Like I said...

I've been big on beans these days.  Happy Mexican Monday!


Spicy 17 Bean & Barley Soup


Ingredients:


Cooking spray
2 c. Trader Joe's 17 Bean & Barley Dried Soup Mix (this is just a mixture of dried beans and barley, no seasoning.  so anything of the sorts would do)
64 oz. vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped
8 stalks celery, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
15 oz. tomatoes, canned, diced


Instructions:


1.  In large saucepan, cover dried beans with 6 cups of cold water.  Bring water to a boil, then lower to moderate heat and cook uncovered for 2 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and soak beans for 1 hour, covered.


2.  Rinse and drain beans, return to saucepan.  Pour 4 cups of broth over beans.


3.  In a separate non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cook onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and basil until soft.  Add vegetable mixture to beans.


4.  Add remaining ingredients to pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 1 hour, 15 minutes.


Serves 8.
268 calories per serving.






I also tried a recipe from my new cookbook.  YUM!  Definitely adding it to the weekday dinner roster.


Chicken with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes, Peppers, and Goat Cheese


Ingredients:


4 (4-oz.) chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, thin-cut
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooking spray
1/2 c. tomatoes, canned, fire-roasted, drained
1/4 c. roasted red peppers, diced
2 oz. goat cheese
1 tsp. fresh basil, finely minced


Instructions:


1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F.


2.  Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.  Combine tomatoes and peppers in a small bowl; set aside.


3.  Place a medium OVENPROOF nonstick skillet over high heat.  When hot, coat with cooking spray and immediately add the chicken (side by side, but not touching).  Cook the chicken just until it is golden brown on the outsides (but not cooked through), about 1-2 minutes on each side.


4.  Remove the pan from the heat and top each piece of chicken with 1/4 of tomato mixture, followed by 1/2 ounce of cheese.  Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the chicken until it is cooked through and the cheese is melted, about 8-10 minutes.  Remove from oven carefully (I burnt myself...boo).


5.  Top each piece of chicken evenly with the basil.  Serve immediately.


Serves 4.
171 calories per serving.

I'm back!

Sorry for the ridiculously long hiatus!  My last post was about the Banana Bread Oatmeal.  Sad news...I never got to taste it!  During the cooking process, there was a slow-cooker malfunction and I ended up burning my hand.  :-(  If that didn't stink enough...it was 2 weeks before my wedding!  Good thing I work with nurses that treated me as if I were just in a serious fire!

So after the slow-cooker incident, I took a small break from cooking.  Then we got married.  Then we went to Italy.  Then I came home and cooked a TON!  I just keep forgetting to blog.  So here we go!

I just finished making Apple-Pear Sauce and I have some Extra Veggie (however, not vegetarian) Chili on the stove.

Apple-Pear Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tsp. Smart Balance Light (or any other  light "butter")

3 Bosc pears, peeled and chopped

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. Splenda

1/2 c. water

Instructions:

1.  In a large skillet (not a non-stick), melt Smart Balance over medium heat.

2.  Add pears, apples, cinnamon, Splenda, and 1/4 cup water.  Stir and cover.

3.  Cook apples and pears for 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.  Add rest of water.  Stir, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

4.  Remove skillet from heat.  Mash with potato masher to desired texture.  Chill and serve.

Serves 3-4

Extra Veggie (however, not vegetarian) Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground turkey

1 medium onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 c. green beans, diced

2 medium bell peppers, green, diced

3 cloves garlic, pressed (or minced)

29 oz. can crushed tomatoes

43 1/2 oz. can tomato sauce

8 3/4 oz. can corn kernels, drained

15 1/2 oz. can small red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

15 1/2 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 package chili seasoning

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1.  In a large dutch oven, prepared with cooking spray, brown ground turkey over medium-high heat.

2.  Once turkey is browned, add onions, carrots, celery, green beans, peppers, and garlic.  Saute for 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, beans, chili seasoning, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Stir and bring to a boil.

3.  Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.  Serve hot.  Is delicious with fat-free sour cream, reduced-fat shredded cheese, and baked tortilla chips.

Serves 8

Fresh Green Pea Soup

Ingredients:

3 1/2 c. vegetable stock, fat-free, reduced sodium

2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, raw, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 1/2 medium leeks, chopped, white and light green parts only

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

10 oz. green peas, frozen, thawed

1/4 c. fresh tomatoes, diced

Instructions:

1.  In a large saucepan, combine broth, potatoes, leeks, garlic, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are almost tender, about 12 minutes.

2.  Add peas to saucepan, stir and cook until vegetables are tender, about 3 minutes.  Remove saucepan from heat and let cool about 5 minutes.

3.  Puree soup in a saucepan using an immersion blender or in batches in a blender or food processor.  

4.  To serve, ladle 1 cup of soup into each of 6 soup bowls.  Top each with 2 teaspoons of tomato.

Serves 6

Hearty Vegetarian Stew

Ingredients:

2 tsp. olive oil

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 medium carrot, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

14 1/2 oz. canned diced tomatoes

1 c. canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 c. canned white beans, rinsed and drained

4 c. vegetable stock

1 1/4 c. tofu, low-fat, extra firm, diced

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions:

1.  Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the celery, carrot, onion, and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.

2.  Stir in the tomatoes, kidney beans, white beans, and broth.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 30 minutes.

3.  Add the tofu, salt, and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Serves 4

Oven-Fried Paprika Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

1/2 c. Greek yogurt, plain, fat-free

1 Tbsp. paprika

15 saltine crackers, crushed into crumbs (I use my mini food processor)

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

4 4-oz. chicken breasts, thin-sliced

1/4 medium lemon, cut into 4 wedges

Instructions:

1.  Preheat broiler and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2.  Place yogurt and 1 teaspoon of paprika in a small shallow bowl; mix to combine.  Combine cracker crumbs, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 teaspoons of paprika on a large shallow pie plate; stir to combine.  Place each chicken cutlet in yogurt mixture and turn to coat.  Next, place chicken in crumb mixture, turning to coat both sides and pressing lightly to make crumbs stick.

3.  Place coated chicken on prepared baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Broil 3 to 4 inches from heat source until golden brown and cooked through, flipping once, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.  To serve, garnish with lemon wedges.

Serves 4

Quick Beef Stew

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. boneless beef sirloin, trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 c. dry red wine (I used merlot)

8 oz. canned tomato sauce

10 1/2 oz. can condensed French onion soup

3 c. water

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

24 oz. frozen mixed vegetables

1 tsp. salt

1/4 c. parsley, chopped

Instructions:

1.  Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the beef and cook until browned.

2.  Transfer the beef to a soup pot.  Add the wine to the skillet.  Cook over high heat, stirring and scraping, until reduced by half.  Pour over the beef.

3.  Add tomato sauce, French onion soup, water, Worcestershire sauce, vegetables, and salt to the pot.  Stir.  Heat to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.  Stir in the parsley and serve.

Serves 4

Stracciatella alla Roma  (We had this in Italy and I NEEDED to make it.  So yummy!)

Ingredients:

3 c. chicken stock

1 egg

1 1/2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

1 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs

2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely minced

Instructions:

1.  In a medium saucepan, bring stock to a simmer.

2.  Meanwhile, whisk egg, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, and garlic together until blended.  Stir this mixture rapidly into the simmering stock and stir until the egg is set, 30 to 60 seconds.

Serves 2-3

I know I've made some other things in the past few weeks, but I can't think of them.  As I do, I will let you know!

Mexican Monday!

Happy Monday!

About a year ago, Stephen and I began Mexican Monday.  We thought, "How can we make Monday a better day in the week?"  Then it came to us...Mexican food!  Mexican Monday has been forgotten about a bit recently because of grilling season.  But since tonight is raining...it is back!

I have chosen to share with you (and make for dinner tonight) our favorite Mexican Monday recipe.  I do confess though, it is not an original Amy recipe.  I have modified the deliciousness of the wonderful Chanel Elise Latimer.  Many thanks, Chanel.  You have made Mondays much better here in Kenmore Square.

Chicken and Salsa

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breast, raw, thin sliced

24 oz. jarred salsa (Tostitos is the best for this recipe)

15 oz. black beans, canned, rinsed and drained

1 large bell pepper, green, chopped

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 2/3 c. brown rice, cooked (I tend to use Trader Joe's frozen brown rice...so easy!)

4 Tbsp. fat-free sour cream

Instructions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  In a 9"X13" casserole dish, lay chicken in a single layer (I usually put a couple spoonfuls of salsa on the bottom to make sure it doesn't stick).

Kind of an icky picture!

3.  Cover chicken in 1/2 of the salsa.  Then top with peppers, onions, and beans.

4.  Cover with remaining salsa.  Bake for 45 minutes.

5.  Divide into 4 servings and serve with 2/3 cup of rice and 1 tablespoon of sour cream.

Delicious!

Serves 4

7 WW points

P.S.  It is also fabulous on Day 2 chopped up and with tortilla chips!  Yum!