Daily Post--8/5/08

A challenge member writes: I am always looking for crock pot recipes that are WLS friendly..perhaps everyone could post a dinner recipe they found to be healthy and WLS friendly... Please post a crock pot, WLS-friendly recipe if you have one. If not, how about another dinner type recipe that is WLS-friendly??

I don't really like to cook. I tend to keep it really simple...steak, pork chops, or fish. I'm boring, I know...

One that I love and is WLS friendly and family friendly Salsa Chicken Dump 6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts into the pot Dump 1 packet Taco Seasonings (I like Taco Bell Brand) Dump 1 Can Reduced Fat Cream Mushroom soup Dump 1 Can/Jar of your favorite 8 oz Salsa Turn on low and let simmer 6-8 hours stirring occasionally. When done serve over rice for the family and for us as a soup in a bowl. Top with cheese and sour cream YUMO!

Chicken Tacos 1 pkg Tacos 1 rotisserie chicken from the grocery store 1 package Taco Seasoning Sour Cream (fat free, please) Cheese, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, diced avocado, salsa Bone the chicken, shred and mix with Taco Seasoning and water, warm in a skillet until most of the liquid is absorbed. Put everything on the table and have at it! My husband and son eat the taco shells. I make a nice little pile of everything on my plate. I can have this on the table in less than 20 minutes.

Chicken Taco Stew 1 can of diced tomatoes 1 can of black beans 1 can of kidney beans 1 package taco seasoning 4 chicken breasts combined all ingredients except chicken in a crock pot. Place chicken on the top. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. Take out chicken and shredd. Return to crock pot and cook on high for 1 hour or low for 2 hours. Serve w/ shredded mexican cheese and ff sour cream ~ for the rest of the family I also serve them with tortilla chips or "scoops".

How about beef stew? I don't have a recipe in front of me, but get some beef cubes, brown them, then layer them at the bottom of a crock pot. Add some veggies, water, beef bouillon, spices, etc and cook on low for 8 hours. Who doesn't love a good stew?

One of my faves is one I got here - don't remember it exactly, but basically, brown some ground beef, throw it in the crock with a can of stewed tomatoes, some garlic, onions, and a package of frozen spinach, and about 20 minutes before serving, throw in a bag of cheese tortelloni. YUM!

ok.ok so I borrowed this from eggface...but its wls friendly and my family LOVES it... Shelly's Zucchini Roll-ups (aka Pasta-less Manicotti) 5-6 Medium Zucchini or Summer Squash, sliced thin lengthwise 4 oz. ff Whipped Cream Cheese 4 oz. skim Ricotta Cheese 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes 1/2 teaspoon Oregano 1/2 teaspoon Parsley Flakes 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper 12 oz. Tomato Sauce 1/2 cup reduced fat Shredded Italian Cheese (I used Parmesan & Mozzarella Blend) Olive Oil Grill the zucchini on the BBQ (or Foreman Grill) till bendy and tender. Cover and let sit till cool enough to handle. Mix cream cheese and ricotta cheese together with seasonings. Pour about 1/2 of the sauce into the bottom of a Pyrex casserole dish. Spread each piece of zucchini with a tablespoon or so of filling. Roll them up like a pinwheel. Place on sauce base. Spoon remaining sauce on each assembled zucchini roll and top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (covered with foil.) Remove foil for last 10 minutes of cooking.

Sort of my own concoction...Dump boneless chicken thighs into crock pot. Add reduced fat mushroom soup and reduced fat chicken soup into pot...cook over low heat all day...last 1/2 hour dump in some frozen veggies...family eats it over rice or noodles...I just eat it as is..simple and tasty.

I just take frozen meatballs, Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (probably not WLS friendly, but it's just a coating) and simmer them for a couple hours. I can never eat more than about 6. They are gumball size.