Weight Watchers Mexican Layered Chicken 

Tonight we had this amazing meal that Krystel and Jason prepared.  

It's super delicious.  

Enjoy!

Ingredients  2 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray      2 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s)      30 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained      2 1/2 cup(s) fat free sour cream     2 cup(s) shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese, divided     8 oz chopped green chili(es), two 4-oz cans     2 tsp ground cumin     1/2 tsp black pepper     13 medium corn tortilla(s), cut in half each      1 cup(s) fat free salsa, mild, medium or hot

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a lasagna pan with cooking spray.
• Place chicken in a medium saucepan and fill with enough cold water just to cover chicken. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes; drain. When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Transfer chicken to a large bowl and add beans, sour cream, 1 cup shredded cheese, chilies, cumin and pepper; mix well and set aside.
• Arrange 10 tortilla halves in bottom of prepared pan, overlapping pieces to cover surface. Top tortillas with 1/3 of chicken mixture and then layer with 8 tortillas halves. Spoon 1/3 more chicken mixture over top and then top with remaining 10 tortilla halves. Spoon remaining chicken mixture over top and sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
• Bake until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Serve with salsa on the side.

Chicken Pot Pie

My 90 year old father is living with us now and we're busy with making sure he eats well.  

This week, we took our daughter Amanda's advice and planned our meals with a weekly menu. 

This has helped immeasurably. 

One of our menu items was chicken soup... A secondary meal from this was tonight's chicken pot pie. 

Having the soup already prepared saved so many steps. 

I started out with the Parisian carrots from Trader Joe's

They are sooooooo cute!

Then, added peas and simmered until tender! then drained and reserved. 

In the same pot I made a buttery rue with onions, flour, and a generous 

amount of stock from the soup.  

I also added diced organic potatoes (white and Adirondack reds) 

from our own garden and from our CSA.  

I found some Trader Joe's corn in the freezer and added a cup of that too!

Some pepper and thyme were sprinkled in too.  

When it looked and smelled marvelous, I poured it all in a big pie plate 

and topped it with a Trader Joe's pie crust.  

I find them to be the best prepared crusts out there.  

I baked it in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes.  

It was just delicious.  

My only change will be to make them in individual ramekins... 

Cutting into s big pot pie is always messy. 

But wow... What flavor!

Happy eating!

~ Maria

Vegetarian Chili

Look at these beautiful colors!

You know you have a great recipe when you can make this every week, never tire of it and can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Best of all, it has all the feel of comfort food, yet  is so very healthy.   This receipe is adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Vegetarian Chili.  I cut back on the spices because unlike a meaty chili where the spice index can be very high, I think the lighter spicing compliments the beautiful taste of farm fresh organic vegetables. It is also a very forgiving recipe where you can add more or less of any of the ingredients according to what you have available and what you like.

Ingredients


2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups chopped yellow onions


1 ½ cup chopped red, yellow and green bell peppers


2 tablespoons minced garlic



2 medium zucchini, cut into small dice


2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels )

2 -3 baby 
portobello mushrooms , stemmed, wiped clean and cubed

1 1/2 tablespoons good mild chili powder
 (or to taste)

2 teaspoons ground cumin


¾ teaspoon oregano

A few cracks of good salt  to taste (I use Himalyan Pink)

Pinch of cayenne


4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
 or one large can of organic tomatoes

3-4 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained


1 ½ cups of tomato sauce

1 cup vegetable stock, or water


Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 6 – 10 minutes.   

Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes.

Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.

Sweet Potato Fries - Healthy!!!

Sweet Potato Fries

Recipe added by Rachael 

Ingredients: 

- About 4 organic sweet potatoes 

- 3 tbsps of olive oil (sometimes I add a little more :) 

- A sprinkle of raw sugar (about 2 teaspoons) 

- A sprinkle of salt (about 1-2 teaspoons) 

- 1-2 tbsps of paprika 

Directions:  

- Preheat oven to 450 

- Cut the ends off the sweet potatoes, 

- Cut them in half, and quarter them so they're about the size of potato wedges 

- Put the sweet potatoes in a bowl, and mix in all of the other ingredients.   

Use your hands to mix everything well. 

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. 

Keep your eye on them so they don't burn =)

They are sooooo delicious!!!!!  

Zuppa di Pesce Simplice (Simple Italian Fish Stew)

Zuppa di Pesce Simplice

(Simple Italian Fish Stew)
Recipe by Maria

When I was little, this was one of the only ways I would eat fish.  There's an unexpected ingredient - read on!

• Sauté one large onions and several cloves of garlic in olive oil

• add carrots and celery to taste (I added 4 of each)

• sauté until al dente

• add a box of Pomi chopped tomatoes (or organic chopped tomatoes)

• add sliced potatoes (8 small potatoes)

• When everything is tender, but not too, too soft I lay cod fish fillets on top of the whole mixture and then drizzle some of the broth over the fish. 

• Simmer until the fish is done... 

• Enjoy with a loaf of crusty bread. 

My mother used to add raisins... yes, raisins!  
It adds a sweetness that is soooo delicious!
(I use Trader Joe's organic raisins)

This is such a warm and delicious way to eat fish.  I'll bet you use the bread to soak up all the zuppa at the bottom of the bowl!

~ Have a wonderful new week ~ 

Apple Turnovers

What to do with an overabundance of  CSA apples!

recipe by Amanda

For the past several weeks, Nick and I have gotten a ton of apples from our CSA.  We've made apple crisp and apple cake already, so this week we decided to try something different.  Today's dessert is: APPLE TURNOVERS!

Ingredients:

6 medium apples (we used Rome apples from our CSA)

1 Trader Joe's frozen pie crust (really nice ingredients)

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

3 tbs cane sugar

1/2 cup water

Directions:

*pre-heat the oven to 400°

*peel and cube apples

*put apples in a sauce pan or skillet 

*add spices, sugar and water to apples and stir 

*cook on medium heat for about ten minutes or until apples are tender

*meanwhile, cut pie crust into 4'' diameter circles

*spoon softened apple mixture into the center of the crust circles (about a tbs of apples per crust circle) and fold over to close

*sprinkle sugar on top

*bake in oven for 20 minutes or until brown

Enjoy :)

~Amanda

Creamy Sweet Root Soup

Recipe by Doreen

I love this soup for many reasons: 

it’s so very healthy and the thick creamy texture makes for great satisfying comfort food.  It’s very easy to prepare because there is very little hands on prep time involved by slow roasting vegetables instead of the usual chopping and boiling.  It’s also very flexible as you can adjust the quantity of vegetables up or down according to what you like or have in your pantry and then balance with liquids accordingly without affecting the outcome. 

Creamy Sweet Root Soup

                    Ingredients

• 1 Sweet Potato  

• 1 small butter nut squash or ½ medium-large size  

• 1 medium red  onion

• 2 medium- large carrots  

• coconut oil or oil of choice

• 1 teaspoon of mild curry powder or paste (use more or less according to taste)

• 2 cups vegetable broth (Trader Joe’s is organic and only 70 mg of sodium)

• ¼ - ½ cup coconut milk (optional but it provides good balance)

                    Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 ^o

• Pierce potato with fork several times

• Cut butternut squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds

• Peel carrots and leave whole 

• Peel onion and cut into ¼-1/2  inch thick slices 

• Rub coconut oil on all vegetables to prevent drying out in oven.

• Place a sheet of parchment paper on a large baking sheet or line with foil.

• Arrange all vegetables in a single layer with squash cut-side down.

• Roast approximately 45 minutes or until vegetables are slightly soft when fork passes through  

When vegetables are cooled, peel and place in food processor with curry, 1 cup of the vegetable stock and ¼ cup coconut milk if using. Process until pureed to a smooth consistency.  Add additional stock and coconut milk until the desired balance and consistency is reached.

Your soup will be a beautiful shade of orange!

Serve with a swirl of milk, cream or coconut milk 
and crusty grainy bread!  

~ Enjoy ~