

1 whole egg

1-1/4 cups light vanilla soy milk (original recipe called for skim milk)

1/4 canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 can sliced peaches, drained (we just left them in slices but you can chop them if desired)

1 cup frozen blueberries

1/3 cup chopped pecans (original recipe called for walnuts)

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl. In small bowl, whisk together egg whites, egg, soy milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together. Stir in blueberries and peaches. Place mixture in a 13x9 inch pan, sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Add the pecans to the top. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes.

Spoon baked oatmeal into bowls and add a splash of soy milk. ENJOY!

Menu Plan for the Week of May 30

Well, I have officially started back on cycle 2 of the 17 Day Diet, but unofficially I don’t know if I am going to stay there for 17 days. I am having a hard time with this…I feel like I am getting stuck in a rut with this diet. I am going to post my meal plan and hope for the best…
Monday: frozen meals because of multiple soccer practices after school
Tuesday: grilled chicken and veggies
Wednesday: eat out because of an out-of-town doctor’s appointment
Thursday: baked turkey tenderloin and veggies
Friday: eat out because of a retirement dinner
Saturday: eat out because I will be shopping for my trip to pick my husband up from OSUT!!!

Of course, I will not be doing a lot of grocery shopping this week since we will be eating out so much. When I eat out, I try to stick with chicken, salads, and either broccoli or green beans. I try extremely hard not to have bread. Most likely, these meals out will be a Zaxby’s salad or a Wendy’s salad (I am currently in love with their new berry and almond chicken salad).

This is linked to Organizing Junkie

Menu Plan for the Week of May 23

Well I made it to a total loss of 20 pounds, but I gained it and lost it all last week! Oh well…This week I transition back to cycle 2 on Thursday, which means more carbs and a greater choice of lean meats every other day.

grilled chicken salad with lite honey mustard dressing (I am trying out Newman’s Own and it is yummy!)

• grilled turkey burgers (without the bun) and veggies
• grilled chicken with veggies (several times with different spices or marinades or sauces)
• chicken fajitas without the tortillas—just chicken, veggies, spices, salsa, and low-fat cheese on top
• baked tilapia with veggies
• ground beef taco salad without the chips

Veggies to Use this Week: salad, broccoli, carrots, green peppers, onions, mushrooms, green beans, asparagus, brussel sprouts, mixed veggie steamers

Menu Plan for the Week of May 2

Well, the diet didn’t go quite as planned last week…Life interrupted…sick kids. Luckily, at least as I write this, everyone is on the mend! I made some bad food choices, but I did try to balance them out, so it wasn’t too bad…

Monday: grilled chicken and veggies

Tuesday: eat out?

Wednesday: chili

Thursday: pork loin and veggies

Friday: grilled chicken and veggies

Saturday: grilled chicken salad

Sunday: turkey tenderloin and veggies

Veggies to Use this Week: salad, broccoli, corn, carrots, green peppers, onions, green beans, black beans, pinto beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts

 

This is linked to www.orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan for the Week of April 25

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter!! I had to kinda forgo the diet last week. I got sick and no way did I want a bunch of veggies and salads!

Monday: chili

Tuesday: turkey tenderloin and veggies

Wednesday: grilled chicken and veggies

Thursday: turkey burgers and veggies

Friday: country style ribs and veggies

Saturday: grilled chicken and veggies

Sunday: grilled chicken and veggies

Veggies to Use this Week: salad, broccoli, corn, carrots, green peppers, onions, green beans, black beans, pinto beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes

 

This is linked to www.orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan for the Week of April 18

Well, I took a week off from the blog but not a week off from my diet! I am down 15.5 pounds!!! Yahoo!! I have made it to cycle 3 and I have so many more food choices.

Monday: white chili

Tuesday: bbq turkey burgers and veggies

Wednesday: eat out

Thursday: turkey burgers and veggies

Friday: grilled chicken and veggies

Saturday: grilled turkey and veggies

Sunday: chili and salad

 

Veggies to Use this Week: salad, broccoli, corn, carrots, green peppers, onions, green beans, black beans, pinto beans

 

This is linked to www.orgjunkie.com

Menu Plan for the Week of April 4

So far, I have lost 12 lbs. (as of Sunday morning)!!! Wahoo! This is the most successful I have ever been on an actual planned out diet. And….I eat all the time—tons of food! In fact, for the first time in my whole life, I cannot eat all the food that I am supposed to eat in one day every day. Yeah, THAT much food! I didn’t lose as much this past week as I figured I would, but I don’t think a couple of pounds is bad at all—considering I didn’t get to work out til Saturday night. I was recovering from the crud and my allergies were getting the best of me too. Two pounds is absolutely nothing to complain about, though!!! I started on cycle 2 last Thursday, so I can start varying my menu plan a little…

Monday: grilled hamburger steak with onions and mushrooms and green beans

Tuesday: turkey meatballs with veggies

Wednesday: grilled pork tenderloin with veggies

Thursday: BBQ chicken with veggies

Friday: turkey tenderloin and veggies

Saturday: baked fish with veggies

Sunday: grilled chicken with veggies

 

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

 

This post is linked to Menu Planning Mondays.

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!!!

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.

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.

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.

Women In The Word Wednesdays

This week we began a new session of Good Morning Girls. I am part of a group of ladies who are from different areas--we all met on the message boards, bonded by our common desire to be a part of a Good Morning Girls Group for the next 12 weeks. So far we have read in the GMG James study chapter 1 verses 1-6.
I had never heard of the SOAP method before this, but I really like using this method so far. It really seems to fit into my morning schedule well and I feel like I have gotten more out of the first six verses than I have gotten out of most Bible studies. I find myself thinking over the verses throughout the day--especially since I am reading e-mails from my group as the day goes by.
What I have gleaned so far:

• The Lord has blessed me far beyond what I have ever deserved.
• I need to pray for more faith; I want to be more steadfast and not so moveable in my faith.
• I should display a joyful attitude in the midst of the bad things that happen in life. This is contrary to human nature, but it glorifies God.
• I need to trust God for wisdom. He gives wisdom in great amounts to the faithful.
• Testing of faith usually seems to require waiting; you have to be patient to wait.

If you participate in a GMG group, what have you been learning? If you don't, what have you been reading about in your Bible lately?

This is linked to Good Morning Girls Women In the Word Wednesdays

My 2011 Goals

Like most everyone else I know, I have a few goals or things that I would like to accomplish in 2011. Here they are in no particular order other than when they pop into my head :
1. Figure out this whole blogging thing.
2. Become a better wife and mother.
3. Become closer to God.
4. Help to simplify my family’s lives by doing my part to decrease expenses.
5. Pay down debt such as my vehicle and credit card.
6. Reconnect to my crafty past and learn how to use my tools ( I recently told my husband that I wanted some tools and a toolbox, so he picked some out and now I’ve got to figure out how to use them!)
7. Learn how to slow down, de-stress, and enjoy life more.