Thursday, February 25, 2016

Weekly Meal Plan 4 - Omelet and Steak



So this round of monthly grocery shopping, the husband and I decided to prep for a week at a time instead of changing the menu out daily throughout the week which is what we did last month. See last month's meal plan HERE.

So we bought for 4 different weeks but the meals within the week stay the same, although 1 day each week I take a maintenance day at 1900 cals.

We thought this would be a good experiment to try out and learn from and would make prep time a snap.

You see, we have two kids who are involved in sports, church, and music. Every night of the week (almost) one or the other has an practice or meeting. I usually have time to cook, but sometimes it gets a bit hectic.  The idea of getting it all ready to go ahead of time and then just grabbing to eat together sounded really nice!

You can see week #1's meal plan HERE

You can see week #2's meal plan HERE

HERE is week #3's menu



Finally, below is week #4 menu:

Breakfast
VenusCrossing PB Cup Protein Shake with PB2 and Spinach
205 cals – 11 g carbs – 6 g fat – 31 g protein
Lunch
VenusCrossing High Protein Hashbrown Omelet
379 cals – 23g carbs – 11g fat -41g protein
Snack
Pure Protein Chocolate Peanut Caramel Bar
190 cals – 17g carbs – 6g fat – 20g protein
Dinner
4 oz marinaded and cubed eye of round steak, braised in the crockpot
1/2 cup cooked white rice
1 cup baby spinach
329 cals – 31g carbs – 3g fat – 50g protein
Dessert
½ cup strawberries, sliced
1 cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
Stevia to taste
144 cals – 15 g carbs – 0g fat – 24g protein
TOTALS
1250 cals – 86g carbs – 26g fat – 166g protein

I also have coffee with a tbsp of creamer in the morning as well as a couple of other supplements with a few calories, of course since those are personal preference I did not include those here. My husband eats more than I do, so he adds more of everything (especially high fat like cheese and nut butters) to his meals making them about double mine in calories, along with more snacks.

How this works

We just picked a a few meals we really like and are going to rotate through them for the month. Basically 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 snacks, 4 dinner, and 4 dessert options. We spent $503.37 for everything this month including extra options for our kids and household items like dog treats.


BREAKFAST: VenusCrossing PB Cup Protein Shake with PB2 and Spinach

205 cals – 11 g carbs – 6 g fat – 31 g protein


We buy the big containers of fresh spinach at Sam's Club. I freeze the spinach before it turns bad and continue using it frozen.

LUNCH: VenusCrossing High Protein Hashbrown Omelet

379 cals – 23g carbs – 11g fat -41g protein


I added a cup of spinach to my omelet to up the greens, it adds about 8 calories. I also like to top my omelet with 2 tbsp of ketchup which adds 30 cals.

SNACK: Pure Protein Chocolate Peanut Caramel Bar

190 cals – 17g carbs – 6g fat – 20g protein


We buy these in bulk at Sams.



DINNER: Steak and Rice

4 oz marinaded and cubed eye of round steak, braised in the crockpot
1/2 cup cooked white rice
1 cup spinach
329 cals – 31g carbs – 3g fat – 50g protein



We cubed the steak and put into the crockpot topped with a little all purpose marinade. We like Plum Creek marinade, but any all purpose meat marinade will work. Cook on high for 2-4 hours. This would be great stir fried up in a wok but alas I never did it ;)

DESSERT: Plain fat free Greek Yogurt with Strawberries

½ cup strawberries, sliced
1 cup plain fat free Greek yogurt
Stevia to taste
144 cals – 15 g carbs – 0g fat – 24g protein


We buy frozen sliced strawberries. I defrost them in the microwave for about 30 seconds before topping my yogurt.

X- Liss

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Weekly Meal Plan 3 - Tuna Salad and Steak



So this round of monthly grocery shopping, the husband and I decided to prep for a week at a time instead of changing the menu out daily throughout the week which is what we did last month. See last month's meal plan HERE.

So we bought for 4 different weeks but the meals within the week stay the same, although 1 day each week I take a maintenance day at 1900 cals.

We thought this would be a good experiment to try out and learn from and would make prep time a snap.

You see, we have two kids who are involved in sports, church, and music. Every night of the week (almost) one or the other has an practice or meeting. I usually have time to cook, but sometimes it gets a bit hectic.  The idea of getting it all ready to go ahead of time and then just grabbing to eat together sounded really nice!

You can see week #1's meal plan HERE

You can see week #2's meal plan HERE

And here is week #3's menu from the monthly shopping trip:
Breakfast
VenusCrossing PB Cup Protein Shake with PB2 and Spinach
205 cals – 11 g carbs – 6 g fat – 31 g protein
Lunch
VenusCrossing Lean Tuna Salad
310 cals – 40g carbs – 3g fat -34g protein
Snack
Quest Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Bar, microwaved for 20 s
1 tbsp Jif peanut butter
295 cals – 24g carbs – 18g fat – 24g protein
Dinner
4 oz marinaded and cubed eye of round steak, braised in the crockpot
1/2 cup steamed French green beans
1 medium sweet potato, roasted
367 cals – 31g carbs – 3g fat – 50g protein
Dessert
½ cup strawberries, sliced
½ cup 2% cottage cheese, unpacked
126 cals – 10 g carbs – 2 g fat – 16 g protein
TOTALS
1303 cals – 116 g carbs – 32g fat – 155g protein

I also have coffee with a tbsp of creamer in the morning as well as a couple of other supplements with a few calories, of course since those are personal preference I did not include those here.

We just picked a few meals we really like and are going to rotate through them for the month. Basically 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 snacks, 4 dinner, and 4 dessert options. We spent $503.37 for everything this month including extra options for our kids and household items like dog treats.


BREAKFAST: VenusCrossing PB Cup Protein Shake with PB2 and Spinach

205 cals – 11 g carbs – 6 g fat – 31 g protein



We buy the big containers of fresh spinach at Sam's Club. I freeze the spinach before it turns bad and continue using it frozen.

LUNCH: VenusCrossing Lean Tuna Salad

310 cals – 40g carbs – 3g fat -34g protein


SNACK: Quest Peanut Butter and Jelly Protein Bar, microwaved for 20 s

1 tbsp Jif peanut butter295 cals – 24g carbs – 18g fat – 24g protein



Quest bars are pretty magical when heated. I put mine on some wax paper greased with a little nonstick spray before heating. Then top with peanut butter goodness. SO GOOD. Besides microwaving, try putting under a broiler for 1-3 minutes and it turns into a fresh baked cookie! 


DINNER: Steak and Sweeties 

4 oz marinaded and cubed eye of round steak, braised in the crockpot1/2 cup steamed French green beans1 medium sweet potato, roasted367 cals – 31g carbs – 3g fat – 50g protein



We cubed the steak and put into the crockpot topped with a little all purpose marinade. We like Plum Creek marinade, but any all purpose meat marinade will work. Cook on high for 2-4 hours. Roast the sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet for about an hour at 400 F while the meat cooks. We throw the bags of green beans in the microwave for 4 minutes and call it day!

DESSERT: Cottage cheese with Strawberries

½ cup strawberries, sliced
½ cup 2% cottage cheese, unpacked
126 cals – 10 g carbs – 2 g fat – 16 g protein


We buy the large tubs of cottage cheese, and buy frozen sliced strawberries. I defrost them in the microwave for about 30 seconds before mixing with my cottage cheese.

Next week, I will share the final weekly meal plan for the month!
X- Liss

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Weekly Menu 2 - Chicken Tacos and Taco Salad



So this round of monthly grocery shopping, the husband and I decided to prep for a week at a time instead of changing the menu out daily throughout the week which is what we did last month. See last month's meal plan HERE.

So we bought for 4 different weeks but the meals within the week stay the same, although 1 day each week I take a maintenance day at 1900 cals.

We thought this would be a good experiment to try out, and would make prep time a snap.

You see, we have two kids who are involved in sports, church, and music. Every night of the week (almost) one or the other has an practice or meeting. I usually have time to cook, but sometimes it gets a bit hectic.  The idea of getting it all ready to go ahead of time and then just grabbing to eat together sounded really nice!

You can see week #1's meal plan HERE

And here is week #2's menu from the monthly shopping trip:

Breakfast
VenusCrossing PB&J Protein Oats
313 cals – 25 g carbs – 10 g fat – 31 g protein
Lunch
4 oz chicken breast, cooked in crockpot with Rotel and taco seasoning
2 corn tortillas
Handful of baby carrots
245 cals – 28g carbs – 4g fat -26g protein
Snack
Pure Protein Chocolate Peanut Caramel Bar
190 cals – 17g carbs – 6g fat – 20 g protein
Dinner
4 oz 90% lean hamburger, cooked with taco seasoning
1/4 cup black beans
¼ white rice, cooked
1 cup baby spinach
2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp salsa
391 cals – 22g carbs – 14g fat – 41g protein
Dessert
½ cup strawberries, sliced
½ cup 2% cottage cheese, unpacked
126 cals – 10 g carbs – 2 g fat – 16 g protein
TOTALS
1265 cals – 102 g carbs – 36g fat – 154g protein


I also have coffee with a tbsp of creamer in the morning as well as a couple of other supplements with a few calories, of course since those are personal preference I did not include those here.

We just picked a few meals we really like and are going to rotate through them for the month. Basically 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 snacks, 4 dinner, and 4 dessert options. We spent $503.37 for everything this month including extra options for our kids and household items like dog treats.


BREAKFAST: VenusCrossing PB&J Protein Oats

313 cals – 25 g carbs – 10 g fat – 31 g protein

I blended the oat water with spinach before cooking in the picture above. We buy the big containers of fresh spinach at Sam's Club. I freeze the spinach before it turns bad and continue using it frozen.

LUNCH: Chicken Tacos

4 oz chicken breast, cooked in crockpot with Rotel and taco seasoning
2 corn tortillas
Handful of baby carrots
245 cals – 28g carbs – 4g fat -26g protein


SNACK: Pure Protein Chocolate Peanut Caramel Bar

190 cals – 17g carbs – 6g fat – 20 g protein

See the above image, I buy these in bulk at Sam's Club with two others in the variety pack. They are really good!

DINNER: Taco Salad

4 oz 90% lean hamburger, cooked with taco seasoning
1/4 cup black beans
¼ white rice, cooked
1 cup baby spinach
2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp salsa
391 cals – 22g carbs – 14g fat – 41g protein


DESSERT: Cottage cheese with Strawberries

½ cup strawberries, sliced
½ cup 2% cottage cheese, unpacked
126 cals – 10 g carbs – 2 g fat – 16 g protein


We buy the large tubs of cottage cheese, and buy frozen sliced strawberries. I defrost them in the microwave for about 30 seconds before mixing with my cottage cheese.

Next week, I will share weekly meal plan #3 for the month!
X- Liss