Simple Chicken Noodle Soup

Nothing hits the spot like chicken noodle soup when you want something warm and easy on your stomach. Quick and easy and able to come together on the spot using just a few refrigerator staples. Also a great recipe for left over chicken.

Time- 20-30 minutes
Makes 8 2-cup servings

• 4 cups low sodium stock (homemade or storebought) and water
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 4 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 chicken breasts (~16 oz) cooked and chopped
• 2 cups of dry, short noodles (whatever shape you like)
• 1 tbsp. oregano
• 1 tbsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop carrots, celery, onion and chicken into somewhat uniform cubes
2. Bring stock to a boil. Add noodles, carrots, celery, and seasonings. Cook for 5-6 minutes.
3. Add onion and chicken and cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until the carrots are tender to a fork and noodles are al dente.
4. Serve with a slice of whole wheat bread.

Nutrition information per serving: 1 cup – no salted added during cooking
Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
123	1	0	93	16	3	4	16

Cost of recipe (not including sales)
	Per serving	Entire Recipe
Serving	$1.38	$5.51
Slice of bread	$0.03	$0.12
Total	$1.41	$5.63

Taco Soup

It doesn't get much faster or easier (or tastier) than this simple taco soup. It makes a lot so you can make a batch, freeze the extra and you've got another dinner already to be defrosted a few weeks later. 

 

Time: 15 minutes

Makes 9-2 cup servings

 

•  1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
• 3 tbsp taco seasoning (or 1 packet)
• 4 cups of water
• 4 cups of low sodium stock
• 2 cups (or cans) of kidney beans
• 2 cups (or cans) of black beans
• 1 can of corn
• 1 large can diced tomatoes

1. Brown meat and drain fat. Stir in taco seasoning.
2. Add water, stock, beans, corn and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce to a simmer and serve when ready. May also freeze leftover and use at a later time. Optional to serve with guacamole, light cheese, low fat sour cream, tortilla chips, etc.

Nutrition information per serving: 2 cups (not including cheese, sour cream, chips)
Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
203	5	2	362	23	6	2	16

Cost of recipe (not including sales)
	Per serving	Entire Recipe
Serving	$0.69	$5.55
Slice of bread	$0.03	$0.24
Total	$0.72	$5.79

Strawberry Delight

Before this recipe, I thought strawberry pie was gross and tasted vaugely plastic-y. This recipe, however is the blissful embodiment of amazing strawberry flavor. It is fresh, quick, easy and especially afforable once strawberries are in season and on sale. It calls for ultragel to give it some thickness, which is a vegetables starch that you can buy in most speciality food stores or on amazon.

Makes 6 servings

• 2 pints fresh strawberries (2 lbs)
• 3/4 cup non-calorie sweetener
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 4 1/2 tbsp of ultra gel

1. Wash, remove tops cand quarter your strawberries. Place any strawberries that are mushy or somewhat over ripe (but not rotten) to the side to make the glaze.
2. Put one cup of your ripes berries and water in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
3. Add ultragel, sweetener, and vanilla and blend until smooth.
4. Place your quartered berries in a bowl. Pour strawberry purree over the sliced berries and stir until evenly coated.
5. Divide strawberries between 6 dessert dishes. Top with lite whipped topping if desired. Also optional to sprinkle roughly crushed gram cracker over the top.

 

Nutrition information per serving: 1/6 of recipe
Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
118	1	0	0	27	6	14	2

 

 

Cost of recipe (not including sales) - COMING SOON
	Per serving	Entire Recipe
Serving
Slice of bread
Total

 

Applesauce pork chops

Applesauce and porkchops is an American classic. Pork and sweet flavors go well together (ex: honey baked ham, pineapple and pork shishkabobs, etc). The applesauce adds moisture and flavor without adding lots of calories.

Makes 6 servings

·         6 pork chops (~4-6 oz. each)

·         2-3 cups of applesauce, cinnamon or plain

·         1 tsp salt

·         ¼ tsp pepper

·         Chipotle pepper (optional)

 

1.      Pre-heat oven to 350°.

2.      In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place a thin layer of applesauce on the bottom of the dish. Add salt and pepper to one side of the pork chops, place in the applesauce in the baking dish, then salt and pepper the other side. Use Chipotle pepper on one side for extra “kick” if desired.

3.      Add applesauce on the top of each pork chop, just enough to lightly cover the top.

4.      Bake uncovered for ~30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155 °. Cooking time can vary based on the thickness of the pork chops

5.      Serve with vegetables and potatoes/rice/bread.

 

 

Nutrition information per serving:
	Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
Pork chop (4 oz)	198	8	3	473	6	0	3	24
1 cup potatoes w 1 tsp butter	274	5	2	43	47	5	3	5
1 c vegetables	30	0	0	20	4	2	2	2
Total	502	13	5	536	57	7	8	31

 

 

Cost of recipe (not including sales)
	Per serving	Entire Recipe
4 oz pork chop	$1.07	$6.42
1 cup broccoli, cooked	$0.40	$2.40
1 cup boiled potatoes w 1 tsp butter	$0.23	$1.38
Total	$1.70	$10.20

 

 

Cotton Candy Meringues

Cookies are one of my all time favorite desserts. I love making up a batch up these. They are light, crisp and melt in your mouth. Best of all, they are practically calorie free. Use food coloring to make these little treats any color you want to match the season (pink for spring, orange for halloween, etc).

Time: 2 hours
Yield ~60 small cookies

• 6 egg whites
• 1/8 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 cup splenda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp. strawberry extract
• Food coloring, if desired

1. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Pre-heat over to 200 degrees.
2. Combine the egg whites, lemon juice, and cream of tartar. Beat until stiff peaks form (about 5 minutes or so).
3. Gradually beat in sugar substitute, 1/4 cup at a time.
4. Gently fold in salt, strawberry extract, and food coloring.
5. Gently spoon mixture into a large zip lock bag. Cut one corning off, making it into a pastry bag. 
6. Pipe cookies onto cookie sheet, about 1 1/2 inches wide.
7. Bake at 200 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
8. Allow to cool completely. Makes ~60 cookies. Serve plain or with light whipped topping.

Recipe inspired by Lipstick Kitchen. Photo credit.

 

Nutrition information per serving:
Calories	Fat	Sat Fat	Sodium	Carbs	Fiber	Sugar	Protein
2	0	0	15	0	0	0	0

 

 

Cost of recipe (not including sales) - COMING SOON
	Per serving	Entire Recipe
Serving
Total