The menu plan for week 108 continues the THM journey.  I am coming off a week of travel and I must admit that I was not very disciplined about staying on the THM eating plan.  I strayed big time two separate times.  Even though I stayed on plan during all breakfasts and lunches, the evening meals provided just too much temptation.  On Friday evening we took my aunt out to dinner at The Barn.  The Barn Rocky Fork Creek  My choice of salad and entree were on plan although the salad dressing obviously contained sugar, but my big downfall was seeing a piece of coconut cake being delivered to another table as I was eating.  I will try to make an excuse by putting the blame on my aunt.  She nearly always orders dessert, and come to find out…she loves coconut cake (as do I).  We ended the meal with a huge piece of coconut cake and 3 forks.  There was leftover cake (the serving was huge) and I asked that it be boxed.  I enjoyed it again the next evening after dinner!

It didn’t end there!  After the OSU football game we went out to dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant in Reynoldsburg, Scali.  Scali  Normally when we dine there I eat veal or chicken.  However, one of my favorite pastas is a tortellini dish which I haven’t had in years.  Well, there it was on the menu…Peasant Tortellini-Cheese filled tortellini tossed in a cream sauce with capicola ham, peas, and mushrooms.   You guessed it, I not only ordered it, but I enjoyed the Italian bread dipped in olive oil as well.

Sometimes when I go off the eating plan it is not worth it.  This was not one of those times!  It was delicious!

Now I am back to reality.  The menu plan for week 108 gets back to the basics of healthy eating with Trim Healthy Mama.  I am planning easy breakfasts of yogurt power bowls, eggs, and BAM cake.  Lunches will include Zuppa Toscana out of the freezer and Quinoa Goes Cajun out of the freezer.

The dinner meals planned for week 108 feature three new chicken dishes.  The Zucchini Alfredo is an E meal more of which I am trying to incorporate in my evening planning.  The remaining chicken meals are both new from the Trim Healthy Mama cookbooks.  Hopefully all of them will be worth the time and trouble.

Stupid Simple Zucchini Alfredo Trim Healthy Table page 309.

Idiot’s Chicken  Trim Healthy Table page 223.   (With Wonderful White Blender Bread (WWBB) Trim Healthy Table page 242.

Orange Chicken Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook page 72.

During the past week I tried 3 new recipes.  Although they were all “fine”, I will not be repeating them.  I have too many great options without including them in future planning.

Broccoli Cheesy Bread   THM S

Spinach Chicken Casserole   THM S

Upside Down Pizza  THM S (n0 image)

I will admit that my life was easier when I planned all three meals each day.  I am finding that when I get ready for breakfast and lunch, I often scramble.  Planning ahead was difficult, but it did pay off.  I ate better instead of punting.  I may need to begin that process once again.

In addition I have decided to take another challenge.  Sarah Montana is planning a Fuel Cycle Challenge beginning October 1 for 1 week.  I plan to take the challenge, but will implement it a few days later during week 109.  October Challenge  I need another jump start since I have been wavering in my adherence to the fundamentals of the plan in due partly to travel and social events.  It is time to get back on track.  I plan to begin on October 3rd (the next menu cycle, since I have already purchased and prepared week 108.)

Week 108 begins with a plan to get back to basics.  We continue the journey.  Bon Appetit!