Delay in MPM

It’s a holiday, the kids are home and it’s been raining.  I am much too cozy and preoccupied with the forts being built in my living room to give much thought to Menu Planning this morning.  See you soon!

Corn Chowder

The Corn Chowder turned out pretty good.  I know that if I make it again, the kids would prefer it if I left out the red bell peppers and diced the onions smaller.  Still, I ate it for lunch the next day!

Here is the link to the original Corn Chowder recipe from TasteOfHome.com

And mine:

Ingredients

• 6 potatoes, peeled and diced
• Water
• 1 can (16 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 quart milk
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 thick slices of ham, grilled and diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

1. Put peeled, diced potatoes in pot of water and boil until soft
2. Drain, put potatoes back into pot
3. Add remaining ingredients
4. Bring to a boil
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the onion is soft

Total Carbs per Serving (60):

• Corn Chowder (52)
• Green Salad with Ranch Dressing (1)
• 1/2 cup 2% milk (7)

You may want to leave of the 1/2 cup of milk with the meal since there is already a quart in the chowder.  I would substitute half an apple, or maybe peanut butter on celery.

Menu Plan Monday #02

Yay, we made it to our second week of Menu Plan Monday with OrgJunkie.com!  This week, instead of copying a meal plan off of someone else, I actually checked out my fridge and came up with a plan of my own.  Go me!!

Net carb counts per serving are in ( ), and the meals don’t correspond to any certain day of the week since I like to change my mind often.  I’ll plan 5 meals for the week since one day will be left overs, and Sunday’s we try to do tacos or something fun with friends.  I’ll add those recipes at a later date.

Spiced Apple Pork Loin – Total Meal (63)

• Spiced Apple Pork Loin (6)
• Small(148 gram) baked potato (24)
• 1/2 cup steamed green beans (12)
• 1/4 cup applesauce (7)
• 1 cup 2% milk (14)

Turkey Burgers – Total Meal (63)

• Turkey burger (0)
• Whole wheat hamburger bun (Orowheat) (25)
• Ketchup (4)
• Tator Tots (18)
• 1/4 cup sliced red bell pepper (2)
• 1 cup 2% milk (14)

Corn Chowder & Salad – (60)

• Corn Chowder recipe (52)
• Green Salad (0)
• Ranch dressing (1)
• 1/2 cup 2% milk (7)

Bow Ties & Meatballs – (60)

• Pasta & Meatballs (47)
• 1 cup 2% milk (14)

Chicken & Rice – (60)

• Chicken & Rice recipe (22)
• French Bread (15)
• 1 cup 2% milk (14)
• 1/2 apple (9)

Trying Out the Pump!

D went to her first Pump Class last night and got to try out a pump for the first time.  We’re all very excited about what this will mean for her, though we aren’t too thrilled with the $5,000 price tag!

What’s in My Fridge #01

Hopefully I can remember to post this each weekend as I prepare to plan our menu for the next week.  I predict that I’ll do okay for a while.  Maybe I’ll go add it my calendar now so I don’t have an excuse!

Meat:

• Spiced Apple Pork Loin (6 carbs per serving)
• Chicken Drumsticks marinating in BBQ sauce (approx. 7 carbs per serving)
• 2 lbs. of ground beef
• Frozen Meatballs
• Turkey Burgers
• A Whole Chicken (which I really hate cooking)
• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Flounder Fillets

Possible Side Dishes

• Tons of frozen veggies
• Stove Top Stuffing (which was an actual Christmas gift from my husband’s grandparents)
• Tator Tots
• Russet potatoes
• Salad
• Ingredients from the Corn Chowder recipes that I never made.

Breakfast

Devyn is really into eating cereal for breakfast and for her bedtime snack.  Regular Cheerios, Rice Crispies and (I think) Honeycomb have been the ones that she can eat that keep her full and her levels in check.

I’ve been making scrambled eggs and grilled ham in the mornings for her brother’s and sister, and on those mornings I’ll have her eat a smaller serving of a sugarier cereal so that she can still get the protein from the eggs and ham.  It’s hard to get Devyn to eat a lot in the mornings, and she still needs to eat more right before school starts since it’s such a long time before Nutrition.  That’s usually the time of day that she’ll drop really quickly.

Snacks

• Peanut butter crackers
• Sun Chips

I don’t track lunch since she buys at school every day.

Diabetic Friendly Baked Ziti

Tonight we are having Mama’s Amazing Ziti from MealMakeOverMoms.com

Total carbs per serving:  52

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean or higher)
• 2 large carrots, shredded (about 2 cups)
• Two 10 3/4-ounce cans 30%-less-sodium tomato soup
• 2 cans water
• 8 ounces dried whole wheat blend ziti (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Place a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and carrots and cook, breaking up the large pieces, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat.
2. Add the tomato soup, water, ziti, basil, garlic powder, and onion powder and stir until well blended. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat and cook, covered, at a low boil, until the ziti is tender, about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
3. Stir in the mozzarella cheese and serve in individual bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

I was a little strapped for time tonight, so instead of making the sauce as I should have, I grabbed a jar of meat flavored pasta sauce.  Not as good, but it got dinner on the table!

I also popped in a 350 degree oven to brown it up a bit since I really don’t know how to eat un-baked ziti

Diabetic Chocolate Truffles

These are delicious and very diabetic friendly.  I allow Devyn to eat one for snack and then add in some healthy carbs to reach her 30 carb snack goal.  Just because she’s a diabetic, it doesn’t mean she can’t enjoy chocolate!  I needed help explaining the directions, so this is from DLife.  This recipe makes 45 servings.

8.5 Net Carbs per Serving

Ingredients

• 20 oz Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened
• 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Directions

1. Combine 8 ounces of the chocolate pieces and all the butter in a large bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan over low heat until simmering.
2. Take the cream off of the heat and spoon half into the bowl with the chocolate. Gently stir the mixture together as the chocolate begins to melt and becomes smooth.
3. Slowly spoon the rest of the cream into the mixture and stir until the ganache is thick and shiny.
4. Form the truffles: Spoon the ganache into a 2 inch deep baking dish and place in the freezer until it is the texture of fudge, about 30 minutes.
5. Cover a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper.
6. Form small balls from the ganache using a melon baller or small spoon, and place each ball on baking sheet.
7. When baking sheet is full, move truffles into freezer and let solidify for 15 minutes. Take truffles out of freezer and roll between hands to form even, circular balls.
8. To make the chocolate glaze: Place the truffles back in the freezer. Combine the rest of the chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly until the chocolate is completely melted.
9. Take chocolate off of heat and let rest, stirring frequently until the chocolate begins to slightly set at the edges of the bowl.
10. Take the truffles from the freezer, and roll each truffle in the melted chocolate, coating all sides. Remove with a fork, letting extra chocolate drip off. Place finished truffles back on wax paper, cover with another sheet, and place in refrigerator for 5 more minutes to set.

Additional Information

You can dust finished truffles with powdered sugar or cocoa powder, or roll them in finely chopped nuts. Store truffles in an airtight container and keep chilled or at room temperature. Truffles will last about 2 weeks.