Italian Veggie Stew

I was watching food network yesterday. Our heater was broken and I was waiting for the electrician, it was super cold in the house and I saw Rachael Ray making this stew. I was freezing and it looked awesome. This is technically my recipe, being added and subtracted ingredients to make it WLS friendly. I made this tonight, my "I'm not picky, as long as it's meat" husband ate 2 bowls. I consider it a success

• about 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 onions, sliced
• 2 large parsnips OR carrots, peeled and chopped (the original recipe called for potatoes)
  
• 1 eggplant, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 (28-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 cup stock, chicken or vegetable
• 1 teaspoon dried basil, rosemary, and parsley each

Heat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, bay, chopped garlic and onions and let them sweat out while you prepare the rest of the veggies. Drop in this order: parsnips/carrots, eggplant, zucchini, and bell pepper. Season with salt and pepper after you add each ingredient, cover and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add tomatoes and stock and herbs and cook 15 minutes more, to heat through. Add parm cheese on top. This is soooo good with so little calories and fill you up. Add as a side to your protein!

Crock Pot Orange Chinese Beef

I am a little addicted to my crock pot. I think I need a support group. In my travels today I found an Aldi food store, and I'll admit I was a little overly excited! I've been wanting Chinese food so bad today, even though at this point with my weight loss I can eat it, it's so greasy I really don't want to. I picked up some thin sliced sirloin so I decided to make some Chinese at home. You can also totally make this as a stir fry in a pan.

• 1 lb thin slices sirloin cut into strips
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil (you can use whatever you have, I used sesame for the Chinese theme)
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
  
• 2 small white onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1/2 cup orange juice
  
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
  

Heat oil up in a pan. Salt and pepper your steak and brown it up in the pan. Add your chopped onions, peppers, and garlic in the crock pot on low. Add steak in. Add in ginger powder, teriyaki sauce, OJ, and soy sauce. Cook on low for 4-5 hours. This was soooo delicious!

Chicken Mango Sausage, Peppers and Onions

My husband has now declared this is his NEW favorite dinner. I love going to trader Joe's and getting these ingredients, but you can pretty much get them anywhere. This is a fruity twist on traditional S,P&O's.

• 1 package chicken mango sausages, cut into bite sized pieces (I used trader Joe's, but you can get chicken sausage pretty much anywhere)


• 1 large yellow onion chopped into thin strips


• 2 bell peppers, I used red and yellow, cut into thin strips


• 1/2 cup frozen mangos (or you can use one fresh mango)


• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic


• 2 Tablespoons mango salsa (you can find this is the Mexican foods section or dressing aisle in a jar)


• 2 Tablespoons mango juice (I used Goya)


• salt and pepper to taste


• cooking spray
  

Spray a large skillet and set on medium high heat. Add in frozen mango and cook for about 3 minutes. Then respray and add in onions and peppers. Salt and pepper and cook for 15-20 minutes until softened, but not mushy. Add in sausage and cook for about 5-10 more minutes. Add in garlic, mango salsa and mango juice, and cook just long enough to thicken the sauce. Serve over quinoa or brown rice. This is seriously delicious!

Sausage, Peppers and Sweet Onions

I like to experiment with the different ways to make this dish. I make a really good version with mango's, but I couldn't find good ones at the store. This is a great dish with minimal preparation.

• 1lb chicken sausage, cut into half inch pieces (I used al fresco garlic chicken sausage, but I usually use trader joes mango chicken sausages.)




• 2 peppers, one red or orange, sliced thin




• 1 large vadalia onion, sliced thin




• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil




• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley




• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic




• 1 cup tomato sauce




• salt and pepper




• cooking spray

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage and brown. Add in peppers and onions, salt and pepper and cook until the veggies are soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn down heat and add in basil, parsley and garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes. Then add in tomato sauce and stir til heated through. Serve with wheat pasta or brown rice, or by itself!