Recipes!

I started Weight Watchers with my impossibly skinny friend Heather a couple of months ago. I've lost about 8 pounds. Not much to write home about, but I'll take it. I'm still losing, and although it's coming off slowly, that makes it more likely to stay gone.

Here are a few of the recipes I've been using. I don't have the calorie break down, because I go by "points", but these are all low in points, and therefore, low in calories and fat. These are all soup or crock pot recipes, because that's just where I am right now. I'll try to be more original later. Like when I've moved and settled into my new normal.


BLACK BEAN SOUP

This one is a favorite for lunch or dinner. We eat it all the time! And so easy. You can use canned black beans, or make up some dried beans in the crock pot overnight. I used canned most of the time these days.

4 cans Black Beans
1 small or 1/2 med. onion, chopped

1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilis

1-2 Tbsp chili powder (to taste)

1-2 tsp Cumin (to taste)

1 tsp salt

2 cup salsa (I canned salsa in pint jars last summer, so this is a perfect way to use them) 2 cups water Place all ingredients in pan and bring to heat, then simmer 30 minutes to an hour. We serve this with Baked Tortilla chips, 2 % Cheddar, and reduced fat sour cream. This is also really good with Butterball Smoked Turkey Sausage added in. Also great if served over brown rice. CREAMY POTATO SOUP Another favorite, and it's total comfort food - guilt free. This is the easiest recipe ever. What makes it so easy is this little gem I found in Kroger's frozen vegetable section: It's a store brand, and it's called "Southern Style Hashbrowns" or something similar. BUT, and here's the great part - the only ingredient is "potatoes". No wheat flour, no weirdo ingredients, just potatoes. And they're in a two pound bag, cut into little cubes. Perfect. I stock up on them now. 2 lbs. cubed, uncooked potatoes 8 oz Weight Watchers Reduced fat cream cheese 4 cup(s) canned chicken broth 1 1/2 cups 2% or fat free milk (I use 2%) 2 Tbsp regular butter 2 Tbsp cornstarch 1 TBSP chives (don't leave this out) 1/2 tsp. each: Garlic powder, onion powder, and salt (add more of each if needed). Pepper to taste. Place potatoes, chicken broth, butter and 1 cup of the milk into pan. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add in the chives and other spices. Take the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and the cornstarch and put them in a small jar with a lid. Shake until combined and add to the soup in the pan. Bring to a light boil to get maximum thickening. Reduce heat, cut cream cheese into chunks and add it in. Stir until melted, then serve. My kids love this with bacon on top. I skip the bacon nowadays. CROCKPOT LASAGNA I did this as a trial recipe, and we liked it a lot. I used venison for the meat, but extra lean ground beef would give you the same results. 1 lb. ground venison or extra lean ground beef 1 small onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 heaping tsp. minced garlic 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes 15 oz canned tomato sauce 1 tsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp ground basil 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (optional - we love them in all our Italian dishes) 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 1 cup(s) 2% reduced-fat cottage cheese 1 1/2 cup(s) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheeses 6 item(s) dry lasagna noodles Brown meat with onions & bell pepper. Add in tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings. Mushrooms would be great here, as would olives, but Mark won't eat them. Let sauce simmer at least an hour. Mix cottage cheese with one cup of the Mozzarella. In crock pot, layer: Half the sauce, three lasagna noodles, half the cottage cheese mixture. Repeat. Top with the remaining half cup of mozzarella. Cook on low 6-8 hours (all slow cookers vary). CROCK POT THREE-BEAN CHILI This is just too easy. And so very good. We serve it with Fritos (not low cal, but I count them out and watch my portions) or with Baked Tostitos, reduced fat sour cream, and 2% cheese. 15 oz. can Tomato sauce 15 oz. can Stewed tomatoes 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies 15 1/2 oz can Red Beans 15 1/2 oz can pinto beans 15 1/2 oz can black beans 1 Tbsp dehydrated onion flakes 2 Tbsp chili powder 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp apple cider vinegar Place all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low all day. Couldn't be easier! WHITE CHILI This is my personal favorite. I could eat this every day, no problem. 1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed 1 small onion, diced 2 cans Great Northern Beans 2 cans Rotel tomaotes with green chilies 4 cups Chicken broth 4 cups water 1/4 cup taco seasoning (I make my own, but use what you have. 1/4 cup = 4 TBSP) 1/4 cup cornstarch Place all ingredients, EXCEPT corn starch, in slow cooker. Cook on low several hours, until chicken is tender. Take about a half cup of the liquid and add it to a small jar with a lid. Add the cornstarch, put the lid on the jar, and shake until combined. Add back to the slow cooker and cook another few minutes, till thickened. Serve with topping of your choice. I like avocado, cilantro, and sour cream. My family likes cheese and corn chips. Ok, that's all for today. I should actually be packing! I'll post more as I go. Blessings, Em