Turkey Chili

     The weather has really started to turn here, and its quite cold & damp most of the time. Though my first instinct is simply to curl up under the covers and stay in bed all day, I have a feeling that wouldn't sit well with the Boss or the Husband. Since the darling husband and I both hate cold weather & winter, so I find that we are especially craving comfort food to get us through the Canadian fall & winter season.
     I have had to tweak my typical comfort food recipes as I am still doing Weight Watchers. I must say, its been very easy, and I actually find myself preferring the healthy recipes. This recipe for turkey chili is divine, and you don't have to feel guilty for eating it! I modified a recipe from Cathy's Kitchen Journey, and voila! Easy, delicious & nutritious.

Ingredients: 
Non-stick spray + 1 tbsp oil
1  chopped onions
1 lb ground turkey
1 cans red kidney beans, drained & rinsed well
1 can white kidney beans, drained & rinsed well
1 28oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 can tomato sauce
1 chicken bouillon cube + 2 tbsp boiling water
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
2 tbsp chili powder (more or less to taste)
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp paprika
Directions:
1.I n a heavy pot or dutch oven, spray non-stick and add oil. 
2. Over medium-high heat, cook onions until translucent. Remove onions.
3. In the same pot over medium-high heat cook ground turkey until browned. Add jalapeño and re-add onions, stirring well for about 1 minute.
4. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.


Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 1 1/3 cups: 275 calories, 5 pts (Weight Watchers)


Source: Adapted from Cathy's Kitchen Journey

Perfect Fall Squash Soup

My parents had what us farmers call a "bumper" squash crop this year. They literally had hundreds of acorn squash in a period of just a few weeks. Since the husband doesn't eat squash (or soup); I decided to make a recipe that I really wanted, just for me. I didn't use a recipe, I just took what I knew about making soup and made some adjustments as I went along. This soup turned out fabulously - not to mention, healthy. Great way to use some squash. I will post a picture as soon as I get it uploaded!


Ingredients:
1 acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into cubes
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into cubes
2 apples, peeled & diced.
1 tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg


Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat butter and cook onion, celery, garlic, about 5 minutes, until onion is translucent. 
2. Add squash and roast for about 4 minutes.
3. Add broth, bring to a boil; and reduce heat. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add apples and spices and cook another 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Pour into a food processor (you may have to do this in 2 batches) and pulse on low until well blended.
5. Pour back into pot and cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Serve.


Note - You can adjust the spices as you please. If it needs more of a "kick"; try adding more ginger or cumin in 1/4 tsp increments.


Weight Watchers: 1 pt per 1 cup serving.


**Tip** - to make the squash easier to work with, place whole squash in a large pot of boiling water for about 2 minutes. Will be easier to cut and peel - just be careful as squash will be hot.

Apple Strudel Muffins

        As a kid, I woke up most mornings to freshly-baked muffins. My mom was apparently Superwoman; as I can barely manage to pour myself a bowl of cereal most mornings until I have had a coffee or the clock strikes noon (we did have this in common, apparently, as my mother once said: "Without coffee, I see no reason to get up in the morning").
       One of the things I miss from my childhood (shhh, don't tell her I miss anything) is the fresh-baked muffins in the morning. I have resorted to making a batch on Sunday nights and simply warming them in the microwave on my way out the door. Its cheating, but it certainly does the trick. It also ensures the husband actually eats something (I kid you not, the man considers cereal too much effort in the morning).
      With fall well underway, apples are are delightfully fresh and in abundance (ie cheap). Hence, these apple strudel muffins. I have kept the original recipe, but highlighted my changes. The original recipe is about 275 calories (6 pts) per serving. This new recipe is about 160 calories (plus 6 grams fibre, 3 pts) per serving. The modified, healthier recipe is delicious, so I don't know that I will ever make the original recipe, but I have a feeling its B&B-worthy.

• Ingredients (makes 12 muffins):
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (I did 1C flour + 1C wheat bran)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter (1/4C butter, 1/3C apple sauce)
• 1 cup white sugar (3/4C white or brown sugar)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups chopped apples
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 
  
•  Streusel topping:
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• I added 3 tbsp oats

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners
2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Mix in vanilla and applesauce. Stir in apples, and gradually blend in the flour mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin pan.
4. In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over tops of mixture in muffin pan.
5. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to sit 5 minutes before removing muffins from pan. Cool on a wire rack.

Source: Adapted from www.allrecipes.com

Weight Watchers: 2.5 points as adapted, 6 points original recipe

Chicken Enchiladas

I have always wanted to make chicken enchiladas but lacked the courage to try. They looked quite complicated, something I usually shy away from when it comes to recipes. But when another favourite blogger posted a simple 'clean-eating' version of chicken enchiladas, I wanted to give them a try.
They turned out to be easy & delicious, with great flavour. I used a pre-cooked BBQ chicken to save time (and at 6.99 you can't go wrong!) and used most of it. If you cook the chicken yourself, I would pre-marinate it with chili powder, garlic, and a bit of oil.


I served the enchiladas with the Mango & Black Bean Salad on this site. Excellent pairing - the lime-flavour of the salad complimented the enchiladas perfectly.

Ingredients:

6 medium whole-wheat tortillas (5-6″ each)
1 cup shredded tex-mex cheese

3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

1/4 cup green chilies (I used jalapeno pepper)

1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup corn

1/2 cup diced tomato

Sauce:
Store-bought enchilada sauce (about 12-18oz)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*.
Combine chicken, chilies, garlic, cumin, chili powder, pepper, salt, corn & tomatos in non-stick frying pan. Use 1tbsp oil as needed, mix well & heat through (about 5 minutes).

Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas. Fold sides over and place seam-side down in the casserole dish. Top enchiladas evenly with remaining sauce, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in center of oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley when serving, if desired.

Source: Adapted from LovestoEat

Weight Watchers: 6 points per enchilada

Jambalaya

I think I have mentioned before that the husband puts hot sauce on everything. He just loves things spicy; so I when I had some sausage & chicken I wanted to use, I knew that Jambalaya would be perfect.
This recipe was really easy, used minimal dishes, and came out fantastic. I have absolutely no idea how 'authentic' it is - I've never been to New Orleans, and I don't have any friends from the South to tell me. (Update - someone from New Orleans tells me that it is highly authentic! Yippee!!)
But I know it tasted divine, and was spicy without being too much. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 4 medium sausages, sliced into rounds
• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (16 ounce) can crushed Italian tomatoes OR 2 large fresh tomatoes + 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add oil, sausage chicken and onion and cook until sausage and chicken are cooked, about 6 minutes.

3. Add green pepper, celery, garlic and cajun seasoning and cook another 3 minutes.

4. Add all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, for a gentle simmer. Cook, covered, for 25 minutes until most liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked.

5. Remove from heat and let sit, still covered, for 3 minutes.

Fluff and serve!

Weight Watchers: 5 points per 1 1/2 cup serving.


Source: Adapted from www.allrecipes.com