Buffalo Chicken Chowder

It’s weird how in the summer 38 degrees seems so cold, but in January it feels balmy.  It was a gorgeous morning – nothing but blue skies and puffy clouds.

I did not wake up to go to the gym yesterday morning.  I’d like to say its because I stayed up to help Tony who had a rough night – he was up and down over a dozen times – even one time losing his footing and fell into the door – and I never heard a thing or woke up. 😦  I bet if there was a fire in my house I would sleep through it!

So I got ready for work with Hannah who started back to school yesterday – she was off for three weeks!  I actually wash and dried my hair and get this . . . put on make up!  I know, crazy! 😀

Breakfast was delicious – I was thinking of this all weekend when I bought the giant blackberries at Sam’s Club last week – blackberry banana yogurt parfait: 1 cup Greek yogurt (3), 2 ounces of granola (6), banana (0), blackberries (0).  This whole bowl of greatness was 9 points and super filling.

I checked the weather around 11:30 and was thrilled to see that it was 43 degrees!  I changed my clothes and hit the road – 7 minute warm up, then did a 5k with my run a song/walk a song method.  I ended up doing 3.2 miles in 41 minutes – not too bad!  My hope is to start building up my running stamina, and maybe next week run two songs, walk one, etc.

If you are a food blog reader like me, you know that sometimes you see a recipe and you are like “I need to make that.”  “Like now.”  “Like right now!”  That’s what I thought when I saw Nicole’s Buffalo Chicken Chowder.  You know how I love Frank’s hot sauce and when I read that the recipe called for 1/3 of a cup, I was in!

But I did tweak it just a bit.   Her original recipe came in at 9 Points for 1.5 cups.  My version is 7 points for 2 cups.

Buffalo Chicken Chowder (2 cups: 307 calories, 9.45 fat, 27 carbs, 4.9 fiber and 28 protein – 7 WW points)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed (I used 2 giant potatoes)
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/4 tsp salt (probably could have left this out all together because of the salt content in Frank’s hot sauce)
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup half & half
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/3 cup Frank’s hot sauce
• 3 large carrots chopped (my addition to Nicole’s recipe)
• 3 cups broccoli (my addition to Nicole’s recipe
• blue cheese crumbles for topping (optional, you will need to add points if you do.

Since I am lazy, I threw everything in the crock pot except 1/2 a cup of the chicken broth and the flour.  I added the flour to the chicken broth, mixed well, then added it to the pool.  I cooked on low for 10 hours.  I ended up adding the broccoli during the last hour – it really only needs about 15 minutes to still be bright and tender crisp.  Still delicious!

And since I have to take my picture at work, with not the best lighting, here is Nicole’s picture so that it will convince you to try this one. 😀

This may be my new favorite soup – thanks for the inspiration Nicole! 😀

Every time we think Tony is getting better, he slides backwards.  No need to go into any details, but needless to say, I’ll most likely be having Biz dinners this week.  Thankfully he has a doctor appointment with our GP today. 😀

Tony isn’t a huge fan of ricotta cheese, I absolutely love it though.  So I made a stuffed pepper for one – this comes in at 362 calories, 14 fat, 30 carbs, 4.9 fiber and 32 protein, or 9 WW points:

• 1 green pepper, stem removed and cooked in the microwave on “fresh vegetable setting”
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 2 ounces ground beef
• 1 ounce cheddar cheese
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• pinch of salt and pepper
• chopped basil for garnish (optional)

Heat a non-stick pan with Pam, add ground beef and garlic and cook until no longer pink.  Add in the spinach, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper and cook until the spinach wilts.  Remove from heat and add in the marinara sauce and ricotta.  Stuff the pepper and add the mozzarella cheese on top – finish under the broiler until the cheese is nice and golden and melty.  I loves melty cheese!

This was so filling and delicious!  And to think even 5 years ago I never would have looked at a stuffed pepper, let alone eat one. 😀

Stats for Monday:

• 25 points
• 55 minute walk/run included 41 minute 3.2 miles
• average blood sugar 161

I hope to get to the gym tonight with Hannah if her schedule works out – the goal?  Run 4 miles!  Come back tomorrow for a zucchini ham quiche with a brown rice crust – 1/4 of the quiche is only 7 WW points! 😀

If you have time, check out this super creative post for easy banana pudding cake – I wish I could be as creative with my photography!