May Meal Plan

The end of the month has finally come.  Now onto a new month.  I am excited for some of the dishes I am preparing and also excited to take the plunge and start making some bread and rolls for dinner with wheat flour instead of all purpose flour.

You will notice I have added fish to the menu at least once per week.  I have also allowed 2 days off from cooking per week.  One will be leftovers and the other will be take out.  I think this will help with food waste and also from me burning out on making meals from scratch all the time.  We all need a break at some point right???

Anyway, let's take a peek at the meal plan and below you will find the rest of my grocery list broken up into weeks.

Whole chicken means those are the meals I am using the shredded roast chicken I made this weekend

Now that we know what we are eating let's look at the grocery list broken down by week.

And there it is.  The plan for May.  I told you we had plans for tons of produce this month.  I am excited to be using all these fresh ingredients and the meals that will come along with them!

Slow Cooker Apple Surprise Oatmeal

I am not much of a morning person.  Never have been and probably never will be.  Breakfast around here usually consists of boring cereal, fruit, and/or toast.  My daughter loves oatmeal.  She always has so I usually let her get instant oatmeal which I know is not the best because of the added salt and sugars.

So on my quest to find a healthier alternative I came across multiple recipes and articles on how to prepare steel cut oats in the slow cooker.  I decided to take the basic 4 cups liquid to 1 cup oats and then added in the flavors we liked.

My daughter was excited to have some home cooked oatmeal with her favorite flavors inside.  What's great is this is such a simple way to make oatmeal that kids can easily come help out.  And the aroma that fills the house in the morning is AMAZING!

Apple Surprise Oatmeal - Slow Cooker Method

2 Diced Apples, peeled and cored (I wanted the peels, but my daughter said no and she won this time)

1-1/2 TBS Pumpkin Pie Spice

2 TBS Brown Sugar (optional I just used up what I had left)

1/2 Cup Honey

1/2 Cup Raisins

1 TBS Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Steel Cut Oats (DO NOT use Instant!)

3 Cups Water

1 Cup 2% Milk

• Put everything in the slow cooker and mix well to combine
• Cook on low for 6-8 hours overnight
• Give it a quick stir in the morning before serving and you're ready to go!

You can top them with some chopped nuts, a drizzle of syrup, or a sprinkle of sugar.  It's up to you.  My daughter and I had ours with a sprinkle of brown sugar. Yum!

If there are any leftovers they refrigerate well and just reheat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warmed.  Honestly when you smell this and take your first bite I would be surprised if you have anything leftover.  They are incredible!

Below is the nutritional value based on 1 serving.  This makes approximately 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 216 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 355 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 3.0g 5%

Saturated Fat 1.2g 6%

Cholesterol 5mg 2%

Sodium 33mg 1%

Total Carbohydrates 80.4g 27%

Dietary Fiber 4.0g 16%

Sugars 60.2g

Protein 5.7g

Vitamin A 3% • Vitamin C 6% Calcium 12% • Iron 11%

Nutrition Grade C+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in saturated fat
• Very low in cholesterol
• Very low in sodium
• High in manganese

  

Guilt Free Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Who doesn't want better for you, yummy desserts?  I know I have a horrible sweet tooth and it is kept at bay by eating fruits and dried fruits most of the time, but sometimes you just want cake.  This is a great way to enjoy a classic dessert in a healthier way.  It is almost guilt proof!

I made mine with Stevia, but you could use other sugar substitutes or plain ole' sugar if you prefer.  I also decided to add half wheat flour instead of using only all purpose flour.  This is probably the best way for my taste buds, but I suppose you could use all wheat flour it just may be more dense and dry.  After I use up the rest of my white flour I will start finding other options.  No sense in tossing good food especially when I am only using a small amount.

Carrot Cake adapted from AllRecipes
6 egg whites
1-1/2 tsp Stevia Powder (or 1-1/3 cup sugar or equivalent substitute)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (omit if using sugar or an equivalent substitute this is to make up for the bulk when using stevia)
1/2 cup skim milk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 TBS ground cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
8 oz crushed pineapple with juice
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 cake pan
• In a large bowl beat egg whites
• Add stevia and mix well
• Then add applesauce, yogurt, milk, and vanilla and combine
• Add cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, and flour and combine well
• Stir in the remaining ingredients one at a time, mixing well between each addition
• Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes until done and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean
• Cool completely

Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting adapted from Quick Weight Loss Solutions

1 package fat free cream cheese, softened

1/4 tsp stevia (again use about 1/4 cup powdered sugar or substitute equivalent to sugar)

1 tsp vanilla

• In a medium bowl beat cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy
• Add stevia powder and mix well with a rubber spatula making sure to scrape sides and fully combine
• Add vanilla and beat until combined

Spread over carrot cake and serve.  I had about 1/4 cup chopped walnuts that I also sprinkled on top.  Yum! Store in the refrigerator.

This cake makes 18 servings.  The nutritional value is for 1 serving.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 95 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 133 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 4.0g 6%

Saturated Fat 1.2g 6%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 6mg 2%

Sodium 191mg 8%

Total Carbohydrates 20.2g 7%

Dietary Fiber 1.7g 7%

Sugars 6.9g

Protein 4.8g

Vitamin A 43% • Vitamin C 2% Calcium 5% • Iron 6%

Nutrition Grade C

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Nutritional Analysis

Good points

• Low in cholesterol
• Very high in vitamin A

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