Menu Monday #38

Another successful week for the diet!! This morning, I'm down 4% of my body weight already, and I have just a few pounds to go and all of the baby weight from this last pregnancy will be gone. Of course, I still have lots more to lose, but at least I'm getting somewhere finally. Josh is also doing well, and continues to drop his weight, too!

Having a good time at his 30-month well visit.

We survived the week last week with a sick Noah, who missed his first day back to preschool. Fortunately, Josh was able to work from home one day to help, and took off another to be sure he was ok. It was a bit scary when his fever rose up to nearly 104 degrees Monday night, but fortunately returned to normal the next day. I guess it was just a 24-hour stomach bug, but it really took the life out of the little guy for a bit! :( He did visit the doctor on Friday, for his 30-month well-check. He is doing great! He weighed in at 27 lbs 8 oz (23rd percentile), and measured up at 37 inches (71st percentile). His head circumference is 20 inches (85th percentile). It's kind of crazy to think there are kids out there with even bigger heads than Noah. Haha! It's crazy how old he is looking these days - especially after getting another haircut this weekend. Too grown up!!

On Saturday morning, I made one of our favorites, whole wheat banana bread pancakes. They aren't low-calorie (especially with the yummy vanilla maple glaze), but they do have some good ingredients, they're delicious, and very filling! I spent most of the day working on purging my office. I hadn't been through most of the stuff in there in quite some time, so it was due. I'm still working on it and it's amazing how much stuff I am throwing away now. I got some new storage boxes for my bookshelf and some other storage solutions for my desk drawers. It is looking pretty decent now, but I still have work to do there. For dinner that night, we splurged, and visited our local Johnny Brusco's for some hot subs. I got the eggplant parmigiana sub, hoping to save a few calories that way, but after looking it up, found out that it was actually worse (calorie-wise, not taste, because it was delicious!!) than the meatball sub that Josh ordered. Sigh.

On Sunday morning before church, Josh made egg bagel sandwiches again. My favorite! We came home for lunch and some relaxation for the guys (while Mommy stays busy grocery shopping, doing laundry, etc). The boys have been enjoying watching the Star Wars series with Daddy lately, so they caught up on another episode that afternoon.

Sunday: Almond crusted tilapia (see recipe below), brown rice, roasted asparagus

This was a new recipe I tried a couple of week ago via Pinch of Yum. It is awesome!! You spread some Dijon mustard on the tilapia filets, then coat them in a mixture of breadcrumbs and ground almonds. Pan fried in just a tad bit of butter and EVOO, and they are incredible. I like to serve my fish over brown rice, and with asparagus on the side. I drizzle it with a little EVOO, sprinkle with freshly ground salt and pepper, and roast for 12-15 minutes (depends on thickness of stalks) at 400 degrees.

Monday: Cajun chicken pasta

This is a recipe I've been using for a couple of years now. It is so tasty and packed with yummy veggies!! It has a nice light sauce and it's super filling, but without a ton of calories. The boys did a great job eating this one tonight, so it will definitely be kept in frequent rotation now.

Tuesday: Seared pork chops, roasted butternut squash, toasted pine nut couscous with cranberries

I season my pork chops with a variety of seasonings (whatever I'm in the mood for - oftentimes I use sea salt, pepper, ground red pepper, paprika, and garlic powder), then sear them on both sides in a pan coated with a little EVOO. I finish them off in the oven, to be sure they are cooked fully. For my squash, I split it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, then place the halves cut-side down in my pan (which has been sprayed with Pam). I vent the squash's skin by piercing it several times, too. I roast it for 60-90 minutes at 400, until it is nice and soft. On the side, I also make couscous. It is seasoned with spices and includes toasted pine nuts, and I also add dried cranberries (which are reconstituted as it steams). This is a great meal that the boys love.

Wednesday: Melt in your mouth baked chicken, tricolor rotini, roasted balsamic green beans and mushrooms

This is another tasty chicken recipe that the boys really enjoy. Thin chicken breasts are topped with a mixture of Greek yogurt, shredded parmesan cheese, seasoned salt and pepper. This is great served over some pasta. I tried this recipe for green beans a couple of weeks ago and I loved it!! I could seriously eat them like candy. You just coat the beans and mushrooms in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and EVOO, and roast in the oven! Top them with just a smidge of parmesan cheese and they are really delicious.

Thursday: Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato bisque soup, roasted chickpeas

It's going to be super cold, so I went for a bit of a comfort meal here. I like to use sourdough bread and provolone cheese. I still go for Amy's organic tomato bisque soup. It is the best!! On the side, I'll roast some chickpeas and season them with a little salt, cumin and garam masala. Delicious!

Friday: Homemade pizza

I haven't decided on toppings yet, but would like to maybe try some roasted veggies.

Saturday: Out to eat

We'll go somewhere and order something that sounds as healthy as possible. :)

What's on your menu this week?

Almond Crusted Tilapia
(makes 3-4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, plain
• 2-4 tilapia filets (totaling ~1 pound)
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp butter

Directions:

Place the almonds and breadcrumbs in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground into a crumb-like mixture. Place this crumb mixture onto a plate or in a shallow bowl. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Spread 1 Tbsp of the Dijon mustard on both sides of each tilapia filet. Press the tilapia into the crumbs to get it coated on both sides. Do this several times to be sure it is covered well. Place the fish into the frying pan and cook for several minutes on each side, until the outside is browned and the fish is fully cooked. If it is browning too fast on the stovetop, you can finish it off in the oven instead.

*Nutritional Info (per serving): 517 calories, 14 g carbohydrates, 29 g fat, 36 g protein, 4 g fiber.

*These numbers may vary with differences between brands of ingredients

We really liked this dish! I normally prefer salmon to tilapia, but with the spice of the mustard, the crunch of the nuts, and the subtle richness of the butter/oil, this was fantastic! It went very well with the rice and asparagus, too. This is an easy meal that you will want to try.

I'll be back soon with some of the other tasty things we've been eating!