Chicken-Chili Stew

3 skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic from jar (or 2 cloves minced garlic)
2 14.5-ounce cans canned diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup picante sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Add chicken and saute until chicken is lightly browned. Remove chicken, and add the onion, green pepper, and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent. Add chicken and remaining ingredients. Simmer until chicken is tender and vegetables are done (15 to 30 minutes).

FAKI (Greek Lentil Soup)

1 lb. lentils

4 carrots, cut into chunks

12 cups water

3 stalks celery, chopped

3/4 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons oregano flakes

1 large onion, chopped

Salt and pepper, to taste

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 cup wine vinegar

2 bay leaves

Wash lentils. Put all ingredients except vinegar in a pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, on medium to low heat for about one hour. Add vinegar. Additional vinegar may be added when served.

Note: This tastes better if you don't eat it when it's piping hot. Better when cooled just a little.

Warm Winter Tomato Soup

From The Daily Dish at www.southbeachdiet.com: Cooked tomatoes contain a powerful anticancer agent called lycopene. Here's a wintry version of tomato soup that will help you stay warm and healthy (Phases 2 and 3 only).*

8 to 10 ripe tomatoes (3 lbs.), cored, halved, and seeded
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups defatted, reduced-sodium chicken stock
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat broiler. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place tomatoes on the baking sheet, cut-side down. Broil until skins are blistered, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Slip off skins and chop coarsely.

Meanwhile, in a medium-sized saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until the onions are very soft, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and process until smooth; return to the saucepan. Stir in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. (The soup can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.)

*Note: This can now be used in Phase 1 as there are no longer limits on tomato consumption.

Lentil Barley Stew

Makes about six cups. From http://www.pcrm.org/health/recipes: This hearty one-step stew makes a complete meal when it is served with a crisp green salad.

1/2 cup lentils, rinsed

1/4 cup hulled or pearled barley

1 quart vegetable broth or water

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed or minced

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, sliced

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients except salt into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until lentils and barley are tender, about 1 hour. Add salt to taste.

Cauliflower-Carrot Soup

From SBD forum: This recipe for Cauliflower Soup was a life saver. It turned out to be one of the most comforting and delicious meal ideas for me. Absolutely yummy as cauliflower cooks down to the consistency of rice. You don't even realize you are eating cauliflower.

1 head of cauliflower, broken into small pieces

1 lb bag baby carrots, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 stalk celery, cut into bite size pieces

3 cups fat-free, low-salt chicken broth

2 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In large soup pan, heat chicken broth to slow boil; add cauliflower, carrots, celery, and spices. Cover and cook till vegetables are soft. If large pieces of cauliflower remain, use flat edged spatula to break up cauliflower during the cooking phase. Simmer over medium heat until vegetables are thoroughly cooked.

Keeps well in refrigerator for one week.

Chicken Chili Stew

From www.recipegal.com.

3 boneless chicken breasts, cubed

1 chopped onion

1 chopped green pepper

2 cloves minced garlic

2 tablespoons oil

2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes*

1 15-oz can pinto beans

3/4 cup picante sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Sauté chicken, onion, green pepper, and garlic in big pot until chicken is white. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for about 20 minutes.

*Note: Don't use stewed tomatoes because they contain added sugars.

Chicken Chili with Pesto

From Cooking Light and sent to me by Debbie Voso. Modified version.

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 cup finely chopped onion

3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken cut into bite size pieces*

1 cup thinly sliced baby carrots

3/4 cup chopped red pepper

3/4 cup thinly sliced celery

1 can (4-ounce) chopped chilies

3/4 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 16-oz cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1 14.5-oz can fat-free chicken broth (can use low sodium if desired)

3 tablespoons pesto (check label for appropriate ingredients)

1 cup water if soup is too thick

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and sauté about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper, and celery; sauté about 4 minutes. Add chilies and the next six ingredients (chili through broth); bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes, adding water as needed for desired consistency. Stir in pesto just before serving.

Note: Chili can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze 3 tablespoons pesto. In other words, freeze without the pesto and add it after it is reheated.

*I use two medium-sized chicken breast halves.

Ginger & Sweet Potato Soup with Cilantro

From South Beach Diet Online’s Daily Dish 12/27/03: During the cold winter months, we're naturally drawn to warming herbs and spices and hearty, rustic foods. Pair this colorful soup with a salad for lunch or try it as an appetite-whetting first course at dinner. Rich and smooth, this luxurious blend of sweet potatoes makes a divine soup. For extra-sharp gingery flavor, freshly grated gingerroot is added just before serving. The yogurt swirl looks pretty and is easy to do, or simply garnish each serving with a dollop of yogurt. (Adapted from Saved by Soup by Judith Barrett; William Morrow, 1999.)

Note: For a vegetarian version, just use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium leek, white part only, cut in half lengthwise,

      rinsed well between layers and thinly sliced

1 medium carrot, chopped

2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cubed

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped, plus 1 teaspoon grated

4 cups chicken broth, homemade or reduced-sodium canned

3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt

2 tablespoons 1% milk

Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish

Lime wedges

Heat oil in a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add leek and carrot; cook, stirring often, until they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sweet potatoes (or yams) and chopped ginger. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until sweet potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes.
 

In batches, if necessary, transfer the soup to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Return the soup to the pot, season with salt and reheat. Just before serving, stir in grated ginger. Whisk yogurt and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Ladle soup into bowls; drop a large dollop (or several small dollops) of thinned yogurt onto each one. Draw the tip of a knife or a toothpick through the yogurt to make decorative swirls. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing into the soup. Six servings.