While I’m busy setting up my new home in the Athens, Georgia area, my friend Holly Clegg has written up a wonderful guest post on one of my favorite salad combinations for summer – watermelon, feta and mint. You can check out more of Holly’s trim& TERRIFIC® recipes athollyclegg.com and The Healthy Cooking Blog.

Mint – the taste of summer

If you don’t have mint growing outside, you should. Green thumb or not, mint is about the easiest thing to grow – in fact it’s hard to kill! It can run rampant though, so a good idea to keep it from taking over your garden is to grow it in pots. The fragrant herb comes in many varieties, but the most widely used kitchen herb is spearmint, as it has a milder mint flavor better suited for cooking and garnishing. Peppermint is another popular, yet stronger mint flavoring used in anything from chewing gum to toothpaste.

To me, mint is the taste of summer, and I love to use it in as many dishes as possible. When it is fresh and in season it is hard to beat, especially since it is straight from my yard! I love to go right outside, and pick it to add to yummy recipes. Watermelon Feta Salsa is one of my favorites and always a winner. Finally something scrumptious to do with that leftover watermelon! Pair with toasted whole-wheat pita triangles and you have a delicious, nutritious sweet and savory snack or even serve as a summer salad.

Spicy Advice: Try the red pepper seasoned rice vinegar for a little extra zing. Raid a salad bar for fresh Kalamata olives-it makes a difference.

Watermelon and Feta Salsa

From Holly Clegg's trim&TERRIFIC Too Hot in the Kitchen

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Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped watermelon
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped Kalamata olives
• 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Directions

1. In small bowl mix together all ingredients. Serve.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Total Time: 15 Minutes

Nutrition Grade N/A from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 1

Servings: 16 servings

• Serving size: 1/4 cup
• Calories: 29
• Calories from Fat: 1
• Total Fat: 36%
• Saturated fat: 0g
• Unsaturated fat: 1g
• Sodium: 98mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 4g
• Sugar: 3g
• Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 1g
• Cholesterol: 1mg

Dietary Exchanges: 1/2 fruit

Photo and recipe courtesy of Holly Clegg.

Holly Clegg’s Watermelon and Feta Salsa is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I cannot believe we’re moving to Athens, Georgia in less than two weeks! We’re trying to cut down on the amount of stuff to pack, so the kids and I are in the process of consuming all the foodstuffs we can. That’s why I discovered one last package of venison in the freezer. Surprisingly it was stew meat, which was perfect to make Crock-Pot Hungarian Goulash from Heather of Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks blog for this month’s Secret Recipe Club assignment!

Yes, another slow cooker recipe for the Secret Recipe Club post. This is the third in a row after last month’s Healthy Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John and March’s Healthy Slow Cooker Pumpkin and Bean Chili. Hope you don’t mind, but when you have a small kitchen like I do in my temporary Boulder apartment, a slow cooker comes in handy!

I only made a few changes to Heather’s recipe. To make it gluten free, I used starch instead of flour and served it on quinoa instead of egg noodles. I also used coconut palm sugar instead of brown sugar ,, sea salt instead of regular table salt, and smoked paprika instead of regular paprika. Feel free to use whatever substitutes you wish depending on your food sensitivities and what you have on hand.

Healthy Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash

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Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean stew meat (beef or venison), cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon corn or rice starch
• 2 cups cooked quinoa

Directions

1. Place the meat in a 5 quart slow cooker and cover with the sliced onion.
2. Combine the garlic, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, coconut palm sugar, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and dry mustard. Stir in the water and mix well. Then pour mixture over the meat in the slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. If mixture gets dry, add more water (1/2 cup at a time).
4. Just before serving, remove a couple of tablespoons of liquid from the slow cooker and put into a small bowl. Add corn or rice starch and stir until dissolved. Pour starch mixture into the slow cooker and stir until goulash thickens.
5. Spoon goulash over quinoa and serve.

Prep Time: 15 - 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 6 - 8 Hours

Total Time: 6:15 - 8 Hours 20 Minutes

Nutrition Grade B+ from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 8

Servings: Serves 6

• Calories: 412
• Calories from Fat: 46
• Total Fat: 5.1g
• Saturated fat: 5g
• Unsaturated fat: .1g
• Sodium: 681mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 46.7g
• Sugar: 8.5g
• Fiber: 4.5g
• Protein: 41.7g

More from the Secret Recipe Club!

Want to join the Secret Recipe Club? You can sign up here.

Healthy Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash with Quinoa #secretrecipeclub #glutenfree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

If you’re looking for a Mother’s Day recipe that’s easy enough for the kids to make, try this one by Holly Clegg for Blueberry Muffin Streusel Cake. Not only is it perfect for Mother’s and Father’s Day brunch, but it’s a great dish to bring to morning breakfast meetings or play dates.

Holly’s guest post follows below. You can check out more of Holly’s trim& TERRIFIC® recipes at hollyclegg.com and The Healthy Cooking Blog.

Mother’s Day Brunch 2012

Looking for a nice way to show your mom, or mother of your children how much you care and appreciate all of the hard, tireless work she does all year? Here’s a secret to what we mom’s want….the way to the heart is not just through man’s stomach, but a woman’s stomach, too. Surprise her with a wonderful brunch, and Blueberry Muffin Streusel Cake is just the ticket! My absolute favorite brunch dish as I can eat it all day long. The kids will even have fun mixing the batter and sprinkling the topping.

In fact, you will want to keep these ingredients on hand to whip up when the cravings hit, or you just want to impress your mom…doing the dishes and wrapping up the gift of Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle At Any Age cookbook won’t hurt either!

Blueberry Muffin Streusel Cake

My friend, Teresa, gave me this recipe that has been in her family for years. A cross between a muffin and cake. Here’s my version that I made, again, again, and again — that’s how good it is.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• Streusel Topping (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 375°F. Coat 9x9x2-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray
2. In bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, milk and egg.
3. Stir in oil and blueberries, only until mixed.
4. Sprinkle 1/2 cup reserved Streusel Topping (see recipe) on bottom of pan. Carefully spread cake mixture on top. Cover with remaining reserved Streusel Pecan Topping.
5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out dry.

Streusel Topping

A perfect topping to any breakfast cake.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. In small bowl, mix together sugar, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.
2. Cut in vanilla and butter using pastry blender or fork.
3. Reserve 1/2 cup topping and add pecans to remaining topping.

Nutritional information

• Calories 231
• Calories from fat 81
• Fat 9g
• Saturated Fat 2g
• Cholesterol 25mg
• Sodium 83mg
• Carbohydrate 36g
• Dietary Fiber 1g
• Sugars 22g
• Protein 3g
• Dietary Exchanges: 2 1/2 other carbohydrate, 2 fat
• Weight Watchers POINTS: 5

Photo and recipe courtesy of Holly Clegg.

Mother’s Day Brunch: Holly Clegg’s Blueberry Muffin Streusel Cake is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I want to thank my regular readers for their patience the past few weeks as I haven’t been posting as many recipes as I’d normally would. It’s been a time when the personal gets in the way of the professional due to selling our home in February, moving to temporary quarters in Boulder in March, and traveling to Athens, Georgia to house hunt. (I was also on a trip to Honolulu to do some food writing for the folks at Sea Cuisine – more on that soon!)

While I was in Athens, I indulged in local Southern cuisine from barbecue to grits (smothered and chopped – thank you very much!) While I was there I discovered pickled and fried okra, pickled watermelon rinds, and a dish called Hoppin’ John. It’s a combination of two staples of Southern food – black eyed peas and collard greens.

Both foods are packed with nutrition. According to Self Nutrition Data, black eyed peas are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium and a good source of fiber, protein, folate, thiamin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and copper. (The one drawback is that they’re very high in calories.) Collard greens are low in saturated fat, very low in cholesterol, and a good source of fiber, protein, and many vitamins and minerals.

Healthing up Southern cooking

I’m looking forward to our move to Georgia and sharing healthy versions of Southern recipes with my readers. That’s why I was so excited to find a recipe for Hoppin John Vegetarian Black Eyed Peas done in a slow cooker at Kristi Arnold’s blog Veggie Converter, my assigned blog for this month’s Secret Recipe Club post.

Kristi’s recipe is very healthy already, but since I’m not a vegetarian, I decided to add smoked turkey sausage to her recipe after consulting Kristi’s original sources. (Traditionally, smoked ham hocks are used.) I kept the sausage whole instead of chopping them up, so you can decide how much sausage you want to eat and can keep a better eye on portion size. Also, I used canned black eyed peas instead of dried to make the recipe even more convenient for busy folks. I served it on quinoa, but feel free to use rice – brown, of course – which is more traditional.

And the Bacon Salt that Kristi recommends? Awesome stuff! I love how it added bacon flavor – and no calories and saturated fat – to the recipe.

Healthy Crockpot Hoppin' John

Note: you can health up this recipe even more by using vegetable broth, cutting back on the sea salt, and adding more tomatoes, onions and collard greens. While I loved the addition of quinoa, it can be eliminated, too, if you're watching your calorie count. And the sausage? Feed it to your skinny friends or the dog!

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Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 (15.5 ounce) cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (13.5 ounce) package smoked turkey sausage, keep whole
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced petite tomatoes and diced green chilies
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 bunch collard greens, rinsed chopped and ribbed
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Bacon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups cooked quinoa

Directions

1. Empty the cans of black eyed peas into a colander place in the sink. Drain and rinse until the water runs clear.
2. Place black eyed peas, chicken broth and turkey sausage in the six quart slow cooker.
3. Stir in tomatoes with chilies, chopped onion, and collard greens.
4. Add sea salt, Bacon salt and black pepper. Stir thoroughly.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours until sausage is cooked through.
6. Serve over quinoa.

Nutrition Grade B from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 13

Servings: 10

• Calories: 646
• Calories from Fat: 56
• Total Fat: 6.2g
• Saturated fat: 1.3g
• Unsaturated fat: 4.9g
• Sodium: 1115mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 136.6g
• Sugar: 8.4g
• Fiber: 51.2g
• Protein: 56.4g
• Cholesterol: 27mg

More from the Secret Recipe Club!

Want to join the Secret Recipe Club? You can sign up here.

Healthy Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John #secretrecipeclub is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Leave it to my friend and today’s guest poster, Holly Clegg, to come up with an Easter dessert that’s delicious, gorgeous and good for you. You can check out more of Holly’s trim& TERRIFIC® recipes at hollyclegg.com and The Healthy Cooking Blog.

Healthy Easter treats

Easter is around the corner and what a great day to spend with family. Around the dinner table or outside hunting Easter eggs, everyone loves to dive into a luscious, creamy dessert. The Heavenly Yam Delight is just that! Easy to make, and layered in a trifle bowl, you may not have realized sweet potatoes could be an ingredient be in a delicious dessert. No one has to know that they are getting important vitamins, nutrients and fiber – but I can assure you it will be the hit of the family.

Heavenly Yam Delight

This treat is a sweet potato version of a favorite layered dessert. The perfect sweet to make when you’re in a hurry, wonderful!

Terrific Tidbit: 2 cups fresh cooked Louisiana yams = 1 (29-ounce) can sweet potatoes.

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Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) package fat-free cream cheese
• 1 (8-ounce) container fat-free frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 1 (29-ounce) can sweet potatoes (yams), drained or 2 cups cooked mashed Louisiana yams
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven 350F. In large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, pecans, and butter. Press into bottom of 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Bake 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. In mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and remaining 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar until creamy. Fold in 3/4 cup whipped topping. Spread cream cheese mixture over cooled crust.
3. In mixing bowl, beat sweet potatoes, cinnamon, and sugar until smooth. Spread over cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining whipped topping. Refrigerate.

Nutrition Grade N/A from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 4

Servings: Makes 16 servings

• Calories: 205
• Calories from Fat: 57
• Total Fat: 6g
• Saturated fat: 1g
• Unsaturated fat: 5g
• Sodium: 143mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 33g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 4g
• Cholesterol: 1mg

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Picture courtesy of Holly Clegg.

Don’t forget that you can save any of the recipes you see here at This Mama Cooks! On a Diet to an online recipe box by clicking the Save Recipe button below.

Healthy Easter dessert: Holly Clegg’s Heavenly Yam Delight is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Here’s another “Friday Fish” recipe for Lent from Spice Island. Substitute brown rice flour for wheat flour to make this dish gluten free.

Fish with Pico Garlic Rub

Recipe and picture courtesy of Spice Islands

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Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Spice Islands Garlic Powder
• 2 tablespoons Spice Islands Parsley
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands Chipotle Chile, Ground
• 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Sea Salt
• 1-1/2 pounds tilapia fillets
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons Mazola® Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lime wedge

Directions

1. Mix Spice Island spices in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Coat fish with flour.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet on medium heat.
4. Place fish in skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Turn and brush on the garlic rub. Cook 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Remove fish from skillet and squeeze lime juice over all. Serve immediately.

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 8 Minutes

Total Time: 13 Minutes

Nutrition Grade B- from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 5

Servings: 4

• Serving size: 5 ounces
• Calories: 271
• Calories from Fat: 73
• Total Fat: 8.1g
• Saturated fat: 1.4g
• Unsaturated fat: 6.7g
• Sodium: 277mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 17.2g
• Sugar: 1.5g
• Fiber: 1.6g
• Protein: 23.7g
• Cholesterol: 55mg

Fish with Pico Garlic Rub is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

It’s the first “Fish Friday” of Lent, so the folks at Spice Islands sent me a few easy recipes to get you excited about cooking up some healthy, delicious fish.

Eating fish is a great way to naturally add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least two times (two servings) a week. Each serving is 3.5 ounce cooked. (This recipe is two servings.) Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna are especially high in omega-3s.

Black ‘N Spicy Fish

Recipe and photo courtesy of Spice Islands. Note: Cooking times may differ depending on the thickness of the fillet or steak. A cast iron skillet is best for this recipe.

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Recipe

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 teaspoons Spice Islands Garlic Salt
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands Onion Powder
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands Pepper, Black Fine Grind
• 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Thyme, Ground
• 2 pounds salmon (tuna or firm white fish fillets may be substituted)

Directions

1. Combine garlic salt, paprika, onion powder, oregano, black pepper, cayenne pepper and thyme.
2. Rub mixture on both sides of fish.
3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray and add fish.
4. Cook 8 to 10 minutes on each side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 08 - 10 Minutes

Total Time: 13 - 15 Minutes

Nutrition Grade B from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 8

Servings: 6

• Serving size: 7 ounces
• Calories: 318
• Calories from Fat: 169
• Total Fat: 18.8g
• Saturated fat: 3.8g
• Unsaturated fat: 15g
• Sodium: 93mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 1.4g
• Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 33.7g
• Cholesterol: 95mg

Black ‘N Spicy Fish is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Manly food doesn’t have to be meaty, greasy and covered with cheese! Considering that cardiovascular disease is the number one killer for men in the US, it’s time to make a change starting in the kitchen this Super Bowl Sunday.

That’s why CanolaInfo.org came up with their Heart-Healthy Dude Food Recipe Collection. It contains 10 hearty but healthy recipes made with canola oil like Deep, Dark and Stout Chili and Fall-Apart Beer Brisket that are perfect for game day parties.

Here’s another Heart-Healthy Dude Food recipe that is sure to be a winner during Sunday’s game!

Black Bean-Avocado Salsa with Home-Baked Tortilla Chips

Recipe courtesy of CanolaInfo

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Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 6 inch soft corn tortillas
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 ripe medium avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 medium tomatillo, papery skin removed, rinsed and diced
• 1 large jalapeno chili pepper, finely chopped (seeded, if desired)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/2 can (15 oz) no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Stack tortillas and cut into eight equal triangles (48 wedges total). Put triangles in single layer on two baking sheets. Drizzle triangles with canola oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and black pepper. Bake for 10 minutes or until chips are light brown and beginning to crisp. Remove from oven, place baking sheets on cooling racks, sprinkle evenly with 1/4 tsp salt and cool completely (about 10 minutes). As chips cool, they will become crisper. Store in airtight container up to 24 hours for peak flavor and texture.
3. Meanwhile, combine avocado, tomatillo, jalapeno, cilantro, red onion, black beans, canola oil, lime juice, vinegar and salt in medium bowl. Serve with tortilla chips.

Prep Time: 25 Minutes

Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Total Time: 35 Minutes

Nutrition Grade NA from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 3

Servings: 6 servings

• Serving size: 1/3 cup salsa, 8 chips
• Calories: 130
• Total Fat: 10g
• Saturated fat: 1g
• Unsaturated fat: 8g
• Sodium: 200mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 9g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 2g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Help CanolaInfo raise money for the American Heart Association

The recipe collection is part of CanolaInfo’s efforts to raise money for the American Heart Association during American Heart Month 2012. They’ve also launched an American Heart Month e-card program.

From now until the end of February, for every e-card sent at CanolaInfo.org, CanolaInfo will donate 20 cents to the American Heart Association up to $20,000. Their hope is to help the AHA reach their goal to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20 percent while reducing deaths from cardiovascular diseases and stroke by 20 percent – and to do this by 2020.

To learn more about the benefits of using canola oil in your cooking, go to CanolaInfo.org. You can also connect with them on Twitter and Facebook.

Picture courtesy of CanolaInfo.

Don't forget that you can save any of the recipes you see here at This Mama Cooks! On a Diet to an online recipe box by clicking the Save Recipe button below.

Healthy Super Bowl snacks: Black Bean-Avocado Salsa with Home-Baked Tortilla Chips is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I love borscht and grew up eating the Manischewitz version out of a large glass jar, cold with a dollop of sour cream. Then I discovered the “real thing” – Russian style borscht made with carrots, beets, cabbage, dill, mushrooms and potatoes, served warmed as a comforting winter soup thanks to Barbara Kafka’s classic cookbook, Soup, A Way of Life.

I remember her recipe for Vegetarian Borscht as being very labor intensive. I made a triple batch and it literally took me all afternoon to chop those vegetables! I was exhausted by the time the borscht was done, but it was so worth it.

As part of the DailyBuzz Moms 9x9 challenge, I wanted to recreate that soup and health up the borscht a bit. Due to my food sensitivities, I omitted the cabbage and the white potatoes. Instead, I substituted kale and purple potatoes, both of which are much more nutrient dense. I also used powdered stevia instead of sugar, reduced the amount of salt, and used no fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

My son Nathan, who is almost 12, loved the borscht. He had it for dinner the other night. The next day he had it for breakfast and took the borscht to school.

Vegetarian Borscht with Kale

Based on Barbara Kafka’s recipe from Soup, A Way of Life

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Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 7 medium beets, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
• 1 very small or 1/2 large celery root (about 3/4 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 pounds purple potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 bunch kale, choped in 1-inch pieces
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 medium bunch dill, fronds only, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup powdered stevia
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1-2 small containers no fat Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, and squeeze out the excess liquid. Strain all the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve the liquid (there should be 1 cup) and the mushrooms separately.
2. In a larege stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes until the onions start to caramelize.
3. Add the beets, carrots, parsnip, celery root, 8 cups water, and the mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the potatoes, garlic, kale and sundried tomatoes.
5. Return soup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the reconstituted mushrooms and simmer for 5 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
7. Remove soup from the stove top. Stir in the dill, stevia, vinegar, salt and pepper.
8. Pour soup into bowls and add a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Prep Time: 45 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes

Total Time: 2 Hours 5 Minutes

Nutrition Grade A from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 4

Servings: 8 main course servings

• Serving size: 579 g
• Calories: 215
• Calories from Fat: 37
• Total Fat: 4.1g
• Saturated fat: 0.6g
• Unsaturated fat: 3.5g
• Sodium: 1020mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 39.9g
• Sugar: 12.8g
• Fiber: 8.5g
• Protein: 6.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

Note: nutritional information is based on borscht without the Greek yogurt.

Featured at:

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Vegetarian Borscht with Kale: a comforting soup recipe for the DailyBuzz Moms 9×9 is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Colorado is in the grip of Tebow fever, so I’m sure everyone’s having a football watching party on Saturday. So what kind of party food recipes will you be serving?

This Speedy Chicken Chili from today’s guest poster, Holly Clegg, is sure to be a healthy party food hit no matter who you're rooting for. Check out more of Holly’s trim& TERRIFIC® recipes at hollyclegg.com and The Healthy Cooking Blog.

Soup-er Bowl Easy Suppers

What kind of party food is better to feed and please a hungry crowd for a football watching party than a Soup-er easy supper?! Entertaining should be fun and easy – making sure the hosts are able to enjoy the party. A hearty, healthy and satisfying meal on the table is simple with this belly-filling and heart warming soup.

One-pot meals are great because they leave easy cleanup, without the hassle of tons of dirty dishes, they feed a crowd and can easily be frozen in batches for making ahead or dinner another day. I cannot wait to share with you my must-try “soup-er” supper!

Tips for an easy Soup-er Bowl party

• A soup buffet is the perfect solution to feed a “come and go crowd.”
• Serve soup simmering on the stove or use crock-pots to keep your soup warm.
• Have mugs by the soup so guests can eat at their leisure.
• Freeze soups ahead of time.
• Double the recipe and place half in the freezer to pull out when we have the urge.

Speedy Chicken Chili Soup

From Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC® Too Hot in the Kitchen Secrets to Sizzle At Any Age

Serve with reduced-fat cheese, avocado, and onions. Look for fresh salsa or your favorite flavored salsa to pump up flavor. For a short-cut, use pre- cooked, grilled whole chicken breast fillets (great grilled flavor) or rotisserie chicken.

Print
Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups salsa
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with juice
• 4 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can navy beans, rinsed and drained
• Shredded reduced-fat cheese, avocado, and red onions, optional

Directions

1. In large pot coated with nonstick cooking spray, season chicken and cook until lightly browned, 5 minutes.
2. Add salsa, tomatoes, broth, green chilies, oregano, and cumin. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and cook 15 minutes. Add corn and beans, cooking another 5-10 minutes until well heated and bubbly. Serve with condiments.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 25 - 35 Minutes

Total Time: 40 - 50 Minutes

Nutrition Grade NA from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 5

Servings: Makes 10 servings

• Serving size: 1 cup
• Calories: 257
• Calories from Fat: 18
• Total Fat: 2g
• Saturated fat: 0g
• Unsaturated fat: 2g
• Sodium: 740mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 29g
• Sugar: 6g
• Fiber: 7g
• Protein: 29g
• Cholesterol: 53mg

Dietary Exchanges: 2 starch, 4 very lean meat

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