Pico De Gallo

Pico De Gallo
From the Kitchen of Stephanie

2 Organic Roma Tomatoes (seeded and diced)
1 large Jalepeno (seeded diced)
1/2 cup of chopped cilantro (fresh)
1/4-1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1-2 tsp Garlic Salt (I started with 1 and then added a bit more after tasting the end product)
1 tsp of black pepper

1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Best if you can refrigerate for at least 15-20 minutes 

( When making this to go with my chicken fajita recipe, I put this in the fridge when I added the chicken mixture to the pan)

Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas
From the Kitchen of Stephanie


1.5 lbs of Chicken breast (cut in even strips to help it cook evenly)
2 cups of sliced peppers (I like orange, red and yellow)
1 yellow onion (sliced)
1 tsp of coconut oil
1 can of Organic Black Beans (rinsed)
Homemade Taco Seasoning 

1. Place your chicken, peppers and onions in a gallon size ziplock bag.
2. Add seasoning to your liking....I probably added about 3-4 TBSP and then zip your bag and shake to distribute the seasoning all over.
3.Then Place the bag in fridge until ready to cook. While the chicken is in the fridge make your homemade Pico De Gallo (will post that recipe after this one)
4. Place large saute pan (I use a green non stick pan) over medium heat.
5. Add the tsp of Coconut Oil to the pan. Once it's melted add the chicken, pepper and onion mixture.
6. Saute/Cook for about 10-15 minutes (until chicken is no longer pink).
7. I used endives to put this mixture on top of and then I added a tsp of black beans to each one and topped with the homemade pico de gallo.

Hope you enjoy!

Chicken Tacos

Chicken Tacos:

From the kitchen of Beth Vincent

Items may be put in frozen or fresh :)

4 chicken breast

Corn

Peppers

Onion

Black Beans

Can of salsa

Place all items in the crock pot

Cook for 4-6 hours

About 30 minutes before serving shred the chicken w/ two forks (the chicken will be so tender!) Stir to let all the flavors mix. This taste so good on soft and hard shells. Add favorite topping!

Serves 5-7

Healthier Chicken Enchiladas

Healthier Chicken Enchiladas

From the Kitchen of Stephanie

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

2 lg chicken breasts (I used one of the Organic Chicken pckg's from Costco)

1 TBSP Better Than Bouillon, chicken flavor (I used organic, reduced sodium)

salt, pepper, cumin (to taste)

2 cups of hot water

For the Sauce:

1 Jar (12 oz) of Salsa Verde (I used the Trader Joe's one)

1 cup of Non-fat Plain Greek Yogurt

1/4 cup of fresh cilantro (roughly chopped)

1 tsp of Better Than Bouillon, chicken flavor (again, I used organic, reduced sodium)

For the Enchiladas

1 Can of Organic Corn...rinsed and drained (I used Trader Joe's)

1 Can of Organic Black Beans...rinsed and drained (I used Trader Joe's)

The cooked and shredded chicken from above

10 flour tortillas (I used the organic Trader Joe's ones....they are about 10 inches in diameter)

1 cup of Cheese (I used the Lite Fancy Shredded Mexican Blend from Trader Joe's)

1/4 cup of chopped scallions

Directions:

For the chicken:

In the morning, I placed the chicken in the crock pot and seasoned with salt, pepper, and cumin. I then dissolved 1 TBSP of Better than Bouillon in 2cups of hot water. Once dissolved I poured into the crock pot. I cooked the chicken on high for 4.5 hours, but you could cook it on low for longer if needed. Once the chicken is done, use forks to shred the chicken and place in a large bowl with the corn and black beans. Mix together until well combined. Set aside.

For the Sauce:

On the stop top, mix all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook on low for about 5-8 minutes...until well combined. If it's too spicy for you add some extra yogurt.

For the Enchilada Assembly:

Pre-heat the oven to 375

Spray a 9x13 pan

To assemble these enchiladas, I took a heaping spoonful of the chicken, corn, and bean mixture and spread it in the middle of a tortilla. Then I rolled it and placed in the pan. Repeat until all 10 tortillas are rolled and in the pan. In my pan I fit 9 across and had one at the bottom. You could also do this in two 9x9 pans if you wanted as well (just put 5 in each).

Once all of the tortillas are in the pan, then I poured the sauce over all of the enchiladas. Next, I sprinkled about a cup of cheese over the top and finished them by sprinkling 1/4 cup of chopped scallions on top of the cheese.

You can either put this straight in the oven or you can cover with foil and place in the fridge (I had mine in the fridge for about two hours before I actually baked it).

Bake Covered at 375 for 25 minutes. For the last 10 minutes, take the foil off and let the cheese get good and melted.

Nutrition Facts (based off of the items I used...you could lower the calories and fat by using different tortillas...my tortillas had 140 cal and 3 grams of fat per tortilla, so you can see that is where a majority of the calories and fat for this dish comes from).

286 Calories

4.8 grams of fat

41 grams of carbs

17 grams of protein

4 grams of fiber

4 grams of sugar

Hope you enjoy these :)

Healthy Taco Salad

Healthy Taco Salad
From the kitchen of Stephanie


Ingredients:

1 cup Kale (deribbed and chopped)
1 heart of Romain (chopped)
4 oz of extra lean ground turkey
Taco Seasoning (I prefer Trader Joe's...no additives and great flavor)
1/2 Yellow Onion (chopped)
2 Green Onions (chopped)
1/4 cup of Light Mexican Cheese Blend (I also use Trade Joe's...no GMO's)
1/4 of an Avocado
Tortilla Chips (I used the Reduced Guilt Trader Joe's Tortilla Chips...great flavor)
1/2 cup Tri-color Bell Peppers (chopped)
1 lime
2 TBSP Salsa (I prefer the Homestyle Salsa Especial from Trader Joe's)


1. Cook the ground turkey with about 1-2 tsps of the taco seasoning (depends how spicy you'd like it to be) along with the onions. Literally all I did to cook this meat was use a non-stick pan, dumped the meat in with the onions, sprinkle the taco seasoning on top and I added a couple tablespoons of water...no oil, no butter, no sprays.
2.While the meat is cooking, chop all of the veggies
3. When the meat is done, combine all ingredients together (this makes one BIG serving or two smaller servings).

Nutrition:
(for the whole thing)
383 Calories, 8 grams of fat, 39 grams of carbs, 49 grams of protein



***The only thing I think I'd do different next time is add some pinto beans to the taco meat once it's mostly done cooking.

Easy Beef Taquitos

These look amazing to me! On the site Women Living Well, she has posted another fabulous recipe link for Homemade Beef Taquitos.

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
Found on Pinterest
This is a Martha Stewart Recipe

Ingredients
4 flour tortillas (10 inches)
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove seeds and ribs for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces beer, or 1 1/2 cups water
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (2 1/2 cups)
Directions
. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. With a paring knife, trim tortillas to fit a 9-inch springform pan. Use the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.
. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
. Add beans and beer, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
Fit a trimmed tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until cheese melts, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove side of pan; sprinkle pie with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges.

Cheese Enchiladas

Cheese Enchiladas
From the kitchen of Mary and Stephanie

12 corn tortillas
Green Onions (chopped)
Enchilada Sauce (I prefer Trader Joes or Rosarita)
About two cups of cheddar cheese (shredded)

Pre-heat the oven to 350

Dip each tortilla in the sauce, sprinkle in a little cheese and roll and place in 9x13 baking dish (not greased). Repeat until all 12 are rolled. Sprinkle left over cheese on top along with chives. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 20 min and then take foil off and bake 5-10 more minutes to desired "doneness!" I serve them with sour cream and guacamole!

Grilled Chicken Nachos

Grilled Chicken Nachos
By: BiggestLoserClub.com
Fire up your weekend with this south of the border favorite!

Be sure you either wear plastic gloves or wash your hands immediately after working with jalapeños.

1 ounce baked tortilla chips
1/4 cup drained canned 50% less-sodium black beans, heated
4 ounces grilled extra-lean boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons salsa con queso, all-natural, heated
3 tablespoons finely chopped seeded tomato
2 tablespoons thinly sliced jalapeño chile pepper

Lay the chips on a dinner plate. Top them evenly with the beans, followed by the chicken. Drizzle the cheese evenly over the top. Top with the tomato and jalapeño slices and serve.

Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 321 calories, 32 g protein, 36 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat (less than 1 g saturated), 65 mg cholesterol, 5 g fiber, 498 mg sodium

Mexican Chicken Soup

Mexican Chicken Soup
From the Kitchen of Tiffani Hampton
It's actually a recipe from barefoot contessa that I change slightly.

2-4 chicken breast (cubes and cooked in olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper)....works with shredded chicken too
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups chopped carrots
4 large garlic cloves chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock (I use chicken bullion cubes and 2 1/2 quarts water)
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes (or you can crush your own. I've done it both ways)
2-4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced (I use Serrano peppers instead)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed (I have made it without this before and it tastes just as good)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional, but it is so good)
6-8 (6 inch) white corn tortillas (cut in half, then cut them crosswise into 1/2 inch strips)

For serving:
Sliced avocado
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese
Tortilla chips

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in stock pot and then add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until soft- about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Add chicken stock, tomatoes with their purée, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Mix and then add tortilla strips. Bring soup to boil, lower heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add chicken and season to taste.

Serve with avocado, cheese, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips.

It is so good and makes a fair amount. It's great for having people over!

Taco Soup

Taco Soup
From the Kitchen of Amy Young

Boil a half chicken, debone and shred meat and place in a huge pot
or brown 2lbs of ground beef or turkey
brown/saute 1 med chopped onion for 5 minutes

Add:
2 pkg taco seasoning
2 pkg ranch dressing mix
2 cans whole kernel corn drained
2 cans pinto beans (undrained)
2 cans kidney beans (undrained)
1 large can organic tomatoes diced (drained)
1 can rotel tomatoes (undrained) *my mother uses 2 cans
Several cups of water (use your best judgement)

Simmer for several hours on the stove. Season to taste.

Top your bowl with fresh cilantro and avocado!!
YUM

Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas
From the Kitchen of Stephanie

I go to Albertson's (or wherever) and have the butcher preslice 1/2 pound of raw chicken breasts
Slice on red bell pepper, one green bell pepper and one yellow onion
I season with Mrs. Dash (I'm watching sodium) south western seasoning, lemon pepper and lime seasoning

I cook the chicken in a pan with just a drop of EVOO until almost done then I throw in the peppers and onions and
cover for about 5-7 minutes (until the veggies are done to the crispness or softness you prefer).

I lay out flour tortillas, shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, sliced avocados, scallions, salsa, and sour cream and have a fajita bar.

Mexican Black Bean Soup with Lime and Cilantro

Mexican Black Bean Soup with Lime and Cilantro
From Biggest Loser Recipes

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeno chile, stemmed and minced (don't use the seeds)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
Salt
12-ounce bottle beer
(3) 15-ounce cans black beans*, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons lime juice
Low fat yogurt
4 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro leaves

1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onions and sauté over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and jalapeno and cook until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add a sprinkle of water if needed to keep from sticking.
2. Add cumin, chili powder, and salt to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Pour beer and 1 cup water into pot. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer until alcohol aroma fades, about 3 minutes.
4. Add beans and bring mixture back to a boil.
5. Remove 2 cups of beans from pan and puree in a blender. Return to pan.
6. Stir in lime juice and salt to taste. Reheat if necessary.
7. Serve soup in bowls, swirl with yogurt, and sprinkle with cilantro.

Black Bean Tofu Tacos

Black Bean Tofu Tacos
From the Kitchen of Amy Young

I can black beans
whole wheat taco shells
1 package of medium firm Tofu
1 package of 30% less sodium taco seasoning
chedder cheese
onion
tomato
cilantro

Saute 1/2 onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Drain the tofu. In a bowl, break the tofu up with a spoon. Mix the taco seasoning into the tofu until well blended. It will look slightly soupy. Add a can of black beans drained. Add the mixture to the onions on a medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes stirring often. In a taco shell add cheese and cilantro first then bean/tofu mixture. Sprinkle with diced tomato and enjoy!

YUMMY!

Layered Cheese Enchilada Casserole

Layered Cheese Enchilada Casserole
From the Kitchen of Erin Hamilton


layer corn tortillas
black beans with sour cream and put that on the tortillas,
then add enchilada sauce and shredded cheese.
Put on a second layer and bake at 350 for 35-40 min.
Yummy.

Mexican Choc Crunch Brownies

Mexican Brownies
From the Kitchen of Carolyn Schroder

Ingredients:
1 box (12.8) cinnamon toast crunch cereal
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 table spoon corn syrup
1 box brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/3 cups choc chips
3 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar (mix cinn and sugar together to create)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray. Place cereal in food processor bowl with metal blade (crush cereal in 2 batches if necessary). Cover; process until finely crushed (about 4 cups).

2. In large bowl, stir butter and corn syrup until well blended. Add crushed cereal; mix thoroughly. Press evenly into pan.

3. In large bowl, make brownie mix as directed on box, using oil, water and eggs and adding cinnamon. (OPTIONAL- Stir in 2/3 cup choc chips.) Pour brownie batter over cereal mixture. (OPTIONAL- sprinkle remaining 2/3 cup choc chips evenly over batter.)

4. Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar evenly over brownies. Bake 14-18 minutes longer or until brownies are set when lightly touched in the center. Cool 10 minutes; Loosen edges but do not cut. Cool completely, about 2 hours. For brownies, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.

Mexican Black Bean Soup with Lime and Cilantro

Mexican Black Bean Soup with Lime and Cilantro
From Biggest Loser Website:Biggest Loser Club nutrition expert Greg Hottinger shared this healthy soup recipe with one of our members. We thought you'd enjoy it too!

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 small jalapeno chile, stemmed and minced (don't use the seeds)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
Salt
12-ounce bottle beer
(3) 15-ounce cans black beans*, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons lime juice
Low fat yogurt
4 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro leaves

1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onions and sauté over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and jalapeno and cook until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add a sprinkle of water if needed to keep from sticking.
2. Add cumin, chili powder, and salt to taste and cook, stirring frequently, until spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Pour beer and 1 cup water into pot. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer until alcohol aroma fades, about 3 minutes.
4. Add beans and bring mixture back to a boil.
5. Remove 2 cups of beans from pan and puree in a blender. Return to pan.
6. Stir in lime juice and salt to taste. Reheat if necessary.
7. Serve soup in bowls, swirl with yogurt, and sprinkle with cilantro.

Tamale Casserole

Tamale Casserole
From the kitchen of Renee Hill

3 cups preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup milk
1 large. egg
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles

1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
3-4 chicken breast cooked and shredded (I cook mine in the crockpot with a little salsa and a can of original rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies)

Optional: sour cream, guacamole, and cilantro (for toppings and garnish)

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1/2 cup cheese and next 6 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a greased 13 x 9–inch baking dish,

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining cheese (I recommend mixing the chicken with a 1/2 cup cheese first). Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Plate, garnish a desired... and ENJOY

Chicken Tacos

Chicken Tacos
by: Stephanie

Makes about 5 tacos
(2 per adult and one for a kiddo)

3 Chicken Breast Filets
1 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Lime juice
Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning

1. Put chicken in ziplock baggie and pour in oil and lime juice,
let marinate while oven is preheating to 375 (15 minutes)

2. Line a cookie sheet with foil and pour the chicken and marinade
onto the foil. Sprinkle on Mrs. Dash seasoning (as much or as little as
you'd like). Bake 30 minutes

3. Chop chicken, sprinkle with extra Mrs. Dash Seasoning and serve
with tortillas, cheese, lettuce, chives, sour cream and salsa.

Enjoy!

Homemade Tortillas

Homemade Tortillas
from The Happy Housewife Blog

Click on the above link to see how to make these delicious tortillas.

I am going to make these either this week or next week for our taco night.
I am excited to try these and thought I'd share this fun recipe!