Corn Chowder

I made this for Soup Tuesday at school a few weeks back and it was rather tasty! I also really liked that it was nice and low in calories! Such a great, hearty soup for a cold winter day! The original recipe can be found here.

Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

* 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

* 1 sweet onion, chopped

* 5 slices turkey bacon

* 1 Tbsp. flour

* 1/4 tsp Cayenne

* 2 large baking potatoes (~1.5lb., peeled and cubed)

* 2 cups frozen corn kernels, defrosted

* 32oz. chicken broth

* 1 cup skim milk

* 4oz. reduced fat cream cheese

* 1/4 tsp. salt

* 1/4 tsp. pepper

* Chopped chives (optional topping)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion and using kitchen shears, cut turkey bacon into pot. Cook 5-6 minutes or until the onions soften (not brown).

2. Add the flour and cayenne. Cook 2-3 more minutes, stirring continuously until the flour coats the onion and starts to stick to the pot (without browning). You may need to decrease the heat.

3. Add the potatoes, half of the corn and the chicken broth. Bring to a boil.

4. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

5. Add the cream cheese and skim milk.

6. Using an immersion blender (or normal blender/food processor), blend until desired consistency.

7. Stir in remaining corn and season with salt and pepper until you like it.

8. Top with chives and serve!

Nutritional breakdown (per 2 cups): 9WWPP

343 calories

8 g fat (3 g saturated)

55 g carbohydrates

17 mg cholesterol

2g fiber

398 mg sodium

15 g protein

The website suggests you pair it with biscuits or tuna/chicken salad. I paired it with homemade sourdough bread!

It also suggests to wine pair it with Chardonnay or Pinot Blanc

Lentil Chili

I only recently stumbled upon lentils. For the longest time I thought they were these weird green things (I think I thought they were leeks), but then I discovered they are a powerhouse legume and nice and low in fat! I made an entire bag of them (yes, they are also cheap!) and played around with them. I made some stuff tex-mex peppers, but I was dying to try them in a chili. I searched pinterest and found this recipe. You can see the original recipe here. I decided to almost double the recipe so that I could have some extra to freeze. I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to pull it out again soon!

Lentil Chili

Ingredients:

* 2 tsp. olive oil

* 1 large onion, chopped

* 1-2 peppers, diced (I had a bag I froze myself)

* 4 tsp. minced garlic (I used jarred)

* 4 Tbsp. chili powder

* 2 Tbsp. ground cumin

* 2 tsp. dried oregano

* 1/4 tsp. red pepper

* 1 (16oz) bag green lentils

* 28oz. of vegetable broth

* 3-6 cups water

* Small can of tomato paste

Directions:

1. Saute onions, peppers and garlic in a stock pot.

2. Add everything else except tomato paste. Cover and simmer until lentils are soft (about an hour). Make sure to keep an eye on it because you may need to add more water.

3. Add tomato paste, stir, and let simmer another 15 minutes.

4. Enjoy and freeze! I like to top mine with low fat sour cream and 2% shredded cheese. YUM!

Tomato Basil Soup

This was the first recipe I used my immersion blender with. I am obsessed with tomato soup, so I just had to try it out on my own! I love how easy and low cal this recipe is. It's also very tasty, though I will say, you shouldn't expect this soup to be creamy as it only has greek yogurt to do that job. I modified the original recipe from here.

Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients:

* 1 tsp. olive oil

* 1 sweet onion, chopped

* 2 cloves of garlic, chopped (I used the jarred kind)

* 2 (28oz.) cans diced tomatoes (I used 4 (14oz) cans, some were garlic fire roasted, oregano/garlic/onion, etc.)

* 2 cups vegetable broth

* 1/2 cup basil, chopped

* 2 tsp. oregano

* 1 tsp. sugar

* salt and pepper to taste

* 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Warm oil in bottom of large pan. 

2. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 4 min.

3. Add garlic and cook another 2 min.

4. Add in all ingredients except the greek yogurt. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes.

5. Add in the greek yogurt and use an immersion blender (or regular blender) to puree the soup to a consistency of your choosing.

6. Enjoy or freeze for later! I like to double the batch and freeze 3/4 of it for Winter!

Marinated Tomatoes & Mozzarella Salad

My tomatoes are coming in LIKE CRAZY...Basil is way overgrown...so what better thing to do than to buy some mozzarella and make caprese salad.....but not just any caprese salad, because I have had too much of that this summer and am bored. I found a recipe that had other flavors and let me tell you, this is definitely a keeper! The original recipe can be found here. I lightened it up and added a few things to make it just right for my taste buds! I decided to turn my leftovers into a sandwich on my favorite italian bread, and that just took it to a whole other level! YUMMY!

Marinated Tomatoes & Mozzarella Salad

Ingredients:

* ~1.5lb. tomatoes (I used a Bradley, sliced and a whole lotta cherry tomatoes quartered)

*  Mozzarella cheese balls (I got 1 container and cut the balls into smaller pieces)

* 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil

* about 10 large basil leaves

* 2 Tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar

* 2 Tbsp. Balsalmic Vinegar

* 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

* 1/2 tsp. pepper

* 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Directions:

1. Combine vinegars, sugar, oil and all seasonings in a small bowl. Whisk.

2. Roll basil leaves and carefully cut into marinade. Mix well.

3. Add sliced tomatoes and cheese to a container that you can flip (like ziploc or glad).

4. Pour over marinade and carefully flip a few times. 

5. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

6. Flip a couple times just before serving.

7. ENJOY!

Freakin' Awesome Jalapeno Poppers

This recipe is SUPER simple, yet yields AMAZING results! It does, however, take some patience, but with only 3 ingredients, how can you go wrong?

 I always ask Brian to rate my food on a 5-point scale. The majority of my recipes get a 3-4 point rating (He's a tough critic!). These god a 4.5-5 point rating!! Needless to say, these are worth the time they take!

P.S. Recipe cred goes to my dear friend, Carrie! She made these for one of our "Bachelor Mondays" and we practically inhaled them then too!

Freakin' Awesome Jalapeno Poppers

Ingredients:

* Fresh Jalapenos (As many as you want)

* Cream cheese (I use low-fat, and the amount depends on how many jalapenos you use)

* Turkey Bacon

Directions:

1. Cut jalapenos and remove all seeds and ribs. *MAKE SURE to wear gloves! The juices will burn your hands!*

2. Fill each half with desired amount of cream cheese.

3. Using a full slice of bacon, carefully wrap each pepper.

4. Bake in a pre-heated oven for about 20-30 minutes. Keep in mind, the longer they cook, the more mild they get.

5. ENJOY!

Corn on the Cob and Smoky Lime Butter

On this rainy 4th of July I had to improvise when it came to some of the food I had planned to cook on the grill. Corn on the Cob was one of these casualties, but after I found a 'Magic Pot' recipe, all was well with the world! I combined this with a Smoky Cilantro Lime Butter recipe and it was SO GOOD! 

Corn on the Cob in the Magic Pot

Ingredients:

6-8 ears of corn with the husks

Directions:

1. Remove all husks, reserving the tender husks near the actual cob.

2. Cut off the stems of each cobs and run under cool water.

3. Line the bottom of the magic pot with the tender husks.

4. Place corn carefully in  pot, then top with other tender husks.

5. Add 1/4 cup water and cover.

6. Microwave 8-10 minutes.

7. Voila!!

Want to top it with some good butter sauce??

Smoky Lime Butter

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup butter or margarine

* 1 lime

* 1-2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

* 1/2 tsp. salt

* 1/2 tsp. red pepper

* 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

1. Melt butter.

2. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined.

3. Serve with warm corn. 

HG Cabbage Pack

I had been wanting to try a new veggie, so I decided to give this recipe a try. I am not a HUGE fan of fresh cabbage, but I usually like it if it has enough other flavors. This one definitely passed the test! I would make this again in a heartbeat! The original recipe is from here.

HG Cabbage Pack

Ingredients:

* Half a head of cabbage

* 1 small onion, sliced

* 1/4 cup pre-cooked and crumbled bacon (I just cut up pre-cooked slices)

* 2 Tbsp. whipped light butter

* 1 tsp. minced garlic

* Salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Layer cookie sheet with foil.

 

3. Slice cabbage into 4 slices, then cut those length-wise so you have 8 small chunks.

4. Top with onion. Evenly distrubute butter into 4 plops. Sprinkle with salt, pepepr, and red pepper.

5. Top with bacon and garlic.

6. Place second piece of foil over cabbage and fold ends together.

7. Cook for 30-35 minutes.

8. Let cool slightly, then flip to make sure veggies are coated. Return right side up. Cut center to let steam out before opening.

9. ENJOY!

 2WWPP per 1/4 recipe

Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potato

This was a Pinterest find that I actually saw on the Biggest Loser. The original recipe can be found here. If you don't like sweet potatoes, DO NOT let this recipe scare you aware! You can hardly taste it at all after you mix everything in. I really loved this recipe and I don't like straight mushy sweet potatoes. Definitely a keeper!! *I only used 2 sweet potatoes and just did about 3/4 of the beans and corn.

Mexican Stuffed Sweet Potato

Ingredients:

* 3 medium sweet potatoes

* 1 can of corn, rinsed and dried

* ~1 Tbsp. Chili Powder

* 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

* 1 small sweet yellow onion, diced

* 1/4 cup salsa

* 1 oz. reduced fat cream cheese

* 1/4 cup fat free sour cream

* 1 (or more) tsp. salt

* 2 tsp. (or more) taco seasoning

* 1 (or more) tsp. ranch seasoning

* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

* 6 Tbsp. 2% Mexican shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Bake potatoes in oven at 375 degrees 45-60 minutes, or until soft.

2. While potatoes cook, brown onions over the stove. After they are translucent, add in corn. Cook for 2 more minutes, then sprinkle with chili powder.

3. Once potatoes are done, let sit 5-10 minutes, then cut in half and scoop out flesh leaving the skin.

4. Mix flesh, 1 oz. RF cream cheese, 1/4c. ff cream cheese, 1/4c. salsa, salt, taco seasoning, and ranch seasoning. (I used a stand-up mixer)

5. Add in corn/onion mix, beans, and cilantro. 

6. Carefully place skins on a baking sheet and fill evenly with filling.

7. Carefully add 1 T. of shredded cheese to each potato.

5. Broil for 5-10 minutes.

6. ENJOY!!

5WWPP per serving!!

Green Bean Casserole (Crock Pot)

So I've never made green bean casserole, but have been dying to try it! Today I am going to a Thanksgiving lunch with some friends and thought I would give it a try. I was going to go the traditional route, but then I thought, CROCK POT! Everything tastes better in the crock pot! Of course it pains me to use full fat ingrediens, so I lightened it up a bit. The original recipe can be found here.

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

* 1 can Campbell's condensed heart healthy cream of mushroom soup (Did you know the heart healthy version is lower than the fat free??)

* 1 can Campbell's condensed heart healthy cream of celery soup

* 2 (12oz) bags frozen cut green beans

* 1/3 cup 1% milk

* 1/4 tsp. salt

* 1/4 tsp. pepper

* 1 (2.8oz) can French Fried Onions

Directions:

Prep: Spray crock pot with nonstick spray.

1. Mix frozen green beans with both cans of soup and 1/3c. milk in the crock pot.

2. Sprinkle 1/4t. salt and 1/4t. pepper over the top. Add half of the can of french fried onions.

3. Cook on low 5-6 hours.

Breakdown: (1/10th of the recipe=4WWPP)

145cal

6.5g fat

17.9 carbs

1.5g fiber

4.2g sugar

1.5g protein

Crispy Sweet Potato Fries

My new obsession. It is BAD how much I am in love with these things. I must say that this recipe was very tasty. The only down-side was that I used wayyyy too much corn starch on accident. Next time I will use the recommended amount. I only used a single potato and it was just enough for me and my husband! The original recipe can be found here.

Crispy Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

* 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into fry shapes, then soaked no less than 30 minutes in water

* 1-2 Tbsp. cornstarch

* Olive Oil

* Optional: Seasonings (Salt, pepper, garlic powder, seasoned salt, etc.)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Throw cornstarch and seasonings into a bag/bowl. Shake in sweet potato fries until lightly coated (my picture was with too much, this is WAY too coated).

3. Spray a cookie sheet with olive oil spray.

4. Drizzle/spray ~1-2 T. olive oil over fries. (the more oil, the more crispy, but also fatty)

5. Mix fries on the sheet until well coated.

6. Space out fries the best you can. The space helps them crisp.

7. Cook 15 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 5 minutes or longer.

8. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Three-Bean Beer Pot

This recipe is from the Pillsbury website here, but I had to adapt it so that Brian, the vegetarian, could eat it. It was FABULOUS! We really enjoyed it and everyone raved about it. I would definitely make this again! Keep in mind this will need to cook at least 4 hours, so plan accordingly.

Slow Cooker Three-Bean Beer Pot

Ingredients:

* 1 cup chopped onion

* Liquid Smoke

* 1 cup BBQ sauce

* 3/4 cup dark beer (I used Black and Tan)

* 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

* 2 (15oz) cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed

* 2 (15oz) cans Pinto Beans, Drained

*1 (19oz.) can Cannellini beans, Drained

Directions:

1. In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, brown 1c. onion. (~2-4 minutes) At the very end add about a teaspoon of liquid smoke. Let sit over the heat an extra couple minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, add beans, bbq, beer and brown sugar to the crockpot. 

3. Add onion mix and a little more liquid smoke, then give it a good stir.

4. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

5. Enjoy!

6WWPP per 1/2 cup serving

1 Serving (1 Serving)

• Calories 270
• (Calories from Fat 20),

• Total Fat 2 1/2g
• (Saturated Fat 1/2g,
• Trans Fat 0g),
• Cholesterol 0mg;
• Sodium 650mg;
• Total Carbohydrate 47g
• (Dietary Fiber 13g,
• Sugars 9g),
• Protein 14g;

Percent Daily Value*:

• Vitamin A 0 %;
• Vitamin C 0 %;
• Calcium 10 %;
• Iron 20 %;

Exchanges:

• 2 Starch;
• 0 Fruit;
• 1 Other Carbohydrate;
• 0 Skim Milk;
• 0 Low-Fat Milk;
• 0 Milk;
• 0 Vegetable;
• 0 Very Lean Meat;
• 1 Lean Meat;
• 0 High-Fat Meat;
• 0 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choices:

• 3;

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Beans and Greens

This recipe was inspired by The Wild Cow's dish, Beans and Greens! It tasted so good I just HAD to find something similar that I could make at home so we didn't have to drive to East Nashville to get this dish. It was actually VERY good and tasted almost exactly like the dish at The Wild Cow. At the restaurant I get it with quinoa, but once I found out how many calories were in quinoa, I decided to trade it in for bulgur wheat.

Beans and Greens

Ingredients:

*1 can of pinto beans, lightly drained

*Kale

*Minced Garlic

*Olive Oil

*Salt and Pepeper

*Red Pepper Flakes

*Bulgur Wheat

* 3/4c. mayo

* 2 1/2T. lemon juice

* 3/4t. salt

* 1/2t. pepper

Directions:

Beans:

1. Heat about 1T. of olive oil in a small pot over low/medium. Add about 1-2 t. minced garlic. Let saute 1-2 minutes. Add the beans and cover on low.

Kale:

1. Remove stems from Kale, wash carefully and lightly dry. Chop.

2. Heat a large saute pan and add enough olive oil to lightly cover the bottom of the pan (2T.-4T). Add as much garlic as you want (I used 2-4t.). 

3. Add kale, give a quick stir add salt and pepper, then cover to cook.

4. Once kale gets to the wilt-ness that you are comfortable with, lightly shake some red pepper flakes over. (5-10 minutes) Make sure it doesn't scorch. You can add water or oil to help this from happening.

Bulgur Wheat:

1. Prepare according to box directions except replace water with Reduced Sodium Chicken Stock.

Garlic Aioli Sauce:

1. Mix 3/4c. mayo, 1 1/2t. minced garlic, 2 1/2T. lemon juice, 3/4t. salt, and 1/2t. pepper. 

2. Set Aside.

The final product:

Scoop some bulgur wheat into a dish. Top with kale, then add beans on top. Drizzle with garlic aioli sauce and serve!