Lowfat Beef Chili

It is winter time and what goes better on a cold, snowy night than a nice hot bowl of chili?  I put this recipe together with the idea of really enjoying a hearty meal that is light on the mid-section.  I did serve this with brown rice and although the rice adds calories, brown rice is much healthier then white rice so you can enjoy.  Stay warm and enjoy!

Low Fat Beef Chili

Serves 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 6 hours slow cooker or 2 hours stovetop cooking

Estimated values per serving:

Calories =   350 Fat =  6 grams

Ingredients:

1 onion – chopped

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup Jack Daniels

2 – 2 ½ pounds London broil, cubbed

1 – 2 jalapenos peppers, seeded and minced

2 (12 ounce) jars chili sauce

1 can (28 ounces ) crushed tomatoes

2 – 3 dashes Tabasco sauce (optional)

1 tablespoon paprika

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon hickory smoke salt

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 (15.5 ounces) can of red kidney beans or black beans

Directions:

1.    Heat a large pot on medium and coat with cooking spray.  Add beef and sauté for 5 minutes until browned. 

2. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes more then add garlic to sauté for 1 minute.  Add Jack Daniels and cook until liquid is absorbed.

3.    Add jalapenos, chili sauce, tomatoes, Tabasco sauce, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, hickory smoke salt, liquid smoke and oregano and stir.

4.    Once the mixture comes to a boil, you can lower the heat and keep on the stove to simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or transfer to a crock pot and set on high for 4 hours and low for an additional 2 hours.

5.    Stir in beans ½ hour before the chili will be served.  Serve hot.

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Southwest Vegetarian Skillet

Southwest Vegetarian Skillet

Serves 6

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Cook Time: 15 – 20 minutes

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 315                      Fat = 3 grams                        Points: 4

Southwest Vegetarian Skillet

Ingredients:

1 onion – chopped

1 jar salsa (17 ounces)

1 ½ cups frozen corn

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 can (15.5 ounces) red kidney beans – rinsed

1 can (15.5 ounces) chick peas- rinsed

1 can (15 ounces) black beans- rinsed

2 – 3 dashes hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat a large skillet on medium heat and coat with cooking spray.  Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft and browned.
2. Add salsa and corn, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until corn is tender and cooked.
3. Add brown rice, cover and simmer on low heat for about 5 more minutes.
4. Stir in beans and hot sauce, cover and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Serve hot.

Sausage and Seafood Paella

Sausage and Seafood Paella

Serves 8

Sausage and Seafood Paella

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Estimated Values per Serving:

Calories: 285                        Fat: 5 grams                          Points: 6

Ingredients:

1 – 12 ounce package of hot or mild chicken sausage

1 cup onion – chopped

½ cup celery – chopped

2 cloves garlic – minced

1 teaspoon saffron threads

2 cups reduced fat chicken broth

1 cup long grain rice

1 cup canned diced tomatoes

1 cup frozen peas – defrosted

1 pound shrimp – shelled, deveined and cut into bite sized pieces

1 pound small sea scallops

Directions:

1. Remove outer casing from chicken sausages and coarsely chop. 
2. Heat a large skillet on medium heat and spray with cooking spray.  Add chicken sausage and sauté for 3 – 5 minutes until browned.
3. Remove sausage from skillet and set aside.  Spray same skillet with cooking spray again and add onion and celery.  Sauté for 3 – 5 minutes until browned.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. 
4. Combine saffron threads in the chicken broth and stir until saffron dissolves then add to skillet with rice.  Set stovetop heat to low and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes, until liquid has dissolved.  Add diced tomatoes, peas, shrimp and sea scallops.  Cook for 3 – 5 minutes until fish is cooked. 
5. Add rice and sausage to skillet, heat and then serve.

A spice to Life

One of the best ways to create delicious and flavorful low fat meals is by adding spices.  Most spices have very few calories and no fat.  The grilled chicken breast that we for dinner tonight offered something flavorful to what could normally be a very boring.  The only thing to be aware of is that you want to marinate the chicken breasts the night before so they can pick up all the flavors.  If there are spices that you do not like in the recipe, have fun and substitute with something that you do like. 

Enjoy and happy spicing!!

Grilled Cajun Chicken Breast with Spicy Rice

Serves 6

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Chicken Marinade:

¼ cup orange juice

Juice of 1 lime

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon rum

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons paprika

1 teaspoon chipotle seasoning

1 teaspoon thyme

¼ teaspoon allspice

2 pounds skinless/boneless chicken breast

Spicy Rice Ingredients:

2 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 cup long grain brown rice

1 cup corn kernels

½ green bell pepper – chopped

1/3 cup black beans from a can – drained and rinsed

Directions:

1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a large sealable bag, add chicken breast and marinate overnight.
2. The night of dinner: Combine the vegetable broth, paprika and Cajun seasoning to a boil then add rice.  Simmer for 45 minutes.
3. While rice is cooking, combine corn and bell pepper in a small bowl, add 1 tablespoon water and cook in the microwave on high for 2 minutes.  Add beans and set aside.
4. Heat grill on high heat, remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade.
5. Spray grill with cooking spray and add chicken breast.  Grill for 5 – 7 minutes on each side until cooked through.
6. When rice is cooked, add corn and beans and spoon onto a serving platter.  Place chicken breasts on top and serve.

Estimated Nutritional Value per serving:

Calories = 473                                              Fat = 3 grams