Monthly Menu Plan

      I've had a few questions about my menu plan from several people, so I decided that I would finally write a separate post about it.

      It's really important for me to make a monthly menu for several reasons.  Having a plan that you can divert from if necessary is easier than having no idea what to do and making a last minute bad decision.  I, also, do my grocery shopping every two weeks, though I usually get produce weekly.  You'd be surprised at how much money you can save for both of these reasons.  We don't eat out very often while I am trying to lose weight and we don't go out of town, except once or twice a year so that definitely helps save money and calories. 

Here's what this month looks like:

      I actually copied the template from a Pinterest idea.  A blogger mom makes a plan that looks similar to this for her family and I really liked how it maps out the day so I adapted it for my use.  My breakfasts and lunch are pretty much the same everyday, except of course for Fast Sundays.  Dinners, Monday through Thursday, are rotated every two weeks.  Fridays alternate between homemade Pizza and breakfast.  Saturday and Sundays are typical go to meals, recipes from my cookbooks, or Pinterest finds.  Other than dinners Monday through Thursday, everything in the menu is subject to change based on calories I'm going for, my mood, or holidays (this actually does include any holiday that lands on a day during the week, I just move the healthy meal to a weekend night).  Eating healthier meals during the week and not so healthy meals helps me maintain balance and not feel deprived.  I think it makes it easier on the rest of the family as well.  Ty definitely appreciates the Pizza nights!

      I'm sure you are curious about the healthy meals that I put on my menu so I decided to add the recipes on this post as well.  Something to keep in mind, Ty and I are both VERY picky eaters, so if we can keep eating it biweekly then you know it's got potential.  That being said, there are two meals he doesn't care for as much and he has decided those nights he's on his own. Other than that, he eats what I eat.  When I make dinners during the week, I always pair the chicken with brown rice and veggies.  Ty will have either white rice or potatoes and veggies, but it's not too hard to make either of those things in their instant forms.  I make my brown rice in bulk and reheat for meals, so it's easy enough to do that with white rice as well. Just add a little bit of water and nuke in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. 

      Okay, without further ado, here are the recipes I use Mondays through Thursdays.  I usually cut these in half because there's just the two of us adults and a toddler so we don't need as much, obviously.

Almond Chicken Kabobs 
*I actually don't do the almonds, so it ends up being more of a Honey Mustard Chicken, but still so good.
-1 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard
-1 Tbsp. Honey
-1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
-4 skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halves, cut into 1 inch halves
-1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds

Directions:
1.  In a medium bowl blend Dijon mustard, honey, oil, & lemon juice. Place chicken in the mixture, stir to coat. Cover & marinate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2.  Thread chicken on skewers. Grill for 7 to 10 (Broil: 6 minutes on top and bottom), until no longer pink inside & juices run clear.
3.  Remove skewers from heat & quickly roll in almonds to lightly coat.

Honey Chicken Kabobs
-1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-1/3 cup Honey
-1/3 cup Soy Sauce
-1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
-8 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halves, cut into 1 inch cubes
-2 Cloves garlic (I use minced)
-5 Small Onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
-2 Red Bell Peppers, cut into 1-2 inch pieces

Directions:
1.  In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, & pepper (& garlic if you do minced).  Place chicken, garlic (if not minced), onions, & peppers in the bowl & marinate for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours.
2.  Thread chicken & veggies alternately onto skewers.
3.  Grill for 12-15 minutes, until juices run clear.  Or broil 6 minutes on top and bottom.

Key West Grilled Chicken Kabobs
This was a Pinterest find that we added to our cycle.  The link has the full recipe.

Mozzarella Chicken
-1/2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-4 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halves
-1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
-1/2 tsp. Minced Garlic
-1/4 cup Minced Onion (*Can we just say this is really small diced? Cuz that's what it is. Haha.)
-1/2 cup Chicken Broth
-4 cups Spaghetti Sauce (Look for any kind that doesn't have sugar. I use the Classico brand.)
-1 cup Shredded Mozzarella

Directions:
1.  Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat.  Saute chicken for 4-5 minutes, on each side or until white.
2.  Add pepper, garlic, onion & broth.  Cover & simmer about 7-10 minutes, or until broth cooks off.
3.  Stir in spaghetti sauce, cover & simmer 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through & no longer pink inside.
4.  Sprinkle cheese on top, cover, & cook 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  Serve hot.

Garlic Lemon Chicken Kabobs *This is Ty's favorite of all the healthy recipes I make. 
-3 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Zest pf 1 Lemon
-3 Cloves Garlic, Minced or Pressed
-1 Tbsp. Minced Fresh Parsley, or 1 tsp. dried
-1 tsp. Kosher Salt
-1/2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
-1 lb. (or 4 Halves) Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts, cut into 3/4 to 1 inch pieces

Directions:
1.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, parsley, salt & pepper.  Add the chicken pieces to the bowl & mix to coat with the marinate.  Cover & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 2 hours, up to 8 hours.
2. Thread the chicken onto skewers.  Grill about 8-12 minutes, or broil for 6 minutes on top and bottom.

Chicken 21 *From an HCG meal plan cookbook.
-Chicken Breasts
-Kirkland Organic No-Salt
-Brown Rice Vinegar
-Kosher Salt

Directions:
      In a bowl, sprinkle the no-salt seasoning liberally over the chicken, making sure to coat both sides.  Add in a pinch of kosher salt per chicken breast, then drizzle brown rice vinegar down over the chicken, until the liquid begins to pool just a little bit.  You don't want the chicken submerged, but don't skimp.

      Cover the bowl and forget about it for a day or two.  (I only let it marinate for at least 30 minutes or a little more.)  Then grill, pan sear, or bake the chicken.

Mexican Chicken Kabobs
-2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-1 tsp. Ground Cumin
-2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Cilantro (or 1/2 Tbsp. dried)
-1 Lime, juiced
-Salt & Pepper, to taste
-2 Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast Halves, cut into 1 inch cubes
-1 Onion, cut into wedges & separated
-1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
-10 Cherry Tomatoes (optional, I never use)
-1 Small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch slices (optional, I never use)

Directions:

1.  In a shallow dish, mix together olive oil, cumin, cilantro, and lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add chicken, and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2.  Thread chicken & vegetables while oven or grill is preheating.
3.  Cook for approximately 10 minutes, or broil for 6 minutes on top and bottom. 

Chicken Provencal  *From an HCG meal plan cookbook.
-2 Chicken Breasts
-2 Cloves Garlic, minced
-2-3 Tbsp. Herbs de Provence

      Place the chicken breasts in a small glass baking dish, spread the garlic and sprinkle the Herbs de Provence over both sides of the chicken, then cover with foil.

      Bake in a 350°F oven for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
*This is one I actually do for Sundays, but it makes a lot for us and I'll freeze it and use it later for either another Sunday or during the week when needed.  It's also a great crockpot meal that I love. 
-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (About 1 pound) *I use Chicken breasts
-2 Cans (15 oz. each) Diced Tomatoes, undrained
-1 Can (4 oz.) Chopped Mild Green Chilies, drained
-1 Yellow Onion, diced
-2 Cloved Garlic, minced
-1/2 to 1 cup Chicken Broth
-1 tsp. Cumin
-Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
-4 Corn Tortillas, sliced into 1/4-inch strips *I omit this and just use the Multigrain chips from Costco.
-2 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Cilantro *or 1 Tbsp. dried
-1/2 cup Shredded Monterey Jack cheese *I use Mozzarella and only use 1/8 cup for each serving of mine.
-1 Avocado, seeded, peeled, diced and diced with lime juice to prevent browning *I omit this.
-Lime wedges

Directions:
1.  Place chicken in Crock-Pot.  Combine tomatoes with juice, chilies, onion, garlic, 1/2 cup chicken broth, and cumin in a small bowl.  Pour mixture over chicken.  Cover; cook on HIGH 3 hours, or until chicken is tender.
2.  Remove chicken from Crock-Pot.  Shred with 2 forks. Return to cooking liquid.  Adjust seasonings, adding more broth if necessary.
3.  Just before serving, add tortillas and cilantro to Crock-Pot.  Stir to blend.  Serve in soup bowls, topping each service with cheese, avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice.


*NOTE:  I use a George Foreman because we don't have a grill and the oven makes it the house so hot, though that comes in handy during the cold months.  When using the Foreman grill, I don't use skewers and just throw everything on it and it all works out great.  It also doesn't take as long to cook.  For the kabobs, I will grill them for about 5 minutes, flipping halfway.  The Chicken 21 and Provencal take 4 minutes, also flipping halfway.  Another side note, I will usually only marinate 30 minutes because I'm short on time and I just don't want to take the time.  It seems like it works out just fine, but you can decide how strong you want the flavor.

      These recipes are gluten free or can be made gluten free very easily.  I eat that way, though not exclusively, when my diet is where it should be.  It's hard, but doable if you have good recipes.   If you have any recipes to share with me, PLEASE DO.  It's always good to add good recipes to my repertoire.