Spicy Mexican Skillet Chicken

Ingredients

1	to 2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4	teaspoon salt
1/4	teaspoon pepper
4	boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)
1	teaspoon canola or soybean oil
1	can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
1	cup frozen corn
1/3	cup organic salsa (any variety)
	Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

Directions

Mix chili powder, salt and pepper. Sprinkle evenly over both sides of chicken. Spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Add oil; heat over medium heat. Cook chicken in oil 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until juice is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F).

Stir in beans, corn and salsa. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are hot. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Serves 4
1 Serving: Calories 350 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 1 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 85mg; Sodium 360mg; Total Carbohydrate 33g (Dietary Fiber 11g, Sugars 2g); Protein 40g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 2%; Calcium 8%; Iron 20% Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 5 Very Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 MyPyramid Servings: 6 oz-equivalents Meat & Beans, 1 c Vegetables

From Eat Better America
Submitted by Shelli

Spinach Cheddar Frittata

Ingredients

3/4	cup egg substitute (i.e. egg beaters) or 3 egg whites, whisked
1	ounce low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1	cup raw baby spinach, washed
	Nonstick cooking spray
	Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the egg, cheese, and spinach; add salt and pepper to taste. Spray a small casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, and pour in the egg mixture.

Bake for 15 minutes or until firm. Serve with fruit and whole grain toast.

Serves 1
1 Serving: Calories 150 (Calories from Fat 20); Total Fat 2 1/2g (Saturated Fat 1 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 1230mg; Total Carbohydrate 5g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 2g); Protein 28g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 80%; Vitamin C 8%; Calcium 30%; Iron 25% Exchanges: 0 Other Carbohydrate; 1 Vegetable; 3 1/2 Very Lean Meat Carbohydrate Choices: 1/2 MyPyramid Servings: 1/2 c Dairy, 3 oz-equivalents Meat & Beans, 1/2 c vegetables

From Eat Better America
Submitted by Shelli

Toasted Almond Chicken Salad

Ingredients

3	small chicken breast halves
3	stalks celery, sliced
1	bunch fresh chives, finely chopped
1/2	cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/4	cup light sour cream
1 1/2	teaspoons dried tarragon leaves
2	tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
	Salt, if desired
	Freshly ground black pepper, if desired
1	bag (10 oz) mixed salad greens

Directions

Spray skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Cook chicken 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove from heat and let chicken stand at least 10 minutes until cool enough to handle. Chop chicken into small pieces.

In large bowl, mix chicken and remaining ingredients except salad greens. Serve chicken salad on salad greens.

Serves 4
Nutritional Information 1 Serving: Calories 170 (Calories from Fat 50); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 55mg; Sodium 125mg; Total Carbohydrate 8g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 5g); Protein 22g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 80%; Vitamin C 20%; Calcium 15%; Iron 10% Exchanges: 0 Other Carbohydrate; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Very Lean Meat; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1/2 MyPyramid Servings: 2 oz-equivalents Meat & Beans, 1 1/4 c vegetables

From Eat Better America
Submitted by Shelli

Tomato and Basil Flatbread Pizza

Ingredients

2	tablespoons pesto sauce
2	flatbreads or pitas, each about 7 inches across
1	tomato, thinly sliced
1	tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4	cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Heat oven to 425 F. Spread pesto on bread. Add a layer of tomato and a layer of basil. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake for 7 minutes, or until cheese is golden and melted.

Serves 2
Nutritional Information 1 Pizza: Calories 350 (Calories from Fat 120); Total Fat 13g (Saturated Fat 3 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 600mg; Total Carbohydrate 45g (Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 8g); Protein 13g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 8%; Calcium 15%; Iron 15% Exchanges: 3 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3 MyPyramid Servings: 1/2 c Dairy, 2 tsp Fats & Oils, 3 oz-equivalents Grains, 1/2 c vegetables

From Eat Better America
Submitted by Shelli

Rice Enchiladas

Ingredients

24 ounces thick & chunky salsa
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup uncooked instant rice
15 ounces black beans, canned -- rinsed & drained
6 flour tortillas -- 8 inch
1/4 cup Cheddar cheese -- shredded
1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese -- shredded

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray rectangular baking, 11x7x1 1/2-inches, with cooking spray. Heat 1 1/2 cups salsa and the chili powder to boiling in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in rice, remove from heat, and cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in beans. Spread 1/2 cup of the salsa in baking dish. Dip tortillas into additional salsa; spoon about 1/2 cup rice mixture onto one side of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down on salsa in baking dish. Spoon remaining salsa over tortillas. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until salsa is bubbly and cheese is melted.

From CDKitchen
Submitted by Shelli

Indian Tofu with Spinach

Ingredients

2 boxes of frozen spinach, drained (I used one chopped, and one whole leaf)
1 lb of extra firm tofu
1 yellow onion, diced
3 smashed and chopped garlic cloves
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
2 inches of ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp kosher salt (and then more later to taste)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp curry
1 Tbsp coriander
1/2 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 cup water

cornstarch (to coat the tofu)
butter (to fry the tofu)

Directions

Use a 3 or 4 quart crockpot.

Drain your tofu. Squeeze it in between some paper towels or a clean dish cloth if need-be to get as much of the liquid out as you can.

Cut it into 1-inch cubes and toss it with corn starch. Fry in butter until golden brown--resist the urge to flip; tofu takes a while to brown.

While the tofu is browning, squeeze out all of the moisture from the spinach and dump it into your crockpot. Dice up the onion, and mince the garlic. Add that, too. Drain your garbanzo beans, and pour them in. Add all of the spices.

Stir in 1/2 cup of water.

Add the tofu to the very top of the spinach.

Cover and cook on low for about 4 hours. This doesn't take very long to cook. Serve over basmati rice, and scoop up with naan, pitas, or corn tortillas.

Morroccan Lentil Soup

Ingredients

1 cup dried lentils
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
28 oz can of diced tomatoes (and juice)
4 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated

Directions

Use at least a 5 quart crockpot for this. It makes a lot.

Chop up all of your vegetables and add them to the crockpot. If you are rushed in the morning, consider chopping the vegetables at night---it took me longer than I wanted it to. Drain and rinse off the beans, add to the pot. Add the dried lentils. Grate your ginger, and add it along with the dried spices. Stir in the vegetable broth and tomatoes.

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Soup tastes best the longer you cook it, and it is even better the next day.

Before serving, use an immersible blender and pulse to blend some of the vegetables and beans together. This isn't necessary, but it really improves the texture of the soup and melds the flavors nicely.

From a Year of Crockpotting
Submitted by Shelli

Orange Couscous with Carrots and Raisins

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup Israeli couscous
1 cup plus 1 Tbs. no-pulp orange juice
3 med carrots, grated (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp ground cumin

Coat medium saucepan with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Add couscous, and roast 4 minutes, or until pale brown, stirring frequently. Add 1 cup orange juice and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and steam, covered, 5 minutes. Stir in remaining orange juice, carrots, raisins, and cumin. Serve warm or at room temperature.

From Vegetarian Times
Submitted by Shelli

Lime Steamed Salmon

Ingredients

• 2 limes
• 1 pound salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 3 pieces about 1 inch thick
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 cups trimmed baby (small) green beans (about 8 oz.) or one 9-ounce package frozen French-cut green beans
• Lime wedges (optional)

Directions

1. Finely shred 2 teaspoons peel from the limes; set aside. Thinly slice limes and lay slices evenly in the bottom of a steamer basket. Place the fish in a single layer on top of the lime slices. Stir ginger, reserved lime peel, salt, and pepper into sesame oil; brush generously over fish.

2. Place fresh or frozen beans in the upper section of the steamer container. Steam the fish and beans according to the manufacturer's directions for 12 to 15 minutes or until just cooked through. (If beans are not tiny, you may need to remove the fish and steam beans for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.) Let stand 1 minute.

3. To serve, arrange beans in a serving dish; remove fish from lime slices and arrange fish on top of beans. If desired, serve with lime wedges. Makes 3 servings.

Conventional Method: Shred lime peel and stir oil mixture together as above in Step 1. In a small saucepan place fresh or frozen green beans in a small amount of boiling salted water. Return to boiling; reduce heat . Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes (5 to 6 minutes for frozen beans). Drain well. Meanwhile, place 4 cups water in a very large skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Place lime slices and salmon in a steamer basket. Brush with oil mixture as above in Step 1. Carefully place steamer basket into skillet. Cover and steam over gently boiling water about 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Serve as above.

From BHG.com

Submitted by Shelli

Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

Ingredients

enough chicken for 4

20 oz can of pineapple chunks

1/4 cup soy sauce (Tamari wheat free or La Choy are gluten free)

1 t red pepper flakes

Directions

Plop the chicken into the crockpot. I used frozen breast tenders. Drain the pineapple, and add the chunks with the soy sauce and the red pepper flakes.

cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 3-4.

The cooking time will depend on how thick your pieces of chicken are, and if they are frozen or not.

My frozen breast tenders only needed to cook on low for 4 hours.

Serve over rice, quinoa, or on a bed of fresh spinach.

From A Year of Crockpotting
Submitted by Shelli

Crockpot Hot and Sour Soup

Ingredients

1 cup cubed firm tofu

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 package of sliced mushrooms

1 can bamboo shoots

1 can sliced water chestnuts

2T soy sauce (La Choy is gluten-free)

1t sesame oil

2T rice wine vinegar (and some more later)

1/4t red pepper flakes (and some more later)

green onion for garnish

Directions

Combine everything in your crockpot.

Cook on low for 7-9 hours or high 4-5. I was impatient and cooked it on high for 3 1/2. The mushrooms would have been better if I had waited.

Taste. If you need more of the sour flavor, add more rice wine vinegar. If you need more of the hot flavor, add more red pepper flakes. I like my soup very hot and sour, so I added another 1T of the vinegar and another 1/4t of the pepper flakes. Garnish with sliced green onion.

From A Year of Crockpotting
Submitted by Shelli

Crockpot Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 butternut squash
2 T olive oil
2 small medium onions, or 2 T onion flakes
4 cups broth, chicken or vegetable
2 small apples, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Use at least a 5 quart crockpot for this soup.

Cut the squash in half long ways. This is terribly hard to do. If you microwave the entire squash for 2 to 5 minutes on high, the skin will soften, but you will still need to use a pretty powerful knife. If you can find already peeled and cubed butternut squash use that.

I couldn't believe how difficult it was for me to cut the squash. My knife got stuck.

Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp. Brush olive oil on the inside of the squash and roast it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until you can peel the skin away from the flesh.

Plug in your crockpot and turn to high. Add the broth, and the onion and apple. Stir in the spices. Cover to let heat.

When the squash has finished roasting, add it to the pot. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for about 4.

Blend in small batches with a stand blender, or carefully blend with an immersible wand.

From a Year of Crockpotting
Submitted by Shelli

Skinny Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

1 can fat-free refried beans -- (16 ounces)
1 can black beans (15 ounces) -- rinsed and drained
1 can reduced-sodium chicken broth -- (14 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
3/4 cup chunky salsa
3/4 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup water
2 cups low-fat shredded cheddar cheese -- divided
28 baked tortilla chips

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine the first seven ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add 1 cup cheese. Cook and stir over low heat until melted.

Crumble half of the tortilla chips into soup bowls. Ladle soup over chips.

Top each serving with crumbled chips. Sprinkle with cheese.

From CD Kitchen
Submitted by Shelli

Black Bean and Corn Stew

Ingredients

1/4 cup Dry sherry or apple juice
1 tablespoon Olive oil
2 cups Onions, chopped
1/2 cup Celery, chopped
1/2 cup Carrot, chopped
1/2 cup Red bell pepper, chopped
4 cups Black beans, cooked
2 cups Corn kernels, fresh/frozen
2 cups Stock or water
2 tablespoons Garlic, minced
1 cup Chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons Ground cumin
4 teaspoons Chili powder or to taste
1/2 teaspoon Oregano, dry
1/4 cup Fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons Honey
2 tablespoons Tomato paste

Directions

In a large stock pot over medium high heat, combine the sherry and oil. When hot, add onions. Saute, stirring, until soft but not brown. Add celery, carrot and bell pepper; saute 5 more minutes. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Before serving, puree 1 cup of the stew in a blender; add back to the pot.

Variation: Serve with crushed corn chips on top.

Source: The Vegetarian Times Magazine
Submitted by Shelli

Baked Salmon with Tomatoes and Spinach

Ingredients

4 salmon fillets (4 oz. size)
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/3 cup Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing

Directions

Place salmon fillets, skin sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with no stick cooking spray.

Mix remaining ingredients until well blended; spoon over salmon.

Bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until salmon flakes easily when tested with fork.

From CD Kitchen
Submitted by Shelli

Herb Roasted Winter Veggies

Ingredients

2 cups bite size cauliflower florets, halved lengthwise
2 cups halved Brussels sprouts
2 med carrots, cut into sticks
1 med yam or sweet potato, diced
3 Tbs. garlic-infused olive oil, divided
1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. lace veggies in large bowl. Add 2 Tbs. oil, rosemary, and thyme, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Scatter veggies evenly on baking sheet, and roast 15-20 minutes, turning 2-3 times. Increase oven temp to 500 degrees F and roast veggies 5-10 minutes more, or until tender. Transfer vegetables to large serving bowl, and add parsley, lemon juice, and remaining oil. Toss to mix. Serve over brown rice or whole wheat pasta.

Baked Pesto Chicken

My kids love, love, love this recipe! And it is SUPER easy to make.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup basil pesto
2 plum tomatoes, diced
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet with heavy-duty foil.

Place chicken and pesto in medium bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from oven; top with tomatoes and cheese.

Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Adapted from CD Kitchen

Submitted by Shelli

Lentil Salad

Ingredients

1 cup lentils (regular or French green)
6 springs fresh parsley
Bay Leaf
Pinch of dried thyme
2 Tablespoons wine vinegar
2 scallions, minced
1 tsp dry mustard powder
salt & pepper
1/2 cup walnut oil or extra virgin olive oil
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Soak the lentils in enough cold water to cover for 2 hours. Drain and place in a saucepan with the parsley springs, bay leaf and thyme. Add boiling water to cover, and simmer, covered for 35 to 45 minutes until tender. Drain, discard parsley and bay leaf.

In a salad bowl, whisk together the wine vinegar, scallions, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Add the oil in a stream while whisking. Add the lentils and toss to cat. Add the parsley. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve warm or cold.
Makes 4 servings

A nice vegetarian meal or side dish. You can add quartered cherry tomatoes and it looks more festive.
Weight Watchers 7 points per approximately 5 ounce serving.
339 calories, 14 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrate, 19 grams fat, 7.6 grams fiber, no cholesterol, 5 milligrams sodium.
From Eating Well for Optimum Health by Andrew Weil.

Submitted by Lynda

Happy New Year!

I want to wish everyone a very happy New Year! I'm sure many of you are in the middle of your New Year's resolutions. Me, too! I am going to try to add one new recipe daily. I may cheat and add several on one day to make up for missed posts (or to bank a few!).

Add me to your list of resolutions! Resolve to send me just one recipe favorite -- either by leaving it in the comments here or by submitting it on my website here (scroll down to the bottom of the page). The only requirements are that they are healthy and easy to make. Thank you for sharing and for helping me and others enjoy a healthy New Year!