Today's post is about low fat dinners. Although I am not actively trying to lose weight, I am purposely not adding extra fat to our meals. We eat very little red meat, which is for my husband's health. I usually limit our red meat consumption to once a week, which is fine by me. I am not a huge meat eater, and will choose chicken over beef 9 times out of 10.
This dish is a favorite of mine. It makes a large pot, and I easily get 3 meals out of it. Keep in mind that their are only 2 of us eating right now, but it's a lot of soup.
Chicken Corn Chowder
3 or 4 chix breasts (bone in or out, whatever is cheaper)
chicken broth (32 ounces; 99 percent fat free)
onion - chopped
celery- chopped
Corn (frozen, fresh or canned) Usually 2 cans or one bag of frozen
2 Potatoes - pealed and chopped into small pieces
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped
salt
pepper
basil
oregano
parsley
Boil chicken in water. Once cooked, remove chicken from water and set aside to cool. Strain broth, wash pot, and put strained liquid back into pot. After chicken cools, remove from bone if needed, and shred. Put back into water in your pot and add onion and celery. Boil until tender. Add potatoes, bring back to a boil until tender (about 20 minutes or less, depending on how large your potato pieces are). Add corn and return to boil. Season to taste with salt, pepper, basil, oregano and parsley. Add chopped eggs, and serve.
I usually serve this soup with crackers or dinner rolls. My husband has even been known to put rice in it. (He's Korean and it actually tastes pretty good, although it doesn't exactly make it low fat.) It's another family favorite.
I am always looking for new recipes to try, so feel free to post them in the comments section, or blog about them and send me a comment so I know to look.
Enjoy!
Friday, February 6, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Potty Training
Just a side note: My son peed on the potty today! And he did it last night too! Granted, he peed himself 10 minutes later since he doesn't know when his bladder is empty, but it the beginning. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!
He had ice cream for lunch afterwards, and we're going shopping for a 'really good' toy tomorrow night. (a promise from daddy)
He had ice cream for lunch afterwards, and we're going shopping for a 'really good' toy tomorrow night. (a promise from daddy)
Low Fat Dinners
I thought I'd do a post on low-fat dinners. Jessica at Pudget: Losing Weight on a Budget has some really great, low-fat recipes. I really enjoy reading her posts and trying out her recipes.
I've posted several recipes lately that are low in fat. My Chicken Tetrazzini is definitely low fat. I use light sour cream, 99% fat free chicken broth and 2% Mozzarella Cheese. You can even use light margarine in it. Not only that, but it's so easy to make. It's definitely a family favorite. In fact, I just made some for my Mom and Dad the other day.
Another really healthy, low fat recipe is Beef Stew. I just posted about it the other day and it was fabulous! I put it in the crockpot in the morning, let it cook all day, thickened it right before we ate, and it was ready! So simple and filling. I didn't put noodles in it, which saved some calories and it was filled with fresh and frozen veggies. I can't wait to have the leftovers for tonight's dinner.
If you have any lowfat recipes you'd like to share, please post them and link to my site. Also, please leave a message in the comments so I know to look at your recipe too!
I've posted several recipes lately that are low in fat. My Chicken Tetrazzini is definitely low fat. I use light sour cream, 99% fat free chicken broth and 2% Mozzarella Cheese. You can even use light margarine in it. Not only that, but it's so easy to make. It's definitely a family favorite. In fact, I just made some for my Mom and Dad the other day.
Another really healthy, low fat recipe is Beef Stew. I just posted about it the other day and it was fabulous! I put it in the crockpot in the morning, let it cook all day, thickened it right before we ate, and it was ready! So simple and filling. I didn't put noodles in it, which saved some calories and it was filled with fresh and frozen veggies. I can't wait to have the leftovers for tonight's dinner.
If you have any lowfat recipes you'd like to share, please post them and link to my site. Also, please leave a message in the comments so I know to look at your recipe too!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Updates
Good Evening! I have some updates for you tonight. First, I went shopping with my Mom today. I purchased one item, a pair of Nike sneakers for my daughter. They were on clearance for $14.98, and they are one size up from what she's wearing now. Technically, I didn't even purchase them. I used some of her birthday money to buy the shoes. THANKS GRANDMA AND PAP-PAP!
Another update, I've been thinking about my meals. I see a lot of people posting how much their dinners cost, and I wondered how much mine cost. I don't know if I can break it down into a lot of detail, but here goes:
Chicken Tetrazinni
Chix - $1.50
Sour Cream - $.99
Chix Broth - $.43
Mozz Cheese - $1 (not bought on sale, although I did buy the store brand)
Butter - $.63
Margarine - $.22
Linguine - $.75
salt, pepper, bread crumbs, garlic and onion powder - $.40 (high estimate since I use very little of each except bread crumb -- 1 cup)
Grand Total: $5.92 -- then I split the entire casserole into 2 dishes (one for us and one for mom and dad)
$2.96 each, four servings in each dish, for a
Total per serving: $.74
Not bad.
Beef Stew - this one is more guessing since I used frozen veggies I'd bought, not on sale, awhile ago.
Beef Cubes - $4.19
2 Potatoes - $2.19
1/2 bag frozen onion - $1.00 (an estimate, probably a little high)
1/2 bag frozen pea - $1.00 (ditto)
2 fresh carrots - $.28
Celery - $.30 (I honestly have no idea how much this cost. I bought it at least 6 weeks ago and keep it in my Tupperware fridgesmart containers. It keeps almost forever!)
1/2 bag frozen corn - $1.00 (same as above veggies)
ginger, bouillon, salt, pepper, cornstarch - $.50 (a high estimate)
1/2 bag frozen green peppers -$1.00 (ditto with veggies)
Grand total $10.96 (I'd say this is a high estimate since I don't know the exact price I paid for the veggies)
2 meals, 4 servings each, gives us a grand total of
$1.37 per serving
Still, not too bad. I could have cut it down farther if I'd followed the recipe, but I put more veggies in it. This beef stew is really fabulous! I omit the raisins since I think it sounds gross. I also added, corn, peppers, potatoes, and maybe the peas too. But it's really tasty, as my 2-year old son would say.
Try it and let me know what you think.
I could have used a fresh onion, but my onions are so strong that the last time I chopped one my eyes burned for a hour afterwards. I was going out after making this stew so I didn't want to have to deal with burning, watery eyes.
Another update, I've been thinking about my meals. I see a lot of people posting how much their dinners cost, and I wondered how much mine cost. I don't know if I can break it down into a lot of detail, but here goes:
Chicken Tetrazinni
Chix - $1.50
Sour Cream - $.99
Chix Broth - $.43
Mozz Cheese - $1 (not bought on sale, although I did buy the store brand)
Butter - $.63
Margarine - $.22
Linguine - $.75
salt, pepper, bread crumbs, garlic and onion powder - $.40 (high estimate since I use very little of each except bread crumb -- 1 cup)
Grand Total: $5.92 -- then I split the entire casserole into 2 dishes (one for us and one for mom and dad)
$2.96 each, four servings in each dish, for a
Total per serving: $.74
Not bad.
Beef Stew - this one is more guessing since I used frozen veggies I'd bought, not on sale, awhile ago.
Beef Cubes - $4.19
2 Potatoes - $2.19
1/2 bag frozen onion - $1.00 (an estimate, probably a little high)
1/2 bag frozen pea - $1.00 (ditto)
2 fresh carrots - $.28
Celery - $.30 (I honestly have no idea how much this cost. I bought it at least 6 weeks ago and keep it in my Tupperware fridgesmart containers. It keeps almost forever!)
1/2 bag frozen corn - $1.00 (same as above veggies)
ginger, bouillon, salt, pepper, cornstarch - $.50 (a high estimate)
1/2 bag frozen green peppers -$1.00 (ditto with veggies)
Grand total $10.96 (I'd say this is a high estimate since I don't know the exact price I paid for the veggies)
2 meals, 4 servings each, gives us a grand total of
$1.37 per serving
Still, not too bad. I could have cut it down farther if I'd followed the recipe, but I put more veggies in it. This beef stew is really fabulous! I omit the raisins since I think it sounds gross. I also added, corn, peppers, potatoes, and maybe the peas too. But it's really tasty, as my 2-year old son would say.
Try it and let me know what you think.
I could have used a fresh onion, but my onions are so strong that the last time I chopped one my eyes burned for a hour afterwards. I was going out after making this stew so I didn't want to have to deal with burning, watery eyes.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Tomorrow Night's Dinner
Okay, so I don't remember what I said I'd make for dinner on Wednesday, but I've decided to make Beef Stew. I know this was on my list for the week, so I'm okay with supplies. This is a recipe from the September 2008 issue of Family Circle.
Beef Stew
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1lb boneless beef cubes
1Tbsp ground ginger
1/4tsp salt
3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch slices
2 large celery stalks, cut into 1-inch slices
1 large beef bouillon cube
2 cups water
2Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4Cup raisins
1/4tsp black pepper
2Tbsp cornstarch
Cooked egg noodles (optional)
Step 1:
layer onions, beef, ginger, salt, carrots and celery in slow cooker bowl. Add bouillon cube, water, vinegar and raisins. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours or until beef is very tender.
Step 2:
Remove cover and stir in black pepper. Using a ladle, remove 3 Tbsp liquid from slow cooker and place in a small bowl. Whisk in cornstarch. Pour cornstart mixture into slow cooker; whisk to combine. Stir until liquid has thickened. Serve with noodles, if desired.
I omit the raisins, since I'm not crazy about them. I also add peas and potatoes and tomorrow I might add corn. With so many veggies, it's like a beef vegetable stew. It's a really healthy, easy meal to put together. Serve it with some brown and serve rolls, or the Pillsbury Crusty French dinner rolls that I got for $1.99 with my $1 coupon this week and it's a great, filling meal. Enjoy!
Beef Stew
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1lb boneless beef cubes
1Tbsp ground ginger
1/4tsp salt
3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch slices
2 large celery stalks, cut into 1-inch slices
1 large beef bouillon cube
2 cups water
2Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4Cup raisins
1/4tsp black pepper
2Tbsp cornstarch
Cooked egg noodles (optional)
Step 1:
layer onions, beef, ginger, salt, carrots and celery in slow cooker bowl. Add bouillon cube, water, vinegar and raisins. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours or until beef is very tender.
Step 2:
Remove cover and stir in black pepper. Using a ladle, remove 3 Tbsp liquid from slow cooker and place in a small bowl. Whisk in cornstarch. Pour cornstart mixture into slow cooker; whisk to combine. Stir until liquid has thickened. Serve with noodles, if desired.
I omit the raisins, since I'm not crazy about them. I also add peas and potatoes and tomorrow I might add corn. With so many veggies, it's like a beef vegetable stew. It's a really healthy, easy meal to put together. Serve it with some brown and serve rolls, or the Pillsbury Crusty French dinner rolls that I got for $1.99 with my $1 coupon this week and it's a great, filling meal. Enjoy!
CVS
I'm starting to feel a little dumb when it comes to CVS shopping. How is it that everyone else can end up paying $.12 for $300 worth of products and I can't? I went to CVS this week, and I came out having spend $36 and saving $32. I was happy with that, until I read other posts and see that I could have done better. I know that I had two issues:
1. I only did one transaction, when I should have done 2. In my defense, I was in a huge hurry and just wanted to get in and get out. Lesson learned: don't go to CVS, or anywhere you want to save money, when you are in a hurry.
2. I didn't use all of my Extra Care Bucks. I was thinking that I would save them because it will all even out in the end. Lesson learned: using your ECB means less out of pocket spent during each trip.
Here's what I bought:
3 Softsoap hand soap $1 each ($1-coupon)
2 Palmolive (10 oz) $.97 each
8-pack Bounty Basic $5.99 ($1-coupon)
Vaseline lotion $2.99 ($1-coupon)
Electrosol Tabs $2.99 ($2.50-coupon)
2 Progressive soup $3.19 (bogo) (2 - $1.10-coupons)
2 Kleenex Antiviral $2.39 (bogo)
2 CVS dry sweep clothes $3.99 (bogo)
Excedrin 10ct $2.49 ($2.49 in ECB)
KY Jelly $19.99 ($5-coupon) ($10 in ECB)
Total: $48.96 before coupons
I had $13.70 in coupons so I spent a total of $36.27 including tax. I also got $12.49 back in ECB and I already had $5 in ECB that I didn't use.
I was thinking that it will all even out in the end, which is true, but if I'm trying to spend less out of pocket, I should be thinking differently.
I should have purchased the KY Jelly and Excedrin first, as a separate transaction, giving me $12.49 in ECB to use for another transaction. That total would have been $17.48 +tax. This would have given me a total of $17.49 in ECB. Then I should have paid for the rest of my purchases in another transaction since I was not getting anymore ECB. That total would have been $18.78 +tax which would have given me an out of pocket expense of $1.29. My total for the trip would have been $18.77 +tax instead of $36.27. I know that next time I go to CVS, I will use those ECB and it will all even out, I am still disgusted that I didn't think it through better.
If you see a better way to have done this, please let me know. I am trying to figure this all out and it seems I have a short in my brain when it comes to CVS and saving money :)
1. I only did one transaction, when I should have done 2. In my defense, I was in a huge hurry and just wanted to get in and get out. Lesson learned: don't go to CVS, or anywhere you want to save money, when you are in a hurry.
2. I didn't use all of my Extra Care Bucks. I was thinking that I would save them because it will all even out in the end. Lesson learned: using your ECB means less out of pocket spent during each trip.
Here's what I bought:
3 Softsoap hand soap $1 each ($1-coupon)
2 Palmolive (10 oz) $.97 each
8-pack Bounty Basic $5.99 ($1-coupon)
Vaseline lotion $2.99 ($1-coupon)
Electrosol Tabs $2.99 ($2.50-coupon)
2 Progressive soup $3.19 (bogo) (2 - $1.10-coupons)
2 Kleenex Antiviral $2.39 (bogo)
2 CVS dry sweep clothes $3.99 (bogo)
Excedrin 10ct $2.49 ($2.49 in ECB)
KY Jelly $19.99 ($5-coupon) ($10 in ECB)
Total: $48.96 before coupons
I had $13.70 in coupons so I spent a total of $36.27 including tax. I also got $12.49 back in ECB and I already had $5 in ECB that I didn't use.
I was thinking that it will all even out in the end, which is true, but if I'm trying to spend less out of pocket, I should be thinking differently.
I should have purchased the KY Jelly and Excedrin first, as a separate transaction, giving me $12.49 in ECB to use for another transaction. That total would have been $17.48 +tax. This would have given me a total of $17.49 in ECB. Then I should have paid for the rest of my purchases in another transaction since I was not getting anymore ECB. That total would have been $18.78 +tax which would have given me an out of pocket expense of $1.29. My total for the trip would have been $18.77 +tax instead of $36.27. I know that next time I go to CVS, I will use those ECB and it will all even out, I am still disgusted that I didn't think it through better.
If you see a better way to have done this, please let me know. I am trying to figure this all out and it seems I have a short in my brain when it comes to CVS and saving money :)
Monday, February 2, 2009
Cheddar Chicken Chowder
I was just reading about Lynn's version of Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup, at LifeasMom.com, and I want to post a soup recipe myself.
Cheddar Chicken Chowder
2 slices bacon
cooking spray
1lb boneless/skinless chicken (cut into bite size pieces)
1C chopped onion
1C diced red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2C chicken broth
1 3/4C diced potatoes
2 1/4C frozen corn
1/2C flour
2C milk
3/4C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper
Cook bacon, in a dutch oven coated with cooking spray, until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Crumble and set aside. Add chicken, onion, pepper and garlic to bacon fat in the pan. Saute 5 minutes. Add broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add corn, stir well. Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk, whisking until blended. Add to soup. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper. Top with crumbled bacon.
This soup is amazing! It's thick and creamy, perfect for a cold, rainy (or snowy) night. It didn't take that long to make, either. I would serve this with a small salad (I have a great recipe for a BLT chicken salad that would make perfect use of the rest of the pack of bacon) but it is also a great, light lunch on it's own. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Cheddar Chicken Chowder
2 slices bacon
cooking spray
1lb boneless/skinless chicken (cut into bite size pieces)
1C chopped onion
1C diced red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 1/2C chicken broth
1 3/4C diced potatoes
2 1/4C frozen corn
1/2C flour
2C milk
3/4C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper
Cook bacon, in a dutch oven coated with cooking spray, until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Crumble and set aside. Add chicken, onion, pepper and garlic to bacon fat in the pan. Saute 5 minutes. Add broth and potatoes and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add corn, stir well. Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk, whisking until blended. Add to soup. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in cheese, salt and pepper. Top with crumbled bacon.
This soup is amazing! It's thick and creamy, perfect for a cold, rainy (or snowy) night. It didn't take that long to make, either. I would serve this with a small salad (I have a great recipe for a BLT chicken salad that would make perfect use of the rest of the pack of bacon) but it is also a great, light lunch on it's own. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
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