recipe: black bean chicken

This recipe originally came through on my email from sparkpeople.com a few years ago and whenever I'm short on time this is a go-to recipe for us. (I can't believe I haven't posted it here before...) I love that I can cook it with frozen chicken and I always have these things on hand, it seems. Everyone loves it including my super picky children.

INGREDIENTS
2 cans black beans, undrained
16 oz jar salsa
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 lb frozen chicken breast

DIRECTIONS
Place frozen chicken breasts in slow cooker.
Pour beans, rice and salsa over chicken.
Cook low 8-10 hours and serve.

That's it, people! It doesn't get any easier than that.

recipe: lemon-glazed chicken

This is pretty yummy. My son and I enjoyed ours cut up and mixed with rice and veggies. My husband and daughter ate theirs with traditional sides. It's great both ways.

Lemon-Glazed Chicken
Serves 4

1/2 cup brown rice bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

In a shallow dish combine the bread crumbs, garlic, salt and pepper and blend together. Dredge both sides of the chicken in the crumb mixture.

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice and honey. Set aside.

In a large non-stick pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, cover and saute until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan.

Add the lemon and honey glaze to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the glaze becomes syrupy. Return cooked chicken to pan, flipping the chicken once to coat with the glaze.

Remove from pan and serve.

Modified from this recipe on active.com. My version is not spicy.

recipe: italian spinach & chicken skillet

I love one dish meals. They make my life so easy. This one is amazing. And if my 6 year old will eat it you KNOW it's good.

Original recipe can be found here: Taste of Home

Italian Spinach and Chicken Skillet
Servings: 4
Total time to table: 30 minutes (bonus!)

2 cups uncooked yolk-free whole wheat noodles
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (14-1/2 oz) no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10-3/4 oz) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3/4 cup spaghetti sauce
2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute mushrooms in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the tomatoes, soup, spaghetti sauce, chicken, spinach, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Drain noodles; toss with chicken mixture. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

ENJOY!

Nutrition info: 1-1/2 cups = 389 cal, 12 g fat, 38 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 35 g protein.

recipe: crock pot santa fe chicken

This? Is delicious served over brown rice and super easy to throw together the night before. Turn your slow cooker on in the morning and voila!

Original recipe can be found here: Gina's Skinny Recipes | Skinnytaste.com (LOVE her recipes!)

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
Servings: 8
Size: 1 cup
Points Plus: 4
Calories: 190, Fat 1.5 g, Fiber 5.6 g, Carbs 23.1 g, Protein 21 g

24 oz (1.5 pounds) chicken breast
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can black beans
8 oz frozen corn
2 tbsp dried cilantro (I didn't have fresh)
14.5 oz fat-free chicken broth
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice (extra Points).

banana nut pancakes

(link to original recipe from skinnytaste.com with complete nutritional information)

Servings: 6

1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 large banana, very ripe, mashed
1 cup 1% milk (I used skim)
3 large egg whites
2 tsp oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp chopped walnuts (optional)
butter flavored cooking spray

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Combine milk, egg whites and mashed banana in a bowl and mix until smooth. Combine wet ingredients with the dry and mix well with a spoon until there are no more dry spots. Don't over-mix.

Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Spray oil to lightly coat and pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter. When the pancake starts to bubble and the edges begin to set, flip the pancakes. Repeat with the remainder of the batter.

Makes about 3 cups of batter which yields 12 pancakes.

We topped ours with extra walnuts, banana slices and syrup! Delicious!

a new favorite - crock pot chicken taco chili

Guys, you MUST try this recipe. For realz. It is DELICIOUS. My 6 year old will eat at least 2 servings and he's a picky, picky eater.

I served ours over brown rice but you could get creative and serve it over tortilla chips, pasta, etc. Just remember to count the extra Points/calories. Or serve it as is. It's delicious that way, too!

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

(link to original recipe from skinnytaste.com)

POINTS Plus: 5
Serving Size: 1-1/4 cups
Servings: 10

1 onion, chopped
16 oz can black beans
16 oz can kidney beans
8 oz tomato sauce
10 oz frozen corn kernels
2 – 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes with chilies
1 packet taco seasoning (I make my own - recipe can be found here.)
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
24 oz (3-4) boneless skinless chicken breasts
Chili peppers, chopped (optional)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream (extra Points+).

Calories 203.7, Fat 1.4g, Protein 16.9g, Carbs 33.3g, Fiber 10.0g

the veggie beef soup that even my kids will eat

I have picky kids. Wait. I take that back. I have a super picky 6 year old that only likes potatoes and cheeseburgers. Oh and pizza. What can I say, the kid loves his carbs just like his momma. Because of this I always worry when I make something new. Because when I cook (now anyway) I make sure (most days) it's healthy, good-for-you, keep you full all evening food.

When it's cold I love, love, love soup! I found a recipe for vegetable beef soup on the back of the McCormick Slow Cookers Vegetable Beef Soup Seasoning and bulked it up a little bit (extra veggies). I then plugged everything in to my Weight Watchers Recipe Builder and it works out to 3 points per cup and makes approximately 10 cups. I served it to my children and they ate it and liked it which means it must not taste icky. Okay...I tasted it too - it's good.

Here's the recipe:

Vegetable Beef Soup

POINTS Plus: 3
Serving Size: 1 cup
Servings: 10

McCormick Slower Cooker Seasoning Mix for Vegetable Beef Soup, 1.2 ounce pack
1 pound stew beef, well-trimmed, cut into 3/4" cubes
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups carrots, sliced
2 large potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
2 cups frozen cut green beans
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cups water

Place beef and vegetables in slow cooker. Mix Seasoning and water until blended. Pour over beef and vegetables. Cover. COOK 8 hours on LOW. Stir before serving.

It's that flippin' easy, yo.

And look - a picture of my bowl (please ignore the messy desk surrounding it - focus on the soup!)!



Don't let the picture fool you. I use a great big soup mug. One cup is a nice filling amount.

If you try it lemme know what you think!

Enjoy!

another idea for turkey leftovers

No, I don't have any turkey left from Thanksgiving but I did make another recipe that we really loved with our leftover turkey. If you're having turkey for Christmas this is a great idea for leftovers. We're having ham so it will probably be awhile before I make these again.

This recipe is from Gina's Skinny Recipes and the original can be found here.

Baked Turkey Croquettes

POINTS Plus: 6
Serving Size: 3 croquettes
Servings: 6

12 oz cooked turkey breast, chopped fine with a food processor
3 potatoes, peeled, cooked and mashed
¾ cup fat free chicken broth
2 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
½ cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
1 egg, whisked
Olive oil spray (about 1 tbsp)

In a large bowl, mash potatoes with ¼ cup broth, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Sauté garlic and onions in oil on low heat. Add parsley, salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add turkey and remaining broth, mix well and shut heat off.

Add turkey to mashed potatoes and using your clean hands mix well. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.

Preheat oven to 450.

Measure ¼ cup of mixture then form into croquettes. Place on waxed paper. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Dip each croquette in egg wash, then breadcrumbs and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet for easy cleanup. Spray generously with olive oil spray (about 1 tbsp worth). Bake in the oven 15 minutes, or until golden.

turkey leftovers again?

One can only eat so many turkey sandwiches or dinners with turkey and gravy before it gets really old. One of my favorite post-Thanksgiving meals is a turkey pot pie but hello calories! I found a recipe for Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie on the Weight Watchers site last night and decided we were going to have it tonight but with turkey instead of chicken (which worked out to be the same number of Points - yay!). I linked to the original recipe but here it is with turkey and a few variations I made. It was so pretty. I really should've taken a picture. Obviously, I'm not going to be a famous food blogger. Ha!

Old-Fashioned Turkey Pot Pie
Points Plus Value: 6
Servings: 6 (works out to be a heaping 1/2 cup of the turkey/veggie mix and 2/3 of a crescent roll)

non-stick cooking spray
1 tsp butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups frozen mixed veggies
1 cup chicken broth
3 cups turkey (mixed dark and white meat - no skin), shredded
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup evaporated milk, divided
4 reduced-fat crescent rolls*

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a 10-inch round shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

Coat a large pot with cooking spray. Add butter and melt over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook, until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, thyme, salt and pepper. Add veggies, broth and turkey. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

In a small cup, combine flour and 1/4 cup of evaporated milk; stir into turkey mixture. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup of evaporated milk and cook until mixture is slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes more.

Spoon chicken mixture into prepared baking dish. Unroll crescent rolls and arrange dough around inside edge of baking dish to form a border (there will be a hole in the middle). Bake until rolls are golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 15 minutes (mine only took 10 minutes). Cut into 6 pieces and serve.

Eat slowly, savor and enjoy. Because if you inhale it? You'll miss the yumminess. And yes, one serving is a really nice size portion.

*Okay, has anyone ever found a container of just 4 crescent rolls? I couldn't find anything smaller than 8 so I used 4 for the recipe and baked the other 4. If you do that, plan on an extra 3 Points per roll.

best banana muffins ever

So last night I had 4 very ripe bananas that I didn't want to toss. I tweeted: "I have 4 overripe bananas I need to use ASAP. Suggestions?" Lots of tweeters came to my rescue, but these are what I opted to make - Banana Crumb Muffins. They are the best banana muffins I have ever tasted. I tweaked it a little to use what I had on hand (4 bananas instead of 3, whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose) and it was seriously amazing. The recipe says it makes 10. I got 14 out of my batch and only used about half of the topping. Warning - at the estimated 263 calories per muffin on the recipe site it's not a low-cal treat. But my mind is already turning and I have several substitutes I think I could make without sacrificing flavor. Next time I make these (and there will be a next time or my husband and kids will beat me) I may try those out. If it's a hit with the substitutes I'll share my version.

kid tested, mother approved

Pizza Pepperoni Pasta

3 cups uncooked whole wheat spiral pasta
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2.5 cups garden-style spaghetti sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp pepper
3 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz sliced pepperoni (I found that 2 ounces was more than enough for our tastes)
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook turkey and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, tomatoes, basil, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and pepper; set aside.

Drain pasta. Transfer to a 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Top with spaghetti sauce mixture and pepperoni. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Cover and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.

1-1/4 cups = 299 calories, 10 g fat, 5 g fiber (using the full 4 ounces of pepperoni)

Source: Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Magazine - Aug/Sept 2010 Issue

recipe: fresh strawberry crepes

We had yummy strawberry crepes for dinner tonight. Breakfast was my plan originally (eggs, etc.) but then I saw Weight Watchers tweet this super easy recipe and I decided to try it instead. You should too. I promise you won't regret it!

And yes, it's listed in desserts but it still made a terrific dinner. Hubs requested bacon as well so we had bacon on the side.

Fresh Strawberry Crepes
POINTS per serving: 3
Servings: 8
Serving Size: 1 crepe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 32 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy

5 large egg whites
1/8 tsp table salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 cup fat-free skim milk
1 cup all purpose flour
8 sprays cooking spray
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced very thin (about 3 cups)
1/4 cup powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg whites, salt, vanilla extract, melted butter, milk and flour until just combined.

Coat and 8- or 9-inch skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. When pan is hot, add 1/4 cup of batter and tilt skillet to cover entire bottom of pan with a thin layer of batter. Cook for 2 minutes; flip over. Top with 1/3 cup strawberries; cook for 2 minutes more. Fold crepe over and slide onto a serving plate; cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining ingredients; sprinkle with sugar.

Devour and enjoy!

recipe: lemon-glazed chicken

I'm always on the lookout for healthy yet delicious recipes. I don't remember when it was but Cool Running tweeted the link to a recipe for Fiery Lemon-Glazed Chicken. At the time I just sent the link to my email and forgot about it. I realized last night (when cleaning out my inbox) that I actually had everything on hand to make this so I made it for dinner tonight. I did modify it for what I had in my pantry so here's my version.

Lemon-Glazed Chicken
Serves: 4

1/2 cup brown rice bread crumbs
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey (the honey in my cupboard had hardened so I ended up using Lemon Creme Honey for Tea by Republic of Tea)
3-4 shakes Tabasco sauce
1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

In a shallow dish combine the bread crumbs, garlic, salt and pepper and blend together. Dredge both sides of the chicken in the crumb mixture.

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice, honey and Tabasco. Set aside.

In a large non-stick pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, cover and saute until browned on both sides and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan.

Add the lemon and honey glaze to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the glaze becomes syrupy. Return cooked chicken to pan, flipping the chicken once to coat with the glaze.

Remove from pan and serve.

If you try it let me know. We loved it and will definitely be having it again. The glaze is amazing and it took less than 30 minutes.

lawry's taco spice & seasoning

Whenever I have a recipe that calls for an envelope of taco seasoning mix I always use this instead. It is amazing and so much better for you than those store bought packs.

Lawry's Taco Spice & Seasoning

(Equivalent of 1 oz package of taco seasoning mix. To make a large batch use the measurements in parentheses. Guide is 4 tsp for 1 lb of ground meat.)

1 tsp chili powder (8 tsp)
1 tsp paprika (8 tsp)
3/4 tsp salt (6 tsp)
3/4 tsp dried minced onion (6 tsp)
1/2 tsp cumin (4 tsp)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (2 tsp)
1/4 tsp garlic powder (2 tsp)
1/8 tsp oregano (1 tsp)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

To use this for taco meat:
In a large skillet, brown 1 lb ground beef until crumbly; drain fat. Add spice and 2/3 cup water; mix thoroughly. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has cooked off.

I originally found this recipe HERE. It is actually a modification from one of Todd Wilbur’s Top Secret Recipes.

corn bread taco bake

I love trying new recipes and when I find one that's a keeper (especially when it's super easy and quick to make) I can't NOT share it. This one received a stamp of approval from all 4 of us including the 5 year old who would prefer to stick with the basics of cheeseburgers, pizza, mac 'n cheese, etc. I totally spaced out taking a picture but trust me it's yummy.

Corn Bread Taco Bake
Serves 6

1.5 pounds ground beef
1 can (15-1/4 oz) whole kernel corn, drained*
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 envelope taco seasoning*
1 package (8.5 oz) corn bread/muffin mix (I use Jiffy)
1 can (2.8 oz) french-fried onions, divided
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese*

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the corn, tomato sauce, water, green pepper and taco seasoning; mix well. Spoon into a greased 2-qt. baking dish.

Prepare corn bread mix according to package directions for corn bread. Stir in half of the onions. Spread over beef mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 400 for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining onions. Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and a toothpick inserted into corn bread layer comes out clean.

*I used frozen corn in lieu of canned. I don't use envelope taco seasoning mixes. I have my own recipe that I prefer to use and will post that separately. And I used a Mexican blend cheese instead of cheddar. I also think I'll up the green peppers to a whole one next time just because I love green peppers and extra veggies is always a good thing!

Recipe is from Taste of Home - the busy family cookbook. Definitely worth picking up a copy.

If you decide to try it let me know what you think!