Southwest Soup

CLICK TO ENLARGE



Southwest Soup
This makes about 8 servings

1 med onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1/2 lb of lean ground beef (or turkey, or tofu)
2 cups cooked black beans drained
2 cups frozen corn
1 can tomato sauce
1 can diced no-salt added tomatoes
1 7oz package of uncooked vermicelli (a.k.a. fideo)
5 cups oragnic low sodium chicken stock
2 cups water
2 tsp smoked chipotle powder (I use McCormick's)
1 tsp ancho chile powder (I use McCormick's)
1 tsp New Mexico Chile powder
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp Wurshitishire sauce
Olive Oil
1/2 a lime


In a medium pot sautee onion until it's translucent
Add garlic and sautee until fragrant
Add ground meat to brown--drain out fat once, it's cooked
Stir in spices (chipotel, ancho and NM chile powders and cumin)
Pour tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, water, chichen stock and Wurstishire sauce. Stir to combine.
Once liquid is boiling stir in vermicelli.
Cook about 10-13 mins on medium high heat until vermicelli is cooked.
Stir in corn and beans, cook until corn and beans have heated through.
Squeeze half a lime (about 1/2 tsp)onto soup & stir to combine just before serving (it will brighten up flavors).

I love to serve this recipe with home-made tortilla chips (just bake quartered corn tortillas that have been sprayed with olive oil until crispy) and a refreshing salad with avocado.




Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Grilled Teriaki Chicken w/ Jasmine Rice & Garlic Ginger Veggies

CLICK TO ENLARGE



Teriaki Chicken

1/2 cup Mrs. Dash Spicy Teriaki Merinade
1 tbs orange juice
1/8 tsp of liquid smoke (if broiled only)
4 Chicken Cutlets*
Toasted Sesame Seeds for garnish

* I recommend chicken cutlets because then you end up eating 1/2 a chicken breast (the recommended portion) but it looks like you are eating an entire chicken breast and my first rule is "you eat with your eyes FIRST!" To make your own chicken cutlets: half a chicken breast length wise, then pound the cutlet to about an 1/8 of an inch thickness, you'll end up with a large "steak". (I'll make a video ASAP b/c it's hard to explain :D )

To make the sauce simply mix the marinade with the orange juice and liquid smoke if you are broiling the chicken, if you are grilling then leave it out in a small bowl and set aside.
To broil:
Broil the chicken cutlets about 5-7 minutes on each side (depends on how far the chicken is from the broiler), you want to cook it until it's starting to char but doesn't char completely. Once the chicken is begining to char on the second side brush on the sauce on each side and cook for another 2 minutes (just long enough for the sauce to heat up).
If grilling:
Grill the chicken about 3-4 minutes on each side, just so you get the grill marks (b/c the chicken is so thin it will cook quickly so keep a close eye on it!) Brush on the sauce as it's done cooking and heat through.

Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top for garnish and serve with Jasmine rice (cooked to package directions) and Garlic Ginger Veggies (recipe follows)

Garlic Ginger Veggies

1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
3 tbsp Smart Balance (or your favorite buttery spread)
4 cups broccoli florets
3 cups baby carrots
Pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine butter spread, garlic and ginger and microwave for about 30-45 seconds (long enough for the butter to melt) and let it sit.
Meanwhile steam broccoli and carrots, I do it in the microwave in a glass container.
When the broccoli and carrots are steamed (I like to do it so that my broccoli just turns bright green this leaves all the veggies crisp, toss with the butter mixture and as much pepper as you like.
It's an easy an flavorfull recipe that will go with any Asian inspired dish :).

Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

The Perfect Pickle Pursuit

I miss pickles! My burgers aren't the same, my movie watching isn't the same...I never realized how big of a part of my life they were until I couldn't have them anymore. And so I did what I always do when it comes to food...I hit the internet and searched for pickle recipes for inspiration.

My first recipe involved apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, water, sugar, alum, pickling spice and dill (and cucumbers of course). However it ended up tasting too much like cloves and even though I like cloves (in small amounts) I wanted a more dill-y pickle. So I simplified my recipe by just using pickling cucumbers, white vinegar, water, sugar, alum and dill. It improved greatly, but it's still missing something. I think I'm going to try adding lemons for some sourness. And so my journey continues. If you have ideas leave me a comment!

Spicy Beef & Veggie Stir Fry

Who misses Chinese food? I DO!!!! Well I came across a great product a while ago and even though it's meant to be a marinade I immediately though "stir fry!" So I came up with this recipe, it's easy and very quick. Enjoy!!

(click to enlarge)

1/2 lb. Lean beef thinly sliced & choppend into bite size pieces
12 oz bag of stir fry medley veggies
1/2 cup Mrs. Dash Spicy Teriaki Marinade
1 Orange (just the juice and zest)
2 tsp minced garlic (if you want a mild taste just do 1 tsp)
2 tsp minced ginger
1/2 large onion sliced thin
1 cup sliced mushrooms
pinch of dried red pepper flakes (optional)
3 green onions chopped (for garnish)
olive oil
I also highly recommend a wok

Preheat large pan (medium high heat) or wok (medium heat). Pour enouogh olive oil to lightly coat the bottom (b/c you are using olive oil you want to wait until the wok is completely hot and immediately add ingredients or the oil will burn)

Stir fry onions for about 1 minute stirring constantly only until they begin to look translucent.

Add garlic & ginger and continue stirring for about another minute to give the garlic and ginger a chance to begin cooking.

Stir in meat & mushrooms. Once everything is well incorporated cover and cook for 3-5 minutes stirring occasionally. If you are using a regular pan you might need to add 1-2 tbsp of water so that the meat has some liquid to steam in.

Take the lid off and stir until almost all the liquid is gone (about 1 minute)

Stir in the rest of the veggies, orange zest and orange juice and stir to combine.

Once everything is well combined and the veggies have begun to cook, pour Mrs. Dash marinade.

Stir to combine and cover for another 2-4 minutes, stirring occassionally until veggies are almost completely cooked (if you like them crunchy; their colors would have brighted and the brocoli will begin to wilt but not quite) or completely cooked (if you like the veggies soft; the brocoli will be wilted and soft).

Serve over steamed rice and topped with chopped green onions.


Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Garlic Spaghetti Squash

Speghetti Squash is a great way to make your italian pasta inspired dishes low carb and so much more healthy!

Roasting Speghetti Squash
You can do this in many different ways but I preffer the easy way :D

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Wash your squash, poke holes throughout the squash and then place it on a cookie sheet or baking dish (lightly spray the baking dish so the squash won't stick). Bake for 40-60 minutes until the squash is fork tender.

Let squash cool for about 15 minutes.
Then slice the squash length wise, scoop out the seeds and run a fork through the squash "meat" to loosen up the "noodles" that the spaghetti squash becomes.


For the Garlic Spahetti Squash...

(click to enlarge)


2 tbs olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
a pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp italian seasonings

While you are roasting the squash, sautee onion and galic in a tablespoon and a half of the olive oil. Once the onion is beginning to caramelize include pepper flakes and italian seasoning and shut heat off.
Once you have the noodles ready, toss them with the onion and galic mixture and add the other half tablespoon of oil (in needed) so that the noodles are completely coated.

Serve with grilled or breaded chicken and your favorite veggetables!



Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Italian Sausage (alike) Spicy Spaghetti

OK, so one of my friends makes a kickin' italian sausage spaghetti sauce the problem is italian sausage houses a lot of sodium and fat that are not heart healthy. Then one of my internet buddies asked me to work on finding out how to make italian sausage. Sooo I decided to make my own version with all the flavors of italian sausage minus the salt and fat! This one's for you Marie! Enjoy...

1 med onion (finely chopped)
4 large garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp crushed red pepper
2 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning (salt-free)
2 8oz. no salt added tomato sauce
1 14.5oz no salt added diced tomato
1 tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 lb whole grain spaghetti
Fresh parsley for garnish.

In a large pot cook spaghetti as directed in the package omitting the salt.

Drizzle olive oil in a medium saucepan and caramalize onions and garlic (in other words, sautee them until they are nice and golden to intensify their flavors)over medium heat

Once the onions and garlic are just about done, toss in the ground turkey to cook.

When the turkey is completely opaque, sprinkle all the spices onto the meat, mix and let it cook for 2 minutes.

Pour the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, worcestershire sauce and vinegar into the meat mixture and simmer for 10 minutes stirring occassionally.

Toss with the pasta for even coverage garnish with some fresh parsley and enjoy!

Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

BBQ Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (visible fat discarded)
1 tsp Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy Seasoning Blend
1 tbsp chili sauce (optional)
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/2 tsp salt free chili powder
2 tbsp orange juice
1/2 tsp ground chipotle
1/8 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp no salt added tomato paste
vegetable spray

Preheat broiler on high. Set rack about 8 inches away from heat.

In a small saucepan combine all ingredients except for chicken and cook for a couple of minutes (just until the preserves have melted).

Cook chicken for about 10-13 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked (the juices run clear) coat with the bbq sauce let it sit under heat for a couple of minutes, turn coat and let it sit under heat for another 2 minutes.

Serve with roasted vegetables or corn on the cob and enjoy!

Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

(CLICK TO ENLARGE)



1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup orange juice (fresh is best)
1 cup oatmeal flour
1 cup whole grain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup 50/50 Smart Balance butter blend- unsalted, softened
1 tsp grated orange zest
2/3 cup granulated sugar (or Splenda)
2 large eggs, at room temperature (or 1/2 cup of Egg Beaters)
1 tbsp ground flax seed
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans work best)
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Put the cranberries and orange juice in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute and set aside to cool and plump.

Lightly spray a 12-muffin tin (the small muffins) with cooking spray.

To make oatmeal flour simply put a cup of old fashion oats in a food processor and pulse to grind the oats into flour. I like to leave it not completely ground up because it gives the muffins a grainy texture.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder and mix with a wisk to "sift". This is important to fluff the flour and get softer, fluffier muffins as whole wheat and oatmeal flour can be very heavy.

In a large bowl, cream butter with the orange zest and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold the flour in a 3 parts into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Fold in cranberries and chopped nuts.

Be careful not to overmix! Divide the batter evenly into muffin tin and bake until golden brown (about 20-25 minutes).

ENJOY!



Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Turkey Bean Burgers

**This recipe was inspired by one found in the Woman's Day Holiday Menus issue.

2 can-16 oz. black beans (rinsed)
2 cups chopped turkey (can be chicken)
The white from 1 egg
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt free chili powder


Cooking spray
Honey mustard dressing (low fat)
Whole weat hamburger buns
lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado (or any veggies you like on burgers!)

Before you begin make sure and rinse the beans well because canned beans contain subtantial amounts of salt in them. You can also use home baked beans to control the amount of sodium in the beans.
In a medium bowl mash the beans (it's easiest done with a potato masher or a pastry blender.
Spray large skillet and preheat on medium-low heat.
Mix in turkey, egg white and spices.
Once all ingredients are blended well form 4 large burger patties or 6 smaller patties.
Cook 3-4 patties at a time (depending on your skillet size), for about 4 minutes on each side.

Serve with sweet potato fries and enjoy!

Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Turkey burgers

1.5 LBS of Lean Ground Turkey
1/2 TBS of Mrs. Dash Hamburger blend
1 TSP of Wurstishire Sauce
1/4 TSP of Liquid Smoke (omit if you are grilling on a coal grill)
Cooking Spray

In a medium bowl mix ingredient until well blended.
Divide mixture into 4 and create thick round patties with a small dip in the middle (this will keep them from plumping into balls).
If you are cooking these on a stove top--preheat pan over medium heat and lightly coat with cooking spray (olive oil preferred).
If you are cooking on a grill--I recommend that you cook them on aluminum foil or grilling pans because ground turkey might not hold together well on the regular grill.
Cook patties on each side for 4-6 minutes or until brown.

Serve on whole grain hamburger buns with your favorite "fixings" and sweet potato fries.
My favorite are with mixed greens, tomatoes, and avocado...try it you'll love it!

If you want to cut some carbs out, use whole grain sandwich bread, use a whole wheat flour tortilla to make a wrap or make it a lettuce wrap!


Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Sweet Potato Fries/Chips

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 tbs of grated parmesan cheese
1 tbs of Mrs. Dash original blend
1 tsp of paprika
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Chop sweet potatoes into slices, wedges, or thin circles (for chips!)--your favorite frie/chip shape.

Lightly spray cookie sheets (you will need 1 large cookie sheet per potato) with cooking spray and line up the fries, side by side leaving a little bit of space in between them.

Lightly spray fries with cooking spray and cook for 15-18 minutes.

Half way through the cooking time (about 8-10 minutes in) flip fries to allow for even cooking.

Once fries are golden brown take them out of the oven sprinkle spices and cheese on top and toss before serving.

Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Honey Habanero Chicken

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
1/4 cup of Honey
2 tbs of Orange Juice
2 tsp of Paprika
1 tsp New Mexico Chile Powder
1-2 Habanero Chiles (seeded and deveined) finely chopped
Cooking spray

Preheat broiler.
Spray baking dish with cooking spray.
Trim all visible fat from chicken and place in cooking dish.
In a medium bowl wisk together honey, orange juice, paprika, chile powder, and habaneros.
With a basting brush lightly coat the chicken with the honey mixture and cook for 10 minutes. You want to place the chicken at least 5 inches from the top of the broiler.
Once the chicken has cooked for 10 minutes or so brush a little more of the honey mixture, turn the chicken pieces over and cook for 5-10 (depending on the size of your chicken pieces) more minutes.

Recipe Tips & Recommendations
>This recipe works as a great alternative to buffalo wings.
>Serve with sweet potoatoe fries for a "junk food" meal. It also goes great with a side salad (or even in a salad with some honey mustard dressing or your favorite vinagrette!).
>For a milder flavor use jalapenos instead of habaneros.
>Don't be afraid of habaneros though! The honey and orange juice give pleanty of sweetness to balance out the heat of the peppers.

Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Mexican Chorizo

One of the biggest challenges of giving up salt as a Mexican-American woman was giving up chorizo, and so my quest began for the perfect, homemade, heart friendly chorizo!

1 lb. ground pork (the leaner the better!)
3 tbs. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbs. water
3 garlic cloves (grated or finely chopped)
3 tbs. ground chile (I used 1 tbs Cheyenne, 1 tbs New Mexico Chile, 1 tbs Chipotle)
2 tsp. oregano
1 tbs. paprika
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp. sugar

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl for even distribution.
Using a fork, combine pork and liquid ingredients (vinegar & water) in another bowl.
Pour half of the spice mix onto the pork mix and combine thoroughly, then pour the other half and combine thoroughly. I broke this step down to allow the spices to combine well with the meat mixture.
Knead the mixture (either with your hands or the fork) until everything is well combined and put the mixture in zip locks.
Let it cure for at least 24 hrs, although letting it cure for 48 hrs will yield a much better result.

Tips...
Frozen the chorizo will last up to 1 month.
Refrigerated the chorizo must be consumed within 2 weeks.
When thawing out frozen chorizo make sure to thaw it in the refrigerator.


Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Refried Beans

3 cups Baked Beans (with cooking liquid)
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Olive Oil

In a frying pan coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil and add beans with it's liquid (careful not to splash!). Sprinkle the cumin on top and let the beans heat up a bit. Once beans have been heated use a potato smasher to smash the beans. If you don't have a potato smasher you can "smash" your beans in a food processor or blender before you pour them into the pan. Stir beans to combine well with cumin and to further cook the beans. They will begin to turn a darker brown. You will know that your beans are done when their color has turned into that darker brown (thus having been re-fried!). Serve hot and enjoy!


Variation...

Sauteee some chorizo (check out my recipe!) in olive oil until almost fully cooked (it will shrink and change to a darker color) before you pour on the beans for a delicious dip or spicy side dish!

Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Baked Beans

1 onion (sliced or chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (peeled and finely chopped)
2 cups of dry pinto beans (sorted and washed)
1 tsp of sea salt (optional)

In a medium-to-large stock pot, combine ingredients and pour water so that it goes about 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil, add sea salt (if using). Boil for about 5 minutes and then bring it down to a simmer for about 3 hours or until the beans are fully cooked (they will turn brown and become soft and less starchy) checking on it about every 30 minutes and adding water as needed.

Variations...

If you would like to intensify the flavors of the onion and garlic add a teaspoon of olive oil (or enough to cover the botton of your pot) and caramalize the onion and garlic before pouring the beans and water in.

If you would like spicy beans, add one large jalapeno (seed it and remove veins for a mild flavor)when you caramelize the onions and garlic.

Tips...
Remember to sort and wash your beans before you use them. You want to remove beans that have been split or just don't look good as well as any debris (rocks, etc) that may have snuck into the bag.

For a quicker cooking time, soak your beans overnight. It will shorten the cooking time by as much as 2 hours! And make sure that you pour the water that you soaked the beans in because it will add taste.

Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Chili Tostadas

(click to enlarge)



2 servings

4 Corn Tortillas
1 Cup Refried Beans
1 Cup Martha's Chili
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese
1 Tomato (diced)
1 Cup Lettuce--or your favorite leafy green (shredded)
Cooking Spray

Preheat broiler.
Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Lay tortillas on the cookie sheet and lightly spray cooking spray on top of tortillas. Place tortillas in preheated broiler for 3 minutes, flip tortillas and cook for another 2 minutes.
Meanwhile heat beans and chili.
Once the tortillas have been toasted, top them with the refried beans, chili and cheese (put in microwave for 30 seconds if you would like to melt the cheese), top with lettuce and tomatoes.


Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Texas Enchiladas

(click to enlarge)



3 cups Chili (check out my recipe for a heart healthy version!)

12 Corn Tortillas

6-8 cups shredded Cheese (it depends on how much YOU love cheese :D)

Cooking Spray



Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 3 qt. glass baking dish with cooking spray, coat the bottom of the dish with a thin layer of chili. Heat tortillas one by one on a pan or "comal" (cast iron skillet), as they are being heated stuff with 1 tbs of chili and some cheese (just sprinkle across on top of the chili), roll up each tortilla around its stuffing and lay them in the cooking dish seam side down, and side-by-side so they do not unroll. Once you have all the enchiladas in the dish spread the remaining chili on top of the entire dish and top with the remaining cheese. Put in preheated oven until cheese has melted and has begun to brown.



Serve with refried beans and rice.


Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!

Martha's Chilli

1 med Onion
3 Garlic Cloves (finely chopped)
1.25 lbs Ground Turkey
3 Md Jalapenos (remove seeds & veins if you desire a mild flavor)
1tsp Coriander
1tbs Cumin
1 tbs Chili Powder
1 tbs Paprika
1tbs Smoked Paprika
1 tbs New Mexico Chile Powder
2 tsp Chipotle Powder
2 Roma Tomatoes (diced, chunky)
1 can No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes
6 cups Baked Beans
1 can No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
2 cups Frozen (or Fresh) Corn
3 1/2 cups Low Sodium, Organic Chicken Broth
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

In a large stock pot, caramelize onion and garlic in a medium low heat until the onion has began to brown (it becomes a dark orange-caramel color). About half way through the onions will become transparent, at this point add the jalapenos.
Add the ground turkey and begin to brown the meat, stir occasionally until the turkey meat is almost completely cooked. Turkey unlike regular ground beef will not truly brown, so how do you know when it's cooked? When the meat begins to cook it will give off liquid (as will any meat) when that liquid is clear and begins to evaporate your meat should be cooked.
After about 4-5 minutes the meat should be almost completely cooked, at this point you should add all your seasonings and stir.
Add tomatoes (canned & fresh), tomato sauce, and beans (with some of the liquid of the beans), and frozen corn. Stir to combine thoroughly.
Add chicken broth and worcestershire sauce, stir to combine and simmer for 40 minutes.

A few tips,
I used home baked beans to control the amount of sodium in them (check out my recipe!).
My favorite brand of organic, low sodium chicken broth is from Albertson's because it only has 70 mg of sodium per cup!
This recipe yields a mild-to-hot heat, so if you want more heat add more chili powder (my favorite is New Mexico Chile) or leave the veins/seeds in the jalapeno, for milder flavor decrease the amount of jalapeno and/or chili powder.
Look out for recipes that will show you what to do with this chili recipe!

Enjoy!

Do you have a special request or a recipe that you love and would like to get it made over into a heart healthy version? CLICK HERE and I will try help you!