Month of dinners!

I did it!  I made a dinner menu for a month, and did a months worth of grocery shopping.  It wasn't as easy as I hoped, but it also wasn't tooooo terrible.  I think the hardest part was coming up with enough meal ideas, without repeating too often. That, and making sure I bought enough of stuff.  But that I will probably have to learn as I go.  We'll see what I run short of this month, and then I will know for next month.  

I tried everything I could think of to get my calendar from Microsoft word, saved as a picture to upload here, and this is the best I could do, which isn't very good, because you can barely see anything!  I have dinner listed on every day, and the days when we will be away for dinner or out of town, have that listed. I put "leftovers" on most Tuesday's because that is a hectic night around here.  I work, and have a class after, and Andrew has Scouts, so it'll be less stressful on me not to have to prepare a dinner from scratch.  Anyhow, if anyone wants a copy that they can read, let me know!

Last night was Chicken Taco Salad.  I defrosted 5 chicken breasts, sprinkled them with Cayenne, Cummin, Onion powder, and minced garlic, put them in a pyrex dish, poured a little green enchilada sauce in it, covered it, and baked them for an hour at 350.  Perfect.  Still moist and juicy, and shredded with ease.  I made 5 because later this week we are having chicken tacos, so I can use the rest for that.

I decided to get fancy, and make taco bowls.  I used whole wheat tortillas , put a little olive oil on them, and placed them into little mini cake pans that I have.  I baked them for about 7 or so minutes at 425.

Once they were done I loaded them up with Chopped lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, olives, shredded chicken, and topped with cheese. Viola!

I completely forgot (again) to take a picture of yesterday's lunch.  But I do have Monday's, and today's.  

Pumpkin Whole Wheat Waffles* with cream cheese and cinnamon spread, mandarin oranges, trailmix, baybel cheese, and sugar free rice pudding.

Whole wheat tortilla wrap with scrambled egg, ham, and cheese, cottage cheese and strawberries, and TJ Veggie chips.

Not pictured is yesterdays PB banana in whole wheat wrap, snap peas, Annie's Cinnamon Graham Bunnies, and string cheese.

I am forcing fall around here, 90 degrees outside or not.  So along with putting out all my fall scents and some fall decor, I also made Oatmeal Pumpkin Spice Bread.  Here is the link to the original recipe

http://www.fitsugar.com/Oatmeal-Pumpkin-Spice-Bread-Recipe-22071355

Here is the recipe with my changes :

Oatmeal Pumpkin Spice Bread

Adapted from Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bread recipe [1]

Ingredients

1 can of organic puréed pumpkin
4 eggs
2/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup water
2 cups whole wheat flour

1/3 cup ground flax seed

1 cup organic rolled oats (save 1 teaspoon for sprinkling on top)
1 1/2 cups splenda
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly apply cooking spray to two loaf pans.
3. Place the pumpkin, eggs, oil, applesauce, and water in a large mixing bowl. Blend it together using a hand mixer until creamy.
4. Mix the flour, flax seed, oats,splenda, baking soda, and spices in a smaller mixing bowl.
5. Add the dry ingredients into the wet, and using a spoon, mix thoroughly until smooth. Pour half the batter into each greased pan. Sprinkle the tops with rolled oats.
6. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry. Allow to cool in the pans before removing.
Makes two loaves, 16 servings

I warmed up a few slices this morning and spread some cream cheese on top, it was a hit.

Ok, I think that about does it!  Happy Humpday!  Get your workout on, it's not too late to make this THE week it happens!


* Pumpkin Whole-Wheat Waffles

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 ¾ cups milk
• ¼ cup oil 
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s organic whole-wheat flour)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat your waffle iron. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, oil, honey, cinnamon, and baking soda until well combined.  Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk together just until the large lumps disappear.
When the waffle iron is hot, dab it with a little butter and then ladle some batter onto the center of the iron. Follow the instructions that came with your waffle maker to know how long it should be cooked (mine takes about 3 – 4 minutes each).