White Bean Chicken Chili

Crockpot White Bean Chicken Chili

Put in crockpot in the morning:

2-3 frozen chicken breasts or 8-10 chicken tenderloins
1 jar green salsa


Cook on low setting until chicken is cooked through.

If I put this on low for two hours (with the small tenderloins) it’s done in mine, but every crock pot cooks a little differently.

Shred the chicken with two forks.  

Add:
2-3 cans white kidney beans (un-drained)
1 c. whole kernel corn
Leave in crock pot until warmed through.

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla strips if desired.


Recipe from:  http://www.71toes.com/2013/02/two-kinds-of-yummy-soups.html

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

Brown 1 lb. of ground beef with onion and seasonings.

add:
2-3 c. water
1 large can crushed tomatoes
a couple cans of light red kidney beans (un-drained)
a couple cans of dark red kidney beans (un-drained)
1 pkg+ taco seasoning

Let simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Add 1 c. corn and heat until steamy.

Serve with sour cream, shredded cheese and Fritos (unless you want to be more healthy, then leave those out).

(recipe from: http://www.71toes.com/2013/02/two-kinds-of-yummy-soups.html)

Energy Balls

1 cup oatmeal 

1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter) 

1/3 cup honey (or agave)

1 cup coconut flakes

 1/2 cup ground flaxseed 

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (or craisins)

1 tsp vanilla

Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated.  Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.  Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy!  Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

(recipe from http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2011/08/no-bake-energy-bites-recipe.html)

Almond and Cinnamon Granola

Total Time: 40 min
Prep 10 min
Cook 30 min


Yield: 10 cups
Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
2 cups sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups dried cherries, chopped (I used Craisens instead) any dried fruit would work.
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup good honey
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon


Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Toss the oats, coconut, almonds, and cherries together in a large bowl. Pour the vegetable oil and honey over the oat mixture. Add the cinnamon, and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated with the liquids. Pour onto a sheet pan. Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.

HELPFUL HINTS:
*Put parchment paper down before on the cookie sweet to eliminate clean-up. I cooked it at no higher then 325 degrees. After the first 10 minutes I stirred it and then I checked it every 5 minutes after that until the coconut id golden brown. The first time I made it it burned so watch it carefully!! Also I added the criasens at the end and did not bake them.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.

Chicken Pot Pie Weight Watchers Style

My MIL shared this recipe with us & we loved it!  

Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie
PointsPlus™ Value: 6
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 40 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

We made this comfort food classic lighter with reduced-fat crescent roll dough and a skim milk-based cream sauce. It totally hits the spot.

Ingredients
2 spray(s) Cooking spray, butter flavored
1 tsp Butter, regular, with salt
1 small Onion(s), uncooked, chopped
2 cup(s) Mushrooms, fresh, sliced
¼ tsp Paprika
¼ tsp Dried thyme, crushed
½ tsp Salt, table, or more to taste
¼ tsp Pepper, black
2 cup(s) Vegetables, mixed, frozen, unprepared
1 cup(s) Broth, chicken, canned
3 cup(s) Chicken breast, cooked without skin, chopped
2 Tbsp Flour, white
½ cup(s) Milk, evaporated, fat free, divided
4 item(s) Roll dough, crescent, reduced fat, unrolled

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a 10-inch round shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Coat a large pot with cooking spray. Add butter and melt over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook, until tender, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika, thyme, salt and pepper. Add vegetables, broth and chicken. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
3. In a small cup, combine flour and 1/4 cup of evaporated milk; stir into chicken 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 to 3 minutes more.
4. 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. Cut into 6 pieces and serve.

Notes
Make this recipe to your family's taste with different frozen vegetable blends such as an Asian mix or bell pepper and onion strips.

Taco Soup

Really quick to put together & delicious!

Ingredients:
1lb ground beef
1 onion, diced  (I used half an onion)
1 packet taco seasoning (used reduced sodium)
2 cans kidney beans, undrained (1 light, one dark)
1 large can crushed tomatoes
2-3cups water
1 cup frozen corn

Directions:
Brown ground beef with onion & taco seasoning.  Once meat is cooked, add rest of the ingredients (except for corn).  Bring to a boil.  Then simmer on low with lid on for 5 minutes.  Add corn and simmer 5 more minutes.

Top with shredded cheese & crushed tortilla chips!  Yum!

Asian Sesame Salmon

Makes 8 servings.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

:
2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Seed
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
1 teaspoon Minced Onions
3/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper, Crushed (optional)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 pounds salmon fillets

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix honey, green onions, soy sauce and all of the Spices except Red Pepper in small bowl until well blended. Stir in Red Pepper to taste, if desired. Place salmon in foil-lined 13x9-inch baking pan. Spoon Minced honey mixture evenly over salmon. 

2. Roast salmon 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork, basting occasionally with honey mixture.

Winter Black Bean Salsa

This is one of our family favorites!

1 can (16 oz.) black beans, rinsed, drained

1 pkg.  (10 oz.) frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1 medium tomato, chopped

1/4 cup  chopped red onion

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 env.  GOOD SEASONS Garlic & Herb Dressing Mix

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp.  minced fresh jalapeño pepper (optional)

1/4 tsp. ground cumin
Mix & let it sit at least 15 minutes before serving!

Granola Bars

Great recipe for a healthy snack.  They are best kept in the freezer and are soft right out of the freezer.  You can add whatever add ins your family likes the best.  This recipe is gigantic, so I would suggest cutting it in half and even that is a big batch!  I split my dough in half and did one half with mini chocolate chips & almonds and the other half with craisins, raisins, and almonds.  They are pretty low in sugar & therefore not too sweet....the banana or applesauce add to the flavor. 

Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
6 eggs
2 cups canola oil
3 tsp. vanilla
2 mashed bananas or 1 cup applesauce (whichever you prefer)
4 1/2 cups wheat flour
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp baking soda
9 cups oats
raisins, craisins, nuts, mini chocolate chips.... whatever add in you want


Mix wet ingredients then add dry ingredients.  Spray 2 cookie sheets with Pam spray.  Spread dough & press evenly on the cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookies

A friend gave me her infamous oatmeal cookie recipe & I couldn't wait to try it out!  Yes the cookies turn out delicious!  She also makes her cookie recipe into a low sugar granola bar recipe... that recipe to come in a couple days.  :)  For a healthy twist substitute olive oil, wheat flour, and raisins in the recipe.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup oil
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup four
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups oats
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl beat oil, sugars, eggs & vanilla.  Add flour, baking soda, and cinnamon.  Stir in oats & raisins.  Drop rounded TBS onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 min.

"One smart chocolate-chip cookie"

I finally found a really yummy whole wheat cookie recipe!  These are delicious!!  I got the recipe from Parents magazine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift 2 cups whole-wheat flout, 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl.  In another bowl, beat 1 cup unsalted butter on high speed until creamy.  Add 1 1/2 cups light-brown sugar, beating until fluffy.  Add 2 large eggs, one at a time, until fully mixes, and 1 tsp vanilla.  Add flour mixture a little at a time until barely blended.  Finish with 1 1/4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips.

Drop rounded tablespoons of batter on baking sheets.  Bake in middle rack until golden brown around the edges 12-14 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes about 36 cookies.

Chewy Oat & Nut Granola Bars

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup raw almonds
1 TBS olive oil
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup vanilla flavored almond milk (or soy)
1/4 cup shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Process 2 cups rolled oats in blender or food processor until they become flour like. Mix "oat flour" with dry ingredients (except coconut) in a bowl. Add all wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir until well combined. Spray a small baking dish (8x8) with cooking spray. Add mixture to dish, pressing it down with spatula. Sprinkle coconut on top. With a knife, cute the sheet into 12 bars. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. let cool, cut again, store in air tight container for 1 week. These can be frozen as well.

Cottage Cheese Fruit Dip

1 cup cottage cheese
2 TBS Agave nectar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Combine above ingredients in blender. Serve with fruit for a nice fruit salad. If you don't like cottage cheese- don't worry- it doesn't taste like it.

Black Bean Dip

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 can diced green chilies
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Combined and heat in microwave until cheese melts. Serve with tortilla chips or in a tortilla wrapped up.

Quick bean dip

1 cup fat free, vegetarian refried beans
1/2 to 1 cup salsa

Combine beans with salsa. Add more salsa for preferred consistency.

Low-fat Ranch

1 packet buttermilk ranch seasoning
1 cup skim milk
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt

Mix the milk and lemon juice. Let sit for a few minutes to curdle. Mix all ingredients together. Let refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.