Mexican Chicken (tortilla) Soup (106 Calories per cup)

Mexican Chicken Soup!!! 

I love chicken tortilla soup from a Mexican restaurant, Pappasitos, in Houston, TX. They will not tell you any calories! I know the soup can be high in calories, so I made a low calorie and low fat version by taking out cheese and tortillas. I have included how to add tortilla and cheese (this is a little thicker soup, the low calorie will be thin like chicken noodle soup). My favorite topper is cilantro and 1/4 of a lime with each cup! I think the lime juice really makes it!  This can be great to serve at a party! People can get creative with the toppings!

Minutes to Prepare: 25

Minutes to Cook: 35

Number of Servings: 12

Ingredients

16 oz Chicken breast, poached and shredded
64 oz (8 cups) or so HEB Central Market Organics Free Range Chicken Broth Low Sodium
1 cup diced Celery
1/2 Vidalia onion chopped
2 cloves of Garlic or one teaspoon of garlic powder
.5 tbsp Salt, 
1 tbsp Pepper, black,
2 tbsp Corn Oil, 2 tbsp
1 can (3.5 cups) Del Monte Diced Tomatoes, No Salt Added,
10 oz can of Rotel
1 can (12 oz) Yellow Sweet Corn, drained
1 tbsp McCormick ground cumin,

Optional (will change nutrition value)
1 cup of carrots, or other veggies 
10 tortillas
1 cup of milk
Cheese (shredded Monterrey or Mexican blend)
tortilla chips
avocado
sour cream
cilantro
limes
Need spice, add a jalapeno!

Tips

This can be frozen also! Please adjust the salt and pepper to your liking!  If you can't find Rotel (it will be with the canned tomatoes, should by down the pasta isle) the use an extra can of dice tomatoes.  Saute some jalapenos in the vegetables.  I don't think this is spicy, but some people think pepper is spicy.  Just omit the Rotel and add an extra can of diced tomatoes!  The chicken broth in this recipe has 10 calories, and 70g of sodium per cup.  I have even used 80 oz of broth (it will give you one extra cup, once it all cooks down) with the same ingredients.  I really love the broth in this!

Directions

• Saute onions, celery, garlic, salt and pepper in corn oil until tender.
• Add chicken broth and bring to boil.
• Add tomatoes, Rotel, cumin (can use one pack of taco seasoning), and chicken.
• Cook for 15-20 min and it is ready to eat! Top with line, cilantro, cheese, avocado, chips, or sour cream!
• The rest is optional for chicken tortilla soup, calories will be about 380/cup.  If you want tortilla soup then cut Tortillas into small pieces and add to broth mixture.
  Let boil for 20 minutes or until tortillas are thoroughly incorporated into soup stirring occasionally to keep from sticking.
• If you want cheese then reduce heat and add 8 oz. cheese. Simmer for additional 10 minutes.
• Take off of the heat for a few minutes and add one cup of milk
• If thicker soup is desired, add more diced tortillas and let incorporate into soup
• Garnish with shredded cheese, broken tortilla chips, 1/4 of a lime and cilantro, or what ever your heart desires! 
• Optional
  You can also use grilled chicken fajita meat or rotisserie chicken!
  Serving Size: makes 12- 1 cup servings
• Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 12
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 105.9
  • Total Fat: 3.0 g
  • Cholesterol: 23.3 mg
  • Sodium: 521.8 mg
  • Total Carbs: 9.8 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 2.2 g
  • Protein: 9.9 g

Potatoes Deluxe Casserole

Potatoes Deluxe Casserole

This was one of my childhoods favorite side dishes.  My mom would bring it to all holiday events by request!

Ingredients:
2 LBS Frozen Hash-browns, thawed 30 minutes
1 Cup diced onions
1 Can cream of chicken soup
1 LB sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
1 stick of butter
2 Cups (8oz) Sharp Cheddar
1 Cup of smashed potato chips or corn flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together well EXCEPT the potato or corn flakes.  Spray or butter a 9 x 13 baking dish.  All the mixed ingredients to the pan.  Add the potato or corn flakes on top.  Cover and bake for 45 minutes.  Uncover and cook for an additional 15 minutes
You can always add a dab of sour cream, bacon, or green onions on top!  I have made this is cupcake pans and it turned out great!

Best Home Made Sloppy Joe's

Best Home Made Sloppy Joe's

I am not a huge fan of Manwich Sloppy Joe's, and to be honest, not a huge fan of Sloppy Joe's period.  Then I tried this which opened up my mind to Sloppy Joe's once again!

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
2 -3 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite, we use Master piece)
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar

Directions:
1 In a large skillet, brown ground beef, celery and onion.
2 Drain the fat, who needs it?.
3 Stir in remaining ingredients, simmer covered, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4 If Joe's appear too'loose', leave cover off and let moisture evaporate.
5 Cook until it's the consistency you like for serving buns

Serves 4-6 depends on how sloppy you make them!

Smothered Burritos!!!

Smothered Burritos

I always get tons of compliments when I make this.  You can throw the meat on in the morning and it only take a few minutes to make for dinner.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 pounds stew meat or other beef cubed (top sirloin or rib-eye works well)

• 1 large can mild  enchilada sauce (at least 19 oz.)
• 2 beef bouillon cubes 
• 1/2 can re-fried beans (optional, but I use fat free)
• 5-7 burrito size flour tortillas
• 1 cup or so of shredded cheddar cheese
• Salsa (I make my ASS dip and use with it)

Directions:
Put beef, whole bouillon cubes, and enchilada sauce into a crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until meat is very tender. (Can also cook on high for maybe 3-4 hours.)  

When beef is done (very tender and flakes off when stirred), taste and add more salt, if desired. Heat up re-fried beans in the microwave, Set your oven on broil. On an oven-proof plate, or cookie sheet even, lay out a tortilla.  Place on tortilla about 1/2 cup of the meat, drained by using a slotted spoon, a spoonful or two of beans. and a spoon full of salsa. Roll into a burrito and place in dish. Pour some of the remaining enchilada sauce from the crock pot over the burrito to cover it. Sprinkle with some cheddar cheese. Broil until cheese is bubbly, about 2-4 minutes.
If you do not use full fat cheese, it does not melt properly on top, but it is still good.  It just looks a little bit dried out. (I use 2% cheese).
After it is finished get creative on the toppings with sour cream, salsa, veggies or whatever! 

Serve.
Makes 5-7 burritos, depending on how full you make them.

Cabbage and Sausage Soup

Cabbage and Sausage Soup

Once again this is a favorite!  Great if you are trying to take off a few pounds or more.  This has protein (12g), veggies, and fiber (4.2g).  You can freeze this also.

Ingredients
1 Lb            Turkey Sausage or Kielbasa
4 Cups        Chopped Cabbage (I buy the slaw already chopped)
1.5 Cups     Sliced Zucchini
.5 Cup         Chopped Green Pepper
.5 Cup         Chopped Yellow Pepper
1 Medium   Chopped onion
2 Cups         Tomato juice (I usually use V8 low sodium)
1 Can           Stewed Tomatoes
1 Can           Campbell's Tomato Soup
2 TBS          Chili Powder (Omit if you don't like spice)
.5 TBS         Black Pepper
1 Stalk         Chopped Celery
.5-1 Cup      Mushrooms (can or fresh)
1 Cup           Chicken broth (I also use low sodium)

Directions
Cook onions, peppers and celery in broth until tender.  Place all ingredients in a crock pot on low for 3-4 hours.  If soup looks dry add more tomato juice or chicken broth.  (I also cook on high for 5-8 hours and not cook the onions, peppers, and celery first)

This is about 187 calories per cup and should serve 8.

Andi’s Secret Salsa Dip (ASS DIP... LOL)

Andi’s Secret Salsa Dip

 

This salsa is very easy and fast to make!  Be careful, it can be addicting.

Ingredients

• ½-1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 2 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1/2-1 jalapeno, seeded or not (depends on how spicy you like it)
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ¼-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• small to medium size handful of cilantro, washed (About half of the bunch)
• juice of 2 limes
• 1- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1- 10 oz can original Rotel

Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients in the base of a food processor or good blender (I use a smoothie blender) and pulse to combine for 30 seconds or so until all the ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste. Serve with chips or over tacos.  This is even good in a bloody Mary!

Breakfast Muffins!!!

 

 

Breakfast Muffins!!!

These are great to eat in the morning, and are pretty easy to make.  

Ingredients:

7 Large eggs

8 Slices of bacon (if you want bacon)

1/4 cup of milk

Cheese, onion, spinach or what ever like in your eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven at 350 degrees

Take muffin pan and spray with Pam (if you are using bacon you really don't have to)

If you use bacon you are going to cut it in 1/3rds .  Line muffin pan with the bacon loosely.  If you do not cut it (You don't have to) they shrink up more.You can also add ham or what ever you like.  

Scramble your eggs with the milk.  Add salt, pepper or any spice you like to the mix.

Fill muffin pan 3/4 of the way with the egg mix. If you are adding any veggies, cheese, or meat bits, make it a little less. 

All any other ingredients that you like to the egg mixture.  (Tip: If you use spinach, put it in before the egg).

Cook in the oven for 30-35min.

I usually take a plastic spoon and knife to get the muffins out so I don't scratch my muffin pan.

I also like to drizzle honey on top once they come out of the oven.

These can last for 5-7 days in the fridge.  Can be frozen also!  Enjoy :)

Half a Million Dollar Spaghetti

Half a Million Dollar Spaghetti!  

The original calls for way more ingredients. So I cut the calories and called it half a million instead.  Original calls for Sour cream instead of yogurt, a whole stick of butter!!!! So I trimmed it up! Hope you like

Minutes to Prepare: 15

Minutes to Cook: 45

Number of Servings: 6

Ingredients

4-5 cups 100% Whole wheat pasta (what every kind you like)
Half of Jar (large) of your favorite getti sauce 4-5 cups
4 oz of fat free cream cheese
1-2 cups of 2% shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of 2% cottage cheese
 

8oz of cooked ground beef



1/4 cup of Greek Yogurt



I can't believe it's not butter spray
Spices to taste, pepper, oregano, et

Small casserole dish 7x11 or double the recipe and use a 9x13pan

Tips

You can add your own spices to the meat while it is cooking, even veggies if you would like. Can also pour a little sauce over the cheese before the second layer of noodles

Directions

Go ahead and put your over on 350! Boil those noodles!! While they are boiling go ahead and mix up the cream cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese!!
Make sure that it is mixed up VERY well!
Then.. go ahead and cook that meat!
Make sure its good and brown and drain it!
Then pour your spaghetti sauce over it!
Spray bottom of pan with pam or I can't believe it's not butter spray
Then layer HALF of the noodles in the bottom of the dish!
Pour that nicely mixed up creamy mixture on top of the noodles.
and SPREAAAAAD it all over!
Then add the rest of your noodles and spray more butter on top of those noodles.
Now pour the red sauce and meat on top!
and once again SPREEAAAAD
Now place that awesome casserole in your oven for 30 minutes!
After those 30 minutes take the dish out and pour some cheddar cheese on the top and put it back in the oven for 15 minutes!
Then your DONE!



Serving Size: 6 servings

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 6
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 483.2

• Total Fat: 17.8 g
• Cholesterol: 61.4 mg
• Sodium: 1,492.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 47.3 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5.8 g
• Protein: 30.7 g 

Spicy Sausage and Bean Soup

Spicy Sausage and Bean Soup!

This is one of my favorite soups! I make it at least twice a month for myself only! I freeze some of it too. You can add black beans, other veggies too. If you don't like spice then take out the Jalp's. You can add a little avocado and sour cream (i use Greek yogurt) on top. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! This is great if you are watching you calories too! 

Number of Servings: 9

Ingredients

1 Can Fat Free Re-fried Beans
1 Can Chicken Broth (I use Organic low sodium, only 15 calories per cup!) I will add a little more sometimes, especially when I am freezing it!
1 Can corn
1 Can black beans (sometimes I use the ones with jalapenos and lime for a different twist)
1 Can diced tomatoes
1 Pack of Louis Rich Turkey Sausage
1 small can of diced Jalapenos

Directions

Add all ingredients (Rinse the black beans if you use them, and put in a pot with the other ingredients.) Cook until re fried beans are no longer thick and soup is hot. Ladle some up and enjoy it today! Delicious!!

Nutritional Info (as above)

• Servings Per Recipe: 9
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 162.1

• Total Fat: 4.7 g
• Cholesterol: 28.7 mg
• Sodium: 809.5 mg
• Total Carbs: 20.2 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5.2 g
• Protein: 11.3 g