Monday Meal Plan - Week of Feb. 5th

Just a quick post this week, along with quick meal ideas!  I tried to keep costs down as much as possible this week, so I used a lot of the same ingredients in all the dishes.  This helped a LOT with the grocery bill, since I have some other hobbies that I wanted to spend some dollarino's on instead this week.  I also cut down on the snacks, since I've found I haven't been getting hungry in the late afternoons lately, so I'll just wait for dinner or snag some popcorn from work.  This also makes for a super short grocery list:

Monday Meal Plan - Week of January 29th

Another workweek, another meal plan!  I kept things pretty simple this week, and am improvising a few meals, like this "microwave omelette" set-up I've got going on:

Basically, that's two eggs cushioned with a paper towel in a baggie, with some tomatoes, cheese, and lunch meat to mix in.  Crack the eggs, mix in the extras and microwave for 2 minutes, and voila!  Omelette in a cup.

Monday Meal Plan - Week of January 8th

Another week, another day of my kitchen looking like this:

Monday Meal Plan - New Year, New Instant Pot

Guess what I got for Christmas?  I'll give you a hint, it rhymes with Instant Yacht, and it's going to get a LOT of use in our home, especially for this working mama!  So, in the spirit of the New Year, I figured I'd start up my weekly Monday Meal Plan feature, with a twist:

Since I've been working, we've entered the 'non-traditional' family spectrum.  And it's been such a good fit, and may inspire a more detailed blog post later on.  Basically, I'm the primary income provider, while my husband is the primary homemaker.   We're still not sure yet if this is permanent or temporary, but it fits well with our current season of life.  With that change comes others, as it always happens, and Andrew has been cooking and doing most of the grocery shopping.

However, whenever I decide I want to cook up a storm in one afternoon, and do my own meal prep, that also means that I end up doing my own shopping as well.  So, my weekly meal plans are only going to be listing my breakfast, lunch, and snack options for my work days, and I'll leave the dinners up to him.  I'm also not including a lot of recipes this week, since I'm kind of throwing a bunch of stuff together, but I'll list what I can for anyone that wants to follow along, throwing in some links I've found helpful as an Instant Pot beginner.

First up, the grocery list, which I made printable, with a bunch of blank spaces for any additional items you'd like to add for your own shopping trips:

Monday Meal Plan - 3/28

Hello everyone!  I hope you all had a great Easter weekend, we ended up having a low-key day at home, which was just what we needed!  Here's this week's meal plan for our family:

(Don't forget, in addition to this list, I also eat an early 'pre-breakfast' of Triple Zero Oikos yogurt and coffee with added collagen [favorite brand here].  I skip Sundays since we usually just eat yogurt in the morning, and leftovers later in the day.  All page numbers are from the new edition of the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook.)

Monday (3/28)
B: Scrambled Eggs, Sausage, and sliced tomatoes (S)
L: THM Chicken Spaghetti Squash Casserole (S)
D: Pearl's Chili (p.101), I make a 1/2 batch and use ground turkey (E)
Snacks: Pay-Off Day Candies (p. 381) (S), Apple with PB dip (GY, PB, and stevia) (CO)
Drinks: the 'Shrinker,' Iced (decaf) Mint Mocha {pour cup of coffee over ice, then blend (separately) almond milk, cocoa, 1/2 scoop protein powder, a dash of cream, stevia, and a few drops peppermint extract, add to glass, stir and enjoy!}

Tuesday (3/29)
B: THM Pancakes (p. 359) with SF syrup, strawberries, and bacon (CO)
L: Lemon Herb Drummies (p.51), baked sweet potatoes (CO)
D: (out - bringing dessert to small group)
Snacks: Peanut Butter Whip (S), veggies (carrots, snap peas, cucumbers) and hummus (E)
Drinks: GGMS made with La Croix, B.P. Chai Tea (S)

Wednesday (3/30)
B: Protein Shake made with frozen peaches, GY, stevia, protein powder, 1/4 c oats, and almond milk (E)
L: wrap made with turkey, LLC, and low-carb tortilla, leftover Pay-Off Day candies (S)
D: (out - bringing salad to small group)
Snacks: Apple and cheese (CO), popcorn and hot tea with collagen (E)
Drinks: Orange Vitamin Water Zero

Thursday (3/31)
B: Creamy Maple and 'Brown Sugar' Oatmeal (E)
L: Philly Cheesesteak in a bowl (S)
D: Tuna Quesadillas (with low-carb tortillas), sliced bell peppers (S)
Snacks: veggies and hummus (E), Butterfinger Bars (S)
Drinks: the 'Shrinker,' Iced (decaf) Mint Mocha {pour cup of coffee over ice, then blend (separately) almond milk, cocoa, 1/2 scoop protein powder, a dash of cream, stevia, and a few drops peppermint extract, add to glass, stir and enjoy!}

Friday (4/1)
B: Scrambled Eggs and bacon (S)
L: Butter Chicken, brown rice (CO)
D: THM microwave 'Pizza' (S)
Snacks: Apple Oat Cakes (E), Cheese Crackers (p. 449) with ranch dip (ranch mix and sour cream) (S)
Drinks: GGMS made with La Croix, B.P. Chai Tea (S)

Saturday (4/2)
B: leftover Apple Oat Cakes, GY with stevia and berries (E)
L: wrap made with turkey, LLC, and low-carb tortilla (FP)
D: (either out or leftover Butter Chicken (S))
Snacks: Apple and Cheese Crackers (CO), leftover Butterfinger Bars (S), popcorn and hot tea with collagen (E)
Drinks: Lemonade Vitamin Water Zero

I hope ya'll have a great week!

Monday Meal Plan - 3/14

I keep glancing at the clock, and thinking it's earlier than it is, so you can blame Daylight Savings on this meal plan being late today.  (...and no, my procrastination has nothing to do with it!)  Of course,  I tend to put off grocery shopping as long as possible, too, since it's not my favorite thing to do, so that may have factored into my putting off my meal-planning-and-shopping-list-making as well.  I have found, though, if I can put off my grocery shopping until Tuesdays, I'm able to save our family a bit of money.  And yes, some of that money might end up being used to feed (ha ha) my thrift shopping habit!  The best money saving tip I've found is to peruse the meat section early in the mornings on Tuesdays... that's when a lot of items get marked down in our local store, and then I'll stock up on meats to stick in the freezer for the next week's meals.  This week, I'll be using up some chicken breasts and salmon that I snagged last week for a few dollars less than the original price.  Plus, I've been really craving sweets this week (more than normal, anyways), so expect to see a lot of on-plan desserts this time!

(Don't forget, in addition to this list, I also eat an early 'pre-breakfast' of Triple Zero Oikos yogurt and coffee with added collagen [favorite brand here].  I skip Sundays since we usually just eat yogurt in the morning, and leftovers later in the day.  All page numbers are from the new edition of the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook.)

Monday (3/14)
B: THM Pancakes (p.259) with SF Syrup (E)
L: Taco Salad made with ground beef, lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour cream, and cheese (S)
D: Quinoa Chicken Nuggets (spray with coconut oil) with baked sweet potatoes (E/CO with oil)
Snacks: Pay Off Day Candies (p. 381) (S), Veggies (carrots, snap peas, cucumber) with Hummus (E)

Drinks: the 'Shrinker,' Iced (decaf) Mint Mocha {pour cup of coffee over ice, then blend (separately) almond milk, cocoa, 1/2 scoop protein powder, a dash of cream, stevia, and a few drops peppermint extract, add to glass, stir and enjoy!}

Tuesday (3/15)

B: Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, fresh strawberries (S)
L: Spinach Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken, Green Beans with butter (S)

D: (out - bringing salad to small group)

Snacks: Apple Oat Cakes (E), Butterfinger Bars (S)

Drinks: GGMS made with pineapple strawberry La Croix, B.P. Chai Tea (S)

Wednesday (3/16)

B: Apple Oat Cakes, Smoothie made with GY, fresh strawberries, stevia (E)

L: wrap made with turkey, LLC, and low-carb tortilla (FP)

D: (out - bringing dessert to small group)
Snacks: leftover Pay Off Day Candies (S), apple and cheese (CO)

Drinks: Vitamin Water Zero, Wonderland Sip, iced (p. 405)

Thursday (3/17)

B: Chocolate Waffles (p. 265) with strawberry 'syrup' {frozen strawberries (thawed), a bit of water, stevia, and a few dashes of glucomannan blended together} (E)

L: One Pot Garlic Pasta (I add shredded rotisserie chicken and use Dreamfield's pasta), fresh veggies

D: (out - family birthday TBD: I'll order lettuce-wrapped burger or grilled chicken salad)

Snacks: Berry Crunch Bars (p. 392) (S), leftover Butterfinger Bars (S)
Drinks: the 'Shrinker,' Iced (decaf) Mint Mocha

Friday (3/18)

B: Scrambled Eggs and Bacon (S)

L: Big Salad w/veggies topped with Salmon sauteed in coconut oil (S)

D: leftover Chicken and Rice soup (frozen/thawed from two weeks ago - I just throw shredded rotisserie chicken, chopped celery, onion, and carrots, parsley, bay leaves, and garlic powder, salt, and pepper into some chicken broth in the crock pot and cook on low until all the flavors have blended... like 6 hours maybe?  then stir in some pre-cooked brown rice) (E)
Snacks: leftover Pay Off Day Candies (S), veggies and hummus (E)

Drinks: GGMS made with La Croix, B.P. Chai Tea (S)

Saturday (3/19)

B: Chocolate Overnight Oatmeal, Smoothie made with GY, fresh strawberries, stevia (E)

L: wrap made with turkey, LLC, and low-carb tortilla (FP)

D: Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Bowls (I'm using jarred spaghetti sauce) (CO)

Snacks: leftover Berry Crunch Bars (S), apple and cheese (CO)

Drinks: Vitamin Water Zero, Wonderland Sip, iced (p.405)

{If you're wondering, "hey, Grace, what's up with all those crazy abbreviations after your meals?" you can check out my first Monday Meal Plan for an explanation!}

Monday Meal Plan - 3/7

It's Monday again!  Funny how that seems to happen week after week, huh?  I'm a little late on getting our family's meal plan together this week (I usually do it Sunday evenings), and I blame my husband.  I mean, he had the nerve to take me out to dinner last night!  I kid, I kid.  But really, we did get to go out on a much needed date night, and late birthday dinner for him, and it was great!  I did end up going off-plan, but when there's Coconut Crusted Shrimp with Pina Colada dipping sauce and Bourbon Caramel Pecan Sweet Potatoes on the menu, you can guarantee that it will end up in my belly!  The beauty of healthy eating, at least for me, is that the occasional 'cheat' meal doesn't have to derail me.  I just have to give myself some grace, wait three hours to finish digesting, and have a healthy meal the next time around.

Of course, that doesn't always happen, like this morning.  I have a tendency to stress eat (it's called comfort food for a reason), and so after a whirlwind of errands and cranky kids, I did break down and have some danishes for breakfast. instead of what I had planned.  Once again, I need a little grace!  (And also, maybe a bit of preparation, like sticking some of these danishes in the freezer for 'emergencies!')  We've got doctor's appointments and other errands all this week, so expect to see a lot of leftovers in the meal plan this week!  All in all, all the extra work to take care of my family is totally worth it.  I mean, who wouldn't want to love these little faces?

Monday (3/7)
B: {went off plan, was supposed to be THM Pancakes (p. 259) and Sausage patties (S)}
L: Baked Pork Chops, Easy Cheesy Brown Rice, steamed broccoli with butter (CO)
D: Tuna Melts (Tuna, mayo, tomato slices, and cheese broiled on whole wheat bread; mine's on 1/2 a Joseph's Lavash bread), side salad with Ranch (S)
Snacks: Chocolate 'Cheesecake' (a few ounces cream cheese blended with cocoa, stevia, and a dash of almond milk)(S), Veggies (cucumber, carrots, snap peas) and hummus (E)
Drinks: GGMS made with orange La Croix and dash of vanilla, B.P. Chai Tea (S)

Tuesday (3/8)
B: Microwave Omelette {I make mine with ham, tomatoes, and cheese} (S)
L: leftover pork chops, rice, and broccoli (CO)
D: (out - bringing dessert to small group)
Snacks: Apple and PB dip (GY, PB, and stevia), Cottage Berry Whip
Drinks: the 'Shrinker,'  Iced (decaf) Mint Mocha {pour cup of coffee over ice, then blend (separately) almond milk, cocoa, 1/2 scoop protein powder, a dash of cream, stevia, and a few drops peppermint extract, add to glass, stir and enjoy!

Wednesday (3/9)
B: Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie (swap agave for stevia, add protein powder) (S)
L: wrap made with turkey, LLC, and low-carb tortilla (FP)
D: (out - bringing salad to small group)
Snacks: Apple and cheese slices (CO), microwave popcorn and hot tea with collagen (E)
Drinks: Vitamin Water Zero, B.P. Chai Tea (S)

Thursday (3/10)
B: Scrambled eggs and Sausage patties (S)
L: Shrimp Scampi (I'll use Dreamfield's Angel Hair pasta), side salad with ranch (S)
D: Potsticker Patties (p. 175) (S)
Snacks: Pay Off Day Candies (p. 381) (S), Berry Crunch Bars (p. 392) (S)
Drinks: Wonderland Sip, iced (p. 405), GGMS made with True Lime

Friday (3/11)
B: Chocolate Waffles (p. 265), with strawberry syrup {frozen strawberries (thawed), a bit of water, stevia, and a few dashes of glucomannan blended together} (E)
L: Crockpot Chicken Bacon Chowder (S)
D: leftover Potsticker Patties (S)
Snacks: Blueberry Muffin in a Mug (S), leftover Berry Crunch Bars (S)
Drinks: the 'Shrinker,' Iced (decaf) Mint Mocha

Saturday (3/12)
B: leftover Berry Crunch Bars (S)
L: wrap made with turkey, LLC, and low-carb tortilla (FP)
D: leftover Chowder (S)
Snacks: Pay Off day Candies (S), Apple and cheese slices (CO)
Drinks: Vitamin Water Zero, B.P. Chai Tea (S)

Have questions about my crazy abbreviations?  Want to know more about Trim Healthy Mama?  Check out my first meal plan, or the THM website for more information!

Monday Meal Plan - 2/29

Hello!  It's another Monday, so I'm sharing this weeks' THM meal plan for our family!  If you'd like a little insight into some abbreviations I used in the meal plan, you can refer back to last week's post.  I also switched up the name just a bit... there's another THM blogger, Darcie's Dishes, who already publishes a weekly Meal Plan Monday, and I didn't want to copy her title.  She actually was a great help to me when I first started Trim Healthy Mama and was still figuring out how to eat this way, so I basically just used her meal plans until I was ready to start planning for myself.  She's a great resource to use if you're just starting out, or in a recipe rut, and I'd highly recommend checking her out!

Also, I did end up not making a couple recipes I posted last week, so if it seems like there's a repeat, it's because I'm going to be using up those ingredients in the beginning of the week so they don't go to waste!  I also forgot to label my meals with the food types (S, E, and CO) last time, so I'll be sure to include that in this week's plan. You might notice too that I have a few shortcuts I use.  If you're familiar with the 'speak' used in the plan, I'm a Drive Thru Sue to the core!  I use leftovers as much as possible, so that I don't spend too much time doing meal prep and clean up, and can actually enjoy being with my family rather than just feeding them all the time (because trust me, my kids might be tiny, but they eat A LOT!)!  If there's a veggie listed, there's a good chance I'll just use the microwaveable steam bags whenever available.  Also, I have a HUGE sweet tooth, but I'm not really all that picky about what sweet thing I get to eat.  So, I usually just pick two big desserts to make, and either refrigerate or freeze what's leftover so I can eat on it all week.  Less dishes +delicious dessert = one happy mama!


Monday (2/29)
B: Scrambled Eggs, bacon, and strawberries (S)
L: Chicken Taco Salad (chicken breast and salsa cooked in a slow cooker and shredded), with lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour cream, and cheese (S)
D: Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet (E)
Snacks: Veggies (snap peas, carrots, cucumber) and hummus (E), Raspberry Cheesecake Bites (S)
Drinks: GGMS made with orange La Croix and a dash of vanilla, B.P. Chai Tea (S)

Tuesday (3/1)
B: THM Pancakes (p. 259) with SF syrup, smoothie with fresh strawberries, almond milk, GY, and stevia (E)
L: Cheeseburger Pie (p. 149), green beans with butter (S)
D: Chicken Quesadillas with leftover chicken and low carb tortilla, fresh bell pepper slices (S)
Snacks: Apple and PB dip (PB powder mixed with GY) (E), Cry No More Brownies (p. 314) (S)
Drinks: The 'Shrinker', BP Mint Mocha (decaf) (S)

Wednesday (3/2)
B: Protein Shake made with frozen peaches, GY, stevia, protein powder, 1/4 c oats, and almond milk (E)
L: wrap with low-carb tortilla, turkey, and LLC (FP)
D: (out - bringing salad to small group)
Snacks: Apple and cheese (CO), Raspberry Cheesecake Bites (S)
Drinks: Lemonade Vitamin Water Zero, B.P. Chai Tea (S)

Thursday (3/3)
B: Scrambled Eggs and sausage (S)
L: Chicken and Rice soup (I just throw shredded rotisserie chicken, chopped celery, onion, and carrots, parsley, bay leaves, and garlic powder, salt, and pepper into some chicken broth in the crock pot and cook on low until all the flavors have blended... like 6 hours maybe?  then stir in some pre-cooked brown rice) (E)
D: Quick Cajun Dirty Rice (I'm making the CO option)
Snacks: veggies and hummus (E), Cry No More Brownies (S)
Drinks: GGMS made with orange La Croix and a dash of vanilla, B.P. hot chocolate (I blend this recipe with some coconut oil) (S)

Friday (3/4)
B: THM Pancakes with SF syrup, sausage (CO)
L: Meatloaf (p.157), corn with butter, baked sweet potato (white potatoes for the hubs and kiddos) (CO)
D: leftover Chicken and Rice soup (E)
Snacks: Apple and PB dip (E), Raspberry Cheesecake Bites (S)
Drinks: the 'Shrinker', B.P. Mint Mocha (S)

Saturday (3/5)
B: Fruit Smoothie with added protein powder (E)
L: wrap with low-carb tortilla, turkey, and LLC (FP)
D: Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps (S)
Snacks: Apple and cheese (CO), Cry No More Brownies (S)
Drinks: Lemonade Vitamin Water Zero, B.P. Chai Tea (S)

Are there any time saving tips for meal planning/preparing that you'd like to share?  Let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear them!

Monday Meal Plan - 2/22

Hey!  A while ago, almost a year actually, I mentioned that I'd started eating according to the Trim Healthy Mama eating style.  I definitely don't stick to it 100% of the time, but I've been making a conscious effort to eat healthier over this year.  In order to bring a little more content to the blog, (and maybe even a little accountability from ya'll!) I've decided to share my weekly meal plans with all of you!

A few notes: because of our family's schedule, we actually eat our larger 'dinner-style' meal in the afternoons, and a smaller meal in the evenings, so if the timing of the meals seems a little weird, that's why.  Also, the family eats a pretty late breakfast, so I usually start my days with some coffee with collagen and a Triple Zero yogurt (the coconut is my favorite!) when I get home from dropping Big A off at school. We have a few evenings where the meal is provided at our church small groups, so I'll skip cooking for those meals (we usually bring a salad or dessert). I've also left Sundays off, since we usually just eat yogurt before church, and leftovers the rest of the day.

Now, there's also some abbreviations in the THM (that's Trim Healthy Mama) community that I'll use as well, so I'll explain those first!  There's GY (greek yogurt), LLC (Light Laughing Cow cheese), LC (low-carb), SF (sugar-free), GGMS (Good Girl Moonshine), MIM (Muffin in a Mug), and BP (bullet-proof).  If you're familiar with the plan, you'll also notice a few of the meals are crossovers, which I've added in since I'm still a nursing mama.  I also just got the new THM Cookbook as an early birthday present (YAY!), but since those recipes are copyrighted, I'll try to have a good mix of online recipes along with page numbers from the book.  Okay, here goes!

Monday (2/22)
B: THM Pancakes (p.259) with blueberries and SF syrup
L: Lemon Chicken Drumsticks and Easy Cheesy Brown Rice
D: Tuna Quesadillas (with LC tortillas and swap the olive for coconut oil), fresh bell pepper slices
Snacks: fresh veggies (snap peas, celery, carrots) with hummus, Peanut Butter Whip
Drinks: GGMS made with orange La Croix and a dash of vanilla, BP Chai Tea

Tuesday (2/23)
B: Scrambled eggs and bacon
L: Spaghetti (browned ground beef, this sauce, and Dreamfield's pasta), salad with ranch
D: (out - bringing salad to small group)
Snacks: Cottage Berry Whip, Snickers MIM
Drinks: 'Shrinker' made with this tea, BP mint mocha (decaf)

Wednesday (2/24)
B: Thin Mint Shake w/added protein powder
L: wrap made with turkey, LLC, and LC tortilla
D: (out - bringing salad to small group)
Snacks: apple and cheese, Cry No More Brownie (p. 314)
Drinks: orange Vitamin Water Zero, BP Chai Tea

Thursday (2/25)
B: Cream Cheese 'pancakes' with SF syrup, Smoothie with blueberries, GY, and almond milk
L: Egg Roll in a Bowl (made with soy sauce instead of aminos)
D: (out - running errands, probably pick up a lettuce-wrapped burger somewhere)
Snacks: fresh veggies and hummus, Apple Oat Cake (I'll probably try the peach version soon too!)
Drinks: iced Wonderland Sip (p.405), (out - plain latte with added stevia)

Friday (2/26)
B: Apple Oat Cake and GY
L: Chicken Taco Salad (chicken breast & 1/2 jar of salsa cooked in crock-pot and shredded), topped with tomatoes, avocado, cheese, and sour cream
D: Sweet Potato Skillet
Snacks: Apple and Peanut Butter dip (GY and natural peanut butter), Cottage Berry Whip
Drinks: GGMS made with fresh lime juice, BP Chai Tea

Saturday (2/27)
B: Strawberry Cheesecake Shake (swap stevia for agave)
L: wrap made with turkey, LLC, and LC tortilla
D: Quesadillas made with yesterday's leftover chicken and LC tortillas, sliced bell pepper and fresh veggies
Snacks: apple and cheese, Cry No More Brownie
Drinks: orange Vitamin Water Zero, BP mint mocha (decaf)

Thanks for reading!  Questions or comments? Let me know in the comment section!!