Recipe: Spicy Southwestern Chicken Soup

For me, soup is a staple in a healthy diet.  I eat soup for lunch almost every single day.  It's easy to throw together, tastes great, and is a simple way to eat more veggies.  This spicy chicken soup is one of my favorites.  The chicken, black beans, and corn create a perfect balance of protein, fiber, and healthy carbs.  I make this soup anytime I'm feeling low, and it always brightens me up.

FREEZER FRIENDLY:  This soup freezes beautifully.  Divide the soup into individual freezer-safe bowls and pop it in the freezer for a quick meal anytime.  Defrost overnight in the fridge or 4-5 minutes in the microwave.  Then just heat and eat.

Spicy Southwestern Chicken Soup

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
4 cups chicken broth (32 ounces)
1 1/2 cups Quick Salsa
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup frozen corn
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can seasoned black beans, drained
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (Recommended: Hunt's)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Juice of half a lime

Combine everything in a large soup pan and simmer 20-30 minutes.  Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servings

Approximate Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
Calories: 217
Fat: 7.6 grams
Saturated Fat: 2.1 grams
Protein: 18 grams
Carbohydrates: 21.9 grams
Fiber: 4.6 grams

Recipe: Quick Salsa

I have been on a Mexican food kick lately and have been going through a LOT of salsa.  This quick salsa is a cinch to make.  Just throw a few things in the food processor, blend, and enjoy!

Quick Salsa

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained (Recommended: Hunt's)
1 can Rotel, drained (Mild, Original, or Hot will work)
1/2 jalapeno, seeds and veins removed
1/2 small onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
Juice of half a lime
Handful of fresh cilantro
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. 

Prepare salsa a couple of hours prior to serving for the best flavor.

Yield:  About 2 cups (8 servings)
 
Approximate Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
Calories: 23
Fat: 0 grams
Saturated Fat: 0 grams
Protein: 0.8 grams
Carbohydrates: 5.5 grams
Fiber: 0.9 grams

Recipe: Pico De Gallo

A low-calorie salsa or sauce is a great way to add a punch of flavor to an otherwise bland dish.  One of my favorite fresh salsas is pico de gallo.  I put this stuff on everything and love to just eat it with baked tortilla chips as a healthy, quick snack.  Be sure to prepare the pico a couple hours before you want to serve it.  The flavors need time to come together.

Pico De Gallo

5 Roma tomatoes
1 medium red onion
1/2 a jalapeno (or more if you want it hotter)
1 large clove of garlic
Juice of 1 lime
Handful of fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar (unnecessary if you're using homegrown tomatoes)

Dice tomatoes and red onion.  Remove seeds and ribs from jalapeno and dice the jalapeno very finely.  Mince the garlic clove or press through a garlic press.  Roughly chop the fresh cilantro. 

Combine tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cilantro in a bowl.  Add lime juice, salt, and sugar.  Thoroughly mix all ingredients. 

Allow the flavors to combine in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servings

Approximate Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

Calories: 25

Fat: 0.1 grams

Saturated Fat: 0.0 grams

Protein: 0.8 grams

Carbohydrates: 5.9 grams

Fiber: 1.2 grams

Recipe: Fire-Roasted Shrimp Linguine

What could be better than a big plate of linguine smothered in a homemade fire-roasted red sauce?  Well, how about throw a bunch of shrimp in it?  You could even use any other seafood you've got on hand...scallops, clams, crab, lobster.  I like using the smaller size shrimp for this so you get one (or two) with every bite.  This dish comes together quickly, so it's perfect for any night of the week.  It's also fancy enough to entertain with.  Serve with a salad or a green vegetable, and you've got a very satisfying meal.

Fire-Roasted Shrimp Linguine
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.  Healthified by Shrinkella.

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon white sugar
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes (14 ounces)  Recommended: Hunt's
1 can tomato sauce (8 ounces) Recommended: Hunt's
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 pound 51-60 size shrimp (thawed if you're using frozen), peeled and de-veined
1/2 pound linguine (half a 16-ounce package)
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)

Cook pasta half of the recommended time on the package in a large pot of boiling and salted water.  Drain and set aside. 

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Saute garlic for about a minute.  Be careful not to burn it.  Add tomatoes, chicken broth, salt, pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes to the skillet and simmer about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. 

Throw your shrimp in the skillet and stir to coat them with sauce. 

Combine half-cooked pasta with the fire-roasted red sauce and shrimp in an oven-safe baking dish.  Top with fresh parsley. 

Cover the dish and bake at 350 degrees for 22 minutes.  Enjoy!

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
Calories: 404
Fat: 5.9 grams
Saturated Fat: 0.9 grams
Protein: 32.6 grams
Carbohydrates: 55.8 grams
Fiber: 3.8 grams

Recipe: 100% Whole Wheat Freezer Waffles

Just because you're eating healthy doesn't mean you have to give up all of the comfort foods you love.  These waffles are made with a combination of whole wheat pastry flour and white whole wheat flour to produce something nobody would ever guess is 100% whole wheat.  The coconut oil adds some good fat to the mix.  Serve with a pat of butter and some real maple syrup or any other topping you can think of (peanut butter and bananas come to mind or strawberries and whipped cream).  These filling waffles make a quick breakfast, lunch, dinner or even dessert.

FREEZER FRIENDLY:  These waffles are so easy to make ahead of time and freeze.  Once the waffles are cooked and thoroughly cooled, place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer for about 4 hours to flash freeze them.  Once they are frozen, individually wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer storage bag.  Waffles should last for 3-6 months in the freezer.

To reheat:  Toast in a toaster or toaster oven for about 5 minutes or until heated through and crisp on the outside.

100% Whole Wheat Waffles
     A Shrinkella Original

2 eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup extra-virgin coconut oil (Recommended: Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil)
1/4 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl.  Add milk, vanilla extract, applesauce, sugar, and salt and stir to combine.  Add both kinds of flour to the milk mixture and mix until just combined.  Don't worry if it's still a little lumpy.

Melt the coconut oil in the microwave and add it in.  If your mixture is cold, the coconut oil will start to harden up again and make the waffle batter thick.  That's fine.  It will not affect the deliciousness!

Don't overmix the batter.  Stir until the coconut oil is just incorporated (a wisk is helpful).

If you have a Belgian-style waffle maker that makes huge waffles (like mine), use about 3/4 cup of batter per waffle.

Yield: 5 Huge Waffles (1/2 waffle is 1 serving) 10 servings

Approximate Nutrition Facts Per Serving (Based on 10 servings):
Calories: 182
Fat: 7.6 grams
Saturated Fat: 5.5 grams
Protein: 5.3 grams
Carbohydrates: 23.4 grams
Fiber: 3.3 grams

Note: Coconut oil is high in saturated fat, but not all saturated fats are created equal.  This saturated fat is actually GOOD for you.  Coconut oil is one of the healthiest fats you can eat.  Plus, it gives a really yummy hint of coconut to these waffles.  If you don't like coconut, try these!  The coconut flavor is very subtle.

Recipe: Creamy Chicken and Rice (No Can Opener Required)

One of my goals for eating healthier is to try to eliminate processed foods.  Well, you don't get much more processed than a can of condensed cream of who-knows-what soup.  I reinvented this chicken and rice casserole without using any cans, and I couldn't be happier with it.  This is a quick and easy meal that you can feel good about.  As a bonus, the leftovers are even better than the original.

Creamy Chicken and Rice

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 lbs), trimmed of visible fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 1/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of fresh cracked pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Heat 1/4 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt into the skillet and add chicken thigh pieces.  Once the chicken is in the pan, do NOT touch it for at least a minute!  This will keep it from sticking to the pan. 

Brown the chicken on all sides and remove it from the skillet.  I usually do this in three batches, adding more olive oil and salt before each batch.  You are not trying to cook the chicken all the way through, so this step should only take 2-3 minutes on each side.

Once chicken is browned and set aside, add remaining olive oil and the onions to the skillet.  Saute onions until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for another minute.

Deglaze the pan by adding the chicken broth.  Then stir the mixture to get all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Remove the skillet from the heat and add the sour cream, thyme, poultry seasoning, paprika, and pepper.

Pour uncooked rice into the bottom of a casserole dish and top with the chicken broth/sour cream mixture.  Stir to combine.  Spread the chicken thighs evenly over the casserole. 

Cover tightly with foil.  Bake in a covered casserole dish at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven, stir the chicken and rice, and bake for another 15 minutes.  Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Serves:  5 to 6

Serving Suggestions:
Serve this with a quick chopped veggie salad for a filling and well-balanced meal.

Approximate Nutrition Facts Per Serving (Based on 5 servings):
Calories: 304
Fat: 12 grams
Saturated Fat: 4.5 grams
Protein: 24 grams
Carbohydrates: 27 grams
Fiber: 0.8 grams