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Chicken Queso Soup.....say whattt

I created a clean eating challenge on facebook and the ladies that are in the group have LOVED every single meal I’ve given them.
This was no exception!
If I had my choice I would eat a Mexican type food everyday but when I am planning food for other people, I have to cut back some.
I took a chance with this meal and it was a HIT!
I hope you enjoy this as much as we have =)

{Printable Link}

You will need:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups salsa, divided
1½ cups water
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 green peppers, chopped
16 oz frozen corn
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (without ribs and seeds)
1 14 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces light cream cheese
6 ounces light Pepper Jack cheese (or cheese of choice)
cilantro for topping
Baked tortilla chips

Directions:

1. Place the chicken breasts, 1½ cups salsa, 1 1/2 water, cumin, chili powder and salt in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7 hours. When the chicken is done, shred the meat directly in the crockpot using two forks.
2. Pat the minced peppers dry with a paper towel. Place the bell peppers in a large nonstick skillet over high heat without oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes WITHOUT stirring. This creates the browned, roasted look out on the outside of the peppers. Stir once and repeat until the peppers are nice and browned.
   Set aside. Repeat this process with the corn and jalapeño together.
3. After the chicken has been shredded, add the roasted peppers, roasted corn and jalapeño, black beans, remaining salsa, and cream cheese to the crockpot. Stir and replace cover, allowing the cream cheese to melt. Adjust the consistency of the soup by adding another ½ cup of water if needed. Let the soup simmer for another 15-30 minutes until everything is smooth and melted. Just before serving, stir in the Pepper Jack cheese. Serves 8

I’ve made other Mexican soups and have a favorite already but this one here….. well lets just say I am lucky I pulled out a serving for lunch today! #noleftovers
Have an great night and a great weekend!

Salted Caramel anyone?

Ok here we go!

Just 3 days into November……. so how about some Salted Caramel to go with this cooler weather!

I first tried a salted caramel mocha at Starbucks by accident and

fell. in. love!

I loved the sweet & salty combination.

I hated the calories it packed on.

What I don’t hate though is a Salted Caramel Shakeology!

Yeah!

You will need:

• 1 scoop chocolate Shakeology
• 1 cup non-fat milk,almond milk, soy milk or rice milk
• 1 tsp. caramel extract
• 1 dash sea salt
• Ice to taste

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into a blender (any blender will do)
2. Push the blend button
3. Pour into a drinkable cup
4. Insert straw
5. Sip!

Ha! Happy Monday y’all!

Gingerbread cookies–but better!

Photo source

I always feel guilty eating ginger bread cookies because I eat the heads off first or maybe the arms. Then they are headless or armless little men. I feel bad for them, but then they are a cookie that is their duty in life – to get bitten. Ha!

But what if I could make a gingerbread cookie smoothie that didn’t involve eating a head or an arm? I would love that! No guilt on either part!

Well I will do just that. Tada! Gingerbread Man Shakeology!

Go forth and MAKE!

You will need:

• 1 Scoop Chocolate Shakeology
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Ground ginger
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Almond Milk
• 3/4 cup water
• Ice

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender.
2. Blend
3. Drink!

Happy Tuesday!

How about some apple pie with that….

Fall shake line up.

UP NEXT…..

Apple Pie.

This is so good y’all! I wasn’t sure I’d like it because it has applesauce in it but I was so wrong! Not a big applesauce fan. It’s a texture thing.

I bet even better next time if I use applesauce with cinnamon in it that it would be killa illa illa!!

Ok. Simple. Simple

You need the following:

• 1 scoop or packet of vanilla shakeology
• 1/2 cup of almond milk ( I do use vanilla almond milk)
• 1/2 cup of unsweet applesauce
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon

Ice

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients into the blender.
2. Blend well.
3. Pour.
4. Sip slowly thru a straw. Preferably your favorite straw!

Happy Monday y’all!

Chicken Bacon (turkey) and Ranch Pasta

Yep. All three of those things in one post title!

And guess what – It’s good y’all! Oh and healthy!

So here is what I did.

The recipe calls for bacon and I triple dog love me some bacon but being on the 21 Day Fix has me all up in my bacon feelings so I use Turkey bacon. I also used a smart pasta. I didn’t really know there was dumb pasta but according to the box, there is a smart pasta.

I could’ve used whole grain but I only wanted to challenge one thing at a time here.

I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs (that by the way has the best recipe for homemade rolls eva!) Life in the Lofthouse (if you are feeling festive for the original one).

One of the easiest recipes I’ve thrown together in a long long time.

I know I’ve been in a vault lately. Y’all are like – where’s that skinny on a dime chick? Or maybe not…..

We are working some things out for sure. I love that some of you still read my blog and share my recipes Thanks for sticking around!!

 

Ok. To make this meal for your bunch

{Printable Recipe}

You need the following:

• 8 ounces dried pasta – I used bowtie – you can use whatever
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• ½ tablespoon butter
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups 1% lowfat milk
• 1 Package of Ranch seasoning – I used Hidden Valley
• 1 cup low fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped, cooked turkey bacon

Directions: 

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add dried pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain water.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, in a large skillet. Add the chicken pieces, season with salt, pepper and season salt and cook until no longer pink. About 10 minutes.
3. Once chicken is thoroughly cooked, add the butter. Once the butter melts, sprinkle the flour and packet of ranch seasoning over the chicken. Stir.
4. Pour milk into the skillet, and continue to stir and cook until mixture starts to thicken.
5. Stir in cheddar cheese and bacon pieces. Stir until cheese melts.

Add the cooked pasta to mixture and stir to combine. Serve immediately

I served this delish meal with a side salad and it was perfect.

Happy Monday! Happy Day!

Banana (strawberry) Breakfast smoothie

                Source

I don’t know where this photo is from. It’s not mine.

I just thought I’d borrow it for a bit. It was dark in my house this morning at 4am so a good photo shot was not an option….

I found this recipe on pinterest (win) and thought ~ ya know I kinda want to try this whole smoothies for breakfast thing since I’m about to embark on a different kind of challenge soon. I also wanted to test the time it would take to make this little concoction as opposed to my normal cereal prep. Not bad, not bad at all. It was just under 5 minutes. I do have to admit though, I’m not a liquid meal kinda girl so the last two swallows were a bit rough (sorry for the explicits).

Trying to find options for a smoothie is a mind numbing endless list of options. I don’t have lots of time in the morning (by choice – I’m a snoozer) and I looked for things that a. I always, always have at home and b. would take the same amount of time my normal routine does.

In the end I found a win! One smoothie option gets a gold star for me!

Here is the easy peazy recipe for yourself.

{printable link}

You will need:

• 2 medium bananas
• 1/2 cup of skim or 1% milk
• 8 oz low fat strawberry banana yogurt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Pour your milk in the blinder.
2. Add your yogurt, bananas and vanilla extract.
3. Blend until smooth.

The only other thing I might add next time is ice just because I would like it to be colder. Other than that, this was so easy and so simple. Not 50 ingredients, not time consuming and was healthy and I didn’t have to add any sugar source at all.

Try it if you are on the same journey I am – You just might like it.

Tootles and Noodles

Strawberry Banana French Toast Casserole

For starters – I had no idea how this would turn out. I was just hungry, had day old bread (the good kind from the bakery that I refused to throw away), strawberries and bananas.

It was early, I had a lot to do and I needed to feed teenagers fast! Along comes Pinterest and my food supply and BAM – this happened!

Strawberry Banana French Toast Casserole. It is a combination of a few with my own ingredients. You could really play this up any way with any fruit or toppings you like.

It was crisp on top and moist in the middle. Perfect combination.

{Printable Link}

Things you will need:

• 2 bananas
• 6 - 8 fresh strawberries (depending on size)
• 1 medium size loaf of day old bakery Italian or French bread
• 8 eggs
• 3 cups of milk (I use either 1% or skim and it works fine)
• 6 TBSP of sugar
• 2TSP of cinnamon
• 1 TSP of Vanilla extract
• 2 TBSP of salted butter
• Syrup (optional)
• Powdered Sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
3. Cut up your bread into cubes and put them in the baking dish.
4. Slice up your bananas and strawberries and set to the side.
5. Whisk together the milk, eggs, 1 tsp of the cinnamon, vanilla extract and 2 TBSP of sugar.
6. Pour the mixture on top of the bread cubes in the baking dish, letting this sit and blend together as you finish the rest of the ingredients and the oven continues to warm up.
7. Cut the butter into small pieces and place it on top of the bread.
8. Mix the remaining cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle it on top of the bread mixture evenly.
9. Top off with your banana and strawberry slices.
10. Bake in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes uncovered or until the top is golden brown.
11. Top with syrup and powdered sugar if you wish!

Hello Breakfast and woohoo its almost Friday!

Have a Great weekend guys!

New loves + a few Old Loves

FOOD 

I love food. I love to eat food. I love to cook food. I love to figure out ways to make good recipes healthier.

Baked Sweet N Sour Chicken with Fried Rice is not only my NEW favorite at home meal – It is my new challenge.

While I love the recipe, I am working on adjusting the amount of sugar but keeping the flavor. When I do though, boy oh boy, I will share!

If you do want to try out the original recipe, I found it on my new favorite go to blog – Life in the Lofthouse. She is awesome and the girl can coook!

 

SHOES 

Oh how I love thee. I also love to get FREE shoes.

These right here are courtesy of being a shoe tester with New Balance.

They have spunk and comfort.

I LOVE them.

What better way to kickstart old habits of exercising than a new pair of shoes.

 

EXERCISE (and an APP)

So this one will count for two things – My love for getting fit and my love for technology!

This is my new favorite app – The 7 Minute Workout App. It did cost $.99 but it was so worth it! Now I must confess, I don’t expect to see buffiness and toned down but what I do expect is to kick my but back into gear with working out daily. Since my schedule is so tight right now I gotta get a workout in anyway I can right! It will challenge you though  - don’t think it is weak. You will have to catch your breath if you’ve been out of the workout routine for a minute. LOVE IT.

I also love that no matter where I go or what I am doing I can access it right on my phone. I can have my 7 minutes anywhere! I just need shoes……

 

That’s it for now.

My life is full.

My days are never quiet but my belly is always full and the kids are always hungry!

 

Take care of yourself and be HAPPY!

Sara

Breakfast Burritos

There used to be this little place about 20 minutes from our house that made the BEST breakfast burritos.

It closed down. Well let me back up. It got hit by a car. It was remodeled. It changed owners ~ and names, raised its prices ~ then closed down.

We were devastated. Our late night, early morning runs to grab a burrito were crushed. They are that good y’all.

Anyway, last week we took the kiddies on that (some say dreaded but I love it) annual before school shopping spree. I had a game plan.

I gave each of the kids a budget and a road map to savings! They did good! I was one proud (and exhausted) mama at the end.

On the way home my husband remembered that there is sister restaurant (probably the original) to our beloved Mexican joint that closed down. They are/were both little holes in the wall but their food is good and authentic!

So around 9:30 when we were dragging our heals we headed to the on nearest the outlet malls and all ordered the infamous breakfast burrito!

Our week has been a rough one folks. We are doing our best to get rounded up and all in bed by 10 but we are still working on that one…..

The food schedule is all out of sorts, only because I am just as tired as the kids this week, so yesterday was breakfast day.

I made my own breakfast burritos! Oh and homemade hash browns. They were both yum!

You should make these…. kinda like right now!

{Printable Link}

You will need:

• 4 soft flour tortillas
• 8 strips turkey bacon
• 3 slices 98% fat free ham
• 6 sausage patties (any brand) – I use Jimmy Dean
• 3 Eggs, scrambled
• 1 Cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3 Red potatoes, peeled and shredded
• Olive oil for cooking potatoes
• Olive oil spray
• Salt and pepper
• Salsa (optional)

Directions

1. Begin cooking your turkey bacon. I like my crisp but cook to your desired likeness.
2. In a separate skillet, cook your sausage until done.
3. In the same skillet you fried the turkey bacon, cook the ham.
4. Once the meats were done, dice them all up and separate them into bowls, so to create an assembly line for creating the burritos.
5. Crack 3 eggs and scramble them, using butter flavor Pam, salt, and pepper.
6. Spray a medium size skillet with olive oil spray, add your olive oil, shredded potatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes until they begin to get soft. Remove lid and continue cooking until they are browned and done.
7. Warm tortillas in microwave by covering them in damp paper towels. Heat for about 1 minute. This will make them soft enough to work with.
8. Begin layering each tortilla with cheese, potatoes, eggs, ham, bacon and sausage.
9. Wrap them up tight and the heat from the food will melt the cheese inside. Turn them seem side down on the plate and let them sit for about 1 minute so it can all melt together. Really as you are making the other three the first ones will be ready to serve.

I topped mine off with some salsa (and held on the sausage – not a huge fan of sausage)! Mmmmm.

At the restaurant, I added Pico de Gallo but being that I didn’t have any on hand, I just used salsa =)

You will love them. I promise, and you won’t feel guilty! Eating healthy or healthier is easier than you might think. It just takes a few adjustments but it makes all the difference!

Today is Monday……

 

Photo Source

Today is definitely Monday.

It is the first back to school Monday for the teens.

It is the first Monday of a long long year.

It is a Monday.

This is Menu Monday without a Menu.

I know we will eat - it is a Monday.

The Menu is drafted - it is a Monday.

Check out my Favorite Recipes page or my Pinterest Page for some really really yummy recipes until my eyes and body have recovered from the 4:50 wake-up call xxxxxxxxx

I have some new recipes to share and an update on my 30day challenge so stay tuned, we’re coming around…..

It’s Monday!

Mondays, oh Mondays…..

As sad as the kids are that summer is coming to a quiet end, I am shouting from the rooftops ~ Hip Hip Horary!

God I love ‘em but have mercy on my pantry! As quickly as I can fill it up, it is emptied. If you don’t have teenagers yet, just way my friend, just you wait!

Alls they do is eat, every question of the day begins with “what is there to eat?”. They see NOTHING. I see a fridge full of fruits, veggies, sandwiches in the making, and yummy leftovers just to name a few.

Also, the countdown to the first day of school has begun along with the nerves of a new 9th grader! We are keeping it simple again this week because mama bear is still enjoying her vaca from school! Woohoo!

Our menu is light and easy. Have a great week guys!

• Monday - Spaghetti/Salad/veggies/bread
• Tuesday – Leftovers
• Wednesday – Tacos
• Thursday – Breakfast for dinner
• Friday – French Bread pizza (didn’t make last week)
• Saturday – Grilled burgers and hotdogs/grilled corn on the cob/homemade potato salad

Mexican Pizza

I don’t know how it ended up being Friday so quickly. I feel like it was just Monday, like yesterday.

I’m sure glad we are here though – so to all my fellow Friday lovers – Happy TGIF!

I feel so accomplished this week because I finished my second semester in my quest to finish school! I cannot tell you how excited I am to have a break, even if it is only for 2 weeks! I’ll take what I can get right! Being the fact that I cannot believe it is Friday should just tell you how oddly busy my week was. I don’t even remember day to day what happened really. Except for the fact that Wednesday night we had no electricity until 3:30 in the morning! Odd power outage that only affected 8 houses in my neighborhood…… the kids said “Um did you forget to pay the bill?'” Me – No (giggling but now second guessing whether I actually did or not…..)

Anyway one day this week, or last week, now they all run together, I made this Mexican pizza.

Oh my word! I was in heaven when I read Mexican and Pizza and they were together in the same sentence! I promise you that this recipe will not leave anyone at the table disappointed, unless they don’t like Mexican food, or pizza.

So go gather up your food lovers, sit down at the dinner table and enjoy a good meal!

{Printable Link}

To do this you need to go get the following…

• 1lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 packet taco seasoning
• 1/3 cup of water
• 10 fajita size soft taco shells
• 1 can fat free refried beans (or you can make your own)
• Old Elpaso mild taco sauce
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 green onion, diced
• Olives –totally optional (you see I didn’t use them)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Spray 2 baking sheets with non stick spray. place 5 tortillas on each sheet and place in the oven for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes flip the tortillas over, while still in the oven and cook for another 5 minutes until they are slightly golden and crisp around the edges. Remove and set aside when done.
3. In a large skillet, brown your ground beef. Add your taco seasoning and water, bring to a boil, let simmer and stir for about ten minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, warm up your refried beans in the microwave until they are warm all the way through.
5. Spread a thin layer of refried beans on 5 tortillas, add a layer of ground beef mixture and top off with another tortilla shell.
6. Spread 2 TBSP of the taco sauce on top of each tortilla shell. Next add cheddar and mozzarella cheeses on top of that. Sprinkle each with tomato, cilantro and green onions (or olives if you like those).

Enjoy your dinner!

Enjoy your weekend!

Enjoy your shopping if you have kids going back to school!

Original recipe adapted from here!

Happy Monday, Happy Week

Happy Monday fellow Readers!

The fact that it is Monday means that I’m two days closer to Friday again :)

I’m not one of those ugh I hate Monday kinda girls but I wouldn’t say I’m its biggest fan either. It just begins another weekly routine, another weekly meal plan and another chance to have a slammin super duper week!

Finals are coming up for me this week then I have a two week break! WAhoo!!! The kiddos start back to school in 2 weeks so I put one of them on school supply list duty…… I have no doubt that the list will be larger than it needs to be =l

We have a quick meal kinda week again this week. I did make a few new recipes last week that I will share with you

Oh and oh my biggest event was that the A/C went out on what seemed to be the hottest weekend in July. Somehow, by sheer miracle, it started working again just before the sun went down but we did head to the pool during the time we thought the a/c was not going to ever work again!

So here’s to my super quick meal plan for the week -

• Sunday – Buffalo chicken Wraps
• Monday – Breakfast for dinner
• Tuesday – Taco Tuesdays  (probably with chicken)
• Wednesday – Hamburger Helper (bleh-but I know the kids will eat the heck out of it)
• Thursday – Hot Dogs and Chips
• Friday  - French bread pizza with Salad
• Saturday – Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

I plan on making me a large pot of Hot Tortilla Soup again or maybe a large bowl of Garden Vegetable Soup! Either one I could eat more than once!

Have a great week y’all!

PS – Two weeks until school starts!!!! Somebody help me, help me!!

Homemade Corndogs – State Fair worthy!

 

Unless you don’t like corndogs or the state fair, then these are not up to your standards.

But really there are people out there that don’t like corn dogs and State fairs?

That is un-American!

I like ‘em. I like ‘em a lot.

I know, I know, they are by no means healthy but the kids wanted more corndogs.

I wanted to make my own instead of spending $8 a box so I spent $2 on a package of hotdogs instead.

I only took a bite of one but can I just say that if you ever – ever get the notion for a corn dog, make these!

I’d already made myself a batch of Hot Tortilla Soup!

You will thank me!

They are the perfect blend of sweet and crunch!

The hardest part was getting the batter to the right consistency.

I found this recipe on one of my current blog crushes – Life as a Lofthouse. Everything I’ve made from her blog I am in absolute love with.

They are easy everyday recipes that are versions of things that you would normally either

go out to buy frozen or at a fast food place – at least the ones I’ve tried.

One adjustment you could make to these lovely’s would be hot dogs lower in points or calories – depending on what you are counting.

Since I wasn’t eating them I just made straight up Ball Park hot dogs (the best!).

The kids are still half n half – half good for them half I’m a kid and I don’t want that healthy stuff.

So most days we compromise. You gotta pick your battles……

{Printable Link}

Homemade corndogs

You will need:

• 1 cup yellow corn meal (any brand)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbls baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups milk, (I used 1% milk and it worked fine)
• 1 Tbls Vegetable oil
• 1 Tbls Honey
• 1 8 count package of hot dots or no more than 10
• 8 or 10 wooden skewers
• 2 Quarts of vegetable oil for frying (I used peanut oil – worked great)

Directions:

1. In a large pot, add your oil for frying. Turn heat to medium and heat to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix it all together.
3. In a smaller bowl combine the beaten egg, milk, vegetable oil, and honey. Mix it all together then add to the dry ingredients.
4. Stir all ingredients together. They will have a little thicker consistency than cornbread or pancakes. If it is not thick enough, add a little more flour until it is. (This was my problem)
5. Pour the batter into a tall glass or cup that will be deep enough to have the batter cover the entire hot dog.
6. Pat dry each hot dog and stick a wooden skewer in each one.
7. Dip the hot dog into the batter. Pull it out letting some of the excess fall off back into the cup. Place batter dipped hotdog into the hot oil frying it about 2-3 minutes. Holding the stick and turning it to make sure all sides get evenly cooked. Repeat this for all hotdogs.
8. Remove and place on a paper towel covered plate to absorb the excess oil.

Serve it up with mustard (yuck) or ketchup! Yum!

Menu Mondays

Here’s to hoping everyone had a great weekend!

We broke out the volleyball net and played well into the night.

Today my arms and ankles are screaming – go back to bed!

For us, the weekly menu will be an easy one. I’m finishing the last few weeks of summer school so easy foods are my friend!

Sunday – Grilled mix of chicken wings, Chipotle Lime Chicken Sandwiches and Grilled Portabella Mushroom Caps (recipe this week), grilling baked beans and fresh grilled corn on the cob.

Monday – Breakfast for dinner

Tuesday – Taco Tuesdays – Osborne style – with the best homemade corn tortillas

Wednesday – Good ole fashioned Spaghetti with a side salad and maybe fresh corn

Thursday – Left overs

Friday – Fish Fridays – Catfish oven fried and onion roasted potatoes

Saturday – Mexican Pizzas (new recipe)

Have a Great Week y’all!

P.S. only - Only 3 weeks left until school starts…….. yikes!!!

Menu Mondays

Another week, another Monday.

Today was not especially fun but it wasn’t all together terrible.

You want to know what made it even better?

Having my meals planned out for me already and coming home to a meal that practically prepared itself.

Sunday afternoon I made dinner for Sunday and Monday.

The rest of the week might take a little more work.

Sunday – Shredded Lime Chicken Tacos with guacamole

Monday – Leftovers

Tuesday – Taco Stuffed Shells

Wednesday – Leftovers

Thursday – Grilled Chicken Bruschetta and Ranch potatoes (that I forgot to make last week)

Friday – Island Beach Chicken with Fiesta Lime rice or cucumber/tomato salad

Saturday – Either Skinny Buffalo Wings or Shrimp Po’Boy Sandwiches (I’m playing it by ear)

Hopefully as I cook I will get good pictures and can add the recipes as I make them because all of these are newbies for me!

Have a great week gang!

Menu Plan Mondays

If I could share one valuable secret to loosing weight, staying healthy and staying on a budget, it would be meal planning.

It is so easy to do and keeps you right on track.

When you meal plan, all is right with the world.

You really achieve two things at once.

You know what you are cooking for the week and it makes it easy to grocery shop!

I meal plan for two weeks at a time so that makes my grocery shopping even easier.

I mostly stock pile now which means I have extra money for meats and fresh produce!

Some weeks I stick to the plan and some weeks I change things around.

• Monday – Malibu Chicken with skinny potato salad and macaroni salad
• Tuesday – Frito Pie
• Wednesday – Leftovers
• Thursday – Shredded Lime Chicken Tacos
• Friday – Leftovers
• Saturday – Chipotle Lime Chicken Sandwiches with Ranch potatoes

I also try to not cook everyday because it saves me time in the evening and gives me a few nights with extra time.

Have a great week!

Menu Monday for the rest of the year…. almost

December 31st is coming fast! Two months ago, I wanted it to be here.
Now I wish it would slow down a bit and take its time.
December 31st means two things:

1. The year is over
2. Election day is 30 days away!

I have family coming to Florida for Christmas for the first time YAY!
I am so excited to have them coming here for a change.
It is bittersweet though because I will miss seeing everyone else not coming =(
So to make my life easier, I made a meal plan for the rest of the year, minus the days family will be here!
I love meal planning! It keeps me on my always shrinking budget and has helped me successfully maintain my weight loss!
It was the secret to my personal success! So if you wanna know what my secret was….. well now you know =)
Hopefully some of these meals will make your nights less stressful.
Week 1
Sunday – Grilled Marinated chicken legs, skinless, scalloped potatoes
Monday – BBQ sandwiches (reduced fat bread), baked potato chips
Tuesday – Beef Tacos
Wednesday – Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce
Thursday – Sweet & spicy Tilapia with Roasted asparagus and potatoes
Friday – Grilled marinated pork tenderloin and cabbage
Saturday – Leftover pork loin and cabbage
Week 2
Sunday – Grilled chicken breasts, roasted veggies
Monday – Leftover grilled chicken and veggies
Tuesday – Beef enchiladas, ff refried beans, Santa Fe rice
Wednesday – Leftover enchiladas
Thursday – Buffalo chicken wraps and onion roasted potatoes
Friday – Cajun style chicken legs, roasted broccoli
Saturday – Homemade pizza (with RF cressent rolls, low fat mozzerella and choice of topping)
Week 3
Sunday – Chili
Monday – Leftover Chili
Tuesday – Taco casserole
Wednesday – Leftover casserole
Thursday- Saturday – Family here  and honestly I have no idea what we will be eating!
Week 4
Sunday – Merry Christmas! – Christmas dinner (prepared with love)
Monday & Tuesday – Family still here and again no idea what we are eating!
Wednesday – back to work =( so Cheesy enchilada casserole (new recipe from Pinterest so it might change)
Thursday – leftover casserole
Friday – Pizza night!
Saturday – New Years Eve! – Finger foods for the count down!
Not too many difficult recipes but some good nutritious ones too! Find one you enjoy and feed your family!
Happy Monday night!

Menu Mondays

Life is like a never ending roller coaster!
One day your good, the next day you want to hurl!
I made a two week menu over the weekend so I wouldn’t feel overwhelmed.
Maybe I can stick to it or maybe I will give up and just order pizza!
Either way I hope some of these recipes find their way to your table.
Sunday ~ Tex-mex chicken tacos
Monday ~ Same as Sunday
Tuesday ~ Hot Tortilla soup
Wednesday ~ Same as Tuesday
Thursday ~ Mini meatloaf with creamy mashed potatoes
Friday ~ Same as Thursday
Saturday ~ Buffalo chicken wraps and onion roasted potatoes
Since I’ve started the C25K program (now on week 6 thank you very much!) I try to cook every other day and run on the days I don’t cook.
It seems to make it all work out better.
Enjoy your week!