2 great summer recipes, I am back to getting Fit and sharing my healthy recipes

Ok,

so it has been months since I or anyone else has shared a recipe they enjoy, especially a healthy one so I am back at it.  My goal is to continue to lose the weight and get healthy while we all continue to share our favorite healthy and some not so healthy recipes.

So here are the first 2:

Chinease Chicken Salad

2 versions to this recipe, here is the original.

1.2 cup fat free mayo
1 tbsp soy sauce (reduced sodium)
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 lb. cooked chicken, shredded about 3 cups
1/2 c. snow peas cut in half
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup diced sweet red bell pepper
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
4 pieces of bibb lettuce

whisk together mayo, soy and ginger. 

mix remaining ingredients (minus lettuce) together, then mix in dressing, serve over lettuce

serves 4, 4 ww points

version 2 - I do not like Fat free mayo so I replaced that with fat free greek yogurt, it was great and same points

Here is the next recipe that I am in love with.  Joey helped.  The original called for 1/4 cup sugar and it was too sweet so I have played with it and an 1/8 cup is perfect.  add additional sugar if needed and strawberries are not sweet enough.

Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream - no ice cream maker needed

1 lb fresh strawberries (frozen) or 1 lb. frozen strawberries

1 c. fat free greek yogurt
1/8 c. sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
strawberries for garnich

1.  in a food processor with the knife blade, puree 1 cup of berries til finely chopped. transfer to a metal bowl, preferably one that has been in the freezer chiiling for an hr or more.

2.  in the food processor, puree yogurt, sugar, vanilla, until smooth.  pour into metal bowl and mix well.  cover and freeze for 1 hour, until firm but not hard.

garnish with strawberries - 4 servings, 1 pt each.

Joey loved helping with the ice cream, what a great activity and then a treat to eat with your kids while teaching them to be healthy.

breakfast and dinner recipes loved by all for my StrollerFit Families and one can be a passover recipe

Spinach Tostados with Shrimp and Potatoes

Ingredients:


For the tostadas:
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed
1 tablespoon finely diced red bell pepper
1 teaspoon finely diced serrano pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large eggs
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the Shrimp topping:
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon finely diced shallot
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 russet potatoes, cooked in boiling salted water until just fork tender, then cut in 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons capers
1/2 pound shrimp, shelled, cleaned, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley leaves
2 tablespoons grated feta cheese

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Add the spinach to a colander, and press down to remove as much water as possible. Transfer the spinach to a double layer of paper towels and press and squeeze to remove any extra water. Chop the spinach and add it to a medium bowl with the remaining ingredients, except the extra-virgin olive oil. The mixture should be very well combined and moist, but not wet.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and form into flat patties, about 3 inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick. Arrange the patties on the baking sheet and press down until very firm. This step can be done ahead, but be sure to refrigerate the patties.
In a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. When hot, add the spinach tostadas into the pan, cook about 2 minutes, gently turn and cook the other side. They will be slightly browned. Put them on a paper towel lined baking sheet, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and hold in a warm oven.
Topping: In a small bowl combine the sour cream and lime zest and set aside, set aside.
In the same pan the spinach tostadas were cooked in, heat the remaining oil left in pan, over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add in the shallot and cook until translucent. Add in the tomatoes, potatoes and capers, stir to combine, add in the shrimp and stock and cook until shrimp turn pink. Stir in the pepper and the parsley and remove from the heat.
Remove the spinach tostadas from the oven, and transfer to a serving platter. Equally portion the shrimp mixture on each tostada, sprinkle with feta, top with a small dollop of the sour cream mixture and serve immediately.

This recipe was made by Guy Fieri on the food network, it is 3 pts a serving or 5.5 points for 2 servings if you are doing weight watchers.  the whole family loved this.  I also made a batch replacing the panko in the spinach tostados with matzoh meal for a passover recipe and it was a hit, so I am going to make that to go with the seder meal on tuesday and serve it as a side with the pot roast.

Oatmeal, Almond & Blueberry Pamcakes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup low fat buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
3/4 cup chopped almonds
non stick spray

Directions:

Mix the first five ingredients together.  Mix eggs, buttermilk and vanilla in a seperate bowl.  pour liquid into dry ingredient and mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.  Mix in blueberries and almonds.  heat a pan and spray with non stick spray.  pour out about 1/3 cup for large pancakes  or 1/4 cup or less for silver dollar pancakes.  flip after about 2 minutes, when the batter begins to show signs of bubbling and side down is golden brown, do not rush.

3 large panckes are 4 points - makes 9 pancakes, 3 silver dollar pancakes is 2 points, makes 23 small silver dollar pancakes.

Serve with real maple syrup.  I froze the rest and put 3 in the toaster oven today to heat them for breakfast, they were just as good as the fresh ones.

Joey helped mix and crack the eggs and add the berries and almonds.  He loves helping in the kitchen.  We hope our StrollerFriends enjoy these recipes as much as we did

Emily's Spicy Chicken Taco Soup

This Healthy SOup was also from the Soup swap, sorry for the delay

Spicy Chicken Taco Soup

Ingredients:
1 can black beans
12 c frozen corn
1/2 c rice
1 can fire roasted tomatos
1 sm can diced tomatos
3 cups water
1 cup chicken broth
2 cooked chicken breast
cumin and cilantro to taste

directions:  place all ingredients in a pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, serve with shredded cheese and tortilla chips

makes 8 servings at 2 points a pieces without cheese and tortilla.

healthy soups and stews

We had a soup swap yesterday, here are the Recipes:

Jesy's low fat beef stew- makes 8 servings 5 points a piece

ingredients:
1 pound stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 mediuum onion, cut into 8ths
3 large carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1- 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatos, drained
1-10.5 ounce can beef broth
1-8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 tbsp worcesterschire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 large potatos, cubed
1 cup frozen corn kernels

directions:
1.pre heat oven to 325 degrees

2.  mix all ingredients except potatos in an oven proof 4 qt dutch oven, cover and bake for 2 hrs, stirring once

3.  add potatos, cover and bake 1 hr 30 minutes or until beef and vegetabels are tender

Cari's broccoli and Cheese soup -makes 8 servings 2 points each
ingredients
1 bar of broccoli flourets
4 green giant broccoli and cheese trays (just for one)
1-16 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
24 ounces of fat fre chicken broth.

directions
place all in a large pot, bring to a boil then simmer fotr 15minutes, add spcies to you liking

Curried Butternut Squah Soup makes 6 servings 2 points
Ingredients:
3 pound(s) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced into 1-inch cubes
2 medium onion(s), peeled and quartered
29 oz canned chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 medium scallion(s), thinly sliced, for garnish
Instructions

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place squash and onion in a large baking dish. Pour in chicken broth and bake, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. (Don't worry if some of the pieces get a bit browned — this will add to the roasted flavor of the soup.)

Remove from oven and let vegetables cool for about 15 minutes; puree in batches in a blender or food processor.
In a small skillet, toast curry powder over low heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes (be careful not to burn it); stir into pureed soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper; garnish with sour cream and scallions. Yields about 3/4 cup of soup

Tracy's mac and cheese soup (I modified and replaced the frozen veggies with 2 cups of each - fresh veggies, chopped)
Mac and Cheese Soup




Ingredients:
1 package (32 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces small pasta shells
1 bag (16 ounces) frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrot blend (replace with 2 cups each chopped fresh)
1-1/2 cups low-fat milk
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Directiosn:
In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil over high heat. Add vegetables if fresh, cook til soft then add pasta. Return to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cook until pasta and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes more.

Combine milk and flour in a resealable container; shake well to combine. Stir in to pasta mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Gradually add the cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

Beef, mushroom and Onion Stuffed Potatoes

Ingredients:

8 cups low-sodium beef stock
3 large russet potatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Water, as needed
1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions
1 - 8oz package of sliced onions

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the beef stock in a large saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, leaving 4 cups.

Put the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until just tender, about 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes in half lengthwise and using a spoon, remove the potato flesh and reserve, leaving 1/2-inch thick rim around the edges. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the baking sheet and put potato shells on it, cut side down; bake until the cut side is golden brown and skin is crispy, about 20 minutes.

Pat the meat pieces dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven and sear the beef on all sides to a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the meat to a plate and carefully add a tablespoon of water to the hot pot, scraping up the brown bits from bottom of the pan. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the pearl onions and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook about 7 minutes, stirring often, until the onions begin to caramelize, adding water, as needed, to deglaze the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When the onions are a deep golden brown, add the mushrooms and brown for 3-5 minutes, then add the reduced beef stock and the beef and their juices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the meat is tender, skimming fat off the top, if necessary, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Pass the reserved potato flesh through a ricer or mash with a masher until smooth, adding hot water to loosen them. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and mix well.
Ladle the stew into the crisp potato bowls, top with a spoon of mashed potatoes and enjoy.

This was a quick and easy alternative to beef stew

Jennifer's Apple Candy Dessert

This is from our summer picnic and one of the pot lucks.

Jennifer's Apple Candy Dessert
1 sm pkg of vanilla instant pudding
mix with 1/2 the amount of milk that the package calls for mix coolwhip in for a creamy consistancy.  add 1 chopped apple (any variety you want) and mix in 1 chopped snickers (if you have a pebnut allergy can do other candy like a twix)  and mix

This is one that the StrollerFit moms and kids will love.

Sweet Potato-Pecan Burgers with Caramelized Onions

Another great recipe for my StrollerFit Moms
Sweet Potato-Pecan Burgers with Caramelized Onions - From Cooking Light

Ingredients


Onions:
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 cups sliced onion
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Burgers:
2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
Cooking spray
2 1/2 cups chopped onion
3 garlic cloves
1 cup regular oats
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 tablespoon canola oil, divided
6 Boston lettuce leaves
6 chili sauce

Preparation

1. To prepare onions, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion to pan; sauté 12 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar, sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt; cook 30 seconds or until vinegar is absorbed. Remove onion mixture from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan dry with a paper towel.

2. To prepare burgers, place potato in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender; drain.
3. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chopped onion and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender.
4. Place potato, chopped onion mixture, oats, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a food processor; process until smooth. Place potato mixture in a large bowl; stir in nuts. Divide potato mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.
5. Wipe pan dry with a paper towel. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add 3 patties to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned. Carefully turn patties over; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan; keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and 3 patties. Place lettuce leaves and patties on bottom halves of buns; top each patty with 1 tablespoon chili sauce, about 3 tablespoons onion, and top halves of buns.

5 points for burger and i served on a 1 pt wholewheat sandwich thin.  it was a lareg burger, could have made them smaller for less points, enjoy