The kids and I love to watch the show Chopped on Food Network. A couple weeks ago, one of the contestants made a broccoli and lemon couscous, and I loved the idea, so I decided to see if I could figure out how to make it — it sounded simple enough. We loved it!
Broccoli-Lemon Couscous
Broccoli and Lemon Couscous
3 stalks broccoli
1 lemon
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup couscous
1. Cut the florets from the broccoli, saving the stalk and stems for another purpose. Chop the broccoli into
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I love this stew – and I love that I can cook it in my crockpot and not heat up the house!
Ham and Lentils Stew
Ham and Lentils Stew (served over brown rice here)
1 lb dried lentils
2 cups fat-free chicken broth
5 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup cooked ham, diced
3 carrots, diced
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
Put everything except the salt into a slow cooker. Cook for 3-4 hours on high. Salt before serving.
Servings: 8
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving):
[Continue reading Ham and Lentils Slow-Cooker Stew Recipe]
This is almost the last of the recipes from Doodle’s birthday party.
The menu was:
Guacamole, salsa, and corn chips
Green chile pinwheels
Roast beef, horseradish, and basil pinwheels
Deviled Eggs
And, of course, birthday cake
We love my deviled eggs – I’ll post that one soon, too.
Making everything except the corn chips from scratch enabled me to give my daughter a lovely party with lots of food for a small outlay. And she’d prefer homemade to store-bought any day!
And now, on to the salsa. It’s really simple and quick, and wayyy less expensive than store-bought salsa. It also tastes a lot better than store-bought.
Salsa
![]() [Continue reading Super Tasty Salsa Recipe]
I frequently make these for our “Finger Food Buffet” on Christmas Day, and sometimes for parties (whether that’s a party I throw, or a potluck party I’m attending). They are super easy, and super tasty.
This time, for my daughter’s birthday party, I used Neufchâtel cheese, to make a small dent in the calories. I didn’t notice any difference at all in the flavor. Use what works for you, though!
Roast beef, basil, and horseradish cream cheese pinwheels
Roast Beef, Basil, and Cream Cheese Pinwheels
1 8-ounce package Neufchatel, brought to room temperature
2
[Continue reading Roast Beef, Basil, and Cream Cheese Roll-ups (or Pinwheels, or Rollers, or Whatever) Recipe]
Here’s a yummy snack or lunch that I’ve been enjoying for the last couple of days. This is so quick and easy, I don’t know if it actually counts as a recipe!
Ham and Cream Cheese Rollups
Ham and Cream Cheese Roll-ups
2 slices lean sandwich ham
1 tablespoon reduced fat cream cheese with chives and onions
Stack two slices of ham and spread with cream cheese. Roll up.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per roll-up): 75 calories, 50 calories from fat, 6g total fat, 30mg cholesterol, 355mg sodium, 0mg potassium,
[Continue reading Quick and Easy Healthy Snack – Ham and Cream Cheese Rollups Recipe]
And I’m finally posting the other side dish to the wonderful dinner of Sage and Thyme Marinated Chicken Breasts, Primordial Ooze Salad, and Sour Cream and Chive Smashed Potatoes. Saving the best for last? Well, if you’re a potato nut like me, that’s true!
I love smashed potatoes with all the goodies in them: bacon, sour cream, cheese, chives… yum. But I don’t think I love it enough for all those calories and fat! So I decided to make a lower-calorie version. I’ll admit that it didn’t taste as decadent as the bacon and cheese version, but it was still very
[Continue reading Sour Cream and Chive Smashed New Potatoes Recipe]
Way at the top of the list of our family favorites is Poached Sour Cream with Primordial Ooze. (An explanation of that name can be found on that page.)
Last week, when I served those wonderful Sage and Thyme Marinated Chicken Breasts, I decided on a cucumber salad on the side, along with Sour Cream and Chive Smashed Potatoes (recipe soon). Since it has mostly the same ingredients as Primordial Ooze, we decided that it shall henceforth be called Primordial Ooze Salad.
Primordial Ooze Salad
Primordial
[Continue reading Primordial Ooze Salad Recipe (i.e., Cucumber, Sour Cream, and Dill Salad)]
We love chicken! I don’t think there’s a way I ever cook chicken that my kids don’t clamor for more. This is one of the easiest ways to add lots of flavor and make chicken into something a little different from the everyday (not that regular ol’ chicken isn’t wonderful).
I am really looking forward to trying them on the grill, once we get one. Soon!
Sage and Thyme Marinated Chicken Breasts
Sage and Thyme Marinated Chicken Breasts
4 chicken breasts
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons chives, snipped
1
[Continue reading Sage and Thyme Marinated Chicken Breasts Recipe]
For the most part, when I think of hot soup, I think of the winter and fall. But when I see all the beautiful vegetables in the produce section, I can’t help but think of chicken tortilla soup. And the heat (spicy-heat, not hot-heat) really does make you feel cooler.
In the winter, I frequently use canned tomatoes in soups, but this time of year, the tomatoes start looking better and better at the store. The farmer’s market near me opens in a week, and I’m sure those will be even better. Using fresh in this soup keeps it tasting summery.
Chicken
[Continue reading Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe]
When I decided to change the way we eat from super-rich, calorie- and fat-laden food to healthier fare, I wasn’t willing to give up macaroni and cheese. One of our favorite meals is my stovetop macaroni and cheese, served with some fresh tomatoes and either salad or green beans. It’s also one of those meals I can fall back on when I’ve forgotten an ingredient or the chicken isn’t thawed yet.
So I set out to adapt my recipe to something healthier. I was able to cut out 210 calories per serving (164 of those from fat!), and it tastes just
[Continue reading Fast and Healthy (and Still Yummy) Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese Recipe]
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July 23rd, 2010 | 
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