The menu plan for week 1, 2019 has been a long time coming. The holidays ended and our trip to Costa Rica and the Panama Canal commenced. It was a wonderful trip and the food on the Star Breeze was fabulous. I came home with a total gain of 7 pounds…ugh. (holiday eating and trip combined.) There were high hopes to reinstate a strict THM eating plan when we returned. In fact I even contemplated doing a two week challenge to get back on track. That simply didn’t happen.
We returned late Sunday night (Monday morning) to find that our oldest grand daughter had a major ankle injury from a golf cart accident. Obviously our week radically changed, as did our eating. There was no plan, we made things up as we went. The refrigerator was barren and the one and only grocery run that transpired was a trip to Costco by the ‘Ole Buckeye. Luckily our daughter had planned dinner once we returned and Costco had fresh wild salmon. We were able to create descent dinners, (breakfasts and lunches…not so much.) We spent most of our week in and out of the hospital. Our granddaughter went home on Friday.
That was then…this is now and I am determined to get back on plan! Not only that, but I am determined to take down my Christmas decorations and put my house back together! You heard that correctly, we are 2/3’s through January and not one decoration has been removed. I resolved to purge and plan after the holidays and I knew I would not do it correctly until after our trip. So hear I am…all of the Christmas decor is up, the refrigerator is barren and I have no meal plans prepared!
Time at home will be limited. I will be staying with our granddaughter during the week. She has a follow up visit with the orthopedic surgeon on Thursday and hopefully everything will be healing well and a hard cast will be applied. Currently she has a soft cast in case of swelling. It requires much more protection. While I am at her house I plan to prepare several meals for her family. Hopefully things will become more normal (at least a new normal) after her post op exam.
With all of that in mind I have prepared a menu plan for week 1. Your guess is as good as mine on how successful the implementation will be.
The plan for breakfasts includes an egg casserole from the freezer and 2 E meals that can feed us multi times. Blueberries were on sale this week and I have craved the pineapple oatmeal.
I have also included links to three smoothies that might be necessary for fill-ins or snacks. Since the ‘Ole Buckeye is down with a bad respiratory illness (and I can’t afford to get it), I am adding Baobab to the Lemon Smoothie and making the Boost Juice. I forced it on him as well…he doesn’t like cold drinks.
Bacon, Egg, Cottage Cheese Casserole THM S
Upside Down Pineapple Oatmeal THM E
Giant Blueberry Baked Pancake THM E page 261 Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook
Boost Juice (Baobab Juice) THM FP
Lemon Smoothie THM FP
Cinnamon Roll Smoothie THM E
The lunches planned for week 1 are tried and true aside from the frittata recipe which caught my attention when Ina prepared it several weeks ago. Not only does it look delicious but it could be used for breakfasts, lunches, brunches or snacks. I hope I actually have the time to prepare it. The cabbage soup is out of the freezer. I made it prior to our trip in order to utilize left over prime rib.
Beef and Cabbage Soup THM S
Zucchini Gruyere Frittata Squares THM S
The dinners planned for week 1, 2019 feature 4 new recipes and 2 favorites. The Salmon meal is based on the availability of wild salmon once again at Costco. We only buy wild and were lucky to find it twice last week. I hope our luck holds out. I have a new salmon recipe that I am anxious to try as well as white chicken chili, Swedish Meatballs, and Asian Burgers. (wacky mix of meals…right!)
White Lazy Lasagna THM S
White Chicken Chili THM S
Slow Cooker Mexican Quinoa THM E (without the cheese)
Swedish Meatballs THM S
Firecracker Salmon THM S
Asian Burgers THM S
Well, that’s the plan. Well thought out but maybe a little over jealous. I have also planned several meals for the family. By request I have a sausage macaroni casserole and meatballs already prepared and ready for the week ahead. (Sausage and Macaroni Casserole and Meatball Parm Casserole)
I also plan to make a one pot lasagna soup that the girls really like, but after a good look at the refrigerated leftovers, I have decided to curb the creativity. They need to concentrate on eating what has been provided.
As I spend time in my son’s home during this recovery period, I am thankful that I live close enough to be helpful, but not overwhelming. I have also been blessed to simply “hang out” with the 14 year old and have some wonderful one on one time. We are finding good things during this time of adversity. (especially the one on one time…difficult to get with a 14 year old).
So as the new week of menus begins, I find myself thankful for the blessings over the past weeks. My house is a wreck, Christmas boxes are everywhere, there is still unpacking to be done from our trip (that seems like years ago), and the refrigerator needs to be stocked, but our family is intact and taking care of each other. My granddaughter is healing…mentally and physically.
Life continues. I look forward to a return to healthier eating and learning more about the THM principles. I will persevere.
Bon Appetit.
r
c
