Pao de Queijo (Brazillian Cheese Bread

Hey all, if you are looking for a healthy post, I'm sorry, I can't help you. This is definitely an everything in moderation scenario. Husband and I were at the farmer's market for our anniversary weekend and we stumbled across a new booth selling brazillian cheese bread. They had a HUGE sign that said GLUTEN FREE!!! so of course I had to sample and then inevitably purchase the treats. After demolishing the ones I bought in under an hour I knew I had to have them again. I went to my favorite gluten free store, Against the Grain and found that they sold the dough. So I bought that and ate it in about the same amount of time. Then I took to Google and Pinterest and found 4 different recipes for these delicious treats. I found some tapioca flour at Kitchen Kneads for a great price so it was just a matter of time. We tweaked this recipe a little by using Cojita cheese. We also were going to add diced jalapenos but decided to master the recipe first and then add the peppers. Consider it mastered. It was super easy! Thing 2 who is gluten free gobbled up 2 and a half of these things he calls cupcakes. Even super picky, super sweet niece ate one! I decided to use them as hamburger buns since we were having a 4th of July BBQ and oh my goodness. I am never eating a hambuger on a normal gluten free bun again! They even tasted better than normal buns or ciabattas! They are totally high calorie for which I apologize but it is a great gluten free alternative to a normal roll or bun or bread. 5 out of 5 stars and 2 thumbs way, way up!!! Just some advise, when it says serve warm, they mean it. Heat it in the microwave if you are eating it the next day. Also we didn't have to add any additional flour after the 3 1/2 cups.

Source: chefinyou.com

Serves: 8-12

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons butter melted
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3-1/2 cups tapioca flour + 2 tbsp
• 2 eggs slightly beaten
• 1 cup grated farmer's cheese or any firm, fresh cows milk cheese (I used fresh Mozzarella)
• 2-3 tbsp grated cheddar cheese (optional)
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix milk, salt, vegetable oil and butter in a pot, and bring to a boil.
2. As soon as it boils, remove from heat. Stir tapioca flour into the milk and butter mixture.
3. Stir in the eggs and the cheese, and mix well.
4. Let mixture cool for 15-30 minutes, so that it will be easier to handle.The recipe mentions refrigeration for 15 minutes. But if you see the picture below with the measurement they provided it was more of a bread broth and when I added extra flour it became like this. Much better. The measurement I have provided makes it easy to roll into balls.But then as I mentioned previously add it with discretion. Its still sticky but flouring your hands make it easier.
5. With floured (tapioca flour) hands, shape the dough into small balls. and place them on a baking sheet.
6. Bake rolls for 20 to 25 minutes, until they are puffed up and are golden. They will rise slowly and puff up mostly in the last 5 or 10 minutes. You know they are done when there is amazing aroma wafting (tapioc'ish (#!#$?) smell?), the bread puffs up with lots of cracks (looks like some dinosaur egg hatching!) and it gets this v. slight yellowish glow with flecks of yellow here and there (cheese flecks?)
7. Serve warm
               

And yes, that is mayonaise and BBQ sauce dripping from my burger. Don't judge.

Lemon Risotto with Asparagus

This meal was prepared by a guest chef and then I made it again for myself. Her's was prettier so I went with her picture. My fake mom was visiting while Husband was out of town and we scrambled around trying to find stuff to make for dinner. Luckily I had my new cooking light magazine handy so we looked in there and Fauxma was so excited to find microwave risotto that we just had to try it. We both LOVED it! Super easy super tasty and makes lots of leftovers if you don't have three helpings that night which is hard. I made it for Husband last night even though he does not like asparagus in attempt to force him to eat his veggies and he said it is probably the best asparagus dish I've made. I'll take that. The way the lemon mixes with the asparagus is really tasty and fresh and this meal is surprisingly light and doesn't sit in your stomach like rice sometimes does. Husband gave this a 4 but Fauxma and I both gave it a 5 out of 5 stars. I would rate it higher if the scale allowed!

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3 (14 1/2-ounce) cans fat-free less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups (1-inch) diagonally cut asparagus about 1 pound
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Directions

1. Bring broth to a simmer in a large saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add rice and rind; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, and cook 3 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
3. Add 3 1/2 cups broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes). Stir in asparagus. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in cheese and juice. Sprinkle with thyme.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 307
Fat: 4.9g
Cholesterol: 6mg
Sodium: 532mg
Fiber: 2.7g
Protein: 11.7g

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

Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken

Back when I was in high school my best friend and I would always go to Jack in the Box for what we called "Things" which were actually those jalapeno popper things. We loved them. Needless to say when I found this recipe I went ballistic! Healthy "things"!!! Hooray! This recipe was good but I only put one jalapeno in them not sure if it would be too spicy and it wasn't enough. Next time I will try 2. We also used green onions instead of scallions because they are easier to find and we usually have them on hand. To make this gluten free we used crushed up chex (corn or rice) and put a little italian seasoning in them instead of bread crumbs. See that cheese oozing from the side in the picture? That for me is the best part and makes this recipe a 5 out of 5. Husband on the other hand gave it a 4 because he is not a huge fan of "things". I'll let you make it and decide.

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 slices center cut bacon cooked and crumbled
• 3 jalapeños chopped (remove seeds for milder)
• 3 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese softened
• 4 oz reduced fat shredded cheddar jack Sargento
• 2 tbsp chopped scallions
• 8 thin sliced skinless chicken breast cutlets 3 oz each
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 juicy limes juice of
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and fresh pepper
• olive oil non-stick spray

Directions

1. Wash and dry chicken cutlets, season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Combine cream cheese, cheddar, scallions, jalapeño and bacon crumbles in a medium bowl.
3. Lay chicken cutlets on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of cream cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one, secure the ends with toothpicks to prevent the cheese from oozing out.
4. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl; in a second bowl combine olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.
5. Dip chicken in lime-oil mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down on a baking dish. Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spray the top of the chicken with oil spray.
6. Bake 22-25 minutes, serve immediately.

Gluten Free substitution: Use crushed rice chex cereal mixed with italian seasoning instead of bread crumbs.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 371
Fat: 17.5g
Sodium: 355.8
Sugar: 0.6g
Carbohydrate: 11g
Fiber: 1.5g
Protein: 42.7g

Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon

The other day I had a mad craving for Alfredo so, of course, I HAD to find a healthy version. I took to Google and found this gem! Just remember portion control. The bacon makes it almost impossible to stop eating! We used gluten free fettuccine and an all purpose gluten free flour blend (Grandpa's Kitchen brand) to make this meal gluten free. I also skipped the fresh parsley to make it cheaper and didn't notice anything missing. Everyone loved this especially the kiddos! 5 out of 5 stars!

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fresh fettuccine
• 2 slices applewood-smoked bacon chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
• 2/3 cup (about 2 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid.
2. While pasta cooks, cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 4 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings. Add garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Sprinkle flour over garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly and slightly thick, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Gradually add cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in salt and reserved 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add hot pasta to pan; toss well to combine. Sprinkle with bacon, parsley, and pepper.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 339
Fat: 11.7g
Cholesterol: 22mg
Sodium: 833mg
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 17.3g

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

Playgroup Granola Bars

Since Husband is a full time student and I work to support the family we don't have a lot of extra funds for sweet treats and snacks and are forced to make them. I searched the web for a healthy granola bar recipe since that is a snack we will all eat and I found this one. I've always had this negative opinion on homemade granola bars for some reason but not any more. These literally taste like Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!! Hooray! I didn't have wheat germ so I called my sneaky chef sister in law and she had some milled flax seed she said I could use. It seemed to work great especially since I have never used either and wouldn't know the difference anyway. Thing 2 devoured it and thing one humored me with a bite. When I said it tasted like a cookie he fought me on it saying cookies don't have raisins they have chocolate chips. Someone needs a cookie education class. I'm definitely interested in what Husband will think of these... Anyway, these are great and made a bunch which I put in snack baggies to store for easy snacking. 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 35 Min
Total Time: 50 Min

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup raisins optional
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. Mix well using your hands. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 161
Fat: 5.5g
Cholesterol: 9mg
Sodium: 79mg
Sugar: 15.7g
Carbohydrate: 26.6g
Fiber: 1.4g
Protein: 2.4g

Open-Faced Hummus Sandwiches

Sometimes I am a mean wife and plan things that I know Husband won't like just because I want them and I make the meal plan. This is definitely one of those things. I had thought maybe, just maybe he might like it but alas, no dice. He couldn't even finish it. I, on the other hand, LOVED it. The whole thing ended up blowing up in my face when I could not restrain myself from eating the rest of his sandwich when he didn't finish. That'll teach me. So here's the thing about this recipe... If you like all of the ingredients you will absolutely love this if not you probably won't like it at all. I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. We won't talk about what Husband would give it...

 

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (1 1/2-ounce) slices sourdough bread
• 1 1/2 cups quartered grape tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 (8-ounce) container plain hummus
• 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Arrange bread on a baking sheet. Broil 1 minute or until toasted. (Or put it in the toaster like we did...)
3. Combine tomatoes and next 6 ingredients (through garlic). Spread about 1/4 cup hummus over each bread slice. Divide tomato mixture evenly among servings. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 358

Fat: 20.1g

Cholesterol: 7mg

Sodium: 811mg

Fiber: 4.3g

Protein: 12.3g

Copy Cat Chipotle Burrito Bowl

Ok, I totally took the wrong picture for this making it super difficult to blog. The good news: using the search bar you can find either of the recipes included in this post so it doesn't really matter. Husband is a HUGE Chipotle fan so he was on board for making it ourselves. I kept looking forward to this recipe and man did it deliver. Husband says they rival the burrito bowls of Chipotle but majorly prefers our pork carnitas to any of their meat choices. Take that Chipotle. We made the Pork Carnitas the day before on our regular crock pot day and since it always makes enough to feed a small army we planned these with the left overs. We used the rice cooker to make the rice since we are lazy and made the beans while it cooked. then we just layered, added some queso fresco and ate it with a few chips. Yum. Most definitely 5 out of 5 stars!!

Chipotle's Cilantro Lime Rice

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup extra long grain rice or basmati rice
• 1/2 lime, juice of
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
• 3 tsp vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off flame and keep covered an additional 5 minute.
2. In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 4 • Size: 3/4 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts

Calories: 201.0 • Fat: 3.4 • Carbs: 37.4 • Fiber: 0 • Protein: 4.0 g

Quick and Delicioso Cuban Style Black Beans

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 scallions
• 2 tbsp red bell pepper
• 3 tbsp cilantro
• 15 oz can black bean, do not drain
• 1/2 cup water or more if needed
• 1 bay leaf
• few pinches cumin to taste
• pinch oregano
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Chop onion, garlic, scallions, red pepper, and cilantro in a mini chopper of food processor.
2. Add oil to a medium-sized pot on medium heat. Add vegetables to the pot and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add beans, water, bay leaf, cumin, oregano, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover, simmer about 15 minutes stirring occasionally (adjust water as needed). Taste for salt and serve.

Amount Per Serving

Servings: 4 • Size: 1/2 cup • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts

Calories: 113.9 • Fat: 2.9 g • Protein: 6.8 g • Carb: 19.9 g • Fiber: 6.0 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)

Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas

Husband loves pulled pork and I usually can't stand it but this I loved! The great thing about it is you can use it any way you want. We made the tacos you see here the first night and then I used some of it for a taco salad for a pot luck at work and it went pretty fast. We will most definitely be making this again! 5 out of 5 stars.

Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 4 oz (1/2 cup) • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 4 pts

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2.5 lbs pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed I used Smithfield
• 6 cloves garlic, cut into sliver
• cumin
• dry adobo seasoning I used Goya
• garlic powder
• 3/4 cup 99% fat free chicken broth
• 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauces to taste
• 2 bay leaves

Directions

1. Season pork with salt and pepper. In a medium sauté pan on medium-high heat, brown pork on all sides for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Using a sharp knife, insert blade into pork, cutting small holes and insert garlic slivers. Season pork generously with cumin, adobo and garlic powder all over.
3. Pour chicken broth in the crockpot, add bay leaves and chipotle peppers. Place pork in crock pot and cover. Cook low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, shred pork using two forks and combine well with the juices that accumulated at the bottom. Remove bay leaves and adjust salt and cumin (you will probably need to add more). Let it cook another 15-30 minutes.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 176 • Fat: 7.7g • Protein: 25.8 g • Carb: 1.3 g • Fiber: 0.1 g

Heart-Shaped Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes

The only thing better that breakfast in bed is when it is heart-shaped and yummy. Husband even cut my bananas like hearts. Awww.... So these are from that fantastic site mentioned in the previous post and I am still super happy with it. Luckily we had the heart shaped pancake molds already. I love the banana flavor and it makes me feel like I am living a Jack Johnson song which makes it even better. All in all 5 out of 5 stars.

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 2 pancakes • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts* 

Source: www.skinnytaste.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup unbleached white or white whole wheat flour  
• 2 tsps baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 large banana, ripe, mashed well
• 1 cup 1% milk or almond milk
• 3 larges egg whites
• 2 tsps oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
• cooking spray

Directions

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine milk, egg white, oil, vanilla and mashed bananas in another medium sized bowl and mix until smooth.
2. Combine wet ingredients with the dry and mix well with a wooden spoon until there are no more dry spots. Don't over-mix.
3. Heat a large skillet on medium-low heat. If you are using a heart shaped pancake mold, you will want to spray it lightly with cooking spray so the batter doesn't stick to it.
4. Lightly spray a skillet with cooking spray, place the mold on the hot skillet and pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter. Add 1 teaspoon of chocolate chips in each pancake. When the pancake starts to bubble and the edges begin to set, flip the pancakes. Repeat with the remainder of the batter.
5. Makes about 3 cups of batter which yields 12 pancakes.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 179.6 • Fat: 5.2 g • Protein: 5.9 g • Carb: 28.4 g • Fiber: 2.5 g • Sugar: 10 g
Sodium: 572.1 mg

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

Roasted Asparagus and Tomato Penne Salad with Goat Cheese

I've made this several times and for some reason it has never made it to the blog. Probably because we devour it before we can get an adequate picture. I made this for a work potluck and for a church function and both times it was gone before I even reached the bowl. I guess that is a good sign. We LOVE this recipe! It is one of those fresh tasting but filling meals that you could just eat and eat and eat. Consider yourself warned. This is the recipe that first got Husband loving arugula. Yum. Can't say that enough. This might be my all time favorite recipe. Definitely in my top 5 for sure. Here's a tip: We had to stop making this for a while because the goat cheese can be a little pricey. Luckily I stumbled upon some at Costco that was an AMAZING deal. Hooray! Happy eating. A BIG 5 out of  5 stars!!!

Serve immediately or cover and chill for 2 hours for a cold pasta salad. (We like it warm)

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked penne or mostaccioli (tube-shaped pasta)
• 12 asparagus spears
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
• ³⁄₈ teaspoon kosher salt divided
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon black pepper divided
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons honey
• ¹⁄₂ cup pitted kalamata olives halved
• 2 cups baby arugula
• ¹⁄₂ cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. 2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain and set aside. 3. Place asparagus and tomatoes on a jelly-roll pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss gently to coat; arrange asparagus and tomato mixture in a single layer. Bake at 400 for 6 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove asparagus from pan. Place pan back in oven, and bake tomatoes an additional 4 minutes. Remove tomatoes from pan; let asparagus and tomatoes stand 10 minutes. Cut asparagus into 1-inch lengths; halve tomatoes. 4. Combine shallots and the next 4 ingredients (through honey) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add remaining 3 tablespoons oil, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. 5. Place pasta, asparagus, tomato, olives, and arugula in a large bowl; toss. Drizzle juice mixture over pasta mixture; toss. Sprinkle with cheese.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 408

Fat: 22.3g

Cholesterol: 11mg

Sodium: 584mg

Carbohydrate: 42.9g

Fiber: 3.5g

Protein: 11.3g

Chicken with Pepperoni-Marinara Sauce

I really wish I could just write yum but I will give more info than that. We've had this on the schedule for a while and have been putting it off for some reason. We were definitely pleasantly surprised. Put frankly, we LOVED it. We call it "pizza chicken" and it seems relatively kid friendly. We don't have a dutch oven so Husband just cooked the chicken and the sauce and then put it in a pyrex to put in the oven. We will DEFINITELY make this again!! 5 out of 5 stars.

Source: Cooking Light

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
• 16 slices pepperoni, coarsely chopped
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 ¹⁄₂ cups lower-sodium marinara sauce such as McCutcheon's
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 ¹⁄₂ pounds chicken cutlets
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic and pepperoni; cook 2 minutes or until garlic begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add oregano; cook 30 seconds. Add marinara sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in basil.
3. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Add chicken to skillet; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned, turning after 3 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle evenly with cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts.

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 380

Fat: 14.7g

Cholesterol: 122mg

Sodium: 533mg

Fiber: 0.1g

Protein: 48.5g

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.