Stuffed Pepper Soup

Servings: 6 • Size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1/2 cup rice • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 261.2 • Fat: 4.8 g • Carb: 37.5 g • Fiber: 4.7 g • Protein: 17.6 g • Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 606.3 g (without salt)

Stuffed Pepper Soup adapted by SkinnyTaste
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 lb 95% lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup finely diced onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz each) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 3/4 cups tomato sauce
2 cups reduced sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions:  In a large pot or dutch oven, brown ground meat on high heat and season with salt. Drain fat if any, reduce heat to medium-low, then add peppers, onions and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes on low heat.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, marjoram and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve about 1 1/3 cups of soup in each bowl and top with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.

Here's what you will need:

Chop the garlic, peppers, and onion.

Brown the beef in a Dutch oven. 

Once browned, add the peppers, onions, and garlic.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and herbs.

Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes. 

Prepare rice according to package directions.

Top soup with rice.

Here's what you'll end up with:

Our Thoughts:
This soup was a big hit in my house tonight.  We love stuffed green peppers (recipe) so I thought that this would be a hit and I was right.  All 3 of the kids ate it! (score!!)

The mixture of the 2 different peppers gave it a little variety in both color and taste. 

I used the Uncle Ben's 90 second microwaveable brown rice (a favorite of mine) and 1 package ended up being enough for all of us.  You could also use either bulgur or even quinoa.

Hope you enjoy!
April

Texas Ranch-Style Stew

Texas Ranch-Style Stew adapted from Everyday Light Meals
1 cup small shell pasta
1lb lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (5.5oz) reduced-sodium V8 juice
1 can (15oz) ranch-style beans or baked beans, undrained
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:  Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook the beef, onion, green pepper and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.  Stir in the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Drain the pasta.  Stir into the stew.  6 Servings

Nutrition Facts:
One Serving (1 1/3 cups) equals:
Cal 307
Fat 7g (3g sat fat)
Cholest 37mg
Sodium 886mg
Carb 37g
Fiber 7g
Protein 22g

Diabetic Exchange: 3 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1 1/2 starch

Modifications:
-I did not use a green pepper.
-I used ground chicken instead of beef. (Nutrition Facts reflect ground beef)
-I did not use picante sauce.

Here's what you will need:

Brown the meat.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

Add the onions, garlic, and rest of the ingredients.

Simmer for 8-10 minutes.

 Once the pasta is cooked, drain and add to the other ingredients.

Here's what you'll end up with:

Our Thoughts:
This is another easy recipe from the Taste of Home Everyday Light Meals cookbook that I received from my sister for Christmas.

This recipe was very easy, almost like a pantry meal, and was perfect for a cold winter's night.  I did feel like a little flavor was lacking, even with the addition of the V8, so I think that this recipe definitely needs the addition of the picante sauce.  I continued to add more chili powder and cumin to taste.

Hope you enjoy!

April

Taco Twist Soup

Taco Twist Soup adapted from Everyday Light Meals
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cups reduced-sodium beef broth or
  vegetable broth
1 can (15oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups picante sauce
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 cup uncooked spiral pasta
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
3 Tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

Directions: In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender.  Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, picante sauce, pasta, green pepper and seasonings.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.  Serve with cheese and sour cream.

Nutrition Facts:
Cal 216
Fat 5g (2g sat fat)
Cholesterol 12mg
Sodium 1,052mg
Carb 33g
Fiber 6g
Progtein 10g

Diabetic Exchanges:   2 vegetables, 1 1/2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1/2 fat

Modifications:
-I added 1lb 93/7 ground beef (nutrition facts do not depict the ground beef)

Brown the ground beef.

Saute the onion, pepper, and garlic.

Add the beef broth.

Add the diced tomatoes and black beans.

Add the picante sauce, pasta, and seasonings.

Add the ground beef.  Simmer until the pasta is tender.

Here's what you'll end up with:

Our Thoughts:
My sister got me the cookbook, Everyday Light Meals, from Taste of Home for Christmas.  I couldn't wait to start cooking some of the recipes in there.

This soup had a good flavor to it.  It is a fantastic meal for when you don't have a lot of time.  This recipe is also very versatile.  You could add diced chilies, chicken instead of ground beef, jalapenos, corn, tortilla chips, etc.  Literally, the possibilities are endless.

We all really liked this dish.

Hope you enjoy!

April

Zesty Chicken Tortellini Soup

Zesty Chicken Tortellini Soup adapted from Taste of Home
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
4 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 envelope reduced-sodium onion soup mix
1 1/2tsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups frozen cheese tortellini

Directions:  In a Dutch oven, bring chicken broth and beef broth to a boil; reduce heat.  Add chicken and poach, uncovered for 25-30 minutes.  Remove chicken; cool slightly.

Add carrots, celery, onion, soup mix, parsley and seasonings to broth.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Cool soup.  Meanwhile, remove chicken from bones; coarsely chop chicken; discard bones.  Add cheese tortellini and chicken to soup.  Transfer to freezer containers; freeze for up to 3 months.

To use frozen soup; Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.  Place in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes or until heated through and tortellini is tender.

Modications:
-I added a couple gloves of minced garlic.
-I used fresh tortellini instead of frozen tortellini.

Here's what you'll need:

Put the chicken and beef broth in a Dutch oven to boil.  

While the broth is coming to a boil, chop up the garlic, celery, carrots, and onion.

Once the broth starts to boil, put the chicken in it and turn it down.  Simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Once the chicken has poached for 20-25 minutes, pull it out and set it aside.  

Add the garlic, celery, carrots, onion soup mix, and onion to the broth.  Cover and bring to a boil until the veggies are soft.

Dice up or shred the chicken and add it back to the broth.

Once the chicken has warmed back up a bit, add the tortellina.  Cook according to package directions.

Here's what you'll end up with:

Our Thoughts:

This soup was so good and it was perfect for a chilly day.  The onion soup mix really added that extra kick of salty, onion flavor and it combined great with the broth.

The celery and carrots added a great texture to the soft tortellini.

I put the leftovers in a container and will definitely be pulling it out of the freezer on one of those nights that I can't figure out what to make.

Hope you enjoy!

April

Southwest Chicken Chili Soup

Southwestern Chicken Chili Soup adapted from Nibble Me This
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/4 inch wide strips
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp butter, unsalted
1 cup onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 can diced tomatoes and green chile
1 can corn kernals, drained
1 can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp roasted cumin
1/4 tsp dried lemon peel

Directions:  Preheat a large stock pot over medium high heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Add butter and oil to pot and brown chicken for 4-5 minutes. Remove to a plate.  Add the diced onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Deglaze the pot with balsamic vinegar. Return chicken and any juices to the pot.  Add remaining ingredients, bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Garnish with crispy fried tortilla strips or masa dumplings.

Modfications:
-I did not use lemon peel
-I was out of balsamic vinegar so I used apple cider vinegar.
-I added an extra can of black beans.

Here's what you'll need:

Cut the chicken into strips or chunks.

Dice up the onion and the garlic cloves.

Chop up the cilantro.

Warm the olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven.  Brown the chicken for 4-5 minutes.  Remove the chicken.

In the same pot, add the onions and cook until softened, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the garlic. 

Deglaze with the vinegar.

Add the chicken back into the pot along with any juices.

Add the beans and corn.

Add the diced tomatoes.

Add the cilantro, herbs, and chicken stock.

Let simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Here's what you'll end up with:

Our Thoughts:

We loved this dish!  As soon as I read the ingredients, I knew that it would be something that my family would enjoy.

You could always add an extra can of diced chilies or a jalapeno but I really don't think that it needs it.  The beans and corn mixed with the chunks of chicken make this soup hearty and the addition of the cilantro into the soup instead of just used as a garnish gives it a nice peppery touch.

I added just a small scoop of sour cream and served with a hard tortilla round and dipped the chip much like a cracker. 

Everyone enjoyed this so much that the entire pot was gone with no leftovers :(

Hope you enjoy!

April

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup adapted from Pink Lady
1 large Onion -- sliced
2 Carrot -- sliced
2 Celery stalks -- sliced
4 ounces Mushrooms
2 teaspoons Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
1 tablespoon Parsley
10 ounces Peas -- frozen
3 Chicken breasts
5 cups - Water
3 cups Noodles

Directions:  Place all ingredients in crockpot, except noodles, in order listed. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours (HIGH 4 hours). Add noodles. Cook on HIGH another 1/2 to one hour until noodles are cooked

Modifications:
-I used chicken broth.
-I did not add mushrooms.
-I used whole grain egg noodles.

Here's what you will need:

Cut up the veggies.

 Place the frozen veggies in the bottom of the crockpot.

Lay the chicken on top of the frozen veggies. 

Add the chicken broth.

After it has cooked for 4-5 hours, shred the chicken up.

Add the noodles and cook about 30 minutes or until noodles are cooked.

Here's what you'll end up with: 

Our Thoughts:
This dish is super easy to make and great for a cold fall/winter day.  I liked the use of the chicken broth instead of just water as it gave it a salty, deeper flavor.  You could add virtually any vegetable to this dish and it would still be great.

I did end up adding about 1 cup of water and an extra chicken bouillon to the dish.  I also seasoned with garlic salt.

Hope you enjoy!
April