Chicken and Quinoa Soup

 I'm experimenting with Quinoa.  It's tasty stuff and pretty simple to work with.  No more difficult than rice, you just have to make sure to rinse it for 2 min. before you cook it.  Easy enough. 

I thought this soup was really tasty.  It's packed with veggies and makes a nice snack in the middle of the day.  Quinoa doesn't really have a flavor.  It seems to take on the flavor of the soup.

I'm getting brave enough to use quinoa in other ways.  I think I might try a cheese sauce for a "quinoa mac and cheese."  I've even seen recipes for quinoa chocolate cake.  It may take me a while to get that brave.  :)



 I think you could easily throw in some squash or pumpkin or zucchini or even parsnips and peas.  I wonder if you could can this, for easy winter meals, using the veggies from your summer garden?  Something to think about.  A nice effortless soup dinner without the extra preservatives and chemicals used by commercial soup companies.  If I wasn't a brown thumb I think I would attempt it.  But honestly, if I ever manage to grow anything more than hopes and dreams in my vegetable garden, I may have to bronze the produce to prove I did it.  :0

Let me know what you are experimenting with.  I'd love to hear your adventures in cooking.  :)

 

Chicken and Quinoa Soup

• 1 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast,  
• 1 15oz can Canned Diced Tomatoes, (I used one with Green chilis on accident and it was great.)
• Green Beans, drained, .5 cup (I had some left over and threw them in.  Add the whole can and it will be great also,)
• Carrot - chopped, 1 cup (one large)
• Celery, raw, 1 stalk, large 
• 1/2 med yellow onion, 
• 1/2 large Yellow Bell Pepper, 
• 3-4 cups Water, (start with 3 and add more if needed)
• 1 cup cooked Quinoa 
• 1/2 cup Broccoli, fresh,, chopped or diced 
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp white garlic
• 1 tsp salt

Add the water, (3 cups), chicken and onions and bring to a boil.  While that is cooking chop all your veggies.  Feel free to add any extra veggies.  It will taste yummy.  Remove the chicken to a cutting board.  Add all ingredients to the water, except quinoa.  Dice the chicken and add back to the soup.  Bring to a boil and turn down heat to low.  Add quinoa. Allow to simmer for at least 30 min.  

According to this recipe calculator http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp the soup is only 76 calories per serving.  (It makes about 9).  That is a low cal meal people!  So go ahead and add a nice crusty loaf of bread.  This is a yummy, easy and low calorie soup!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

It's January.  How many of you have already broken your New Year's Resolutions?  Yup- that sounds about right.  I didn't really make a firm resolution - I almost never do.  I make goals, when they strike me, but not resolutions.

For instance, back in October I saw a quick biography on a professional football player who said that he would complete 1000 Sit Ups, and 1000 push ups every night.  That seems insane.  But I thought about it and decided that I would do 1000 push ups, sit ups and squats.
It took me 4 weeks.  Not bad!  Now I do 50 push ups and 50 squats a night along with a couple minutes of plank.  I do it while I watch TV and I don't even think about it.  It's not a resolution, it's a goal that turned into a habit.  :)

Another goal I have is to eat more healthfully.  This is a reoccurring goal, because it is way to easy to get out of the habit.  But if you really want to change your habits, you have to keep trying.  I'm back to trying.  That is what inspired this latest creation.

I had a few sweet potatoes (actually yams, but around here they are all called sweet potatoes).  Anyway, I had some sweet potatoes that needed to be used.  My family doesn't love sweet taters.  I took a chance anyway.  I made these and served them with low fat sour cream, fresh salsa and fresh avocados.  They were a hit.  A shocking hit!  My kids even ate the left overs for breakfast.  Whoa!

So how did I make them?  Thanks for asking, I would love to tell you!  ;)


Sweet Potato and Black Bean Quesadillas

2 large or 4 small sweet potatoes (or yams) Fresh- not from the can.
4 oz. low fat cheddar cheese shredded
4 oz. low moisture, skim milk mozzarella cheese shredded
1 pkg deli turkey (I like the Hormel Naturals cracked pepper Deli Turkey) - No Preservatives
1 pkg whole grain tortillas
1 15 oz can black beans (I like S&W) rinsed and drained
garlic powder
onion powder
Salt
white pepper
paprika
Old Bay or another seasoning salt (I use Old Bay for everything!)


Start by peeling your sweet potatoes.  Then cut them in quarters and poke with a fork a few times.  Place in a glass, microwave safe bowl and add about 1/2 inch of water. Microwave on high for 8-10 minutes.  Then pull out and turn all the pieces over so the ends that were out of the water are now in the water.  There won't be tons of water left.  Don't stress, it's fine. Cook for 3-5 minutes more, or until you can easily slide a fork in and out of the potatoes.  Most of the water should be absorbed.

Once the potatoes are cooked, mash them really well.  Sprinkle with the spices listed.  I didn't give exact measurements, because you are just sprinkling it over the top.  Be liberal with the Old Bay, but go easy on the Paprika.

Take a large tablespoon full of the potato mixture and spread on a tortilla.  Add 1-2 spoonfuls of beans.  Lay a 1 or 2 slices of turkey down. Sprinkle a little of both kinds of cheese on top. Place another tortilla on the cheese.  Repeat until you run out of the mixture.

I sprayed a pancake griddle with cooking spray and cooked 2 at a time on 350.  I don't have an exact time for you, but when you see the bottom start to turn golden, flip and cook the other side.  When both sides are golden and the cheeses are melting, it's done.

Enjoy with your favorite salsa and some low fat sour cream. 


+Hormel Foods
+McCormick Colombia
+Anthony Chen