Second Chance Chicken Veggie Soup Instant Pot

 

By now you have probably come across how to do chicken breasts in the Instant Pot pressure cooker.

I do mine about the same as the whole internet. I take my trivet and put in my pot, my cup of water or chicken broth then I put three hardy looking chicken breasts, Two I am going to use for something else. One I am going to tell you about a soup I make. After putting the breast in, I season, well and shut the pot up. Locking the pot lid, then closing the vent. I usually for three nice breasts about 15 minutes, and then a 10 minute release. 

Now comes what I have been doing lately.

 Second Chance Chicken Veggie Soup Instant Pot

The players

1 chicken breast / cooked from the first time, you just did the other breasts for/

1 cup of the juice/broth that was made in the first chicken breast cooking (leave in pot)

4 cups carton of chicken broth

Seasoning / parsley, garlic, chicken bouillon

Vegetables

Carrots/Celery/Onions is a normal chicken soup. 

I add to mine okra, and any other veg that needs taken care of. Jalapeno is a nice twist to it too.

1/2 head of cabbage (I have lately instead of noodles been using Cabbage thinly sliced, I promise you it gives you the same texture feel as noodles. Napa Cabbage is even better. This also makes the soup, freezable.

The game

Open the instant pot, by releasing the vent and letting it steam out until the valve goes down and you can open it up.

I remove the chicken, put two up and I shred the last one, I slip back into the pot with the juices and water from the first cooking of the chicken.

I then pour in a whole 4 cup container of chicken broth.

Seasonings, garlic, salt, pepper, chicken bouillon, parsley 

Throw in cut up vegetables and push down into the liquid. 

Put top back on and set at 4 and when finished, if you are hungry you can vent and eat, if not a natural release is okay too, and will be warm when you are ready to eat.

This was really warm and yummy. And just think you didn't waste a thing. Even right down to the water for the chicken. Think also this would be a great end of the produce as it gets almost to where you can't eat it, it is a great way to be frugal. You could also throw produce in freezer until you are ready to run this chicken soup.

WW Blue Notes

This was a really satisfying. The vegetables were really good. The swap for the Cabbage instead of noodles was a winner. Napa Cabbage is even the bomb, but I had a half head of Cabbage looking for a dish to go in, so he was the winner.

That is one of my ww blue hacks to stay on my journey. 

So with that being said it was a ww blue 0 points. 

Please subscribe above if you like to see more of my hacks and recipes. 

Living your best life and doing what feels good for you is the secret.

Keep it simple, Stay well and safe. 

welcome to my journey

Louise

Watermellon Popsicles

Summer is here and on the front of the vegetable-fruit stands are the amazing. Watermellon. 

I am a watermellon fan. I love anything watermellon. I especially like it fresh and sweet and seedless is our preference.

When I was young, and they were more seeded than seedless,  my mother would cut it into triangles and we would sit outside and eat it and spit the seeds. Such a fun memory and those days were hot. 

I tend to get in the summer one every week. With my large family we seem to always finish it. So for us, I have to hold back half to make the popsicles and I do a small cube cut and freeze those to make for my daily water bottle. It is a nice natural fruit water enhancer. When I do it again I will share it here for you guys.

Making these on your own, leaves you with lots of imagination. Combinations, even a bit of coconut milk, or coconut water and different fruits. The best part is you know what ingredients are in them. Also have you looked at the prices of fruit bars? Making them for me, is a frugal way of also keeping produce and fruit without wasting. 

For now.

The Watermellon Popsicle

What you need to make popsicles with is a popsicle mold (any type you like) I particularly like the one from amazon that looks like a real popsicle. It makes ten at a time.

Sticks, just regular old craft popsicles sticks. Also sold on Amazon or in any store. 

Baggies, The single portion long baggies fit the popsicle that I make, and it seals. This time however I actually bought popsicle bags, because I make them all summer long. The only set back is they do not seal. I folded over the top and used painters tape to seal. Worked great. 

My are in baggies and in the freezer. A few are missing. I wonder where they went.

My popsicles I try to keep as less ingredients that I can. The watermellon ones this time have a little lime juice in them and just a touch of stevia, to keep it sweet. 

You can use mint also if you like. 

So lets do this.

Watermellon Lime Popsicles

The players

Watermellon

Lime

Stevia (or your fav sweetner- you may not need it, you must make to your taste.)

The game

Take 1/4 of your watermellon and put into a processor. I have a ninja blender, does the job. Blend up

Add in some lime, taste, and then if you need sweetner taste again. and blend

Take your popsicle mold and slowly pour in the mixture to the top. 

I put foil on top and then take a knife poke small hole and then slide the popsicle stick 3/4 way in. 

Put in freezer. and freeze

When all frozen, take out one by one and put into the baggies and then into a container in your freezer.

This is really a great idea during the summer. Fruit pops for the most part are very, very expensive. Using fruit in season is a great way to keep some pop in the freezer. I usually buy the fruit for the week and then watch it, if it doesn't get eaten it goes into a baggie for later to make freezer pops.

My son's school was sending home weekend lunches and in it were atleast 2-3 little containers of fruit. I froze them until I was ready, Thawing them out today and making them into popsicles.

"Waste not want not"

Have a great day. Hope to see you soon with more of what I have to share. Subscribe with your email and you can keep up with what I am doing. If you try it, leave a comment, would love to know what you think.

Until then....

Living your best life and doing what feels good for you is the secret.

Keep it simple, Stay well and safe. 

Louise

Fried Green Tomatoes - Air Fryer

 Let's first talk Air Fryer

Now first.. the airfryer basket, shelf, whatever has to be squirted with a non-stick spray. I use a non aerosol one so it doesnt blow off the breading. When I used up all the non aerosol, in the bottle I put avocado oil. So that is my squirter.

Now let's talk tomatoes

Get nice firm green tomatoes. I cut them about 1/4 ish or 1/2. I get about 4 nice slices from one tomato.

What you need:

1 box of jif cornbread mix (I like this because it has a light mix of flour and cornmeal and a little sweet)

3 tsp of seasoning salt

Pepper

1 Cup of water

What I do:

Take the air fryer and spray where you are going to put the tomatoes. Now you are only going to flip once. So you need to give it atleast 4 minutes before you flip. If you have a sticking problem the put in some parchment paper.

Take 1/4 of the box of jiff mix add the seasoning salt and pepper.

Take 1 slice of tomato, dip in the water, shake.

Dip in the breading mix, just coating, quickly, then lay in fryer.

Now, take a small spoon and get a bit of your mix and put on top of each tomatoe, push it down on it.

Take your spray and give everyone a little squirt (makes the breading stick and this is where you build up a crunchy outer side of the tomato)

Air Fry 400 for about 4-5 minutes. Open and flip.

Now take your crumbs again and do a little layer on this side. Squirt and close.

Air fry 400 again for maybe 2-3 ,minutes, now you are going for a good crispy color.

When about 8 minutes remove completely from the Air Fryer, so it stops them cooking or they get a soggy taste.

We thought they were pretty darn good, for not having to get out an egg, get out the oil and all the mess is kinda a cleanup friendly.

Remember this isn't cooked in oil. But with the non aerosol spray, especially since mine has avocado oil in it, it did give it a little frying taste with the crunch from the air fryer.

If you try it let me know.

*you could use a combo of flour 1/4 to cornmeal 1/4, and 1 tsp of cornstarch, with the seasonings. Also you could dip in egg.

Served this with a ranch dip

*easy ranch / one container of sour cream to one package hidden valley ranch.

WW BLUE NOTES
this was a 1 point for 2 slices. 

Please subscribe above if you like to see more of my hacks and recipes. 

Living your best life and doing what feels good for you is the secret.

Keep it simple, Stay well and safe. 

welcome to my journey

Louise

Salmon Palmini Rice ww blue 0

 

There is not a new item, but one that I was only at one time could find on Amazon and the prices were kind of high. (So please use rice if you would like)(or gosh would have been yummy with pasta)

Palm hearts have been around awhile. I buy an occasional can and will cut up in little circles and use in place of pasta. But now companies are cutting it in spaghetti, linguine and so far rice.

This is just a can of the palmini rice and a can of the salmon. I added the can of peas for color. But if you are doing low carb the total for the 1/2 portion of the entire things was ; 10 carbs 56 protein 455 calories. If you had left the peas out it dropped the carbs to 5 / 400 calories. The peas were from a can and really kinda mushy, use frozen if you have, or any other veg you would like.

The Menu

Salmon Palmini Rice

The players

1 can of palmini rice (you can take the points on ww if you would like just rice, it was really good both ways0

1 can of any type of can salmon (I did not pick out the cartilage bones, I just mashed it in, to keep some vitamins and minerals.

1/2 minced onion

1 tbls garlic powder

1 tbls of old bay seasoning

1 tbls of pepper / salt

1 juice of a whole lemon

The game

Take a large Sautee pan, and spray with pam. Or if you like any kind of oil. Mine is usually Avocado oil.

Throw in minced onion and start to sauté

Add in can of drained palmini rice

Add in can of drained salmon

Add in spices

Take your spatula and start to break down all of the salmon, and all the while mixing every thing in together. 

This takes a bit, but you turn up the heat and start to sautee, and when any of the juices are gone, then it will start to brown on bottom, like hash browns. Keep stirring and flipping until you get it like you like it. 

* you can add any extra bite size veg. I used peas in this one, but next time it will be frozen ones. or not at all depends on how many carbs I am consuming in a day. 

You can remove and eat like that with a little lemon squeeze.

Or you can cook up two very soft (dippy ) eggs and put on top. (did mine in same pan)

Either way is delicious.

*note* my husband took rest for lunch and he said it was better cold, with a little lemon.

WW Blue Note

This was a complete 0 point food on blue. It was very filling and I liked it cold or hot. If you give it a try let me know.

#makingregularfoodworkonww

Have a great day. Hope to see you soon with more of what I have to share. Subscribe with your email and you can keep up with what I am doing. If you try it, leave a comment, would love to know what you think.

Until then....

Living your best life and doing what feels good for you is the secret.

Keep it simple, Stay well and safe. 

Louise

Crustless Pizza

Hey Ya

In the mood to change things up. I every now and again, make this crust less pizza.

It is Low Carb, Keto friendly. The entire 10 inch gave me 6 net carb /26 protein /449 calories. You could eat half and be very full.

I tried to make it WW blue friendly and to be truthful it is worth the 10 points. I will elaborate on that under the WW Blue Notes

So let's get started.

The Menu

Crustless Pizza

The Players:

1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

1/8 cup of shredded parmasean cheese

1/3 cup of shredded queso cheese

4 slices of blacklabel precooked bacon 

**any toppings, just make sure they are diced small.

The game:

Take a large flat pan (10-12 inches atleast)

Spray with non stick aresol

Sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the bottom, kinda grouping so you wont have any holes.

Put on toppings.

Turn on the heat and start to melt the cheese, go around with a spatula and clean up the edges, I slighty push in towards the middle, to make it look pizza like. 

Cook medium and keep watch, pick up the edge every now and again to see how brown it is getting.

When you get it to a good brown. Turn off and put to the side.

Wait about 5 minutes and then slip a spatula under to loosen up and it should slide right onto a plate.

The longer it cools the crunchier it gets.

WW Blue Notes

For the WW plan I used a combination of cheese to make it taste good, especially using a lower fat cheese. You can also add more stuff on top, like any 0 point veggies, (just dice them very small so they will cook) You could also cut back on the bacon to save a few points. I ate the entire thing, but you could share it. It made a 10 inch pie. It is also very filling.

You should try this and let me know.

#makingregularfoodworkonww

Have a great day. Hope to see you soon with more of what I have to share. Subscribe with your email and you can keep up with what I am doing. If you try it, leave a comment, would love to know what you think.

Until then....

Living your best life and doing what feels good for you is the secret.

Keep it simple, Stay well and safe. 

Louise

Air Fryer Wings Re-take

 

Air Fryer Wings

The journey to find the perfect wing. Wings are a sinful pleasure here at my house. They can be somewhat expensive at take out. We have a family of 5 and that is atleast 10 wings a pieces. So usually we order the 50. Runs any where from 45-65 dollars. Quick easy, saucy and fried, crispy, yummy....But.

I can save a bit more, by buying my own and cutting them myself. I have read that you can de-skin them and save calories and such, but by the time I do not fry them in oil, I figure how could they be that bad, or just I can except half bad for me I guess.

This time I have bought a new Air Fryer combo. The ninja 6 in 1. So far I love the air fryer part and the grill. It has a base that comes out with a thick nice coating of nonstick on it, I line it with foil for easier clean up. Then it comes with a grill plate you just sit in the base and same thick nice coating, I just have to spritz with my non- aerosol pam spray, I like the non- aresol so I can direct the spray. It also comes with an air fryer basket. Which I have been wearing out. It can hold about 15-16 wings at a time.

The Menu

Air Fryer Wings

The players:

50-60 wings pieces (that is one wing cut down into the pieces)

3 tablespoons of baking powder

3 tablespoons of Autrey chicken seasoned coatings

Spices, adobe, pepper, salt, garlic, onion (whatever you would like)

Non-stick spray (I use the non-aerosol pam spray)

The game:

Cut your chicken wing into pieces, the drum, the wingette and the tip. (the tips I save up and when I make bone broth I add them in)

Lay the pieces on a sheet tray and sprinkle with the baking powder and take your hand and just rub everyone, then lay out again and sprinkle your spice and the seasoned flour coating.

Mix everyone together, kind look gooky..

Spray the fryer basket and lay in about 15 of them, a little squirt of spray on top.

Air fry for 20 minutes at 390, flipping once and spray a bit on top again. 

At the end of 20 minutes you can up to 400 and get them as crispy as you like 

These were so totally delicious. Tasted exactly like they were fried. I missed nothing. We ate them all up. I paid 9.99 for a package of 15 wings / cut in half made 30. So for 20 dollars and the miscellaneous spices and spray.. I saved quite a bit of money.

Now in time, it is a labor of love, but you can cut one day and leave in fridge the next. Sometimes if I get them on sale I will do a big batch and precut and freeze for those lazy days. 

If you like this and any others, please feel free to comment.

I am just trying to share with the world a bit. I feel that for us to be the change in the world we have to be out in it. So welcome me to the internet world. I am here.

WW Notes
There was really no way I could make them too friendly, but I do know that air frying takes about 70 percent of the fat away. Sometimes I think it is kinda high in points for a fat in the skin. But it is what it is. A serving is usually 3-5 and that is what I eat. I just eat and go on. 

Please subscribe above if you like to see more of my hacks and recipes. 

Living your best life and doing what feels good for you is the secret.

Keep it simple, Stay well and safe. 

welcome to my journey

Louise

Okra Hash with Eggs WW Blue 0

Okra Hash with Egg

Okra you know, that one vegetable that comes in like abundant in the summer, and I can hear it now...ewwwwww it is soooo slimy.

Well I am a fan of okra, always have been. I like it in succatash, gumbos, and love it fried. I love the ones at the restaraunt that have the breading. I have tried numerous times to make the them at home, from the frozen version but that was a nasty mess. I think they need lots of oil to get that to be like a restaraunt. 
I have figured out a healthier, tasty way to get my okra and even get that little corn meal crunch that we all love.

I am making a hash with the okra in this recipe, but you can eat it plain, I sometimes even add a little more cornmeal and some real avocado oil and get a nice brownish crunch going. 

But at the moment I am trying to keep with the WW blue plan and those oils can eat my points up. So between me and you I use them sparingly.

The Menu:

Okra Hash with Egg

The players:

10-15 okra (dice into little disks)

Pam spray

onion powder

garlic powder

salt 

pepper

paprika

slap yo mama just a little spice

2 tablespoons of corn meal

2 eggs

The Game:

Take a nice little fry pan and generously spray with a non stick spray and put in diced okra (at this point if you have diced onion? pepper? garlic? - I myself had some roasted garlic I didn't want to waste)

Start to Sautee, add the spices, just a dash of them, and mix around, flatted everything down in the pan.

Take your non stick spray and give it a quick nice spray and then sprinkle your 2 tablespoons of corn meal on top. Stir up and continue to sautee, until getting crunchy and brown, and everyone is on the verge of done.

Make two wells in the hash and crack two eggs, cover and cook until you get your eggs how you like them.

Slide entire has out onto a plate or I have a nice flatish bowl I like.

I had this with a little ketchup (be sure to count your points for it) and two pieces of the great value whole wheat toast for 2 points

This meal for me was 0 points as the hash and eggs and 2 for the toast on WW blue.

It was so filling and yummy.

Okra is one those underrated vegetables. Lots of vitamins and fiber. 

WW Blue Notes

This was a really satisfying. The okra was perfect.

That is one of my ww blue hacks to stay on my journey. 

Please subscribe above if you like to see more of my hacks and recipes. 

Living your best life and doing what feels good for you is the secret.

Keep it simple, Stay well and safe. 

welcome to my journey

Louise