Early MM

I just prepped tomorrow's Mexican Monday!  Looking good so far!

Slow-Cooker Chicken Burritos

Ingredients:

1 medium clove garlic, minced

1 small red onion, diced

14 1/2 oz. tomatoes, canned, diced

15 oz. black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. oregano, dried

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-in. pieces

3/4 c. chicken stock

8 Joseph's Flax & Oat Tortilla Wraps

1 c. shredded Mexican cheese, low-fat

4 Tbsp. sour cream, fat-free

Instructions:

1.  Place garlic, onion, tomatoes, beans, chili powder, salt, oregano, and pepper in a 3.5-quart slow cooker; stir well.

2.  Add chicken and stock to mixture in slow cooker; stir.

3.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours; drain off liquid.  Stir with fork to shred chicken.

4.  To serve, spoon 1/8 of chicken mixture onto tortilla.  Top with 1/2 tablespoon of sour cream and 1/8 cup of cheese.

Yields 2 burritos per serving

Serves 4

7 WW points

Mmmm Fall!

I've gotten many request for this one...so here goes...

Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Oatmeal

Ingredients:

5 c. water

1 1/2 c. pumpkin, raw, diced into 1/4-in. cubes

1/3 c. honey

1 Tbsp. cinnamon, ground

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. nutmeg, ground

Instructions:

1.  Combine all ingredients in slow-cooker.

2.  Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.

3.  Stir and enjoy!  You may need to add a little extra water in the end if it gets too thick.

It was quite yummy!

Serves 4

3 WW points

I'm depressed...

So I am back from my bachelorette party weekend...it was the BEST!  I have the best friends in the world!  But now I'm in a depression.  I wish it were still the weekend.

To help with the depression I decided to play with my new slow cooker and make something that will warm the soul.  I sampled it before putting it in the fridge for the morning...YUM!

Mixed Berry Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1 c. steel cut oatmeal (not quick-cooking)

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 c. dried mixed berries

4 c. water

Instructions:

1.  Place first 4 ingredients in slow cooker.  Cover with water.

2.  Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours*.  Stir and serve.

Serves 4

3 WW points 

*I have a 3.5-quart slow cooker.  It is probably the same-ish cook-time for a regular sized one.  Don't blame me if it doesn't come out right.  Ha!

¡Arriba!

Happy Mexican Monday!

Bean Burrito Soup is cooking up as we speak.  Sounds interesting...we shall see!

Bean Burrito Soup

Ingredients:

2 c. chicken broth, reduced-sodium, fat-free

1/2 c. water

16 oz. refried beans, fat-free, canned

16 oz. mixed vegetables, frozen, unprepared

2 Tbsp. green chiles, diced, canned

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tortilla, Joseph's flax, oatbran, & whole wheat flour, cut into strips

4 Tbsp. cheddar cheese, shredded, low-fat

4 Tbsp. sour cream, fat-free

Instructions:

1.  Bring the broth, water, and beans to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the mixed vegetables, chiles, garlic, and chili powder; return to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavors are blended and the vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes

2.  Meanwhile in a non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray, toast the tortilla strips over low heat until golden brown and crispy.

3.  Divide the soup evenly among 4 bowls (yields about 1 1/2 cups of soup per serving).  Top each bowl with 1 tablespoon each of cheese and sour cream and 1/4 of the tortilla strips.

Serves 4

4 WW points

Football season is upon us!

Hi there!  Sorry I haven't posted in a while.  It isn't that I'm not cooking/eating, it is that our wedding is now 48 days away and I have 1,000,000 things to do!  Ahhhh!

Anyway...I LOVE football season!  Not because of football, but because on Sundays when there is a home game, I get to hole up at home and cook!  So even though weather.com is telling me that it is currently 62 degrees out, I'm pretending it is freezing!  Here is what is cooking up in my kitchen on this "winter" day...

Pumpkin-Cranberry Bars

Makes for a delicious high fiber/protein breakfast or a lovely mid-afternoon snack with a cup of tea!

Ingredients:

1 c. packed light brown sugar

4 Tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine, soft, at room temperature

1 c. canned pumpkin puree

1 large egg

1 large egg white

1/3 c. buttermilk

1 1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/2 c. uncooked old fashioned oats

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3 c. dried cranberries

Instructions:

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly coat a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray, then dust lightly with flour.

2.  In a large stand-mixer bowl, cream sugar and margarine (could be done with a hand mixer as well, but I love any excuse to use my KitchenAid).

3.  Beat in egg, egg white, pumpkin puree, and buttermilk.

4.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.  

 

5.  Stir dry mix into pumpkin mixture just until moistened, then add cranberries and mix gently.

6.  Spread batter in pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until center springs back when pressed gently.  Cool and cut into 18 bars.

Serves 18

3 WW points

Fresh Tomato Soup

When Stephen and I decided to go to Italy on our honeymoon, my mom bought me an Italian-cooking cookbook to get in the mood.  Here is one of the recipes that I altered a bit to be a little healthier.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. plum tomatoes, seeded and roughly chopped

1 onion, cut into eighths

1 garlic clove, slice thinly

1 celery stalk, chopped coarsely

2 c. chicken stock, fat-free

2 oz. dried, whole wheat, short-cut pasta (such as elbows)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, to garnish

Instructions:

1.  Pour the olive oil into a large, heavy-bottom pan.  Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, and celery.  Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes, occasionally stirring gently, until the mixture is pulpy.

2.  Blend the mixture with a hand blender, or in a food processor, to a smooth puree.

3.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Add the pasta, bring back to a boil, and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite.  Season to taste with (lots of) salt and pepper.

4.  Ladle into warmed bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

Serves 4

2 WW points

Serve with a whole wheat grilled cheese for added deliciousness!  :-)

Enjoy!  Off to learn Italian!

Baci,

Amy

Don't forget the Beano!

Last night, I made one of my and Stephen's favorite recipes for Stephen, Mom, Dad, Lee, E, and Aunty Lynn down the beach. It was a success!  Rave reviews (at least they said)!  Enjoy!

Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients:

1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 c. brown rice, cooked

1/2 medium onion, diced

2 egg whites, whisked

6 Tbsp. salsa

4 Tbsp. fat free sour cream

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cooking spray

4 whole wheat hamburger buns or sandwich thins

Instructions:

1.  Heat non-stick skillet over medium heat.

2.  In a large bowl, mash beans with a fork until they become a paste.

3.  Mix beans with rice, onions, egg whites, and 2 tablespoons of salsa.

4.  Divide mixture into 4 patties (they will be very loose).  Spray skillet with cooking spray.  Drop patties onto hot skillet.  Cook patties for approximately 4 minutes on each side, or until firm.

5.  While patties are cooking, mix sour cream with remaining salsa to create sauce.

6.  Serve patties on buns topped with 1 1/2 tablespoons of sauce each.

Serves 4

4 WW points (with sauce and bun)

Yum!  Sorry, forgot to take photos!  Next time!

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!