Crispy Chipolte Potato Skins

I have recently become totally addicted to this recipe. It is YUMMY, makes great leftovers, and is fairly easy, if you bake the potatoes for this the night before you plan to make it. Plus, it's 100% core friendly.

• 4 large baking potatoes, baked, cooled and quartered or halved (I usually do halved)
• 1.5 tb olive oil
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp hot sauce
• 6 slices cooked Canadian bacon, finely chopped
• 3/4 c shredded fat free cheddar cheese
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 3 medium scallions, finely chopped
• 3/4 c fat free sour cream

Preheat oven to 425. Scoop out flesh of potatoes, leaving about 1/8" in the potato.

In a small separate bowl, combine oil, chili and hot sauce. Using a pastry brush or baster, brush insides of potatoes with oil mixture. Place in a single layer on a large nonstick baking sheet. Sprinkle with bacon and cheese.

Bake until cheese melts and potatoes are heated through, about 15 min. Sprinkle with tomatoes and scallions. Serve with sour cream on the side.

Yields 8 servings, 3 points each.

Potato Curry Soup

Again, this one takes some time, but is the best smelling thing I've cooked this year. Fabulousity! Rich, creamy, but still low fat & cal. Again, this is from East Side Cafe's cookbook, and I've lightened it up a bit - no points calculated.

• 1 TB olive oil
• 3 TB margarine
• 1 c diced onions
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 TB minced garlic
• 1 TB fresh, grated ginger
• 4 c potatoes, diced
• 5 c chicken stock
• 1 leek, sliced
• 1 bag matchstick carrots
• 2.5 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin, ground
• 2 TB flour
• 2 c fat free half and half or skim milk
• 2 TB minced fresh parsley
• salt & pepper

In a large soup pot, saute onions, celery, garlic, leeks and carrots in oil for 15 min or until browned. Add ginger and continue cooking 3 min. Add potatoes, stock, curry, chili powder, turmeric and cumin. Cook for 20 min until potatoes are tender. Remove from heat. Transfer mixture to a blender in batches, and puree.

In a separate saucepan, make a roux by heating margarine, then whisking in flour. Cook slowly, stirring constantly. Add milk and work out any lumps. Add Potato puree back to pot, and whisk constantly until the soup starts to thicken. Remove from heat, add parsley and salt & pepper.

Yield: 6 servings

Caribbean Beef Stew

This takes a while to make, but is a huge batch of soup and delicious. It's super-spicy, and tangy and hearty, but not too heavy. Fabulous during Summertime, awesome leftovers, house smells great while you're cooking. I got this from the East Side Cafe soup cookbook, and have lightened it up a bit. I haven't run it through the WW points calculator yet, so I don't know points, but it's fairly low cal and is all core (except the flour and sugar, but not enough to matter).

• 1 TB canola oil
• 2 lb lean stew meat
• 3 TB flour
• Pinch salt, pepper
• 4c onions, diced
• 1 slice fresh ginger, or 1 TB minced ginger
• 2 TB minced garlic
• 2 c mixed bell peppers (green, yellow, red, about 3 peppers)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 c lime juice
• 1/4 c water or dark rum
• .5 TB sugar
• 10 c beef stock
• 28 oz can whole tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 c green olives, sliced
• 1/4 c fresh cilantro, minced
• Pinch of ground cloves

Put the stew meat in a ziploc bag, add flour, salt and pepper. Shake. Meanwhile, heat a large soup pot with oil in the bottom. Once oil is hot, add meat and brown over medium-high heat. Once meat is browned, add onions, peppers, garlic, ginger, cayenne and bay leaf. Reduce heat, cook two minutes. Add lime juice, water/rum, cook one minute. Add sugar, beef stock, tomatoes, green olives, and cilantro.

Cook, partially covered for 2 hours over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove ginger slice and bay leaves before serving.

Yield: 8 Servings