Good Eats!

Last week I had some fun making new dishes in the kitchen. I'm trying really hard to be more conscious of what Tony and I eat in hopes of creating healthy habits that will last our lifetime and pass on to our child(ren). Truth be told, I'm pretty good at making some not-so-good-for-you dinners. I also have a few hard-core-healthy options in my repertoire, but geez they get old fast! I mean, seriously, how many people in this world can stand eating a chicken breast, cup of broccoli, and brown rice for dinner over and over?? (I know, there are a few of you crazies out there, but I'M NOT ONE OF THEM!) So, I went exploring for new recipes and made a few last week. Here are 2, in order of preference, that I think are worth trying for those who are interested. These are from www.bodyforlife.com, though I made a few alterations to fit my tastes.

JAMBALAYA
makes about 3-4 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup green pepper
1 1/2 cups diced low-fat ham
1 1/2 cups diced boneless, skinless chicken breast
10 large shrimp
1/2 cup chicken broth**
1-14oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 or 2 Tbsp Creole Seasoning*
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
**I accidentally used 1 can chicken broth, but it turned out great. The extra liquid was just fine, especially if you have leftovers because the rice soaks it up. Extra broth is also good for those who are more sensitive to spice!

*Creole Seasoning (adapted from Emeril's recipe)
2 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
Combine well. Makes about 2-3x what you need for this recipe, so there's some leftover for next time.

Cook the chicken until almost done, adding the shrimp and ham for the last minute or so. (Don't overcook, because they will continue cooking with the rice as well.) Set aside. Saute the celery, onion and green pepper in PAM or a little olive oil until the onion is tender. Add the broth, tomatoes, chicken, shrimp, ham, and seasoning. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the rice and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is done (check directions on your rice package, as I found my rice took longer to cook).



CHICKEN SOUP
makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked
1 14-16oz bag of frozen veggies for soup
1 small can diced chilies, undrained
3 cups water
2 chicken bullion cubes
3 handfulls spiral pasta (I used tri-color rotini)
1-14oz can italian diced tomatoes, undrained*
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp coriander
pepper to taste
*I used regular tomatoes and added 1 tsp basil and 1/2 tsp oregano.

Dump ingredients into a large pot, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes. This can also be made in a crockpot on high for 2 hours, then low for 2 hours.