Menu Monday #9

Whew! Another crazy week and I am behind once again. The good news...everything we use on a daily basis is unpacked and Noah's birthday party was a success! The bad news...I am struggling to catch up with everything else that still needs done.

Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the grocery store until this morning, which always makes for a fun trip when I have both kids in tow. Fortunately, free goodies from The Fresh Market bakery help keep them occupied! :) I wanted a fairly easy menu this week to ease me back into cooking on a regular basis again. I am wiped after the past couple of weeks! I am happy to say that with all of the madness and way too many meals out these past couple of weeks, my weight loss has continued! I would venture to guess that all of the unpacking helped burn a few calories! ;) I am actually weighing in at a number less than I have seen in at least 10 years and I am super excited! After 2 kids, time and energy are definitely decreased and losing weight is not as easy as when I was 20, with a much higher metabolism! I am hoping to continue working at the diet and getting back to running (a nasty bout with turf toe had me sidelined for several weeks, but I think it is healed and ready to go now), so that I can continue to shed the pounds. Almost 14 pounds down, but I am hoping for at least another 20-30 by the end of the year. I think it's doable, but I will have to work even harder to make it happen.

Sunday: Smokey Bones
Hubby's family was still in town Sunday evening, and his brother wanted some good BBQ, so we took them to our favorite chain. I wanted something on the lighter side, so I decided to try their Nutty Chicken Salad with grilled chicken. It was super delicious!

Monday: Olive Garden
Another meal out since I hadn't yet made it to the store, but I didn't feel too bad since it was hubby and I's 7th wedding anniversary. It was nice not having to worry about cooking or clean-up. I was actually craving their Chicken Alfredo dish, but the Mixed Grill caught my eye and I gave it a try. It was pretty good and a nice change from my norm. The 600+ fewer calories probably didn't hurt either! ;)

Tuesday: Blackened salmon over brown rice with oven roasted parmesan broccoli
Have I said how happy I am yet that we have our grill back?? The answer to that is very happy, if you haven't already guessed! We are used to grilling outdoors at least 3-4 times a week when the weather is nice and we have definitely been missing it this year! So, as much as I loved the foil-baked salmon we have been eating lately, I have really, really missed blackened salmon on the grill. I am super excited for this meal tonight! I got some tilapia for the boys, which we'll either grill or bread and pan-fry in a little canola oil. I'm hoping this incessant rain stops, or we may have to switch some meals around instead! :(

Wednesday: Garlic Chicken Spinach Pasta
This is a meal I created a few months ago, but we haven't had it lately. It sounded good while I was menu planning this morning. :) I may try to sub lowfat milk and Greek yogurt for the heavy cream that I originally used, as I wasn't as concerned with counting calories when I came up with this one. Added bonus, Fresh Market's boneless chicken breast was on sale for $2.99/pound today! I love their Tuesday deals!!

Thursday: Grilled pork chops, baked sweet potato fries, pan-fried parmesan green beans
Yep, more grilling! I'm not sure what I'll season the pork with yet, but I am thinking some sort of rosemary-honey concoction sounds good.

Friday: Taco Pizza
I haven't made this pizza in a long time, but it is another favorite. I will top my homemade whole wheat crust with a mixture of pizza sauce and salsa. Then I'll brown some ground beef and season it with homemade taco seasoning. Chopped onion and a mixture of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses completes this pizza. Yum!

Saturday: Out to eat?
After eating out so much lately, we may pass on this and cook instead. We'll see how the week goes. :)


Happy meal planning to you this week! More details from Noah's birthday party coming soon, along with his one-year update!!