Simple Chicken with Squash Casserole

With this being the day before school starts I wanted to keep dinner simple tonight...In fact the more simple dinner is, the better... I always say! (Never been a "Frou Frou" kind of cook...no Martha am I, lol...)
The chicken that I'm fixing for dinner is very simple. I always make a little extra to save to make chicken salad with for the next day...which you'll be seeing later in the week...The squash casserole is one that I got from my Aunt Molly many years ago and have lightened up....I haven't fixed it in awhile but it has always been a family favorite!
Here goes...

Squash casserole...What you will need:

1 bag of frozen squash or 3-4 fresh (defrost frozen in microwave, with fresh boil until tender)
1 box of cornbread stuffing mix (prepare as box says but I leave out butter...still taste the same... trust me you're not going to miss that extra fat!)
4oz fat free sour cream
1 can of reduce fat cream of chicken soup

While you are defrosting squash, prepare stuffing mix according to the box, except for the butter. Put stuffing into a large bowl, add sour cream and soup, then fold in squash. spray a 11x7 (6 servings) or you can use a 13x9 dish Anchor Hocking Oven Basics 11 Piece Bake Set, Crystal Clear (This is what I'm using, just makes it thinner and 8servings) with Pam and spread stuffing mixture into the baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes...

2 out 3 children approve of this casserole

Nutritional Info

* Servings Per Recipe: 8

* Amount Per Serving

* Calories: 121.1

* Total Fat: 1.6 g

* Cholesterol: 4.6 mg

* Sodium: 609.6 mg

* Total Carbs: 23.0 g

* Dietary Fiber: 1.0 g

* Protein: 3.7 g


Now take a break, have a glass of wine...relax for about 5-10min while you defrost your chicken (that is if your using frozen...I'm the queen of frozen, ya know!)

Simple Chicken...What you'll need:

4-5 chicken breast (about 5oz or less each)
Pam spray
kosher salt (I use this a lot...I think it gives foods a better taste and you don't have to use a lot)
poultry seasoning

If chicken is frozen, defrost in microwave. Spray pan with Pam...put chicken in pan and spray one side of chicken with Pam, lightly sprinkle with kosher salt and poultry seasoning. Then  repeat on the other side, before putting pan on the heat...if you put kosher salt on both sides, use sparingly cause it is stronger then regular table salt...remember you can always add a little when your eating if you need more... I like to sear the chicken to get a nice brown on the outside so I start on the high and leave it for about a minute or two, then I flip it and do the same to the other side. Once both sides are brown then I cover the pan and reduce heat to med to med low heat. After about 7-8 minutes then I flip, cover and let it cook another 7 minutes. Then I move it from the burner and let it set for about 5min to rest...

Nutritional Info

* Servings Per Recipe: 1

* Amount Per Serving

* Calories: 166.1

* Total Fat: 2.8 g

* Cholesterol: 82.2 mg

* Sodium: 92.3 mg

* Total Carbs: 0.5 g

* Dietary Fiber: 0.1 g

* Protein: 32.8 g
 
Now because I'm just like this and feel the need...I will add a green vegetable to round the meal out...must be some kind of quirk from child hood, Thanks Mom, but I to have a protein, starch and vegetable... and since my veggie is yellow and mixed with the starch it has to be green. Gives my plate a "Fung Shway" kind of feel! For me...I'm thinking some broccoli will round out this meal nicely...

That's whats for dinner tonight!

BEFORE.....After pics

This week has turned out to be a very crazy one with lots of running around trying to get the kids ready for school. Tuesday was my weigh in day but since I had to work afterwards and didn't want to have to change I decided to wait and weigh in after my Spin class at the Y on Wed. (better that way cause then I usually weigh less after sweating to death) So I went to the Y with John and he took spin with me and then we headed over to WW for me to get weighed in. I had lost .8 which put me at 144.6 right under my goal weight...YEAH!!!! So as embarrassing as it may be for me to let you all see....Here are before shots (in lavender) and then ones at my 50lb loss(white) and then the last are me at a 64lb loss.(blk)

Rockn' those Black Eyed Peas...in a Soup!

I fixed this over the week-end and it was to die for. I know what you're saying....Soup in the summer, but it's too hot! Well, I know but it's quick and fast and oh so light and well...I've got a 6 year old that wants to go out to play right after dinner so I don't have all the time in the world....I gotta get out and play while the playings good, before we know it'll be way too cold and well, you know how I feel about the Winter months...Not my most favorite season up here in PA...
Although the vitamin packed, fiber loading, protein loving black eyed pea is the star of this soup...I want to talk a little about the under study that adds such a wonderful taste to this soup...One of my favorite spices...Cumin. Besides Cinnamon this is another spice that I could add to just about everything. I just love this spice!
Did you know???
Cumin seeds are a very good source of iron and a good source of manganese. Cumin seeds have traditionally been noted to be of benefit to the digestive system, and scientific research is beginning to bear out cumin's age-old reputation. Research has shown that cumin may stimulate the secretion of pancreatic enzymes, compounds necessary for proper digestion and nutrient assimilation. Also Cumin seeds may have anti-carcinogenic properties. In one study, cumin was shown to protect laboratory animals from developing stomach or liver tumors. This cancer-protective effect may be due to cumin's potent free radical scavenging abilities as well as the ability it has shown to enhance the liver's detoxification enzymes. All these benefits are just another reason to add a little spice to our foods!

This is what you'll need...

I added this the next morning...

2 cans of black eyed peas, juice and all
1cup onion, diced ( I didn't have one on had so I used dried onion...about 2 tlbs)
1 can of white corn, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups of crushed or diced tomatoes (didn't have any so I used Classico tomato sauce worked great!)
10oz chicken breast (about 2 breast)
6 cups of vegetable broth (in the can or bullion cubes are fine)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp of kosher salt
1 1/2tsp ground cumin
2tlbs of corn starch (this gets added near the end)


You can use a 5quart (if using a 5 use 5cups of broth) or 6quart slow cooker for this (I used 6) . I put all the ingredients, except the frozen Chicken & corn starch in my stoneware the night before. That way in the morning I just pulled it out of fridge, put the chicken (I put it in still frozen) in and it was ready to be put in the cooker. Cook on low for 8hrs or high for about 6hrs.

At about 6-7hrs take the chicken out and shred it by using 2 forks...

It should look like this afterwards. Set the chicken to the side.... This is the time you take the 2 tlbs of corn starch put it in a small bowl and add about a 1/4 of a cup of cold water, stir until it has dissolved completely. Stir the corn starch liquid into the soup.

Now with your handy dandy stick blender, blend just 2 pulses...you don't want to do it too much or you will puree everything (learn from experience) Now, add your chicken back in and let it finish cooking the remaining hour. Cuisinart CSB-76BC SmartStick 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender, Brushed Chrome

Add some Texas Pete hot sauce and a dab of fat free sour cream and you've got yourself a meal...

We accompanied this with some Tastefully Simple Cheesy garlic biscuits made with only 1oz of 75% fat free Cabot cheddar cheese. It calls for 1 cup of water, you may want to decrease the water to about 3/4 of a cup or they could turn out looking like cookies...still yummy though :) http://www.tastefullysimple.com/   Here's a shout out to my friend Kris!

Here's the low down for the soup....

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 191.6

• Total Fat: 2.2 g
• Cholesterol: 20.5 mg
• Sodium: 1,126.8 mg
• Total Carbs: 34.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 6.2 g
• Protein: 15.3 g

Vita-licious Iced Mocha Latte

Well, I really don't know what has happen here the past couple of days, but time has seem to have gotten away from me! I have a wonderful Black bean soup that I made the other night and wanted to share, but just don't have the time, so hopefully I'll be able to get to it on Monday, cause it was impressively delicious and would be a shame not to share!
What I do want to talk about today is ONE of my MOST favorite things to keep in the house...I hate to say it but I seldom share these with the kids, cause if I did then they'd be gone in a day. What I'm talking about you might wonder...Well its the Vita Muffins that are at your local (more high end, like Harris Teeter or Martins) grocery stores in the freezer section with the breakfast items....You can also find them on-line which is what I do and keep them in your freezer for when you want one. Triple chocolate chunk is my absolute fav!  Vitalicious Triple Chocolate Chunk Vita Tops , 2-Ounce Units (Pack of 24)
These lil' babies are low in fat and only have 100 calories....Plus they have 15 of the crucial vitamins and minerals you need, including folic acid, niacin, iron, calcium, vitamins A, B, C, E and more! So what are we waiting for??? Don't stop by that local coffee chain...you know which one I'm talking about! Just fix one of these and you'll know that your getting something better for you instead...(Sorry Starbucks!)

This is what you'll need...

1 Vita muffin, muffin tops
Instant coffee (your choice regular or decaf...I do decaf if it's later in the day)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cut of soy milk (or skim milk)
4 packets of splenda or (4tsp of sugar)

Put soy milk and water in 1st. Then add vanilla, coffee, & splenda. Break the frozen muffin into pieces and add it. Then add crushed ice...say about a cup to a cup and a half.

grab your handy emulsion blender, aka stick blender, and go at it. If you don't have one then a blender works just as well...I find when using my stick blender it's easier to use in the sink cause I tend to make a mess....

Pour into what ever cup you'd like....This does makes a large amount so if want to share you can...if not... I totally understand! Enjoy :)))

Here's the 411 on this one:

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 1
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 130.6

• Total Fat: 2.5 g
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
• Sodium: 195.6 mg
• Total Carbs: 23.6 g
• Dietary Fiber: 6.0 g
• Protein: 6.0 g

John the Wonder Kid...Before and After...

Sarasota ,FL Christmas vacation 2009.... Love this boy!

My son John is just a great kid with a heart of gold. I've always said he's like an old man trapped in a young boys body....I guess you could say he has an old sole and he's just a blessing to me!
Around Christmas we received a letter from the school stating that our son's weight for his height was over the 95th percentile and that he was considered obese. John's always been a little husky but over the summer I'd noticed he'd put on weight, especially when shopping for school clothes but didn't think it'd been so much. At the start of January John told his Dad he wanted to play baseball this Spring. Dave thought to motivate John he'd tell him that he'd have to get into shape 1st and John agreed. A few weeks earlier Dave had started a pod cast called Couch Potato to 5k, that he had learned about from my friend Jayna (whose has lost 75lbs...so proud of her!) 
http://www.activetrainer.com/couch-to-5k/?cmp=958&gclid=CNjostKPwaMCFQo65QodZBUYcg
Dave was having good success with it, so he down loaded it for John and he was off running. After about a week of running I figured what John's calorie count should be for his age and height, then we got him a note book and he started tracking and measuring out all his foods, which he is still doing. Today John has reached his goal weight...He has lost 20 lbs, his starting weight was at 125 and is now 105. As a parent there's nothing better then having your son come up, kiss you on the check and say, "Thanks Mom for helping me lose weight!" I tell you.... it's the greatest feeling in the world!

Before Christmas 09

After: July 2010

Before: December 09

After: 2010

Chunky Monkey Muffins

Here again I have some fruit that is past its prime but don't want to throw it away just yet...Best thing to do with those banana's that are very brown is to make some yummy muffins...I use to make this recipe into 2 loafs of bread but I've found that I would rather do them as muffins because it's easier to control the portion size.   

Here's a little tid-bit about our friends the banana....Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Since the average banana contains a whopping 467 mg of potassium and only 1 mg of sodium, a banana a day may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis. 

I'm sure you've noticed that I use a light soy milk and not regular milk in a lot of my recipes. I do this because it's lower in calories then skim milk. With the weight program I am on I can have 1cup of light soy milk compared to if I was drinking skim milk, I could only have a half a cup. Soy milk offers many of the health benefits of soy foods. I did some reading up on Soy and found that research has shown potential health benefits of soy in preventing breast cancer, preventing and slowing prostate cancer, and fighting heart disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, and kidney disease. Soy foods, including soy milk, are also thought to alleviate symptoms of menopause and to promote eye health....and with hitting 40 this year I have menopause looming in the distance and hopefully the soy I get in my diet will help with those nasty symptoms that comes along with it...Soymilk, Lite, Vanilla, Part Organic, 32 oz.

I didn't have any fat free sour cream so I substituted fat free yogurt instead...still like the sour cream better but be creative and use what you have!

Chunky Monkey muffins

2c All purpose flour (still out so I used Fiber One pancake mix)  
1tlbsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
1/4cup +2tlbs splenda sugar blend for baking
2 egg whites
1cup Soy light milk
4oz apple sauce
1/2cup fat free sour cream
1/3cup miniature chocolate chips
2 very ripe bananas
Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin pan with liners and spray with Pam cooking spray.
In a large bowl add flour, baking powder, salt, & sugar. In a small bowl add egg whites and soy milk and whisk together, then add to flour mixture. Now add apple sauce and sour cream, set aside. put bananas in a small bowl and mash together and stir into the batter (will be lumpy). Now you can stir in the chocolate chips and you are ready to fill the muffin cups...I use a 1/4 measuring cup to put batter into the cups to try and get them portioned out just right. Bake for 20-25min or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove muffins from the pan and cool on wire racks...that is if you can wait for them to cool. My crew never can!

Ready for the oven...

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 24
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 69.1

• Total Fat: 1.5 g
• Cholesterol: 4.2 mg
• Sodium: 198.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 12.3 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.9 g
• Protein: 1.8 g 

ready to cool...

I'd say....

These were....

3 thumbs up!

Breakfast of Champions....Berry Parfait De-lite

Don't ask me why in the world I am up at 6am in the morning when I could have slept til 7....cause I'm still asking myself the same question! I'm sure I'll fall out later and have a 20 minute power nap some time around noon. Today I thought I'd share one of favorite breakfast....I eat this pretty much every day...boring I know but I'm a creature of habit. I find this very satisfying, filling and it works for me, especially on the days I head to the gym for a double work out. Today is Spin & Muscle Make Over and I have to make sure that I have the energy to make it through both with out falling out on the floor.
I want to take a moment to talk about one of the ingredients, Flax seed meal. I started using this in a lot of my recipes when I found a few years ago that my cholesterol was high and had read that it was full of Omega 3 acids and could help reduce my levels...After getting use to its laxative effects...makes you very regular, sorry TMI :) I noticed that I sleep better also...no waking up at 3am any longer! I went on vacation once and didn't bring any with me and I could notice a difference...So I wanted to add a little paragraph about flax seed so you know a little more about it. Also wanted to let you know that you can buy flax seed whole but you don't get the major benefits unless it is ground up. Some times I will buy it whole and use an old coffee grinder to grind it up and then I just put it in a zip lock baggie and store it in the freezer to stay fresh.


The benefits: Flax seed has long been valued for its health benefits (Hippocrates used flax as a remedy for gastrointestinal problems), but only recently have researchers investigated its helpful compounds. Flax is one of the best plant-based sources of alpha-linolenic acid, which converts in the body to the same heart-protective omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, sardines, and mackerel. It also contains both soluble and insoluble fiber (about 3 grams of total fiber per tablespoon), which promote intestinal health. In addition, flax seed is one of the richest dietary sources of lignans, phytoestrogens thought to protect against cancer of the breast, prostate, and colon. 

Nutrition Facts
1 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories		206.0
Total Fat		3.1 g
	Saturated Fat	0.2 g
	Polyunsaturated Fat	1.2 g
	Monounsaturated Fat	0.3 g
Cholesterol		5.0 mg
Sodium		160.6 mg
Potassium		360.5 mg
Total Carbohydrate		58.2 g
	Dietary Fiber	27.6 g
	Sugars	14.0 g
Protein		7.1 g

Just so you know I'm big on buy store brand & I'm not afraid to open a box.... If it's as good as the real thing then why not save a few bucks when you can!

1/2 cup (30g) Fiber One cereal
1cup (140g) mixed berries (blue berries, strawberries, and black berries)
small 4oz cup of Fiber One yogurt
2tsp flax seed meal (ground-up)
Cinnamon to taste (big on cinnamon..full of antioxidants and can help with lowering blood sugar levels and thought to lower cholesterol...so I add it to everything)


Measure, measure, measure your food! This is key to helping you slim down, so get a good scale (I have 2, why I don't know I just do)

Measure everything!

In a microwave safe bowl add cereal, berries, flax seed and dust it with cinnamon. Pop that bad boy in the microwave for 1minute, then spoon yogurt on top....and your done! Now wasn't that quick and simple? Now you have time to sit down and enjoy your breakfast while you read my blog...LOL!

Yummy goodness :)

Now I'm ready for my day and heading to spend some time with my work-out buddies at the Y!

Apple and Peach Crisp

I got home the other day with a ton of fruit and was putting it away when I noticed I still had 4 apples hanging out in the bottom of the fridge. Well, those babies weren't getting any younger, so I decided to put them to good use.  But.... I just didn't feel that 4 apples were going to be enough, so I turned around and spied some peaches on the island...I thought to myself....Peaches and Apples??? Sure, WHY NOT!

Topping:
1 tlbsp Old Fashioned oats
1/4cup all purpose flour (I ran out so I used Fiber One pancake mix...extra fiber!)
1tlbsp Splenda baking sugar blend
1tlbsp brown sugar (splenda makes this as well but I didn't have any)
1-2 tlbsp low fat Promise butter, melted (start with 1tlbsp and add more if needed or use I can't believe it's not butter spray...works just as well)
Fruit Filling:
4 Granny Smith apples (or what you have on hand)
3 Peaches
1tsp lemon juice
1/4cup Crystal light Sun rise juice (you can use OJ but this is all I had, plus I got to drink what I didn't use)
1tlbsp flour (again I used Fiber one pancake mix)
1tlbsp Splenda baking sugar blend
1/2tsp Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 & spray a 11x7 baking dish with Pam (or use what you have, 8x8 will work)
Wash, peel and cut up fruit and toss with 1tsp of lemon juice (didn't have to throw away peels, cause the kids ate them) Add flour, cinnamon, sugar, and orange juice to the fruit. Toss to coat, then spread mixture into baking dish.
Topping:
In the same bowl, add all the dry ingredients. Then add 1 tlbs of butter. With a fork stir together until it becomes crumbly...if you think you need more butter add a little at a time but, you don't want the mixture to form into a big ball. If you do(which I have before) add just a little flour at a time until it becomes all broken up. Sprinkle topping over fruit filling and bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm.... with ice cream if you like.
*if you change anything or need to recalculate calories:
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

Nutritional Info Servings Per Recipe: 6 Amount Per Serving Calories: 136.8 Total Fat: 1.7 g Cholesterol: 0.0 mg Sodium: 15.3 mg Total Carbs: 32.6 g Dietary Fiber: 4.0 g Protein: 1.1 g

Fished product

I put a half a cup of low fat vanilla yogurt & Fiber One cereal on top of mine and it was de-lish :-9

Chloe had hers with chocolate ice cream~ yum!

The Princess approves & I'd say this one is a "Do Over" for sure!