After several weeks of travel and several days of coping without a menu, I have developed the menu plan for week 66.  It has become incredibly important for my sanity and organization to have and follow a menu plan.  I have also researched more and more recipes that fall within the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan.  I have been encouraged with the weight loss and increased energy even after a 9 day vacation and several meals on the road.

My breakfast menu plan for week 66 includes 2 new creations that will feed us on several mornings.  When I plan to use a new recipe, especially if it makes a large quantity, I say a little prayer that it is a success, because I refuse to have food go to waste.  I am extremely careful in the vetting process and so far there have been very few flops, although there have been a few that I would not repeat.  In the process, I have found so many new and enjoyable meals that I am having trouble determining what to repeat and how often!  Both of the new attempts fall into the “E” meal category from THM.  I am trying to incorporate more E meals into the weekly eating plan.

Overnight Crock Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal with Apples and Cranberries

Deep Dish Apple Pancake

It is fall and all of a sudden planning lunches seems quit easy…soup.  The menu plan for week 66 calls for a new lentil soup found in the new Trim Healthy Table on page 85.  The ‘Ole Buckeye ordered lentils while we were on vacation and reminded me how much he enjoyed them.  The other soup is from the original THM cookbook (page 86), Trim Zuppa Toscana and was a huge hit on the very first attempt.  Both soups should service our lunches for most of the week.

The plans for dinner have incorporated three new and untried dinner recipes from the Trim Healthy Table.  Several of the choices that I have made lend themselves to a “Mexican” theme for the week.  Friday I have planned a dinner party with our new neighbors and have decided to make it an informal Mexican meal featuring some of my tried and true favorites, many of which are not THM compliant.  I have decided to prepare tried, true, and proven without struggling with adapting recipes when inviting someone new for dinner.

The Chicken Satay appears on page 59, Queso Chicken Bake page 123, and Ranch Hand Taco Salad page 200.  Grapes were on sale once again and I have an abundance of sausage in the freezer for a family favorite repeat.  Rachael Ray’s Roasted Sausage and Grapes  The gourmet burgers from Harris Teeter have been so enjoyable and easy that we have decided to have them for dinner once a week.  Our favorite flavor is the Jalapeño/Monterey Jack.  It is fairly hot and spicy so we grill avocados to eat with them.  Delish!

I have returned to the weekly groove.  It appears that it will be short lived, since Thanksgiving is next week.   We will be traveling once again for our traditional family gathering in Ohio.  Yet another road trip.  We are planning our own Thanksgiving Dinner with the kids and the grandkids the Monday after Thanksgiving so I will be researching a few THM compliant recipes.  I have decided however to make the traditional family favorites…after all it is one day, and such a special day.  At that point the holiday prep will be in full force.  This may be the last December that the whole family can spend time together since my daughter and son in law will be relocating to Indiana after the first of the year.  I want to make it special and include as much family time as possible making lots of new memories.

Until then…Bon Appetit!!!