Super Filling Chicken Soup

My sister gave me a recipe for "Extreme Diet Soup" that was in Women's World Magazine in February 2009.  A coworker gave it to her, and she made it to help lose some weight before my wedding last spring.

The Extreme Soup Diet is actually a more reasonable soup diet than the cabbage soup diet from back in the day. You basically eat two bowls of the soup and two mini meals that are just small healthy meals a day. 

Not being on any sort of soup diet, I decided to make the "Extreme Diet Soup" as a way to automate my lunches for the week.  I wanted an easy and delicious way to get some addition vegetables into my diet, and I always love a big bowl of soup in the winter!

The soup happens to be a great tasting soup regardless of whether you are on a soup diet or not.  I think even non-dieters would approve.  It is very filling and flavorful!

The recipe makes 7, two-cup servings.  Each serving has 270 calories, 27 grams of protein, 8 grams of fat, 20 grams of carbs, 6 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of sugar.  For those of you on the BFC, you could always leave out the carrots or reduce use one onion to lower the sugar amount.  As prepared below, the S/C Value would be 6/1 for a huge 2 cup serving.  I promise this will fill you up!

Extreme Diet Soup
7 servings

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, very thinly sliced
1.5 lbs chicken breast, diced
1 large carrot, finely shredded
2 large cloves of garlic
1 jalapeno pepper with seeds, minced
2 tsp. fresh thyme or oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
8 c. fat free chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
6 cups fresh spinach leaves, packed
1 large tomato, finely diced
salt and pepper, to taste
7 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add onions, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.  Add chicken, stirring for 5 minutes more or until cooked through and onions are lightly browned.  Add carrot, garlic, jalapeno, and thyme.  Cook another 2 minutes.

Stir in broth and increase heat to high.  Bring the mixture to a boil.

Add beans, spinach, and tomato.  Bring back to boil, then turn off the heat.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle each serving with 1 Tbsp. of Parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy!

Quick and Easy Chicken Fajitas

This recipe is the one meal that my husband knows how to cook.  It is really tasty and really easy. Lining the pan with foil makes clean up very easy!

I am amazed at how tender and moist the chicken stays without adding any additional fat or oil.

This meal is great for those on the BFC with family members who are not.  You can serve the fajitas with whole grain, corn or regular flour tortillas.

The S/C Value as I prepared it for me was 2/2.  This included 3 corn tortillas and a little bit of sour cream and salsa.  

Chicken Fajitas
serves 4

1 lb of chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1 packet of Old El Paso Fajita Seasoning
1/2 white onion, sliced thinly
2 peppers (we used one red and one orange), sliced thinly
corn, flour, or whole grain tortillas

 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
In a bowl, combine the chicken, onion, peppers, and seasoning packet. Toss to coat.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Place chicken mixture on the foil.  Cover the chicken with another layer of foil.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Serve with sour cream, salsa, cheese, etc.

Spicy Lemon Chicken Pasta

 I modified this recipe from a Martha Stewart recipe, and it turned out fantastic.  I can tell that this will be one of my new favorite meals.  I used a rotisserie chicken to make it even easier.

The S/C Value for 1/4 the recipe below is 3/2, and each serving has 6 grams of fiber.

Spicy Lemon Chicken Pasta

6 ounces of healthy pasta (I used Dreamfield Healthy Carb Spaghetti)

3 tablespoons olive oil

zest and juice of 2 lemons

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and thinly sliced (You may also use 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes if you do not have fresh peppers)

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the lemon zest, garlic, and jalapeños and cook until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the pasta, lemon juice, peas, salt, pepper, and remaining oil and cook until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes, adding the chicken at the end.  Add the Parmesan and toss well.  Serve.

Sweet and Tangy Chili Meatloaf

Here is a healthy, tangy meatloaf recipe that I have modified slightly to make it a belly fat cure friendly protein that even has some added fiber.

I started making this a few years ago.  I previously used 1/4 c. of regular white flour breadcrumbs and 1/4 c. of rolled oats in order to limit the empty carbs and add some fiber.

However, today I was able to find wonderful whole wheat bread crumbs.  I decided to use 1/2 a cup of these instead.

If you cannot find whole wheat bread crumbs, I recommend it the way I used to make it.  By using half bread crumbs and half oatmeal, you get the flavor of the bread crumbs and the fiber in the oatmeal.

The S/C Value for 1/4 of the recipe below is 1/1.  

Chili Meatloaf

Serves 4-6

1 c. tomato sauce (canned with no added sugar- I used Muir Glen Organic)
1 Tbsp. xylitol
2 tsp. yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. onion flakes
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. whole grain italian bread crumbs (I used Gia Russa brand.  This adds 8 grams of fiber)
1 egg
1 pinch of stevia

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a 9 x 5 bread loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a bowl, combine 1/3 c. tomato sauce, 1 Tbsp. xylitol, mustard, 1 tsp. chili powder, onion flakes, parsley, and salt.  Stir.  Add beef, bread crumbs, and egg and combine until mixed.  Shape into a loaf and pat into the pan.

Combine remaining tomato sauce, chili powder, and a pinch of stevia.  Taste and adjust stevia until the sauce is slightly sweet.    Pour tomato mixture over the meatloaf.

Bake for 55-60 minutes.  Cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Chicken Fingers!!

Tonight I made real, crunchy breaded chicken fingers.  They were delicious!  I experimented with deep frying them, using Smart Balance Oil which is a healthy oil.  They turned out fantastic!

The most amazing part of these chicken fingers were the S/C value and fiber content.  For 1/4 of the recipe below, the S/C Value is 0/1 with 4 grams of fiber!!

I served the chicken fingers with S/C value 0/0 hot sauce. 

They were delicious when deep fried, but will be just as good if you oven fry them.  See below for instructions for both.

Whole Grain Chicken Fingers

Serves 4

1 c. of ground Uncle Sam's cereal (I used my coffee grinder to grind the cereal)
1 tsp. season salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 eggs
2 tsp. water
1/4 c. whole wheat flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
 1 lb. chicken breast, cut into thin strips

In a flat shallow dish, combine cereal and seasonings.  Stir until well combined. 

In another shallow dish, combine eggs and water. 

Put the flour on a plate or shallow dish.


To bread the chicken:

Take chicken strips and lightly coat with flour, making sure to coat each side.  Brush off any excess flour.  Next, dip chicken strips in the egg mixture, coating each side.  Finally, roll the chicken in the cereal breading.  Set aside.

To deep fry: 
Heat oil to 250 degrees.  When hot, add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through.  Drain on a plate with several paper towels, and serve while hot.

To oven fry:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place chicken strips on baking sheet which has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake about 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Margarita Pizza

Today I made a pizza from one of my favorite flat bread wraps.

My friend, Maria (Hi Maria. Miss you!), introduced me to these a few years ago.  They are delicious and have 7 grams of fiber in 1!  I got this package at CostCo.

The pizza has an S/C Value of 3/1.

Margarita Pizza

Serves 1

1 Roll-Up Flat bread
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1+ tsp. italian seasonings (I used a Tuscan blend that had garlic, pepper, rosemary, onions, chilies, basil, and sea salt.  However, you can use any blend of spices that you like.  Just add them to taste).
Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1 basil leaf, cut into thin strips
three very thin slices of a small tomato, cut into halves

In a 450 degree toaster oven, heat the flat bread until slightly hard.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine olive oil and spices.  Microwave for 30 seconds to soften the spices.

When the flat bread is crisp, brush the olive oil on the crust and top with mozzarella cheese, then tomato slices, and the basil.  Return to toaster oven and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the cheese is melted.

Cut and serve.  Enjoy

General Tso's Chicken

This recipe is based off of a weight watchers recipe.  I made some changes to give it more flavor and to make it a belly healthy recipe.

I served this with 1/2 cup of steamed broccoli and 1/4 cup of brown rice.

The only source of carbs in the dish are the xylitol (12 grams for the whole dish), cornstarch (7 grams for the whole dish),  and minuscule amounts in the scallions and garlic. I think that this makes the S/C Value for the chicken 0/1.

The S/C Value for the total meal  (with the broccoli and brown rice) would be 1/2.

General Tso's Chicken

Serves 4

3/4 c. chicken broth
1Tbsp. xylitol, ground into a fine powder (I use my coffee grinder)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. sesame oil

2 tsp. oil (I use Smart Balance)
2 medium scallions, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flaked
1 lb of chicken, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. cold water

Stevia to taste

Combine broth, xylitol, vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, and sesame oil.  Set aside.

Heat oil over medium high heat.  Add scallions, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for two minutes.

Add chicken and cook until chicken is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Add sauce mixture, reduce heat until simmering.  Simmer for about 3 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  When the chicken is cooked through, taste sauce and add a pinch of stevia if you want the sauce to be sweeter.

Dissolve cornstarch into the water.  Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and let sauce bubble and thicken.  When sauce is thick, remove from the heat.

Serve and enjoy.

Chicken Fried Rice

So, I am a huge fan of fried rice.  Sometimes I break down and eat it even though it is one of the worst things a diabetic could eat because of the insane amount of carbs in one serving.

Tonight, I made a version of fried rice that uses grated cauliflower instead of rice.  It was delicious!  I gave it to my husband without telling him that it was cauliflower, and he did not even notice that the rice was missing.

I got the recipe for which I based my version of the fried rice on Healthy Indulgences (wonderful website!!)

If you eat 1/2 of the recipe below, the S/C value would be about 4/2.  It tastes so good that I will not miss the carb laden version that I have been eating!  If you do not have 4 grams of sugar to spare for dinner, try omitting either the carrots or the onions, or use 1/4 c of each. 

Chicken Fried Rice (serves 2-3)

1/2 lb of chicken, cut across the grain in thin slices
1 tbsp oil
salt and pepper

1-2 tbsp oil (I used Coconut, but whatever should work. The coconut oil gives the dish a slightly sweet flavor)
2 c. grated Cauliflower
1/2 c. yellow onion, chopped
1/2 c. of matchstick sliced carrots (I used the pre-cut version)
10 snow pea pods, chopped (about 1/4 c.)
1 clove of garlic
5 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
dash of garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 eggs, beaten

In a frying pan over medium-high, heat 1 Tbsp oil.  Add chicken and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until cooked through.  Take chicken off of heat and set aside.

In a frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil over medium heat.  When hot, add onions and cook until soft.  Remove onions from the pan and set aside.  Add carrots, chopped pea pods, and garlic and cook until soft and set aside with the onions.

Add cauliflower to the frying pan and saute for a minute or two, adding more oil if necessary.  Add 3 Tbsp. of soy sauce, 1/4 tsp. sesame oil, garlic powder, and pepper and stir until all of the cauliflower is coated with the soy sauce.  Cook until the cauliflower is soft.  Add the remaining vegetables.  Stir until combined.


Then, push all the vegetables to the side of the pan.  Scramble the eggs in the open space on the pan, using a spatula to dice up the cook egg.  When the egg is cooked, incorporate it into the vegetables.

Add the cooked chicken to the vegetable/egg mix.  Add remaining 2. Tbsp soy sauce and 1/4 tsp. of sesame oil.  Stir fry the mixture until chicken is warm. Serve and enjoy!

Mom's Keema- Indian Beef

This is one of my favorite dishes.  I love ethnic foods but find it hard to know exactly what is in them when I eat at restaurants.  This dish has the spices and tastes of Indian Food with a limited amount of sugar.

The beef alone has a S/C value of 2/1.  I like it best over vegetables and rice.  I usually eat it over 1/2 c. of brown basmati rice (SC value of 0/1). 

Keema Indian Beef

Serves 4
1 Tbsp. Canola Oil (I use Smart Balance Oil)
1lb ground beef (I think 80/20 beef works best here since you are not adding much additional fat.  It keeps it moist.  However, I have used beef up to 94% lean and still had great results.)
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1 medium sized onion, chopped into fine pieces (I use my food processor)
1 medium sized tomato, chopped (I also use my food processor)
1 inch of ginger, crushed OR 1 Tbsp of ginger paste (found in your ethnic foods department in a jar)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp gran masala
1 tsp salt (adjust to your tastes)


In a deep frying pan over medium-high heat, heat oil.  When hot, add 1/2 tsp mustard seed.  When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the onion.  Cook until light brown.

Add the tomato and  ginger that is crushed.  Keep stirring for 1 min.  Then add ground beef , turmeric powder, cumin, coriander powder and  gran masala and salt.

Lower to heat to med low and cook for 7-8 mins or until beef is cooked.

Old Bay Sauteed Shrimp

Last week, I was really craving Old Bay.  I love the seasoning, and I use the low sodium version as a seasoning on my popcorn all the time.

I wanted to make Old Bay Shrimp, but I did not feel like having the mess associated with peeling and eating steamed shrimp.  I found another way to make the shrimp and still get that great Old Bay flavor.

The Old Bay Sauteed Shrimp has an S/C Value of 0/0.  I served the shrimp with a boiled Artichoke (S/C Value of 1/1) dipped in a French Vinaigrette Dressing (Brianna's Homestyle Brand is a S/C value of 0/0). This would also be great with some roasted fingerling potatoes (S/C Value of 0/1 for half a cup). 

Old Bay Sauteed Shrimp 

 Serves 2-3

1 1/2 lb shrimp (I used large USA caught shrimp)
2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning, original
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Peel and devein shrimp, if necessary.  Pat the shrimp dry and put them in a resealable bag.  Add Old Bay and shake to coat the shrimp.

In large skillet, melt butter on medium-high heat.  Cook shrimp for about 2 minutes per side, or until the shrimp turn pink, curl up slightly, and are cooked through

Serve while hot.

Salmon with White Wine and Chives

I made this recipe for dinner on Monday night.  It turned out fantastically!

The salmon dish has a S/C value of 0/0!  I served the salmon with steamed broccoli (2/0 for a whole cup) and a serving of Cascadian Farms Straight Cut French Fries (I found them at Whole Foods).  I was amazed that 18 fries had a S/C value of only 1/1!!  It was a delicious and filling meal!  I dipped the fries in the wine sauce from the salmon, and it reminded me of moules frites (mussels with fries) from one of my favorite restaurants.

Salmon with White Wine and Chives (serves 2)

1 lb Alaskan Salmon (any fresh caught salmon would work)
salt, to taste (I used pink Himalayan salt)
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp unbleached white flour (I used King Arthur brand)
1 cup of dry white wine (I used 1492 Chardonnay/Viogneir/Chenin blend)
1 1/2 tbsp chopped chives

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Season salmon with salt, to taste.  Place on a baking sheet (with foil for easy clean up) and roast for 12-15 minutes, or until salmon is opaque in the middle.

While the salmon is cooking, melt butter over medium heat. Slowly whisk in flour, then add wine.  Bring the wine mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.   Let wine mixture simmer until it thickens, about 10 or so minutes.
Stir in chives and a pinch of salt.
 Serve over the salmon and enjoy!