Tag Archives: green pepper

Big Pot o’ Chili

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.

Big Pot o' Chili
Big Pot o' Chili

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.

Curry Lime Chicken Kabobs

You know the drill – toss the skewers and throw this in a grill basket ! But I still call it a “Kabob” recipe so you can visualize it 🙂 The yogurt sauce is JUST PERFECT in this recipe. Serve with some cous cous on the side.

Curry Lime Chicken Kabobs
Curry Lime Chicken Kabobs

4 servings
261 calories per serving

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
½ c plain yogurt
¼ c chopped cilantro
1 t grated lime zest
2 T lime juice
2 T oil
1 T honey
1 T Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t curry powder
¼ t salt
¼ t pepper
2 green bell peppers cut into 1 inch pieces
1 zucchini in ½ inch slices
10 grape tomatoes
Pam

For the marinade, mix yogurt, cilantro, lime peel and juice, oil, honey, mustard, garlic, curry, salt and pepper. Place chicken in a zip loc and pour in the marinade and refrigerate 4-24 hours. Heat grill and spray a grill basket with Pam. Cook 15 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally so that all sides of the meat and veggies get browned.

Turkey and Stuffing

This was sooooo good – it’s like Thanksgiving dinner without all the work. I use the scallopini cut of turkey cutlets so they are nice and thin and you can cook them up quickly so they don’t get dried out. Add a small green salad on the side and you have a great balanced meal that makes the day feel like a holiday 🙂

Turkey and Stuffing
Turkey and Stuffing

4 servings
390 calories per serving

4 slices fresh turkey breast (3/4 lb.)
½ c chopped green pepper
2 T water
2 c fat free chicken broth
12 oz. fat free turkey gravy
3 c dry cubed seasoned stuffing
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Spray a skillet with Pam and on medium high heat cook turkey breasts sprinkled with salt and pepper; cook 4 minutes each side or until turkey is golden then remove from skillet and keep warm. Combine pepper and water in pan. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Add gravy, reserving ¼ cup for later use, Add broth to skillet and bring to a boil and then remove skillet from heat. Stir in stuffing and mix well then return turkey to the pan. Cover and let stand 5 minutes and then our extra gravy over the top and serve.

Mediterranean Salad

This is all the good stuff out of the salad and leaves the lettuce behind. Crisp, refreshing and a great summer salad.

Mediterranean Salad
Mediterranean Salad


8 servings
109 calories per serving

2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 green pepper chopped coarsely
1 red or 1 yellow pepper chopped coarsely
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise in half, and chopped coarsely
½ of a small cucumber, peeled, seeded and julienned
1/2 c fat free Italian dressing
2 T chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 low fat mozzarella sticks, sliced into small rounds

Mix all together and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Rice and Beans

Can you say YUMMY?!?!?! This is such a great QUICK and EASY recipe, yet the results taste like you’ve been in the kitchen for hours. This is an ample serving. You could easily just have half a serving for a side and still have room in your calories for some fish or chicken on the side.

Rice and Beans
Rice and Beans

4 servings
400 calories per serving

1 ½ c chopped green peppers
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T oil
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 ¼ c water
2 c Minute brown rice
¼ c cilantro chopped
1 c low far shredded cheese (cheddar, Colby or Monterey Jack)

In a large skillet on high heat, heat the oil and cook the peppers and garlic 2 minutes then add tomatoes, beans and water. Bring to a boil and stir in rice and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer 5 minutes then remove from heat and stir in cilantro and top with cheese. Let stand 5 minutes, covered.

Parmesan Veggies

The cheese just melts into the marinade and really coats all the veggies – every bite is so full of flavor 🙂

Parmesan Veggies
Parmesan Veggies

8 servings
60 calories per serving

2 zucchini cut into ½ inch thick slices
2 yellow squash cut into ½ inch thick slices
1 red pepper cut into strips
1 green pepper cut into strips
1 yellow pepper cut into strips
1/3 c light Italian dressing
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
Pam

Spray a skillet with Pam and heat to medium high. Add veggies and sauté 5 minutes. Add dressing and cheese and continue cooking 5 minutes or until veggies are desired tenderness (I like mine pretty crisp).

No Fuss Ropa Vieja (Pressure Cooker)

Not quite authentic, but a great no fuss alternative to the awesomely delicious dish named Ropa Vieja. Serve next to rice or use as a filling in flour tortillas. This has WOW taste, great texture and is so, so satisfying.

No Fuss Ropa Vieja (Pressure Cooker)
No Fuss Ropa Vieja (Pressure Cooker)

10 servings
271 calories per serving

1 c beef broth
1/4 c sherry vinegar
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 T ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
3 lb. flank steak, trimmed of fat, each steak cut into thirds
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
10 flour tortillas, heated in oven or microwave

Place beef in pot. Mix broth, vinegar, celery, onion, pepper, tomatoes and spices and pour over the beef. Cover and 1 1/2 hours on high pressure. Let naturally cool down. Place meat on a large platter and let cool 10 minutes then using 2 forks, shred it well. Place it back in the pot with the cilantro and let sit 10 minutes. Serve with tortillas.

Barley Salad

This is a great healthy side salad that is sure to please. It’s nice to find *different* sides and this is definitely one of them !

Barley Salad
Barley Salad

6 servings
189 calories per serving

3/4 c barley, uncooked
1 ½ c frozen corn, thawed and roasted
1 small green pepper, chopped
1/2 c zesty fat free Italian dressing
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2 T lime juice
Pam

Preheat broiler. To roast corn, spray a baking sheet with Pam and place corn on sheet. Broil 3-4 minutes or until it begins to blacken. Cook barley as directed. Spray a baking dish with Pam and roast corn 5-10 minutes or until starting to blacken. Let cool. Mix all the ingredients and refrigerate one hour so flavors mingle.

Corn Salsa

This can be eaten as a side, or use in smaller portions as a salsa over the top of broiled fish or chicken. Very savory, very easy to put together and very healthy !

Corn Salsa
Corn Salsa

4 servings
58 calories per serving

4 small tomatoes, chopped
1 c corn kernels (frozen and thawed or fresh)
¼ c chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno or ¼ of a green bell pepper, chopped finely
¼ c fat free zesty Italian dressing
Squirt of lime

Mix all together and chill at least 1 hour.

Ginger Chicken Soup

A quick soup that tastes like its been simmering for hours. Great fresh flavors and only 121 calories per serving !

Ginger Chicken Soup
Ginger Chicken Soup

2 servings
121 calories per serving

4 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 c Perdue Shortcuts chicken cut into bite sized pieces (or make your own by sautéing a boneless skinless breast and then cutting it up into small pieces)
1 c green pepper slices (sliced very thin)
¼ c sliced scallions
1 c chicken broth
1 c beef broth
½ c water
Salt and pepper to taste
½ t onion powder
Optional red pepper flakes if you like it spicy

Combine all in a small pan and cook for 15 minutes.

Related Posts with Thumbnails