Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

Have you ever had P. F Changs Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup?  I am in love with the stuff.  Again, I am a self proclaimed non-chicken soup lover, but this soup is just so unusual.  It's actually one of the things I crave on occasion.

Golden Honey Waffles

Waffles....whenever I tell the kids I am going to make waffles in the morning...I think of donkey in the movie Shrek.  :)  

This recipe, without a doubt, is one of my favorite "from scratch" waffle recipes.  It makes waffles that are crispy on the outside, but light and fluffy on the inside.  I don't like recipes that produce heavy dense waffles.  The secret to the lightness of these waffles lies in whipping up the egg whites and gently folding them into the batter. 

I've tweaked the original recipes I had merged in order to make these so much, I'm just going to call this version my own.  I once had the pleasure of making Belgium waffles with an exchange student from Belgium, and this recipe produces waffles close to the recipe she had gotten from her mother. 

I have a Belgium waffle maker, so it makes my waffles thick and round...but I think this recipe would work in any waffle iron. 

In my house, I double the recipe...so we have leftovers.  We tend to fight over who gets to eat the leftovers because they are so good.  I've reheated them in a regular toaster and in the oven to revive the crispy exteriors,  but if I am in a hurry, I just nuke them...they come out soft and fluffy.

Serve these yummy waffles with fresh fruit, honey sweetened whipped cream, maple syrup, or chocolate sauce...or just eat them plain!  

Whip the egg whites until they are nice and stiff

Golden Honey Waffles

Printable Recipe

Servings - 8   Serving size - 1 waffle made with 1/2 cup batter ( or 1/2 waffle made with 1 cup batter)   Points Plus per serving - 5 Points+

Calories - 183.4,   Total Fat - 7.4g,   Carb. - 23.8g,   Protein - 5.9g,   Fiber - 0.6g

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

2 eggs, separated

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 TBS honey

1 1/2 cups skim milk

1/2 cup low fat buttermilk

1.  Heat waffle iron while preparing batter.  Heat iron according to manufacturers directions.

2.  In large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and nutmeg.  

3.  In med mixing bowl, add egg whites and beat with electric mixer until stiff peaks form.  Set aside. 

4.  In small bowl, or 4 cup glass measure, combine skim milk, buttermilk, honey, unsalted butter and egg yolks.  Pour this mixture into the flour mixture and mix well with whisk.  

5.  Gently fold in the whipped egg whites until mostly combined.  Batter will become light and fluffy as you add the egg whites in.  

6.  Cook waffles in waffle iron following manufactures directions. Use the amount of batter your waffle iron suggests per waffle.  Use the above nutrition information as a guide.    I use ample amounts of cooking spray between each waffle to help with release.  (My waffle iron takes about 1 cup of batter per waffle, so a serving size for me is 1/2 waffle.)  To keep waffles warm and crispy while making them, I keep ones that are done in a warm oven, right on the oven rack, while I finish using all the batter. 

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Honestly, the BEST waffles ever.  Really.  Portion control can be an issue.  

Consider yourself warned....

This Fresh Blueberry Sauce would taste awesome on some Golden Honey Waffles!

Yogurt Mini Muffins

With only 4 ingredients, you'll love these quick and easy to make Yogurt Mini Muffins!

Crockpot Chicken Chili

This chili was more of an experiment than anything...but it came out great, so I am sharing it!  Born out of necessity, when I decided to start some chili in the crockpot for dinner one day and discovered I was out of a few key ingredients I use when I make chili.  Everyone's got a favorite way to make chili, right? 

Chili is an excellent dish to make when you are watching what you eat.  It is generally low in fat and full of fiber (thanks to the beans and vegetables).  Plus, it's a one pot meal!  

Who likes washing tons of dishes?? 

I usually use ground turkey...but I was out.  I had a package of chicken thighs in the freezer, and thought, "why not?"  Chicken thighs stay moist in the all day cooking process of a crockpot on the low setting AND they break apart like pulled chicken. 

Then I discovered I was out of packets of mild chili seasonings. ( I know, I am hopelessly--well, not any longer--handicapped by the ease of opening a packet.  Not too hot, not too bland.  Just right. ) So I winged it.  I used chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, a little coriander and some chipotle pepper for heat.  Now mind you, I didn't really measure, so the amounts I am giving you in the recipe are an estimate.  But you can always start with less heat and add more once the chili is cooked.  

Next, I usually add pinto beans, or maybe one can of pinto beans and one can of black beans to my chili, but I was out of them too!  The beans I used here were canned navy beans. They worked beautifully,  but you could use pretty much any bean you like! 

And that, is how this tasty chili dish came to be.  I am writing it down not only to share with you, but also to remind me how to make it next time!  

Don't you hate when you come up with a winning dish and try to duplicate it months later but can't remember what you put in the dish in the first place?

Crockpot Chicken Chili

Printable Recipe

Servings - approx. 12   Serving Size - about 1 cup or 1/12 of recipe   Points Plus per Serving - 5 Points+

Calories - 207.7.   Total Fat - 2.6g,   Carb. - 31.4g,   Protein - 17g,   Fiber - 10.4g

1 1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs ( I like thighs here because they don't dry out) 

1 large onion, diced

2 - 3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 ribs of celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 med red bell pepper, diced

1 med jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced

1 med zucchini, diced

2 TBS ground cumin

1 TBS chili powder

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper

1 tsp dried oregano

1 TBS brown sugar, packed

salt and black pepper

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 - 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 - 14.5 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes 

2 - 15 oz. cans of any kind of bean you like ( navy, pinto, black, kidney--I used navy), rinsed and drained

juice of one fresh lime

1.  Spray inside liner of crockpot with nonstick spray.  Lay chicken thighs in a single layer and season with some salt and pepper.  Add onion, garlic, celery, carrots, red bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and zucchini.

2.  In small bowl, combine all the seasonings and brown sugar with the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Taste to see if you need to adjust seasoning and add salt and black pepper as you like.  Pour the mixture on top of the vegetable/chicken.   Add in both cans of beans.  Top with can of diced tomatoes.  

3.  Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours.  ( Stirring occasionally after about 5 hours, breaking up the chicken thighs into bite sized pieces with spoon,  The should easily fall apart) Chili is done when the vegetables are soft and the chicken shreds up easily.   Finish the chili with the juice of one lime.  Stir to incorporate into chili.  

4.  Serve with assorted toppings ( not included in nutrition info above) such as cheese, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla strips, avocado slices, pickled jalapenos, etc. 

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This was a really good chili.  I will definitely be making this one again.  One non-conventional ingredient I used was zucchini.  I almost always put zucchini in chili when I make it.  I just love it in there.  If you've never put some zucchini in your chili, give it a try!

You may want to adjust the seasoning amounts to your liking.  My family liked it like this.  We like spice, but not enough that you can't taste anything else.

This time of year always makes me want to make slow cooking things like soups, stews, chilis, and roasts.  Chili is one of those things I almost never make in the summer.  Just doesn't seem right.

  I've been getting out with the dog most days to take advantage of all the wonderful fall colors, sights and smells.  I snapped a few pictures with my phone yesterday of all the beauty around me.
 Here are a few of my favorites!

Don't forget, today is the last day to enter for a chance to win one of two gift cards in my giveaway!  Contest will end at 8 pm EST tonight!  You can find out more about it HERE.  

                                            

Homemade Hummus

Can I just tell you this is the first time I have ever made hummus from scratch...and the question is...why on earth did it take me so long?  It is so super easy (with the help of a food processor) and so much tastier than any store bought brands.  Not to mention....more economical. 

You can spice this up as little or as much as you like, control the consistency, and put as much or as little garlic in it as you desire.

You can serve it with cut up raw veggies ( I like cukes and carrot sticks) or serve it with a wonderfully soft and chewy flat bread such as the one pictured below.

This Brownberry Pocket Thins Flatbread is a recent great product find for me.  It's soft and chewy and 3p+ for half a pocket.  It's high in fiber and contains no HFCS.  When I served it with the hummus, I cut each half into three, nice-sized, triangles for dipping.  This product is also great for pocket sandwiches.  My son has been taking a hummus and cuke or baby spinach sandwich to school in his lunches this week with it.  If you can't find Brownberry, look for Arnold Pocket Thins Flatbread.  Both Brownberry and Arnold are a part of the Bimbo Bakery, so it's the same product.  

You will need to purchase a jar of Tahini to make this hummus.  Tahini is sesame paste and it can be found in most larger grocers and specialty shops.  To be honest, if I can find it here in the greater Cleveland area, you can probably get it anywhere in the country.  If you can't find it, you can make your own , but I personally have not tried it. 

If you are like me and have never made your own hummus before, what are you waiting for?  Dust off that food processor and see what you've been missing!

Homemade Hummus

Printable Recipe

Servings - approx. 16 (recipe yields about 1 quart of hummus)   Serving size - 1/4 cup   Points Plus per serving - 3 Points+

Calories - 116.9,   Total Fat - 5.9g,   Carb. - 13.1g,   Protein - 4.1g,   Fiber - 3.1g

*if you take a smaller serving, 2 TBS, it will be 2 Points+.  The nutritional values for a 2 TBS serving are as follows:  Calories - 58.5,   Total Fat - 2.9g,   Carb. - 6.6g,   Protein - 2g,   Fiber - 1.5g

Ingredients:

2 - 15oz. cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

2/3 cup tahini

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp. kosher salt

4 garlic cloves, roughly diced

hot sauce, to taste

water

Directions:

1.  Combine all ingredients except hot sauce and water in food processor.  Process until a smooth thick paste.  Add in enough water, while it's running through the top, until it is smooth with a spreading consistency.  ( I think I may have used about 1/3 cup...but put in as much or as little as you desire for the consistency you like)  Add in hot sauce to taste. Garnish with some extra virgin olive oil (not included in the nutrition info above) and some smoked paprika, if desired.   Serve with pita, pita chips, crackers or assorted raw vegetable dippers.  It may taste a bit garlicky at first, but as the hummus sits the garlic flavor mellows. 

2.  Store any leftovers covered in refrigerator.

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This is some serious yum.  It so easy as long as you can find the tahini.  Tahini is a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids. The jar of tahini I purchased has enough in it to make this recipe approximately 4 times.  So worth the splurge.  

Fresh Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread

Since this week marks the second anniversary of MKA, I thought it might be fun to revisit the very first recipe posted on this blog, Apple Bread, and give it a bit of a make-over. 

When I first made this bread, it was good, but I always felt it had room to be better.  With a few changes, I think I have a real winner.  Dense and moist, as a quick bread should be.  With all the fresh apples around, this is an excellent way to use them up.  Feel free to add walnuts, raisins, or dried cranberries to it too but I left them out to help keep it more diet friendly.

The original recipe called for applesauce, but I left it out entirely and used 2 cups fresh grated apples.  I used golden delicious, because they were on sale last week,  but I am sure any baking type apple would work.  I don't really care to eat Golden Delicious out of hand, so this bread was a perfect way to use them up.  The original recipe called for milk, but I left it out and replaced it with (and then some) plain nonfat Greek yogurt.  I used brown sugar instead of white and upped the cinnamon amounts.

Like any quick bread, this one is much, much better with a stronger apple flavor the next day.  So it's best if cooled, wrapped tightly and stored overnight before enjoying it.  But if you can't wait that long, it's good fresh from the oven too!  ( I may have tried it BOTH ways!)

Fresh Apple Cinnamon Quick Bread

adapted from Apple Bread

Printable Recipe

Servings - 16   Serving Size - 1/16th of bread   Points Plus per Serving - 4 Points+

Calories - 139.6,   Total Fat - 4.2g,   Carb. - 24g,   Protein - 3.9g,   Fiber - 0.8g

* the easiest way I have found to cut a quick bread into 16 slices is to cut it into 8 slices, then cut each slice in half.  This gives you 16 smaller halves that are thick enough not to fall apart.  Of course, for those not watching their calorie intake, a full-sized piece is fine! 

2 cups all purpose flour (can be half whole wheat pastry flour)

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 cups grated apple (peels and cores removed)  ( you can use finely diced apples as well) 

2 large eggs

3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt ( I used Chobani ) 

1/4 cup canola oil

1 TBS lemon juice

1 tsp turbinado sugar for topping (optional)

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat one 9"x5"x3" loaf pan with cooking spray. 

2.  In large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, soda, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk.  Set aside.  

3.  In med sized bowl, combine the apples, eggs, yogurt, canola oil, and lemon juice.  Stir to combine.  Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir until JUST COMBINED.  Don't overmix!  

4.  Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, sprinkle top with turbinado sugar, if desired,  and bake for approx 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Let rest in pan for 10 minutes then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.  As I mentioned, this quick bread is better the next day, so cool completely then wrap tightly with foil or plastic wrap and slice the next day....or not!  lol  

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This version of this bread is very good.  Like I mentioned moist and dense, yet still pretty low in fat and calories.  The apple taste really came out the next day...

Don't forget MKA is having a giveaway to celebrate it's 2 year blogversary!  Go HERE for details on how to enter for a chance to win one of two gift cards!  

Easy and Delicious Granola and Two Product Reviews!

This granola is some of the best I have ever made...and I've already made this three times since discovering the recipe HERE last week.  Amy has a nice blog where she focuses on unprocessed foods and this recipe is a hit! 

I love it because it is totally customizable.  You can use whatever mix of seeds/nuts you like.  You can even mix up the sweetener and fat binders.  On this batch I used coconut oil and honey.  I also made a batch with maple syrup and coconut oil and a batch with honey and peanut butter.  They all came out wonderful!

My youngest son just can't seem to get enough of this stuff!  It really is delicious and full of healthy ingredients.  For me, portion control is the biggest issue...

It's great with milk (how my son eats it), as a topping for nonfat yogurt, or eaten right out of hand. The recipe makes roughly 8 cups of fresh granola and stores beautifully in an airtight container in your pantry.  I can't tell you how long it's good for, because it hasn't lasted past a few days in my house.  lol

I was really excited to try this recipe with Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil. (Disclaimer:  Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.) I have used other brands of coconut oil (in my BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies), but I have to say, I like this one the best.  If you'd like to learn more about this coconut oil you can go HERE.  The original recipe for this granola called for butter, so I simply replaced the butter with coconut oil, and used a bit less than the the amount called for.  The results were outstanding!!

Easy and Delicious Granola

adapted from A Little Nosh

Printable Recipe

Servings - 32   Serving Size - approx. 1/4 cup of granola   Points Plus per serving - 3 Points+

Calories - 123.4,   Total Fat - 6.4g,   Carb. - 15.6g,   Protein - 2.5g,   Fiber - 2.1g

(Please note that although you may substitute any ingredients you like in this granola, the nutrition information provided is specific to the way the recipe is written below.  Any substitutions might change values.)

3 1/2 cups Old Fashion Oats, dry ( I save a boatload of money and use my store brand!)
1 cup sliced almonds, raw
1/2 cup sunflower kernels, raw
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, raw ( pepitas )
1/2 cup pecan pieces, raw
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut ( if you can't find unsweetened, sweetened is fine too)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dried chopped dates
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil ( I used Tropical Traditions )
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.  Line a large ( I used a 1/2 sheet size ) baking sheet with parchment or use a silpat.  ( I used a silpat )  You might want to use two baking sheets, and split the granola between them to, but I found using one was just fine, as long as I stirred the granola while it was baking.  I really hate to wash dishes! 

2.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except honey, coconut oil, and vanilla.  Stir to mix well.

3.   In a large glass measuring cup, pour in 1/2 cup honey.  Add in the coconut oil.  ( depending on the temperature it is stored at it will either be liquid or solid)  Heat the mixture in the microwave for 1 - 2 minutes on high, or just enough to melt the coconut oil.   Stir the two together.  Add the vanilla extract.

4.  Pour the liquid honey mixture over the oat mixture and mix well.  Spread the granola onto the prepared baking sheet ( or sheets, you can split it onto two sheets, but I found using one was just fine as long as I periodically stirred the granola while it was baking)  Bake for 65 -70 minutes until the granola is smelling great and looks a bit toasted.  It will still be "wet" when you remove it from the oven, but will crisp up quickly as it cools.  Store in airtight container. 

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I love, love, love this granola recipe.  It is basically a dump and bake deal, making it super easy.  

As I mentioned above, some of the variations I have played around with are:

Maple Walnut Granola - sub the pecans for walnuts, the honey for pure maple syrup, and the vanilla extract for maple flavoring

Peanut Butter Granola - sub the coconut oil for natural peanut butter and the pecans for raw peanuts.  

All were delicious! 

Speaking of DE-licious.....have you seen these products at your grocers yet?

Last week I was sent a package of these wonderful seasonal flavored Thomas' Pumpkin Spice products for review.  (Disclaimer: I was sent this product for free for review.  The opinions expressed are mine and I have not been paid for this review) 

O. M. G.  What a delicious treat! 

With all three products, the pumpkin flavor was just right, not overpowering with little bursts of sweet pumpkin flavor.  The English muffins are 4p+ each, the Bagels are 7p+ each, and the Bagel Thins are 3p+.  All three products are low in fat.  

These products really speak "fall" to me.  They are a nice change to mix up your breakfast or lunch.  The Pumpkin Spice Bagel Thins make a great sandwich with some smoked turkey!  And for breakfast, I really enjoyed the Pumpkin Spice English Muffin with a bit of butter.  Low enough in points+ I could enjoy one beside my eggbeater omelet for a very respectable point plus breakfast. 

Look for these in a grocer near you!  Remember, they will only be available for a limited time, (from mid-September to early December) so grab them while you can.  They are worth it!