Clean-Eating Crockpot Pork Chops

Crockpot Pork Chops
 
Dice one small onion
Cut 4 potatoes (can be sweet potatoes too) into chunks
pour in 10.5 oz. of chicken broth and then the pork chops…set on low for 6-8 hours and done!

Olive Garden Inspired Minestrone Soup

Olive

 

Recipe adapted from Spark Recipes

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ¼ cup zucchini, chopped
• ½ cup frozen cut green beans
• ¼ cup celery, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can small white beans, drained
• ½ (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
• ½ cup carrots, julienned
• 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. dried basil
• ¼ tsp. dried thyme
• 1½ cups hot water
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• ⅓ cup small pasta shells

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and saute onion, celery, garlic, zucchini and green beans, about 5 minutes.
2. Then add vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water and spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, allowing soup to simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Add baby spinach leaves and pasta, cooking an additional 20 minutes, then serve. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 1¼ cups • Calories: 190 • Fat: 4 g • Carbs: 30.4 g • Fiber: 9 g • Protein: 8.9 g • WW Points+: 4 pts

Orecchiette with Roasted Peppers, Arugula, and Tomatoes

Ingredients

1 orange bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

8 ounces uncooked orecchiette pasta 

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic, divided

8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

3 tablespoons champagne or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cups loosely packed arugula

1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) shaved fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and cut into 1-inch strips.
3. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain.
4. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 teaspoon garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add bell peppers and tomatoes to pan; cook 4 minutes or until tomatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
5. Combine remaining 3/4 teaspoon garlic, vinegar, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Add pasta and oil mixture to bell pepper mixture in pan; toss well to coat. Cool slightly. Stir in arugula. Top each serving with cheese.

Chicken and Potatoes

Roasted Chicken and New Potatoes

 

1 ½ to 2 lbs broiler-fryer chicken pieces, skin removed (I usually buy some wings, drumsticks or thighs, with no skin)

1 lb new potatoes, cut into fourths ( I buy the red mini potatoes)

½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves

2 teaspoon dried basil

3 Tablespoons olive oil (or veggie)

1 teaspoon garlic salt

 

Heat oven to 375. Place chicken and potatoes in ungreased rectangular (or oval baking pan). Mix remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over chicken and potatoes.

Cover and bake 30 minutes. Turn chicken and potatoes. Bake uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes longer or until  juice of chicken is no longer pink when thickest centers are cut.

The Perfect Potato Soup - The Pioneer Woman

Perfect Potato Soup

Prep Time:

10 Minutes

Cook Time:

20 Minutes

Difficulty:

Easy

Servings:

12

 Ingredients

• 6 slices Thin Bacon, Cut Into 1-inch Pieces
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 3 whole Carrots, Scrubbed Clean And Diced
• 3 stalks Celery, Diced
• 6 whole Small Russet Potatoes, Peeled And Diced
• 8 cups Low Sodium Chicken Or Vegetable Broth
• 3 Tablespoons All-purpose Flour
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
• Black Pepper To Taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun Spice Mix
• 1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Parsley
• 1 cup Grated Cheese Of Your Choice

Preparation Instructions

Add bacon pieces to a soup pot over medium heat and cook bacon until crisp and fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the pot and set it aside. Pour off most of the grease, but do not clean the pot.
Return the hot to medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spice.
Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender. Whisk together the flour and the milk, then pour into the soup and allow the soup to cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove half to 2/3 the soup and blend in a blender/food process until completely smooth. Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat back up as you taste for seasonings, adding more of what it needs. Stir in cream, then stir in parsley, reserving a little for garnish.
Serve in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces.

Auntie's Lasagna

1 1/2 lbs. Ground Chuck Beef
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
3 1/2 c. tomatoes or 1 large can crushed tomatoes (she liked Contadina)
1 - 8 oz. tomato sauce
8 oz. mozzarella cheese
8 oz. cottage cheese
1 pkg Lowry's spaghetti sauce mix
1/2 c. cheddar cheese (grated)
1/2 lb. lasagna noodles (about 9 noodles)

Cook noodles accordingly to directions and add 1 tsp. oil to the boiling water.  Brown meat, drain off fat and add salt, garlic powder, tomatoes, tomato paste and spaghetti sauce mix.  Simmer for 30 min. Drain and rinse noodles in cold water.  Put some of the sauce in a 9x13 pan, cover with noodles and top with cheese.  Repeat ending with sauce.  Top with Parmesan cheese ... Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. 

Layered Southwestern Salad
Mimi Driessnack (from Nashville SBS)

Serves 8-10 

Dressing:
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream or lite sour cream
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Place all ingredients in blender.  Blend well.

Salad:
16 oz pkg (approx 3) Romaine hearts, cut up (sliced cross-ways)
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
Small red onion:  chop the amount you like!
8 oz pkg shredded Mexican cheese blend
15 oz. can "mexican" corn w red & green peppers, drained
3oz or 6oz (your choice) can sliced black olives, drained
tortilla chips

Layer lettuce and next 7 ingredients in large salad bowl (glass is nice! :)
Crush tortilla chips on top.
Serve with Dressing.