Poor Man's French Onion Soup

The only thing you have to be careful with in this recipe is the amount of salt you use. The beef bouillon is already loaded with sodium. French onion soup is traditionally made with Gruyere cheese but most of us don't have this lying around so you can use Parmesan or Mozzarella. If you use Parmesan, go extremely light with it since it is already so salty.

Ingredients
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 small onion sliced into thin strips
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. oil
Gruyere Cheese
Toasted french bread ( You can also use left over buns that have been toasted)

Heat butter and oil in a medium pan over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until onions are starting to caramelize (turn brown). Remove from heat. Some an even amount of mixture into serving cups or bowls. In a medium saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil. Add bouillon cubes and stir until the are dissolved. Pour broth into serving dishes. Do not add bread until right before serving. It will start to break down. Place toasted bread or bun on the top of the bowl and cover with cheese. Heat from the soup will help melt the cheese.

A Skinny Gal's Taquitos

I LOVE taquitos! They are small, tasty and can be eaten with your hands. The sad news...... they are loaded with calories and fat!! YUCK!!!! After researching some popular restaurant chains website, I found that a common taquito can have about 176 calorie, 9 grams of fat and 2 grams of saturated fat. That is per taquito people!!!!!

A few years ago I started the process of getting back in "shape" which caused me to hire a personal trainer. She was AWESOME.... but that's beside the point. She taught me some pretty great lessons to live by.
1) Calories are important but NOT as important as fat.

2) You should try to never have more then 7 total grams of fat per meal.

3) Always look at what your gaining out of the dish besides the bad stuff, i.e. protein, vitamins and minerals.

So, if we go back to these taquitos, we can see that they break at least the first two rules. And that is just per taquito; not the whole dish. So I started thinking up a way of slimming these little suckers down and not cut out the taste. The calorie counter I use does not let you put in odd amounts of items so the count is a little bit higher then how much is actually in these taquitos. Now, I'm not claiming these are the perfect diet food but..... if your going to splurge on something, make it a smart splurge.

Nutritional facts (per taquito):
Calories: 86.7 g
Total Fat: 2.9 g
Saturated Fat: 1.1g
Protein: 10.61 g

Ingredients

1 can (12.5oz) diced chicken, white meat, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can low sodium corn drained
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies drained
1/4 c. shredded pepper jack cheese
2 tbsp. non-fat cream cheese
2 tbsp. HOT taco seasoning
1 pkg. 24 count corn tortillas-----you can also use low fat flour tortillas
Cooking spray


Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray medium pan with cooking spray and heat on medium heat. Cooking spray cuts down on major fat and calories. Use it whenever possible. Cook onions for about 5 minutes. Add beans and corn and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, pour chicken into a medium mixing bowl and break apart chicken with a spoon. Add diced tomatoes and chilies, cheese, corn/bean mixture, cream cheese and seasoning. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated.

Work with about 5 tortillas at a time. Place them on a plate covered by a damp paper towel. Microwave for 15-20 seconds. Working quickly, place a heaping tablespoon of mixture on to one end of the tortilla. Roll tightly and secure with toothpick. Continue until all taquitos are made (may have to bake two batches). Bake for about 10 minutes are tortillas are crisp. Cool for 2 minutes and serve with plain Greek yogurt; a great alternative to sour cream.

Makes between 20-24 depending on size.

Greek Yogurt

LOVE LOVE LOVE this stuff!!!  No fat and barely any calories. If that's not enough to convince you to try it then maybe this will..... you can use it in place of sour cream or mayo in tons of dishes. Here are some ways I use Greek yogurt.

1. SWAP OUT- I use Greek yogurt in my chicken salad instead of mayo. It actually gives the chicken salad an even better taste then mayo. Make sure to ease off of the salt when using the yogurt. It's already pretty tangy so adding a lot of salt intensifies that.

2. DESSERT- Mix the yogurt with some fresh or frozen fruit (I like blueberries) and a drizzle of honey. You have yourself a very yummy low fat, low cal dessert.

3. MARINADE- Yes, I said marinade!!! Yogurt is a very common marinade in the middle east. It is an easy way to marinate and it keeps the meat very moist. Try adding turmeric, cumin and curry powder seasoning to the yogurt for a middle eastern marinade. You can really add whatever herbs and spices you like.

Homemade Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta cheese is used in so many dishes from sweet to savory. Guess what? It's SO easy to make at home and not to mention, inexpensive. You can take this recipe and double it for a larger group or half it if your just making it for a snack. After making this ricotta, try adding different types of nuts, candied fruit or herbs to it. It's yummy!!!! You can also make this with skim milk if you are watching your diet.

Ingredients

8 c. whole milk

1 c. heavy cream

1 teaspoon  salt

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

You will need

* Cheesecloth or wet damp paper towel

* Sieve- looks like a colander but instead of large holes, it is made of very small wire mesh. You can get away with using your colander if you use the cheese cloth and your colander drains well.

Directions

Line a sieve with cheesecloth or a damp paper towel and place over a bowl.

In a large, heavy pot over moderate heat, bring the milk, cream and salt to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Add the lemon juice, reduce the heat to low and continue stirring until curds form, about 3 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the lined sieve and let drain, about 10 minutes. Remove the ricotta from the sieve to a medium bowl, discarding the liquid. Enjoy as is or add additional ingredients.  

Mini Garlic Tuna Sliders

This time of year everyone likes to roll out the grill and cook up the all American hamburger. For someone who is watching their waist-line, those tasty little cows can put a big dent in their diet. I got the idea for the tuna burger from the back of the flavored tuna packets. Unfortunately, even the package adds in some unnecessary ingredients that add extra fat. I went a head and tweaked this recipe to make it more figure friendly!

Ingredients
2 pouches Herb and Garlic Tuna
1/2 cup bread crumbs or crushed bran cereal (For those really healthy eaters out there!)
1/4 cup diced roasted red pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup non-fat sour cream
1 egg
1 Tbs of Ranch Dressing mix
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and form into patties. This can make about 10 mini sliders or four regular burgers. Spray skillet or grill pan with non-stick spray. Heat skillet to medium heat. Cook patties 3-5 minutes on each side. Here are some options you can do with this burger"
1) Carmalize onions to pile on top with fresh lettuce and sliced tomato
2) Eat bunless. If you really just need a small taste of bread, do what I did. Take a normal hamburger bun and cut into eighths. Toss in a small amount of oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder and toast in the oven.
3) Serve with my "fake out" Aioli. Aioli is just a fancy word for garlic mayo. Its a little advanced so I came up with a way to make an easier version. See below.

"Fake Out" Garlic Aioli

3/4 cup fat free or low fat mayonnaise

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This is really good with most seafood.

***Nutritional Facts are a rough estimate

Nutrition Facts User Entered Recipe   4 Servings Amount Per Serving   Calories 179.6   Total Fat 5.5 g       Saturated Fat 1.3 g       Polyunsaturated Fat 0.6 g       Monounsaturated Fat 0.7 g   Cholesterol 83.4 mg   Sodium 448.6 mg   Potassium 100.3 mg   Total Carbohydrate 16.0 g       Dietary Fiber 1.7 g       Sugars 3.9 g   Protein 17.9 g   Vitamin A 8.8 %   Vitamin B-12 3.2 %   Vitamin B-6 2.0 %   Vitamin C 10.5 %   Vitamin D 3.0 %   Vitamin E 0.4 %   Calcium 6.7 %   Copper 1.7 %   Folate 5.4 %   Iron 7.4 %   Magnesium 1.5 %   Manganese 6.2 %   Niacin 4.5 %   Pantothenic Acid     0.7 %   Phosphorus     8.0 %   Riboflavin 6.2 %   Selenium 4.9 %   Thiamin 8.7 %   Zinc 2.5 % *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

White Bean Chili

Ingredients 

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3/4 cup diced onion

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, finely chopped

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Salt and Pepper 

2 cups fresh spinach leaves

1 1/2 cups chopped green chiles (fresh or canned)

1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

2 15-ounce cans navy beans, drained and rinsed

In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion; cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the chicken, cumin, white pepper and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the chicken is slightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the spinach and cook, until they are slightly wilted, about 5 minutes.
Add the chiles and chicken broth and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in the beans and cook for another 10 minutes.

Mom's Salsa

My mom makes the best salsa that I have tasted out of any that I have tried. She makes a ton of it and cans it. Since I don't need that much salsa, I scaled down the recipe to fit my needs.


Ingredients
4 large cans petite diced tomatoes- drained
4  cloves minced garlic
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped jalapeno, seeded
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
1/4 c. white vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1-2 t. cumin
1 T. chopped cilantro


Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a simmer and cook about 20-30 minutes. Run mixture through a food processor or blender to get desired consistency. We like it chunky so I just pulse it a few times to break up the bigger pieces. Now this is the important part. Pour salsa into clean, dry jars. Make sure lip of jar is completley clean and dry before sealing. If you are a canner then you can can your salsa and it will keep for a long time. I am not into canning so I just stick mine in the frig. Its lasts for about three weeks.

Corn Salsa

Corn Salsa

Ingredients
1 c. corn
*1 cup diced tomatoes- drained
1 cup black beans- rinsed
1 jalapeno- diced small
1 green onion- chopped
2 T. lime juice
2 T. cumin
2 T. fresh cilantro- chopped
1 avocado- diced


*I used can petite diced tomatoes in the winter since tomatoes are out of season. I let them drain in the sink to make sure the salsa isn't too wet.


During the winter, especially the one we have been having, I don't really want to get outside to grill an ear of corn. I especially don't want to take the time to shuck the corn after. I take a cup of canned corn that has been drained and patted dried and "roast" it on the stove top. Heat saute pan to medium high. Sauteing corn in a dry pan until they start to have that charred look. Let cool while making the rest of the salsa. In a medium bowl, combine beans, jalapeno and tomatoes. Add cooled corn. Add lime juice, cumin and cilantro. Gently stir in avocado. Chill for about an hour before serving. If you like it hotter, add more jalapeno.

Chicken Divan with Dijon Sauce

Chicken Divan is an "old school" dish that I took and made it my own. It tastes good and is good for you.

Ingredients
4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 cups cooked broccoli
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup blend of Italian cheese
Oil
***1 tablespoon dried parsley
Salt and Pepper
*** Double if using fresh

Pre-heat oven to broil. Make a hole in the chicken by using a small knife, inserting in the  side of the chicken and working back and forth until about a three inch space is made. Be careful not to go all the way through either sides or back of chicken.
I like to steam my broccoli in a little bit of chicken stock instead of water. Make sure broccoli is cook and drained. Chop broccoli into small pieces. Combine in a bowl with garlic and cheese. Stuff mixture into chicken breast packing tight.
Rub chicken with oil on both sides. Salt and pepper on both sides. Crush the parsley in your hand before sprinkling on chicken. This releases the flavor of the dried herb.
Heat a saute pan over high heat for about 3-5 minutes before adding chicken. Add chicken cooking through on both sides. If chicken starts to brown too quickly, turn down heat. Remove chicken from pan and put in a small baking dish. Broil for about five minutes. Finish with Dijon sauce.

Dijon Sauce
1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper

Make a rue by melting butter then adding flour in a small sauce pan. Mixture should look like a paste. Let cook for about 2-3 minutes so the flour taste will cook out. Add chicken stock whisking until clumps are gone. Whisk in mustard. Bring sauce to a simmer and continue to stir until sauce has reduced by almost a half. about 5 minutes. Spoon over chicken.

Garlic and Herb Tuna Croquettes

I LOVE LOVE LOVE all the new flavored tunas that they have started to sell! I have used many of the flavors in different dishes. My mom used to always make salmon croquettes when I was growing up so I decided to use these flavored tunas to do a twist on the traditional croquette.  This is a cheap and healthy (if baked) dish to make.


Ingredients
2 Packages of Garlic and Herb Tuna
1/2 tsp. Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper.
1 green onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. grated onion
1 egg lightly beaten with a Tablespoon of milk (2%)


Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Form into 4 equal sized patties. Bake at 450 for about 15 minutes.


**** If your going to fry them. Add 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 cup flour. You can make them larger patties like above or roll into golf sized balls and fry. Heat oil. When a sprinkle of flour in the oil bubbles. Oil is ready to fry. Fry until golden brown.

Traditionally, croquettes are served with white sauce. My mom always served them with tartar sauce. I like using either a tartar or remoulade sauce. Look for those under sauces.