Chicken Tortilla Soup

I was looking for a nice, low calorie soup to go with my salads as I start to - again - count calories.  I wanted something with lots of flavor and stumbled on this recipe:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tortilla-soup-4
But its makes way too much and I wanted to make it even fewer than 150 calories. So. Here is my version of the soup.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. EEOV
3/4 onion; diced
1 jalepeno; diced
1/4 tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried cilantro
a couple shakes of cayenne pepper (if you REALLY like spicy like I do)
1 can diced tomatoes (I used Rotel, b/c I like it that spicy...)
5 cups chicken broth

1/2 lb chicken, cooked and cut into very small pieces
juice from 1/2 a lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt

1. Heat 1 tbsp. vegetable oil in a large pot (at least 5 qts.) over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in two-thirds of the garlic, 1 tbsp. salt, cumin, and chile flakes and cook 2 minutes.
2. Add broth, tomatoes, and half the lime juice and increase heat to a gentle simmer; cook 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl (or a Ziplock bag), toss chicken with  lime juice, garlic, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Marinate at room temperature for at least 10 minutes
4. Purée soup in batches in a blender or in the pot with a stick blender. Return soup to pot and resume simmering. Add chicken to soup and simmer until chicken is heated through. 

Shepherd's Pie

**The fast, easy week-night version!

Ingredients:
instant mashed potatoes (make enough for 7 people - follow the directions on the box!)
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder to taste
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
3 tbsp. flour
1 can beef broth
1 tbsp katchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bag steamfresh mixed veggies

Directions:
1. Prepare mashed potatoes according to box directions.  Mix in cheddar cheese, onion powder, garlic powder.
2.  In large skillet, brown ground beef and pour off excess fat.  Mix in flour and cook for a minute then add the beef broth, katchup, Worcestershire sauce and simmer for 5 minutes
3. steam the veggies in the microwave according to directions
4. In a 3-quart casserole dish, or 9x13 pan,  pour meat mixture, top with veggies, then top with mashed potatoes.
5. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

1 can sweet corn
1 can rotel
1 can black beans
about a 1/4 cup chopped onion
1-2 jalepenos
cilantro
splash of lime juice
drizzle of eeov
salt

Mix all ingredients together - let sit for several hours or overnight in the fridge for best flavor.  

Corn and Black Bean Salad

From the Wegmans Menu Magazine with 2 small changes. SOOO YUMMY!!
***Better if made the day before.

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 1/4 cup sweet frozen corn (thawed) 
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed.
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed.
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 jalepenos, minced  (use 1 or 3 for less/more spice!)
a few shakes of cilantro (if using dried)


1.  In a large, microwave safe bowl, combine sugar and vinegar.  Heat in microwave 1 minute.
2.  Add corn and oil. Stir
3.  Add remaining ingredients, stir, season with salt.

Broccoli Slaw - Ramen Noodle Salad

My New Obsession!!

1 pkg. broccoli slaw

3 green onions

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

 1 pkg. chicken ramen noodles crunched up! (uncooked)  - I'm told beef and oriental are just as good, too

Dressing

1/4 cup oil

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1 pkg. ramen noodle seasoning.

(I like to put a spash of teryaki  OR soy sause in, too, but it is not necessary)

1. Combine  all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl and refridg. for 2-4 hours.

2. In a bowl with a cover mix the broccoli slaw and the onions. 3. Shake  the dressing well and pour over the slaw mixture.  SHAKE!!!!! refridgerate for about an hour - take it out and shake it up every 15 minutes.

3.  Just before serving, mix in the almonds, sunflower seeds and broken up noodles.

Strawberry Bread

Strawberry Bread  - makes TWO loaves!

2 -3 cups fresh strawberries

3 1/8 c. flour

2 c. sugar  (and a little extra for the strawberries)

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

1tsp salt

1tsp baking soda

3/4 c. oil

3/4 c. apple sauce

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1. Grease TWO 9x5 in bread pans

2. Heat oven to 350

3. Slice strawberries - place them in a small bowl and sprinkle with a little bit of sugar and set aside

4. In large bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda

5. In small bowl, lightly beat 4 eggs, stir in apple sauce and oil

6. Pour the egg misture into the flour mixture and stir until moistened.

7. Fold in the strawberries

8.  Divide batter into the 2 bread pans and bake for 45 - 55 min.  

9.  Cool for 10 min. in pans and then cool completely on wire rack.

Sugared Almonds

One of my favorite....and healthy... go-to snacks.   I also make them for Christmas and for parties and they go very quickly.   Best part about this sugared almond recipe is NO oil or butter.  I included pictures to help you see how the almonds cook, because if you don't cook them long enough, they will just be a sticky mess!  This recipe was given to me by my running trainer who is also a nutrion specialist!  

Sugared Almonds

Ingredients:

1 cup. raw sugar (or white, I'm told, but I've never used it in this recipe)

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp. cinnamon

2-3 cups almonds

Directions:

1. heat sugar, water and cinnamon in pan over med. heat - bring to a boil.

2. add almonds and reduce heat to med-low. stir often!

3. cook until liquid has evaporated (this can take 10-20 minutes).   NOTE:  The liquid will turn into a syrup and then eventually sugarize.  DON'T remove until the syrup sugarizes!!

4.  Pour almonds on wax paper and let cool. AMAZING!!!!!!! Let them cool completely. I tried them when they were warm and they almost seemed soggy.