Oh ambition! This is what I had planned for the week in no particular order with the exception of meal number one which was to be my nod to our annual Chinese New Year fare. The rest would use items from my freezer, which is nowhere near bare, but is not the overstuffed freezer it was at the beginning of the year. As per my usual week we did not have what was planned. Once again I went off course and let the day dictate my meal choice rather than the other way around
1. Asian crispy bbq chicken, cucumber salad, Chinese broccoli
2. Meatloaf, green beans, cauli mashers
3. Grilled scallops, tossed salad, some kind of green veggie, rolls (TheHub) keto rolls (me)
4. Chili, coleslaw, cornbread (TheHub) Keto cornbread (me)
5.Soup of some sort, salad, rolls or cracker (TheHub)
6. Grilled steak or hamburger patty, baked potato (TheHub) cauliflower "potato" salad (me) broccoli
7. Chicken in a mustard cream sauce, sautéed greens, sliced tomatoes
Monday: I veered off keto __again. The day got a little late and I opted for something quick and simple.
Impossible cheeseburger pie, green beans, tossed salad
Tuesday: Marie Kondo and I were friends during the morning clean out, followed by an appointment in the early afternoon. After that I finished shopping for Pip's Valentine box, ran by Mom's for her breathing, got home after 5, did a little more decluttering, then made a Chinese New Year dinner using boxed frozen egg rolls. I was off keto again and ate lackluster egg rolls? Next year it is back to ordering take-out from The Mandarin House
Orange chicken, rice, egg rolls
Wednesday: Frustration won, I gave up on even thinking about cooking and we went out to a new BBQ joint. I am very fortunate that TheHub would love to eat out every single night if money were not an object, so he never objects to going out or even ordering take-out. BTW bbq joints are pretty easy to go to on the keto diet. Yeah, back on the wagon!
Thursday: The day was beyond gorgeous and demanded we grill outside. I had originally planned on steak but I had a pork tenderloin in the freezer and would have to go shopping for a steak. Was not going to happen.
Grilled pork tenderloin, tossed salad, mashed potatoes (theHub) cauli mash (me) keto coconut pie
Friday: Kondofied the laundry room/studio. After working there all day I grabbed some frozen white bbq chicken out of the freezer. It was the easiest and quickest option, just not the tastiest.
White bbq chicken, coleslaw, rice (TheHub) cauli rice (me)
Saturday: Thursday I was wearing shorts and had the house completely open airing it out. By Friday I was still in shorts but wearing a sweater. Then along came Saturday and it was cold again.
Chili, (TheHub) coleslaw Chili w/o beans over cauli rice (me)
Sunday: TheHub and I woke butt early to a dreary day. He had to go into the office for a project happening this week. Son2 and DIL2 took Mom to hear The Glenn Miller Orchestra, out to eat and did her breathing treatment so I did not have to worry about her. (Thank you both. I know this was your Christmas gift to her, but it was a huge present for me and My Beloved Sister also) I used it for my personal spa morning. It will be spring soon and flip flop weather so I gave myself a much neglected pedicure. It is kind of amazing how a couple of months wearing socks and shoes changes the demands of personal care.
TheHub got home in the middle of the afternoon and we both were watching the golf tournament at Pebble Beach. I had ground chuck defrosted for a meatloaf, but sometime around 5:30 we both fell asleep on the couch. Oops! We both woke at about 6:30 and it was too late to start a meatloaf meal. Punt!
Smoked sausage with sautéed cabbage and onions, sliced tomatoes, cheddar bay biscuits (TheHub) keto version (me)
As I look back over the week I realize I had only one meal that was planned, major substitutes on the grilled meal, and 5 days of serious punting. I was looking back at my meal plans and this is the worst one yet, but I still managed to use a good deal of frozen foods. Even though it was mainly unplanned meals I am going to call all but Wednesday successful. Maybe I will not cave to the day the next time I have an unpleasant one, or maybe we will go eat smoked meat again.
Used from the freezer:
3 packs of ground chuck
1 pound smoked sausage
1 pack of bbq chicken breasts
1 box of egg rolls
8 ounce hunk of cheddar cheese
1 pack of cauli rice
1 serving cauli mashers.
Small pack frozen unsweetened coconut
From the pantry
1 container cheddar bay biscuit mix
1 pouch instant mashed potatoes (yes I keep those and use them when I have no real potatoes)
Additional seasonings, condiments, spices and coffee. Lots of coffee
And Looking ahead in no order with the exception of meatloaf for tonight.
1. Meatloaf (made and in the fridge waiting for some oven time), broccoli, hash browns (TheHub)
totally fake cauliflower "potato" salad (me), cucumber. onion and tomato salad
2. Something from the freezer (I forgot to label it but it is either pork roast or chicken in an herb sauce It is still frozen so I can't tell which it is.) over noodles (TheHub) cauli rice or zoodles (me) with some yet unnamed green vegetable.
3. Spaghetti with meat sauce (TheHub) over zoodles (me), tossed salad
4. Chicken Korma, basmati rice (TheHub) cauli rice (me) green beans, marinated cucumbers
5. Hot chicken salad, brussels sprouts, tossed salad, rolls (TheHub) keto "roll" (me)
6. Seared Scallops, mashed potatoes (TheHub) cauli mash (me), spring greens, green beans
7. Depending on weather either soup or salad. rolls (TheHub), fake roll (me)
I have had meatloaf on my plan for the past few weeks. Come Hell or high water we will have it tonight! The mystery pork or chicken is in the fridge thawing so I know for sure it will be eaten and I am cooking the spaghetti sauce, baking keto bread and keto rolls as I write this. I am not much of a gambler so I will say 3 meals for sure will actually be served. The rest? Time will tell!
1. Asian crispy bbq chicken, cucumber salad, Chinese broccoli
2. Meatloaf, green beans, cauli mashers
3. Grilled scallops, tossed salad, some kind of green veggie, rolls (TheHub) keto rolls (me)
4. Chili, coleslaw, cornbread (TheHub) Keto cornbread (me)
5.Soup of some sort, salad, rolls or cracker (TheHub)
6. Grilled steak or hamburger patty, baked potato (TheHub) cauliflower "potato" salad (me) broccoli
7. Chicken in a mustard cream sauce, sautéed greens, sliced tomatoes
Monday: I veered off keto __again. The day got a little late and I opted for something quick and simple.
Impossible cheeseburger pie, green beans, tossed salad
Tuesday: Marie Kondo and I were friends during the morning clean out, followed by an appointment in the early afternoon. After that I finished shopping for Pip's Valentine box, ran by Mom's for her breathing, got home after 5, did a little more decluttering, then made a Chinese New Year dinner using boxed frozen egg rolls. I was off keto again and ate lackluster egg rolls? Next year it is back to ordering take-out from The Mandarin House
Orange chicken, rice, egg rolls
Wednesday: Frustration won, I gave up on even thinking about cooking and we went out to a new BBQ joint. I am very fortunate that TheHub would love to eat out every single night if money were not an object, so he never objects to going out or even ordering take-out. BTW bbq joints are pretty easy to go to on the keto diet. Yeah, back on the wagon!
Thursday: The day was beyond gorgeous and demanded we grill outside. I had originally planned on steak but I had a pork tenderloin in the freezer and would have to go shopping for a steak. Was not going to happen.
Grilled pork tenderloin, tossed salad, mashed potatoes (theHub) cauli mash (me) keto coconut pie
Friday: Kondofied the laundry room/studio. After working there all day I grabbed some frozen white bbq chicken out of the freezer. It was the easiest and quickest option, just not the tastiest.
White bbq chicken, coleslaw, rice (TheHub) cauli rice (me)
Saturday: Thursday I was wearing shorts and had the house completely open airing it out. By Friday I was still in shorts but wearing a sweater. Then along came Saturday and it was cold again.
Chili, (TheHub) coleslaw Chili w/o beans over cauli rice (me)
Sunday: TheHub and I woke butt early to a dreary day. He had to go into the office for a project happening this week. Son2 and DIL2 took Mom to hear The Glenn Miller Orchestra, out to eat and did her breathing treatment so I did not have to worry about her. (Thank you both. I know this was your Christmas gift to her, but it was a huge present for me and My Beloved Sister also) I used it for my personal spa morning. It will be spring soon and flip flop weather so I gave myself a much neglected pedicure. It is kind of amazing how a couple of months wearing socks and shoes changes the demands of personal care.
TheHub got home in the middle of the afternoon and we both were watching the golf tournament at Pebble Beach. I had ground chuck defrosted for a meatloaf, but sometime around 5:30 we both fell asleep on the couch. Oops! We both woke at about 6:30 and it was too late to start a meatloaf meal. Punt!
Smoked sausage with sautéed cabbage and onions, sliced tomatoes, cheddar bay biscuits (TheHub) keto version (me)
As I look back over the week I realize I had only one meal that was planned, major substitutes on the grilled meal, and 5 days of serious punting. I was looking back at my meal plans and this is the worst one yet, but I still managed to use a good deal of frozen foods. Even though it was mainly unplanned meals I am going to call all but Wednesday successful. Maybe I will not cave to the day the next time I have an unpleasant one, or maybe we will go eat smoked meat again.
Used from the freezer:
3 packs of ground chuck
1 pound smoked sausage
1 pack of bbq chicken breasts
1 box of egg rolls
8 ounce hunk of cheddar cheese
1 pack of cauli rice
1 serving cauli mashers.
Small pack frozen unsweetened coconut
From the pantry
1 container cheddar bay biscuit mix
1 pouch instant mashed potatoes (yes I keep those and use them when I have no real potatoes)
Additional seasonings, condiments, spices and coffee. Lots of coffee
And Looking ahead in no order with the exception of meatloaf for tonight.
1. Meatloaf (made and in the fridge waiting for some oven time), broccoli, hash browns (TheHub)
totally fake cauliflower "potato" salad (me), cucumber. onion and tomato salad
2. Something from the freezer (I forgot to label it but it is either pork roast or chicken in an herb sauce It is still frozen so I can't tell which it is.) over noodles (TheHub) cauli rice or zoodles (me) with some yet unnamed green vegetable.
3. Spaghetti with meat sauce (TheHub) over zoodles (me), tossed salad
4. Chicken Korma, basmati rice (TheHub) cauli rice (me) green beans, marinated cucumbers
5. Hot chicken salad, brussels sprouts, tossed salad, rolls (TheHub) keto "roll" (me)
6. Seared Scallops, mashed potatoes (TheHub) cauli mash (me), spring greens, green beans
7. Depending on weather either soup or salad. rolls (TheHub), fake roll (me)
I have had meatloaf on my plan for the past few weeks. Come Hell or high water we will have it tonight! The mystery pork or chicken is in the fridge thawing so I know for sure it will be eaten and I am cooking the spaghetti sauce, baking keto bread and keto rolls as I write this. I am not much of a gambler so I will say 3 meals for sure will actually be served. The rest? Time will tell!
My husband would be perfectly happy to eat out every meal. However after a while, that can be hard on the waist and purse. What is white BBQ chicken? Sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt is an Alabama thing. I made it this summer and had ketofied the recipe by using Swerve instead of sugar. Years ago I posted the recipe. You can find it here https://newhappeningsatthetable.blogspot.com/2014/06/white-b-b-q-chickenits-southern-thing.html
DeleteThanks, I had forgotten about that. I was thinking BBQ meant some kind of white sauce.
DeleteIt is about the sauce. It is a mayo based sauce instead of a red or mustard sauce.
DeleteI would always vote for going out for smoked meats! lolz
ReplyDeleteIt is a very real possibility! I hate having to hold my tongue here!
ReplyDeleteThe important thing is, you have a good idea of what meal possibilities there are and you have the option of changing the plan! That element of surprise (have what was planned or opt for something else?) keeps it interesting and fun, I think. I love the fact that, even if you aren't able to cook the meal you planned, you are still able to come up with something for dinner and that going out for a meal is a good alternative, too, I think. Looking forward to seeing what actually happens this week! :D
ReplyDeleteI am always amazed at how far off my plan I can go. Evidently I have no limits when it comes to disregarding whatever I intended.
DeleteI hope you will make meatloaf for the dinner tonight! :)
ReplyDeleteWe did have the meatloaf! 'Bout time!
DeleteYou really need a cauliflower farm of your own.
ReplyDeleteGood luck this week. I should add that I have green eyes on the eating out front. My partner loathes it. I think we ate out twice last year. Or maybe once. He is not a lot better on takeaway either.
I do eat a ton of cauliflower, mainly because it is pretty inexpensive here right now. As summer gets nearer I will transition to zucchini.
DeleteI love to eat out. Why cook for one person? I pick a place where the servers know me and give me hugs when I arrive. Then I read a book while I eat.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I would never cook for just me and if I didn't eat out I am pretty sure I would eat pickles or something similar and call it a meal.
DeleteIt has been brought to my attention that I hardly ever report eating raw vegetables. They're right. I don't eat many. When I DO go out to eat, which is rare, I eat salads because I try very hard not to veer off my low carb diet. And I do eat more salads in Summer, but not that many. I guess I just find it easier to enjoy my veggies cooked in a variety of recipes, and I do cook for myself. I couldn't afford to eat out, but cooking can be very time consuming. I admire how well you are able to stick to your diet. You also cook for your husband, who is not keto, and you lead an extremely busy life. It is amazing that you are able to do this at all. Having a meal plan must be advantageous for you, because it is working.
ReplyDeleteI will confess I am at a weight loss stall, so I went off of it for a few days just because. Now I am struggling to return to it but I know it is what and how I need to eat. I thought I would do a 36 hour fast beginning with last night's dinner. Fortunately TheHub found out yesterday he need to go to dinner tonight with a business associate, so I don't need to cook at all. It makes it much easier for me.
DeleteI can rarely stick to a meal plan. I just pull out meats and then have them in the freezer and go from there.
ReplyDeleteThat is really what I do. I plan, take the stuff out og the freezer and then go free falling.
DeleteI'll NEVER say no to a BBQ joint. Ever. Love that stuff! :-)
ReplyDeleteWe took a friend who live in Manhattan to one of our favorite dive joints and told him if you walk in a place and don't smell the hickory from the pit you are not in a real BBQ place. He had never been in a place like that and agreed that the smoked stuff beats any other bbq hands down..
DeleteChinese broccoli is a variety I buy at the Asian market near me. It is similar in appearance to broccoli rabe, but slightly less bitter. I steam it then saute it in a pan with a little olive oil, garlic and dark sesame oil
ReplyDeleteI think I would eventually get sick of eating out but I'd like to find out how long it takes!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind eating out as long as I am already dressed for going out. I hate to have to do hair and makeup just to go eat.
Delete