Day 226 - Pasta with Broccoli Sauce and Chicken

I need to tools to get me back fully into the swing of things so I decided to while away an hour or so perusing a few food sites for yummy inspiration. I was really looking for ways to improve my options on Turkey day (which I did find, stay tuned) and I came across something that almost made me drool.

I love pasta any way it comes, so this was just another great idea to add to my collection... Until I tried it. It's soooooo much more than just pasta! The sauce--cheesy, creamy and packed with fiber-y veggieness-- was a welcome respite from the traditional red sauce (though I could eat that alone till the day I croak and be completely content). The addition of chicken was my doing. I need protein with a meal, the carbs from the pasta would leave me hungry in a couple hours otherwise. Altogether, this meal got a HUGE thumbs up from my hubby and boys (mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and two nephews, too). So enjoy!

 Broccoli Sauce (for pasta)

• 6 cups broccoli, chopped (florets and stems)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup low sodium, fat free chicken stock
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup reduced fat cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a small/medium frying pan over medium high heat until it shimmers. Add the chopped onion and sautee until it becomes translucent and starts to caramelize. (unsure how to caramelize? click here and watch the video at the bottom of the my page!) Reserve the onions.

2. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a 2 quart sauce pot. Add the broccoli and allow to boil covered for 10 minutes.

3.Once the broccoli is finished, place it in a food processor or blender with the stock, onions, Parmesan cheese, and cream cheese. Blend until almost smooth. Add seasonings to taste and blend to desired consistency.

Makes: 6 servings, 1 PP (yes, that's right... ONE!)

In the picture, I served it over 1 cup of whole wheat spaghetti and topped it with 3 ounces of sauteed chicken breast. I also added 1 tsp of safflower oil to get in another heart healthy oil for the day. 8 PP finished, as pictured.

Tomorrow: A few interesting food and blog finds. Stop by : )

Day 180 - Weigh In, Apple Sauce and Apple Butter

First, my confessional:  I had a bad week.
I thought I was just self-sabotaging after last weeks amazing milestones.
I ate without tracking on Saturday. First time I've ever done that... and the food I chose to eat and not track? Yeah. Cheetos, meatball parm sub, more Cheetos, tortilla chips, apple butter, apple empanada. Ugh. 
Turns out (sorry gentlemen) I had Aunt Flo visiting. I haven't had a visit from her since last November (no worries, it's normal for me) and I forgot how I get when she's here. I become positively exhausted for the first few days, and have cravings that rule my life at the beginning. Yesterday was much better. I was in control, able to eat the way I have re-taught myself over the last 26 weeks and felt fine about it, with no monstrous cravings. I'm a woman. What can I say? ; )

That said, I did lose 0.4 lbs this week. I may possibly be bloated and I may have a bigger dip in the scale next week, but for how I felt about a few days this week, I simply wanted to stay below 200. So I'm good. Let's get moving again....


And as I promised, my recipes for apple sauce and apple butter. I used this apple butter in the Apple Empanada in yesterday's post.

Home Made Apple Sauce 

I don't use sugar in my apple sauce, I think fresh fall apples
have plenty of natural fructose sugars in them and regular sugar
just corrupts the beautiful  fresh taste. And I feel better
about giving it to my boys without any added sugar.

• 6 cups of peeled, cored and chopped apples
• 1 cup natural apple cider
• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• water to cover

1. Peel, core and chop your apples into evenly sized pieces, the smaller they are cut, the faster they will cook. But if you're like me and prefer a slightly chunky applesauce, leave 'em bigger. Place the apple chunks into the cooking pot. I use a big Dutch oven, I like the even heat distribution and it's just neat.

2. Add a cinnamon stick, the ground cinnamon and apple cider to the pot. Add enough water to cover the apples.

3. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer. Allow it to simmer covered until the apples have begun to break down and are mushy. Stir periodically.



4. Once the sauce is to the consistency you like, remove the cover and allow to simmer until it has thickened.

5. Remove the cinnamon stick and enjoy a cup full while it's still warm! This is my favorite way to eat home-made apple sauce, still slightly warm from the pot with another dash of ground cinnamon on top : )


But if you want to make apple butter....

Apple Butter

• reserve 2 cups of home made apple sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. salted butter
• 2 Tbsps. packed light brown sugar

Place all ingredients into a small 1- 1.5 quart sauce pot over medium low heat. Cook to reduce until it is half the volume you started with. Don't stir... It makes a mess, you'll get splattered with molten hot apple sauce and you'll reincorporate the water that you're trying to cook out. Resist the urge! It's important for this reason to keep it at low heat, so you don't scorch the bottom.


Tomorrow: Concord Gin Fizzy. My own creation. And, it's time to find a new mini-goal...