Paleo Two-Meat Chili

Paleo Two Meat Chili
Recipe from my friend Monica; adapted from Everyday Paleo

2 tbsp olive oil
3 celery stalks, diced
1/2 white onion, diced
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 pounds of grass fed ground beef
½ pound spicy italian pork sausage
1 pinches sea salt
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried basil
½ tbsp cumin
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large can of diced tomatoes w/ juice
16 ounces chicken broth
Optional topping: avocado slices or chunks

Add olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Add celery, onion and garlic and sauté for a minute. Add meat and brown.  Season with spices; stir. Add tomatoes and broth and simmer for 35 minutes (or longer if desired). Taste and add more seasoning if desired.

Recipe: This has become another staple here. I make at least one chili a week and we eat off of it all week. This one is great and I have made it for non-paleo friends and they love it, too. You just don't miss the beans. It tastes GREAT topped with avocado! I often puree the celery and onion - I'm just not a big fan of bites of this but love the flavor it brings.

Slowcooker Pork Ragu

Slowcooker Pork Ragu 
Adapted from Real Simple
Makes 6 Servings

1 cup carrots, diced finely
1 medium onion, diced finely
1 tbsp minced garlic
 2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt and black pepper
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
24 oz. (1.5 pounds) boneless pork butt, trimmed and cut in half
12 oz. fettuccine
6 tbsp parmesan

 In a slow cooker, combine carrot, onion, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, oregano, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add tomatoes (and juices); add pork and turn to coat. Cover and cook until the pork is very tender, on on high for 5. Remove pork, shred it with two forks, and add it back to the slowcooker for 20 minutes. During this 20 minutes, cook fettuccine according to package directions; drain and return to the pot. Toss pasta with ragù and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Nutritional Information: 525 calories, 52 carbs, 20 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: Excellent! Has lots of flavor, probably from the pork shoulder vs. a tenderloin or more lean meat. Loved the tomato taste and it made a nice broth for the noodles. We will definitely have this again – very simple. Make sure to buy the boneless pork butt if you can! (if you can’t, throw it bone-in to the slowcooker and let the meat fall off the bone – don’t waste time cutting it).

Tex Mex lasagna

Tex Mex lasagna
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 4 Servings

3/4 cup bottled salsa
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1 (8-ounce) can no salt-added tomato sauce
Cooking spray
6 precooked lasagna noodles
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can chicken, drained
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 450. Combine first 4 ingredients; spread 2/3 cup sauce in bottom of an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 2 noodles over sauce; top with 1/2 cup corn, half of beans and half of chicken. Sprinkle with a bit of the cheese; top with 2/3 cup sauce. Repeat layers once; top with remaining 2 noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes or until noodles are tender and sauce is bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Sprinkle with onions.

Nutritional Information: 439 calories, 61 carbs, 8 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: Super easy, really good! This one took no time at all to put together, especially since you can use canned chicken. We did have to add some hot sauce afterwards, so if you're a fan of spicy i'd say to add it in the beginning! Other than that, easy, good and filling - love Tex Mex!

Classic Tomato Soup

Classic Tomato Soup Recipe 
Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café
Makes 6 Servings

2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons light butter
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a colander set over a large bowl, drain canned tomatoes, pressing lightly to release juices. Transfer tomato juice to a large measuring cup and add chicken broth. The mixture should measure 3 1/2 cups. Set liquid and tomatoes aside. In pot, melt butter in a 4-5-quart pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook until it is softened, 5 minutes. Add 2/3 of tomatoes, the bay leaf and brown sugar. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, the tomatoes are sizzling and fragrant. The mixture will be very thick. Stir in tomato paste and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to darken, 1-2 minutes. Slowly stir in reserved tomato juice/broth mixture, the remaining tomatoes, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. Puree soup in batches (in a blender) Stir in cream and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information: 203 calories, 23 carbs, 11 fat grams and 4 protein grams.

Review: LOVED - had so much flavor and tasted 'restaurant' to me. The cream probably did it. Very healthy servings, and with the calories being where they are you have room to add a 200-calorie grilled cheese to it. PERFECT cold-weather food or in my case, pregnant food - this baby loves some tomato soup! Great classic i'll be making again and again. I bet it freezes good, too - yum!

Stuffed Green Peppers

Stuffed Green Peppers 
Recipe adapted from Blog Chef
Makes 6 Servings

½ tbsp olive oil
½ tbsp. minced garlic
1/3 cup onion (chopped)
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ cup uncooked long-grain rice
½ cup water
6 green bell peppers
salt ( to taste)
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
4 oz. shredded 75% fat-free cabot cheddar cheese, divided

In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic. Heat until fragrant, then add ground beef and onions. Cook for 5 minutes or until beef is browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in tomatoes, rice, ½ cup of water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to boil. Cut the tops off the peppers. Remove the seeds, discard the tops, and place the bottoms into the boiling water; boil for 5 minutes. (you may need to do in batches) Drain and sprinkle salt inside each pepper. Once done, remove meat mixture from heat. Stir in half of the cheese. Preheat oven to 350. Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour the soup over the peppers. Cover with foil (spray inside with nonstick cooking spray) and place in the oven for 25 minutes. Uncover, top with remaining cheese and bake for 5 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 323 calories, 36 carbs, 8 fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: Awesome! Loved the tomato soup topper and they reheated wonderfully - even brought them to work in a tub! I will say they take a while, between boiling the pepper to making the mixture to scooping it in, etc. - it can be a bit much. But I think it's worth it and fun for a weekend meal when you have a bit more time. We made it during the week and it took a bit too long for me! Regardless, great, yummy recipe and we'll absolutely have them again.

North Indian Style Chicken

North Indian Style Chicken
Recipe inspired by Sunset Magazine
Makes 4 Servings

3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 large onion, chopped
8 ounces mushrooms
2-in. piece fresh ginger
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp each ground coriander and cumin
2 tsp kosher salt
1 ½ pound boned, skinned chicken thighs, cut into 1-in. chunks
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
5 - 10 oz. baby spinach
8 tbsp cilantro
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (1/2 of lemon yields)

In a large pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, mince ginger. Add ginger, garlic, turmeric, cayenne, coriander, cumin and salt to pan; sizzle a few seconds. Add chicken and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes, or until no longer pink on the outside. Add tomatoes and simmer, covered, 8 minutes. Stir in spinach and simmer, covered, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, chop enough cilantro to yield 1 cup. Stir into pan, along with lemon juice.

Nutritional Information (per serving): 389 calories, 17 carbs, 19 fat grams and 39 protein grams.

Review: WOW. First of all, chicken thighs are awesome. I've never cooked with them as I've always gone for lean meats, but with paleo, fattier meats are on the menu! This dish made me not even miss the carbs - I loved all of the flavors, the spicy sauce, the mushrooms - just a great dish. I could easily see having this over cauliflower rice next time - having some "rice" would be great!

Pesto Butternut Squash Pizza

Pesto Butternut Squash Pizza
Makes 4 Servings
Adapted from Cooking Light

6 (1/4-inch-thick) slices peeled butternut squash (about 1/2 pound)
2 tsp splenda
1 tsp olive oil
Cooking spray
1 pound pizza dough OR 1 Pillsbury crust (thin)
2 oz. shredded reduced fat mozzarella
2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
1 14.5-ounce can finely chopped tomatoes, drained well
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup pesto (12 tsp)
10 grams (4 tsp) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 400°. Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Place squash mixture on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes or until squash is tender. If using Pillsbury dough, pre-bake on its own for 5 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle dough with mozzarella and grated parmesan. Top with squash mixture, tomatoes and oregano. Drop Pesto by 12 level teaspoons onto pizza; sprinkle with shredded fresh parmesan. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Nutritional Information: 428 calories, 58 carbs, 19 fat grams and 15 protein grams.

Review: YUM! I never would have thought about putting squash on a pizza, but it tasted wonderful and i'm so glad I did it! The pesto went well with it, as well as the parmesean. Although, next time, I will spread the pesto across the top instead of the drops. The drops were fun, but I wished I'd had pesto in every single bite! I will definitely make this again - loved the colors, the taste, how filling it was and think it's a great seasonal meal.

Slowcooker Chicken, Chickpea & Potato Curry

Slowcooker Chicken, Chickpea & Potato Curry
Adapted from allrecipes.com
Makes 6 Servings

22 oz. chicken (frozen or raw)
1 tbsp canola oil
2 cups carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 can diced tomatoes (not drained)
4-5 red potatoes, quartered (24 oz.)
2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup light coconut milk

Spray slowcooker with cooking spray. Add chicken. Heat oil in a pan over medium. Add garlic. Stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add carrots and onion; sauté 3-4 minutes. Add spices and tomatoes to the pan. Continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the spices become fragrant. Remove from heat and pour into slow cooker. Add potatoes, chickepeas, vegetable stock and a bay leaf. Set slow cooker on high for 3 hours. Add milk and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Nutritional Information: 409 calories, 51 carbs, 7 fat grams and 33 protein grams.

Review: So hearty! This is a great, filling recipe that reheats very well. I loved the use of potatoes - I don't use them enough! And the shredded chicken tasted wonderful. For more spice, simply add red pepper flakes - it had enough for me as is, but Austin added a bit to his!  For the carrots, I used pre-cut match sticks - less work! Everything else was pretty much ready to go - just add to the slowcooker and walk away. I also liked that it made 6 servings - and the nutritionals were right in line with my goals for meals.

Spicy Chipotle Meatballs with Rice

Spicy Chipotle Meatballs with Rice
Recipe adapted from Real Simple
Makes 4 Servings

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes
3 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, diced
1 cup jasmine rice, cooked per package instructions
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp ground cumin
kosher salt and black pepper

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and half the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes (with their juices) and chipotles; using a potato masher, break up the tomatoes. Simmer, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, add up to ½ cup water. Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions. While the rice is cooking, in a medium bowl, combine beef, cilantro, bread crumbs, egg, cumin, the remaining garlic, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Shape the mixture into 16 same-sized meatballs. Heat broiler. Place meatballs on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil, turning once with tongs, until almost cooked through, 7 minutes. Add meatballs to the sauce. Cook 2-3 more minutes in sauce. Serve over the rice and sprinkle with additional cilantro.

Nutritional Information: 426 calories, 53 carbs, 8 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: We really liked these! Very filling, good nutritional values for the amount you get and a great, adobo-spiced flavor. I will say spicy was RIGHT, if you're not into spice, I'd simply take out one pepper and you'd be good to go! I thought the cilantro added a lot, and I liked that it was over rice, almost like a jambalaya (but without the cajun seasonings!). We'll make this again for sure, and because it was so saucy I think it would freeze very well - bonus.

Margarita Pasta

Margarita Pasta
Makes 4 Servings
Recipe adapted from Real Simple

10 oz. spaghetti
3 large beefsteak tomatoes, each cut into 4 thick pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
4 oz. reduced-fat mozzarella, grated
6 tsp full-fat grated parmesan
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp crushed red pepper
¾ cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
Salt and Pepper

Heat broiler. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, arrange tomatoes into a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Season with ¼ tsp each salt and pepper. Dividing evenly, sprinkle the slices with mozzarella and parmesan. Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 3 to 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, warm oil with garlic and red pepper over medium heat until fragrant, 2 minutes. Add the garlic oil, basil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve topped with tomatoes and additional basil.

Nutritional Information: 449 calories, 56 carbs, 15 fat grams and 23 protein grams.

Review: What's not to like? I'm a  huge margarita pizza fan so I figured i'd be a fan of this! The pasta really gets a lot of flavor from the garlic mix, and the tomatoes came out super juicy and cheesy. Just make sure to use large ones so you have enough surface for the cheese to go on! We thought this one reheated well, too. The tomatoes weren't as crispy, but still good, and since the pasta had so much juice with the tomatoes and "sauce' it didn't dry out, always a must for reheating! This was also a 20 minutes or less recipe for sure - and another yummy meatless dish. To reduce the calories/fat, I'd suggest using 2.5 or 3 oz. of mozzarella instead, I don't think it would be missed! I would definitely leave the olive oil at this level though.

Creamy Taco Mac

One serving

Creamy Taco Mac
Adapted from Annie’s Eats
Makes 4 Servings

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
8 oz. dry pasta
½ cup onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic, jarred
1 (14 oz.) can plain or mexican/zesty diced tomatoes, drained
1 pack taco seasoning
3 oz. fat-free cream cheese, softened
½ cup fat-free sour cream
Salt and pepper
1 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
Fresh cilantro (optional)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook onions over medium-high heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add beef and cook until beef is no longer pink. Once meat is cooked, mix in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.Mix in tomatoes and taco seasoning and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over medium-low heat 4 minutes to reduce the sauce. Turn off heat. Top with shredded cheddar cheese and cilantro. Cover and let it sit off the heat until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 457 calories, 58 carbs, 7 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: Creamy is right - the sour cream/cream cheese mixture made the red sauce a lighter color -  it was so creamy! I loved it with the pasta shells - it was really like Mexican Mac and Cheese! Big fan. I will say I only had Italian diced tomatoes on hand (boo) so I drained them, but next time would like to use zesty jalapeno diced tomatoes - or just plain. This is a great recipe and makes HUGE servings - I couldn't even eat the whole thing! We'll definitely put this one in the rotation!

Whole pan!

Mexican Lasagna

Mexican Lasagna
Recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Café
Makes 6 servings

1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 small (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
2 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
8 no-boil lasagna noodles
3 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
½ cup fat-free sour cream, light or regular
5 ounces fat-free cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan. In a large skillet, brown beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add minced garlic and tomato paste. Stir to combine well and cook for a minute. Stir in chili powder, cumin, cayenne, oregano and salt and pepper. Mix well. Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir to combine. Add black beans. Mix well and heat through, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Spread 1/2 cup beef mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer four noodles on top. Spread 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture over the noodles. Dollop 1/2 of the sour cream and 1/2 of the cream cheese (pinch off chunks) across the top. Repeat layers (4 noodles, remaining beef mixture, remaining cream cheese). Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover, add all cabot cheese on top, and bake 12 minutes, until lasagna is hot and bubbly.

Nutritional Information: 421 calories, 56 carbs, 6 fat grams and 36 protein grams.

Review: We loved this! The little bits of cream cheese added a lot, and the sour cream added a lot, too. I was so glad to find a Mexican lasagna recipe that used lasagna noodles. It seemed like all of them used smaller pasta shapes, no layers, etc. This one was great, made a lot of food, hearty servings and had a lot of flavor. Note, the original recipe called for corn, but I just doubled the black beans and was glad I did -I loved that every bite had beans! This was a fairly simple recipe with common ingredients - I have no doubt we'll make it again!

Mexican Bake with Cilantro-Lime Cream

Mexican Bake with Cilantro-Lime Cream
Makes 6 Servings
Recipe adapted from Diabetic Living

10 oz. rotini
16 oz. 96/4 ground beef
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
¾ cup bottled salsa
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp chili powder
2 oz. 75% reduced fat cheddar cheese
6 tbsp fat-free sour cream
3 tbsp green onions, diced
1 tbsp fresh cilantro

1 tsp lime juice

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and return to pot. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook meat and garlic until meat is brown, stirring to break up meat as it cooks. Drain any fat. Add cooked meat into pot with pasta. Stir in beans, tomatoes, salsa, oregano, cumin and chili powder. Transfer to rectangular dish. Bake covered 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese, bake for 3 minutes until cheese melts. In a small bowl, stir together sour cream, 2 tbsp green onions, cilantro and lime peel. To serve, top each serving with a spoonful of the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining green onions.

Nutritional Information: 393 calories, 59 carbs, 5 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: We really liked this one! The 'dressing' added a lot to it and it was really just a fun, simple pasta dish that was filling and EASY. Was it our favorite? Probably not - but definitely one that we'll keep in the rotation! Suggestion: when reheating - leave the dressing out of the microwave. Keep in a separate bowl then spoon on when it's hot and ready to eat. Also, note that the original recipe suggested you switch the beans up - use pinto, navy, whatever - not necessarily black.

Shrimp with Feta Tomato Sauce and Rice

Shrimp with Feta Tomato Sauce and Rice

Adapted from a Dinners for a Year and Beyond Recipe
Makes 4 servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 14.5-oz. can fire roasted tomatoes, diced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces fat-free feta cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 1/4 cups jasmine rice, cooked to package directions for 'firm' rice and kept warm

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions and saute until softened, about 3 - 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Add tomatoes and bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and continue simmering until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 4 - 6 minutes. Add the herbs and feta cheese and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately over hot jasmine rice and sprinkle with extra cheese if desired.

Nutritional Information: 360 calories, 44 carbs, 5 fat grams and 30 protein grams.

Review: Yum! Because of the 'fire' in those tomatoes it had more of a Cajun thing going on - almost like a jambalaya. Austin actually put some hot sauce on his! It was great and reheated well (make sure to reheat on 50% power so it doesn't overcook the shrimp). Also, cook the rice so it's more firm than watery since the sauce is watery (so it makes a different texture/contrast). I thought this was a great recipe and pretty easy to make for a weeknight. I also like the low calorie and fat counts on this, especially since it made so much food and was so filling. It reminded me a little bit of this Baked Shrimp in Tomatoes And Feta recipe, but heavier with the dense rice and more spicy/Cajun with the seasonings!

Vegetable Tortellini Soup

Vegetable Tortellini Soup
Recipe Adapted from For the Love of Cooking
Makes 4 Servings

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup sweet yellow onion, diced
4 7” carrots, diced
2 10” celery stocks, diced
3 tsp minced garlic
6 cups of chicken broth
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cups zucchini, diced
1 9-oz. package refrigerated cheese tortellini
3 cups sliced fresh spinach (about 3 ounces)
2 oz. Cabot cheese, shredded, divided
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook 4-5 minutes until softened. Add seasonings and garlic, then stir constantly for 60 seconds before adding tomatoes and broth. Let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium high, then add the tortellini, zucchini and squash. Cook for 10 minutes or until tortellini is cooked through. Stir in spinach and simmer until it’s wilted, about 1 minute. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

Nutritional Information: 372 calories, 47 carbs, 12 fat grams and 19 protein grams.

Review: I liked it a lot! The tortellini bites were my favorites, and all of the veggies really meshed well - almost like vegetable soup but SO fresh with big bites. I'm not a huge carrot person, so my first thought was to reduce the amount, but Austin said leave as is - he loved it! So maybe i'll just scoop more carrots into his bowl next time. :) I'd also like to try vegetable broth instead of chicken broth - I had purchased for the recipe but accidentally used the wrong one. oops! Either way, a success, and you guys - the servings are HUGE and filling.

in the pan!

Breakfast Risotto with Tomatoes and Mushrooms

Breakfast Risotto with Tomatoes and Mushrooms
Recipe adapted from a Lauren’s Kitchen
Makes 4 Servings

1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp of minced garlic, divided
½ cup chardonnay
1 ½ cup fat-free chicken broth
1 cup Arborio rice
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 8 oz. package sliced mushrooms
8 tsp parmesan cheese, divided

Optional: parsley for garnish

Add tomatoes to colander. Season drained tomatoes with the salt and stir to combine. Allow mixture to drain while prepping other ingredients. Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add rice to the saucepan and stir to evenly coat with oil, about 1 minute. Add 2 tsp garlic, wine and broth and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring once. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook rice for about 20 minutes: you want the rice to be tender, but still slightly firm. While the rice is cooking, heat a small pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, remaining 1 tsp of garlic and mushrooms. Sauté until moisture has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir until rice is done, then add mixture to cooked rice. Stir to combine. Taste and add more salt if desired. Divide into four servings and top each with 2 tsp parmesan cheese. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Nutritional Information: 312 calories, 45 carbs, 8 fat grams and 8 protein grams.

Review: YUM - I am a huge mushroom fan, which I think you must be to enjoy this recipe. The rice cooked quickly and easily without all of the stirring - I was able to make another recipe while it cooked itself! And while I was a bit nervous about using canned tomatoes instead of fresh since there were so few ingredients - it worked out great and tasted wonderful. The parmesan cheese on top added a lot - I tried it without it but it was definitely missing it - but the little bit went a long way. I'd definitely eat this again, it was easy to make, and I like the 300-calorie mark - perfect for breakfast. I do wonder if I could add almonds are some kind of nut to up that protein. Hmmmm. I'll keep you posted!

Cowboy Spaghetti

Cowboy Spaghetti Recipe
Makes 6 Servings
Recipe adapted from Blog Chef

12 oz. pasta
1 tbsp olive oil
3 slices turkey bacon
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tbsp minced garlic
black pepper (to taste)
2 tsp hot sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup light beer (1/3 of beer/4 oz.)
1 can fired roasted diced tomatoes
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
¼ cup green onions, for garnish

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. While pasta cooks, heat a large skillet to medium heat. Add olive oil and bacon. Fry bacon until crisp, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. In the same skillet, add ground beef and chop up with a spatula while cooking until browned. Add onions and garlic; stir into meat. Season with salt, pepper, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Add beer and stir in. Cook for 5-6 minutes and stir in tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Dice bacon. Divide pasta into six servings. Top each serving of pasta with 1/6 of meat sauce, and then top with bacon and green onions.

Nutritional Information: 399 calories, 55 carbs, 8 fat grams and 25 protein grams.

Review: This one is a winner - a nice mash up between spaghetti and chili! I don't know if this is the right word but I would say TANGY! It has a lot of flavor. It really is like a spaghetti meat sauce, but with a great, flavorful kick and the bacon adds a lot too! I loved cooking with beer - first time! :) This one was easy, love the 400-calorie count and LOVE that it makes six servings. This one is a keeper!

Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chicken Enchilada Soup
Recipe adapted from a Lauren’s Kitchen recipe

Makes 4 Servings

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1 can corn, drained
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 to 1 green bell pepper, diced
1 10-ounce can medium red enchilada sauce
1 10.75-ounce can fat-free cream of chicken soup
2 cups skim milk
1 pound chicken
4 tbsp fat free sour cream, divided

1/2 tsp salt

In a slow cooker, combine beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, bell pepper and raw chicken. In a large bowl, whisk together enchilada sauce and soup. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Pour sauce mixture over ingredients in cooker. Cover; cook on high for 3 hours. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add back to slowcooker for 30-45 minutes. Divide into four servings and top each with 1 tbsp sour cream.

Nutritional Information: 458 calories, 58 carbs, 8 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

Review: I really liked this one! I did have to add salt (so I tagged it on top) - it had a lot of flavor but was missing something. Once I added the salt this went QUICK. I think chips would have been good too, but didn't want to add the calories. I will say this was filling - huge bowl of soup for SURE. If you wanted to make it FIVE servings instead of four, to give yourself room for toppings like cheese, avocado, chips, etc. I say do it! I may next time - because I will be making this one again. I can also say that it reheats well, but note that it does take about 4 minute in the microwave with frequent stirring. For thicker soup, I'd suggest you mix some cornstarch and water - and add it to the slowcooker when you add back in the shredded chicken!

Easy Alfredo Tomato chicken

Easy Alfredo Tomato chicken

Recipe found at 365 Days of Slowcooking
Makes 4 Servings

16 oz. chicken
2 cups Classico light spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup light alfredo sauce (2 servings)
1/4 cup Kraft parmesan cheese
4 oz. mushrooms
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
8 oz. barilla pasta

Place chicken in the bottom of a crockpot. In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. Pour over chicken. Cook on high for 3 hours. Shred chicken loosely with two forks. Cook pasta per instructions. Serve chicken/sauce mixture over pasta.

Nutritional Information: 424 calories, 56 carbs, 6 fat grams and 38 protein grams.

Review: This is a great, simple pasta dish. I liked the combination of sauces and thought it tasted even better once it was mixed with the pasta and refrigerated overnight. I'll definitely be making this again, although i'll probably double it and freeze half of the slowcooker mix - I think it would defrost/reheat well for later!

Chicken Brushetta Bake

Chicken Brushetta Bake
Recipe adapted from a Lauren’s Kitchen recipe (from Stovetop)
Makes 4 Servings

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package stove top stuffing mix for chicken
1/2 cup water
1 tsp minced garlic
18 oz. chicken
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 oz. fresh mozzarella, grated
2 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar, grated

Heat oven to 400°F. Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened. Spray a square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Put raw chicken on bottom, then stuffing mix. Press until flat, then top with cheeses and basil. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

whole dish - 4 servings

Nutritional Information: 396 calories, 38 carbs, 7 fat grams and 41 protein grams.

Review: LOVED. Great mix and I never cook with stuffing so it was fun to use a new starch. The mix came out tasting a lot like brushetta, and I loved that it called for so much cheese, but was still so relatively low calorie. It was filling too - and the chicken layer at the bottom was moist. I love cooking chicken in the bottom of a casserole - genius. We'll be making this one again for sure -Austin was a fan, too.