Stuffed Pepper Soup

As I have mentioned, the Monkey Scientist frequently brings up the stuffed peppers I made for him back in April as one of his favorite meals I've made for him.  I ought to make them again - they were really fantastic.  But since it finally dipped below freezing this week, I decide to make a soup version!



Although this is a Skinny Taste recipe, which means it's lightened up and healthier, it is absolutely filling.  I did make some adaptations, so it doesn't fit the nutritional facts on the original recipe anymore, but I think I may have made it even healthier by substituting the red meat for chicken.  The Monkey Scientist had a big bowl and said that he was actually full, but he kept eating because he felt like he should.  For us ladies who aren't trying to keep up with a ridiculously fast metabolism, you'll be plenty full with one low fat, low calorie bowl.  It's exactly the kind of meal that makes you feel good about yourself during the holiday season.



I'm usually not a big fan of tomato-based soups, but I found this one particularly savory and delicious.  I added red pepper flakes because when I asked the Monkey Scientist to hand me the salt and pepper, he handed me salt and red pepper flakes.  (Why do I feel like that one act perfectly sums up my boyfriend's eating preferences?)  It turned out to be a great addition and I loved the kick it gave the soup.



Overall, a true winner.  We both thought it was warm, comforting, savory and great tasting.  It had all the flavors of our favorite stuffed peppers, but was a great winter substitution that warmed us right up.  It would be a perfect soup to bring to the ski mountain in your Bubba Keg (OK, that comment was directed straight at my Mom).

Now we're on a kick - which of my other recipes can we turn into soups?



Stuffed Pepper Soup
adapted from Gina's Skinny Taste

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked brown rice (I used long-grain)
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb ground chicken (or any other low-fat ground meat)
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup finely diced onion (I used frozen chopped onions)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz each) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 3/4 - 2 cups tomato sauce (I used one 14.5-oz can and 8-oz can of Hunt's)
2 cups reduced sodium, fat-free chicken broth (I used Cottage Inn)
1/2 tsp dried herbes de provence
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil then brown ground chicken on high heat and season with salt.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add peppers, onions and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes on low heat.
3. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, herbes de provence, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
4. Serve about 1 1/3 cups of soup in each bowl and top with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.  You can also sprinkle parmesan cheese on top if you like.

Skinny Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

With the holiday season just around the bend, it's time to kick those healthy habits into high gear! It takes lot of work for me to focus on eating healthy and exercising as the weather turns colder and the opportunities for eating junk pile up.



This weekend, we took advantage of a gorgeous sunny day and went hiking on Bear Island in Potomac, MD.  We ended up doing the most challenging path, Billy Goat Trail A, which surprised us both in length and challenges!  It wasn't so much climbing uphill but tricky footing and small ledges that kept us on our toes!



Of course one of the best places to start a healthy kick is in the kitchen, so we've been trying to make healthy meals when we cook at home.  I loved this recipe because it is a classic comfort food but healthified.  Even though it's been reduced in the calorie and fat departments, it's still loaded with meat and cheese so it remains a filling dinner.



We really enjoyed this recipe.  I ended up eating it for lunch and dinner a few days in the row.  I enjoyed getting my cheesy kick without the guilt of the full fat version.  Even the Monkey Scientist was able to fill up on this for dinner.  Plus I love when you put pasta in the oven and it gets a little crispy around the edges.  It's one of my favorite things :)



Skinny Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce
from Gina's Skinny Taste

Ingredients:
27 (9 oz) jumbo pasta shells
1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb 99% lean ground turkey
32 oz crushed tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper
2 cups fat free or part skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
16 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed well
8 oz reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano

Instructions:
1. Boil water and cook shells according to package directions, make sure to make them al dente.
2. Meanwhile, saute onions and garlic in oil. Add turkey and salt and brown until cooked, breaking up in small pieces. Add tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and basil, then simmer on low, covered, about 15 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, egg, spinach, mozzarella, and parmesan.
4. Once shells are cooked and cool, fill each shell with (about 2 heaping tbsp) cheese mixture and place on a large baking dish, or two smaller dishes, covering the bottom of the dish with a little sauce.
5. Top shells with half of the sauce, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes; uncover foil and bake 5 more minutes. Serve with additional sauce on top.

Falafel with Chipotle Mayo and Spicy Homemade Hummus

I'm going to be honest with you, this won't be the blog post I'm the most proud of.  It's a bit of a sham.  For one, I started with this:



Now you know I know how to make falafel.  It really isn't difficult.  But I just didn't take a lot of time to read this recipe before I made it, and I thought I'd be doctoring the falafel mix more than I actually did...which ended up being not at all.  Still, I know some people might really like the kind that comes in a packet, so I didn't think it could hurt to show you how to make falafel from a packet a little more special.



Of course, making the hummus isn't all that different from making falafel.  In fact, it's almost exactly the same.  But at least this way you don't need to clean the food processor twice.  I adjusted this basic hummus recipe to be a little bit spicy, and I really enjoyed it! But, this brings me to the other reason why this post is a sham, my brain was totally slipping on remembering to take pictures, so you only get the final product.  Sorry!



And I'm also sorry to say that my other pictures aren't exactly my best either.  I don't even have more than 1 decent picture of the finished sandwich - my others were totally out of focus.  It was just one of those days. I'll try to make sure I do better next time :)



This recipe was so easy and really great.  I think the hummus can have so many other applications, including just having it with some carrots as an appetizer.  Making hummus couldn't be easier, and it's way cheaper than buying it pre-made, so I hope that's the big takeaway here.  Chipotle mayo, always great, and you can use greek yogurt instead (like I did here), and adds that creamy moisture a good sandwich needs.  I think these ingredients are all easy to keep in the house at any time for a simple dinner you can throw together in no time!



Falafel with Chipotle Mayo and Spicy Homemade Hummus
slightly adapted from Weight Watchers' New Complete Cookbook

Ingredients
1 (10-oz) package falafel mix
1 1/4 cups water
4 tsp olive oil
4 (6-inch) whole wheat pita breads, halved
6 tbsp chipotle mayo (see below)
1 cup spicy homemade hummus (see below)
8 small romaine lettuce heads

Instructions
1. Stir together falafel mix and water in a medium bowl until combined well; let stand according to package instructions.
2. Drop falafel mixture by 2 tablespoonfuls onto large sheets of wax paper (I used my silpat), making a total of 20 mounds (I made bigger but way fewer).
3. Heat 1 tsp oil in a very large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Shape 5 mounds of falafel mixture into 2-inch patties and add to skillet as they are shaped.  Cook until golden and firm, about 2 min per side.  Transfer patties to plate covered in paper towel and keep warm.  Repeat with remaining oil and falafel mixture.
4. Spread 1 1/2 tsp chipotle mayo and 2 tbsp hummus in each pita.  Cut 4 falafel patties in half and add to each pita along with 1 lettuce leaf.



Chipotle Mayonnaise
from Weight Watchers' New Complete Cookbook

Ingredients
6 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
1 chipotle pepper from can of chipotles in adobo, minced
2 tsp adobo sauce

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl with a spatula.  Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.


Spicy Homemade Hummus
adapted from Weight Watchers' Complete New Cookbook

Ingredients
1 (15 1/2-oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp tahini paste
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
3-4 drops hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)
1 chipotle from a can of chipotles in adobo
1 tbsp adobo sauce
1/2 tsp paprika

Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients except paprika in food processor and puree, adding a little bit more water if hummus is too thick.
2. Transfer hummus to serving dish; sprinkle with paprika.  Serve at once or refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days.

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato-Stuff Eggplant Rollups

Finally, I am back in the kitchen.  It felt so good to cook my own meal after a couple weeks of letting Mom and the Monkey Scientist cook for me.  They both make slam dunk dinners, but I just love the act of cooking - there's something about slicing veggies at the end of the day that I truly enjoy.



The Monkey Scientist had a great idea this week.  Instead of waiting until January to start resolutions, we're going to have some Fall resolutions.  Mainly, this involves eating healthier and exercising more.  I think this is great - I was so good in the first quarter of the year of following my resolutions (blog more, eat better, run a 5K) but I've let a lot of it slip.  This will be a great pick-me-up going into the often unhealthy holiday season.



For me, eating healthier is going to be a lot about eating with the Monkey Scientist without eating as much as him. I've mentioned before that a home-cooked meal lasted me a week before I met him, as I'd eat a little and have leftovers all week.  Now, it lasts that night.  My rule is to try to let him eat 2/3 of what I make - we'll see how it goes.  Also, just making some healthier foods!



This recipe came from the Weight Watchers' New Complete Cookbook, which a friend recently borrowed from the library and let me make a couple photocopies out of it.  It's a super easy cookbook, and it's all available on Google Books, so I recommend checking it out.  I plan to make a few more recipes from it in the coming weeks.  It has loads of options for Meatless Mondays - like this one!



Weight Watchers designed this recipe to make 4 servings, and 1 serving has only 95 calories and 5 g fat (my adjustments only related to spices, so this should still be about right), so even if I ate almost 2 servings that's a pretty light dinner.  (Complete nutrition facts are available in the cookbook, see link in the recipe). The eggplant is meaty and filling so I wasn't left hungry or missing meat.  I served it up with some seasoned brown rice (made in the rice cooker - getting way better at using it!) which is healthier than pasta or white rice.



Of course, I kicked up the spice.  Feel free to leave out the cayenne and red pepper flakes if that scares you. I had a little bit of a portion issue on the stuffing - my tomato was too small and my onion was a little too big, so I'd adjust that next time.  I'd also probably roast the tomato and onion along with the red pepper.  I'm just not a huge fan of raw onion.  I found rolling the eggplant to be pretty difficult and it didn't come out quite as pretty as I would have liked.



Still we liked this recipe.  I liked the small amount of goat cheese instead of loading it with ricotta.  All the veggies made it pretty hearty and I enjoyed the kick from the cayenne and red pepper flakes.  The Monkey Scientist said he didn't know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised (he might not have used exactly those words).  Overall, a nice, easy, healthy dinner.



Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato-Stuffed Eggplant Rollups
adjusted from Weight Watchers' New Complete Cookbook

Ingredients
1/4 c crumbled soft goat cheese
1 large plum tomato, chopped (optional - roasted)
1 chopped roasted red pepper
1 small onion, chopped (optional - roasted)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 (1-lb) eggplant, cut lengthwise into 8 slices
Olive Oil non-stick spray (I used Pam)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

Instructions
1. Stir together goat cheese, tomato, roasted red pepper, onion, oregano, 1/4 tsp salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, & cayenne in a medium bowl.
2. Spray Forman grill with olive oil nonstick spray and preheat.  Lightly spray eggplant slices with nonstick spray and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 tsp salt.  Place eggplant on Forman grill and grill until well marked and tender, about 3 minutes. (note: only the bottom got marks on my Forman, but it should be ok!).  Transfer to plate; let cool.
3. To assemble rollups, spoon about 2 tbsp of tomato/onion/red peper mixture on wider end of each slice of eggplant.  Rollup tightly and place, seam side down, on platter (use a toothpick if needed).  (At this point, if you want you can roast in a 450 degree oven for 20 min or so). Drizzle oil over rollups and sprinkle with mint.

Lightened Kung Pao Chicken

I got this recipe from my coworker.  She gave it to me photocopied out of a Weight Watchers cookbook, I'm just not sure which.

I really enjoy my Chinese food spicy so I tried to step up the spice by adding more red pepper flakes and the habanero pepper.  The original recipe also called for water chesnuts but I can't stand water chestnuts so I replaced them with the string beans.

The assembly, like with most slow cooker recipes, was super easy - which I love!  There wasn't even much clean up!

The verdict?  The chicken was really dry and overall it just wasn't that great.  I wouldn't make it again, but it was definitely easy.

Kung Pao Chicken

Adapted from a weight watchers cookbook...not sure which one

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons hoison sauce

3 tablespoons chicken broth (or you could use dry sherry)

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons thin strips peeled fresh ginger

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 small habenero chili, minced

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

8 oz string beans

2 tablespoons cold water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

3 cups chopped green bell pepper and onion mixture

Directions:

1. Combine hoisin sauce, sherry, ketchup, soy sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes, and habenero chili in slow cooker.  Stir in chicken and string beans.  Cover and cook until chicken is fork-tender, 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

2. About 20 minutes before cooking time is up, mix water and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.  Stir cornstarch mixture, bell peppers, and onion into slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high until mixture simmers and thickens and bell peppers and onions are crisp-tender, about 15 minutes.