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Super Simple Chicken Taco Soup

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How many times in my life, after a very indulgent food weekend, have I said the words, “I’m going to have eat nothing but baked chicken and broccoli all next week!”?  I’m sure that those who know me roll their eyes as they laugh, because it’s no secret that I am not a fan of self-deprivation. This girl gotta eat!  In fact, I often find that when I try to deprive myself of food that makes me feel satisfied, I end up eating more in the long run.  Just about the only thing that helps me get myself back on track after a few days of eating “all the things” is doing some serious food-prep leg work.  

If you’ve been following around here for long, you know that I am a big fan of soups and stews.  I’m one of those people who can eat a bowl of soup or chili in the middle of an August afternoon.  Soups and stews are super easy to make and can easily fit into my food planning and pre-prepping rotations.  They are also great to help me feel full without going full-tilt down a crazy eating path. This Super Simple Chicken Taco Soup is one of my favorite make ahead meals.  It’s my go-to lunch this week and is saving me after a weekend of eating out.  ~ Tracy 

SuperSimpleChickenTacoSoup

Ingredients:

4 medium sized chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can black beans, drained (15.5 oz.)

1 can pinto beans, drained (15.5 oz.)

1 can tomato sauce (8 oz.)

1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles, such as Ro-Tel

1 c. frozen corn

½ c. finely chopped yellow onion

½ c. finely chopped red bell pepper

1 c. water

2 T. taco seasoning

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

Add all ingredients together in a large stock pot or soup pan.  Bring to a low boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer on low heat for approximately 30 minutes.

Serve topped with your favorite shredded cheese or sour cream.

This soup makes approximately 7 cups and is zero points/cup on the WW Freestyle/Blue plan.

 

 

Mexican Pulled Pork with Beans

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There aren’t too many people that I know (in fact there is no one) that love to spend time planning meals. But imagine this… What if there was one thing that you could make and use for a variety of meals? Almost endless possibilities. How fantastic could that be?! This Mexican pulled pork is as close to perfect as you can imagine.  It’s that versatile.  Chalupa? Nailed it.  Maybe a tostada?  Done! You say you want a taco, you got it!  How about a burrito or a taco salad? Yep!  Oh wait, don’t forget about enchiladas! This meat can fill all of these, and probably some I haven’t thought of yet.  Listen, ladies and gentlemen, it is that good! ~Kathy

  • 4 lbs. boneless pork roast
  • 2 c. clean, dry pinto beans
  • 3 T. chili powder
  • 1 ½ T. ground cumin
  • 1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 ½ T. salt
  • 1/8 tsp. black pepper
  • 2 (7 oz.) cans mild diced green chilies
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed or minced
  • Half of a large onion, trimmed and cut into wedges

Soak beans in water overnight; drain the next morning.

Combine dry seasonings in a small bowl.   

Trim fat from roast and cut into about 6 large pieces.   Rub about one tablespoon of the spice mix into the meat. Set aside. 

In a 6-quart slow cooker, place the onion and garlic cloves.  Position the pieces of pork over the onion. 

Add in the drained beans and remaining spice mixture; then add green chilies (undrained).

Add enough water to just cover the beans and meat.  Turn the slow cooker on low and cook for at least 8 hours, until beans are soft and pork will easily shred. 

To serve:   Remove pork and the beans to a large, deep bowl with a slotted spoon.  Shred pork and serve with your favorite toppings.   Reserve some cooking liquid for use if desired. 

 

Cuban Style Red Beans and Rice

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Most of the time when people talk about red beans and rice, the Cajun version is what comes to mind, at least for me. The flavors of this Cuban version are unique and amazing.  Not your standard red beans and rice!  You can adjust the heat by choosing mild, regular or hot Ro-Tel tomatoes and adjusting the amount of cayenne pepper.  The addition of cilantro and the hint of lime are perfect.  I’m thankful that I have a family that enjoys the adventurous recipes that roll across our table.  This one is a keeper.    ~Kathy

1 c. bell pepper (any color), chopped

½ c. onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 (16 oz.) cans light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Ro-tel), undrained

1 c. broth (vegetable or fat free chicken broth, water will also work)

1 tsp. salt

1 ¼ tsp. cumin

¾ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. black pepper

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

1/3 c. cilantro, chopped

2 T. fresh lime juice

3 c. hot, cooked rice; for serving

Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, beans, tomatoes, broth and seasonings to the pot of a slow-cooker; stir well.

Cover and cook on low 4 hours.  Add cilantro and squeeze in lime juice.  Serve over rice.

 

Black Bean & Beef Green Chile Bake

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Black Bean & Beef Green Chile Bake
from Four Sisters Dish

I created this recipe because I wanted something new, but I also wanted something healthy that did not take any time to cook. Before I come across as too lazy, my kids had called me on the sugar cookies I promised before the school break had ended. Operation sugar cookie was already in full swing as dinner approached.

So on my wee end of the counter, I decided I could throw something Mexican together, and I realized I had never tried anything with beef and green chiles together, which I absolutely love. (I’m pretty sure Santa Fe, NM, might be heaven – at least during Hatch chile season…)

What emerged took only few minutes of prep and about 10 minutes of cooking in the oven. And it tasted like it should have been an old family casserole that had taken FAR more time. When it comes to meal prep, I’m always for fabulous foods making it seem like I worked harder than I did! ~Robin

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb of 97% lean ground beef
  • 1 package of taco seasoning (I use Taco Bell brand)
  • 1 can of black beans, rinsed
  • 2 8-inch tortillas (Tumaro’s 8” White Low-in-Carb Wraps)
  • 2 7-oz cans of chopped green chiles (I use Old El Paso brand)
  • 1 4.5-oz. can of chopped green chiles
  • ½ cup shredded reduced-fat Colby Jack (I like Kraft Natural)
  • 1 jalepeno pepper, sliced (if desired for garnish)
  • ½ c. cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (if desired for garnish)
  • Taco sauce or salsa, if desired, for serving 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350° F.  In a 9”x 9” pan, take one 8” tortilla and tear it up into 1.5-2” square-ish chunks and spread across the bottom of the pan; set aside.  In a large skillet, cook lean ground beef until browned. Drain any fat that cooks out.   Add taco seasoning and ¾ c. water according to taco seasoning instructions (except I don’t let it cook down for a full 10 minutes – just until most of the water is cooked out).  Add drained green chiles and drained black beans.  Stir gently until mixed well and heated well throughout.  Then turn off heat.  

Into the 9×9 pan, pour ½ of the beef mixture into the pan over the tortilla chunks, spreading evenly.  Then do another layer of torn up tortilla spread evenly across the beef mixture.  Pour the rest of the beef mixture over this and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the top with your ½ c. of cheese.  Bake for about 10 minutes – until bubbly hot and cheese is melted well across the top.

WW Freestyle Info.:  This recipe makes 6 very filling portions at just 4 points each. 

Beef Tamale Pie

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October is a big month in my family.  My birthday is Saturday, and so is Mom’s.  Then Dad’s is 4 days later.  Lots of celebrating to do!  To top it all off, we take our annual sisters’ trip in October.  Can. Not. Wait!  Yes, October is a fun, busy month.

With all of that happening, we won’t be home much on the weekends, which is when I do the majority of my cooking.  Without my big weekend meal prep sessions, I’ll need quick dinners I can whip up after work.

This is one of those easy, speedy meals, prepped and in the oven in very little time.  It’s certainly easier than making actual tamales but just as tasty!  ~Erin

Beef Tamale Pie from Four Sisters Dish

Ingredients:
  • 1 ½ c. yellow cornmeal
  • ½ c. all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 c. hot tap water
  • 1 egg
  • 3 T. light butter, melted (I use Land O’ Lakes Light)
  • ½ lb. 96% lean ground beef
  • ½ medium onion, optional
  • 1 (16 oz.) jar fat-free chunky salsa
  • 1 (15.5 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 ½ tsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • ¾ c. reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheddar cheese
  • Nonstick cooking spray

Instructions: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Spray a deep-dish pie plate with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. You can use a 9×13 pan instead, your layers will just be thinner.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt with a whisk.
  4. Add hot water, melted butter, and egg to the cornmeal mixture; whisk until well-combined.
  5. Pour the cornmeal batter into the bottom of the pan and spread evenly; set aside.
  6. Cook the beef and onion (if using) in a large skillet over medium heat, until beef is no longer pink.
  7. Add the salsa, beans, garlic powder, chili powder, and ground cumin; stir to combine.
  8. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and stir until heated through.
  9. Spoon the meat mixture over the cornmeal batter to within half an inch of the edge.
  10. Bake 20-25 minutes, until crust is set.
  11. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cheese.
  12. Let stand 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
  13. Cut into wedges and serve with additional salsa, if desired.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 8 servings. Each serving is 6 points.

Buffalo Ranch Chicken Chili

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This recipe was inspired by my husband. When I created my Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili, he suggested that Buffalo style might be another tasty variation. He was right! Even if you don’t love Buffalo wings, I am confident you will love this chili. It’s packed with flavor & has just the right amount of kick! ~Erin

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Ingredients:

  • 4 oz. reduced fat or Greek cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (10 ¾ oz.) can Campbell’s Healthy Request Condensed Cheddar Soup
  • 32 oz. unsalted chicken stock
  • 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts – individually frozen
  • ½ c. finely chopped carrots
  • ½ c. finely chopped celery
  • 3 cans (15.8 oz. each) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 package (about 8 tsp.) Hidden Valley dry ranch dressing mix
  • 1/3 c. Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings sauce
  • Optional garnishes: real bacon bits, green onions, extra buffalo sauce

Slow Cooker Instructions:

In the pot of your slow cooker, whisk together softened cream cheese and condensed cheddar soup until well combined.

Whisk in chicken stock, dry ranch dressing mix, onion powder, garlic powder, and wing sauce. Stir in celery and carrots.

Add frozen chicken breasts (you can use thawed chicken if you prefer; just keep in mind it will cook faster).

Add beans but do not stir them in — leave them on top.

Cook 4-5 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low. When 1 hours of cook time is left, remove the chicken breasts, shred, and return to pot to finish cooking.

Garnish with a drizzle of Buffalo sauce, bacon bits, and green onions, if desired.

Electric Pressure Cooker Instructions:

In the pot of your pressure cooker, whisk together condensed cheddar soup, chicken stock, dry ranch dressing mix, onion powder, garlic powder, and wing sauce. Stir in celery and carrots.

Add frozen chicken breasts (you can use thawed chicken if you prefer; just keep in mind it will cook much faster – refer to your pressure cooker manual for cook times).

Pressurize and cook 40 minutes, then quick release pressure.

Carefully remove the lid when all pressure is released.  Remove the chicken from the pot and shred; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk some the hot liquid from the pot with the cream cheese until smooth; set aside.

Now return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir in the beans.

Using the saute’ setting, simmer with the lid off for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.

Turn off the heat and stir in the thinned cream cheese.

Garnish with a drizzle of Buffalo sauce, bacon bits, and green onions, if desired.

WW Freestyle Info.: Each 10 oz. serving (about 1 ¼ cups) is 2 points. Serves 10. Optional garnishes should be calculated separately.

Slow Cooker Beefy Pinto Beans

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BeansLogoThis is my husband’s recipe for beefy pinto beans.  He made this for me when we were newly married and honestly, until then, I didn’t know how to make pinto beans.  Sounds silly because they are like the easiest meal in the world to make.  If you can run water, you can make pinto beans.  I just never had done it before we got married and didn’t know where to start.  (The basic directions are usually on the package, I found out later.  Duh!)  The good thing about beans is that they are customizable and basically take on the flavor of whatever you cook with them.  I grew up with ham in my beans.  My husband, who was raised on a cattle ranch, always had ground beef in his beans.  I like them both ways, but I prefer this beefy version over the ham… especially with some chopped up jalapenos and fresh cornbread mixed in!  If you’ve never tried making pinto beans, try them this way.  The beef and seasonings add so much flavor!  I think you’ll love them.  ~Erin

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds dry pinto beans
  • 3 T. seasoned salt (I use Lawry’s)
  • 1 lb. 93% lean ground beef, browned
  • Water
  • Optional: pickled jalapeños

Instructions:

Rinse your beans in a colander and remove any beans that don’t look normal.  Place the beans in the slow cooker pot and cover them with 2 to 3 inches of water above the top of the beans. They will expand a lot.  Allow the beans to soak overnight at room temp.

In the morning, pour the water off the beans and rinse them again.  This doesn’t have to be a perfect rinse job.  Just pour as much off as you can without dumping them in your sink, run water over them, and repeat a couple times.

Finally, fill the pot with enough to cover the beans with about an inch to an inch and half of water over the top of the beans.

Cook the beans on low for at least 10 hours.  When about 2 hours of cook time is remaining, stir in the seasoned salt* and cooked ground beef and continue to cook for the last 2 hours.

Serve the beans with cornbread and, if desired, chopped pickled jalapenos.

WW Freestyle Info.: This recipe makes 11 servings.  Each serving is 8 ounces (about 1 cup) at only 2 points per serving.

*The salt is not added until the end of cook time because, if added too early, it inhibits the tenderizing process.

White Chicken Chili

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I couldn’t ever find a white chicken chili I liked, so after trying several “meh” recipes, I decided to make my own.  Threw this together on a whim thinking it would at least be a quick, easy weekend prep to weekday meal kind of item.  But it turns out that Barry declared this his favorite thing I’ve ever made, so I figured I better share.  I make this pretty spicy but you can adjust (or eliminate) the heat easily. ~Robin 

WhiteChickenChileLogo

*This post contains affiliate links.  We earn a small commission on purchases made via these links.

Ingredients: 

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, diced*
  • 4 medium jalapeño peppers, seeded, diced (reduce for lessened spice)
  • 4 4-oz. cans (2 c.) chopped Hatch** green chiles; don’t drain (I use mild on these – more for flavor than heat)
  • 4 cloves minced fresh garlic (or about 2 tsp. minced jarred garlic)
  • 1 1⁄3 c. low-sodium chicken broth (can always add more if you need it, but you don’t want it too soupy)
  • 4 c. cooked shredded chicken breast
  • 3 cans cannellini beans, drained well
  • 3 T. fresh lime juice (I just juice one small lime)
  • 1 T. cumin
  • 1 – 3 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (I do the whole tablespoon because I like it spicy!)  
  • 2⁄3 c. cilantro (about 1/2 a bunch) chopped; reserve some for garnish
  • 1 1⁄2 tsp. garlic salt
  • Optional garnishes/accompaniments (not figured in WW points): sliced avocado, shredded Monterey jack cheese, tortilla chips, and/or a cilantro sprig.

Instructions:

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil on med-high heat. Then add onion, jalapeño, chiles, garlic, and sauté for 5-7 minutes (until veggies soften).

Reduce to medium heat. Add drained beans, chicken, broth, cumin, lime juice, garlic salt (sounds like a lot of garlic, but it’s a whole lot of food too — trust me), cilantro, & red pepper flakes. Cook for 12-15 min.

Serve and garnish as desired.

Weight Watchers Info.: This makes a whopping 11 one-cup servings.

Old SmartPoints:  4 points per cup

Freestyle Points:  1 point per cup

*For easy onion dicing, using a ‘gator chopper will save you some tears, literally. They have varied dicing sizes, so be sure to check on that before purchasing – I used one with a ¼ inch dicing size, but you could use a larger one as well. I used to hate chopping onions before my folks got me this for Christmas one year. Now I can chop without tears and much more quickly.  

**You can use any chopped green chile, but I prefer Hatch chiles.  

Hearty Beef Chili

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Hello all!  Tracy here.  It was unseasonably cold and rainy here in our neck of the woods recently.  On days where I find myself putting my warm clothes on, I start to look for comfort food – preferably something that I know my family of meat loving boys will eat.  Even the pickiest of eaters in your family will love this chili recipe – especially if you top it with cheese and serve it with a pile of Fritos.  If you like things a little spicy, like we do, you can also add some diced jalapenos to the top.  If you follow Weight Watchers (or attempt to, like me), this comes to 2 Freestyle Points for a one cup serving!  With the new Freestyle program I’ve added extra beans so it’s extra filling with lower points! Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ lbs 95% lean ground beef (You can also use half ground beef, half ground venison, as we often do).
  • 1 c. chopped onion
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ T. chili powder
  • ¾ tsp. salt
  • 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 ¼ tsp. dried oregano leaves
  • ¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
  • 2 cans (16 oz. each) petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
  • 1 can (16 oz.) dark red kidney beans, drained
  • 1 can (16 oz.) light red kidney beans, drained
  • 1 can (16 oz.) pinto beans, drained

Instructions:

Cook beef, onions, and garlic in a large sauce pan until beef is browned; drain away any excess fat.

Stir in all remaining ingredients except the beans.

Gently stir as mixture heats to boiling, breaking up tomatoes.

Once mixture boils reduce heat to simmer; cover and simmer on low heat for approximately 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in cans of beans, heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer on low, uncovered, for about 20 minutes longer.

Serve topped with cheese, over Fritos, or with your favorite southern cornbread.

Weight Watchers Info.:  Figured with 95% lean ground beef this recipe comes to 2 Freestyle Points for a 1 cup serving.  

Fiesta Salsa Dip

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I first shared this recipe with my sisters at my baby shower, and we recreated it to enjoy many times over. It’s a summer sensation all year long.  Healthy, filling, and full of flavor. It’s great as an appetizer, over grilled chicken, or as a meal on its own. Plus you can eat it on a chip; how can you go wrong? ~Kathy 

fiestadipLogo

Ingredients:

  • 6 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can white corn, drained
  • 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 jalepeno, seeded and finely chopped (optional–do more if you like a kick)
  • 1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
  • ¼ teaspoon lime zest (optional)
  • 3 avocados, peeled, seeded and chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
  • ½ cup of fat free Zesty Italian dressing (bottled, not powder)
  • Salt to taste

Instructions: 
Combine all ingredients well except the last three. Add lime juice and Italian dressing; then gently fold in avocado. Cover and chill.  Serve with tortilla chips.  

WW Info.:  

Freestyle plan:  2 points per cup

Old SmartPoints plan: 7 points per cup

This recipe serves ten.