Chicken with Quick Chile Verde

I had high hopes for this meal because I love tomatillos. Don't get me wrong, it was good and filling but it was just so dang spicy that I couldn't enjoy it fully. Maybe if you add a very small dollop of sour cream it would tone down the spice and bring out some good flavor. Husband and I both gave this a 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 8 ounces tomatillos coarsely chopped (about 3)
• 1 large jalapeño pepper seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Grapefruit Walnut, and Feta Salad
• Herbed Corn Muffins
• Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Potatoes
• Snap Pea and Radish Sauté

Directions

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until done.
2. While chicken cooks, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, onion, and next 5 ingredients (through jalapeño); cook 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Place tomatillo mixture in a blender; add lime juice. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Pulse 10 times or until a chunky salsa forms. Spoon tomatillo mixture over chicken; sprinkle with cilantro.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 258
Fat: 8.4g
Cholesterol: 109mg
Sodium: 494mg
Fiber: 1.7g
Protein: 37g

Cheese & Spinach Stuffed Portobellos

This is out of the realm of my comfort zone but being a naturally gluten free food we went for it. Pleasantly surprised! When we started putting the kalamata olives in I was a little concerned (even though I love them!!!) but they really added a great flavor! Husband was not a fan of the texture of the mushroom but he still gave it a 4.5 out of 5 which says something about the taste. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed this one!

Source: www.eatingwell.com

Prep Time: 20 Min
Total Time: 40 Min

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 large portobello mushroom caps
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper divided
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese divided
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped kalamata olives
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 3/4 cup prepared marinara sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Place mushroom caps, gill-side up, on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Roast until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mash ricotta, spinach, 1/4 cup Parmesan, olives, Italian seasoning and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Place marinara sauce in a small bowl, cover and microwave on High until hot, 30 seconds to 1 1/2 minutes.
4. When the mushrooms are tender, carefully pour out any liquid accumulated in the caps. Return the caps to the pan gill-side up. Spread 1 tablespoon marinara into each cap; cover the remaining sauce to keep warm. Mound a generous 1/3 cup ricotta filling into each cap and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake until hot, about 10 minutes. Serve with the remaining marinara sauce.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 201
Fat: 10 g
Cholesterol: 28 mg
Sodium: 680 mg
Carbohydrate: 13 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 14 g

Skinny Chicken Cordon Bleu

I'm curious as to why someone would make the full fat version of this meal. I am not sure I've ever had this before but I loved this version so much that I won't make it any other way! We used crushed rice chex again instead of bread crumbs to make it gluten free. I also bought honey maple ham from the deli which was a nice flavor. Both kids LOVED it and Husband and I gobbled this up! The serving size is 2 pieces but 1 filled me up just fine so I skipped the extra calories of piece number 2. All in all 5 out of 5 stars!

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 12 thin sliced (36 oz total) skinless boneless chicken breasts, 3 oz each
• salt and fresh cracked pepper
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 5 oz (6 slices) thinly sliced lean deli ham, sliced in half
• 6 slices (4.4 oz) Sargento reduced fat Swiss cheese, cut in half

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Spray a large non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Wash and dry the chicken cutlets; lightly pound the chicken to make thinner and lightly season with salt and black pepper.
3. Lay the chicken on a working surface and place a slice of ham on top of the chicken, then the cheese and roll, setting them aside seam side down.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and egg whites along with water to make an egg wash.
5. In another medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
6. Dip the chicken into the egg wash, then into the breadcrumbs.
7. Place chicken onto the baking sheet seem side down. Spray the top of the chicken with more cooking spray and bake about 25 minutes, or until until cooked.
8. Makes 12.
9. Gluten Free substitution: Use chex cereal instead of bread crumbs.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 378
Fat: 10g
Sodium: 813mg
Sugar: 1g
Carbohydrate: 8g
Fiber: 0.5g
Protein: 55g

Lasagna Soup

A lot has happened since our last post but the most noteworthy is that Thing 2 and I have gone gluten free! I've lived gluten free before but it has been slightly difficult getting back into the swing of things plus adding a 2 year old's palette to the mix. So my point is all of the recipes I will post will now either be gluten free or can be made gluten free. This soup is no exception. Husband really liked this soup and I enjoyed it more and more the stuffier my nose got. It was SPICY! I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that we used cut up Italian sausages rather than turkey sausage since that is what we had on hand but I think I will cut back on the crushed red pepper next time. We used brown rice lasagna noodles and left off the bread sticks to make this gluten free. It was good and hit the spot with the freezing cold weather outside. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: thedeenbros.com

Course: Soup

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 pound Italian turkey sausage casings removed
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 green bell pepper chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles about 4 noodles
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
• 8 Whole-wheat breadsticks or grissini, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is crumbled and browned, 8 – 10 minutes.
2. Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add the noodles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 10 – 12 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in mozzarella, basil, and the Parmesan. Serve with the breadsticks, if using. (whole-wheat lasagna noodles take a little longer to cook.)

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 225
Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 53mg
Sodium: 826mg
Sugar: 4g
Carbohydrate: 17g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 23g

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis

*UPDATED*

 So the picture really does not do this recipe justice. I wish you could smell what I smelled when I walked through the door after work. Actually, you can. Make this. The only changes that Husband made were that he converted it to 8 servings instead of 6 so he could use 2 lbs of ground beef and make more left overs and he didn't want to buy horse radish for this one recipe so he added a little more dijon. I think the horse radish would have made this even better but even so it was great! This can be made gluten free just by substituting crushed rice chex for the bread crumbs and I promise you can't even notice a difference. Thing 1 literally devoured his and asked for another "huge" one. When I asked him how many stars he said 100 so I think we will give this one 5 out of 5 stars. We will definitely make it again.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 ounce fresh breadcrumbs about 1/2 cup
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1/2 cup ketchup divided
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 ounces white cheddar cheese diced
• 1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
• 1 large egg lightly beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.
3. While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup, and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2-inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until done.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 254
Fat: 11.4g
Cholesterol: 112mg
Sodium: 607mg
Fiber: 0.9g
Protein: 28.3g

Lighter Baked Macaroni and Cheese

I am seriously kicking myself for not blogging this sooner since now I can't remember much about it. I do remember that everyone ate it and enjoyed it and I remember that we decided we would make it again substituting with smoked gouda to add another good flavor. We also substituted panko for the bread crumbs and froze half for another day. We had decide on 4 out of 5 stars so I guess that means it was pretty good.

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 12 oz high fiber elbows like Ronzoni Smart Taste
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp light butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 cup fat free chicken broth
• 8 oz Sargento 2% reduced fat mild cheddar
• salt and pepper
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1/8 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
• Pam butter flavored spray

Directions

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Spray a baking dish with buttered flavor Pam. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. In a large, heavy skillet, melt butter. Add flour and cook over low heat stirring with a whisk. Add onion and cook another 2 minutes. Add milk and chicken broth and continue whisking, raising heat to medium-high until it comes to a boil and becomes smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Once it becomes thick, remove from heat, add cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, add cooked macaroni and baby spinach. Pour into baking dish. Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Spray a little more buttered flavor Pam on top.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for a few minutes to get the breadcrumbs golden.

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 7 pts

Calories: 296.67 • Fat: 9.7 g • Protein: 15.8 g • Carb: 34.5 g • Fiber: 5.3 g

Crock Pot "Baked" Potatoes

Never making baked potatoes the old fashioned way again! Cooked perfectly!!! We did 8 small potatoes and it worked great. Nothing more to say. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 medium russet potatoes
• aluminum foil
• Toppings (extra pts): light sour cream, fresh chives, bacon bits, broccoli, cheese

Directions

1. Wash and scrub potatoes until clean. Dry thoroughly. When dry, prick potatoes with a fork and wrap in aluminum foil.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 potato • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 4 (large is 5 points+)

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Yeah! Another crock pot meal that is super yummy! This had a little kick so I didn't give it to the kids but it wasn't too spicy for me and I'm a wimp. It was similar to a lot of the other taco soup type things we've made in the crock pot but it had a lot more flavor. Husband was a genius and used the fire roasted diced tomatoes which always make a meal better. We ate this with a few tortilla chips and it was great. 5 out of 5 stars and no complaints here!

Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/12/crock-pot-chicken-enchilada-soup.html

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce or more to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more for garnish
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts 16 oz total
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, for topping
• 3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
• fat free sour cream optional

Directions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.
2. To the crockpot, add drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.
3. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with fat free sour cream, cheese, scallions and cilantro. You can also top with avocado or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups + cheese • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts

Calories: 260.9 • Fat: 6.6 g • Protein: 25.4 g • Carb: 29.9 g • Fiber: 6.7 g • Sugar: 4.1 g
Sodium: 572 mg (without salt)

Spinach Tortellini en Brodo

Ok, Husband and I disagree about this. I concede that it is good but I don't think it as good as our other tortellini soup recipe and he says it is better. I think he prefers this one because the other one has a tartness from the balsamic vinegar and this one has a more "chicken noodlie" taste. I obviously did like as we made it a few days ago and I just ate more for lunch today. That's the really good news... makes lots of leftovers. The other good news: it is surprisingly kid friendly. Thing 1 ate a little and then moved on to something else but Thing 2 kept on eating. I've actually given him this several times since we've made it but I mostly just fish the tortellini out and cut it up for him. Still, if I can make something for us and tweak it a little so the kids will eat it I'm a happy mom. As always we left out the celery. You can pretty much bet that if something contains celery it will be left out. It is my compromise with Husband. I get to keep olives if I give up celery. DEAL! Anyway, I really liked the freshness of this soup and it came when I had a yucky cold so it was a very welcomed dish. I will go with Husband on this one and give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Source: http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tsp butter
• 2 stalks of celery, choppeds
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled & chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 1 small Parmigiano Reggiano Rind optional
• 18 oz spinach cheese tortellini Buitoni
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups baby spinach
• salt to taste
• Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Directions

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. When melted, add the celery, onion, carrot & garlic. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
2. Add the chicken broth, water, rind and increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. When broth boils, add salt (to taste), pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and add tortellini. Simmer until tortellini cooks to al dente.
3. Once cooked, remove the rind, and add the baby spinach. Stir to combine. Garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano!
4. Makes 12 cups

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1-1/2 cups • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts

Calories: 226.6 • Fat: 5.3 g • Carb: 33.8 g • Fiber: 0.9 g • Protein: 11.3 g

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup

So, the picture is not so great but the soup is actually really good. It helped that I was sick and soup just hit the spot. I loved all the fresh veggies. Yum. We didn't have parmesean rind so we left it out and we didn't have fresh spinach so we used arugula instead. It worked just as well. I am now in love with the website we got this from and you will be seeing it more and more!! I say make this and enjoy. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

"Minestrone soup is a classic hearty Italian soup with tomatoes, white beans, pasta and vegetables. You can use Swiss chard or kale instead of spinach if you wish and you don't have to puree the beans, it's just my preference. I modified this for the crock pot but I prefer to make this soup on the stove and let it simmer for about 45 minutes before adding the zucchini and pasta. The crock pot however is so convenient when you are working all day and want to come home to a cooked meal. I highly recommend adding the Parmesan cheese rind. This is also great with mini turkey meatballs, or even some sauteed crumbled turkey sausage."- www.skinnytaste.com


Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 4 • Points+: 5

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

 

Ingredients

• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained, rinsed cannellini or navy
• 3 cups fat free chicken broth or vegetable broth for vegetarians
• 1 oz chunk of good Parmesan cheese rind
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbsps chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• salt and fresh pepper
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (defrosted) spinach
• 2 cups cooked small pasta like ditalini or elbows al dente
• extra parmesan cheese to top extra pts

Directions

1. Rinse and drain beans. Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender.
2. In a crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, Parmesan cheese rind, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
3. Forty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Add cooked pasta, cook 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprig, parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with extra parmesan cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 215.7 • Fat: 0.7 g • Protein: 8.7 g • Carb: 42.0 g • Fiber: 6.7 g 

Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

I've been craving salads and fruit and light things lately (and no I'm not pregnant) so I went searching for a good salad for dinner tonight. All in all it was pretty good. Nothing super spectacular but we would definitely eat it again. We give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups uncooked orzo rice-shaped pasta
• 3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips such as Tyson
• 1½ cups trimmed arugula
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.
3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 295

Fat: 7.7g

Cholesterol: 55mg

Sodium: 788mg

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 24.4g

Mediterranean Chuck Roast

The picture doesn't look great but how can you go wrong with 30 cloves of garlic and kalamata olives!? We had problems with the fact that this took 10 hours and ended up not getting to eat it until the next day for lunch. Loved it. We simplified the recipe by changing the Olive Persadille to just kalamata olives and I didn't miss it. I've include the olive persadille recipe below in case you want to give it a go. All in all I give this a 5 out of 5 stars.

 

Mediterranean Chuck Roast

Source: Diabetic Slow Cooker

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 2 lb Beef Chuck Roast
• 30 cloves Garlic Peeled
• ¼ Cup snipped dried tomatoes Not oil packed
• ½ cup beef broth
• 2 tablespoon(s)s balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning crushed
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 recipe Olive Persadille

Directions

1. 1. Trim fat from roast. Place garlic cloves and dried tomoatoes in a 3 1/2 pr 4 quart slow cooker. Top with roast. Pour broth over all in cooker. Sprinkle roast with vinegar, italian seasoning and pepper.
2. 2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 hours. Remove roast from cooker. Using forks, shred roast or slice the meat. Sprinkle with Olive Persadille.
3. See recipe for Olive Persadille

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 240

Fat: 7g

Cholesterol: 67mg

Sodium: 262mg

Sugar: 2g

Carbohydrate: 8g

Fiber: 1g

Protein: 35g

Olive Persadille

Source: Diabetic Slow Cooker

Course: Condiments

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• ¼ cup snipped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

Directions

1. In a small bowl stir together all ingredients.
2. Serve with Mediterranean Chuck Roast

Chicken Enchiladas

Enchiladas are one of those things we have about 100 recipes for like lasagna or chocolate chip cookies. We are always searching for that "winner" recipe that makes us want to settle down and commit. Tonight I'm surprised that Husband did not get down on his knee and pull out a ring for these babies. He said not only are these the best enchiladas we've ever made but he then went on to say they might be the best enchiladas he has EVER HAD! High praise since we lived in California where the Mexican Food is real and good and real good. Husband cooked dinner as usual (sorry ladies, he's taken) and the smells coming from the kitchen were great. I was concerned because I could smell the spice and I am generally a wuss. They were pretty spicy but totally worth the burn. The only changes were that Husband couldn't find any fresh jalapenos when he was doing the grocery shopping (he's still taken) so he used those pickled ones you would put on delicious gas station nachos which still worked. He also used smaller pieces of chicken which messed up our plans to do the 2 smaller pans and put one in the freezer. We got about 9 enchiladas instead of 12. That's ok. I'm pretty sure Husband would rather the leftovers be immediate then have to know they are in the freezer taunting him. He actually had to put them away immediately so he didn't eat them all. Needless to say these are a 5 out of 5 stars or a 35 out of 5 stars according to Husband.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 4 cups cold water
• 2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 jalapeno pepper, halved
• ¹⁄₂ medium onion, cut into wedges
• 1 (7-ounce) can salsa verde
• ¹⁄₄ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup chopped seeded tomato
• ¹⁄₄ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon ground red pepper
• 4 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• Cooking spray
• 1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese, shredded about 1/4 cup

Directions

1. Combine first 9 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a simmer. Cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan using a slotted spoon; let stand 10 minutes. Shred the chicken, and set aside. Drain cooking liquid through a sieve over a bowl; reserve cooking liquid. Discard solids.
2. Combine reserved cooking liquid and salsa verde in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups (about 30 minutes). Reduce heat to low; stir in whipping cream. Place pan over low heat.
3. Preheat oven to 400°.
4. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add tomato and next 5 ingredients (through cream cheese) to chicken; toss. Dip each tortilla in sauce mixture for 10 seconds. Fill each tortilla with about 1/3 cup chicken mixture; roll up. Arrange filled tortillas, seam side down, in an 11 x 7–inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon sauce over tortillas; top evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 262

Fat: 10.8g

Cholesterol: 65mg

Sodium: 715mg

Fiber: 2.5g

Protein: 18.3g

Chicken Tostadas

Husband has always been a big fan of tostadas (don't ask me why since they should taste just like a taco...) so when I saw this in one of my new slow cooker magazines I knew it was a must make! We had a family dinner yesterday after church so it was nice to have a meal that was cooking while we were gone. Pardon the plate made by Super Sweet Super Picky Niece but it is always my favorite to use when I am over at their house. This meal was SUPER good. The limes we bought earlier in the week were not looking so usable when we went to start it and since it was Sunday we had a very "make it work" crisis moment. Not to fear. We had a lemon for some other recipe on the schedule so we used that and it still turned out scrumptious. We will definitely be making this again and now I can say I told you so to Husband when he gives me crap about my addiction to cooking magazines. 5 out of 5 stars, although when I was just eating it for lunch I accidentally said 10 stars so I guess it should be a 10 out of 5 stars.

Source: Diabetic Slow Cooker

Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 2 jalapeño pepper seeded, finely chopped (See tip below)
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons Chili powder
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
• 1 medium onion sliced and separated into rings
• 2 lbs skinless boneless chicken thighs
• 1 (16-ounce) can fat-free refried beans
• 10 tostada shells
• ³⁄₄ cup reduced fat cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 cups lettuce shredded
• ³⁄₄ cup bottled salsa
• ³⁄₄ cup light sour cream
• ¹⁄₂ cup sliced ripe olives

Directions

1. 1. In a 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker combine jalapeno peppers, garlic, chili powder, lime juice, and hot pepper sauce. Add onion and chicken to cooker.
2. 2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
3. 3. Remove chicken and onion from cooker, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Using two forks, shred chicken. In a medium bowl combine chicken, onion and the 1/2 cup cooking liquid.
4. 4. Spread refried beans on tostada shells. Top with chicken mixture and shredded cheese. Serve with lettuce, salsa, sour cream and olives. If desired serve with lime wedges.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 285

Fat: 11g

Cholesterol: 86mg

Sodium: 606mg

Sugar: 2g

Carbohydrate: 22g

Fiber: 5g

Protein: 25g

A tip from me to you:

Jalapenos can be nasty little buggers when you cut them and then touch ANYTHING. Usually my fingers burn for hours after cutting those stupid little bandits. Here is my super classy solution:

Ziplocs. Yes. Those are ziplocs.

Lazy Lasagna

Like I've said on here before I have a weakness for lasagna. The only problem I have is that I grew up as a Stouffer's girl and I prefer it to homemade. I search and search for a lasagna that can rival the amazingness that is Stouffer's and this my friends is it! It tastes almost like an exact match!! So easy, so cheap and SO yummy! Both Thing 1 and Thing 2 ate this and enjoyed it. Next time I think I will split it into 2 pans and freeze half for another time. So far my favorite lasagna. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 9

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground round
• 1 (26 ounce) jar low-fat spaghetti sauce
• 1 (16 ounce) package fat-free cottage cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• cooking spray
• 1 (8 ounce) package precooked lasagna noodles
• 1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat mild Cheddar cheese
• Chopped fresh parsley optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook meat in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain well, and return meat to pan. Add sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Combine cottage and Parmesan cheeses in a bowl; set aside. Spread 1/2 cup meat mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 4 noodles over meat mixture; top with half of cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup meat mixture, and 1/3 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers, ending with noodles. Spread remaining meat mixture over noodles.
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheddar cheese, and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 275

Fat: 6.2g

Cholesterol: 43mg

Sodium: 584mg

Carbohydrate: 26.1g

Fiber: 1.9g

Protein: 21.8g

 

Real Bagels

We had some good friends over for breakfast this morning so we decided to give these a whirl last night. We didn't have enough bread flour so we used all purpose. We also didn't have the barley malt syrup so we left it out. We were very nervous at first, ok I'll be honest, we were nervous the whole way through, but they actually turned out pretty good. The boiling is weird but gives them that outer crust. A few tips. Don't use the wax paper. It sticks to the bottom. And we had to broil them for a minute or so to get them slightly golden. All in all they tasted like bagels which in my mind is a success. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 28 ¹⁄₂ ounces bread flour divided (about 6 1/2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon barley malt syrup (omit if you cannot find)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Cooking spray
• 12 cups water
• ³⁄₄ cup sugar

Directions

1. Combine 2 cups warm water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface. Weigh or lightly spoon 28.13 ounces flour (about 6 1/4 cups) into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add flour, syrup, and salt to yeast mixture. Mix dough at low speed 6 minutes. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead 2 minutes or until smooth and elastic; add enough of remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes.
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 12 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), shape each portion into a ball. Make a hole in the center of each ball using your index finger. Using fingers of both hands, gently pull dough away from center to make a 1 1/2-inch hole. Place bagels on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat bagels with cooking spray; cover with plastic wrap. Let rise 10 minutes (bagels will rise only slightly).
3. Preheat oven to 450°.
4. Combine 12 cups water and 3/4 cup sugar in a Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Gently lower 3 bagels into pan. Cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the bagels to a wire rack lightly coated with cooking spray. Repeat the procedure with remaining bagels, working in batches of 3. Divide the bagels between two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 450° for 7 minutes. Rotate pans, and bake for 7 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.
5. Note: Omit barley malt syrup if you can't find it.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 255

Fat: 1.1g

Cholesterol: 0.0mg

Sodium: 322mg

Fiber: 1.7g

Protein: 8.3g

Tortellini Tuscan Stew

Another school night crock pot recipe. Sadly Husband didn't get to try it before he left so you only get one opinion on this one. I came home to a fantastic smell which made me super excited to eat! The veggies were great (my favorite was the green beans) and the tortellini was even better. I think this makes more like 7 or 8 servings because it was SO much food and all 5 of my tupperwares were full to the brim. I was stuffed. Other than the enormous serving which may appeal to some I thought it was a really good meal. I give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Source: Good Housekeeping

Serves: 6 (more like 7 or 8)

Ingredients

• 1 (2-pound) butternut squash peeled and seeded, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 large zucchini cut in 1-inch chunks
• 1 large yellow summer squash cut in 1-inch chunks
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 large red bell pepper cut in 1/2-inch dice
• 4 ounce(s) thin green beans trimmed and cut in 2-inch lengths
• 1 can(s) (28-ounce ) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can(s) (14 1/2-ounce) chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoon(s) fresh oregano chopped
• 1.5 teaspoon(s) chopped garlic
• 0.75 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1 package(s) (9-ounce) fresh cheese tortellini
• 1 bag(s) (5-ounce) baby spinach
• 3 tablespoon(s) grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients, except tortellini, spinach, and Parmesan cheese, in a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on high 3 hours or low 6 hours.
2. Uncover; turn slow cooker to high and stir in tortellini. Cover: continue to cook 15 minutes, or until pasta is almost tender.
3. Uncover; gently stir in spinach and Parmesan. Cover; cook 5 minutes until spinach is cooked down and tortellini is tender.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 254

Fat: 5g

Carbohydrate: 48g

Protein: 12g

Baked Potato and Broccoli Soup

Husband is such a big fan of potato soup that I knew we had to have this when we split a 40 lb bag of potatoes with my sister in laws. I normally don't love soup but this had more the consistency of a stew with the potatoes being more chunky than in a normal potato soup. We immediately separated the pot of soup into 5 tupperwares and 2 bowls to make sure we got the correct serving size. Just FYI a serving size is 2 ladles full. It was perfectly filling and actually was one of those meals for me that left me happier after eating it. We paired it with half a piece of home made bread which was great dipped in the soup. Husband gave it a 4 out of 5 and actually added salt to his bowl of soup which at our house is pretty much a slap in the face to a recipe since we don't EVER use our salt and pepper shakers. I found the flavors to mesh perfectly with the best stand out flavors being the bacon and the green onions. Since there was a difference in opinion I will give this recipe 2 different ratings. Husband gives it a 4 out of 5 but I give it 5 stars.

 

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 7

Ingredients

• ¹⁄₄ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 (14 1/4-ounce) cans low-sodium fat-free chicken broth divided
• 3 cups peeled cubed potato (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 2 cups broccoli florets chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 ¹⁄₄ cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1 (8-ounce) block 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
• 7 teaspoons shredded 2% reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese
• 7 teaspoons fully cooked bacon pieces
• 7 teaspoons chopped green onions

Directions

1. Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup chicken broth until smooth.
2. Combine remaining chicken broth and next 3 ingredients in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes.
3. Stir in milk and 8 ounces shredded cheese. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Top each serving of soup with 1 teaspoon cheese, 1 teaspoon bacon pieces, and 1 teaspoon chopped green onions.
4. Note: We recommend freshly shredded cheese (versus the preshredded variety) for additional creaminess and even melting.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 223

Fat: 7.9g

Cholesterol: 31mg

Sodium: 667mg

Fiber: 2.6g

Protein: 17.3g

Pumpkin Waffles

This is how we do Halloween in our house. Actually Halloween in our house usually involves more spook and cuteness but pumpkin has been on my mind lately so I used Halloween as an excuse. I saw pumpkin waffles paired with cranberry butter in one of my (no joke) 7 or 8 halloween cooking magazines. Since the calories were more than I was willing to stomach I took to Google to find a more figure friendly version. I found these. And because I couldn't get over the thought of cranberry butter I threw some dried cranberries in mine. They were great! Even Thing 1 has been eating them and actually asking for them in the mornings. (It helps that there was a movie on called spookley the square pumpkin and I have been calling them Spookley waffles. I swear kids will eat anything if you give it the right build up.) Any left overs can be saved in the fridge or freezer and thrown in the toaster for a quick breakfast the rest of the week. I think this would be a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ³⁄₄ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon salt
• ¹⁄₈ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• ¹⁄₂ cup Pumpkin Puree
• ¹⁄₄ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large egg lightly beaten
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (flour through cloves) in a large bowl, and make a well in center of mixture. Combine milk and next 4 ingredients (milk through egg) in a bowl, and add to flour mixture. Stir just until moist.
2. Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray; preheat. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter per waffle onto hot waffle iron, spreading the batter to the edges. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until steaming stops; repeat procedure with remaining batter.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 255

Fat: 5.7g

Cholesterol: 57mg

Sodium: 372mg

Fiber: 2g

Protein: 7.4g

Monkey Bread

This does not look or taste healthy but if you question it look at the comparison at the bottom of this post. I believe this was the first time I ever made dough from scratch and it wasn't too bad. I think I kneaded it a little too long in the kitchenaid and my sister in law suggested I try finishing the kneading by hand next time to make sure it doesn't get too dry. Agreed. That was really the only flaw to this. It was really fun to make rolling the little dough balls and then waiting for it to rise. I will definitely make this again but I will eat it right out of the oven because it was better when we popped it in the microwave for a bit. All in all a fantastic Sunday breakfast or Saturday night dessert! Somewhere between 4.5 and 5 stars (the half a star would only be because of the dry-ish dough so the recipe actually gets a 5 and my execution gets a 4.5.)

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 13 ¹⁄₂ ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 cups)
• 4 ³⁄₄ ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 package quick-rise yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 cup very warm fat-free milk (120° to 130°)
• ¹⁄₄ cup very warm orange juice (120° to 130°)
• ¹⁄₄ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• Cooking spray
• ¹⁄₂ cup granulated sugar
• ¹⁄₂ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons fat-free milk divided
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• ¹⁄₂ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached; mix until combined. With mixer on, slowly add 1 cup milk, juice, honey, and 2 tablespoons butter; mix dough at medium speed 7 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)
2. Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a shallow dish. Combine 3 tablespoons milk and 2 tablespoons butter in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk.
3. Punch dough down; divide into 8 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), roll into an 8-inch rope. Cut each dough rope into 8 equal pieces, shaping each piece into a 1-inch ball. Dip each ball in milk mixture, turning to coat, and roll in sugar mixture. Layer balls in a 12-cup Bundt pan coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 7 dough ropes. Sprinkle any remaining sugar mixture over dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.
4. Preheat oven to 350°.
5. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until golden. Cool 5 minutes on a wire rack. Place a plate upside down on top of bread; invert onto plate. Combine powdered sugar, remaining milk, and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Microwave at HIGH 20 seconds or until warm. Drizzle over bread.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 234

Fat: 3.4g

Cholesterol: 9mg

Sodium: 184mg

Fiber: 1.9g

Protein: 4.5g

Classic Monkey Bread                                         This Monkey Bread

556 calories per serving                                                    234 calories

960 mg sodium per serving                                              184 mg sodium

13 grams saturated fat                                                    2 grams saturated fat