Healthy Chicken Lemon "Rice" Soup Riff

There are some recipes that require you to be a Grandma - to make a dish that lives in a person's memory forever.  They've been passed down generation to generation and perfected.  I can still remember what our old neighbor's tamales tasted like, and I was like 5 the last time I had them.  Their Grandma would spend all day making them, and they are the gold standard to which I hold all tamales, 30 some odd years later.

Polish Grandma = life changing Peirogies.  Southern Grandma = Red Velvet Cake (made with beet juice thank you very much)  Italian Grandma = Anisette cookies....You get my drift.

My all time favorite though, is one of my Greek friend's Grandma's Lemon Rice Soup.  Rich and velvety, comforting and delicious, I would beg, borrow and steal to get an invite when Ya-Ya was making the soup for dinner.  She even gave me her recipe and while I could make a mean Lemon Rice Soup, it never was close to being as good as hers.

Expanding waist lines and cholesterol levels have driven me to do the unholy - try and make a healthy version, for the slow cooker non-the-less.  I wanted to eliminate the Eggs! and use a complex carb.

This can't go well, right? Wrong!  Now I wouldn't in a million years compare it to hers, but it could stand up to those soups those 24 hour Greek restaurants pump out.

It's healthy, filling, comforting, rich, and delicious!

Ingredients:
5 Cups Water
10 Teaspoons Wildtree Chicken Bouillon
3/4 Cup Bulgur Wheat
1/4 Cup Yellow Corn Meal
1/2 Cup Non-Fat Greek Plain Yogurt
1 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
2 Teaspoons Wildtree Smokey Bacon Grapeseed Oil
1 cup Rotisserie Chicken
1 1/2 Lemons

Method of Preparation:

Combined water,bouillon, bulgur, salt, and pepper in your slow cooker.  I used a 2 quart slower cooker for this recipe.  Cook on high for 2 hours.

Add cornmeal, yogurt, chicken and oil.  Squeeze Lemons and add juice.  Stir well to incorporate new ingredients. Cover and cook for 1 more hour on low.

I added left over rotisserie chicken because I wasn't sure of the cook time while I made it.  I think it is the best way to go with cooking in the slow cooker for this recipe.

I use Wildtree products in all my recipes.  You could definitely sub, by why would you want to do that?  Wildtree is all natural, GMO and preservative free!

To order Wildtree products please visit http://www.mywildtree.com/kellycalton

Interested in joining a white hot business? Wildtree will have 65% of their products certified #glutenfree and 88% of their products certified #organic by the end of the year! Check out my FAQ's to learn more on how you can join this amazing business for $49.95! https://www.facebook.com/notes/wildtree-with-kelly-calton/faqs-on-joining-wildtree/583740365039229

Slow Cooker Enchilada Lasagna

So I've been looking through different recipes for the slow cooker and seeing how I can change them around to suit my liking and for a smaller size.  Some have worked out, and some were a disaster.

 Tip: Don't EVER leave bulgur wheat in a crock pot for 7 hours unless you like hard mush.  Eh hem.

But I've made a couple of winners, and this is one of my favorites so far!  Unless you have a big appetite it definitely serves 3 or 4 instead of 2, but you won't mind these leftovers!  This recipe is really good on the points if you follow weight watchers.

Slow Cooker Enchilada Lasagna

Slow Cooker Enchilada Lasagna

6 oz 94% lean ground beef
3 oz portobello mushrooms - chopped
1 small onion - diced
1/4 can black beans - drained
4 tsp Wildtree Taco Seasoning
3/4 cup Wildtree Tia Rose's Red Enchilada Sauce
1 cup monterey jack cheese
4 corn tortillas
1/2 cup water

Brown beef in skillet.  Add mushrooms, onions, and black beans.  Add water and Wildtree Taco seasoning.  Lower heat to lowest setting, stirring occasionally until water has reduced.  Add Tia Rose's Red Enchilada Sauce.  Stir to incorporate and remove from heat.

Line 1.5 quart slow cooker with foil.  Place 1 corn tortilla in the bottom.  Top with 1/4 beef mixture and 1/4 cheese mixture.  Layer next tortilla, continuing to make your layers until the last one ends with beef and cheese on top.

Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.  Turn off and let cool at least 10 minutes before removing lasagna from slow cooker by pulling up on the foil.  Let rest 10 more minutes to set.

Top with your favorite toppings like lettuce, tomato and sour cream

You can replace Wildtree products with others, but why would you want to do that?

To order Wildtree products please visit http://www.mywildtree.com/kellycalton

Interested in joining a white hot business? Wildtree will have 65% of their products certified #glutenfree and 88% of their products certified #organic by the end of the year! Check out my FAQ's to learn more on how you can join this amazing business for $49.95! https://www.facebook.com/notes/wildtree-with-kelly-calton/faqs-on-joining-wildtree/583740365039229

Fiesta Quinoa Salad

I love this! Mason jars are the ultimate MacGyver kitchen accessory. You can bake in it, you can preserve food in it, and now you can eat lunch out of it!

Veggies will stay fresh longer too!

Fiesta Quinoa Salad
½ cup water ¼ cup quinoa
1 teaspoon Wildtree Taco Seasoning Pinch of salt
½ cup canned diced tomatoes (with liquid)
2 tablespoons Wildtree Fiesta Salsa Mix ½ cup corn
¼ cup black beans
½ cup orange bell pepper
¼ cup shredded cheese

1 cup romaine, chopped
To order Wildtree products please visit http://www.mywildtree.com/kellycalton
Interested in joining a white hot business? Wildtree will have 65% of their products certified #glutenfree and 88% of their products certified #organic by the end of the year! Check out my FAQ's to learn more on how you can join this amazing business for $49.95! https://www.facebook.com/notes/wildtree-with-kelly-calton/faqs-on-joining-wildtree/583740365039229
Combine the water and quinoa in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, until quinoa is tender and still chewy, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Once the quinoa has cooled mix in the Taco Seasoning, salt, diced tomatoes, and Fiesta Salsa Mix. Add this mixture to the bottom of 1 quart mason jar. Layer with bell pepper, corn, black beans, cheese and spinach. Seal the jar and refrigerate until you are ready to eat. Shake to mix up the ingredients when ready to eat.
Calories 470; Fat 14 g; Saturated Fat 6 g; Carbohydrate 72 g; Fiber 13 g; Protein 22 g; Cholesterol 30 mg; Sodium 920 mg

Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Pico de Gallo

Southwest Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Pico de Gallo
#NomNom! These are incredibly #tasty and so good for you!
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes
1 cup tomato, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons finely diced onion
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1 /2 cup black beans
1 teaspoon Wildtree Spicy Carne Asada
¼ cup shredded cheese

To order Wildtree products please visit http://www.mywildtree.com/kellycalton Interested in joining a white hot business? Wildtree will have 65% of their products certified #glutenfree and 88% of their products certified #organic by the end of the year!

Check out my FAQ's to learn more on how you can join this amazing business for $49.95! https://www.facebook.com/notes/wildtree-with-kelly-calton/faqs-on-joining-wildtree/583740365039229

Method of Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash and wrap potatoes in foil. Bake for about an hour or until potatoes are cooked through. Meanwhile prepare Pico de Gallo by tossing together the tomato, cilantro, onion, salt, and lemon juice; set aside.

Once potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each in half lengthwise. Scoop out some of the potato flesh with a spoon leaving a shell to hold the filling.

Mash half of the scooped out potato in a bowl. Add the shredded chicken, black beans, and Carne Asada seasoning; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Fill each potato shell with the chicken mixture. Top each with cheese. Bake at 400°F for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and filling is heated through. Serve potatoes with Pico de Gallo and sour cream if desired.

Mac-n-Cheese Bites? Yes Please!

The great thing about making these simple one to two people meals with Wildtree products is the left over products you'll have left over. If you make the Cheesy Bulgur Garlic Broccoli Chicken Bake ( http://kellycalton.blogspot.com/2014/09/cheesy-bulgur-garlic-broccoli-chicken.html ) you will have left over Kids Cheez.

It is similar to the cheese packet you'll find in a box of mac-n-cheese, without out all the unnatural ingredients found in said packets. So here's a bonus recipe for that Kids Cheez that will delight everyone in your family!

 Mac & Cheese Bites with Ketchup Dipping Sauce
 Ingredients
2 cups elbows, prepared according to package directions
1 cup milk
1 cup Wildtree Kids Cheez
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 egg, beaten
10 butter crackers
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons Wildtree Garlic Galore Seasoning Blend

 Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup ketchup
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
 1 teaspoon Wildtree Smoky Chipotle Hot Sauce

 Method of Preparation Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Whisk together milk and Kids Cheez blend in a saucepan and heat. In a large bowl combine cooked pasta, prepared Kids Cheez, cheddar cheese, and egg until completely combined. Divide the mixture among 30 greased mini muffin tins. In a resealable bag crush the crackers until they are fine crumbs. In a bowl mix together the cracker crumbs, butter, and Garlic Galore. Top each mac and cheese muffin evenly with the cracker crumb mixture. Bake at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before handling. Use a spoon to scoop out each mac and cheese bite. While they are cooking, mix together the ketchup, black pepper, and Hot Sauce. Dip the mac and cheese bites in the ketchup.

For tons more recipes to use with your Wildtree products please visit http://www.mywildtree.com/kellycalton

To order Wildtree products please visit http://www.mywildtree.com/kellycalton

Interested in joining a white hot business? Wildtree will have 65% of their products certified #glutenfree and 88% of their products certified #organic by the end of the year! Check out my FAQ's to learn more on how you can join this amazing business for $49.95! https://www.facebook.com/notes/wildtree-with-kelly-calton/faqs-on-joining-wildtree/583740365039229

Cheesy Bulgur Garlic Broccoli Chicken Bake

So my first foray into cooking at work with my cute little slow cooker was a raging success!  This recipe was absolutely delicious!  The air was filled with cheesy garlic goodness all morning and I looked on with pity to those that were eating a boring sandwich or greasy take-out.

Bulgur (or cracked wheat) has long been a favorite of mine.  A complex carb that is 100% whole wheat, bulgur  is a good source of fiber, protein, iron and vitamin B-6.   If you haven't tried it please do!  I sub rice with it all the time, and now when I do eat rice it seems so unsubstantial.

Cheesy Bulgur Garlic Broccoli Chicken Bake

Ingredients:

Chicken - marinate this for at least 2 hours or freeze in individual freezer bags and take out the night before :)  I buy a pound of chicken, cube it into nugget size, and make 4 pint sized bags for the freezer.

3 oz chicken - cubed

1/2 teaspoon Wildtree Garlic and Herb Blend

1/2 teaspoon Wildtree Roasted Garlic Grapeseed Oil

Sauce - I put these ingredients in first and stir.  It will not totally incorporate, but will work itself out while cooking

1/2 cup skim milk

1/2 cup Wildtree Kidz Cheese

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons Wildtree Vegetable Bouillon

The rest -  add this to your sauce mixture and give it a good stir

1/4 cup Bulgur Wheat

1 cup broccoli

After mixing your sauce and the rest of the ingredients, place chicken on top.  Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours, or on low for 3 hours and turn to high for 1 hour.  Both methods worked fine for me, so it depends on how much time you have before lunch.  Just be sure your chicken reaches 165 degrees :)  

I stirred everything together after 3 hours.

This was such a great lunch, and I ended up eating it for two days.  The bulgur is so filling I could not eat it all in one setting!

You may notice I use Wildtree products.  You most certainly can find replacements for them I'm sure, but since they use no gmo's, preservatives or artificial ingredients they are the way to go for me.  Oh, and I also sell them so with my demonstrator discount it's a no brainer for me :)

To order Wildtree products please visit http://www.mywildtree.com/kellycalton

Interested in joining a white hot business? Wildtree will have 65% of their products certified #glutenfree and 88% of their products certified #organic by the end of the year! Check out my FAQ's to learn more on how you can join this amazing business for $49.95! https://www.facebook.com/notes/wildtree-with-kelly-calton/faqs-on-joining-wildtree/583740365039229

Slow Cooking for Slow Morning Peeps

It's hard cooking for one or two people. Hell, sometimes it's hard to cook at all. I always have the best intentions of course but they go down the drain as life (and the snooze button) get in the way. I used to have a 130 pound alarm.

My fur child Nitro hates the alarm, like HATES IT. The minute it would go off he would start barking, and let me tell you when a 130 pound dog barks the windows shake and you get up quickly. Well after years of him being there to make sure I get up at 3 am (my start time kind of sucks) he learned something.

He could just grab a pillow and go sleep on the couch sometime before the alarm went off. My guaranteed wake you up from a dead sleep bark was gone. I know, i know perhaps I shouldn't let my dog on the couch. I don't, but when I'm not there he thinks it's okay. I'm just another dog parent who treated her dog like a kid and he responds in kind. I mean the dog totally has no conscience. He will tear up the garbage and sit in the middle of it like "Look what I did!" Ahh but my dog problems are for another post I suppose. All that matters is he's sweet and kind and gentle (unless you aren't a little kid or elderly - then look out as he will want to hug and/or sit on you).

So my time in the morning has been greatly reduced lately. I mean when it comes down to I only have time to take a quick shower or fix my lunch, well lunch is going to become take out. I know I could fix a nice salad or sandwich the night before, but they just don't seem "fresh" after sitting in the fridge all night.

 We have lots of good take out places where I work. They are full of fried, cheesy, greasy hole in the wall goodness, those diamond in the roughs people love to find but whose arteries would appreciate not so frequent visits.

 So I knew I had to do something as I'm not exactly 20 anymore. I found a totally cute 1.5 quart slow cooker at Amazon and figured I could do something with that. I mean all you need is electric and you are set.

Things could be planned in advance and you could even freeze stuff ahead of time for those mornings when you wear out the snooze button. I'm going to document all my adventures in slow cooking for one here. Something has got to give, and my waistline has given enough :)