Thanksgiving 2011 Menu Plan

I like to share my holiday menu plan for two reasons. One, it might help others who are making their holiday menu. And two, I love looking back at previous holidays to see what we've served. Once again this year, I'll be sharing cooking duties with my mother-in-law.

Roast Turkey
Mashed Potatoes/Cauliflower*
Gravy
Dressing (or stuffing, as I like to call it, even though it won't be stuffed in the bird)*
Broccoli-Cauliflower Salad
Fresh Green Salad with Walnuts & Cranberries*
Rolls
Sweet Potato Pie*

* Dishes that I'll be preparing

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

We were on family vacation last and had a great time! But back to "normal" life and menu planning. Some of our main proteins may change, depending on what I find at the store.


Monday - grilled chicken, brown rice, steamed veggies

Tuesday - turkey burgers with lettuce, onion, pickle, tomatoes on wheat bread, side salad

Wednesday - grilled steak with grilled onions & green peppers, bulgur

Thursday - make-your-own pizza on grilled flatbreads, side salad

Friday - grilled chicken, whole wheat spaghetti with marinara sauce, sauteed veggies

Saturday - attending a carry-in dinner

Sunday - large salad with leftover grilled meat


Don't forget to follow the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge on my main blog, Not a DIY Life.

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

I'm a little behind on menu planning due to the holiday.


Monday - grilled steak, orzo salad, fruit salad (nice, easy cookout food!)

Tuesday - grilled chicken, whole wheat pasta, grilled veggies

Wednesday - oat pancakes (made on the griddle plate of my George Foreman grill), veggie/egg scrambles

Thursday - chicken paninis or wraps (depending on when I can get to the store), side salad

Friday - grilled turkey burgers, served on bed of lettuce with cooked bulgur

Saturday - church cookout (I'll take a healthy veggie or fruit side dish to share)


Don't forget to check out my progress in the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge!

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

It's week 7! I didn't do a thorough menu plan last week, since I was out of town for a few days. But Hubs and Ladybug enjoyed using the grill in my absence. Here's this week's plan:

Monday: grilled chicken, tomato/zucchini salad tossed with olive oil & vinegar, bulgur
Tuesday: grilled pork loin, grilled sweet potatoes, side salad
Wednesday: grilled turkey burgers on a bed of spinach w/ tomato, onion & dill pickle slices, polenta
Thursday: Brinner: veggie/cheese egg scrambles, whole wheat biscuits with 100% fruit spread
Friday: make your own pizzas on grilled flatbreads, side salad
Saturday: grilled chicken, whole wheat pasta tossed w/ olive oil & Parmesan cheese, steamed veggies
Sunday: grilled salmon patties on a bed of spinach, steamed veggies, quinoa

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

It's week 6 for the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge.  Breakfasts will remain the same, lunches will be leftovers or large salads with grilled protein.

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It aka leftovers)
Monday - grilled turkey burgers, sweet potato fries, salad
Tuesday - grilled pork chops, bulgur, grilled or sauteed veggies, grilled apples
Wednesday - grilled chicken, whole wheat pasta, steamed veggies
Thursday - grilled paninis, salad
Friday - grilled salmon patties, quinoa, steamed veggies
Saturday - Brinner: veggie egg scrambles, biscuits
Sunday - FIFI

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan Week 5

We're heading into Week 5 of the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. It's been so hot here - it's great to be able to use the grill and not heat up my kitchen!

Monday - grilled turkey tenderloin, whole wheat pasta, sauteed veggies
Tuesday - Brinner: veggie/egg scrambles, biscuits
Wednesday - Brown bag dinner: grilled turkey salad
Thursday - grilled steak tips, grilled veggies, polenta
Friday - grilled turkey burgers, carrot sticks, cucumber slices
Saturday - grilled chicken breasts, grilled veggies, whole grain rice
Sunday - grilled pork chops, grilled corn on the cob, side salad

Don't forget to check out my main blog for continued updates on the Knock Out the Fat Challenge!

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

This is my dinner menu plan for the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge for week 4. My breakfasts and lunches will be similar to what I posted last week. Same rotation of breakfast choices, and either leftovers or salad for lunch.

Monday - grilled turkey burgers, grilled zucchini, whole wheat pasta with other assorted veggies
Tuesday - grilled chicken breasts, bulgar, tomato/cucumber salad
Wednesday - Brown Bag dinner (leftovers, plus a side salad)
Thursday - grilled tuna patties, whole grain rice, grilled veggies
Friday - grilled steak tips, grilled corn, grilled veggies
Saturday - Brinner: veggie egg scrambles, biscuits
Sunday - grilled steak salad with grilled toast

Check out my week 3 update for the Knock Out the Fat Challenge over on my main blog. 

Grilled Flatbread

I love experimenting in the kitchen. Now, as part of the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge, I have a new George Foreman grill to add to the fun. This past week, we were having friends over for dinner and we decided to make personal pizzas.

I used my regular pizza dough recipe in the bread machine. After the first rise, I took the dough out and kneaded it a few turns. Then split it into 8 pieces. I rolled each piece into a somewhat circle and allowed to rest/rise for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, I preheated the George Foreman grill to High. I grilled the dough one at a time after brushing a little bit of olive oil on each side. Each flatbread took 4-5 minutes because they cooked from both sides at once.

Then we added our own toppings and finished them off in a 425 degree oven for about 5 minutes.


Check out my main blog for more about the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge.

Disclosure: I am one of 10 Brand Ambassadors in the George Foreman Knock out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. I was sent a George Foreman Grill for my participation in this challenge and will be compensated for my time at the end of the 90 day challenge. HOWEVER, ALL opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own.

Knock Out the Fat Menu Plan

This is week 3 of the George Foreman Knock Out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. If you follow my main blog, I've mentioned the challenge over there. But that is why I haven't posted a new menu plan here recently.  As part of the challenge, I've received a custom menu plan from Alsya (@inspiredrd) for the first two weeks. Now, as week 3 begins, it's my job to plan my own menu based on what I'm learning from her.

One of the requirements of the challenge is to utilize my new George Foreman grill at least five times a week.  It has 2 interchangeable plates, including a grill plate and a bake plate. I can make pancakes on the bake plate, and that's one thing I'll be trying this week.

Here's my plan for this week:

Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 T PB, ½ cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 egg

Snack: 2 T dried fruit, 12 almonds

Lunch: 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 T hummus, 2 oz tuna, dill pickles, lettuce, 1 c. raw veggies on the side, 1 small apple

Snack: 6 oz Greek yogurt, ¾ cup blueberries, 1 T sliced almonds

Dinner: 3 oz grilled nitrate-free chicken sausage, ½ cup grilled veggies, side salad, 2/3 cup cooked bulgar, 1.5 tsp butter

Snack: 1 cup celery sticks, 1 ½ tsp PB

Breakfast:  6 oz Greek yogurt, 1 cup strawberries, 1/3 cup homemade granola

Snack: 1 peach, 6 cashews

Lunch:  Salad: salad greens, 1 cup chopped veggies, 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 oz cheese, ¼ cup salsa, 1 slice whole wheat bread w/ 1.5 tsp butter

Snack: 6 oz Greek yogurt, 1.5 tsp PB, 1 small banana

Dinner: 3 oz grilled steak, 1 cup grilled veggies, 2/3 cup brown rice w/ 1.5 tsp butter

Snack:  1 cup carrot sticks, 1 T hummus

Breakfast: 2 slices whole wheat toast w/ 1.5 tsp butter, 1 egg, 1 small banana

Snack: 2 T raisins, 20 peanuts

Lunch: Large salad w/ 2 oz leftover steak w/ extra veggies, ¼ cup salsa, ½ cup corn, olive oil/lemon juice for dressing

Snack: 6 oz Greek yogurt, ¾ cup blueberries, 1 T sliced almonds

Dinner: 3 oz grilled chicken, 2/3 cup whole wheat pasta, 1 cup grilled veggies, 1 oz feta cheese

Snack:  1 cup sliced cucumber, 16 pistachios

Breakfast: oatmeal pancake w/ 1 .5 tsp PB, 1 cup strawberries

Snack:  1 small banana, 1 T PB

Lunch: 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 T hummus, 2 oz leftover chicken, lettuce, pickle, tomato, 1 peach

Snack: 6 oz Greek yogurt, 1 small apple chopped, 1.5 tsp PB

Dinner: grilled salmon patties (2 meat, 1 starch exchange), 1 oz low fat Colby, 1/3 cup quinoa, 1 cup sautéed veggies w/ 1.5 tsp olive oil

Snack: 1 cup carrot sticks, 1 T hummus

Breakfast: repeat Breakfast #1

Snack: 2 T dried fruit, 12 almonds

Lunch: open-face salmon patty sandwich, 1 T hummus, side salad, 1 cup strawberries

Snack: 6 oz Greek yogurt, 1 peach, 1 T sliced almonds

Dinner: Steak/Veggie kabobs (if I can find skewers!), 2/3 cup bulgar, 1.5 tsp butter

Snack: 1 cup celery sticks, 1.5 tsp PB

Breakfast: repeat Breakfast #2

Snack: 17 grapes, 32 pistachios

Lunch: grilled tuna melt – 2 slices whole wheat bread, 2 oz tuna mixed w/ 1 T. hummus, 1 oz low fat Colby, spinach, 1 cup carrot sticks, 1 small apple

Snack: ½ cup fruit salad, 1 T sunflower seeds

Dinner: 2 oat pancakes w/ 1.5 tsp PB, 2 eggs scrambled with 1 cup chopped veggies & 1 oz cheese

Snack: 1 cup sliced cucumber, 1 T hummus

Breakfast: repeat Breakfast #3

Snack: 1 cup cubed cantaloupe, 32 pistachios

Lunch: Large spinach salad w/ 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 cup strawberries, 1 oz shaved parmesan cheese, chopped onion, olive oil/lemon juice for dressing, 4 crispbread crackers

Snack: 3 dates,  1 T pine nuts

Dinner: Tacos – 2 whole wheat tortillas, 3 oz seasoned ground turkey, 1 oz low fat cheese, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes & onions, salsa. Small side salad

Snack: 1 cup broccoli, 1 T hummus

Disclosure: I am one of 10 Brand Ambassadors in the George Foreman Knock out the Fat Weight Loss Challenge. I was sent a George Foreman Grill for my participation in this challenge and will be compensated for my time at the end of the 90 day challenge. HOWEVER, ALL opinions expressed in this post are 100% my own. 

Menu Plan 4/24

My garden will have a good amount of lettuce & spinach to harvest this week. My other veggies are coming along nicely, and the local farmer's market opens soon - can't wait!


Sunday - Easter dinner was pork BBQ sandwiches, broccoli salad, cole slaw & strawberry pie for dessert

Monday - stir fry with leftover pork, lots of veggies, brown rice

Tuesday - Brinner - oat pancakes & veggie/egg scrambles

Wednesday - dinner at church

Thursday - baked chicken with pasta & veggies

Friday - dinner with friends

Saturday - grilled steak salads with grilled toast

Pumpkin Waffles

We're on a roll with Breakfast for Dinner (Brinner) lately.  Here's another favorite recipe.



Pumpkin Waffles

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cane sugar
2 T ground flax
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t ground cloves
4 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup pure pumpkin
6 T melted butter

Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, beat eggs then add buttermilk, pumpkin and melted butter. Whisk until combined thoroughly. 

Make waffles according to your waffle maker's manufacturer instructions. 


I have a Belgian waffle maker and this recipe makes 8 large waffles for me. The following nutritional information is based on 8 servings.


Calories - 335
Total Fat - 12 g
Total Carbs - 48 g
Dietary Fiber - 5 g
Sugars - 9 g
Protein - 11 g

Menu Plan 4/17

A busy week leading up to Easter....

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Monday - steak salads

Tuesday - pumpkin waffles, eggs to order, fruit salad

Wednesday - baked chicken & rice, roasted veggies

Thursday - salmon patties, barley, steamed veggies

Friday - steak fajitas

Saturday - veggie soup, bruschetta

Menu Plan 4/10

My garden is producing enough lettuce for fresh salad greens every day! Since our daughter doesn't like salads, I'll still have a steamed veggie with most meals.


Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It) aka leftovers

Monday - Italian chicken, garden salad, brown rice

Tuesday -egg/bacon/veggie burritos, fruit salad

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - grilled steak salads with grilled Texas toast

Friday - Dill & Lemon salmon fillets, pasta, garden salad

Saturday - Asian Chicken and Slaw with orzo pasta on the side

Menu Plan 4/3

Sunday - open face hamburgers, grilled onions, steamed veggies

Monday - spaghetti and meatballs, steamed veggies, salad

Tuesday - Crustless Cheese Quiche, Anytime Bran Muffins, fruit salad

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - Vegetable soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Friday - grilled chicken wraps, salad

Saturday - steak stir fry with lots of veggies, served over brown rice

Crustless Cheese Quiche

adapted from a Taste of Home recipe

2 cups small curd cottage cheese
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1-10 oz pkg of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup chopped, cooked veggies of your choice (I like broccoli)
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
chopped tomatoes for garnish

In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to the cheese mixture and mix well. Transfer to a greased 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees for 30 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Garnish with tomatoes.

Yield: 8 servings
Nutritional Info (per serving):
255 calories, 15 g total fat, 10 g total carbs, 19 g protein
Nutritional exchanges: 1 starch, 2 high fat meat

Menu PLan 3/27

Sunday - Find It, Fix It (cleaning up leftovers)

Monday - grilled steak, baked potatoes, steamed veggies

Tuesday - Brinner: Crockpot Apple Oatmeal, eggs-made-to-order

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - grilled chicken, brown rice, salad (need to keep it simple & easy because we have music practice)

Friday - salmon patties, pasta, steamed veggies

Saturday - grilled steak, quinoa pilaf, side salad

Taco Seasoning

Homemade taco seasoning is easy-peasy! It has indredients that I can pronounce, and it takes no time at all. You can adjust the hotness to your taste. A half teaspoon of red pepper flakes is a little hot for me, but Hubby likes it. I may tweak that next time. Enjoy!


Taco Seasoning


2 tsp instant minced onion
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp instant minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Add to ground beef with 1/2 cup water, stir, cover & allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Menu Plan 3/20

Sunday - hamburgers, sauteed onions, collards & cabbage

Monday - chicken, pasta, steamed veggies

Tuesday - Brinner! veggie egg scrambles, skillet hash browns

Wednesday - grilled chicken salad

Thursday - Heather's meatloaf, baked potatoes, steamed veggies

Friday - Healthier Chicken Parmesan, steamed veggies

Saturday - baked salmon, quinoa, steamed veggies

Menu Plan 3/13

Sunday - Find It, Fix It (aka leftovers)

Monday - baked chicken and potatoes, steamed cabbage

Tuesday - Brinner: Raisin Bread French Toast, eggs, bacon, cooked apples

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - steak fajitas on homemade tortillas with lots of veggies

Friday - Hubby & I have a date night - woot!

Saturday - ground turkey soft tacos on leftover tortillas, plenty of veggie toppings

Menu Plan 3/6

Sunday - homemade pizzas on flour tortillas, salad - Oops, didn't have any pizza sauce so we make steak fajitas instead

Monday - grilled steak salads

Tuesday - brinner: veggie/egg scrambles, whole wheat toast

Wednesday - (no kids program at church due to Ash Wednesday) homemade mac n cheese, steamed veggies

Thursday  - oven roasted chicken & potatoes, steamed veggies

Friday - Italian burgers, apple & carrot salad

Saturday - broccoli cheddar soup, grilled bruschetta

Menu Plan 2/27

Wow, a whole week of uninterrupted menus!


Sunday - freezer night, plus a salad

Monday - grilled steak, whole grain rice, sauteed veggies

Tuesday - Salmon Cheese casserole, barley, steamed veggies

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday -Italian style chicken breasts, steamed veggies, pasta

Friday - foil packet ocean perch with veggies, baked potatoes

Saturday - grilled steak salads

Menu Plan 2/20

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It), there are plenty of leftovers

Monday - chicken stir fry served with brown rice

Tuesday - Breakfast for dinner - Cheese & Veggie Scramble, whole wheat toast, fresh fruit

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group, I'm making Savory Slow Cooker Chicken for the main dish

Thursday - Saturday - I"ll be attending the NC Mom Blogging Conference at Ocean Isle Inn

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

The first time I attempted to make homemade pita bread was a failure.  They tasted great, but there was no pocket in the middle.  I wanted to try again, but was a little gun-shy.  Finally, I decided to try again.

These turned out great!  I don't remember exactly what I did the first time, but I think I had the oven hotter for this second attempt.  Plus, I kept them warm like I do with homemade tortillas, with a warm, damp towel.

Now that I have mastered the technique, I'm going to experiment with different flavors. First up, rosemary & garlic!

Whole Wheat Pita Bread (for the bread machine)

1 1/4 cups warm water
1 Tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup gluten*
1 1/2 tsp yeast

Add ingredients to your bread machine pan in the order recommended by the manufacturer.  Set on Dough setting.

After the dough has finished, use floured hands to punch dough down and turn out onto floured surface. Lightly dust with flour. Using a sharp knife, cut into 8 equal pieces and roll into balls.  Flatten each dough ball and roll into a 6 or 7 inch round. Lay the rounds on a floured surface and cover with a towel.  Allow to rest for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 500 degrees. Lay a metal cookie cooling rack over the oven rack; you will bake the pitas on the rack.

Bake two pitas at a time for 4-5 minutes.  You don't not want to overbake, as they will get brittle. Remove from oven, cover with a warm, damp towel so they will soften & stay warm while you are baking the others.

Cut pita rounds in half and open the inside pocket.  Fill with whatever sandwich fixin's you have!

* If you don't gluten, you can use whole wheat pastry flour or a combination of half whole wheat/half all purpose flour.  Gluten helps to soften the whole wheat texture and the result is a less dense bread.

Don't forget to visit my main blog, Not a DIY Life, to follow my journey of healthy living!

Cabbage Sloppy Joes

This has become a family favorite.  We served it open-face style with a slice of cheddar cheese and a dill pickle. 


Cabbage Sloppy Joes
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
3 T brown sugar
2 T lemon juice
1 T vinegar
1 T mustard
1 t salt

Brown ground beef in large skillet with onion, green pepper, and cabbage. When thoroughly browned, added remaining ingredients. Simmer on medium low for 10 minutes.

Number of Servings: 6
Nutritional Info:
Calories 266; Fat 16 grams; Total Carbs 19 gram; Fiber 2 grams; Protein 15 grams
Exchanges: 1 Starch, 2 Medium-Fat Meat, 1 Vegetable

Menu Plan 2/13

I didn't realize what a crazy week this is going to be until I sat down to menu plan ...


Sunday - going to a friend's for dinner

Monday - Savory Slow Cooker Chicken, barley, side salad

Tuesday - Three-Grain Flapjacks topped with cooked apples, sausage

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group, I'm taking Hot Fruit Salad & Crockpot Granola to share as dessert

Thursday - grilled chicken salads

Friday - I'm running an evening 5k, so I'll have a green smoothie as my pre-race meal.  Family will be eating with the in-laws.

Saturday - pork & veggie stir fry, whole grain rice

Savory Slow Cooker Chicken

from the Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook

2 1/2 lbs chicken pieces, skinned
1 lb. fresh tomatoes, chopped or 15-oz. can stewed tomatoes
2 Tbsp. white wine
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

1. Combine all ingredients except broccoli in slow cooker.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 8-10 hours.
3. Add broccoli 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-5 quart

Per serving:
Calories - 230, Total Fat - 7g; Sodium - 427mg, Carbs - 3g, Sugars - 7g, Protein - 30g

Exchange list values: Vegetable 2, Meat, lean, 3

Menu Plan 1/16

Lots of extra activities this week!

Sunday - dinner at the in-laws

Monday - open-face hamburgers, steamed veggies

Tuesday - Brinner!

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - pasta & veggies for the girl-child, Hubby & I will eat at a wedding rehearsal dinner

Friday - wedding & wedding reception food

Saturday - veggie lasagna, salad

Menu Plan 1/9

Sunday - FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Monday - chicken and veggie stir fry, brown rice

Tuesday - pasta, steamed veggies

Wednesday - dinner at church/small group

Thursday - Brinner! (Why is breakfast for dinner so exciting?)

Friday - soup and salad

Saturday - baked chicken, quinoa pilaf, steamed veggies

Menu Plan 1/2

The holidays are over, time to get back to "normal!"

Sunday - turkey/barley soup, assorted leftovers

Monday - Thanksgiving in a Crockpot, collards

Tuesday -salad, FIFI (Find It, Fix It)

Wednesday - Brinner (breakfast for dinner)

Thursday - grilled cheese sandwiches, veggies

Friday - church staff party

Saturday - veggie stir fry with brown rice