Week 2 results and Week 3 menu/shopping list

This was a weird, weird week, with lots more eating out than normal, and a lot of eating out at non-chain restaurants where I just had to guess about points.  I miraculously stayed within my points ranges (I think? Guessed a LOT), but gained .3 lbs.  However, since I knew some of the "loss" last week was from my digestive troubles, I'm good with that.  Plus I ate very well.  No deprivation here.  And if you can't have fun on the week when your inlaws take your kids (first kid-free weekend in 3 1/2 years!!!!), then what is the point?

The WW dijon roasted new potatoes are going to become an addictive new side at my house, I can tell you.  They smell divine and are 4 pts per serving, good with lean meat.  I had an oven thermometer issue with the garlic roast, but will try again another day.  I'm determined to eat fewer of my weekly points this week, drink more water, and eat at home rather than out.  Probably lots of sodium last week in all that prepared food.  I actually sent a dish back for the first time because it was so salty.

In planning this week's menu, I'm using a lot of ingredients I already have and opting for easy crock pot recipes as we ease back into having kids at home.  I am trying to incorporate one vegetarian meal each week.  However, much of the vegetarian options my family will eat involve pasta, and the high carb count pushes the points up to at least 10, which is a lot for most people.  I've discovered spaghetti squash works well for me if my family is eating spaghetti.  I'm hoping this week's vegetarian meal, at 6 pts per lasagna roll, will be filling enough for us. Also, learning from past issues, I'm planning 2 nights of leftovers and a roast chicken so I can make chicken broth in the crock pot Sunday night.  This shopping list has everything you'd need--like me, you probably have a lot of it in your pantry already.  I'd add fresh fruits, fat-free milk, and the frozen waffles my kids eat nearly every morning to the list.

Here's the menu for this week:

Monday:  Arroz con Pollo (never got around to this before)
Tuesday: Crockpot Sweet and Sour Pork
Wednesday:  leftovers--I'm learning from my first night mistakes!
Thursday: Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken
Friday:  Spinach Lasagna Rolls (vegetarian)
Saturday: Leftovers
Sunday: Roast chicken and Dijon Roasted Potatoes

Shopping List:

Produce:  1 green bell pepper, 1 red bell pepper, 1 medium onion, cilantro, 8 scallions, 1 lb new/baby potatoes (any color), 3 cloves garlic, 1 tomato, various fruit

Aisles:  1 20 oz can pineapple chunks in juice, light brown sugar, cornstarch, cider vinegar, light soy sauce, salt, brown rice, 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, 15 oz can black beans, fat-free chicken broth, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, olive oil, paprika, thyme, black pepper, sazon OR saffron (I have not found sazon), adobo powder, enriched long grain rice, lasagna noodles (boiling kind), chicken bouillon, 32 oz tomato sauce

Meat: 1 1/2 to 2 lbs pork shoulder, 1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, 8 skinless chicken thighs, 1 whole chicken

Frozen: 8 oz frozen corn, 10 oz frozen spinach


Dairy:  15 oz fat-free ricotta, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1 egg, 3 oz shredded mozzarella