Tag Archives: healthy

Soups Round 2: Chicken Veggie Soup

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Today, I am excited to share the second recipe in my Homemade Soup series. This recipe is a recipe that my mom created when she was on her weight loss journey. I have to brag for a second… My mom lost 80lbs on Weight Watchers (and her own healthy recipes), and all by healthy lifestyle changes!! She changed her eating habits, and started exercising again, and was able to accomplish her goals. As I always say, change does not come overnight, but if you stick with it, you can accomplish anything your heart desires!

So enough of that… back to FOOD! Today’s recipe is Chicken Veggie Soup! This is a meal that I have loved since I was growing up, and I just love to make this recipe. It is soooo easy to make. It is a great meal for a cold, rainy day, or for a easy meal after a long day at the beach. It freezes well, so leftovers are easy!

Are you ready?!? Here is is:

chicken veggie soup fotor

Ingredients:

6 cups- Water

1 can- Diced Tomatoes

3 stalks- Celery, diced

1 -Onion, diced

3- Carrots, diced

2 cubes- Bouillon or 4tbsp- Bouillon powder

1 or 2- Chicken Breasts

1 package- Frozen Mixed Soup Veggies

1 cup -Frozen Green Beans

2 cups- chopped Cabbage

1 tsp- Rosemary

1 tsp-Thyme 

1 tsp- Basil

1 tsp- Garlic Powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1- Bring 4 cups of water to boil and add diced tomatoes, celery, onion, and bouillon. Add the spices (rosemary, thyme, basil, garlic powder). Cook for 20 minutes.

2- Add Chicken breasts, and cook until cooked through. 

3- Remove the chicken breasts and dice into small pieces. Add the frozen veggies and green beans. Return Chicken to soup.

4- Add the final 2 cups of water. If the soup needs more flavor, add another Tbsp of bouillon. Cook until all veggies are tender.

5- Add chopped cabbage and cook until tender. 

6- Serve immediately as is, or top with a light layer of mozzarella/parmesan cheese. 

So there you have it… Chicken Veggie Soup!! Here is the link to your printable recipe card: Chicken Veggie Soup

What do you think? Sounds yummy, right? Give it a try for your dinner, and let me know how you like it! Enjoy 🙂

Soups Round 1: Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup

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So I was finally able to do it… I branched out from Cauliflower! This week I am bringing you a series on healthy, homemade soups. Over the next few days, I will have 3 different soup recipes for you that are delicious, fairly easy to make, and will satisfy the whole family any time of year.

I really love making soups because I can prepare the meal ahead of time, and just leave it to simmer on the stove until everyone is ready to enjoy. With it being so hot these days, I prefer to prepare the meal in the morning and have everything ready so when it gets closer to meal time, I can just throw everything together and let it cook.

The first of the three soups is a new favorite of mine. I made this for the first time this past weekend, and I am just so eager to share it with you!

So for Round 1, I share with you… Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup:

homemade chicken tortilla soup fotor

The key to this recipe is the oven roasted tomatoes. Getting hungry yet? Well here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

8- whole Roma Tomatoes, quartered

3 tbsp- Olive or Garlic Oil

1- medium Onion, diced

3 stalks- Celery, diced

1- Jalapeño, diced (or more for added spice)

4 cloves- Garlic, minced

4 cups- Chicken broth- (I use Bouillon cubes with water)

Juice of one Lime

2 tsp- Cumin

2 tsp- Paprika

1 tsp- Salt

1 Bay Leaf

2-3 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, diced, uncooked

Garnish with Tortilla Chips, Light Sour Cream, Diced Avocado, Lime Wedges & Shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack Cheese

Instructions:

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2- Wash tomatoes, quarter them, and remove some of the seeds. Toss tomato quarters with 1 tablespoon olive/garlic oil and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes.

3- While tomatoes are roasting, heat 2 tablespoons of olive/garlic oil in stock pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and jalapeño. Stir occasionally and cook for about 8 minutes until vegetables are soft and translucent.

4- Add the chicken breast , garlic, cumin, paprika, and salt and sauté for another 6 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lime juice, and bay leaf and bring soup to a gentle simmer. Add tomatoes when they are finished roasting and simmer soup gently for about 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5- Serve soup topped with tortilla chips and your choice of other garnishes. (I serve each bowl individually, and usually garnish with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, 1 tbsp of light sour cream, diced avocado, and a lime wedge.) Serve Immediately.

So there you have it… Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup. Here is the link to your printable recipe card: Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup

As I said before, one wonderful thing about this soup is that the longer you simmer it, the more it enhances the flavor… And by the way, it reheats well for leftovers the next day.  Well, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does. Stay tuned for the next 2 soups in my Homemade Soup series.

That’s all for now. Enjoy 🙂

Cheesy Cauliflower & Chicken Casserole

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I’m starting to believe I have an addiction to Cauliflower. As I have been trying to continue with lots of healthy recipes, I keep going back to using Cauliflower as or in my main dishes. I came across a recipe similar to this on Pinterest, so I had to try it out… but of course I added a few of my own touches. This recipe is quick and easy to prepare, and it bakes in one dish, for less mess and clean up. Its hard to go wrong when combining cauliflower with cheese and chicken, and when you throw in a few other veggies, it makes a delightful casserole for everyone to enjoy.

So here you have it:

Cheesy Cauliflower and Chicken Casserole Fotor

Ingredients:

1 1/2 breasts Chicken, cooked and diced

1 head Cauliflower, steamed and chopped

6 ounces Cheddar Cheese, shredded

6 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

1 Egg

1/2 Onion, diced ( You can also substitute Green Onions)

4 slices Turkey Bacon, crumbled

1 clove Garlic, minced

1/2 Jalapeño, diced (optional)

Salt & pepper

Instructions:

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2- Steam cauliflower until tender. In a separate sauce pan, place uncooked chicken breasts, 2 cups of water, and 1 cube of chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil, and simmer until cooked through. 

3- Meanwhile, combine cheeses in a large bowl. Remove ¼ of cheese and set aside. (*I use a pre-packaged cheese blend to save time.)

4-Once chicken is cooked, remove from water, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Once cooled, dice chicken, then mix chicken, onion, bacon, garlic, and jalapeño together with remaining cheese.

5- Stir cauliflower into cheese mixture, and add the egg. Mix all ingredients well, and season with salt & pepper. Pour into a 8×8 or larger glass baking dish sprayed well with non stick cooking spray.

6- Bake for 25 minutes, or until cheese is well melted and casserole starts to bubble. Remove from oven and top with additional cheese.

7- Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Serve immediately!

Here is the link to your printable recipe card: Cheesy Cauliflower and Chicken Casserole

So this recipe is super simple to prepare, as you mix it all together and bake it. You can omit the 1 egg, but the casserole will not stay together as well. I prefer it with the egg, as it made the flavor better. I hope you enjoy this simple casserole with cauliflower and chicken… It really is YUMMY! In the next weeks, I am going to (well, try to) branch out and bring you some healthy recipes with Spinach, Broccoli, and much more! Stay Tuned, but for now, ENJOY! 🙂

Layered Taco Dip

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Craving Mexican tonight, but want something low calorie?? Give my Layered Taco Dip a try. We had this last night for dinner, and it was GREAT! This dish is great because you can use it as an appetizer, as a meal, or even a great dish to bring to a party! My favorite part is it can be low carb, and vegetarian… OR you can add in some hamburger or chicken meat and serve it with tortilla chips!

layered taco dip_Fotor_Fotor

So for the Vegetarian Version:

Omit the meat. Instead of cooking the meat with the Taco Seasoning, mix the Taco seasoning in with the Light or Low Fat Sour Cream.

For Low Carb:

Serve the Taco Dip on a Lettuce Leaf or just eat it as is!

Other options:

Instead of using Hamburger meat, try using either Ground Turkey meat, or diced Chicken. If you do not like particularly spicy food, either cut the amount of jalapeños in half, or omit completely. Use your favorite salsa on the side to add even more yummy flavor to this simple Mexican dish!

Here is the full recipe:

Ingredients:

1 lb Ground Hamburger or Turkey Meat

1 envelope Taco Seasoning (I use Old El Paso)

8oz Light Sour Cream

1 16oz can Refried beans

1/2- 1 cup sliced pickled Jalapeños 

1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

1 cup Lettuce, shredded

1 Large Tomato, diced

1/2 cup Onion, diced

Instructions:

1- Cook hamburger meat in a skillet until cooked through. Add taco seasoning and 2/3 cup water, and cook on low for another 10 minutes. 

2- On a large plate, spread refried beans, topped with a layer of sour cream. Add cooked hamburger meat followed by a layer of jalapeños.

3-Add a layer of mixed cheese (1 1/2 cup total), followed by a layer of each lettuce, tomato, and onions. Top off with final 1/2 cup of cheese, and any leftover jalapeños. 

4- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to cool, depending on preference!

*Amount of jalapeños will vary depending on your spice preference. **If not using meat, mix taco seasoning into sour cream!

Check out a printable recipe card of the full Layered Taco Dip Recipe here: Layered Taco Dip

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. Give it a try and let me know what you think! Feel free to submit your comments here on the blog or on my Facebook page, Fitness With Kayla. Enjoy 🙂

Spice Up Your Cauliflower- Round 3- Side Dishes

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Today, I am moving on from main dishes, and going to give you 2 side dish recipes for Cauliflower. The first one is very simple and the second is a new twist on the Broccoli Bites that I posted last week!

Side Dish 1:

Cauliflower Melt

1/2- Head Cauliflower, boiled, drained, and cut into florets

1/4- cup Cheese of your choice. I use cheddar and parmesan

1- tsp Garlic Salt (or to taste)

1- tsp Ground Pepper (or to taste)

Place the Cauliflower florets in a microwave safe bowl. Cover the cauliflower with 1/2 of the cheese, salt and pepper, and mix through. Place in microwave for 30 seconds, and slightly melt the cheese. Remove cauliflower from microwave and stir, so cheese is blended well through the cauliflower. Top the cauliflower with the remaining cheese, and return to microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute (until cheese is fully melted.) Serve immediately, as a quick, easy, and healthy side dish to any meal! Goes great with Chicken and Fish!

 

Side Dish 2:

Cauliflower Balls

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

1- head of Cauliflower, steamed and finely chopped

1 cup- Grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese

3 egg whites

Garlic Salt and Pepper (about 1 tsp each)

1/4-1/2 diced Jalapeño – omit for less spicy option

1/2 cup Italian Breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized mixing bowl. With the mixed ingredients, form 1 inch sized balls, making sure all ingredients are well combined. Place cauliflower balls on cookie sheet sprayed with non stick cooking spray.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and flip. Return to the oven for a remaining 8-10 minutes. Serve immediately!

 

Well I hope you enjoy these two very simple recipes to use Cauliflower as a side dish. Share with me your comments and feedback, as well as any questions or concerns. Hope you enjoyed this series on Cauliflower. Coming soon, I will have a series on Spinach, as well as Broccoli! Enjoy 🙂

Spice Up Your Cauliflower- Round 1- PIZZA

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I know, I know… Cauliflower… Blah, boring… Well guess what?!? I’ve got 3 recipes to change your perspective on Cauliflower. Over the next 3 days, I am going to share with you a series of blogs using Cauliflower! My family has always been a huge fan of Cauliflower as an easy side dish to cook along with a meal, but I’ve come up with 2 recipes that turn Cauliflower INTO THE MEAL and 1 side dish Recipe using Cauliflower.

Are you ready???

The first way to change up Cauliflower … PIZZA.

Cauliflower Pizza Collage

Yup, that’s right… Cauliflower Pizza. No, the cauliflower is not the topping. The dough of the pizza is made from Cauliflower!

Ingredients:

1 large head Cauliflower, separated into florets

3 egg whites

1/2 cup + 3/4 cup (for topping) Mozzarella/Tex Mex cheese, shredded

1 tsp Italian herb seasoning

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of salt

Marinara sauce for dipping

Any additional toppings such as pepperoni, mushrooms, onion, pepper, etc.

Instructions:

1-Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place cauliflower florets in a food processor (I used a cheese grater, as I do not have a food processor down here in Mexico) and process until “rice” texture.

2- Bake for 20 mins in an oven proof baking dish. (Spray the dish lightly with non stick cooking spray to avoid burning and sticking)

3- Remove cooked cauliflower from the oven and transfer to a bowl lined with a dish towel (you can use paper towels also, but they do not absorb as well). Cool cauliflower for about 15 minutes. Fold the towel holding by the ends and squeeze the liquid out of the cauliflower “ball” as hard as you can. 

4- Increase oven 400 degrees F. Transfer cauliflower to a mixing bowl along with 1/2 cup cheese, and remaining ingredients.

5- Transfer cauliflower mixture onto the baking sheet sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Flatten with your hands into a 1/4” thick rectangle. 

6- Bake for 18 minutes, and then top with remaining 3/4 cup cheese (and desired optional toppings). Bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Cut into breadstick sized slices and serve hot with warm marinara sauce.

Here is the link to your printable recipe card: Cauliflower Pizza

Cauliflower Pizza

Note: The photo above is a Cauliflower Pizza where half is only veggie toppings, and the other half is meat and veggies! 

So, what do you think? Want to give this a try next time you are wanting pizza? I’ve made this for my family and friends, and everyone has loved it. I made this dish for a little get together for some friends, and had I not told them it was cauliflower, they would never have known. All of the kids loved it as well! Give this a try and let me know what you think! Enjoy! 🙂

Cheesy Broccoli Bites

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As promised, I will be blogging my favorite recipes (well, my family’s favorites, too) to share the yummy goodness with you! Today, I want to share these easy to make, healthy to eat,  satisfying treat.

Cheesy Broccoli Bites have been a huge hit at our house lately. We have tried them with just broccoli, with cauliflower, and with a bit of both. We really enjoy a tad bit of spice to our food, so to spice them up, I add one finely diced jalapeño to the bites.This is a very simple, and inexpensive side dish that kids and adults a like will love. Its a great way to spice up that plain head of broccoli, while keeping it healthy and simple.

bites5_Fotor

Ingredients:

1 head- Fresh Broccoli

1 1/2 cup- Cheddar Cheese (or any type of cheese you prefer)

3- eggs

1 cup- Italian Breadcrumbs

Salt and Pepper (I use Sea Salt or Garlic Salt, as I prefer the flavor over plain Salt)

Optional: 1- jalapeño 

Instructions:

1- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Boil the fresh broccoli in water on the stove with a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Once cooked until it is tender, drain and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.

2-Finely chop broccoli, and mix in a bowl with remaining ingredients. 

3-Once mixed completely, form small patties with your hands and place on a baking sheet sprayed lightly with non stick cooking spray (Pam).

4- Place bites into the preheated oven, and cook for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, flip and return to oven for  15 minutes more, or until cheese has slightly browned on both side

5-Once cooked, remove from oven and serve immediately.

Here is a link to a pdf Recipe card of this recipe for you to print out, and add to your recipe box! Cheesy Broccoli Bitespdf

Give these a try and let me know what you think! Enjoy! 🙂