Southwestern Chicken and White Bean Soup

Today is the last day of National Soup Month. I successfully celebrated every single day of the month with at least one bowl of soup, only one of which was from a can. I thought the only way to bid this wonderful month goodbye was with a soup recipe. I wouldn't save this for a special occasion, but it definitely should be everyone's folder for delicious and quick recipes. It's not spectacular to look at, but it couldn't be simpler to make and was really tasty. Any soup that takes less than 20 minutes and dirties no cutting boards gets two thumbs up from me. Also, It didn't take any "fresh" ingredients, so this could easily be made when it's been a while since you've been to the store. I think next time I would add some corn or some kind of veggies, but other than that, this 10 minute soup was so-yum!

Southwestern Chicken and White Bean Soup

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Cook Time: 13 minutes

Yield: 3 servings (serving size: 2 cup)

Ingredients

• 2  cups  shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1  tablespoon  40%-less-sodium taco seasoning (such as Old El Paso)
• 2  (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2  cup  green salsa

Preparation

1. Combine chicken and taco seasoning; toss well to coat.* Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; sauté 2 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned. Add broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

2. Place beans in a small bowl; mash until only a few whole beans remain. Add beans and salsa to pan, stirring well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until slightly thick. Serve with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.

*I did this the night before. It made this soup even quicker!

Each serving: approx. 250 calories 

Pumpkin Pancake Brunch

I've had a can of pumpkin in my kitchen for a while, and I was having the hardest time trying to figure out what kind of carbo-licious concoction I could make with it until Mrs. C sent me this recipe for Pumpkin Pancakes. What better to have at a brunch than pancakes, right? So I invited 7 of my brave friends to taste out the recipe. The verdict:  two thumbs up! Ashley topped hers with powdered sugar, which looked delicious and the others chose syrup. Thanks Mrs. C for the recipe, and thanks to my lovely friends for coming over :) 

Pumpkin Pancakes

From: 'The Crabby Cook Cookbook'

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice*
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for cooking
• Maple syrup, for serving

Preparation

For pancakes: Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and salt in a large bowl.

In another bowl, whisk the milk, pumpkin puree, honey, and egg together until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the melted butter. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until all the ingredients are combined.

Melt about 1/2 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/4-cupfuls of batter into the skillet and cook until the pancakes are bubbly and the edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip them over and cook until they are golden brown on the bottom and springy to the touch, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the pancakes to a plate and keep them warm while you repeat, adding more butter when it’s needed, until you’ve used all your batter. Serve immediately with maple syrup.

Serving Size

Makes 26 small pancakes

*I don't have allspice. The basic substitution for allspice is equal parts cloves, ginger, and cinnamon. Well, I don't have cloves either. So I just added more ginger and cinnamon. 

Nutrition Facts
per pancake (26 Servings)
Amount Per Serving
Calories		74.5
Total Fat		2.1 g
	Saturated Fat	1.2 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.1 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.6 g
Cholesterol		13.4 mg
Sodium		123.6 mg
Potassium		77.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate		11.9 g
	Dietary Fiber	0.5 g
	Sugars	2.8 g
Protein		2.2 g

Black Bean, Corn, and Spicy Shrimp

Black Bean, Corn, and Spicy Shrimp 

adapted from: myrecipes.com

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1/3 cup shrimp and about 2/3 cup bean mixture)

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  chili powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  garlic pepper
• 1 1/2  pounds  medium shrimp, peeled and deveined ( I used frozen and thawed)
• 2  tablespoons  lime juice, divided
• 1 1/2  cups  frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
• 3/4  cup  bottled salsa
• 1  (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Combine first 2 ingredients in a large bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat.

Add shrimp to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until done. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice. Remove shrimp from pan. Add corn to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in salsa and beans until thoroughly heated. Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice. Serve shrimp over bean mixture.

And thanks to Bethany for providing the delicious dessert: her oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. 

They were wonderful :) 

Lemon-Rosemary Pasta with Peas

Today Kim came over to pick up the cupcakes I made for her, and we had a blast decorating them. I made the cupcakes from a box (I know, blasphemousness) and altered them a little. This time I added milk and a little vinegar instead of the water, and added a tsp of almond extract. We frosted them with both buttercream and a chocolate glaze that I always fall back on when I need a fast frosting.


Chocolate Glaze
Melt 1/4 stick butter. Add about 2 Tbs. milk, 1 Tbs. vanilla to the melted butter. Add 1/4 pound powdered sugar and about 3 Tbs. cocoa powder. Whisk together until blended. Add powdered sugar until you reach desired consistency.

We did also eat a real meal. I made this so-easy pasta dish. Start to finish it only took about 10 minutes. I honestly didn't measure anything, it really depends on how many you're cooking for. Therefore all measurements below are approximate.

Lemon-Rosemary Pasta with Peas

Pasta
Olive oil
Garlic
Frozen Peas
Lemon Juice
Spices


Cook the desired amount of pasta for x servings according to directions on box. Meanwhile, thaw x servings of peas in a strainer under cold water. When pasta is almost done cooking, heat about 1/2 Tbs. olive oil in large saucepan and saute about 2 tsp. minced garlic. Add peas, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Strain cooked pasta and add to saucepan with peas. Add about 3 Tbs. lemon Juice and serve. 

Taciturn Thursday.

Pink Beans con Salsa Verde over Rice

I went shopping in my kitchen last night to find inspiration for tonight's dinner. I haven't been to the store lately, so my stock of fresh items is dwindling. That said, I whipped up a really filling dinner that was both delicious and took basically four ingredients I usually have on hand. Score!

Notes on Time: 

This recipe was really quick to put together (only about 10 minutes), but you have to do a bit of prep beforehand. I soaked the pink beans overnight and the cooked them according to the package directions. They don't take constant attention, but you have to account for the 2 hour they simmer on the stove. If you don't have time to cook the beans beforehand, you can cook beans and store them for up to 3 days in the fridge. Also, I used rice I had already cooked and frozen. This saved SO much time and was ridiculously convenient. I will continue to make large batches of rice and freezing it. It didn't loose any of the quality, and I would have never guessed it wasn't freshly made. If you don't have frozen rice or any kind of quick-rice, add in time to cook that as well!

Pink Beans con Salsa Verde over Rice

Makes 2 Dinner Sized Portions | Takes 10 minutes (plus time to cook rice and beans)

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 C dried pink beans 

1/2 C Salsa verde 

1 1/2 C cooked brown rice 

Heat oil in large saucepan; add onion and garlic. Cook until tender. Add beans and salsa and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until heated through and serve over heated rice. 

1 serving of beans with 3/4 C rice: 250 Calories. 

Freezing Just About Everything.

Chances are you regard your freezer as just a part of your refrigerator. I look at it the other way around, however, because the freezer provides so many benefits to me on a daily basis. Whether you're cooking for one (like me), or enjoy saving time and money on a regular basis, it's essential you know the ins and outs of what your freezer can do for you. I've collected a few ideas I have found useful; but I could go on forever! Read on, you might be surprised. 

Freezer Fundamentals: 

- Your goal is to keep air away from your food and keep the moisture in. 

- If you're freezing cooked food, you want to leave it on the counter until room temperature, sit it in the fridge for a few hours, and then freeze it. 

- Freeze your foods at their peek. If you anticipate not using a portion of something, freeze it while it's fresh to preserve it. 

- If you are to reheat something after freezing, freeze it when it's slightly undercooked 

- Label, label, label!

Granola Bars! Individually wrapped in saran wrap and then stashed in a freezer bag. 

The science behind why it works: 

A freezer preserves food for extended periods by slowing the movement of molecules, causing microbes to ender a dormant stage. This prevents growth of microorganisms that cause food spoilage and food born illness. 

Veggies, veggies, veggies!

There are 3 (and only three) safe ways to thaw things: 

1. in the fridge

2. in cold water 

3. in the microwave 

*otherwise, your food will be unsafe to eat. This includes but is not limited to plopping it on the counter. 

Meatballs (uncooked), shrimp, chicken, turkey = meat section 

Labeling: 

-When you stuff your freezer to the brim, it will be easy to forget what everything is and where it is. I tend to keep my like items together. I have a carb corner, a stack of meat, all the veggies together, and a stack of soup. I tend to keep things that I grab on a daily basis (like granola bars) in the door. I label everything with the following information and it makes it so extremely easy. 

- Description of contents 

- Date you made or bought

- Date you need to eat by 

- Calorie count 

- How many servings per container 

Yes, I have a carb corner... pancakes, 1/2 a loaf of bread, and chocolate chip muffins. 

Tips and Tricks: 

- crack eggs, whip together, and freeze in ice cube trays. 2 Cubes = 1 large egg

- freeze soups in muffin tins. About two is a 1 cup serving. 

- flash freeze items on a cookie sheet (like pancakes) before freezing in one container to prevent sticking. 

Soup! I store it three ways: in bags, in muffin tins, and in plastic containers. 

You can freeze practically anything. 

-Fresh Vegetables 

- soup

-Fresh Fruit 

-Nuts 

- Meat

- seafood 

- butter 

- milk (I freeze buttermilk all the time) 

- bread: muffins, pancakes, cupcakes (unfrosted ;) ) 

Things that do not freeze well: 

-food in cans

-eggs in shells

-mayonnaise

-cream sauce 

-lettuce 

I could go on and on. I'm pretty much in love with my freezer. More tips to come, but in the meantime happy freezing! 


 - xoxo,  Aysley 

Healthy, but Not-So-Sloppy Joes

If you've never experienced a sloppy joe, it is an American dish consisting of ground beef, onions, and tomato sauce, all served on a bun. They tend to get a bit, well, sloppy. Supposedly the original Sloppy Joe was made at Sloppy Joe's Restaurant  in Key West. This version is adapted from Real Simple's new cookbook. It's healthier and not very sloppy. I didn't have any buns so I ate it open-faced on a piece of toasted wheat bread. It was good, but not great. I'm not sure if I'll make it again. 

Healthy, but Not-So-Sloppy Joes

total time: 30 minutes | makes 4 servings 

1/2 T olive oil 
1 small onion, finely chopped 
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped 
1 pound ground turkey 
1 6-ounce can tomato paste 
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt


Suggested servings: 4 hamburger buns (toasted), grated cheddar, sour cream 


Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the turkey and cook, crumbling with spatula until no trace of pink remains, about 7 minutes. Spoon off and discard any excess fat. Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. (My sauce was really thick to begin with, so I added about 1/2 cup of water). Spoon the meat mixture on bun and serve with wanted toppings. 


Calories of Meat, without toppings or bread: 230

Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes

I had buttermilk to use up, but I couldn't decide if I wanted to make buttermilk pancakes or cornbread. Both sounded so good, so this morning I make cornmeal buttermilk pancakes: the best of both worlds! They turned out fantastic. They weren't very sweet, but topped with hot honey and dried cranberries, it was the best breakfast! I swapped out the butter for applesauce, which made them an even healthier.

Cornmeal Buttermilk Pancakes 

time 30 minutes makes 13

Ingredients: 

3/4 C all-purpose flour 

3/4 C cornmeal 

2 T sugar 

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

1 1/4 C buttermilk 

2 large eggs

3 Tablespoons unsweetened applesauce 

Preparation: 

Stir all dry ingredients together in large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and applesauce in medium bowl until well blended. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until blended, don't over-mix. 

Working in batches, pour 1/4 cup batter into non-stick skillet or large frying pan for each pancake. Cook until bottoms are golden, abut 1 1/2 minute. (They won't bubble as much as normal pancakes). Flip and leave on stove until cooked through.  

Topping: Heat desired amount of honey in the microwave until warm and thin. Pour over pancakes and garnish with dried cranberries. 

Each pancake: 95 calories, 2 g fat, 3.4 g sugar, 3.2 g protein 

Notes: To keep batches of pancakes warm, heat oven to 200 degrees and place finished pancakes in baking sheet until all are done. When you're cooking for one, freezing leftovers is a daily activity. Flash freeze on a baking sheet and then transfer to freezer bags or containers. Should be eaten within 6 weeks. Enjoy! 

Buttermilk Coffee Cake

Buttermilk Coffee Cake 

adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

Prep: 30 minutes

Bake: 35 minutes

Makes: 9 pieces

Ingredients: 

1 1/4 C all-purpose flour

3/4 C packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 C butter

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon 

dash nutmeg 

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup + 3 Tbs. buttermilk

1/4 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds 

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8X8 baking pan; set aside. 

2. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside 1/4 cup. Stir in baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg into remaining crumb mixture. 

3. In a medium bowl, combine eggs and buttermilk. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Stir together reserved crumb mixture and nuts; sprinkle over batter. 

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool slightly and serve warm. 

Per piece: 228 cal., 10 g total fat


This travels well! I mixed it up before going over to Kim's, packed it in my new cooler, and popped it in the oven when we were at her place eating dinner. The ending result was a warm dessert, but no dishes to clean up during girl night! We liked the texture and taste, but it was very nutmeg-y. That's why in the recipe above, I doubled the cinnamon and called for just a dash of nutmeg (or you could skip it). The leftovers are still at their apartment, but I've heard it's still yummy the next day :) 

Granola Bars: Attempt Two

I'm still on a mission to find the best granola bar recipe. Try to met most of the criteria, but they had a funky texture and didn't taste very great. Fail #2. 

Perfect Granola Bar Criteria: 

1) (Somewhat) healthy

2) Taste good 

3) stick together in solid bars 

4) Easy to make 

1) These were healthy. Containing only a few Tablespoons of honey as the only type of sugar and no butter, they definitely pass the healthy test. Lots of fiber and protein as well. 

2) As noted above, these were healthy. But they didn't taste that great, at all. I could taste the dry milk powder a lot, and the texture got stranger as they cooled. I'm sure they'll be bricks tomorrow. 

3) Accomplished! 

4) These were pretty simple. I had to use the blender, which added a little inconvenience.. but helped a lot in making them stay together in bars. 

MISSION: GRANOLA (ATTEMPT #2)

3/4 C oats

1/4 C grape-nuts

2 Tbs. flour

1/4 dry milk 

1 T. cinnamon 

1/4 raisins

1/4 craisins

1/4 dried dates 

1/4 chopped nuts 

3 T Honey 

1 egg, beaten 

Preheat oven t 350 degrees. Combine first five ingredients in blender or food processor and pulse until chopped and blended. Place blended ingredients in a medium bowl with dried fruit and nuts. Stir until blended. Add honey and egg and stir until evenly blended. Press into greased 8X8 pan and bake for about 12 minutes. Cut into 21 squares. 

Each bar is approximately 60 calories. 

*Note: if you have a food processor, the entire process could be done in it. 

Shrimp and Veggies with Israeli Couscous

Shrimp and Veggies with Israeli Couscous

adapted from: Good Housekeeping 

Yum! This was so tasty and really quickly prepared, since I pre-chopped everything the night before. I altered the recipe for things I had on hand, but it still turned out great. A keeper for sure!


Total Time 30 minutes
Makes 4 large main-dish servings 


2 lg. carrots, finely chopped 
8 oz. green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 
1/2 green pepper, chopped 


1 C. whole wheat Israeli couscous 
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 
1 lg. onion, chopped 
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 lb. shrimp (I used peeled, deveined, precooked, frozen and then thawed) 


1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the carrots, green beans, green pepper, and 1 Tbs. water. Cover with vented plastic wrap; microwave on high 5 minutes or until just tender. 


2. Meanwhile, prepare couscous as label directs. 


3. In large skillet, heat oil on medium high. Add onion; cook five minutes or until golden. Add pepper if desired. Add carrot mixture and tomatoes. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium. Add shrimp; continue cooking until heated throughly. Serve over couscous. 


Each serving: about 360 calories, 27 g protein, 48 g carbohydrate, 6 g total fat (1 g saturated), 7 g fiber, 140 mg cholesterol, 470 mg sodium. 


Oh, and I had green(tea), eggs, and ham this morning. 
As you can see, I tried out poaching one egg, which was successful. I'm definitely a scrambled kind of girl though. 

Granola Bars: Attempt One

I'm on a mission. A mission to find the perfect homemade granola bar. One I can carry with me to class, but is also kind of healthy. Attempt one was a flop. 

Perfect Granola Bar Criteria: 
1) (Somewhat) healthy. 
2) stick together in solid bars 
3) Easy to make 


1) Don't get me wrong; they were absolutely delicious and addicting. Addicting in the way that only butter and sugar can instigate. It was more like a candy bar full of fiber than anything else. Therefore, they don't pass the healthy test. 


2) Fail. These didn't stick together well at all. Ended up being more like a chewy granola with tons of loose pieces. 


3) I picked this recipe because of how easy it was. Fast and simple. 

Recipe: 
MISSION: GRANOLA (ATTEMPT 1) 
*As with any granola recipe, ingredients are easily interchangeable... add what you have on hand*
2 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked 
1/2 cup nuts (I used cashews)
1/2 cup chopped dates 
1/2 cup brown sugar 
1/3 cup butter, melted 
3 T honey 
shake of salt


Combine all ingredients and spread evenly in a greased 7X11 pan. Bake at 450 degrees for about 7 minutes. Let cool and cut into bars, if you're lucky.