The menu plan for week 101 is fairly basic with very few new recipes.  In fact I am planning to try only one new breakfast preparation, which I hope to serve also as a dessert, and one new dinner recipe.  I am depending on fairly simple tried and true recipes since I will be preparing additional meals for others during the week.  I don’t want to overwhelm myself.

Breakfast for week 101 includes the “BAM” cake, which I thoroughly enjoyed not only as an E meal, but also as a snack and as a dessert.   I am hoping that the Baked Berry Crisp will do the same.  I am definitely attempting to incorporate more E meals throughout the day as well.

Baked Berry Crisp  THM S

The lunch plan for the week utilizes meals stowed in the freezer.  I have several individual servings of the Cajun Quinoa as well as a quiche tucked away.  I have become much better at cooking just a few days a week, but doing enough food prep on those days to handle future meals as well.   My biggest issue with the make-ahead meals is lack of freezer storage.

The dinner plans for week 101 will help alleviate some of the freezer space issues.  My daughter will be on a business trip for several days.  (We will be dog sitting).  I have several meals frozen that are only enough for two, so I will be serving those while she is away.  I do have one new dinner planned that will not only be a new E evening meal, but will also utilize my instant pot.  Yet another goal I have…to alleviate my fear of that little round pot!

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice   THM E

I did deviate slightly from last Sunday’s menu.  I may have mentioned in the past that the gift I gave my daughter in law for her birthday was to provide 6 dinner entrees on days of her choosing.  I had provided 2 previously and on Wednesday evening she requested a dinner on Thursday.  Since we had planned a day trip to Williamsburg on Thursday making meal prep impossible, I offered an entire meal for the family over the weekend.  On Sunday I did just that.  I served a chicken favorite…chicken with sun dried tomato cream sauce.  link.  I paired it with mashed cauliflower, and two new sides…Southern Bacon Fried Cabbage and Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies.  Both of the new sides were successful.  The true success of the evening was dessert.  I made the Butterfly Wings Cake THM FP page 301 Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook (very close to an Angel Food cake.)  Success.

I also made the Sugar Free Vanilla Ice Cream (Yum).  I served the cake and ice cream with fresh peaches, strawberries and blueberries for the crowd.  I just avoided the peaches.  It was a huge hit with everyone.  Who knew being on a healthy eating plan could be so much fun?!

Southern Bacon Fried Cabbage   THM S  (no image)

Italian Roasted Mushrooms and Veggies   THM S  (I added asparagus)

Low Carb Sugar Free Vanilla Ice Cream  THM S

My daughter in law has requested that I cook her fourth entree next Tuesday.  She has asked for meatballs.  I will also be preparing a dinner for a neighbor recuperating from surgery.  She and her husband have requested “stew”.   I can’t remember the last time that I made stew!  Luckily I do have a tried and true recipe.  The addition of those meals makes for a very busy week of cooking.

One goal I had last week was determining which THM dinner we liked the best…Alfredo Chicken Casserole or Bacon Ranch Chicken Casserole.  I lean toward the Alfredo, but my daughter and the ‘Ole Buckeye call it a toss up, so they will both appear on the rotation!

The two week no cheat challenge is history.  One realization that I had is that I don’t eat often enough…imagine that!  The other realization is that I don’t cheat when I eat at home.  Eating off plan seems to occur when I eat out.

And so the quest continues.   I am constantly looking for exciting new recipes…so many ideas, so little time!  Here’s to another week of THM.  Bon Appetit!