Smoky Split Pea Soup

It turns out, you really don't need ham to make a hearty, smoky soup! The important part is the salty, smoky flavor, as is demonstrated in this vegan soup that's perfect for a cold winter's day. It's really important that you use smoked paprika, not regular paprika, for this recipe. McCormick makes it in their gourmet line. (It's also fun to substitute it for regular paprika in other recipes to change the flavor up a bit.)

Smoky Split Pea Soup
Adapted from the book Appetite for Reduction

1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped small
4 cloves garlic, minced
A few pinches of freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
4 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
1 1/4 cups dried split peas (rinsed)
6 cups vegetable broth (I used low sodium)
(The original recipe also called for 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, which I omitted.)

In a 4-qt saucepan or stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 4 minutes, until translucent. Add garlic, salt & pepper, and saute one minute more. Add paprika and thyme and stir constantly for about 15 minutes to toast spices. Add carrots, split peas, and broth, cover, and bring to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 40 minutes or until peas are tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving for maximum flavor.

Note: It took my peas about an hour to get tender...and they still weren't as tender as I would have liked, but we were hungry and wanted to eat. Next time I may adapt this to the slow cooker so I can be sure the peas all get really tender.

This recipe makes 5 servings of 1 1/2 cups each.

Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup

I love my slow cooker, because you can "set it and forget it." Dinner is ready whenever you are, and the cooking is already done...so it's great for busy evenings. This recipe does call for some skillet-cooking of vegetables ahead of time, but I think it would probably be fine if you didn't do that, as long as you cook it the full 8 hours. You could also leave out the oil if you did it that way. As usual, I have backed down on the spices in my version because I'm not a fan of things that are really hot. If you want it hot, add the 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper back into the recipe.

Black Bean Soup
Adapted from Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
2 14.5 oz cans black beans, rinsed & drained
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (not drained)
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
salt & pepper to taste
2 bay leaves

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper, and minced garlic, stir, cover, and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Meanwhile, in slow cooker, add beans, tomatoes, and spices and stir together. When vegetables are done, add them to the cooker. Pour broth over top, stir, and add the bay leaves. Cook on low for 8 hours. Before serving, remove bay leaves and use an immersion blender for a few seconds to puree a small portion of the soup, just enough to thicken. You can also remove 2 cups of soup from the cooker and puree in a blender, and add back to the soup.

This recipe makes 6 servings of 1 1/2 cups each.

Texas Trail Beef Macaroni

This recipe gets passed around a lot on the Weight Watchers Power Foods board. I believe it was originally posted by Anne, and I have seen it posted many times by others as well, always with rave reviews. I had been meaning to try it for a while but never had a full box of whole wheat elbow macaroni or enough tomato sauce. Yesterday, I purchased both and decided to give it a try. I am very pleased with the results -- tasty, cheap, and made a lot of leftovers for later lunches and dinners.

Texas Trail Beef Macaroni

Source: Anne from the WW.com Power Foods Board

1 lb 93% lean ground beef
1 cup diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
32 oz beef broth
29 oz tomato sauce
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dried basil
4 cups dried whole wheat elbow macaroni

In a large stockpot, brown ground beef with onion and garlic. Stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, cover and cook 10 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve topped with fat free cheddar cheese and/or sour cream, if desired. Makes 8 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each.

Quick & Easy Chili

I love easy recipes, and when it gets cool outside, I love chili. This recipe brings them both together in a simple but tasty chili that is ready in less than 30 minutes. It's very flexible and versatile -- you can add extra veggies (like green peppers), sub veggie burger crumbles for the ground beef, use ground turkey or ground chicken, use a different kind of beans, whatever suits your fancy! It's more of a sweet chili than a spicy one, so if you want extra spice, sub out a can of Mexican-style diced tomatoes for one of the cans of diced tomatoes, add a can of diced green chiles, or add some cumin or cayenne. This recipe is also very easily pared down for fewer servings -- I usually make a half batch for dinner, and end up with one bowl left over for lunch the next day.

Quick & Easy Chili

1 lb 93% lean ground beef
1 small onion, diced
2 8 oz cans tomato sauce
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes (not drained)
2 14.5 oz cans kidney beans (rinsed & drained)
2 tbsp chili powder

Brown ground beef with onion in a large pot. When beef is done, drain excess fat and add remaining ingredients. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes. Serve topped with fat free cheddar cheese and sour cream. Makes 6 servings of about 1 1/2 cups each.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Stew

I have seen this recipe in a few different places on the internet, with different variations. Today, I made my own variation in the slow cooker, since the heat has returned here in Indiana and the last thing I want to do is heat up the kitchen running the oven or simmering something on the stove. It's super easy to throw together, and fairly cheap, especially considering that it makes 8 servings. The chicken taco seasoning gives it a different flavor from regular ground beef taco seasoning. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture before all of the leftovers were either gone or in the freezer! I will take one the next time I make it and update the post.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Stew

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups frozen corn
15 oz can Mexican-style diced tomatoes, with liquid
15 oz can regular diced tomatoes, with liquid
15 oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 packet McCormick Chicken Taco Seasoning
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

Mix all ingredients except chicken in 4 1/2-quart slow cooker (larger is fine). Lay chicken on top and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Remove chicken breasts, allow to cool slightly, shred with forks, and stir back into stew. Enjoy!

The serving size is 1 generous (slightly heaping) cup, and the recipe makes 8 servings.

Whole Wheat Chili Mac

I love basic, one-dish meals. Even better if they only dirty one pan. This one definitely fits the bill. Plus, it's cheap, at less than $5 for the entire recipe if you shop at Aldi. I think this is going to become a fall and winter staple in our house. I modified it because I don't like things that are super spicy, and a couple of reviews complained it was hot. So I removed the chiles, used regular diced tomatoes instead of Mexican stewed tomatoes, and played with the chili powder and cumin measurements a bit.

Whole Wheat Chili Mac

Adapted from WeightWatchers.com

12 oz 93% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups tomato sauce
15 oz can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup whole wheat elbow macaroni (dry)

Saute ground beef in skillet with onion until browned. Drain off fat. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with their liquid), chili powder, and cumin. Bring to a boil. Stir in beans and macaroni, return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with fat free cheddar and sour cream, if desired.

Makes 6 1 1/4 cup servings.

Farmer's Market Ratatouille

I scored quite a haul for a very cheap price at our local farmer's market this week, and I am eager to use up all of these beautiful veggies! Ratatouille seemed like a great way to combine a lot of them together and "eat the rainbow," so to speak, so I stuck it in the Crock Pot for a light, pre-workout dinner.

Farmer's Market Ratatouille

1 medium eggplant, diced
1 medium yellow summer squash, coarsely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp minced garlic or 1 clove, minced

Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2 hours. Stir in snipped fresh basil just before serving, if desired.

Slow Cooker Lemon-Garlic Cornish Hen

This recipe is my first "original creation" for this blog! When I bought the cornish hen, I originally intended to grill it, but that day turned out to be stormy...not so great for grilling. So I decided to cook it in the slow cooker instead. I used my trusty 2 1/2 qt slow cooker, which is perfect for two people, and doesn't heat up the kitchen like the stove or oven.

Slow Cooker Lemon-Garlic Cornish Hen

1 cornish game hen, giblets discarded (mine was 20 oz raw weight)
3-4 medium red potatoes, quartered
1 small onion, halved
1 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
fresh lemon with peel, quartered

Place potatoes in bottom of 2 1/2- or 3-quart slow cooker. Take one half of onion and separate layers, spreading over potatoes. Mix spices together and rub all over inside and outside of hen, getting between the meat and skin as much as you can. Put remaining half of onion and one lemon quarter inside cavity. Place hen on top of potatoes in slow cooker. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8, or until meat is cooked through. Remove skin before serving.

Spaghetti Pizza

I love pasta, in case you couldn't tell. ;) I found the original version of this recipe on the Weight Watchers website, where it was a featured "makeover." I made it over even further, to make it even more WW-friendly. I also pared it down because with only two of us in this house, we don't need 8 or 10 servings of anything.

Spaghetti Pizza

6 oz whole wheat spaghetti
2 egg whites
1/3 cup skim milk
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp basil
3/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
4 1/2 oz fat free mozzarella
16 oz bottled fat free, sugar free pasta sauce (I used Whole Foods 365 Fat Free Pasta Sauce)
1 oz pepperoni, finely julienned*

Break spaghetti into 2-inch pieces and cook until al dente. Drain, rinse, and allow to cool. Meanwhile, beat egg whites in a medium bowl until frothy. Stir in milk, seasonings, and 1/3 cup mozzarella. Pour spaghetti mixture into bottom of 8x8" glass baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, spread pasta sauce over spaghetti and top with remaining cheese. Spread pepperoni evenly over top. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake for 20-25 more minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly. Makes 4 servings.

Note: I reduced the cooking times slightly because I reduced the overall amount of the recipe. Your mileage may vary depending on your oven (mine is pretty hot). The original baking times were 15 minutes for the spaghetti "crust" and 30 minutes for the overall product.

Baked Spaghetti

This is a modification of a recipe I got out of a church cookbook, pared down for two. I decided to try it with the fat free cheese, and drizzle some olive oil on top to help it melt. That really helped -- made the cheese just as stringy as it would have been if it was regular cheese. It's a delicious and very filling recipe.

Baked Spaghetti

4 oz whole wheat spaghetti, cooked & drained
2 cups homemade meat sauce, warmed
3 oz Kraft Fat Free Mozzarella cheese
4 tsp olive oil

In a 1 1/2-qt casserole lightly coated with cooking spray, spread pasta in even layer. Spread warmed sauce over pasta. Sprinkle cheese over sauce, and drizzle olive oil on top. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and starts to brown. Makes 2 servings.

Note: If you don't have any homemade meat sauce made up and stored, you can also make the sauce while the pasta is cooking. Just brown 8 oz lean ground beef (at least 93% lean) with 1/4 cup of chopped onion, stir in 1 cup marinara sauce, and heat throughout.

Crab Pasta Salad

I have been guest hosting a thread on the Weight Watchers Power Foods board that serves as a recipe exchange, while the regular hostess is taking a break. The first week I hosted, I asked for no-cook or minimal cooking recipes to keep the kitchen cool during this insane heat wave. This recipe was posted in that thread by Grandmomlady, and has now become a summer staple for us. My version may be a bit different from hers, but it's very tasty and super easy.

Crab Pasta Salad
4 oz whole wheat elbow macaroni
2 stalks celery, diced
6 oz imitation crab meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup fat free mayonnaise
1/4 cup fat free plain yogurt (regular or Greek)
1 tsp onion powder

Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water to cool. Mix in a large bowl with remaining ingredients. Serve chilled. Makes 2 generous servings.

Mom's Meat Loaf

If you're craving comfort food, here's a healthier option! This is a recipe from my childhood -- the meat loaf my mom used to make growing up. It was a favorite of one of my cousins who ate dinner with us a few nights a week when I was a teenager. It's very kid-friendly in flavor, and simple to put together. The serving sizes are quite generous too.

Mom's Meat Loaf
1 1/2 lbs 93% lean ground beef
1 envelope dry onion soup mix (such as Lipton Recipe Secrets)
1 egg
1/3 cup skim milk
2/3 cup ketchup, divided
3/4 cup old fashioned oats (dry)

In a small bowl, combine milk and 1/3 cup of ketchup. In a large bowl, mix together beef, soup mix, egg, and ketchup mixture until combined. Mix in oats. Shape into a 2" high rectangular loaf in a 7x9" casserole dish. Spread remaining ketchup over top. Bake for 1 hour at 350. Makes 6 generous servings.