While I was in college, I watched the Food Network religiously. I always loved Paula Deen but at the end of my junior year I wanted to start eating healthier (Sorority houses are not good for the waistline!) and discovered one of my favorite Food Network chefs, Ellie Krieger. She is a registered dietitian specializing in nutrition and health communications and penned one of my favorite cookbooks, The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life.

The following recipe is my favorite healthy dip from Ellie’s cookbook. The dip is not only a great source of fiber and protein, but it’s also super simple to make.  One serving size consists of ¼ cup of hummus and 4 pita chips, which is perfect for a mid-afternoon snack.  Each serving has 195 calories, 12G fat, 6G protein, 18G carbohydrates and 3.5G fiber.  This would be a great dip to make at upcoming Super Bowl parties and nobody will even suspect they are getting some nutrition into their systems while watching the game!

Ingredients

2 cups shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions

1 cup silken tofu, briefly drained of excess liquid

½  teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

3 cloves garlic

¼  cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon juice, plus more, to taste

1 ½  teaspoons cumin, plus more, for garnish

Directions

Set 1 tablespoon of edamame aside for a garnish. Place the rest of the edamame, tofu, salt, garlic, oil, lemon juice, and 1 ½ teaspoons cumin in the bowl of a food processor and process until very smooth – about 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, plus more lemon juice, if desired. Remove to a serving bowl and garnish with reserved edamame, and some cumin.

Print the recipe card here!

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Sorry about the lack of posts, but I have been under the weather this week. However,  being sick has inspired me to share my favorite feel good recipe with you guys.  Ever since I was little, when I would get sick my mom would always make me her homemade chicken spaghetti.  While in college, every time I would get really sick, I would haul my sniffling and sneezy butt to the local grocery store to buy the necessary ingredients.  I think slaving over a hot stove trying to cook while being deathly ill probably made me worse, but there was something about that warm cheesy goodness that made everything okay.

This recipe is very simple and I believe it is crucial to the spaghetti’s outcome to use Velveeta’s cheese crumbles and NOT just your run of the mill cheese.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chicken (cooked- I always boil it)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ½ of a green pepper (chopped)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I get low-fat Campbells)
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 package Velveeta yellow cheese
• 7 ounces of spaghetti (cooked)
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Louisiana hot sauce to taste (I put about 1 tablespoon)

Cooking Directions:

• In a pan sauté: melt down butter and add in the celery, bell pepper and onion
• Add to the pan: soup, milk, cheese, hot sauce, salt and pepper
• Mix everything together and add in the chicken and spaghetti
• Cook in a 9_x13 casserole dish sprayed with Pam, uncovered for about 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees

The dish is equally amazing when you are not sick and is a great recipe to make during the fall and winter seasons!

What makes you feel better when you are sick? Do you have a specific recipe that makes you feel better?

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