Skinny Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie.  You either love it or hate it.  I hated this comfort dish with a passion growing up.  I remember when Mom was working or in school and it was Dad's night to cook (before I decided to learn to cook to help him out).  Pot pies were one of his things and I would literally cry my eyes out and go to bed hungry before I ate one.  I've decided to rediscover chicken pot pies twenty or so years later, giving it my own spin.  Inspiration for this recipe comes from Cooking Light's recipe, but I have significantly modified the recipe.  I changed a number of the vegetables they used, plus I used phyllo dough instead of puff pastry.  I LOVE phyllo dough (crispy, light, crunchy, yummy) and it is much much healthier than puff pastry.  The outcome was pretty tasty and makes a great dinner on a chilly evening or a night you're craving some hearty comfort food (without the hearty calories).

 Ingredients:
4 Cups Sodium-Free Chicken Broth
1 1/2 Cups Frozen Green Peas (Thawed)
2 Small Yellow or White Potatoes
1 Medium-Large Sweet Potato
4 Stalks Celery
3 Carrots
1 lb. Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless)
2/3 Cup Whole-Wheat Flour
1 13/4 Cups Skim Milk
1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley (or 4 Tbsp. Dried)
1 tsp. Thyme
1 tsp. Black Pepper
1/3 Package Phyllo Dough (12 sheets)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large stockpot.  Chop/dice potatoes, celery, and carrots.  Add to stockpot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
2.  Cut chicken (not cooked) into small 1-2" pieces.  Add to broth and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove veggies and chicken from broth with a slotted spoon.  Set aside.

3.  Turn heat back up to medium and slowly add flour and milk to broth, whisking well.  Continue to cook about 5-10 minutes, or until thickened.

4.  Add chicken and veggies to the thickened broth.  Stir in parsley and black pepper.

5.  Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.  Lay 6 phyllo sheets on the bottom of the dish.  Spoon mixture on top of phyllo dough.

6.  Carefully place remaining 6 sheets of dough over chicken mixture, and press the edges to the pan to seal in the chicken mixture.  Cut 3-4 small slits in the dough for steam to escape.  Spray with cooking spray.  Place dish on foil-lined baking sheet (just in case it bubbles over).
7.  Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, or until pastry is lightly browned and mixture is bubbling.

Serve hot and enjoy!
Note: if you plan on reheating leftovers (as we definitely had to do--then add a little bit of skim milk before reheating in the microwave so the reheated portion is not pasty).

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Panini

I love Paninis and I love buffalo sauce.  I don't think I need to say much more than that.  I was inspired by Closet Cooking's version of this yummy sandwich.  It was a hit at our home and I hope you enjoy it too.  For more Panini recipes, check out my version of Panera's Turkey Artichoke Panini.

Ingredients:
Chicken
Wing Sauce (lowest sodium you can find)
Celery
Cheese
Ranch Sauce, for dipping

Directions:
1.  Cook chicken, shred, add hot sauce, celery, and cheese.  Stir well to combine (ez crockpot instructions for the chicken are here).
2. In you panini grill (or just regular saucepan, realizing most people don't have a panini maker), sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, place your sandwich on grill.  Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until heated through, cheese is melted, and bread is lightly browned.

Dip in ranch sour cream dip and Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

 Football season requires plenty of appetizers.  Wing sauce and meatballs are both classic favorites.  So why not marry them and make them a bit healthier?  :)  This recipes uses ground chicken and heart-healthy olive oil compared to fried foods and fatty meats.  Eat them by themselves, dipped in (fat-free or low-fat) ranch or bleu cheese dressing (or if you prefer less chemicals/preservatives, try my healthy Ranch Sour Cream Dip, in the photos), or paired with cheese and celery.

Ingredients:
3/4 Cup Wing Sauce (I used Ashanti, could use Frank's--but higher in sodium--you really gotta check the sodium on wing sauce--it can get c-r-a-z-y high), plus more to serve (optional)
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 lb Ground Lean Chicken (as lean as you can find!)
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Plain Breadcrumbs (or Panko)
1/2 Cup Celery, finely diced
1/4 Cup Minced Onion
1/2 Cup Reduced-Fat Mozzarella Cheese (or use a Bleu--I just prefer mozzarella/ranch flavors with my wing sauce)
1 tsp. Minced Garlic

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray (butter flavored or olive oil is my preference).
2.  Combine all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl.  It will be pretty sticky.
3.  Roll the meat into 1" balls (use an ice scream scoop if you prefer consistency).  Place on baking sheet in single layer.  Bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
4.  Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes.  Place on dish to serve.  Drizzle extra wing sauce over meatballs if you prefer (I did not) and serve with dressing and celery.

Enjoy!

Healthy Tomato Pasta Sauce

I'll admit it, I usually just buy pre-made pasta sauce.  However, I wanted to try to make my own, to make it healthier with a variety of organic veggies and reduced sodium (store-bought always have so much sodium).  I adapted a recipe from Jamie Oliver below.  This recipe makes quite a bit of sauce (13-14 cups worth), so have some freezer bags on hand to freeze some (or store in the refrigerator if eating within the month).  This sauce makes for a quick and easy (and healthy) meal topped over whole-wheat pasta with fresh Parmesan cheese on top.  Or, you can use this sauce as a pizza sauce or as a base for Lasagna, Chicken Cacciatore, soup, or a number of other meals.  Feel free to change up the recipe a bit, by adding in some fresh mushrooms, zucchini, or whatever else you think sounds good!  Hope you like it!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Celery Stalks, Chopped

2 Red Bell Peppers, Chopped
2 Carrots, Grated
3 Tbsp. Minced Onion
3 Tbsp. Minced Garlic
1 Small Butternut Squash, peeled, seeds scooped, and grated or cubed
2 - 28 oz Cans Plum Tomatoes (or use 1 1/2 lbs Fresh Tomatoes + 1 Cup Water)
2 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Dry Red Wine
2 Tbsp. Dried Oregano (or 1/4 Cup Fresh)

2 Tbsp. Dried Basil (or 1/4 Cup Fresh)

Sea Salt
Black Pepper

Directions:
1.  In large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Stir in celery, red pepper, and carrots.  Add onion and garlic and heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2.  Add butternut squash to pan.  Stir in tomatoes, water, and wine.  Bring to a boil.

3.  Reduce heat to low and stir in the oregano and basil. Simmer for 40-45 minutes.
4.  Cool then use immersion blender (or regular blender, working in batches) to blend the sauce until smooth.
5.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.



Enjoy over whole-wheat pasta for a healthy meal!

Split Pea & Ham Soup

A cold, icy day calls for soup-making!  I've actually never made split-pea soup before today, so this recipe is a new one I'm trying out (and of course I taste sampled before posting--it's awesome).  It's a modification of one from Better Homes and Gardens, one from Martha Stewart, and one from my father-in-law, Daryl.  I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 5-6 Medium Carrots, Chopped (about 2 Cups)
• 5-6 Stalks Celery, Chopped (about 2 Cups)
• 1/3 Cup Dried Minced Onion
• 4 Cups Water
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth (no-sodium)
• 1 lb Cooked Boneless Ham (I love Hormel's Natural Choice because it is nitrate-free!)
• 1 16-oz Bag Dry Split Peas, Rinsed and Drained
• 2 tsp. Dried Thyme
• 2 tsp. Dried Marjoram
• 2 tsp. Ground Black Pepper

Directions:
1.  In a large Dutch oven, or large stockpot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add carrots, celery, and onion.  Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5-7 minutes.
2.  Add water, broth, ham, and split peas.  Bring to a boil for a few minutes.  Stir in thyme, marjoram, and black pepper.
3.  Reduce heat to medium-low, Cover, and Cook for about 40-50 minutes, or until peas are soft.

Serve and Enjoy!  Season with a little sea salt and black pepper if you desire and eat with some wheat saltine crackers.  Yum.

For freezing, divide soup into two large freezer bags.  Once at room temperature, cool completely in the refrigerator.  Once cold, put soup into a second freezer bag (better safe than sorry with freezer burn) and be sure to label and date the soup (I include the date I made it and the "eat by" date).  Freeze up to 3 months.

To reheat, dip the bag into hot water for 5 minutes.  Then, put soup into stockpot.  Cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes, or until hot, stirring occasionally.  

Love-Yourself Lentil Soup

Hearty soups, without hearty calories.  This quick-and-easy lentil soup is tasty and extremely healthy, with a variety of veggies and fiber, iron, folate, Vitamin B1, protein and potassium-rich lentils.  Health magazine named lentils as one of the five healthiest foods.  This is my first official recipe with lentils, so be prepared to get some more featuring this wonder-food!

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 Medium Carrots, Sliced
• 2 Tbsp. Minced Onion
• 1 1/2 cups Dried Lentils
• 3 Stalks Celery, Diced
• 2 Potatoes, Diced
• 4 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 5 Cups Chicken or Vegetable (sodium-free) Broth
• 1 Tomato, Diced
• 1 tsp. Cumin
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper

Directions:
1. Put olive oil in Dutch Oven (or large stockpot) over medium-high heat.  Once heated, add onion and carrots.  Stir for 3-5 minutes.
2.  Add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil.
3.  Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 40-50 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

Season with sea salt and black pepper and serve with crackers or crusty bread.  Enjoy!

For freezing, divide soup into two large freezer bags.  Once at room temperature, cool completely in the refrigerator.  Once cold, put soup into a second freezer bag (better safe than sorry with freezer burn) and be sure to label and date the soup (I include the date I made it and the "eat by" date).  Freeze up to 3 months.

To reheat, dip the bag into hot water for 5 minutes.  Then, put soup into stockpot.  Cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes, or until hot, stirring occasionally.

Turkey Tortellini Soup

SOUP TIME!  Now this is a season-appropriate meal for chilly fall.  This soup has a good amount of vegetables, is lower in sodium than any soup you'll buy in a store (yikes, holy hypertension) and tastes so good.  I made a huge batch of it and we had leftovers whenever we wanted a quick warm cup of soup.

Ingredients:
1 Lb. lean ground turkey breast
3 Tsp. Italian Seasoning (or combine parsley, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder)
2 Cans (sodium-free, or extra low sodium) Tomato Soup (+1 can water)
4 Cups (sodium-free) chicken or vegetable broth
2 Cans Diced Tomatoes (no sodium-added)
1 Cup Diced Carrots
1 Cup  Diced Celery
1 Cup Chopped Green Beans (or cut-leaf spinach)

1 Large Pkg cheese-filled tri-color tortellini (20 ounce package I believe)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Season your thawed turkey breast with the Italian seasoning.  Shape into 3/4"-1" balls and place on lined baking sheet.  Place turkey meatballs in oven for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned with no pink inside.  Meanwhile...

2. Turn stovetop to medium heat.  Combine broth and tomato soup in a stockpot.
3.  Add in your tomatoes, diced carrots and celery, and chopped green beans.  Cook for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4.  Add in the tortellini pasta and continue cooking for 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally.
5.  Place cooked turkey meatballs in the stockpot and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve with a crusty loaf of Italian bread and enjoy!

For freezing, divide soup into two large freezer bags.  Once at room temperature, cool completely in the refrigerator.  Once cold, put soup into a second freezer bag (better safe than sorry with freezer burn) and be sure to label and date the soup (I include the date I made it and the "eat by" date).  Freeze up to 3 months.

To reheat, dip the bag into hot water for 5 minutes.  Then, put soup into stockpot.  Cook over medium heat for about 25 minutes, or until hot, stirring occasionally.