Weight Watchers Cabbage Soup

I was in the mood for soup last week...it was soooo cold! I had a great friend/co-worker bring me one of the best tasting soups I had had in a long time. When I put it into "My Fitness Pal" app on my phone and realized it was only 20 calories....it made it that much better! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 cups nonfat beef broth or 3 cups nonfat chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. tomato paste
2 cups chopped cabbage
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped carrotts
1/2 cup green beans
1/2 cup chopped zuchini
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
salt and pepper

Directions:
Saute onions, carrots, and garlic for 5 min. Add broth, tomato paste, cabbage, green beans, basil, oregano, and salt/pepper to taste. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes until all veggies are tender. Enjoy!! mmmmm....so good!

Leftovers?

After making ribs, chicken, brown rice, etc.....there was a need to get rid of leftovers in a yummy way! It was cold this week and the best idea was SOUP!!!

I put it all in a stock pot, added chicken broth, fresh tomatoes, garlic, salt, and pepper and as Emeril says, "BAM!!"

I froze half and saved the rest to eat during the rest of the week for lunch..mmmm!!!

Super Bowl Time!

There is no need to feel guilty after eating at a Super Bowl Party. We did have kid friendly foods such as Hebrew's Pigs in a Blanket with Mustard and Barbecue weenies (used Hebrew weenies). We did have chicken wings for the guys to eat. However, there were so many other good foods, that if you wanted to eat healthy, it was tempting to go for those healthier choices...mmmmm!!!



Healthy Super Bowl Snacks:
-Chicken Spread
-Ham and Cheese Rollups
-Cheese Spread
-Veggie Tray
-Fruit Tray
-Crab Dip
-All Crackers were Fat Free or Whole Wheat (for those that needed to dip)

*Recipes to come soon...

Marinated Chicken with Pasta Primavera

My husband and daughter looooove pasta! However, I wanted to make something light and healthy for dinner. This was a big hit and both of them ate all their vegetables that night (...and got seconds)!!



Ingredients:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 tsp. hot sauce (I added more because they loooove hot stuff)
1/2 cup fat free Ranch Dressing (we have found a Ranch dressing with 0 everything...it's great!)

Whole Wheat (gluten free) noodles
1/2 cup almond milk (or whatever type of milk/creme you prefer for pasta sauce)
1 bag of frozen veggies
1/2 cup chicken broth (fat free and low sodium)

shredded goat cheese (or parmesan) and parseley to garnish the plate


Directions:
Mix hot sauce, ranch, and chicken in ziploc bag to marinate at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Cook for 40 minutes.

Cook noodles as directed. Cook veggies as directed. Mix noodles, veggies, milk, chicken broth together. Cook on medium heat in a stock pot for 30 minutes.

Garnish the plate with cheese and parseley to make it pretty!! Enjoy!

Brown Rice wth Tomatoes and Basil

Here is another excellent side that will hopefully become my daugther's new "pasta salad."

Ingredients:
1 c. brown rice
1 tsp. sea salt
black pepper (pinch to taste)
1/4 c. vinegar
2 tsp. stevia (or sugar substitute preferred)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large can of diced tomatoes (fresh would be good too)
1 cup basil leaves, chopped (you can also add garlic, basil seasoning and italian seasoning)

Directions:
Bring 2 1/4 c. water to a boil and add the rice and 1 tsp. salt. Return to boil, cover, and simmer for 30-40 minutes. (all water should be absorbed) Transfer rice to a bowl. Whisk together vinegar, stevia, olive oil, and remaining tsp. salt and pepper. Pour over rice. Add tomatoes and basil. Mix well. Serve at room temperature.

Broccoli Casserole with a Healthier Twist

Tonight the family will be having Ham Steaks and Chicken on the grill. I debated on a healthier choice of sides that everyone would enjoy....

Ingredients:
2 (10 oz.) packages frozen broccoli (chopped and cooked)
1 c. fat free mayo
1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese (can substitute 1/2 c. goat cheese if preferred)
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 cups whole wheat crackers (reduced fat)
2 tbsp. "I Can't Believe" butter (melted)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray baking dish. Mix broccoli, mayo, cheese, soup and eggs. Put in baking dish. Top with crushed crackers. Pour butter over top. Bake for 35 minutes.

Snack Time

Today at work (the good ol' schoolhouse)... the kids were having snack time. I remembered my nutritionist saying that I needed to snack more during the day (morning and afternoon snack). I just could not make myself think that snacks were a good thing. Well as long as you are not "snacking" all day it is supposed to be great! Therefore, I went to Food Lion during my break and found the tastiest and best snack for me...

Special K crackers and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (picture coming soon)... yummmm!!!

Peggy's Taco Soup

A co-worker/friend of mine has been a big encourager of my eating healthier at school (where I work). This is a very important part of staying healthy. If you don't have the support, I have found that you can fall off the "bandwagon" easier. Peggy brought me a sample of this soup to work today and it was delicious.

Weight Watcher points: 4 (1 cup)

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef (she used venison...if not use something lean or turkey burger is just as good)
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced tomoatoes with sweet onions
1 can diced green chiles
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 can kidney beans
1 pkg low sodium taco seasoning

Directions:
Brown meat and drain.
Add all ingredients together in crock pot and cook all day on low.
You may serve with cheese and tortilla chips. (I did not and it was just as good!!)

Thank you Peggy! Keep the healthy recipes coming!! Mmmm- great lunch!

Southern "BBQ" Chicken

You know those nights when you just need your comfort foods...this was one of those nights... Enjoy!

Chicken:

Use low sodium/low fructose ketchup, worcestire sauce, and garlic for your BBQ sauce. Season to taste. I have played around with it and the family loves it!! Marinate the chicken overnight for more tender results. Grill or put in oven for 40 minutes on 350. (depends on if you use tenderloins or breasts for the time)


String Beans:

Steam in pot for 30-45 minutes with low sodium chicken broth, garlic, and salt/pepper to taste.


Corn:

Steam salt/pepper (no butter for us) for 6 minutes.


Mmmmm!!! 

Mexican Fiesta!

My family wanted mexican...how do you give mexican without the cheese dip, tortillas, and sour cream that make you feel awful for eating this way afterwards? Here is what I did:

Riley: she loves quesadillas (cheese inside tortilla) and pasta salad!

Pasta Salad: I used gluten free pasta (can also prefer whole wheat depending on your diet). We try to keep her away from wheat so we prefer this type. I add oil and vinegar, garlic (real or powder), italian seasoning and goat cheese (crumbled)...she loved it!!! I was nervous she would notice the differences. However, she asked for seconds. That was her favorite!!

Quesadillas: I used whole wheat tortilla shells (I'm looking for something with rice but it is hard to find) and wrapped goat cheese up inside. She was a big fan (and also dipped it in low sodium and no fructose ketchup)

* Children love ketchup and ranch dressing....I have played around with alternatives and come up with some new ideas...I'll post in a separate blog!

Jordan and I had taco salads: We used the same taco seasoning you use when you make tacos from a kit. However, we used deer meat (it is more lean!!!), lettuce, goat cheese, whole wheat multi-grain chips (I hear the blue chips are good as well) and homeade salsa. (jalepenos for the husband). The picture shows my plate (notice the portion size). We are still working with my husband on the portion sizes, but I used a dessert plate if that helps to know how much you should be eating (without seconds). This was a great meal and finding the little alternatives did not leave anyone in my family "not full" or unsatisfied. I would definitely do this again...

Any other mexican recipes out there for low carb, low calorie, low fat???? I love avocados!!!

Eating Out...

It's been a while since I posted a new recipe. I have been doing some cooking. However, there have been times that we have had to eat out. Since starting this new phase in my life, this is probably the hardest challenge for me. It is hard to live a busy, fast paced life, feed your family, and at the same time eat HEALTHY!! However, here are a few things my family and I try to do when eating out...

- order fruit instead of fries if available
- stay away from the soft drinks, juices, and milk (water or if necessary unsweetened tea and bring stevia in your purse to sweeten it up a little)
- order grilled instead of fried
- everything is processed (even the salads in my opinion) so most importantly don't stuff yourself with this MESS...just get a little to hold you over before you can eat something worthwhile...

*If anyone has any other suggestions that working moms, busy families, etc. can use when we MUST eat out or "on the run" please post... I'm all ears!!

Grilled Portabello Mushrooms

For lunch today, we decided to go out on the grill and make the portabello mushrooms. It was the easiest thing to do...

All we did was cleaned and peeled the mushrooms. Then, we marinated them for about 30 minutes in soy sauce (low sodium), garlic powder, salt and pepper. Jordan grilled it for 4 minutes on one side and 4 minutes on the other (medium heat).

It tasted great!!

"No Noodle" Vegetable Lasagna

Today I had a craving for italian food. I knew a vegetable lasagna would be better for me. However, instead of noodles, I heard eggplant would be a better choice.

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant (peeled, sliced into 1/4 inch noodle-like strips)
cooking spray
salt and pepper
1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic
1 large squash
1 large zuchinni
1 16 oz. package sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp. italian seasoning
1 can of tomato sauce (or use...fresh tomatoes or sugar free tomato sauce in jar)
3 cups shredded lowfat mozerella cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Spray cookie sheet and place eggplant strips on top. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 5 minutes on each side. Lower oven temperature to 375. In a large pot, combine onions, garlic, tomato sauce, zuchinni, squash, mushrooms, and italian seasoning. Cook on low for 10 minutes. In a baking dish, spray, and layer: eggplant, sauce, half of cheese amount...repeat. Bake in the oven covered for 1 hour. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes to allow cheese to brown. Enjoy!

New and Improved Mashed "Potatoes"

This morning, I was talking with a fellow teacher about my plan to eat and cook healthier for my family and told her about my meal last night. She came up with an alternative to sneak to my husband and daughter instead of the mashed potatoes. Instead, I can make mashed cauliflower. Here is the recipe she gave me. Thanks Peggy!

1 head of cauliflower (cut in smal peices)
1 cup of chicken broth (low sodium)
Garlic powder, salt, pepper (to taste)
2 tbsp. butter (I can't believe it's not butter)

Steam the cauliflower. Combine other ingredients in bowl. Blend well. TADA!!! Don't tell and see if they realize what you've done...

My picture of this recipe will be coming soon with another main dish...

More Recipe Spots...

skinnytaste.com
wellnessmomma.com
elanaspantry.com
modpaleo.com
health-bent.com

Zuchinni Bread

I asked a friend of mine today what I could do with the extra zuchinni in my refrigerator and she said her mom used to make zuchinni bread. It sounded horrible for my health just because of that word "bread." It became a challenge and even though it is still a few more calories than I'd like, here is a healthier alternative...

1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1/3 cup water
2 cups grated zuchinni
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup walnutes (chopped)
3 1/4 cup all purpose flour (...if anyone can find an alternative to this I would love to hear it)
1 1/2 sea salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups splenda

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl
Mix wet ingredients in another bowl.
Mix together all ingredients and stir well.
Add nuts and fold in.
Bake 2 loaf pans (make sure to spray pan)
Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Stuffed Peppers and Cream Potatoes

Tonight I wanted to have a "soulful" meal while still watching what I ate. I changed the original recipes I had to make them my own. I hope you enjoy:

Stuffed Peppers:
1 lb. turkey burger (butterball)
1 can diced tomatoes
8 oz. cream cheese (reduced fat/fat free)
1 cup sharp cheddar
4 peppers (I had 4 people coming over)
1 medium onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic

Cook and drain turkey burger. Add onions and garlic to saute.
Cut tops off of peppers. Make sure to make hollow and without seeds.
Add tomatoes and cream cheese until all mixes well together.
Make sure peppers are on a baking sheet.
Stuff peppers with mixture from stove.
Sprinkle sharp cheddar on top.
Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Cream Potatoes:
7 white potatoes
2 cups almond milk (great alternative)
1 cup sharp cheddar
1/2 stick "I cant believe its not butter"
chives, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, (to taste)
parseley (to decorate on top when complete)

Cook potatoes. While cooking potatoes, mix all other ingredients in large bowl.
Add potatoes. Use mixer.
Sprinkle parseley on top when you are finished.

*Healthy tip: eat stuffed pepper as much as possible first so that you will not want as many of the yummy potatoes...and enjoy!!