Yummy Recipes

A while ago I bought the Biggest Loser Cookbook, and have been using it once or twice a week. Of course, we have developed favorites, and I wanted to share them with you. They are all super easy, otherwise, they would not be made at my house!

New Beef Stew:
These are the exact directions, however I just throw it all in the crockpot for a few hours. Then the house smells yummy, too!

1 TBSP whole-grain oat flour
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
pinch of black pepper, plus more to taste
1 lb. top round steak, cut into 1" cubes
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz. button mushrooms, each halved
1 onion, cut into bite sized pieces
1 TBSP. minced garlic
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 cans (14 oz. each) low-sodium, fat free beef broth
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 " cubes

In a ziplock bag, combine flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add the beef and shake until all the cubes are coated. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Set a large nonstick soup pot over med-high heat and add the oil. Add the beef cubes to the pot, and cook for about one minute or until all the sides are brown. Reduce the heat to medium and add mushrooms, onion, garlic, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally. Cook until onion is tender.

Add the broth and carrots, increase the heat to high. When broth comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.

Add the potatoes, and simmer for another 45 minutes, until beef in tender. Season as needed.

275 calories, 31 g protien, 6 g fat

Picante Chicken:
I have made a few versions of this dish, and this is by far my favorite.

1/3 cup, plus 1/2 cup mild, medium or hot picante sauce
4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of visible fat
6 TBSP light cream cheese, from a block, softened
1/2 cup finely shredded, low fat cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/3 cup of the picante sauce on bottom of 13x9 baking dish.

Lay chicken breasts on a cutting board. Use the flat side of a mallet to pound the chicken breasts to a uniform thickness.

Spread the chicken evenly with the cream cheese. Lay the chicken, cream cheese side up, in a single layer in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining 1/2 cup picante sauce evenly over the breasts. Cover the dish with aluminum foil.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese evenly over the chicken. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until no longer pink.

198 calories, 30 g protien, 6 g fat