Cheesy Potato Soup

Ingredients:
1 Russet Potato

1 Medium Red Onion

1 Green Pepper

1/4 lb deli ham OR 1/4 lb taylor ham 

1 1/2 tbsp butter 

1 tbsp flour

1 cup 1% milk

1/4 lb block cheddar cheese shredded

2 tbsp sour cream

* Croutons

* Chives

* Cheddar cheese (shredded for garnish)

* Olive Oil

* Salt

* Black pepper

* Garlic Powder

Tools:

Large non-stick skillet with lid

2 qt saucepan

Preparation: 
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Dice all vegetables and ham into 1/2" cubes, place in skillet and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir regularly and cover until potatoes are browned and all vegetables are tender. 

In a sauce pan, melt butter adding flour and milk to make a roux. Once steam begins to rise, add cheddar cheese and stir until well incorporated.  Use sour cream as needed to thicken but should otherwise have a brothy consistency. 

Add vegetables and ham once cooked to cream sauce and simmer on low heat. 

Garnish with diced chives, croutons, and additional cheddar cheese

Serving: 

Serves 2. 

Paleo Friendly Beef Stir Fry

Ingredients: 
5 Cloves of Garlic
1 Red Pepper
1 Red Onion
1/2 Yellow Onion
1 Bunch of Scallions
1 cup of sliced cremini mushrooms
1 Bunch of Celery
1 Pound of either Stir Fry Beef or Stew beef

1 Tbsp Coconut Aminos or gluten free soy sauce
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil

* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
* Onion Powder
* Garlic Powder
* Turmeric Powder
* Cumin 
* Coriander
* Paprika
* Sesame Oil

Preparation
This will require a significant amount of vegetable prep and would be best prepared with 3 medium to large size bowls and one small one. 

Ensure that the beef is cut into thinner strips (it will be easier to eat that way). If they are not to size, cut beef into strips about 1/4 inch wide and however long you please. Place into a medium bowl and drizzle with 1 tbsp of soy sauce/aminos. Season generously with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and paprika.  Lightly sprinkle with sesame oil as well and let sit. 

In a small bowl, use a garlic press to crush garlic. Once all garlic has been crushed, set aside - this will be the first ingredient added to the skillet. 

In a medium bowl slice onions and peppers into reasonably thin slices (between 1/8 and 3/16 of an inch) and cut in half so the pieces are about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in length. Set aside as this will be the second set of ingredients to be added to the skillet. 

In another medium bowl cut up celery into 1/4 inch pieces. Add sliced mushrooms and dice up scallions and set aside as this will be the last set of ingredients. 

If you do not have a wok, this is best cooked in a deep stainless steel skillet (4" at least) with a cover.  Heat skillet on high and add coconut oil until it melts. After a minute, add in garlic and mix together to meld the garlic flavor with the oil. 

After a minute or two, add bowl of onions and peppers, salt and pepper and stir until they begin to soften keeping them moving to not sit on the hot pan for too long in one spot.  After softened, add the meat and again stir up keeping the mixture moving to not sit in one spot for too long. Put remaining tbsp of aminos/soy sauce in the skillet. 

Pour in last bowl of vegetables/mushrooms, mix together, lower heat to medium and cover after lightly seasoning with salt and pepper. With lid on, shake the skillet every 2 - 3 minutes to keep everything mixing together. 

Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables and meat and place in a bowl on the side covered. Raise the heat to high and cook down the cooking liquid until it thickens and then pour over the mix. 

 Serving
Best served to be eaten with chop sticks. 

Beef Fajitas

Ingredients: 

1/2 Lb Stir Fry Beef
1 Red Pepper or Green Pepper (Use to change up the color)
1 Medium Red Onion
3 Tbsp of safeflower oil
4 8" flour tortillas
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (Substitute Colby Jack, Monteray Jack, or Cheddar Jack)
1/4 cup of sour cream 

* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
* Garlic Powder
* Paprika
* Cumin
* Coriander

Recommended to use a cast iron skillet for this
Le Creuset Fennel Cast-Iron Skillet, 10" (Google Affiliate Ad)

Preparation:
Thinly slice onion and pepper between 1/8" and 1/4" thick and set aside. 

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with 1 tbsp of oil.  In a shallow bowl, mix together a fair amount of the seasonings and roll beef around in it until well coated. If strips are 6" or longer, cut in half before cooking. Cook beef for 2 - 3 minutes turning often to lightly brown all sides but not cook through. Once browned, remove from heat, set aside and cover in aluminum foil to rest. 

Raise heat on the skillet and add remaining oil.  Add in onions and peppers to skillet and season with salt and pepper only. Mix together quickly to ensure that all sides of the onions and peppers are exposed to the hot surface but not long enough for them to burn.   Reduce heat on skillet to low and mix together beef into the peppers and onions and cover with aluminum foil.  Stir up occasionally to keep this well mixed and to avoid burning either beef or vegetables. 

Warm tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds to become pliable. 


Serving:

Use a trivet and bring skillet to the table still sizzling.  Assemble fajitas by layering in cheese and sour cream on a tortilla followed by the beef and vegetables mix. Fold bottom edge over and roll entire tortilla. 

Chicken Marengo

This recipe originated from a dinner that I had on the Dandy, a river boat cruise on the Potomac River in Washington DC. My great uncle actually called the chef and had the recipe faxed to my mom. Over the years, I have taken that original base recipe and modified it to taste. 

Ingredients: 
4 pcs thin sliced boneless skinless chicken
OR 
2 pcs of regular chicken breast (approx 3/4 - 1" thick)
1/2 cup Chardonnay (one that you would be willing to actually drink)
28 oz Can of Crushed Tomatoes
1 Large red onion
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
* Paprika 
* Garlic Powder

It is recommended to cook this using a large stainless deep skillet: Berghoff Boreal 10-In. Stainless Steel Covered Deep Skillet (Google Affiliate Ad)

Preparation:
Thinly slice the entire onion into 1/8" to 1/4" slices cut in half lengthwise. Heat up a skillet over medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil and add onions and a pinch of salt. Sautee onions until they become translucent. 

In a shallow bowl, mix together the dry spices. Slice chicken into 3/8" or 1/2" strips and coat generously with seasoning until well seasoned. Spread the onions out in the skillet to the edges, add the remaining oil and the chicken to the pan. Mix well until chicken cooks through. 

Spread the chicken and onion mix to the outsides of the pan and deglaze the pan with the Chardonnay.  Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well until well incorporated (may not be all 28 oz of the can), reduce the heat to low and cover.  Stir occasionally and after 5 - 10 minutes of cooking covered, prop the lid open and allow the mixture to reduce. 

Serving:
The serving suggestion for this dish is with brown rice cooked with a small amount of butter and optionally a cooked green vegetable such as green beans. If I recall correctly, the Dandy served this with french cut green beans and sliced almonds but that may be over the top for a during the week dinner. Use a slotted spoon to pile on the chicken including some but not all of the sauce mix. 

Nutrition Information:
This dish can serve between 2 and 4 depending on how much chicken is mixed in. The sauce recipe is the same for the 2 or 4 serving portion of chicken.  In Weight Watchers Points Plus value, this is between 4 and 6 points for the chicken and portion of the sauce. If you add rice, calculate the value of the rice but I find that Carolina Brown rice is 4 points per serving. In total this is a decent portion meal with a fair amount of food for a relatively low point value. 

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients: 
2 pcs Boneless Skinless Chicken
1 Orange or Red Pepper
1 Medium Red Onion
3 Tbsp of safeflower oil
6 8" flour tortillas
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (Substitute Colby Jack, Monteray Jack, or Cheddar Jack)
1/4 cup of sour cream 

* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper
* Garlic Powder
* Paprika
* Cumin
* Coriander
* Cayenne Pepper (optional - adds a kick)

Recommended to use a cast iron skillet for this
Le Creuset Fennel Cast-Iron Skillet, 10" (Google Affiliate Ad)

Preparation:
Thinly slice onion and pepper between 1/8" and 1/4" thick and set aside. 

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat with 1 tbsp of oil.  Season chicken with all dry seasonings/spices and cook on skillet until chicken cooks through (color should change to a golden brown (3 - 4 minutes). Set aside and cover with aluminum foil to let rest. 

Raise heat on the skillet and add remaining oil.  Add in onions and peppers to skillet and season with salt and pepper only. Mix together quickly to ensure that all sides of the onions and peppers are exposed to the hot surface but not long enough for them to burn.  Slice chicken against the grain in 1/4" to 3/8" wide strips. Reduce heat on skillet to low and mix together chicken into the peppers and onions and cover with aluminum foil.  Stir up occasionally to keep this well mixed and to avoid burning either chicken or vegetables. 

Warm tortillas in the microwave for about 30 seconds to become pliable. 


Serving:

Use a trivet and bring skillet to the table still sizzling.  Assemble fajitas by layering in cheese and sour cream on a tortilla followed by the chicken and vegetables mix. Fold bottom edge over and roll entire tortilla. 

Open Face Foccacia Steak Sandwiches with Gorgonzola

This is a variation on a recipe I found in Bobby Flay's Grill It! (Link to Book on Amazon) which used provolone cheese to make an open face steak sandwich.  The recipe below has some variation options that will change its nutritional value and its taste but nonetheless can be mixed and matched for flavor. 

Ingredients: 
Foccacia Bread (Small portion)
1/2 Tsp Active Dry Yeast
1/2 Cup of Warm Water (100 Degrees F)
1/2 Cup White Flour
1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil (Can Substitute Safeflower oil for health value, equal in WW Points Plus Value though)
1/4 Tsp Sugar
1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
* Olive Oil (spray)
* Italian Seasoning (dry and crushed via Mortar & Pestle) 
* Sea Salt

Sandwiches
8 oz Flank Steak or London Broil
1 oz (28 g) of Gorgonzola Cheese
2 oz Simple and Tasty Barbecue Sauce
1 Small Red Onion 
* Paprika
* Kosher Salt
* Black Pepper

Preparation: 
In a bowl mix together the yeast and water and whisk together vigorously until bubbles form. Add flour, salt, sugar, and oil and knead dough into a ball. Dough should not be sticky so if need be use a small portion of additional flour (less than 1/4 cup) to dry it out.  Place in a slightly greased container (use olive oil spray) covered in a warm place for approximately 30 minutes until dough has risen. 

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F and remove dough from container. Spread dough on a stoneware baking dish or a pizza stone into a rectangular shape.  Spray with olive oil spray, season with Italian Seasonings and a pinch of sea salt.  Bake bread in oven for approximately 10 minutes, cover bread with Gorgonzola cheese and continue baking for another 5 - 7 minutes until bread is browned and cheese has melted. 

Slice onion into small slivers and saute with a small amount of olive oil spray and a pinch of kosher salt and pepper until translucent and softened.  

Season beef with salt, pepper and paprika and place on hot grill or griddle rotating once per side and flipping until desired doneness has been reached.  Remove from heat and let rest on a cutting board tented under some aluminum foil for about 5 minutes. 

Cut Foccacia bread into slices approximately 2 inches wide and 4 inches long.  Slice beef into 1/8" thick slices and place onion on bread and cover with beef.  

Serving: 
Drizzle with barbecue sauce and/or keep some on the side for dipping. 
Recommended to serve with salad. 

Nutrition Information: 
As is with the Gorgonzola cheese, this is a 14 point meal per serving (recommended 2 servings)
Substitute Gorgonzola cheese with mozzarella (fresh or part skim) and reduce this to a 12 point meal. 

Quick and Easy Nachos

This is a recipe for nachos that combines flavor and healthiness. 


Ingredients: 
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Medium Red Onion
56 Grams of Soy Crumbles
1 small Can of Tomato Sauce
1 Package of crunchy taco shells
3 oz of Mozarella cheese (shredded)


Olive Oil *
Kosher Salt *
Black Pepper * 
Garlic * 
Paprika* 
Cumin * 
Coriander * 


Preparation:
Dice onions and peppers into 1/4 inch dice and saute in a medium skillet with oil, salt and pepper until soft and onions become translucent. Add in soy crumbles seasoned with garlic, paprika, cumin and coriander as well as tomato sauce. Stir and cover to reduce. 

On a stoneware baking dish, break up 6 taco shells into tortilla chip size and stick in a 375 degree oven for a few minutes to crisp up. Once all liquid has reduced out of vegetable mix, spread over the tortilla chips. 

As an optional extra, add re-fried beans to half or all of the chip mix. 




Cover in mozzarella cheese and put in the oven and let cheese melt (approx 10 minutes). 

Serving: 
Serve in the baking dish and have everybody grab some - entire recipe serves 2. 


Nutrition Info: 
As far as weight watchers points plus goes, this scores rather well: 


Without Refried Beans (1 serving): 6 pts
With Refried Beans or 2 servings of the cheese (1 serving): 8 pts