7-Day Menu Week of 11/17

The weather has turned cold and blustery so time for some good comfort foods!


MONDAY

Ham steaks with  Roasted acorn squash:
Preheat oven to 350.  Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds.  Set squash halves cut side down on baking sheet.  Bake for about one hour or until the skin is easily pierced with a fork. 

Heat up ham steaks in a skillet on medium about 7 minutes on each side or until heated through.

TUESDAY

Cauliflower Taco Bowl


WEDNESDAY

Slow Cooker Pepperoncini Brisket
Place brisket in large slow cooker.  Pour 16 ounce jar of pepperoncini (whole or sliced), including juice over the top.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

Serve with roasted garlic mashed cauliflower


THURSDAY

Instant Pot Southwestern Chicken Nachos
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can black beans (15-1/2 ounce, drained and rinsed)

1 cup frozen corn1 jar medium or hot salsa (15 ounce)

8 ounces cream cheese

Tortilla chips

Place chicken breasts in Instant Pot.  Add black beans, corn, and salsa (in that order).  Lock lid and close pressure valve.  Cook for 15 minutes.  Allow to naturally release for 5 minutes then quick release.  Remove lid and shred chicken with two large forks.  Stir in cream cheese.  Serve over tortilla chips.



FRIDAY

Spaghetti (or spaghetti squash) and meatballs and marina


SATURDAY

Peach bbq short ribs in the slow cooker with peach bbq sauce (I use frozen peaches).  Tip:  Make the bbq sauce ahead of time!


SUNDAY

Leftover brisket sandwiches with provolone cheese.  If you eat bread, get a nice hearty crusty bread for this one!

7-Day Menu Plan Week of 11/10

I hope you enjoy this week's menu!  Please let me know if there is something specific you are looking for.

MONDAY
Mississippi Pot Roast - Instant Pot - I love using the Instant Pot!  If you like, you can make your own Ranch seasoning.  I did it today and it was super easy...  a good way to use up some of the seasonings you bought but only needed a tiny bit of!

Ranch Seasoning Mix
2 TBSP dried parsley
1-1/2 tsp dried dill
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried onion flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chives
1 tsp salt

Mix together and store in an airtight container until ready to use.

TUESDAY
Chicken and sun-dried tomato cream sauce
3 chicken breasts (cut lengthwise to make 6 filets)*
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil, plus 1 TBSP oil from jar
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2/3 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 TSBP oil from the sun-dried tomatoes jar in a large skillet on medium high heat.  Sear chicken about one minute on each side.  Remove chicken to a plate.  Add garlic to skillet and sauté about 30-45 seconds.  Add wine, cream, and tomatoes to skillet; stir, scraping up any drippings.  Cook on medium high until just boiling.  Return chicken to skillet and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook about 5 minutes, or until chicken is done.  Transfer chicken and sauce to serving dish and garnish with basil.

*Updated ingredients to clarify.  These should be 6 thin cutlets.

WEDNESDAY
Pulled beef and cheese sandwiches; sweet potato fries.  Use leftover beef from Monday.  Pair it with your favorite sliced cheese.

THURSDAY
Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas - I am all about the Instant Pot again lately.  It saves so much time but let's us have really good meals.  This one also requires a little oven time, but totally worth it!

FRIDAY
Beef vegetable soup.  Another repurpose from Monday's beef roast.   Just chop up some leftover beef, add 1 cup beef broth, frozen mixed veg,  a can of diced tomatoes, maybe a little seasoning, and pressure cook for 5 minutes... it's soup!

SATURDAY
Bacon-wrapped Chicken Breasts with Cream Cheese - I mean, really!  Bacon and cream cheese, what more can I say?!

SUNDAY
Buffalo Omelette - The first time I ate this was during an egg fast, but it quickly became a big favorite!  It's quick to make but loaded with flavor!


Let's throw a little treat in here too!  How about some cheesecake?!  Make this early in the week so you can have it all week long.  It also freezes well!

7-Day Menu Plan, Week of 11/3

I want to take some of the planning out of it for you so you can focus on making really delicious healthy meals.  Here's another week of meal ideas for you!  


MONDAY

Pizza!  Use this Pizza Sauce recipe and your favorite toppings.  I make mine with a cauliflower crust and MR uses a fresh whole wheat crust, both available from Trader Joe's.  Our secret for exceptional pizza is to sprinkle it with Son of Italy Italian seasoning just before it goes in the oven.  

TUESDAY
We are going out!  It's an unusual treat to go out in the middle of the week, but happy hour at our favorite place makes it a little easier with 1/2 price specials!!

In case you don't want to go out, though, here's an instant pot steak bites recipe I made recently that we really enjoyed.  I served it with steamed green beans and garlic mashed cauliflower.  I couldn't find the blade for my food processor today AND the only garlic I had was pre-diced, so I used pre-riced frozen cauliflower, then I sautéed a few teaspoons of chopped garlic in a tablespoon of butter until it was browned.  I microwaved the cauliflower and mixed in the garlic, parmesan, and butter.  Once it was combined, I added the yogurt, and salt & pepper.  It wasn't smooth like whipped potatoes, but the flavor was great!

WEDNESDAY
Philly cheesesteak casserole - This was simple enough and I love the taste of a good cheesesteak!  It turned out great!

THURSDAY
Thai Chicken Pizza - I didn't get this made last week, so it got bumped to this week's menu.  Sorry about that!


FRIDAY
Blueberry Omelette - I think of this as the non-egg-lovers' omelette.  It just doesn't have an "eggy" taste to it... in my opinion anyway.  I love the fluffiness of it and it's satisfying without making me feel overstuffed.  MR and I usually share one.  You may want some bacon the side!


SATURDAY
The weather is supposed to turn chilly at the end of the week so it's definitely time for comfort food.  Tomato basil soup and cauliflower mac and cheese sounds just right!

Cauli Mac and Cheese

1 head of cauliflower
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 oz cream cheese
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Spray an 8"x 8" baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cut the cauliflower into florets. Steam in a microwave safe dish with 1/4 cup of water for about 5 minutes, until firm but tender.  Try not to let it get too soft that it falls apart when you poke it with a fork.  If you prefer, you can steam it in a steamer basket on the stove for about 10 minutes.  
3. Strain off any liquid from the cauliflower and put the florets in the baking dish.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, pour in heavy whipping cream and bring it just to boiling, then turn it back to simmer. Whisk in garlic powder, onion powder.  Add cream cheese and cheddar cheese and stir until smooth. Sprinkle in mozzarella cheese and stir until cheese sauce thickens.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the cauliflower in the baking dish and stir to thoroughly coat the cauliflower. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top.
6. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until browned on top and bubbly.

Let me know if you're looking for something particular, and I'll see what I can do!

7-Day Menu Planner, week of 10/27/19

(This post was edited to correct a formatting error!  The recipes are the same!)

The hardest part of eating right is planning, but it's also the most important part!  Hopefully this blog can give you some good ideas to help keep you on track.  

You may have noticed that earlier posts included wheat flour and coconut sugar (as do some of those listed below).  I still think that's a good way to start the journey... cut out white sugar and white flour first.  Replace with honey, coconut sugar, wheat flour.  Once you get comfortable with that, replace any kind of sweetener with monk fruit sweetener (Lankata makes a good one, available on Amazon), then replace wheat flour with coconut flour and almond flour.  That's just a general rule of thumb, and know that there are lots of options out there for flour replacements.  Those two just happen to be my favorite.  I don't necessarily follow Keto or Atkins or whatever label you want to put on it, but I do tend to eat low carb and high protein.  I do not add extra fat although I am not afraid of fat.  I use real butter, I love a good piece of well marbled beef, and love love love to eat cheese!  My biggest rule is no sugar and no grains.  So what do I eat?!  Let's see what this week looks like!

Tri Tip with Roasted Vegetables

SUNDAY - Tri Tip Roast with roasted vegetables - This is such a beautiful cut of meat!  Roasting it over the vegetables gives them an extra pop of flavor.  The rub in this recipe calls for coconut sugar.  You can easily sub monk fruit if you have kicked sugar.

Meatballs and marinara

MONDAY - Meatballs and marinara - I love this marinara recipe!  It's easy and amazingly good.  You don't have to add the wine, but I definitely prefer it that way.  You can halve the meatball recipe if you are cooking for one or two, but I like to make them all and freeze any extra. 


TUESDAY - Thai Chicken Pizza Instant Pot Recipe- This is a good recipe for starting out.  If you don't eat wheat, you can just skip that part and eat the chicken over rice (if you're still eating grains), or just by itself.  This recipe also calls for honey.

WEDNESDAY - Barbecue Beef Sandwiches - We get whole wheat hamburger buns from Trader Joe's for these.  They don't have any added sugar!  (I won't eat the bread with mine... but that's just me!)  You can use shredded leftover roast beef or one pound of hamburger.  

Barbecue Sauce (you will have extra to freeze!)

• 6 oz. can tomato paste

•  2 oz. apple cider vinegar

• 3 oz. water

• 2 TBSP blackstrap molasses

• 1 TBSP honey

• 1TBSP prepared mustard

Brown a pound of hamburger (or use shredded beef).  Stir in barbecue sauce until desired consistency.  Some people like a little more or less of the sauce. You be the judge!  Save any leftover sauce for next time!

THURSDAY - Pumpkin Chipotle Soup - This soup is really good.  It might sound like an odd combination, but adding chipotle gives it just the right kick.  Don't try to kick it up by adding more than what is called for, though.  People have tried that and regretted it.  It just isn't the same.  You can add cooked, shredded chicken to this for protein.

FRIDAY - Baked chicken and acorn squash -  Season chicken breasts with a drizzle of olive oil and Italian seasoning and bake at 350 about 30 minutes. 
To make acorn squash, cut in half and remove all seeds.  Place face down on a baking sheet and cook for about 30 minutes at 350.

SATURDAY - Chili - Always a go to because it's easy and has basic ingredients.  Pretty sure you can make this however you want.  My standard recipe (which may change depending on what's in the cupboard/fridge!):

One pound grass fed ground beef)

1/2 cup chopped onion

26 ounce can crushed tomatoes,

1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup chopped green, yellow, and/or red peppers

2 TBSP chili seasoning

And because sometimes life calls for dessert...
Cheesecake!
And more dessert options! Some may contain grains.

Favorite Things: No Sugar No Grains

The hardest thing about any meal is figuring out what to make so here is a list of my favorite things to make.  Tried and true recipes we love to eat!

The Best Marinara and Meatballs - I have made this marinara in large quantities and then canned it for future use.  Or just make one batch to enjoy right now.  The meatballs are the bomb and can be frozen if you just pre-cook them without the sauce and cheese.

Peach BBQ Short Ribs - I made my own fresh peach bbq sauce (you can use fresh or frozen) to make this dish perfection!!

Cauliflower Taco Bowl - I don't eat it with the brown rice anymore but MR still does.  Do what works for you!

Thai Chicken Pizza- The thai chicken is great even without putting it on naan bread for pizza.  Great flavor!!

Incredible Oven Fajitas - What makes these incredible is how easy and fast they are!  I use frozen mixed peppers if I don't have fresh... still tastes fabulous!

Roasted Tri Tip with Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes - Roasting the meat over the vegetables makes them beyond delicious!

Looking for breakfast ideas? - Look no further!  I love each of these:  Egg Puff; Minute French Toast; Make Your Own Yogurt; Breakfast Crepes with Chia Berry Jam; Blueberry Lemon Puffed Omelet

We picked fresh peaches this week, So the short ribs are definitely going on the menu this week!

What are you eating today?  Whatever it is, Keep it Clean!

Meatballs and Cheesecake... of course!

Things have been going better for me on the clean eating front lately.  I don't know why, when we have all the tools and we know what works, we (me!) still manage to get off track.  But I've definitely been more intentional about what I put in my face for the last 6 months and it's really making a difference. I am amazed at how well I am sleeping and how much better I feel in general.  We hiked 7 miles one day last weekend and my hips weren't crabby at all!  In the past, my hips and sometimes my knees have been very clear on how they feel about me walking more than a couple miles.  And I attribute it all to better eating.  We did have one day where all  bets were off.  Baby Girl took us to dinner for Mother's Day at an Italian place that makes everything fresh in house, including their own pasta.  I don't eat any sugar or grains usually, but I made an exception.  I figured, if it isn't loaded with added junk then one meal wouldn't hurt me!  The food was outstanding and was my only real indulgence in all this time, so it's ok.  At least it was real and not over-processed!

So this week I brought out an old favorite... meatballs!  I love this recipe and it makes a lot so I always freeze some for another day.  I had canned a triple batch of marinara in the fall, so we paired that with meatballs.  MR eats grains so he had whole wheat penne.  I sautéed sweet potato ribbons for my "noodles."  You can use zoodles or whatever you prefer.  There are also links down below to some other recipes I've tried and love, including cheesecake and dark chocolate mug cake!  For sweetener, I prefer monk fruit.  A lot of what I am reading is saying that any sweetener will impact insulin levels and weight loss.  I don't doubt it, as I am not a doctor or scientist of any kind, and I also know that I can't eat treats every day.  They are called treats for a reason... it shouldn't be an every day occurrence.  But sometimes I just want chocolate, and for special occasions I like to have a special dessert that I can also have.  I sure don't make a whole cheesecake when it's just the two of us!

Before you get to the recipes, in case you've never read my blog before, you should know that I believe it's okay to use canned or frozen foods, as long as the ingredients are just real food.  Because while I want to eat healthy, I also have a life.  I work, I serve, I play! I don't have time right now to grow everything fresh myself. The ingredients on the crushed tomatoes I buy are: crushed tomatoes, sea salt, citric acid, basil leaf, and oregano.  Read the labels! Know what you're putting in your belly.

Let's see what's on the menu!

Mama's Marinara

2 - 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 TBSP olive oil
1 small chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup fresh or frozen mixed peppers, chopped
1/2 cup red wine (optional)
1-2 TBSP Italian seasoning
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.  Add chopped onion.  Saute until onion is tender.
Add crushed garlic.  Saute another minute or two.
Add mixed peppers.  Saute until tender.
Stir in red wine, if using.  (I highly recommend using it.  It adds a great depth of flavor!)
Ad crushed tomatoes.
Add Italian seasoning.
Stir and simmer, stirring occasionally.  Simmer at least 30 minutes, but longer if possible.

Serve with Meatballs! for a winning combination.

More recipes I love:

Egg Roll Stir-Fry

Instant Pot barbacoa beef

Cheesecake

Dark chocolate mug cake

What are you eating this week?  Whatever it is... Keep it Clean!

Cheesecake

Dark chocolate mug cake

Cheesecake does it again!

Dessert for Easter was cheesecake!  And not just any cheesecake, but a no sugar, no flour cheesecake.  Until I told them, no one knew it was a healthier version of a family favorite.  It's really not hard to make and is so worth it! I've posted this before but just had to share again because it is THAT good!

Classic Cheesecake with Wheatless Crust
(from Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD)

CRUST
1-1/2 cups ground pecans
1/2 cup Sweetener, (I use monk fruit, you can sub any granulated sweetener equivalent to 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

6 TBPS unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

FILLING
16 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Sweetener (I use monk fruit sweetener, you can sub any granulated sweetener equivalent to 1/2 cup)
Dash of fine sea salt
3 large eggs
Juice of 1 small lemon and 1 TBSP grated lemon zest
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 F.
To make the crust, combine ground pecans, sweetener, and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Stir in the melted butter, egg, and vanilla, and mix thoroughly.

Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and 1-1/2 to 2 inches up the sides of a 10-inch pie pan.

To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sweetener, and salt in a bowl.  Using an electric mixer, beat at low speed to blend.  Beat in the eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla.  Beat at medium speed for 1 minute.

Pour the filling into the crust.  Bake until nearly firm in the center, about 50 minutes.  Cool the cheesecake on a rack.  Refrigerate to chill before serving.

Variations:  The filling can be modified in dozens of ways.  Try adding 1/2 cup cocoa powder and topping with shaved dark chocolate; or substitute lime juice and zest for the lemons; or top with berries, mint leaves, and whipped cream.