Happy Menu Monday!

Yesterday was spent at an NHL hockey game (MN Wild vs. the Boston Bruins) with my husband and "L".  Lily, stayed with my niece for the afternoon.  It was nice for the 3 of us to spend some time together, and probably a good little break for "L".  We were in a private box. There was food.  It was good tasting food - it was NOT good for you food.  I ate potato chips with homemade dips, nachos with chili/cheese, a small little beef brisket sandwich, and a few bites of red potato salad.  Oh yeah, and I might have had some wine too.  I should NOT have eaten that many chips.  I'm likely in for a gain this week given those stupid chips, but they tasted so dang good at the time. 

Live and move on... this is not a journey of perfection.  It is a journey of real life.  I live in a real world where hockey games with food happen.  So the rest of the week I need to make about more veggies, fruits, and lean proteins.  Things that Weight Watchers calls, "Power Foods". 

This menu is made on Friday nights, and I actually grocery shop on Saturday mornings, so I'm a little off with a few of these... mostly the baked buffalo chicken pasta, but I will work with what I have.  The Sante Fe Wraps are made with black bean burgers and lots of veggies, and I will skip the chips, and the sesame stir fry is a perfect Power Foods meal.  I will work with what I have, and modify where I can this week to undo as much damage before weigh in on Thursday that I can.

I made my choice today... now I live with it.

Pioneer Woman's Meatloaf, Steamed Broccoli, Potato Pancakes, Ann's Fruity Fluff Pie
Naan Bread Pizzas
Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Chicken Baseballs, Sweet Potatoes
Sante Fe Vegetarian Wraps, Chips/Homemade Salsa - Recipe Below
Sesame Shrimp Stir fry with rice


Sante Fe Vegetarian Wraps
6 Points+ each (if you use 3 point tortillas)

4 Flour Tortillas - my tortillas are 3 Points+ each
4 Morningstar Farms Black Bean Burgers - 1 package
2 tsps olive oil
1 sliced green pepper
1 sliced red pepper
1/2 sliced red onion
Guacamole, Salsa, and Sour Cream as desired - add the points, for whatever you add

Saute Peppers and Onions in olive oil, over medium high heat.  Top each tortilla with a heated burger - cut in half, the peppers/onions mixture, and guacamole, salsa, and sour cream as desired.

This is a delicious meal that you can throw together in 10-15 minutes, depending on how fast you can chop.

What's on your menu this week?
How do you recover from a "diet" mistake?

Happy Monday!

I wanted to let you know that you can now "like" Fat Little Leg on facebook!  All of my blog posts should then show up in your feed... or at least that's the idea.  Stick with me while I figure all of this out over the next few weeks.

Anyways... on to the task at hand.  What's for dinner this week!

We've passed the middle point of January, and in my mind that means hopefully only a couple more months left of winter.  Yes... sometimes I wonder why I live in Minnesota.  I am not a lover of winter that's for sure.  Looks like we'll have a little freezing rain covered with an inch or so of snow this morning.  FUN!  Has me thinking comfort food, and the Skinny Salisbury Steak with mashed potatoes below is perfect comfort food!  2 thumbs up on that one from my family!

Oh, and I almost forgot... look who's sitting in her new high chair, joining us at the table now

Peanut in her new high chair!

Nope... she's not "eating" anything yet, for now she's just practicing sitting, and we are practicing getting 2 hands back to eat with!
Skinny Salisbury Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Peas
Rachel Ray's Fire Roasted Cheese Enchiladas - lightened... recipe below
Chicken BLT Panini - new recipe I'm trying, review will be forthcoming and Caprese Pasta Salad
Pancakes for Dinner
Sweet and Spicy Cashew Chicken, Rice

What's on your menu this week?  What's your favorite comfort food.

Fire Roasted Cheese Enchiladas
Makes 13 enchiladas at 4 Points Plus each

1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 14-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes

We have several events this week/weekend, so there was no need for lots of meals, meaning the meal plan is a little short this week.  I am trying one new recipe, passed to me by my friend Michelle and posted below.  I'll try to share a review of it later this week.  My garden tomato crop is coming on strong, so I'm trying to look for lots of recipes that use tomatoes!
Tomato Cheese Quiche
Steak Quesadillas
Chicken Salad Sandwiches for a picnic in the park - I make with mayo, celery, craisins, chicken, and seasonings.
Pasta with Tomato and Almond Pesto - recipe below.

Do you have a favorite tomato recipe?  If so, I'd love if you shared it with me!

PASTA WITH TOMATO AND ALMOND PESTOfrom Cook's Illustrated
Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup slivered almonds
12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 medium garlic clove , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
1 small pepperoncini, stemmed, seeded, and minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
Table salt
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound pasta , preferably linguine or spaghetti
1 ounce Parmesan cheese , grated (about 1/2 cup), plus extra for serving

1. Toast almonds in small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until pale golden and fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Cool almonds to room temperature.

2. Process cooled almonds, tomatoes, basil, garlic, pepperoncini, 1 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes (if using) in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, slowly drizzle in oil, about 30 seconds.

3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water; drain pasta and transfer back to cooking pot.

4. Add pesto and ½ cup Parmesan to cooked pasta, adjusting consistency with reserved pasta cooking water so that pesto coats pasta. 

I know its been a few weeks since I shared a weekly menu.  I'm starting to feel some nasty pregnancy heartburn and a little nausea (again), so sometimes I just don't feel like meal planning and meal making, let alone sharing our menu.  But this week I think I did a good job.
It is supposed to be insanely hot and humid here this week - actual temps in the high 90s, heat indexes 105-115, and a intense heat warning or something crazy I've never heard of here in Minnesota before. I've tried to keep to grilled meals - sorry to the hubby who has to venture out to grill - or things that can cook quickly on the stove top.

-- Chicken Fajitas on the Grill - Homemade Pico and Guacamole - we had this on Saturday already and it was amazing.
-- Spicy Ramen Pesto Pasta - Recipe below
-- Apple Gouda Chicken Sausages with Caprese Pasta Salad (except I didn't have any mozzarella so I subbed smoked Gouda and wow that was yummy) and Sun Chips
-- Pita Pizzas
-- Curry Chicken Casserole
-- Sweet and Sour Pork and Rice (I don't fry the pork)

Spicy Ramen Pesto Pasta
Serves 6 @ 8 Points Plus each
1 package morningstar farms soy crumbles
1 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 packages ramen - prepared without the soup packet and drained
1/2 cup pesto
1 cup water
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp garlic chili sauce (get the Asian section of any grocery store)

Saute crumbles, carrot, and onion.  Add in cooked and drained ramen.  In a separate bowl mix together pesto, water, cornstarch, and garlic chili sauce and pour over soy/ramen mixture.  Bring to a boil, stir and remove from the heat.

Here's what's for dinner this week at our house.  Since it will be around 95 degrees today we will be grilling outside tonight, and by we I mean my husband.  I will be sitting inside an A/C cooled house drinking a nice cool lemonade!

Grilled Chicken w/Trader Joes Sweet Potato Gnocchi and Roasted Asparagus - method/recipe below
Honey You Have a Way with Chicken, Rice
Spaghetti - jarred sauce, fancied up with veggies and frozen meatballs (Costco)
Sloppy Joes, Sweet Potato Fries (from the freezer - thanks Ore-Ida), steamed peas
Chicken Baseballs and Pasta Salad

Roasted Asparagus.
Wash and trim the ends from the asparagus.  Dry well with a towel or paper towel.  Drizzle with around 1 Tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Roast in a 425 degree oven for around 10-15 minutes.  I've also been known to sprinkle with sesame seeds!

This is one of my most favorite veggies in the whole world, and I just planted some asparagus plants in my garden last week.  They don't produce until the second year, but I'm already excited!

Tell me, what are you having for dinner this week?

In an effort to keep myself on track with one of my May goals – which was to eat out less, I have decided that it would be great to post my menu for the week here every Monday.

I have been a meal planning, menu making nut long before I started my Weight Watchers journey. I actually started doing it when my husband and I first got married at the ripe old age of 21.  I discovered the number one way to stick to a grocery budget is to plan meals, and we certainly didn't have very much to spend on groceries back then.

I actually find it very easy, and it calms me to have the right ingredients in the house, to make a decent meal for most, if not all, nights of the week. How do I do it?  I basically start with a blank sheet of notebook paper and write all the days of the week only the left side, then I fill in any extra information about that day – for instance, if I know we are going out for a birthday or to a friend’s house for dinner, I note that. Last, I paw through previous meal plans, and my cookbooks to come up with the meals for the week, and make a shopping list of all the items I need – organized by grocery area of course – I use Produce, Deli, Meat, Canned Goods, Dry Goods, Fridge, Freezer, and Other as my categories.

So without further explanation, here’s What’s for dinner this week at our house.

Monday: Tomato Cheese Quiche – Cut up Fresh Fruit – Leftover Pasta Salad

Tuesday: PW’s - Lemon Blueberry Pancakes - this will be a new recipe for us - I'm in love with blueberry lemon combinations, so I can't wait.

Wednesday: My Mom’s Mac n Cheese - Recipe below

Thursday: Soft Shelled Tacos and Spanish Rice - I use Old El Paso Taco Seasoning and Rice a Roni boxed mix... creative I know, but I think these have the best flavor.

Friday: Homemade Cheese and Turkey Pepperoni Pizza, Green Salad

My Mom's Mac n Cheese - 8 servings
1 cup dry macaroni (I use shells)
1 cup 1% cottage cheese
1 cup light sour cream
1 cup light Velveeta Cheese - cut up
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 eggs

Cook macaroni according to directions and drain.  Combine with the rest of the ingredients in a 2-1/2 quart casserole dish.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Awesome comfort food!

Do you menu plan for the week.  If so I'd love for you to share your menu for the week, and if you post it to your blog, feel free to post a link to your menu plan in the comments.

Bon Appetit!

I started making this recipe last summer when I had an over abundance of ripe tomatoes.  Even though my tomatoes aren't even planted yet, the ones in the store have been really good.


Tomato Quiche (Adapted from the More with Less Cookbook)
Makes 6 servings @ 5 Points Plus per serving


Take a pre made frozen pie crust (I used a Pillsbury frozen crust)
Place in bottom:
2 medium sliced tomatoes


Sprinkle over:
1/2 tsp basil
a handful of fresh chopped chives or green onions
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup grated mozzarella (part skim) cheese
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese


Mix together in a separate bowl:
2 eggs
3/4 cup fat free 1/2 and 1/2
2 Tbsp flour


Pour over the top of the pie and all the other ingredients.


Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes and let sit 5 minutes before cutting.
Serve with a spinach or lettuce salad or fresh fruit