my week in recipes

(NOTE: this post was originally written in January and I didn't get around to adding the photos until just now... oops)

here we go again.  I'm still working toward my goal... still eating new, more healthy foods.  here's my run down on how they went.

stuffed pepper soup | skinny taste

photo courtesy of skinnytaste.com

this soup was hearty, it did not dissappoint in that area.  often times lower calorie soups are thin and lack any textural diversity, not this soup.  tomatoes, rice, hamburger, onions, and peppers were found throughout the entire bowl.  I am a stuffed pepper lover and though this was pretty spot on.  if you know me you know I am terrible at following recipes.  well, this time I followed it perfectly and wished I had added a little more adventure.  when I make it again I will add more italian spices to the mix.

lighter buffalo chicken dip | recipes under 400, originally skinnytaste.com

photo courtesy of skinnytaste.com

so, last week the hubs and I met a friend at a pub/cafe to talk about life.  I ordered the buffalo chicken dip and was FLOORED with how awesome it was.  this was our super bowl party contribution and it did not dissapoint!  YUMMO!  I could eat this by the spoonful day after day.  this may have booted out my obsession with guacamole for the moment.  creamy and spicy.  my love for buffalo wings has grown even more, but now for this easier to eat version with fewer calories.

healthy pineapple shrimp fried rice | skinny taste

photo courtesy of skinnytaste.com

meh, I've had better.  I mean for fried rice to be healthy, you know you're giving up a little bit of what makes it savory, right.  yes, this is true for this meal too.  it was okay, but nothing I'm going out to the store to make again this week.  and, it must be eaten the night that you make it.  pineapple is an enemy to any sort of protein turning the shrimp into mush the next day when you try to reheat it-- yuck!

skinny chicken divan | eat yourself skinny

okay, chicken divan must mean anything with chicken and broccoli made into a casserole, because this was not what I typically consider, "chicken divan".  that being said, I'm not at all knocking it.  this was good!  I think I would like it even more served over some brown rice in the future. 

lemon crinkle cookies

summer is full of fresh flavors and bright colors.  the hot days mean that I always want something cool and refreshing at the end of the day.

summer has also been full of back yard parties and barbeques.  I stumbled upon this recipe on pinterest and it has become my favorite cookie recipe all year!  I have eaten too many of these to even count!

oh, and in case you have hopes to make yourself feel better and think that they are kind of "healthy"-- I subbed whole wheat flour for all purpose and they still taste wonderful!  they are a little darker and aren't quite as flat, but they are truly delish!

lemon crinkle cookies

my week in recipes

the new year always brings in goals and resolutions.  I think this a healthy tradition.  it gives me time to think about how everything in the past year has gone, what I liked, didn't like, want to change, and want to continue.  2011 was one heck of a year... the good, the bad, the ugly all happened.  we are now one month down in 2012 and I don't quite know how I feel about it except that I know I am going to try to make the best of it.

I have a goal to run a 10k this year, after not EVER running in my life I think that I can do this.  my goal for 2011 was to live a healthy, active lifestyle.  I enjoyed working toward this goal and still am every day.  part of continuing on in that goal is being aware of what I put in my body.  I have used the fabulous pinterest to help me in this journey.  here are some recipes I have found either through pinterest or another pin I saw on pinterest led me to the source... I am going to try to make more healthy food and let you know how it goes!

best white chicken chili | burnt carrots

yes, the name says it all.  this is the best white chicken chili I've ever had.  it was truly a chili, not a southwestern chicken soup with beans.  I made a few alterations as I cooked it (broiled the chicken instead of poaching, less garlic, and beer instead of broth), because that's how I roll, but it was hands down my favorite ever.  I will for sure be making this again.  spicy, yet not over powering, thick and hearty.  yum!

sour cream pancakes | smitten kitchen

yum.  for a girl that does not like pancakes, like at all, these were great.  I loved them.  they were tangy.  they tasted like sour cream and had a much less cake like texture than other pancakes.  I would love them with a hot berry compote, but my maple syrup did just fine.  the hubs didn't love these as much as I did.  he loves pancakes though.  he missed the fluffy cake like texture and said, "meh, they're okay".  so for me they were a hit, for him they were a miss.

autumn chopped salad | espresso and cream

in trying to eat more healthy this was one of my first recipes to try.  I have some go to salads, but needed something to change it up.  the flavor was layered-- the pears, bacon, craisins, and dressing mixed together extremely well.  I added some shredded chicken and ate it with a glass of wine to balance out the salad and make it into a meal.  this will make it into my go-to salad recipes.

bobby's lighter tastes like lasagna soup | deen bros

a recipe that comes from the deen brothers as a lightened up version of their famous mother's famous recipe strikes my interest right away.  this soup does not disappoint.  I am a girl that loves soup, not any old soup, but a thick, hearty, warms the soul type of soup.  yes, this met my requirements.  this is the same soup I made a few weeks ago and posted here on the blog without knowing the source.  my mother-in-law knows her soups too.  I just went to the grocery store tonight and found the italian turkey sausage I haven't been able to find yet.  so I'll be making this one again, SOON.

skinny chicken enchiladas | skinny taste

the flavor was awesome.  the ingredients seemed easy enough.  but the time it took me to make this recipe was not so great.  mondays are long days for me.  I have a meeting every monday until 5 a half hour away from home.  so, if I were to make this multi step recipe (that dirtied a lot of dishes) I will do it on a weekend.  now, don't get me wrong, the hubs and I LOVED the flavor, and the calorie count was awesome, but the time was a lot.  

so, week one of new recipes and some healthier choices went great.  it's a work in progress and the initial planning takes a little more time, but I'm now finding some new things in the grocery store and loving the new adventure.  I'll keep you posted on how it goes!

**all photos from the original source named for recipe**

jimmy's chili

yesterday my joy was found in dinner that was ready before I came home.  crock pot chili to be exact.  I wish I was better at using my crock pot, but I'm not.... but every now and then I break it out and am always left wishing I did it more.

here is the recipe for chili from Martha Stewart.  Jimmy Fallon's chili actually.  I knew that if it was half as good as he is funny I would love it, and it was.  this is a great "basic" chili to keep in my recipe book.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/2 pounds ground chuck beef, ground for chili
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 habanero chile, seeded and very finely chopped (*I chose a jalepeno*)
• 1/4 cup chile powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped with their juices
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle amber beer
• 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Tortilla chips, for serving
• Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
• Chopped tomatoes, for serving
• Sour cream, for serving
• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add beef and cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; drain in a colander, discarding fat, and set aside.
2. Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add onions, garlic, and habanero; season with salt. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. In a 6-quart Crock-Pot, combine beef, onion mixture, chile powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne pepper; stir to combine. Add tomatoes, cilantro, and beer; cover and cook on high, stirring occasionally, for 5 hours.
4. Add kidney beans and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with desired toppings.

lasagna soup

soup is one of my absolute favorite dinners in the fall and winter.  everything about it makes me happy.  however, I seem to just do the same recipes again and again.  so when my fabulous mother in law sent me a new soup recipe I was more than excited to try it out!  this is a great, hearty meal of a soup.  it held up great for reheating too.  I am thrilled to have it in my stash for the winter months to come

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 lb. Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32 oz) container chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14 ½ oz) can petite diced tomatoes
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 oz. broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 4 noodles)
½ cup chopped fresh basil
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Top with: Parmesan cheese
Serve with: Bread sticks or garlic bread

Directions

In a large nonstick sauce pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium- high heat. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is crumbled and browned, 8 – 10
minutes. Drain.

Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes.
 

Add the noodles; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, about 15 minutes for the whole-wheat noodles. 

*I thickened the broth with 2 Tbsp of cornstarch mix with 2 Tbsp cold water. (I did not need to do this as it was already thick when cooking)* 

Stir in the fresh basil and mozzarella cheese. Serve with parmesan cheese and bread.

Yields 6 to 8 servings