Pumpkin Pancakes

Pumpkin Pancakes 

2 eggs, beaten 
1/4 cup pumpkin
1/8 t pumpkin pie spice
1 packet of Splenda, or your favorite sweetener

Mix all ingredients well. Cook like you would a normal pancake.

Makes 2-3 pancakes. 4 Weight Watchers P+ for the whole recipe! 

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

1 banana, well mashed
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal

Mix well and let sit for a few minutes so the oatmeal absorbs a bit of the liquid. Cook as you would regular pancakes.

Makes 2-3 pancakes. 4 Weight Watchers P+ for the whole recipe!

Two Ingredient Pancakes

Two Ingredient Pancakes

1 banana
2 eggs

Mash the banana and beat in the eggs. Cook as you would regular pancakes. Sometimes I will add some cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, but they are just as good without.

I usually get 2-3 pancakes. 

4 Weight Watcher P+ per recipe.

Amish Cucumber Salad

Amish Cucumber Salad
Equal parts - vinegar (I usually use white or apple cider, but any vinegar will work), sugar and water cucumbers
onion
salt and pepper to taste

 Slice cucumbers and onions and put in to a container with a lid. Mix vinegar, sugar and water and pour over cucumber and onion mixture. Add salt and pepper, if using. Put in to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed Pepper Soup
1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced
1 can (29 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 (10 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14 oz) can chicken broth (or beef broth)
2 cups cooked rice
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper, to taste
shredded cheddar cheese, for topping

Directions:
In a large pot, brown and crumble ground beef along with diced green peppers and onion over medium-high heat.

When cooked, drain excess grease from beef mixture.

Put beef back into pot. Add in diced tomatoes.

Add in chicken broth (or beef broth, if using). Then add in can of tomato sauce and stir well. Add rice and stir again.

Then add seasonings; sugar, garlic powder, salt & pepper (to taste).

Cover and let soup simmer on low-medium heat for about 30 minutes to let all the flavors blend.

Pumpkin Spice Coffee/Pumpkin Spice Latte

The funny thing about Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte is that it doesn't have pumpkin in it. Starbucks website lists the ingredients as "Espresso, pumpkin-flavored syrup and steamed milk." Starbucks sells pumpkin flavored syrup... that doesn't contain pumpkin, but does have High Fructose Corn Syrup. Thanks, but no thanks.

I am too cheap to buy "pumpkin flavored syrup" and way too cheap to spend $3+ for a drink. Also, the closes Starbucks to me is 1 1/2 hours away, so screw you Starbucks. I will make my own version and there will be real pumpkin in it!

I use an AeroPress or a Keurig to brew coffee, so I brew one cup at a time. If you use a pot, just add the ingredients to a cup of already brewed coffee.

For pumpkin spiced coffee:
1 cup brewed coffee
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2-1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon Pumpkin puree
1 -1 /2 Tablespoons brown sugar (You can substitute your sweetener of choice)

Mix all ingredients and enjoy.

For Pumpkin Spice Latte:
1 recipe Pumpkin Spiced Coffee
1 cup of your favorite milk (moo cow milk, soy, rice, almond... they all work)
Whipped cream (optional)
Pumpkin Pie Spice (for garnish)

Pour in to your favorite mug and enjoy.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 bell pepper
1 onion
2-4 cloves garlic
1 T olive oil
2 cups frozen corn
2 14 oz cans hominy, drained
1 14 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 14 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 10 oz can Rotel
salt and pepper to taste
1 t dried oregano
1 T ground cumin
1 t paprika
2 T chili powder
enough fat free chicken broth to cover (6-8 cups, maybe?)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
1 bunch cilantro, finely diced

Dice onion and green pepper and finely mince garlic. Saute in olive oil until soft. Add remaining ingredients through chicken broth and simmer on low for an hour or so. 

You can cook the chicken two ways - grill it or poach it. If you are going to grill it, just grill, shred and add to soup. If you are going to poach it, add it to the soup and poach until done, 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. When poached, shred and add back to soup.

When shredded chicken has been added, stir in cilantro and serve. 

Serve with your favorite taco toppings - sour cream, cheese, avocado, pico de gallo, etc.

If you want to, you can replace the seasonings with 1-2 envelopes of taco seasoning mix.