Chili

It's been a little chilly and rainy here today, so what better for dinner than chili?  I've never made it from scratch before, I usually just use the premade chili mix and go from there.  Today I decided to give homemade a try.  I'm actually pretty impressed with how it turned out.

 

 

Ingredients

1/2 pound extra lean ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onions
14.5 oz can of no salt added diced tomatoes
14.5 oz can of chili beans
8 oz can of no salt added tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon garlic
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup of water

Directions

Cook the ground beef and onion in a large pan. Add the canned ingredients, water, and spices, mix well. Cook on low for until it reaches the consistancy you prefer, mine cooked for about half an hour.
 
Nutritional Info
• Servings Per Recipe: 4
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 280.7
• Total Fat: 11.0 g
• Cholesterol: 38.8 mg
• Sodium: 608.7 mg
• Total Carbs: 31.7 g
• Dietary Fiber: 9.5 g
• Protein: 18.5 g



 

Spinach Pesto Chicken Pasta



This would be a great dish to really make your own.  As I was putting it together I kept thinking of different things I could do to modify it in the future, like adding some cherry tomatoes or bacon.  Maybe topping it with a little extra shredded parmesan.  It's just around 300 calories, so as long as you don't go crazy you can add a few extras and still have it fit into your diet.

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup fresh shredded parmesan
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 boneless skinless chicke breast, diced
3 cups cooked spaghetti noodles

Directions

Combine the basil, spinach, parmesan, garlic and onion powders together in a food processor, blend until smooth.
In a large frying pan, cook the chicken breast until lightly browned. Add the pesto and spaghetti noodles, stir until well mixed. You may have to add a little water so the pesto coats the spaghetti and chicken better (use the water used to cook the pasta).
 
Nutritional Info
• Servings Per Recipe: 4
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 293.0
• Total Fat: 4.6 g
• Cholesterol: 52.2 mg
• Sodium: 208.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 35.9 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g
• Protein: 26.7 g

 

 

Weekly Menu

I guess it's already been about a week.  We didn't do a very good job of staying on track with the menu last week, but that's alright.  My husband decided to be a sweety and took me out exploring one day and we decided to pick something up on the way home.  Another day we just weren't feeling what was on the menu, so we substituted something else.

 

Hopefully this week we'll be a little better.  Here's the menu:

 

Monday: Chili, just plain old from a mix chili

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings, rescheduled from last week (might get switched to Thursday if my hiking group goes out Thursday)

Wednesday: Eggplant Parmesan

Thursday: German Sausage Chowder

Friday: Pesto Chicken Pasta

Saturday: Grilled Steak and Asparagus (if we don't have a cook out with some friends)

 



 

Bacon "Spaghetti" Pie

I saw a recipe for spaghetti pie and thought it looked delicious, but it was over 550 calories per serving and didn't have any veggies.  I thought I could change it up and make it healthier.  I replaced the pasta with spaghetti squash, which does give it a little sweeter taste, but it works well with the bacon.  A lot of recipes call for half and half or cream, which I switched out fat free evaporated milk.  It still has a creaminess, but without the extra fat and calories.  You could use mozzarella cheese instead of parmesan if you wanted to.

 

Ingredients

1 medium spaghetti squash (about 6 cups cooked squash)
8 slices of bacon, cooked and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 eggs
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
15 basil leaves, chopped
1 - 12 oz can fat free evaporated milk
1 onion, chopped

Directions

Cook the spaghetti squash by cutting it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Place both halves in a baking pan with about an inch of water in the bottom. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. When it is done, scrape the squash out of the shell with a fork, separating the strands as you do.

In a bowl combine the eggs, 1/2 cup of the parmesan, the milk, garlic and basil. Add the beans, squash and onions. Transfer everything to a 2 quart round baking pan or a 9 inch square pan. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees. Let it cool for at least ten minutes before cutting.

Nutritional Info
• Servings Per Recipe: 6
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 239.3
• Total Fat: 9.9 g
• Cholesterol: 143.2 mg
• Sodium: 528.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 20.8 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.7 g
• Protein: 18.0 g



 

Taco Chicken Chili

I love slow cooker meals.  You toss a bunch of stuff in the cooker, put the lid on and just let it do it's thing.  It's really great for when you aren't sure when everyone will be home for dinner or if you have a busy afternoon/evening and you don't what to get stuck eating take out. 

Chili is one of those things that you can really make your own.  If you like it hotter, just add some extra chili powder or jalapenos to the slow cookers.  If you're like my husband, you can add a bunch of cheese, crushed corn chips and sour cream (or ranch dip).  If you're more like me, it tastes great just as it is.  This recipe will make a lot, so you can make it when you have company or save it for leftovers.  It's just about 200 calories for a one cup serving, so you could even splurge a little with the toppings or an extra serving.

Ingredients

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cans no salt added stewed tomatoes
1 can chili beans, undrained
1 can green chili peppers, undrained
6 ounces frozen corn
1 packet lower sodium taco seasoning
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with visible fat removed

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken in a crock pot. Lay the chicken breasts on top and cook for six to eight hours on high. If it looks a little dry add a small can of tomato sauce.  About 30 minutes before serving, take out the chicken and cut or shred into small pieces. Don't worry too much if it looks a little watery, most of it will will absorbed after you shred the chicken.
 
Nutritional Info
• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 209.7
• Total Fat: 1.9 g
• Cholesterol: 40.0 mg
• Sodium: 945.7 mg
• Total Carbs: 32.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7.3 g
• Protein: 21.6 g