Hearty Cauliflower Chowder

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves or 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 15-oz can of low sodium broth
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened original almond milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (any kind you prefer)

Instructions:

1. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spread chopped cauliflower evenly across. Spray the tops of the cauliflower with pam and season with freshly ground salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.
2. While cauliflower roasts, heat a deep pot and add olive oil. Add garlic and onion and cook until fragrent, about 1-2 minutes. Add in carrots and celery and cook for 5 more minutes. Add seasonings and flour and stir until the powder disappears. Add the vegetable broth and almond milk. Simmer for 10 minutes.
1. Optional step: Remove from heat and using an immersion blender or a traditional blender, puree the soup until smooth.
2. Return soup to pot and place back on medium heat.
3. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add in the roasted cauliflower. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Original recipe found here.

Lighter left over chicken pot pie

When I was in New York I had the opportunity to have lunch in a restaurant that George Washington (yes, that George Washington) used to frequent. The story goes that the beef pot pie on the menu was his favorite and is still served to this day. Of course I had to try it and found it noticably interesting that the pot pie, rather than having crust all around just had crust on the top (more like a cobbler). This is a much lighter way to enjoy pot pie and makes it easier on your total calorie and saturated fat count. So if you are hankering for some all american comfort food, this chicken pot pie will certainly fit the bill.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 3-4 diced carrots
• 3-4 diced celery stalks
• 1 3/4 cup low sodium broth
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1- 1 1/2 lbs left over chopped chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas OR 1 can peas, drained
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 sheet refrigerated pie dough OR homemade pie dough

Directions:

1. Place a deep pan on medium heat. Add butter and once it is melted add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, continually stiring to prevent the roux from browning.
2. Add garlic and onion and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add carrots and celery and cook for 5-6 minutes.
4. Add in broth and milk and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Add in chicken, peas and seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes uncovered to allow mixture to reduce.
5. Pour mixture into 9x13 inch baking dish.
6. Roll pie dough into 9x13 inch rectangle and place over the top of the pot pie, using your fingers or a fork to seal the edges.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Enjoy

Handy tip: If you want to prep this ahead of time and cook later on, just pour the mixture into your pie pan and (once cooled a little), put plastic wrap over the top. Put the rolled out dough over the top and completely seal that in plastic wrap too. When you are ready to bake, pre-heat the oven, remove all the pastic wrap and pick up where you left off on step 6. I typically make this on Sunday and then serve it Monday or Tuesday when I am short on time.

Simple Spicy Shredded Pork

This is a simple, easy, delicious meat that can go into so many different recipes. And you may be surprised to learn it has the same amount of calories and saturated fat as shredded chicken breast. So go ahead and enjoy this pulled pork worry free.

Time: 15 minutes; 10-12 hours cooking

 

Ingredients:

2 pork tenderloin roasts

4 tbsp taco seasoning (~2 packets)

1 small can of green or red enchilada sauce

1 small can diced green chiles

1. Place pork roasts in crock pot. Sprinkle taco seasoning over the top. Place on low heat for ~10 hours.
2. Drain any liquid and shred the pork. Stir in the can of green chiles and the enchilada sauce. 
3. Serve on salad, in tacos or soups. The possibilities are huge. You can also freeze any left overs for future use for quick meals in a pinch.

Nutrition information per serving: 1 cup shredded pork
Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
280	6	2	647	5	1	1	47

 And just to compare...

Nutrition information per serving: 1 cup shredded chicken breast
Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
282	6	2	868	8	0	2	44

Cost of recipe (not including sales) – Costco, Walmart
	Per serving	Entire Recipe
Serving	$1.30	$10.36

Roasted Chicken

I am in love with this recipe. It is simple, affordable and very tasty. If you want a recipe where you are in the driver's seat and have control over what addatives are (or are NOT) in your food, give this one a try.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes
Yield: ~30 ounces or so (depending on the size of the chicken)

·         1 whole fryer chicken, giblets removed

·         2 tbsp. unsalted butter

·         2 tbsp. garlic, separated

·         1 onion, sliced

·         Salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Place chicken in an oven safe baking dish. Remove neck and giblets if applicable. Discard or save to make chicken stock.
2. Take 2 tablespoons of melted butter and mix with 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Spread butter mixture over the outside of the chicken.
3. Take the sliced onion and 1 tbsp. garlic and place inside chicken cavity.
4. Roast chicken for 60 minutes at 400 degrees or until the minimum internal temperature is 165 degrees.
5. Serve with non-starchy vegetables (green beans, salad, etc) and fresh whole wheat bread.

Nutrition information per serving: 5 ounces of meat
Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
304	14	5	515	0	0	0	41

Cost of recipe (not including sales)
	Per serving	Entire Recipe
Serving	$1.03	$6.20
Side steamed beans	$0.39	$2.34
Side starch (bread)	$0.03	$0.18
Total	$1.45	$8.72

Original recipe from Good and Cheap: Eat well on $4/day.

Hearty Beef Stew

When the weather cools off, this is one of my favorite recipes to pull out. Warm and deeply satisfying, serve with a side of whole wheat bread.

Makes 6 servings

·         1 tbsp. olive oil

·         1 lb. cubed beef stew meat

·         1 cup cabernet sauvignon

·         4 cups water

·         ½ large potato, cubed

·         2 carrots, cubed

·         3 celery stocks, chopped

·         1 cup onion, chopped

·         3 tomatoes, diced

·         ½ bunch of kale

 

·        1 tbsp dried parsley

·         ¼ tsp black pepper

·        1 tsp dried rosemary

 

·     2 tbsp. Ultra gel

 

 

1.      Brown the stew meat in the olive oil. Once the beef is seared, add all other ingredients except the kale and simmer until carrots and potatoes are tender when tested with a fork. Remember, the heat from cooking evaporates out all the alcohol.

2.      Once vegetables are desired tenderness, add the kale and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

 

3.   Add 2 tbsp. of ultra-gel to give stew a thicker consistency if desired.

4.      Serve with warm whole wheat bread.

 

Nutrition information per serving: 2 cups of soup
Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
243	8	3	1061	19	4	5	20

 

Cost of recipe (not including sales)
	Per serving	Entire Recipe
Serving	$1.79	$10.72
1 slice bread	$0.03	$0.18
Total	$1.82	$10.90

 

Spaghetti- dietitian style

Pasta is delicious. I think this is universally accepted. And this is the reason it is so easy to overdo pasta. To keep portion size under control, use non-starchy vegetables to keep portion sizes filling while not filling up completely on pasta and sauce.

Consider: 1 cup of pasta, 1 cup of pasta sauce over a big bed of 1) lettuce, 2) cooked zucchini, 3) Spaghetti squash.

Even if any of these options seems a bit strange, give it a shot. Your taste buds and your waist line (not to mention your blood sugar) will thank you.

Makes 8 servings (1 cup pasta and 1 cup sauce)

·         1 lb. mild Italian turkey sausage

·         1 cup onion, chopped

·         1 tbsp. minced garlic

·         2 cans of tomato sauce

·         1 can of tomato paste

·         1 cup water

·         2 tbsp. brown sugar

·         1 tbsp. oregano

·         1 tbsp. parsley

·         1 tsp. crushed red pepper

·         1 tsp garlic salt (to taste)

·         16 oz dry whole wheat pasta

1.      Brown sausage in a pot, draining fat once cooked through. Add onion and garlic and brown for 1-2 minutes.

2.      Add tomato sauce, paste, water, sugar, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Serve with 1 cup whole wheat pasta over lettuce, spaghetti squash or cooked zucchini.

   **To improve cost effectiveness, immediately freeze half of this recipe and serve in the future. Will freeze well for up to 3 months.**

Nutrition information per serving:
	Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
1 cup sauce and 1 cup cooked pasta	352	6	2	854	50	6	11	22

 

 

Cost of recipe (not including sales) – Costco, Walmart
	Per serving	Entire Recipe
Pasta sauce	$0.96	$7.70
Pasta	$0.12	$0.96
Green beans (1 cup)	$0.39	$3.12
Total	$1.47	$11.78