Saturday, June 14, 2008

Mexican Chicken Soup



1 ts olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 fresh jalapeno, finely diced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 small or 1/2 large can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 very small can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cp fresh or frozen corn
1 TB ground cumin
2 fresh bay leaves

1 chicken breast, boneless and skinless (can be frozen)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
shredded ff Cheddar cheese


In a large saucepan heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook for 2 minutes. Once the onions have softened add the garlic and jalepenos and cook for another minute. Pour the tomatoes, chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, corn and chicken breast into the pot and bring to a boil. Once at a boil lower heat to simmer. Cook the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes. Once chicken is cooked remove from pot. When cool enough to handle shred it and put back in the pot. Add the fresh cilantro to the pot.

In a serving bowl add soup and top with cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Strawberry Shortcake



Cake layer:
1/4 cp Krusteaz pancake mix
1/4 cp butter milk
1 TB egg beaters
1/4 ts vanilla extract
1/4 ts baking powder
1 TB brown splenda

Topping:
4 TB ff Coolwhip (45kcal)
1 cup whole fresh strawberries, halved (45 kcal)

1 TB Torani sf raspberry syrup
1 TB fresh-pressed lemon juice
1 ts sf strawberry preserve

Tools:
small bundt cake form
pastry bag with decorative top
straw

Mix the cake ingredients, and fill in a prepared small bundt cake form (here, the idea is to create a ring for the short cake; a entire round surface might need too much whipped cream and strawberries). Bake the cake batter at 400F for 15 min. Remove from pan and cool.

Once cooled, turn the cake with the decorative side down and the flat side up. Mix raspberry syrup, lemon juice and strawberry preserve. Poke small holes in the flat side of the cake with the straw, and drizzle syrup mix into the tiny holes. Fill the whipped cream in the pastry bag, and decoratively arrange on the short cake. Place strawberries on top. Enjoy!

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Asian Veggie Burger on Rye Bun



1 CG rye bun (see post below), cut in half and toasted
1 Morning star asian vegetable veggie burger pattie
1 ts ketchup
1 ts ff mayo
3 sweet no sugar gherkins, halved
handful romaine salad
1 small, low-fat mozzarella ball (fresh, in water), sliced

Grill veggie burger in grill pan. Toast rye bun, and arrange with ketchup/mayo, burger, gherkins, romaine, mozzarella and a drizzle of ketchup. Enjoy!