Tortellini Soup

Source: Healthy Calendar Diabetic Cooking

This is one of my favorite healthy recipes. I found it online a few years ago. I tweeked it into what works for us. My kids will also eat this because of the tortelinni. This is great on a cold day!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1/2 T dried basil
1 can diced tomatoes
1 package three cheese tortellini
1 package Italian TURKEY sausage
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 T oregano
3 cans fat free chicken broth
1/2 tsp black pepper

Coat a large pot with cooking spray. Remove sausage from casings into pot; try to crumble this up as you cook. Add onion and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes or until sausage begins to brown. Add vinegar to deglaze the pan. Cook for 2 minutes or until vinegar has almost evaporated. Add basil and oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add tomatoes and broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add tortellini and pepper. Cook for another 10 minutes.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sister Amon brought us this meal when I had Reagan. We instantly fell in love with this. I found a recipe that was healthy and that tasted just like hers. Adam also froze this and took this on the Winter camp out with the Scouts.

8 cups chicken broth - reserve 2 T * I use the broth from the chicken I boil
2 tsp minced garlic
2 c cooked cubed chicken
1/2 bell pepper chopped or sliced
1 tsp lime
1 c chopped onion
1/4 c green chile's
1 can corn
1/4 c fresh cilantro
2 tsp cumin
shredded cheese and tortillas chips

Spray large pot with Pam. Add 2 T chicken broth and heat over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, chilies. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until softened, add remaining broth, chicken, corn, bell pepper, cilantro, lime juice and cumin. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 -15 minutes. This soup can be frozen.

Garnish with any cheese and chips you like.

Texas Caviar

When we were preparing food for Superbowl Sunday I had to keep in mind that I couldn't eat our traditional hot wings and chips and salsa. I remembered having some Texas Caviar that a neighbor of Sherry's brought over. It was SO good. I found this recipe and made it for Sunday. It was so good! This is a healthy alternative to queso and other side dishes you might find. My kids thought it was some kind of toxic waste but we sure loved it!

3 cans black eye peas, drained and rinsed

2 cans shoepeg corn. drained

3 to 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

3 avocados, chunked

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, minced

juice of 2 limes

Good Seasonings Italian Dressing packet, prepared

salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, adding avocado last. Pour in the dressing (add 1/2 at first). Add as much dressing as you like. Serve with tortilla chips.