12W12S: W9

This week I am supposed to be limiting myself to only a cup of tea and a can of Mountain Dew, and that's supposed to be it for caffeine, but I have a truckload of soda at home that my mother bought, so I am going to be limiting myself to a can of caffeinated diet soda instead of the cup of tea until the soda is gone.

The foods:

• Monday -- GoLean Crisp!, milk, watermelon, Lightlife Linguine Siciliano, watermelon, pistachios, ½ cup spaghetti, 2 Tbsp. red sauce, 1 Tbsp. jarred alfredo sauce, 2 Perdue Italian breaded chicken patties, cheese, Spinach-and-Onion Gratin (recipe below)
• Tuesday -- GoLean Crisp!, milk, frozen mixed berries, Lean Cuisine Roasted Vegetable Pizza Deep Dish, carrots, string cheese, pistachios, 2 Mrs. Paul's Deviled Crab Cakes, ½ cup broccoli and cheese rice with veggies, frozen mixed veggies
• Wednesday -- 4 oz. yogurt, mini bagel, ½ oz. fat free cream cheese, pear, Smart Ones Tuna Noodle Gratin, frozen mixed veggies, Mini Babybel cheese, pistachios, 2 beef-bacon-and-cheddar sliders with wheat rolls, corn on the cob, steamed broccoli

The Spinach-and-Onion Gratin is a totally fake-made-up recipe that I invented because I was hungry for it, and I made it like this:

Spinach-and-Onion Gratin
2 teaspoons olive, vegetable, or basting oil
¼ Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped
2 cups fresh baby spinach, torn
1½ teaspoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1½ teaspoons bread crumbs
Italian seasoning / Herbal Pizza and Pasta Magic, to taste

Heat oil in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute 2 minutes. Add spinach and saute 5-7 minutes, stirring often, or until spinach is fully wilted and onions are at desired level of doneness. Remove from heat. Add cheese, bread crumbs, and seasonings. Stir to combine. Serve.

You can substitute 1-1½ cups zucchini and/or yellow squash for the spinach, or make a combination. You get the nice flavor fake-out of eating fried food without actually deep-frying anything, which is nice once in a while.

Also: I am so excited about dinner tonight that I could scream. I LOVE corn on the cob.