Chicken Pot Pies

I found this recipe in a magazine while waiting to get my hair cut...I am so glad that I wrote it down on the back of a Walmart receipt, it is so good. Of course, when a recipe calls for 1/2 C butter and 1 C whipping cream you know it's gonna be good. SO...I have altered a few things and it is still so good...the goodness comes from the thyme and rosemary.

Did you know that just by using whole milk instead of cream you are saving 700 calories...700...that's crazy. And by using brummel and brown yogurt butter instead of regular butter you are saving 65 per tablespoon...just sayin'!

This recipe makes individual pot pies. You fill a 10 oz ramekin with 1 cup of the soup and then place a puffed pastry circle on top and bake. I'm not gonna lie...the puff pastry makes it delicious...and only adds 160 calories (which is about what a yummy biscuit is and you can't have soup without a biscuit).

Enough chatter, here's the recipe:

1 pkg. puffed pastry, thawed in fridge (that's one sheet...most boxes have 2)

4 T brummel and brown yogurt butter, divided

1 medium onion chopped

1 C each carrot, celery, zucchini, frozen corn

1/2 C water

4 C shredded chicken (rotisserie again...you're welcome Costco)

1 tsp. sea salt, divided

1/2 tsp. black pepper, divided

3 C chicken stock (I try to use homemade or at least low-sodium)

2 T thyme (I used fresh)

1 T crushed rosemary (the dry stuff here)

1/8 C flour

1 C whole milk

6-10oz ramekins (or other oven safe bowl)

Preheat oven to 400*. Cut 6 circles for tops of pies out of the thawed puff pastry, leaving 1" overhang (I rolled my puff pastry out a bit to fit them all on). Refrigerate until use. In LARGE skillet, melt 2 T yogurt butter and saute carrots, celery and onions for 5 minutes. Add zucchini and peas and cook an additional 3 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Stir in chicken. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Set aside.

In separate pot, bring stock, thyme and rosemary to a boil, then reduce and simmer. While that is simmering, melt 2 T yogurt butter (in another pan) and sprinkle with flour, stirring till blended. Slowly add to stock, whisking constantly and until smooth. Add milk. Boil for 1 minute and add remaining salt and pepper. Pour chicken mixture into pot and toss gently. Put in ramekins, filling 3/4 full (1 cup is 8oz which is about 3/4 full). Place pastry on top and seal well. Bake at 400* for 20-25 minutes.

Makes about 8 cups

Calorie Total: 1 cup (just the soup) = 200 calories

The puff pastry is about 160 calories. So total for the whole bowl would only be 360.

Weight Watchers info. (without the veggies):

Calories: 160.4

Fat: 6.6 g

Carbs: 3.6 g

Fiber: 0.3 g

Protein: 20.6 g

Crock Pot Vegetable-Beef Soup

This is from my Better Homes and Garden cook book. I LOVE it! My husband always cringes when I say I am making stew, but then raves about it during dinner....so silly. I made a few changes (of course) but nothing too drastic.

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 pound lean boneless beef chuck pot roast cut into 3/4 inch pieces. (I buy pre-cut stewing meat)

1/4 C flour

1 T. olive oil

4 C water

1-14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

3 C frozen mixed vegetables (I do 1 C frozen corn and 2 C mix of carrots, peas & green beans)

2 C frozen loose-pack hash brown potatoes

1-1 oz. envelope onion soup mix

1 tsp instant beef bouillon granules

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 tsp. black pepper

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add sliced onions and cook till translucent, then dump into crock pot. Dredge beef in flour and brown in same skillet, in batches, then put in crock pot. Add remaining ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

If time is an issue in the morning, to cook the onions and beef, do it the night before and store in the fridge, then dump everything together in the morning and hit cook!

Calorie Total: 1 cup = 216 calories

Butternut squash soup

So yummy...I made this a ton in the fall...even froze some for later consumption...perfect for lunch or dinner. I didn't even change the butter amount because the calories were so low. I did use whole milk instead of heavy cream.

3 T unsalted butter

1/2 small onion

salt and pepper (lots of pepper)

2 sprigs of thyme (or more if you love it like me)

1 med. butternut squash (2 lbs) cut into 1" pieces

1 tsp. sugar

3 T whole milk

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add onion and 1 tsp. salt, thyme and increase to medium and cook.

Add squash and sugar, stirring till glazed.

Add 5 C water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until squash is tender (15-20 minutes).

Puree mixture until smooth. Stir in milk and season with salt and pepper.

Total calories: 1 cup = 107 calories

Weight Watchers info:

Fat: 4.7 g

Carbs: 17.6 g

Fiber: 4.7 g

Protein: 1.7 g

You can top this with croutons, turkey bacon or pumpkin seeds, but will need to add calories according to their packages.

Chicken and Biscuits (without the biscuits)

This recipe was found on Hope Studios. It is one of my favorites...and when I serve it to others they think "this is it?"...and then go on and on about how good it is. The thyme flavor is absolutely delicious. And to lower the calories, all I did was cut out 2 T butter and use whole milk instead of 1/2 and 1/2. I also added corn...because we love corn.

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 celery rib, finely chopped

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. black pepper

1 T unsalted butter

2 T flour

1/2 C frozen peas

1/2 C corn

1 3/4 C low sodium chicken broth

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or more if you love it)

1/2 C whole milk

3 C chopped cooked chicken (from a rotisserie chicken)

1/2 t fresh lemon juice

Melt butter in skillet. Cook onion, celery, carrot, salt and pepper in butter on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft (about 8-10 minutes). Stir in frozen peas and corn and cook until thawed. Sprinkle flour over veggies and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in broth and thyme and bring to a boil, stirring, then boil over med heat for about 2 min. Add milk and chicken and simmer until chicken is heated through. (I typically leave it on the stove on low for 30 minutes or so...you don't need to, but it helps the thyme flavor strengthen). Stir in lemon juice just before serving.

Total calories: 1 cup = 155 calories

Weight Watchers info:

Fat: 3.7 g

Carbs: 11.9 g

Fiber: 2.4 g

Protein: 19.1 g

You can make biscuits and serve them with the soup...find calories on biscuit package.