Crock Pot Santa Fe' Chicken

Courtesy of Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 servings • Size: 1 cup • Points+: 4 points
Calories: 190 • Fat: 1.5 g • Fiber: 5.6 g
• Carbs: 23.1 g • Protein: 21 g

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans, drained
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
  
• salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning.

Serve over a baked potato (YUM) and top with chopped scallions, fresh cilantro, fat free sour cream, and reduced fat cheddar cheese.

Veggie Soup (0 points)

I love broth-based soups so I always take a cup of soup for lunch. Progresso makes really good "light" soups but the light varieties are rarely on sale.
This "0" point veggie soup can be made using pretty much any vegetables you like (except potatoes and corn) but I always add cabbage and canned tomatoes.

Directions:
Heat 2 (32 oz) containers of fat free vegetable, beef, or chicken broth in a pot (beef adds the best flavor).
Finely chop 1 onion and 2 stalks of celery (including leaves) in a food processor.
Chop 2 carrots into small soup-size pieces.
Add onions, celery, carrots, and 2 bay leaves to broth and simmer for 30 minutes.

Chop all other vegetables - red/green bell peppers, zucchini, cabbage, green beans, broccoli, spinach, etc. (Butternut squash would probably be good but I've never actually included it yet.)
Add veggies to soup in order of cooking time and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until veggies are tender. NOTE: Add 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (for the cabbage).

Add 1-2 cans of diced tomatoes (depending on your taste). Add Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Simmer for 10 more minutes.

Season the soup to your taste. Some suggestions for seasonings:
Hot Sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning (dry), beef bouillon cubes, fresh Italian parsley.

ENJOY!!!

How to make Spaghetti Squash (O points)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membrane (much like you scoop out a pumpkin).

Season with salt and bake 1 hour on a baking sheet, cut side up. Test for tenderness with a sharp knife and bake for up to 10-15 minutes longer, if needed.

Let squash cool for about 10 minutes. Use a fork to remove/scrape flesh, which will come out looking like spaghetti.

Serve topped with your favorite pasta sauce.

Homemade Bleu Cheese Dressing

For all of you bleu cheese lovers out there - a great tasting bleu cheese dressing that's almost guilt-free . . .

Skinny Italian Spinach Meatballs

Courtesy of Gina's Skinny Recipes - http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 5 meatballs w 4.5 oz sauce • Points+: 5 points
Calories: 211.2 • Fat: 9.8 g • Protein: 17.4 g • Carbs: 14.3 g • Fiber: 4.2 g

• 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of all liquid
• 2 slices whole wheat Weight Watchers bread (or any half point bread)
• 1 large egg
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese (or your favorite Parmesan Cheese)
• salt and pepper

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves smashed garlic
• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
  
• 1/2 onion (don't chop)
• salt and pepper

Wet bread with water then mash up with your hands. Add to large bowl and combine with chopped beef, chopped spinach, egg, garlic, parsley, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well until thoroughly combined. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure meat, then divide in two so that each meatball is 1/8th of a cup. Roll into little meatballs.

In a large pot, add olive oil and heat on medium. When hot add smashed garlic. When garlic is golden brown, add tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper and cover, reduce heat to low.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil on low heat. When oil is hot add as many meatballs that will fit, cook on low, turning often so that all side get browned. Cook until the centers are cooked through. When finished, place on a dish lined with paper towels to blot any excess oil. Drop meatballs into sauce and continue cooking the remaining meatballs, repeating the process. When all meatballs are in the sauce, simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes. Discard onion and serve over whole wheat spaghetti or spaghetti squash (see next recipe for directions).

MJ - This one's for you . . .

My friend, Mary Jo, suggested that I start a blog for sharing recipes so this is it.

I promise to only share recipes that I have actually tried (ones that have turned out well). I hope that you will post your recipes, too.

Most of the recipes will be either from Weight Watchers or from this great blog I found called Gina's Skinny Recipes at http://www.skinnytaste.com.

I know my blog is pretty primitive - it is still a work in progress. Any suggestions for improvement would be appreciated.

ENJOY!!!

Myra