Skinny Soup (Instant Pot)

Delicious, filling, and super low calorie.  It's a snap in the Instant Pot.  If you wanna take it over the top, add some freshly sliced avocado to your hot bowl of soup.  Amazing!

Ingredients
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 chopped onion
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 head green cabbage, chopped
1 chicken breast, cubed small
3 cups chicken broth
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes-Italian style
1 can corn, drained
Italian seasoning
Salt & pepper

Directions
Saute carrots, celery, onion, and bell pepper in instant pot for 4-5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients.  Pressure on high for 15 minutes.  Natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then quick release.

Spaghetti Squash with Pesto

Feel free to make these items without the other.  They're both good, but even better together!  Pesto also is wonderful tossed with pasta or on bruschetta.

Spaghetti Squash & Pesto

1 Spaghetti Squash

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.  Cover a large baking pan with foil and place squash with flesh side up.  Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper.  Bake at 400 for 45 minutes.  Scrape out flesh with a fork.  Serve with butter or spaghetti sauce, or pesto.

Pesto

2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup toasted pinenuts

4 cloves peeled garlic

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended well.  Use immediately, store in fridge, or fill ice cube trays and freeze for future use.

Eat your veggies . . .

One of the best things I ever learned from watching Barefoot Contessa is her method for cooking vegetables.  It works beautifully for asparagus, zucchini, squash, brussel sprouts, bell peppers, etc.  SO simple, and so delicious!

I'd never eaten brussel sprouts before, so I decided to use Ina's approach and they turned out delicious.  Roasted so all the natural sweetness comes out.  My family loves veggies this way, too.  I cut most veggies into bit size pieces, but I leave asparagus whole.

Roasted Brussel Spouts

1 lb brussel sprouts washed and cut in half

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

Toss vegetables with just enough olive oil to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Roast on a sheet pan in a 400-degree oven for 15-25 minutes or until tender crisp.

Zucchini Chips

I tried dehydrating something new . . . and it turned out to be a fun, crunchy little snack.  

If you don't have a dehydrator, just pop them in your oven on the lowest setting for a few hours.  I tried some using seasoned salt, some with a garlic herb blend and some with sea salt and pepper.  The sea salt and pepper were my fave, but feel free to use whatever seasonings you like.

Zucchini Chips

Zucchini cut into 1/8" thickness (I sliced in my cuisinart)

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Pepper

Place sliced zucchini onto drying trays or onto parchment paper lined pans if drying in the oven.  Brush with a little bit of olive oil, then sprinkle seasonings over top.  Dry at 135 for approximately 6 hours or until crunchy.  Store in an air tight container or freeze.

Asian Noodle Bowl

Lo and behold: The Asian Noodle Bowl. It's fast, easy, and DELISH. It's one of my family's faves.


















Here's the recipe for those of you that like chinese food. Or japanese, or whatever kind this is. It's Asian---I think that covers it!

Asian Noodle Bowl
8 oz. linguine
3 cups broccoli florets
2 cups carrots sliced
2 Tbsp oil (I just spray the pan with pam instead)
1 lb beef or chicken sliced thinly
1/2 cup Kraft Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce (any brand)

In a large pot, bring water to boil and add carrots and linguine. When almost finished cooking, add broccoli for last 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil and cook meat until browned. Stir in teriyaki sauce and dressing. Cook 2 more minutes.

Drain pasta and vegetables. Add to meat mixture. Toss to coat and serve.