Meal plan for the week.

Today had a normal start like every Thursday. Coffee and snuggles with my Butter and Nana followed by the gym (which kicked my bum today). Thursdays are also the day where I do my meal plan for the week. I start in my fridge, freezer, and pantry to take stock of what I have to try to stay within our little budget we created. We aim for 40 bucks a week but if I find a great deal I will certainly pick it up! Who can resist a whole chicken at 69 cents a pound! A vacuum sealer is a girls best friend when you find sweet deals at the market. And it makes it easy to separate everything into meal sizes if it's one of those super value packs. Doing this lets me often times stay below our meager 40 dollars a week or allows for a little splurge here and there for something exciting.

Such a small food budget is sometimes tricky to stay within when we aim to stay away from boxed processed foods as much as possible. I tried couponing to help stretch our budget but sadly that did not work out like the TV show extreme couponers. Those women have some skills! So now if I occasionally find a coupon to save on something I am picking up anyway I will print it. Otherwise it's just plain creativity and imagination that makes our meal plan.

After taking stock of what we have I will scour my cookbooks or Pinterest for some inspiration. This week I am trying out Bariatric Foodies Faux Potato Salad  (http://bariatricfoodie.blogspot.com/2010/09/they-call-it-tater-salad.html?m=1). I am a firm believer in when you have a BBQ there should be either Tater salad or Mac salad. It just wouldn't be a summer BBQ without one of them. Since we will be grilling it up on Sunday I thought this would be a perfect time to try out her version! I am hoping it is going to feed my need!

I also have to come up with a special dessert for a party on Saturday evening. It's a pajama passion party haha! Sexiest pajamas get a prize. Well I am going in my moo moo/ housedress. It's not sexy I know but it is comfy! I don't really drink often but I am in charge of brining a dessert and bottle of wine. I am thinking of making my grandma's Boozy Bundt Cake recipe. It's moist and delicious. She makes it for all the major holidays. Normally I fudge the recipe by adding 2 scoops unflavored protein powder and replace some of the oil with applesauce or Greek yogurt. You will have to also add extra applesauce/ yogurt to make it moist again. Protein powder dries it out otherwise and I use the SF cake mix. Since this is for a passion party I will just make it normal. Trust me. You want to go make this recipe today. It's that good. My hubbies soldiers were asking for more when I made this for them at Christmas time.

Grandma Betty's Boozy Bundt Cake

1 package yellow cake mix
1 large box SF instant vanilla pudding
1 tsp ground nutmeg
4 eggs
3/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Spray bundt pan with pam with flour or butter and flour your pan. Do this well no one wants their beautiful cake to stick in the pan.

Mix all the ingredients together  and bake at 350 degrees F for 50 min and then remove from bundt and allow to cool and a baking rack.

Tah Dah! That's it. It doesn't need anything else.

So that I can still have something sweet I will bring some Greek yogurt with sliced banana, fresh strawberries and a drizzle of honey. It's been my go to treat lately. I just can't seem to get enough of it! And if I have a small nibble of bundt who can blame me! hehe. But in all seriousness I hear there will be a veg platter so I will have great healthy options still at my disposal. And if there isn't one as planned I always carry some roasted soy nuts and a protein bar in my bag. A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

What's your go to snack to help you stay on track?