Easy, Yummy, Healthy, Hearty Taco Soup

I told you I was going to post the recipe for the Taco Soup we had for dinner last night.  First of all, I have to say I LOVE this recipe!  This is definitely one of my “go-to” meals on crazy, busy, lazy, stressed out, “you name it!” nights!  When I don’t feel like cooking, but I want us to have something healthy for dinner, I make this.  Love it!

Here’s another reason why I love it…

The ingredients!!! First of all, they are healthy. Second of all, I stock up on these and then I always have them on hand (the only ingredients not pictured are meat and onion, which I always have on hand as well!) Love it!!

Anyway, here ya go….

1 lb. lean ground beef (I sometimes use lean ground turkey as well)
1 onion; chopped
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 (16 oz.) can corn
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans; drained and rinsed
2 (14.5 oz.) cans stewed tomatoes (I’ve also used other kinds of canned tomatoes w/ good results.)
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
Tortilla Chips (optional)
Cheddar Cheese; shredded (optional)
Lite Sour Cream (optional)

Brown ground beef (or turkey) and onion in heavy saucepan.  Drain.

 

Stir in taco seasoning, corn, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce.  (I chop up some of the big tomato chunks with kitchen shears sometimes too.)

This looks gross, I know. But, it's good!!

Simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Serve topped with sour cream, cheese and chips if desired.  Yum!

I usually skip all the usual toppings and just top mine with lite cottage cheese. It's awesome, I promise!

I’ve been making this recipe for years!  Some of my kids love it and some of them just tolerate it.  However, they all eat it.  We usually have leftovers as well and it makes an awesome lunch the next day!

Oh, I’ve even thrown this together before I head to the gym and then transferred it into my crock pot to simmer until I get home.  Works great!

Seriously, this is a healthy diet, busy mom (or busy anyone!) staple!

Swiss Chard Chicken with Grapefruit

I gotta tell you something cute.

When I picked up my kids from school today, my daughter (almost 11) told me that she and her best friend decided to not eat any treats, candy or pop until the end of the school year.

She said that if one of them DOES eat treats, candy or pop, then they owe the other one $5.

When she got home from school, she hopped on the computer and made an official contract.  She also made a list of “legal” and “illegal” foods for the contest and then a list of healthy food choices.

I was so proud of her!
She is a very self-motivated child, and for that I am grateful.

I don’t think I could do that for the next 5+ months!
And, if I was going to do that, I would need more than 5 bucks as an incentive! 😉

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Anyway, I told you I would post the recipe for our dinner last night.

It was yummy and relatively easy.

I found this recipe in Oxygen Magazine’s December 2010 issue.

Btw, I like to check out a bunch of magazines from the library and since I couldn’t get the Dec 2011 issue, I got last December’s.  The information is still very awesome and relevant to the time of year.  Yay.

When I first saw this recipe I just knew I had to try it.  It is full of yummy, healthy ingredients that I love!

I went to the gym last night at 5:30, so before I left I chopped all the ingredients, cooked the quinoa and had it all ready to “go” when I got home.

When I got home, it was a cinch to throw together and it was so healthy.

I knew my kids wouldn’t like it though, so I made grilled cheese sandwiches for them.

They were happy, we were happy. 😉

I usually don’t make 2 meals, but I know they get tired of all my healthy stuff.

Anyway, here ya go…

Oxygen Magazine’s Swiss Chard Chicken with Grapefruit
makes 2 servings
(I tripled this recipe so we would have leftovers)

1 bunch Swiss Chard, rinsed and stems removed (you could also use spinach)
1 T. olive oil or coconut oil
1 C. sweet onion; chopped
2 small medium carrots; peeled and coined
4 cloves garlic; minced
6 oz chicken breast; cut into cubes
2 T. low-sodium chicken stock or water (I used water)
1 C. cooked quinoa
1 T. tamari sauce (I used low sodium soy sauce, they are very similar)
1 tsp black pepper
1 medium pink grapefruit; peeled and cut into sections

Chop Swiss chard leaves into 1/2-inch strips.  Set aside.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a skillet.
Saute onion and carrots (I also threw in a little red and green bell pepper) until soft, about 5 minutes.
Toss in garlic and saute until fragrant.

Add chicken and cook until no longer pink.

Add Swiss chard and stock or water.  Reduce heat to medium.

Cook until Swiss chard has wilted, about 5 minutes.

Add quinoa and heat through.

Season with tamari (soy sauce) and pepper and reduce to low heat.
Meanwhile, place grapefruit sections in a small skillet and heat through.

Looks a little like raw meat....Ewww.

Remove Swiss chard and chicken mixture from heat and place on a serving dish.
Top with heated grapefruit.

Nutritional Facts:  Calories: 390, Fat: 10 g., Cholesterol: 40 mg., Sodium: 680 mg., Carbohydrates: 51 g., Fiber: 9 g., Sugars: 18 g., Protein 25 g., Iron: 3 mg.

Here’s my plate.

Kev said he would have preferred the grapefruit on the side, but I really liked it!  It gave it a unique flavor.  I really enjoyed this meal because it’s healthy, relatively easy, unique and I love everything in it!