The menu plan for week 20 continues to follow the THM eating plan. We have a multitude of leftovers that I can use for dinner plans, so I am concentrating on new recipes for breakfast. The ‘Ole Buckeye has decided to follow THM full time for all meals, instead of simply joining in at dinner. This has forced me to be more creative during the day with enough food for two.
Breakfast
The menu plan for breakfasts during week 20 includes three new recipes, two of which are E meals. I am finding that E meals are not a favorite for the ‘Ole Buckeye, but he is in training. I am attempting to incorporate new flavors and enough substance so he is not looking for food in an hour.
No Bake Cookie Breakfast Oatmeal
Lunch
Lunch plans for week 20 are not very creative. Last week I replaced the Crustless Broccoli Quiche with the Broccoli Cheddar Bacon Quiche. I have made it in the past, but had forgotten just how delicious it is…and it has a crust. It will provide several lunches this week. There are no new meals planned, simply trusted standbys.
Dinner
The dinner plans for week 20 is based on cook once/eat again, as well as a meal provided by our daughter. The only new recipe is for pizza, which I consistently crave.
Recap
As I recap last weeks meals, I include the recipes that I used. Please be aware that some of these recipes call for sugar. I always utilize a stevia product in place of sugar.
Breakfast Successes
Sometimes the ‘Ole Buckeye thinks my menu choices are a little weird (or a lot). On July 4th I subbed savory pancakes for the shake that was planned. This recipe was on the docket last week, but as things evolved, it simply didn’t happen. Some days I get caught up in driving the grand girls which allows no time for new creativity in the kitchen.
July 4th featured these savory delights. I will say, it took some practice getting them cooked properly, but they were delicious. I loved the flavors and the crispyness. Even though they took some extra effort, I will surly make them again. In fact, I think that they could be made in advance and either kept warm in the oven or gently reheated stovetop. Another winner.
Lunch Successes
So many of my “old” recipes call for a can of cream soup. I now make my own in order to have THM compliant recipes. I do not make it for us to eat alone, but as an additive.
When I added the Eggroll in a Bowl to the menu plan last week, the ‘Ole Buckeye had not expressed an “all in” desire. I really enjoy cooked cabbage and this lunch was fine for me. He tried it, but will opt for a substitute lunch in the future.
Dinner Successes
The Zucchini Gratin has become a favorite. My daughter claims that it is her all time favorite way to eat zucchini. If you are up to your eyeballs in zucchini harvest…give this a try.
This has become my standby recipe for Barbecue sauce. It is thick, tangy, and quite spicy. I love the spice, but have learned to add much less cayenne than called for. I like it very spicy but the rest of the family not so much.
I love this recipe, because I can prepare it in the morning and have a fabulous meal in the evening, with no fuss.
The Easy Pulled Pork recipe was prepared for July 4th for two reasons…pork butt was on sale (very well priced) and I didn’t want to worry about cooking over the course of the day. This new recipe was a great success. The pork was moist and delicious. The Carolina Barbecue Sauce was also a new addition. The ‘Ole Buckeye loves Carolina BBQ and he gave this sauce a thumbs up. I really enjoyed it as well.
Carolina Barbecue Sauce for Pulled Pork
I made the Thai Chicken Salad simply because it sounded so good and I love Thai food. As always I subbed sugar in the recipe with stevia, but I did include carrots and mango (which would not be on plan as an S). I wanted to try the recipe before I made a lot of changes to determine if it would be worth it. The salad is delicious…really delicious and will take the place of another oriental salad that we have enjoyed in the past. I used cole slaw mix which was fairly light on the carrots. Next time (and there will be a next time), I will use cabbage and add carrots only for a little color. I will not include the mango at all. It’s flavor was not important.
Family Favorites
A host of family favorites were served during this holiday week. I have included the recipes to punctuate their importance in our eating enjoyment.
Raspberry Almond Cream Cheese Cake
As week 20 ends, yet another begins. Now my planning has become a little more intense. Often I grab something on plan on the fly if my schedule changes. Unfortunately at this point the ‘Ole Buckeye lacks an understanding of the THM fundamentals and needs planned meals and snacks. I will need to adopt a strict daily preparation. I may also need to provide him more education on basic rules of THM. By the way…he has already lost 8 pounds. What is it with guys??? Sigh.
Onward to another week of healthy eating. Bon Appetit!
