Caldo de Camarón (Shrimp Soup)

I don’t have to remind you that Baby Cakes loves Mexican food, or that I am a soup lover, or that we both love seafood. No, I think you might know if you’ve followed me very long. Heck, we live in Texas, southern Texas at that, seafood and Mexican food know no bounds here and we are both most assuredly fine with that.

I actually had never tried this soup until recently, we went out for supper and the weather was just right for soup, overcast, cold, and rainy, so in lieu of my go to chicken tortilla I ordered this. How had I never had it before? It was so good. This is the first restaurant soup recipe I have ever tried to recreate, that alone says something.

When I ate it at the restaurant I could pick up on the taste of crab boil. You know, that seasoning blend you use for shrimp, crab or crawfish boils? It didn’t overpower but it was certainly there. So I researched and came across so many recipes for this soup, none of which used boil seasoning. This is my adaptation; it was created by recalling the way I remember it tasting only adding some butternut squash instead of potatoes to save some calories.

Here is the only downfall I found about my recipe, it was way too spicy for a big baby like me. Next time I'll 86 the chipotles and only use the crab boil seasoning. However, Baby Cakes loves it! He even took it to lunch the next day.


Caldo de Camarón (Shrimp Soup)

2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo sauce
1 onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic
28 ounces fire-roasted tomatoes
2 medium carrots, diced
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon paste
2 tablespoons crab boil seasoning
1 pound cleaned frozen shrimp

Add the chilies, onion, garlic, and canned tomatoes to a blender and blend until smooth.

Fill a large pot halfway full with water (approximately 6 cups) and add all the ingredients, including the chile mixture and cook over medium heat until the squash is fork tender.

Add the shrimp and cook 3-5 minutes more or until pink.

Serve in a big bowl with a side of brown rice or with some crusty french bread for dipping.


It really is an incredibly simple weeknight meal, especially a rainy weeknight like tonight. The french bread really did cut the spice.

1/4 of the pot worth of soup, about 2 cups, equals 265 calories. That's it! Amazing, I know. (That means I get some garlic bread too! Yipee!)

Add this soup recipe to your rotation or just try it for pete's sake. It is delicioso!

Chicken Pot Stickers

As of late when I have had a hankering for chinese food, and let me tell you that it happens often, I have been ordering special won ton soup (it’s my favorite!) and I might allow myself one eggroll if even one. But let’s face it, it is positively torturous to go to a chinese restaurant and only eat soup (although as I said above, I do love me some special won ton soup), I would much rather have lo mein noodles or crab puffs, oh or fried pot stickers. That is where this recipe comes in.

I would tell you that I intend to make special won ton soup but the little restaurant that is so conveniently located on my way in from work sells a massive amount of the liquid gold for way cheaper than it would cost me to make it. It is chalked full of dumplings, leeks, shrimp, pork, chicken, bamboo shoots, all kinds of good stuff. So instead I am going to focus on making the worst offenders healthier. And thanks to, once again, the Cook This Not That cookbook I am starting now.

I did have trouble finding a bag of frozen pot stickers, or dumplings as I’ve also heard them called, but I finally found little boxes of them in asian section of frozen foods. I did have to buy 4 boxes to get to 24 of the pot stickers. Let me tell you, it took a lot of willpower not to toss in a box of egg rolls while I was at it. Although I should have just went crazy with the caloric faux pas I had. Let me explain...

I followed the recipe to a tee only it wasn't working. For starters it wasn't enough oil so I added more and then more to make the pot stickers un-stick, and then after the wontons where cooked and I added the soy sauce and rice vinegar it didn't make near enough sauce. I read and re-read the recipe. I followed it exactly to no avail. The pot stickers came with dipping sauce so I opened three of them and used them in the end. The only problem is that it raised the calorie count by a ton. However, it tasted really good.


Chicken Pot Stickers
adapted from the Cook This Not That cookbook, pg. 90

24 frozen pot stickers (chicken, pork, or vegetable)
1 tablespoon sesame or peanut oil
4 ounces mushrooms (preferably shiitake), stems removed, sliced
2 cups sugar snap or snow peas, tough ends removed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
3 dipping sauce packets from the pot stickers boxes
2 scallions, sliced (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the pot stickers and cook for a few minutes until tender but not gummy. Drain.

Heat the oil a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the cooked pot stickers to the pan and cook, undisturbed, until crispy and brown on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the pot stickers to a plate. Pour in the dipping sauce and bring to a simmer, toss in the snap peas and warm through.

Garnish with scallions (if using).


Now let me share what we thought of these little meat filled gems- simply put, Amazing! I could totally eat these instead of the fried resturant version for the rest of my life and never miss them although with my adaptations it really isn't any better for you.

By the book calories: ¼ of the skillet, 6 pot stickers and 1/4 cup of sauce with peas and mushrooms equals 202 calories.

Adapted calorie count: 1/4 of the skillet, 6 pot stickers and 1/4 cup of sauce with peas and mushrooms equals 465 calories. (I am ashames to say I ate 2 servings before I realized how many calories the sauce alone caused it to rise. That's a whopping 930 calories in 1 meal! Bad, very bad.)

Oven Roasted Asparagus

I cannot tell you how many times we have had asparagus cooked this way at our house. It is so delicious and truth be told I often eat chopped asparagus cooked in an egg scramble. I love the flavor. This recipe was the first way I ever tried it and I am happy to say the reason that I am a convert.

The most recent time we had it was the other day with the Honey-Mustard Salmon.


Oven Roasted Asparagus

1 pound asparagus stalks
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat an oven to 400.

Prep the asparagus by breaking each stem where it naturally breaks when slightly bent. Discard the hard end, keeping the tops.

Place the asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat.

Roast in oven until just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.


I swear once you try it this way you’ll never make it differently again.

Calories for 1/4 of the pan is 64 calories. Whew, you can't beat that!

Honey-Mustard Salmon

Part of getting healthy is not only losing weight but also about eating healthier things. It’s about the nutrients I have going into my body as well as the calories I take in.

Baby Cakes has never really been one for fish, sure he’ll eat one of my tuna fish sandwiches every once in a while but as far as simply eating some grilled tilapia, or baked whitefish, or some salmon, nah, he’ll pass. He no longer has a choice if he’s eating in my kitchen because we will be eating fish twice a week from now on. I’m sure I can spare you how healthy fish is for you, if cooked right that is. Battered and fried fish pretty much defeats the purpose of eating healthy fish.

I’ve noticed that I have been choosing a lot of recipes, I even have two more for next week, from my Cook This Not That cookbook and this is one of those recipes.


Honey-Mustard Salmon
recipe from Cook This Not That cookbook, pg. 232

1 tablespoon whipped butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
dash salt
dash pepper
4 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each

Preheat the oven to 400.

Combine the butter and brown sugar in a microwavable bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, until the butter and sugar have melted together. Stir in the mustard, honey, and soy sauce.

Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add to the pan flesh side down. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until fully browned and flip. Turn off heat and transfer to an over proof baking dish skin side down.

Brush with half of the glaze and place in the oven and bake until the salmon is firm and flaky (but before the white fat begins to form on the surface), about 5 minutes.

Remove, brush the salmon with more of the honey mustard, and serve warm.


In the book they recommend serving it with asparagus so that’s just what I did; so simple to make see that recipe here.

The calorie count per 6 ounce fillet with sauce already on it is 418 calories. Paired with the right side dish and you have a super healthy meal.

Huevos Rancheros

When it comes to breakfast and lunch in our household Baby Cakes and I are incredibly routine, the exception being the weekends as we’re almost always running the roads all weekend long. He eats the same breakfast every day and either the same sandwich or leftovers for lunch. I have a cup of coffee every morning with a banana and the same lunch consisting of the same salad along with the same snacks every single day. Now to some that might be boring and to a self-proclaimed food blogger I can admit that it is odd, but to keep things interesting I am always making and trying new recipes for supper and special occasions.

Because we don’t often make breakfast on the weekends and I’ve already shared that we are creatures of habit during the work week I occasionally find myself making breakfast for dinner. I had taken notice that Baby Cakes orders Huevos Rancheros often so I thought I might try and make it. While thumbing through a cookbook I had stashed away I came across a delicious looking recipe for Huevos Rancheros, not to mention a healthy version. Sold!

The best part about this recipe, aside from the amazing flavor, is how quick it was to make, especially the second time. Because it makes 4 servings, I made the entire recipe and then split the ingredients. I used half of the salsa and beans and stored the other half in separate containers, as in beans in one and salsa in the other, so 2 days later I made it again but that time all I had to do was lightly nuke the beans to take the chill out, toast the tortillas and cook the eggs. Viola! A simple and really quick weeknight meal or heck a quick weekend breakfast, maybe I can talk Baby Cakes into staying in just once.


Huevos Rancheros
recipe from Cook This Not That cookbook, pg. 50

16 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with juice
½ small onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle pepper
juice of 1 lime, divided
salt and pepper to taste
16 ounce can black beans
pinch cumin
8 eggs
8 corn tortillas

Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotle, cilantro, and half of the lime juice in a food processor and pulse until well blended but still slightly chunky; season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl mix the black beans, cumin and remaining lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Use the back of a fork to lightly mash up the beans, adding a splash of warm water if necessary.

Coat a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Break the eggs into the skillet; cook until the whites have set but the yolks are still loose and runny.

On a separate burner, heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the tortillas, 2 at a time; cook for 1 minute on each side, until lightly toasted.

To assemble the dish, spread the tortillas with the beans, top with the eggs, and top the eggs with the salsa. Garnish with more cilantro, if you like, and serve immediately.


This recipe makes 4 servings and according to the book each serving is 480 calories. When I put the recipe into Calorie Count it came back with 522 calories per servings so to play it safe I would count the higher amount. Still, 522 calories for dinner is not bad, not bad at all.

North African Meatball Stew

I must say right off the bat that this is one of the best main dishes I have ever made and posted on this blog. Although this is Weight Watchers recipe there is nothing diet about it. It has depth of flavor and produced incredibly tender meatballs. Love at first bite!

Baby Cakes give this one an 8 and wanted me to share that anything above a 7 he would gladly eat again but I personally use his score system with the 10 as my score which means love it. And I do, I love it!


North African Meatball Stew
recipe from Weight Watchers Ready, Set, Go! Cookbook, pg. 80

1 pound ground lean beef (5% fat or less)
1 tablespoon dried cilantro
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cup diced tomatoes
¾ cup water
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix together beef, cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoons of pepper in a large bowl, just until well combined. Shape into 24 (1-inch) meatballs.

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, water, tomato paste, and remaining 1 teaspoon cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to boil.

Add the meatballs to the skillet. Reduce heat and simmer covered until meatballs are cooked through and sauce is thickened about 30 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

Serving Size: 6 meatballs and 2/3 cups of sauce
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 5

Serve over couscous, quinoa or rice.


I will most assuredly be making this again and again and again.

Bon Appetite,

Crock Pot Cheeseburger

So in regards to blogging I’ve been a bit delayed. There is a fire here in my hometown and I admit that I have been all consumed with that since last Monday. We’ve packed up the important things and are now just waiting for the fire to be put out. For the time being it’s looking better and I have let my guard down enough to have a normal day, I even cooked supper for the first time this week.

I am still on Weight Watchers although I have been naughty for the last 2 days; I’m not looking forward to my weight in tomorrow but I not quitting either. So it’s back on the horse today with a recipe I found in my Betty Crocker Win at Weight Loss Cookbook. I love this book; it is full of easy yummy recipes. I actually went through it with my point’s calculator and marked the point’s value for each recipe in it. It’s just one more way to make staying on plan easier. Enough about weight watchers, didn’t I say I wasn’t going to talk about it?

This dish is wonderful. It tastes great and is so easy to make. And although it came from a weight loss cookbook there is nothing diet about it in regards to taste. I can imagine that this would satisfy everyone in your household, especially children.


Crock Pot Cheeseburger
slightly adapted from Betty Crocker Win at Weight Loss Cookbook, pg. 130

1 lb. 90% lean ground hamburger
1 tablespoon garlic powder
8 ounces pasteurized prepared cheese loaf, diced
2 tablespoons fat free milk
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a large skillet cook the hamburger meat with the garlic powder over medium heat until browned, drain.

Spray the slow cooker with nonstick spray. Mix the cooked beef and remaining ingredients together in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 7 hours.

Serve on buns or as a salad.

To serve as a salad: Serve on a bed of lettuce using 1/6th of the meat mixture. In lieu of salad dressing although you could use thousand island use a squirt or two of ketchup and mustard.

Serving size: 1/6 (meat mixture only)
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 6


As always, I wouldn't share it otherwise, a delish supper. This in salad form really works for me. Occasionally I crave cheeseburgers and this had all the flavors of one. Maybe next time I'll toast a pita for the bread factor.

Yum,

Shredded Brown Sugar Pork Roast

Apparently I am a pork junkie, a crock pot pork junkie to be more specific but it’s just so simple to make. There never seems to be a shortage of flavorful recipes floating around out there on the World Wide Web. I can’t wait for fall and then I’ll be replacing pork roast for beef roast. On a side note my favorite holiday is on its way- Halloween!

I know that when it comes to weight loss one would not think that a recipe with a cup or brown sugar in it would be considered diet food but I truly believe in everything in moderation and so far that seems to be working for me because in 2 weeks I have lost 5 lbs., slow and steady wins the weight loss race.

In regards to the dish itself it was so good. I used it as a salad topper and although I didn’t take a picture of Baby Cakes’ plate he used his as sandwich filling. Oh and I added more to the salad once I took a photo fat free cheese being one of the things.


Crock Pot Brown Sugar Pork Roast

1 lb. pork roast
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup worcestershire sauce

Place the roast in the crock pot and pour the sugar and sauce over the roast.

Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred and serve.

Serving Size: 1/6
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 7


I really cannot say enough about this recipe. Both Baby Cakes and I loved it. It’s a keeper.

XOXO,

Blueberry Squares

Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday Dear Megan, Happy Birthday to Me! I want cake and luckily I found this recipe in my Weight Watchers points tracker.

I love this cake, it is light and sticky and sweet. You can’t beat it.


Blueberry Squares

1 package angel food cake mix
22 ounce light blueberry pie filling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cake mix with blueberry filling (do not add any other ingredients). Pour batter into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch baking dish, bake for 30 minutes.

Cool and cut into 24 pieces.

Serving size: 1 piece
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 2


I ate 3 of them. Bad girl.

XOXO,

Crock Pot Apple Pork Loin

I know that this in not really the time of year for roast, or for apples even. Yes, this would make a great fall recipe but I am getting an ache for the fall season and decided that I don’t want to wait any longer. I want what I want and it’s my birthday so na-na-nana-na.

This was super easy to pull together and all day I have been looking forward to eating it tonight…


Crock Pot Apple Pork Loin

1 lb. pork loin, mesquite flavor
¼ cup apple juice
¼ sugar
4 apples, cored and sliced

Place the pork tenderloin in the crock pot.

In a small saucepan stir to combine the sugar and juice, stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. You do not want to cook the juice, just dissolve the sugar.

Pour the mixture over the pork loin.

Cover and cook on High heat for 1 hour.

Add the apples and continue cooking on Low heat for 3 more hours.

Serving size: ½ cup apples and 1/8 of the pork loin
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 4


I am going to be completely honest with you, the pork loin is fantastic the apples however not so much. I will make this again but leave out the apples. The juice and sugar mixture made for a super moist roast. I dig it. Yum.

XOXO,

Pineapple and Barbeque Shredded Chicken

I cheated last night; I did a very bad but very good thing. I spent money on a rotisserie chicken. I did. It was worth every penny though! It kept the house cool yesterday and will manage to do the same tonight as well. We intentionally kept half of the chicken to use for tonight’s supper.

Yesterday I ran a search for chicken sandwich recipes and came across this recipe, only not exactly this recipe, the one I found was for the crockpot, which will one day be making its way onto this very blog. But the idea is the same. I wanted to try it and knew I was going to pick up a chicken on my way home from work so while I was at the store I picked up a jar of pineapple preserves as well.

If or should I say when you make this you will be so happy. It was great! Baby Cakes had his on a hawaiian bun and I had mine on a 100 calorie bun. Guess who’s tasted better? Lol.


Pineapple and Barbeque Shredded Chicken

3-4 cups boneless, skinless roasted chicken breast, warmed and shredded
1/3 cup brown sugar barbeque sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 cup pineapple preserves

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients until well combined.

Serve on buns or use as a salad topper.

Serving size: 1 cup
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 7 (not including bread or bun)


Now I will admit that I didn't think of this recipe all on my own, the problem is that I held on to it so long before posting that I somehow lost the link and researching it has proved unfruitful.

XOXO,

Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip

We all know it’s hot outside, how many times am I going to point that out you ask? Well, until it’s no longer in the 100’s. I once again want cool and creamy for lunch. I found cool and creamy.

Have you ever had Greek Yogurt? From what I can tell a lot of people don’t care for it but I have always liked it. It’s tart like sour cream and thicker than normal yogurt. In the past I’ve always bought the full fat version and with fruit mixed in but for this recipe I bought the low fat plain version. After tasting it I realize that it could easy sub in for sour cream.


Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
courtesy of my MIL's WW Coach

½ cup low fat greek yogurt
1 tbs. dry ranch dressing mix
pinch of pepper

In a small bowl mix the above ingredients until well combined.

Serve cold with fresh vegetables or chips.

Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Weight Watchers Points Plus Points: 2


Cool and creamy with a ton of kick to it. I plan on playing around with this to see what else I can create in the near future. Yum.

XOXO,

Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

Always on the look out for quick meals (and more than ever healthy quick meals) I came across this recipe on the world wide web. I must admit it is incredibly good. Just sweet enough and just very very good. You have to try this one, not to mention the fact that it is only about 380 calories for 1/4 of the skillet.


Ingredients:

1 lb. 96% extra lean ground beef
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
few shakes seasoning (your choice)
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
18-20 oz. tomato sauce, glass jar
1/4 cup water, as needed
3 Tablespoons ketchup
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Cabbage, medium to small- 6 cups chopped

Directions:

Put Tablespoon evoo in pan and brown meat, onion. Add seasonings and garlic powder, to taste. Add Worcestershire sauce.

Stir in tomato sauce, 1/4 cup of water, 3 Tablespoons ketchup and 2 teaspoons brown sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes or so.

Chop cabbage. Add to meat mixture and cover. Lower the heat and cook for about 45 minuntes to an hour, until the cabbage is done. Stir it every so often and add a bit of water as needed. It should be saucy, but not soupy. Not dry at all.

Of course Michael added cheese to his, as well as japs but not me. He keeps saying this is the best meal I have ever cooked before. I have to agree you guys- sooo freakin' good. Only one thing would make it better adding cooked white rice into the entire mixture. Then it would be just like a real stuffed cabbage roll. Yummy, so yummy.

Nom, nom, nom y'all,