Menu Plan Week 63 with Trim Healthy Mama

Week 63 lies ahead and I have absolutely no creativity and less energy.  For the past week I have been fighting a sinus cold leaving me tired, achy, sore throat, headache and without much of an appetite.   There were so many changes in our plans during week 62 that I began to wonder why I even bothered with a plan.

I had a “Bunco” night scheduled Tuesday, which had completely slipped my mind when I did my planning.   We attended a community wine night on Saturday and actually ate our dinner there.  It was a “celestial” theme and the first real fall evening we have had.  The wine selections were outstanding and there were enough heavy hors d’oeuvre offerings to keep me on my THM plan (although I did have a cookie)!  Sunday evening we were invited to my son’s home for a family dinner after the 13  year old’s soccer game.  The menu was Greek chicken burgers so I took a Greek salad as well as the Pumpkin Energy Bites and Coconut Cocoa Mounds.  It was a great evening.

Due to all of the changes in our eating plans, too many leftovers, and the fact that I didn’t feel well, I didn’t make most of the meals that were planned.  Week 63 will reflect some of the meals planned for week 62 and week 64 the rest.

The newest recipes can all be found in the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook.  Blueberry Baked Pancake page 261, Trim Healthy Mama Pancakes page 259, and Easy Breakfast Casserole page 328.  I do not reprint these recipes out of respect for the sisters and their book.

Lunch includes only one new meal, Zuppa Tuscana which is found in the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook on page 86.

 

 

Dinner includes the Roasted Sausages and Grapes from last week.  Since I have lots of left overs I will depend on cook once/eat twice meals will I concentrate on recovery my health.

 

Our family favorite recipe from Rachael Ray reappears this week.  Roasted Sausage and Grapes

So now you have the menu plan for week 63.  Unfortunately due to a variety of circumstances that I will relay at another time I am posting the plan extremely late.  In fact many of the meals have already been enjoyed.  Oh well…at least the attempt was made.

I did follow the plan, but I was extremely tardy in writing the blog post!

HITS AND MISSES WEEK 62

Yogurt Power Bowl

This was yet another pleasant surprise.  First of all I need to tell you that I am not a lover of plain yogurt.  I use it to blend into things and in place of sour cream, but I am not a fan of eating it right out of the bowl.  In fact when I added this to my menu plan, I was prepared for a “miss”.  Well, guess what…I liked it, I really liked it.  I think what really made it a winner for me is the fact that it had so many flavors and textures.  I imagine this as a quick breakfast at least once a week.  Oh…and toasting the coconut is a must!

Granola

I love granola and I miss the “crunch” at breakfast.  This isn’t quite as “crunchy” as I would like but it is close.  It is quite filling and a little goes a long way.  Since I am not a huge breakfast eater, I can see that this might just fit the bill many mornings.

Salmon Salad

OK, I didn’t make either of the salmon salads linked in menu plan 62.  They just didn’t sound good to me.  I prepared this one instead but I changed it due to some of the comments.  I used half the amount of celery and added lemon juice, diced green onion and fresh dill.  It was quite good.  I ate it as a salad and the ‘Ole Buckeye had two sandwiches.  Healthy for me and satisfying for him.

I entirely forgot that Tuesday night was Bunco night and I was assigned to bring a dish to serve for dinner.  I decided on a spinach salad (assuring that there would be something that I could eat!)  This might seem like a very summery salad, but the temperatures continue to be warm and the berries in season.  Plus…and a big plus, I had a huge tub of  spinach from Costco.  Chicken Spinach Salad

In addition, since I didn’t cook, Tuesday night the ‘Ole Buckeye had some of the leftover One Pot Fajita Pasta with Zucchini Zoodles.  

To my surprise he announced that this is new favorite  “Zoodles” recipe.  He enjoyed it even more the second time.  Since Noodle Rosa has always been his favorite, this came as quite a surprise!  This will assuredly become a frequent addition to the rotation with the changes that I noted.

On Wednesday, since Hurricane Maria continues to be a nuisance providing rough seas and high winds, I was fairly certain the the ‘Ole Buckeye would not have a sail race.  I decided to make a meal that I skipped last week since I had thawed chicken thighs hangin’ in the meat drawer.  Early in the day I prepared the Creamy Stove Top Lemon Chicken so that it would be available if needed.  Creamy Lemon Stove Top Chicken

The crew didn’t sail, but that never seems to stop them from going for a few brewskees and a light dinner.  I finished the spinach salad from last night and we will have the chicken later.

Parmesan Chicken Bake

The chicken bake was definitely a hurry up fix for dinner, and we shared dinner with our daughter.  We had a fresh caprese salad with loads of fresh basil from the herb garden and roasted brussel sprouts.  I had the feeling that somewhere along the line we have had this before.  Sure enough…it was a dinner that the ‘Ole Buckeye fixed on one of his Thursday night meals.  Super Easy Chicken Bake   

His recipe called for red pepper flakes and parsley, this one called for different seasonings.  The next time, and that is guaranteed, we will combine the two recipes and add all of the additional ingredients.  One more note…yogurt (no Mayo needed).

So there you have it.  I am posting my Menu Plan for week 63 on Saturday…the middle of week 63.  Better late than never right?  Whatever.  I have been following the plan and luckily it was wisely conceived since I continue to fight a sinus infection.

Here’s to good eating and continued healing as well as a more timely post in the future.  Bon Appetit!