Menu Plan Monday + Weight Watchers Meal Ideas

Hi! Well...here we are...back to Monday!  How was your weekend?  Our's was busy...but it was busy doing fun stuff :)  Saturday morning my husband took our girls to the kids workshop at Home Depot while I grocery shopped at Aldi with our baby.  Right after we got home from those two things, we headed back out for my oldest daughter's basketball game.  I packed my two younger girls' lunches and they had so much fun cheering on Charlotte and having a picnic lunch "high up in the bleachers!" :)  Saturday afternoon we had some friends over for dinner and it was such a nice evening! Sunday, we went to church and then as soon as we got home, I put James down for a nap and went for a nice, long run.  It was GLORIOUS!  After I got back, my husband took our oldest daughter to a birthday party.  We ran a few errands later in the afternoon and had lasagna for Sunday dinner.  We didn't do anything out of the ordinary...but the slightly warmer temperatures, sunshine and the fact that my husband wasn't working just made it a great weekend!

Just a few scenes from our weekend....

So it is Monday and I thought I would post our Menu Plan again!  Maybe you will be able to get a few ideas for your meals this week!  If anything, my husband doesn't have to ask me what we are having for dinner...because he reads my blog! Ha!

I also thought I would share just a few, simple ways I adapt my meals since I am in weight loss mode and am using the Weight Watchers Online program to get off the last few (STUBBORN) pregnancy pounds I have to lose.  If you are not familiar with Weight Watchers, their main plan is based off of having a daily points allowance.  Every food is worth a certain amount of points.  Healthy foods are typically lower in points and fruits and veggies (with the exception of few starchy veggies) are worth 0 points.  So...a LARGE portion of my diet is filled up with fruits and veggies!  

For Monday's dinner, I made "salsa chicken" by putting 2 pounds of chicken breast (because I want leftovers) in the crock pot this morning with some chicken broth and approximately 2 cups of salsa. It can cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-7 hours.  Then right before it is time to eat, just shred it up and you have perfect "salsa chicken!"  For my husband and girls, I will make them chicken burritos using flour tortillas, some cheese, shredded lettuce and sour cream.  For me, since I don't want to use my points on a flour tortilla (which is 4 points), I am going to have a salsa chicken lettuce wraps!  I just use big leaves of ice berg lettuce and fill them up with my portion of chicken, some more salsa, and a tiny bit of sour cream.  YUM! If you are following a clean eating plan or Whole30, this would be a great meal- just omit the sour cream!

Tuesday, I am going to use one pound of 93/7 ground turkey (I get my at Aldi!) and make a turkey meatloaf.  Here is a great recipe for a Weight Watchers friendly meatloaf and here is another one! My husband and girls will get mashed potatoes with their meatloaf and I could totally have those if I wanted to spend the points on them.  But, I prefer to stick to lower carb sides, because they are lower in points and I feel better when I limit the carbs in my diet.  For my side, I am going to have steamed acorn squash.  I happen to love ALL squash.  I just poke a bunch of holes in an acorn squash, put it on a plate and microwave it for 10 minutes, turn it over and microwave it for another 10 minutes.  Then after it has a cooled a bit, you cut it open, scoop out the seeds and "goop" and you are left with a creamy, yummy, potato like texture vegetable!  All winter squashes are 0 points- so they are great alternative to a heavier side dish!  I just use a little spray butter, salt and pepper and it is SO yummy!  Another delicious, low carb, "potato like" side is this recipe that my friend April posted last week!  LOVE cauliflower!

Wednesday, we are going to have our salsa chicken again, but this time I am going to make chicken nachos for my husband and girls.  I just take the scoops tortilla chips, fill them up with a little chicken mixture and then top with some cheese and broil them in the oven.  I serve them with a side of salsa and light sour cream.  For my dinner, I am going to have a salsa chicken salad.  I love to add some black beans (1/2 cup = 2 points) and use some salsa for my "dressing."  So yummy!  

On Thursday, my husband will not be home because he has a work meeting.  My girls are going to have grilled cheese and I will probably have some scrambled eggs (I love using 1 whole egg + 3 egg whites) with salsa and a dab of guacamole with a side of fruit.  Simple, easy, filling and healthy! 

On Friday, we will be having potato soup, salads and rolls.  Here is a yummy recipe for potato soup   I will have a big salad and one serving of soup, but will skip the roll.  I am not big on bread, so I don't want to spend my points on a food that I don't really enjoy. 

Saturday is pizza night!  Here is the great thing about Weight Watchers...you can have things like pizza! You just can't have 3 or 4 pieces :)  I get once piece of homemade pizza (7 points) and I pair it with a big salad so I feel nice and satisfied!

For Sunday's dinner, I am going to make ranch turkey cheese burgers by mixing one ranch salad dressing packet with one pound of 93/7 ground turkey.  Hopefully it will be warm enough to grill them outside, but if not, I just bake them in the oven at 450.  My husband and girls will get cheese on their burgers and have them on a hamburger bun.  I am not a huge cheese person, so I will skip the cheese and use some ice berg lettuce to make turkey burger wraps!  I love to put some ketchup and pickles on my burger!  Depending on my mood, I will either allot some of my daily points for a serving size of french fries (we bake ours in the oven) or I might have a sweet potato instead.  

So there you have it!  You can see our whole family pretty much eats the same thing with the exception of some of the side dishes!  

Hope you have the best week!  

And I don't know if it is necessary I even say this...but this was NOT sponsored by Weight Watchers.  I just happen to love the plan and am currently using it to help me lose the last of my pregnancy weight! :)