Potato Celery Soup

4 cups chicken broth
1 lb. celery, chopped
carrots, cut
2 medium potatoes, chopped
onions, chopped
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 cups milk, hot
1/3 cup butter



1. Pour the chicken stock into a large pot, and bring to a boil. Add the celery, carrots, potato and onion to the pot. Whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, and milk; add to the pot along with the butter. Boil for 10 minutes or so, until veggies are tender.

8 servings 4 pts plus

Green Bean Casserole Lightened Up

When I was a kid, Green Bean Casserole (you know the one with cream of mushroom soup and french onions on the top! Such a great comfort food!!) was one of my favorite dishes. Of course, I didn't realize how much fat and sodium was in them....nor would I have cared if you had told me! But now that I am trying to eat healthier, I was excited when I came across this recipe. I adapted it a little to my tastes and cooking experience and plan to experiment on my family at Thanksgiving Dinner this week!


2 quarts water
1 T. salt
1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans, trimmed and cut (or frozen)
10 oz. mushrooms, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
pinch cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 T. apple juice
3/4 cup fat free half and half (or whole milk)
1 1/2 slices whole wheat bread
1 T. butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1/16 tsp. pepper
1 3 oz. can French fried onions

Bring water and salt to boil in large pot. Add beans to boiling water. Cover and cook for 6 minutes. Drain beans and spray with cold water to halt cooking process. Remove as much water as possible. Set aside.

Spray a non-stick pan with Pam and heat. Add mushrooms, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are very soft. Whisk the flour into the chicken broth and add to the mushrooms along with the apple juice. Simmer, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add half and half and simmer until thick, about 5-10 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and stir in the beans.

For the casserole topping: put the bread, butter, salt and pepper into food processor and pulse until crumbly. Pour into a bowl and add the onions. Stir to combine.

To assemble: Put the green beans into a greased casserole dish and top with the onion mixture. Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes. If you are not baking right away, do not add topping until ready to bake.

Serves 8. 2 pts plus

Ranch Dip

2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup(s) light sour cream
1/3 cup(s) light mayonnaise
2 Tbsp water
1/3 cup(s) chives, fresh, chopped or green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp parsley, Italian (flat leaf), chopped
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
1 tsp white wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice and/or water to taste

Mince garlic and sprinkle with salt. Add sour cream, mayo and water and stir until smooth. Stir in chives (or green onions), parsley and pepper until blended; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to mix flavors. Thin out with lemon juice or vinegar, if desired. 2 T. equals 1 serving. Makes 8 servings.

Dirty Quinoa

If you have never tried quinoa, you should! It is very high in protein, fiber, calcium and iron and is a fun change from your basic potato, rice, pasta staples! Rinse it in a fine mesh strainer before using.


Dirty Quinoa
Adapted by Mimi from Confections of a Foodie Bride

1 lb lean ground Turkey
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup medium white or yellow onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1/2 medium green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced thinly (dark green parts separated from white/light green)
1 cups quinoa, uncooked
2 cups chicken broth/stock
1 bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne (optional)
Tobasco sauce (optional)

Brown lean ground turkey in a non-stick pan over medium heat until mostly browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Stir frequently until the vegetables begin to brown. Add garlic and white/light green parts of the green onion. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.

Pour in quinoa and stir to mix. Add cooked ground turkey, chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally) until the liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste. Serve topped with green onions, additional chopped bell pepper (if desired), along side your trusty bottle of hot sauce.

Serves 4.

Pasta Fagioli Soup (like Olive Garden's) in a Crock Pot

This is a great food storage recipe. Lots of canned goodies and few fresh ingredients! Gotta love the crock pot too, right?



Pasta Fagioli Soup in a Crock Pot(Olive Gardens Soup)

2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (16 oz.) can white kidney beans, drained
3 (10 oz.) cans beef stock
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
6 teaspoons parsley
1 (20 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pasta

1. Brown beef in skillet.2. Drain fat from beef and add to crock pot with everything except pasta.3. Cook in crock pot on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours.4. During last 30 minutes on high or 1 hour on low add pasta.5. For extra zip add a little ketchup to individual bowls.
This serves 12-14 people 7 pts plus

Caribbean Jerk Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans

Caribbean Jerk Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Black Beans
Borrowed from Mimi's Fit Foods-Modified from a recipe found at Group Recipes

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 white or yellow onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, peeled, cut into ½-inch chunks
4 teaspoons Caribbean jerk seasoning, divided (I used half of this amount and it was HOT!!)
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lime
14.5 oz. black beans, rinsed
Salt, to taste
Cilantro, optional (for garnishing)

Heat large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, then onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in sweet potato. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons jerk seasoning over the vegetables; cook for 1 minute. Add broth and bay leaves; simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile. . . cook/grill the chicken. Preheat broiler (or an indoor grill such as the George Foreman). Sprinkle the remaining 2 tsp. jerk seasoning over chicken; coat chicken with cooking spray. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat source until the chicken is just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes per side. (Alternatively, cook in a ridged grill pan…like a George Foreman Grill…over medium heat or grill over medium coals.)

Grate enough lime zest to measure 1/2 tsp. Stir zest, black beans and salt into the sweet potato mixture. Continue cooking for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. Discard bay leaves. Remove from heat. Juice lime and stir lime juice into sweet potato mixture. Transfer the sweet potato-bean mixture to 5 plates, top with chicken. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

ENJOY! Serve with salad or some other yummy vegetable.

Note: I have also cut my chicken into bite-sized pieces, seasoned it with jerk seasoning and then cooked it in my skillet BEFORE cooking my onion. Once the chicken is done, I transfer it to plate and tent it with foil. I follow the rest of the recipe as outlined and add the cooked chicken back to the skillet when I add the black beans to the sweet potatoes so that it can heat back through. This seems easier at times (with less dishes to wash) and it’s much easier to divide amongst 5 people….considering there’s only 4 chicken breasts in the recipe.)

Serves 5. 8 pts plus

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp. brown sugar
1 jalapeño, seeded, ribbed and diced
1 1/2 tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied (or the equivalent in chicken tenders)
1 large red onion, sliced into ½-inch thick slices, rings not separated
2 large bell peppers, stemmed, quartered and seeded
16 extra thin corn tortillas (Such as Mission Yellow Corn Tortillas – Extra Thin = 40 calories each)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade; set aside. Place the chicken breast halves (or tenders, if using) in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Lightly oil both sides of the onion rounds and peppers with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, prep your grill . . .for gas grill turn all burners to high and let grill get nice and hot. Then turn one burner to high and the rest down to medium.

Remove the chicken breast from the marinade and transfer to the hotter side of the grill; discard the left over marinade. Place the onion rounds and peppers on the cooler side of the grill. Cook the chicken until it is well browned, 3-4 minutes. Using tongs, flip the chicken and continue grilling until it is no longer pink inside (or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 160˚ F.) Meanwhile, cook onions and peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice as needed.* When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

In 2 or 3 batches, transfer the tortillas in a single layer to the now empty grill on the cooler side. Cook until warm and lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side. When the tortillas are done, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or foil. (Alternatively you can warm the tortillas according to package directions.)

Separate the onions into rings and place them in a medium bowl. Slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and add them to the bowl with the onions. Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved unused marinade and toss well to combine. Slice the chicken into ¼-inch strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons of reserved marinade in another bowl. Arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter with the warmed tortillas and serve.

Serves 8

*Optional Cooking Tip for Veggies: cut the onions & peppers into strips and then lightly grease the George Foreman grill with cooking spray and then throw the onions and peppers on the grill and cook until crisp-tender and slightly charred.


Recipe from Mimi's Fit Foods

Chock Full of Veggies Chili (South Beach Diet)

This is seriously so delicious! I just love it...and I love the fact that you are getting so many vegetables in one dish! Try it.


1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (15 ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes


1 In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add peppers,
mushrooms, onion,celery, and garlic. Cook about 7 minutes until vegetables begin
to soften. Add seasonings and continue to cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally.
2 Add beans and tomatoes with all their juices and bring to a
gentle simmer. Simmer 25 to 30 minutes, until chili is fragrant and slightly
thickened.

Forks over Knives Documentary

Wow! I have been trying to eat healthier (at least more often than not) for quite a while now. Today, I watched a documentary on whole foods or plant based eating that was very interesting. You should check it out. It is based on scienntific studies etc. not just kooks! Great food for thought..."Forks Over Knives".

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the recipe off the giant bag of chocolate chips from Costco. We really like them. Don't overcook-they are better soft!

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2-2 cups chocolate chips

Mix butter and sugars together. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Add dry ingredients and stir together to mix. Drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Cranberry Pear Salad

Also borrowed from: Deals to Meals

1 large romaine lettuce, chopped
2 c. spinach leaves
1 pear, cubed
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1 apple, cubed
Dressing:
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. dried onion
1/2 t. salt
1 T. poppyseeds
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/3 c. olive oil or vegetable oil

Chop romaine lettuce and spinach and place in a large bowl. Shred
cheese, and cut apples and pear. Place apples and pear pieces in a
small amount of orange juice or lemon juice to prevent browning.
Mix all dressing ingredients together until smooth and combined
(you can put all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender until
smooth). Place all of the salad ingredients into the bowl with the
romaine and spinach and serve with the poppyseed dressing.

Cream Cheese Chicken Soup

Source: Deals to Meals meal plan

2 T. butter
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cups chicken broth (or 3 chicken boullion cubes + 3 cups water)
3 potatoes, peeled and finely diced
1 cup milk
4 T. flour
8 oz. cream cheese
seasonings to taste: pepper, parsley, oregano, salt, thyme
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, celery and
carrots. Saute, stirring often, for 3-4 minutes, until the veggies are
slightly tender and the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth
and potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, partially covered,
until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. In a liquid measuring
cup, vigorously whisk the flour and milk together until smooth.
Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly, and cook over
medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until the soup begins to thicken
slightly. Stir often to ensure the soup doesn’t burn. Soften the cream
cheese in the microwave until it is very soft/melty. I usually place the
unwrapped cream cheese on a plate and microwave it for one minute
at 30% power. I like it really, really soft so it doesn’t leave lumps in
the soup. Add the cream cheese to the soup in small tablespoon-size
pieces. Let the pieces sit in the soup and warm through then whisk or stir the soup until cream cheese is melted and mixed in well. Add the chicken and heat through. Add spices to taste.

Creamed Ham Bake

Courtesy the Daily Herald originally from the Family Dinner Cookbook

3 cups egg noodles, cooked
1 lb. ham, cooked, cubed (or chicken)
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup green onions, chopped

Spread cooked egg noodles in greased 9x13 pan. Combine remaining ingredients. Pour over noodles. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Green Smoothie Update

1 orange (or two mandarins or clementines)
1 1/2 cups spinach
1 cup frozen fruit (any kind-blueberries are kind of over-powering though)
1/2 banana
1/2 cup water (or more as needed)
1/3 pkg. powdered orange crystal light drink bottle mix (or other..Hi-C or whatever)
ice if necessary
1/8 lemon including rind (only with Super Blender)

Blend and enjoy. I have found that the orange really makes it in my book. Water needed varies according to how much juice is in orange and how much frozen fruit/ice you use.

Skillet Chili Mac

I made this the other night and it was delicious. I love a meal that can come together quickly like this and yet taste great. I think it could have used more pasta, so next time I would probably add another 1/4-1/2 cup water and 1/4-1/2 cup more pasta. Also, I only used half the cheese (and stirred it in according to directions). I thought that was plenty of cheese (I used half shredded parmesan and half cheddar) so if you are trying to cut calories, this is a great way. I also think the oil could be eliminated from the first step-and my kids were not huge fans of the green chiles-but that's a matter of personal taste. Enjoy!

Skillet Chili Mac
Source: Mimi's Fit Foods

1 T. oil

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, minced

3/4 T. chili powder

1/2 T. cumin

1/2 tsp. salt

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 cup water

4 oz. (1 cup) penne pasta (whole wheat pasta boosts the healthy factor!)

1 can diced green chiles, drained (optional)

1 cup shredded cheese (any kind-reduced fat if you are watching calories), divided

Heat oil in skillet, add ground beef, onion, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Cook until ground beef is no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease. Add garlic and brown sugar and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, water and pasta. Cover and simmer until pasta is done, about 12-15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in half of cheese and chiles until cheese is melted and chiles are warmed through. Serve with additional cheese sprinkled on top.

Serves 4.

8 pts plus

Baked Tortilla Chips

corn tortillas
coarse salt works best but can use table salt
cooking spray (like Pam)

Set oven racks at middle and upper middle position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 large cookie sheets with Pam. Cut tortillas into fourths using a pizza cutter. Spread them on cookie sheets in a single layer. Spray with Pam and sprinkle coarse salt on them. Bake for 8-12 minutes until golden brown. Remove pans from oven, flip chips over and bake again for 8-12 minutes. Do not overcook.

Peach Salsa

2 peaches, cored and diced
1 red pepper, diced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced very finely
small handful of cilantro, chopped finely
pinch of coarse salt
juice of 1/2 lime

Mix ingredients, cover and refrigerate. Great on pork loin or eaten with tortilla chips, or fish tacos.

Source: Annie's Eats

Green Smoothie

These are full of vitamins and minerals and are so delicious (if you can get past the color!! you will enjoy it-I promise! You can't even taste the spinach....AT ALL!!) Spinach has calcium, protein, lots of vitamin A, iron, vitamin C, antioxidants,etc. etc.

6 oz. pomegranate juice or any juice (cranberry is great too)
6 oz. water
1 cup frozen fruit (Costco has a frozen mango, etc. combo that is good)
2 cups spinach leaves (fresh leaves)
1/8 lemon, including peel (optional)
ice if needed

Don't use the lemon unless you have a really good blender (like a BlendTec or Vitamix). It won't chop it up fine enough. Blend well and drink up!

You can tweak this to find a combination that you love. I tried one today where I used green grapes in place of juice, just spinach and mixed fruit with 1/8 lemon and a little water. It was one of the best ones yet. Kelly Smith says she just mixes frozen spinach with water and then adds in strawberries.

Coconut Chicken Curry-Stove top or Crockpot

This is yet another delicious recipe from Mimi. Mine was a little spicy, but I did add some cayenne pepper to it. The good spicy, you know, where it makes your nose run a little! :) Todd didn't like the potatoes in it (Lisa and I did). I may tweak it next time by adding bamboo shoots and some red or green pepper. I like my peppers a little bit crunchy so I may saute them seperately just until tender and add them in right before serving. Or you could add them in raw for the last 5 minutes or so of simmering Enjoy!

Oh, yes....almost forgot crockpot instructions: Make the recipe right up to the part where you are supposed to simmer it for 30-40 minutes. Put it in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Coconut Chicken Curry

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1/2 inch chunks
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 T. canola oil
2 T. curry powder
1 1/2 tsp. paprika (or substitute cayenne if you like the heat-I put less cayenne in)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium red potatoes, cut into chunks
1 (14 oz.) coconut milk (light if you can find it)
1 can stewed or diced tomatoes, Italian style (I put mine in the blender as we don't like chunks)
1 can tomato sauce
1 1/2 T. sugar

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil, curry and paprika over medium low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes (don't let it burn). Turn heat to medium and stir in onions and garlic and saute for another 7-9 minutes, until onions are transparent. Add chicken and toss to coat chicken with curry oil. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and nearly cooked through (it will continue to cook in the simmering stage). Add potatoes, coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar and any other additional ingredients: bamboo shoots (drained) NOT peppers at this point. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally until potatoes are cooked. Add red or green peppers, cut in small chunks during last 5 minutes of simmering (or saute them seperately and add in just before serving). Serve over rice.

Serves 10! Makes great leftovers. I've been eating this for lunch all week! 6 pts plus if made with light coconut milk(not including rice).

Turkey Tacos

Ground turkey is usually pretty bland, but the addition of the saucy ingredients make flavor of this taco meat is very yummy! Add cheese, tomato, avacado, sour cream, scallions, lettuce, and other taco toppings.

1 tsp. canola oil
1 onion, minced
2 T. chili powder
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. oregano
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. brown sugar
salt and pepper
8 taco shells, warmed OR
corn tortillas

Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat . Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, garlic, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, but still slightly pink, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomato sauce, broth, vinegar, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Makes 4 servings

Source: America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Mimi's BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Burritos

1/2 T. olive/canola oil
1 lb. chicken, cut in cubes
1/3 cup bbq sauce
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup black beans (or whole can-your preference)
1/2 cup cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
4 tortillas

In large frying pan, heat oil. Add chicken, onion and garlic and cook until chicken is no longer pink and onion is tender. Add BBQ sauce, black beans and cheese and heat through until cheese is melted. Put about 1/2 cup filling into a tortilla and top with 1 T. sour cream. Roll up and eat.
Makes 4 burritos.

Asian Sesame Chicken and Soba Noodles

1 T. sesame seeds
2.5 oz. Japanese (buckwheat) soba noodles
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast cut in bite sized pieces
1 red pepper, sliced
1 1/2 cups broccoli, cut in bite sized pieces
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 T. soya sauce
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
4-5 green onions, chopped

Toast sesame seeds by putting in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Stir frequently and don't let burn.

Bring big pot salted water to boiling and add soba noodles. Cook for 3-5 minutes and drain. Rinse with cold water and drain well.

Meanwhile, cook chicken in frying pan in about 2 tsp. olive oil. When almost done (still a little pink) add the peppers and broccoli and cook until tender crisp and chicken is done. Remove from heat.

In a bowl, mix sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, sugar and green onions. Stir well. Toss with noodles and chicken vegetable mixture. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top and serve. Good hot or cold.

2 servings

I didn't have any fresh broccoli, so I made this recipe using frozen stir fry vegetables instead. Recipe comes from http://mimisfitfoods.com/?s=asianMimi's fit foods blog.

Shrimp Enchiladas

I love shrimp! These are light and oh, so yummy! Adapted from Annie's Eats

1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and de veined
2 tsp. olive oil, divided
1 red pepper, diced
3/4 cup onion, diced
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
dash cayenne
dash garlic powder
2 tsp. flour
6 T. fat free half and half (or cream, or milk-I also think chicken broth would work here)
1/4 cup light sour cream
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
3/4 cup cheeses (1/2 shredded parmesan, 1/2 mozzarella/monterey jack/pepper jack)
8-10 tortillas (I like whole wheat, Dad likes flour)

Preheat oven to 350. In large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tsp. of the olive oil and saute the shrimp until just pink and opaque. Do not over cook. Remove from heat. Set aside. When cool enough to handle, cut in bite size pieces, if desired.

Meanwhile, add 1 tsp. oil to pan and saute chopped peppers and onions for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Add spices and flour and stir until fragrant-about another minute more (flour will brown a little and give a nice toasted flavor). Gradually add in half and half (or cream or milk or broth) and stir until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add sour cream, cheese and tomatoes. Return shrimp to the pan, and stir until cheese is melted and everything is blended nicely.

Put 1/3 cup mixture inside tortilla shell and roll it up. Put seam side down in 9x13 that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Spray tops of assembled enchiladas lightly with cooking spray and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8.

Fit Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp

I made this today for lunch and it was a hit! Not quite the same as the full fat version, but the nutrition information is pretty impressive: 366 calories, 8.2 g fat, 39 g protein, 30.8 g carb and 4.6 g fiber.

8 oz. whole wheat fettuccine
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined or 2 chicken breasts
2 tsp. butter
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 grates of nutmeg or dash of powdered nutmeg
3/4 cup chicken broth
3 1/2 T.shredded parmesan
1/2 cup 2% Greek Yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 tsp. parsley

Boil fettuccine noodles until 2 minutes before al dente. Add shrimp and cook until they curl up and turn pink. Drain noodles.

Meanwhile melt butter in a skillet. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Mix cornstarch with nutmeg and whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Add chicken broth mixture to garlic/butter and stir constantly until it boils and thickens. Add 1/4 cup cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat and add Greek Yogurt. Stir in until well blended. (Can warm over burner, but do not boil.) Toss noodles and shrimp with sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with extra cheese and some parsley.
.
Serves 4. Picture and recipe from Mimi's Fit Foods.

6 pts

Crockpot Beef and Bean Burritos

2 lb. london broil
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 cup onion, chopped
1 T. vinegar
1 small can chopped green chiles
1 can refried beans
12 tortillas
1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato
3/4 cup sour cream

Trim fat from the meat, rub taco seasoning on both sides. Place in slow-cooker that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Add onion, vinegar and green chiles. Cover and cook on low for 9 hours. Remove meat from slow cooker, reserving liquid. Shred beef with two forks. Combine meat with reserved cooking liquid. Stir well.

Warm beans and tortillas according to package directions. Spread 2 . beans down middle of each tortilla. Spoon a heaping 1/3 cup meat mixture on top of beans. Top each with 2 T. cheese, 2 T. tomato, adn 1 T. sour cream. Roll up.

Spaghetti Casserole

8 oz. spaghetti noodles, cooked according to package directions
1 egg (or 1/4 cup egg beaters)
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 of 10 0z. pkg frozen cut spinach, thawed
1/3 cup onion
3/4 lb. ground beef or turkey
any other vegs. chopped very fine (bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini) optional
4 cups spaghetti sauce
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 8x8 baking pan.

Toss cooked spaghetti noodles with egg and shredded parmesan. Put in baking dish.

Drain thawed spinach, pressing out any additional liquid, but putting in a colander and pressing out with back of spoon. Spray large skillet.

Cook ground beef or turkey with onion, and any other vegetables you desire (not spinach yet) unti browned, breaking up meat. Drain off any fat. Add spinach and spaghetti sauce and heat through. Add to baking dish on top of noodles.

Top with mozzarella cheese, cover with foil and bake 40-45 minutes or until bubbling. Let sit 10 minutes, cut in squares and serve.

Serves 6. Can be doubled, and half frozen for another time.

Cake Batter Crispy Treats

Cake Batter Crispy Treats

3 TBSP butter
1-10 oz bag of mini marshmallows
1/4 cup yellow cake mix
6 cups rice krispies cereal
1-1.75 oz container of sprinkles


Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat and add marshmallows. Stir until they begin to melt, adding in cake mix one spoonful at a time so it's combined. Stir in cereal so it is completely coated with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle in half the sprinkles and mix. Press into a baking dish (any size will do) and top with remaining sprinkles. Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting. (spraying a knife with non-stick spray helps when cutting)

Recipe and picture from howsweeteats

Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. olive oil
6 T. bread crumbs (whole wheat if you can find it)
2 T. panko
2 T. grated parmesan cheese
Olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 425. Spray baking sheet.

Put olive oil in one bowl. Mix bread crumbs, panko and parmesan in another bowl.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and put in bowl with oil. Mix so all chicken pieces are coated with oil. Put a few pieces at a time into the bread crumb mixture and then onto the baking sheet. Lightly spray with Pam and bake for 8-10 minutes. Turn over and bake til done, about another 4-5 minutes.

From Gina's skinny taste blog.

4 servings 6 pts plus

Toasted Sesame Chicken Pasta Salad

This was a salad that April (Brad's wife) Orr's sister Tammy made for her bridal shower. It was wonderful!

3 lbs. chicken tenders, cooked and cubed
16 oz. radiatore pasta
2 bunches asparagus
2 c. candied pecans (recipe below)
Sesame Ginger Dressing (recipe below)

Rinse asparagus, clip ends, blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes. Cut into 2" chunks. Mix with cubed chicken, candied pecans and add dressing just before serving.

Candied Pecans
1/2 c. melted butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 c. pecans

Preheat oven to 375. Combine melted butter and brown sugar until dissolved. Fold in pecans and spread on 9x13 pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool and break into pieces.

Sesame Ginger Dressing
1/2 c. frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 c. toasted sesame oil
1/2 c. rice vinegar
1/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. worchestershire sauce
2 T. lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. ginger
4 T. toasted sesame seeds

In a small skillet toast sesame seeds until golden brown (about 2 minutes on medium heat). Mix other ingredients in a blender except seeds. Stir in seeds and put dressing ina bottle. Shake well before serving.

Lemon Buddies

9 cups Rice Chex (Put in bowl and set aside)
1 1/4 cups white chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
4 tsps. lemon peel zest
2 T. lemon juice

Combine all ingredients (not Chex) and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for 30 seconds more. Add to Chex and stir. Put mixture in Ziploc bag and then add 2 cups of powdered sugar and shake!

We had these at a card group recently....they were delicious!! (Mostly I didn't want to lose the recipe. Now I can throw the paper one away!) Here is a link to Chex in case you care about nutrition information! http://www.chex.com/recipes/RecipeView.aspx?RecipeId=49162&CategoryId=447

Easy Fritos Salad

1/2 red pepper, cubed
1/2 yellow pepper, cubed
1/2 orange pepper, cubed
fritos
catalina dressing to taste

Just mix in a bowl and add enough salad dressing to taste. Will not keep, so don't make more than you can eat. This is really yummy! Aunt Laura made it for us when we were in Cardston this summer.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancake Mix

4 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
3 1/2 cups oats
3 T. sugar
3 T. baking powder
1 T. salt
1 T. baking soda
1 cup vegetable oil (I have cut this in half with no noticeable difference)

On slow speed in blender, grind oats until chopped fine, but not a powder. If you have a bread mixer, add all dry ingredients and slowly drizzle in oil while mixing with a paddle at low speed. I did this step by hand. Keep in airtight container for 2 weeks or indefinitely in fridge or freezer. 3 pts plus (based on 40 serv)

To make up:
1 cup pancake mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 T. orange juice (I forgot this and they were still good!)

(1/2 c. plain yogurt and 1/2 cup milk can be substituted for the buttermilk, but the buttermilk will make the cakes fluffier.) Let batter sit for 15-20 minutes before frying. The batter may seem a little runny but will thicken as it sets up. Makes 10 pancakes.

Asian Sesame Chicken and Noodles

2 tsp. garlic
1/2 c. rice vinegar
1/2 c. soy sauce
2 tsp. Hoisin sauce
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 T. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. ginger
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 T. peanut butter
2 T. hot water
5 chicken breasts, cut into long strips

Sesame Noodles:
Use half of the marinade above for noodles
12 oz. thin spaghetti or angel hair
green onion, thinly sliced
carrots, thinly sliced

Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl (you may need to microwave peanut butter to get it to stir in easily). Pour half of the marinade mixture into a ziploc bag and add strips of chicken. Marinate for 2-8 hours. Reserve the other half of the marinade for the noodles. Grill chicken.

For the sesame noodles, cook noodles al dente, drain and pour into a bowl. Slice the green onions and carrots and add to the pasta with the reserved half recipe of marinade. Toss and serve with grilled chicken.

Cake Batter Truffles

Cake Batter Truffles

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup yellow cake mix
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
about 1/4 cup milk

Hand mix:
2 Tbsp sprinkles

Also needed:
Vanilla Melting Chocolate

Beat together butter and sugar using an electric mixer until combines. Add remaining ingredients (add milk slowly til it makes a dough-like consistency) Mix in sprinkles by hand.
Roll into 1" balls and place on wax paper or tinfoil lined cookie sheet. Chill in fridge for 15 min.

While dough balls are chilling, melt vanilla melting chocolate and dip each one. Place back onto lined cookie sheet, top with additional sprinkles if desired.

Chill cake batter truffles in fridge until serving. Makes about 30 truffles.