Greek Beef Stew

It's nice being able to cook a nice warm dinner without heating up the whole house during the summer.

Ingredients:
1 Boneless Beef Bottom Round Roast or Chuck Pot Roast (about 2lb)
1 - 16 oz Bag of Frozen Whole Small White Onion or 1 Fresh Small Onion
1 - 16 oz Bag Fresh or Frozen Whole Baby Carrots
1/2 c Dried Tapioca
1 3/4 c Beef Broth
1 - 5.5 oz 100% Vegetable Juice
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar, Packed
1/2 tsp Dried Cinnamon
2 Dried Bay Leaves

Chop the onion if you are using fresh onion.

Cut beef into 1 inch pieces.  I missed this step.  Haha  I ended up cutting the beef after it was done cooking.

Put the beef in the slow cooker and top with the onion, carrots, tapioca, and cinnamon.

Mix the broth, vegetable juice, and brown sugar in a separate bowl.  I added the cinnamon to this bowl, but it did not mix in.  That's why I suggest just sprinkling it on the meat.

Pour the mixture in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on Low for 8 - 9 hours.  Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

I loved this meal!  The cinnamon gave it a really unique flavor.  I will be making it again!  Your family will love it.  This was a pretty decent sized serving.  You could serve it with a side of veggies and eat a smaller portion of the stew.  We added the tapioca a little late in the cooking process.  Therefore, they still appear a little white in the photo.  They will not be noticeable if you add them in the beginning.

Nutritional Info: (Not including the noodles)

419 Calories

12g Fat

2g Fiber

52g Protein

23g Carbs

10 WW PointsPlus

Enchilada Soup

While deciding on a Cinco de Mayo meal, I remembered that my aunt had emailed a recipe to me a long time ago that she liked.  I was a little nervous since we're not huge fans of spicy food, but this soup was great!

Ingredients:
3 c Chicken Broth
1 1/4 c Celery
1/2 c Onion
3 c Enchilada Sauce
15 oz Pure Pumpkin
10 oz Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
1 1/2 c Frozen Corn

Optional Toppings:
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Crushed Baked Tortilla Chips
Sour Cream

Chop the onion and celery.  I did this the night before so that putting together the crock pot in the morning was super easy.

Combine all of the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

I topped my soup with sour cream and tortilla chips.  It was delicious and healthy at the same time!  I would definitely make it again.  It's low in calories so you have room for a margarita!  :p

Nutritional Information: (Serves 8)
123 Calories
1g Fat
3g Fiber
9g Protein
18g Carbs
3 WW PointsPlus

Bean Soup

I wanted to make a healthy soup to keep in the house to keep us full.  I thought a bean soup would hit the spot!

Ingredients:
8 c Chicken Broth
16-20 oz Package of 15 or 16 Dried Bean Soup Mix
14.5oz Can of Diced Tomatoes, undrained
2 c Carrots
3 Stalks of Celery
1 Large Onion
2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Italian Seasoning (or 1/2 tsp Basil & 1/2 tsp Oregano)
1/2 tsp Pepper

Soak the beans in a lot of water over night.  Make sure the bowl is large so that they have room to expand.  I made that mistake before.

Chop the carrots, celery, and onion.

Combine all of the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on Low for 8 - 10 hours.  Next time I actually would cook it on high for a little while in th beginning since I prefer the beans somewhat broken down.

Dinner is served.  My husband and dad liked it a lot.  :)  I think it's a nice clean meal.  It worked out perfectly for my "No bread or white carbs Monday and Tuesdays"

Nutritional Info: (12 Servings)
188 Calories
1 Fat
13 Fiber
32 Carbs
12 Protein
4 WW PointsPlus

Recipe from Betty Crocker