Indian Lentil Soup

Dede, a reader of Runs for Cookies, e-mailed this recipe to me when she learned I like lentils. She said she got it from the newspaper years ago and made a couple of changes. And then, because I can never leave a recipe alone, I made a change or two myself. ;)  I've been eating it every day for lunch, because it is delicious! Here is the recipe, with my changes:

Indian Lentil Soup

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of red lentils
4 cups of broth (I used chicken broth)
1 (15 oz) can of crushed tomatoes
1 medium potato (about 6 oz), peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. turmeric
dash (1/8 tsp) of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a soup pot over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Cook the onion for a few minutes, and then add the garlic and cook for a minute. Add the broth, lentils, tomatoes, and spices, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially-cover it with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the carrots and potato, and simmer, covered, until veggies are just tender, about 20 minutes.  Makes 4 servings, about 1-2/3 cups each.

read more "Indian Lentil Soup"

Kielbasa & Corn Hash

I found this unusual recipe on allrecipes.com and gave it a try. It's fantastic!! This is a great way to use up veggies.

Kielbasa & Corn Hash

20 oz. potatoes, peeled and diced
14 oz. package smoked turkey sausage (about 90 calories/serving)
1 cup of pepper and onion stir-fry blend (frozen)
1 can corn, drained
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
salt & pepper, to taste
4 eggs, cooked over-easy, to top the hash with

In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, cook potatoes and kielbasa until potatoes are nearly tender, about 10 minutes (add a little water if they start to stick).  Add the frozen pepper mix and corn. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes more. Portion out hash and top with an egg.

read more "Kielbasa & Corn Hash"

Chicken Stew

I like this when I'm looking for some comfort food. It's hot and creamy and filling.

Chicken Stew

2 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 medium carrots, chopped or sliced
16 oz. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 onion, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas
1 1/2 cups frozen green beans
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion and carrots. Add the chicken and cook until chicken is browned. Add the potatoes and broth, and simmer until the potatoes are soft (I cover the pan for this part). Add the peas, corn, and green beans, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Combine the cornstarch with a couple of tablespoons of water, and add it to the pot. Stir until thickened.

read more "Chicken Stew"

Split Pea Soup

Despite how gross it looks, I LOVE split pea soup. My husband does too, and this recipe is our favorite.

Split Pea & Ham Soup

1 (1 lb) bag of dried split peas
1/2 cup pearl barley
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
10 oz. of potatoes, peeled and diced
1 (8 oz) package of diced ham
8 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for about 4 hours (or low for 6-8 hours) until thick. Makes 8 servings, approximately 1-1/2 cups each.

read more "Split Pea Soup"

Sweet Potato Wheels

I had a sweet potato sitting on my counter for a while, so I decided to turn that into my lunch yesterday. It was SO GOOD that I just have to share--it's not much of a "recipe", more of a "method". But either way, you've got to try it!

Sweet Potato Wheels (because "Wheels" sound so much more fun than "fries" or "rounds")

1 large sweet potato (mine was 12 oz)
cooking spray
salt & pepper to taste

Set the oven to 'broil' (mine has high and low, so I chose high). Peel the sweet potato and slice into thin slices (about 1/4 inch). Spray a baking sheet with the cooking spray, and then lay all the sweet potato pieces out on the sheet.

Lie the wheels on a sprayed baking sheet

Spray the tops with a little cooking spray and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Put the sheet under the broiler until the tops are starting to burn darken in spots, like this:

When they look like this, flip them over

I think it took about 10 minutes for mine. Flip each piece over, and put the sheet back under the broiler. When you can smell the sweet potato goodness, and they look like this, they're done:

Pile them all on a plate and devour them. Share them with someone, because this is probably at least two servings. I ate the whole batch for about 280 calories, which was totally worth it. These taste just like sweet potato fries, but they are so much easier to make--they cook more evenly, they don't stick to the baking sheet, and they take less time overall.

A very well-spent 280 calories!

read more "Sweet Potato Wheels"

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This is my really fast and easy dinner when I don't know what to make but I'm starving. It tastes just like a loaded baked potato, and it's really not too bad for you.  In this picture, I used those "real" bacon bits, but usually I use actual bacon chopped into small pieces.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

1 bag frozen potatoes
1 quart chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup skim milk
1 cup fat free sour cream
Toppings, like shredded cheese, bacon, chives, green onion, etc.

Heat soup pot over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Add the onion and cook until onion is soft. Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a colander and run under hot water to thaw a little. When onions are soft (not brown) add the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil. Add potatoes and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft (usually less than 5 or 10 minutes). Sometimes I puree the soup at this point, but you don't have to. Stir in sour cream. Ladle into bowls and add your toppings.

read more "Loaded Baked Potato Soup"

Crispy Potato Halves

My husband and I are now OBSESSED with these potatoes! They take a long time to cook, which sucks when you're throwing something together... but if you have the time, this is the perfect side dish!

Crispy Potato Halves

1 (5 oz) potato
1 tsp. olive oil
dash salt
dash pepper
dash garlic powder
dash onion powder
dash chili powder

Preheat oven to 350.  Slice potato in half length-wise.  Stab the flat side of the potato a few times with a knife. Spread 1/2 tsp oil on the flat side of each half, and sprinkle with the spices. Turn the halves FACE DOWN onto a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Serve with sour cream and chives.

read more "Crispy Potato Halves"