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.

Breakfast Potato Skins

Breakfast Potato Skins

Recipe adapted from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Makes 5 Servings

5 medium russet potatoes
Olive oil spray
9 large eggs
1/3 cup fat-free milk
12 thin slices lean ham, diced
4 pieces turkey bacon
½ green bell pepper, diced
salt and fresh pepper
3 oz. Cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar, grated

Pierce potatoes with a fork a few times all around. Place in microwave and cook for 5 minutes per potato. When finished, allow to cool enough to handle. Cook bacon in microwave per instructions. Cut potatoes in half horizontally. Scoop out potatoes leaving about 1/4 inch thick wall. (Each skin should weigh 2.5 oz after scooped.) In a large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Add pepper, ham and bacon and mix well. Spray a medium nonstick skillet with olive oil spray and cook the eggs, mixing often. Heat oven to 450. Lightly spray potato skins on both sides with oil. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Fill with eggs and top each one with cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Nutritional Information: 362 calories, 35 carbs, 12fat grams and 26 protein grams.

Review: These are great! I'd be lying if I said they weren't a good bit of work. Between the microwavable cooking of each potato, the scooping of each potato, the adding of topping to each potato, etc. - it takes a while. No lie. Here's a tip: use bigger potatoes so that once you scoop you have more room for the egg filling. If you do this, cook the potatoes longer. I have to be honest, while they are a lot of work they're VERY yummy and, to me, worth it, especially if you're cooking on Sunday/when you have time and have the potatoes going while other things are cooking in the oven, slowcooker and on the stove. They also reheated well. I served mine with 2 tbsp fat-free sour cream on the side (added 20 calories) and 'dipped' them in there. I think salsa would have been wonderful too! These are fun and you can definitely have fun with them, mixing up the filling and toppings! For the leftover potatoes (what was scooped out), I made mashed potatoes for Austin by tossing them in a pan with 1 tbsp light butter, 3 tbsp fat-free sour cream and 2 tsp minced garlic. I added some salt and pepper and stirred for about 5 minutes, then topped with chives.

Mustard Crusted Salmon

Mustard Crusted Salmon

Makes 2 Servings

1 tbsp fat-free sour cream

1 tsp dijon mustard

4 oz. salmon fillet

2 servings Ore Ida roasted original potatoes

Set oven to broil. Mix sour cream and mustard and defrost salmon. Spread sauce over salmon and broil for 8 minutes. While broiling, cook potatoes per package instructions.

Nutritional Information:

Review: Tasted great! The first time I made it I served it over rice. It didn't taste right - I definitely prefer it with potatoes!

Tomato, Spinach, and Basil Quiche with a Shredded Potato Crust

Adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Tomato, Spinach, and Basil Quiche with a Shredded Potato Crust
Makes 4 Serving

20 oz. russet potatoes (2 medium), peeled and grated
Olive oil cooking spray
1 tsp olive oil
1-2 tbsp red onion, diced finely
1/2 cup of fresh spinach, diced
1 tomato, diced
2 oz. fat-free feta cheese
8 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1 tbsp fresh basil
Sea salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Coat a pie dish with cooking spray and olive oil. Peel then shred potatoes onto 2 paper towels; add another two paper towels to the top and press all the liquid out of the potatoes. Smash shredded potatoes all over the bottom and sides of the pie pan, pressing firmly. Spray with cooking spray and season with sea salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste. Bake for 12-13 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Sprinkle diced tomato, spinach, red onion and half of cheese on potatoes. Beat eggs with milk and season with dill, sea salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture on veggies then top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean - don't overcook. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before slicing.

Nutritional Information: 302 calories, 30 carbs, 11 fat grams and 20 protein grams.

Review: Loved it! Super flavorful and filling - love the idea of a potato crust! To save time you could try frozen, but I think it won't taste as good and will likely up the calorie counts. I will say that you should REALLY make sure the potatoes are dry. We made extra effort and I think it would have been soggy if we hadn't done that. Anywho - can't wait to make this again - definitely a family favorite!

pre-cooked!

Potato, Egg and Soysage Burritos

Potato Egg & Soysage Burritos
Makes 4 Servings

10 oz. peeled baking potato, raw and diced
4 eggs
2 Morningstar farms sausage patties
2 tbsp fat free milk
2 tsp olive oil
4 Mission carb balance flour tortillas
Garlic Powder, Creole Seasoning, Salt & Pepper to taste

Set a large pan over medium heat; spray with cooking spray. Whisk together eggs, milk and a dash of salt and creole. Heat up sausage per box instructions and cut into small pieces. Drop potatoes on the pan (they’ll sizzle!). Sprinkle with garlic powder, creole seasoning and pepper. Stir for 1 minute, then add olive oil. Stir and let it set for 5-6 minutes. Then stir and let it sit for another 5-6 minutes. After 12 minutes or once they look brown, taste a thicker potato piece. If it’s cooked, heat tortillas in the microwave, and pour egg mixture and sausage on top of potato mixture. Stir for 2-3 minutes until egg are cooked, then removed the tortillas from the microwave and cover each in the potato/egg/sausage mixture.

Nutritional Information: 299 calories; 33 carbs; 11 fat grams and 18 protein grams.

Tips: I liked mine plain; Austin added a ¼ tsp of hot sauce. You could also add salsa since it’s a low-calorie condiment, or even add chopped veggies like onions or peppers. I personally wouldn’t add cheese as I don’t think you’d be able to taste it. As far as cooking potatoes- the smaller the pieces the quicker they’ll cook, so my best advice is do like noodles – taste one before declaring them done!

Review: These are a childhood favorite of mine! You could definitely cut corners using hashbrowns or boiling the potatoes to make them super soft, but this way makes them crispy and oily - love it!

Potato, Egg and Bacon Burrito

Potato, Egg and Bacon Burrito

Makes 6 Servings

600 grams red potato, raw
3 eggs
6 strips of turkey Bacon
1.5 tbsp fat free milk
1.5 tsp olive oil
3 Mission Carb Balance tortillas
Garlic Powder, Creole Seasoning, Salt & Pepper to taste

Heat one inch water to boiling in 2-quart saucepan. Cut potatoes into cubes and add to water. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. While potatoes are cooking, get out a small bowl and whisk together eggs, milk and a dash of salt and creole. In a large skillet (or microwave!), cook bacon until crispy and remove from skillet. Add olive oil to skillet, then top with potatoes. Sprinkle with garlic powder, creole seasoning and pepper. Cook potatoes 3 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until light brown. Pour egg mixture and sausage on top of the potato mixture. Stir for 3-4 minutes until egg is thoroughly cooked, then cover tortillas with mixture and serve.

Nutritional Information: 398 calories, 50 carbs, 13 fat grams and 19 protein grams. You could easily cut this down by using 2 eggs instead of 3, or subbing in some egg whites!

Review: It was yummy – definitely a favorite, going in the recipe file. It’s super filling, too! I probably prefer sausage, but like the difference bacon adds to mix it up.

Country Breakfast Scramble

Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Country Breakfast Scramble

Makes 4 Servings

6 to 7 (medium sized) new red potatoes, cubed (29 ounces)
8 eggs
1/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 tbsp chopped green onions, sliced
4 slices turkey bacon (butterball)
½ cup fat-free cheddar cheese
2 tsp olive oil

Heat one inch water to boiling in 2-quart saucepan. Cut potatoes into cube and add to water. Cover and heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper with fork. In a large skillet (or microwave!), cook bacon until crispy and remove from skillet. Add olive oil to skillet, then top with potatoes. Cook potatoes 3 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until light brown. Stir in green onions. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour egg mixture into skillet. As mixture begins to set at bottom and side, gently lift cooked portions with spatula so that thin, uncooked portion can flow to bottom. Avoid constant stirring. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until eggs are thickened throughout but still moist. Dice up cooked bacon. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese. Divide into four servings and serve.

Nutritional Information: 374 calories, 37 carbs, 14 fat grams and 23 protein grams.

Review: We loved it! Super hearty and filling. If anything I may reduce potatoes by 4 ounces (total) to add in another bacon strip or two but honestly, I could eat it just like this and be happy! You could also cut the portions into 6 instead of 4 and serve with toast or yogurt or whatever. Great recipe.