Tag Archives: chick peas

Big Pot o’ Chili

October 21, 2014 admin 1 Comment

Savory, hot chili – make it as spicy or as mild as you like. This one bulks up the veggies and uses turkey and very lean ground beef so it comes in at a low calorie count for a good sized portion. For 400 calories you can have a huge portion ! Try making this the next time you have a football party.

All the different tomato products used in this recipe have their own unique flavor and the combination of them is just perfect. But if you don’t particularly like one or another, feel free to substitute.

Cook this stovetop for hours to get that deep, rich, long simmer flavor – or you can cook this in the crock pot all day long while you are at work. Chili also does well in a pressure cooker. If you need instructions, just write to me and I’ll be happy to send you info.

20 servings
210 calories per serving

2 T oil
1 onion, chopped
20 oz. lean ground turkey
16 oz. very lean ground beef
5 ribs of celery, sliced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
4 t minced garlic
10 oz. mushrooms, chopped
15.5 oz. can chick peas, rinsed and drained
15.5 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
15.5 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 15.75 oz. cans Campbells Pork and Beans (this addition really mellows out the tomato base)
28 oz. petite diced tomatoes
14.5 oz. fired roasted diced tomatoes
14.5 oz. stewed tomatoes
3 oz. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (if you don’t like heat, remove this ingredient. If you like it very spicy, add more of this ingredient)
29 oz. tomato sauce
1 T salt
1 T pepper
2 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
5 T chili powder
3 t cumin
2 t basil flakes
2 t parsley flakes
3 t oregano flakes

Heat the oil in the bottom of a large dutch oven or soup pot. Saute onions, celery and green pepper and yellow pepper 15 minutes. Add the turkey and beef and continue cooking until meat is done. Be sure to break up meat into little pieces as it cooks. (if cooking in a crock pot, do this first step stove top in a skillet and then turn it all into a heated crock) Add garlic and mushrooms and stir. Add all spices and mix well. Bring to a boil them lower and simmer for 2-3 hours on a low heat. Stir occasionally and adjust spice during the last half hour of cooking. (if cooking in a crock pot, cook on low 8-10 hours or high 5-6 hours)

The leftovers freeze well – so don’t be afraid of the huge serving size. You can also cut this in half and make 10 servings – just halve everything. Serve with low fat sour cream and low fat shredded cheddar as a garnish / topping.

Chicken, Lunch, Soups

Chicken and Pesto Soup

February 19, 2012 admin Leave a comment

By adding pesto to the broth, you end up with a soup that is so tasty and delicious ! It really makes an ordinary chicken broth something very special.

5 servings
235 calories per serving

2 teaspoons oil
1/2 cup carrot , julienned or shredded
8 oz. leftover cooked chicken
1 large clove garlic, minced
5 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 t oregano flakes
4 oz. baby spinach, coarsely chopped
15 oz. can chick peas, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T prepared pesto (available in the refrigerator section of your market)

Heat oil in soup pan and add carrot and chicken and heat for 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add broth, oregano, salt and pepper and heat 2 minutes. Add spinach and chick peas and cook 3 minutes. Add the pesto sauce and cook 5 minutes so all flavors blend.

Dinner, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Pasta and Cece Beans

January 5, 2012 admin Leave a comment

Cece Beans is just the Italian name for Chick Peas or what the Spanish call Garbanzo Beans – all the same thing 🙂 They are a great source of fiber, healthy and a great addition to many meals. This dish is somewhere between a soup and a pasta tossed with veggies – I guess it is like a gruel, though that has a negative connotation and there is NOTHING negative about this dish. It’s healthy, filling, has super flavor and is one of the best dishes I’ve made in a while !

6 servings
316 calories per serving

1 T olive oil
1 c chopped onion
2 c sliced leek
1 t rosemary flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 c water
4 c vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t garlic powder
¼ – 1 t red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)
14 oz. cece beans, undrained
1 c diced zucchini
1/2 c frozen petite green peas
1/2 c frozen baby lima beans
1/2 c frozen green beans
2/3 c uncooked orzo
2 T chopped parsley
1/4 t pepper
2 T pesto (available in the refrigerated section of your market)
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a Dutch oven and cook onion, leak, rosemary and garlic 10 minutes. Add tomato, water, broth, spices, salt and pepper and ceces and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat and simmer ½ hour then add zucchini, peas and beans. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Bring back to a boil then stir in pasta and parsley and cook 8 minutes at a low boil. Spoon into bowls and top with 1 t pesto and 1 t parmesan.

Fish, Lunch, Salads

Tuna Antipasto Salad

December 16, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Just enough tuna, just enough beans, just enough of everything to make this a great lunch. This travels well as long as you keep it refrigerated. A great, healthy lunch !

4 servings
320 calories per serving

15 oz. can chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 cans fancy white tuna packed in water
1 large red or green bell pepper, finely diced
½ c chopped parsley
1/2 c lemon juice, divided
4 T olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
8 cups mixed salad greens

Combine beans, tuna, bell pepper, parsley, 1/4 c lemon juice and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix the rest of the oil and lemon and toss with greens. Plate greens and sprinkle with salt and pepper then top with the tuna mix.

Chicken, Crock pot, Dinner

Chicken Marrakesh (Crock Pot)

November 25, 2011 admin Leave a comment

I love being able to throw together a meal in the morning and not think about it again until it’s time to put it on the table. Chicken Marrakesh is a great dish with the subtle flavors of cuisine from Morocco.

8 servings
290 calories per serving

1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
15 oz. can chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
1 t ground cumin
1 t ground turmeric
1/4 t ground cinnamon
1 t black pepper
2 t parsley flakes
Salt to taste
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

Place the onion, garlic, carrots, sweet potatoes, chick peas, and chicken into a slow cooker. Stir herbs into tomatoes then pour tomatoes over and stir well. Cover and cook on high 5 hours or low 8-9 hours.

Dinner, Sides, Vegetables

Zucchini Boats

October 22, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This has a definite Middle Eastern flair to it with the coriander and cumin as the main seasoning. Serve next to Eastern Fried Rice for a great vegetarian meal.

4 servings
107 calories per serving

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
½ T oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 oz. button or Portobello mushrooms, chopped
1 t ground coriander
¾ t ground cumin
½ c chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 T lemon juice
2 T chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with Pam. Scoop the flesh out of the middle of the zucchinis to create boats for the filling. Chop the removed flash and reserve. Heat oil in a skillet and cook onions 5 minutes then add garlic and cook another minute. Add chopped zucchini and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes then add coriander, cumin, chick peas, lemon, parsley, salt and pepper. Stuff the zucchini shells and bake 35-40 minutes.

Lunch, Mediterranean, Pasta, Salads

Greek Orzo Salad

June 2, 2010 admin 1 Comment

This makes a great balanced and filling lunch portion for 370 calories. You can easily cut the serving in half and serve as a side in a dinner plate, too. But I like it as a lunch – you can make it a day ahead, it is portable, it takes even better the following day … and it is packed with healthy ingredients. Oh, and it has orzo (my fav!) 🙂

5 servings
370 calories per serving

1 ¼ c uncooked orzo (8 oz)
2 c thinly sliced English cucumber
½ c low fat zesty Italian dressing
1 medium tomato, chopped
15 oz. can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 4 oz. can sliced black olives
½ c crumbed low fat feta cheese

Cook pasta according to package instructions and rinse in cold water. Mix pasta with the rest of the ingredients except the feta, cover and refrigerate at least one hour so flavors mix. Just before serving, sprinkle with cheese.

Lunch, Soups

Spicy Soup

January 26, 2010 admin Leave a comment

When I eat something nice and spicy, it somehow leaves me more satisfied – my mouth KNOWS it just ate ! This soup does the trick. Serve with a side of Whole Wheat Garlic Toast for a nice, complete meal.

2 servings
248 calories per serving

2 c vegetable stock or broth (Emeril’s is great !)
2 small cans Spicy V-8 juice
1 T minced onion
2 T minced celery
1/4 c celery, thinly sliced
3 T fresh celery leaves
1 1/2 c shredded carrots
1 15.5 oz. can chick peas
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste

Mix all together in a pan and simmer 15-20 minutes. To give it more of a Mexican flair, add a bit of ground cumin and 1/4 c cilantro leaves. Remove bay leaf before serving.