Butternut-Squash and Kale Chicken Soup

Winter's not over yet! This hearty soup will heat you up with the spicy kick of jalapenos! Not a fan?  Leave them out, and this savory soup will still become a regular "go-to" recipe! 

Ingredients:

- 1 lb. cubed, boneless, skinless chicken breast

- 1 Tbs olive oil

- 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

- 2 Tbs minced garlic

- 1 cup chopped yellow onion

- 1 Tbs minced jalapeno peppers (optional)

- 1 tsp. ground cumin

- 1 tsp. dried oregano

- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock

- 2 cups kale, chopped

- 3 Tbs parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken breasts in an oven-safe pan and bake for 20 minutes (or until cooked through). Once baked, let cool and cube. Set aside.

Heat a large dutch oven or large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat. Add squash and sauté for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides, stirring frequently. Remove squash from dutch oven and set aside. 

Add garlic and next 6 ingredients (through kosher salt) to your pan; sauté until vegetables are tender. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes. 

Add reserved squash to the pan, along with the kale and chicken. Cook until heated through. Add parsley and serve! Enjoy! 

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"It's not a short-term diet; it's a long-term lifestyle change." 

- Anonymous

Living Life Healthy

With the continuing changes in the Weight Watcher's program; from counting regular WW points, to their PointsPlus program, and now their SmartPoints program, I have decided to eliminate the total-points calculations from my recipes.  

In a nutshell, my healthy, low-calorie, low-fat recipes will be just that.... healthy, low calorie, and low fat. You don't have to worry about the recipes now changing to become more unhealthy. It will stay the same, and you will continue to benefit from all the mouth-watering, sweet and savory appetizers, entrées, and dessert recipes that you did before.

Please feel free to share any of these recipes with family, friends, coworkers, and anyone looking to eat better, feel better, and live better! 

Bon Appétit!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Packed with protein, fiber, and many great nutrients, this succulent acorn squash, stuffed with chicken, bacon, power greens, and whole lot of flavor fills you up without filling you out!

Ingredients:

- 2 acorn squash

- 1 Tbs Land O Lakes light butter with canola oil, divided

- 2 tsp. maple syrup

- 2, 4 oz. skinless boneless chicken breasts

- 1/2 tsp. salt

- 1/2 tsp. pepper

- 3 slices of bacon

- 1 shallot, diced

- 1 tsp. minced garlic

- 2 cup power greens (kale, spinach, or mixed greens)

- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh chopped sage

- 2 Tbs roasted pine nuts (for garnish, optional)

- 2 Tbs. dried cranberries (for garnish, optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1 inch off the top of each acorn squash and scoop out the seeds. (If necessary, cut off a small portion of the bottom so the squash can sit upright.) Put 1/2 Tbs of butter in the bottom of each acorn squash as well as 1 tsp. maple syrup into each squash. Take the back of a spoon and spread butter and syrup mixture all around the inside of the squash. Set squash on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper and put in a baking pan. Bake chicken for about 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove chicken from oven and reduce oven heat to 350 degrees. Allow chicken to cool and cut into small cubes.

In a large skillet, fry bacon until crisp over medium-high heat. Remove bacon to a plate and add shallots and garlic to the skillet with the bacon grease. Stir constantly for about a minute so the shallots and garlic do not burn. Add greens and sage and cook until greens are cooked through and slightly wilted. 

Scoop skillet mixture to a large bowl and add cubed chicken. Crumble bacon into the mixture and combine. Scoop equal amounts of mixture into each acorn squash. Top each squash with its lid and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove from oven and remove lids. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and dried cranberries, if desired, and serve immediately. Enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." - Anonymous

Salmon with Pink Peppercorn Sauce

I love pink peppercorns and have been searching for recipes where I could use these pretty little peppery dried berries. This exquisite salmon entree uses these peppercorns ground in the creamy sauce, as well as a sprinkling of whole pink peppercorns as a garnish. The taste is phenomenal.

Ingredients:

- 2, 4 oz. boneless, wild caught salmon fillets

- dash salt and pepper

- 3/4 cup light sour cream

- 1/4 cup 2% milk

- 2 Tbs fresh chopped dill

- 1 1/2 Tbs horseradish sauce

- 2 Tbs pink peppercorns, plus a little extra for garnish

- 1/2 tsp. honey

- 1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place salmon fillets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place salmon in the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes (until just barely cooked through).

Place the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. (This sauce makes about a cup. Save any leftovers for sampling on some of your other favorite dishes.) Remove salmon from the oven, drizzle with peppercorn sauce and enjoy!  If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here. 

"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Anonymous

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

The taste of autumn! It's unbelievable how easy this soup is to make and even more unbelievable how quickly it disappears! The unmistakable flavors of pumpkin, butternut squash, and apple cider really come through in this creamy bowl of sheer bliss!

Ingredients:

- 1 Butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

- 1 small onion, roughly chopped

- 2 Tbs olive oil

- 2 tsp. salt

- 1/2 tsp. black pepper

- 15 oz. can pure pumpkin

- 2 cups vegetable broth

- 1 1/2 cups apple cider

- 1 1/2 cups half and half

- 2 Tbs honey

- 1/4 tsp. curry powder

- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

- Garnish Ideas: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, sour cream, mascarpone cheese, herbs or anything that sounds good to you.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place squash and onion in a roaster pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper on top. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Puree squash mixture in a food processor. Scoop the squash puree into a large saucepan and add the rest of the ingredients (except the garnish). Bring to a low boil over medium heat. Garnish with your choice of toppings and enjoy! If you'd like a printer-friendly version of this recipe, Click Here.

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus