Summer Mexican Chicken Soup

Light, summery soups are a staple of my summer menu. Combining broth, herbs, chicken and fresh veggies creates a delightful dish that is isn't too heavy for the hot days. My current favorite is Mexican chicken soup. I throw everything together in the slow cooker in about 20 minutes (depending how fast I chop and peel the veggies), then let is simmer in there all day. It keeps the house cooler since I don't have to get the oven or stove heated up. I stay cooler, too, since I'm not standing over that stove roasting myself. Any leftovers I send with A for his lunches or freeze for even quicker meals.

This light, fresh soup has green and yellow squash, cilantro, chicken, green beans, potatoes and carrots. The cilantro is what really brings out that Mexican-inspired flavor. It's not a heavily flavored soup, the cilantro and veggies are really the star.

If you're looking for an awesome slow cooker, I totally recommend the CrockPot 6-quart programmable cook and carry. I love mine. It is big enough to fit a big batch of soup, chili, a large piece of meat or a whole chicken. Even if you don't plan on travelling with it (I don't) it's a great gadget to have in the kitchen. I've found it cooks things quickly and evenly. The controls are all programmable, you can select high or low heat and for what time, then it'll switch over to warm once it's done. It's easy to clean, too. I went through so many options when searching for a new slow cooker and am thrilled I got this one. The price is great, too. Many others cost much, much more for the same or similar features. My last CrockPot slow cooker is still working great, the only problem was it's too small now that I have more people to cook for. It was a pre-kid purchase. I look forward to using this new one for many years, too. You can check it out via the affiliate link below.


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Summer Mexican Chicken Soup

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours on high

Keywords: slow-cooker entree soup/stew low calorie low-carb low-sodium chicken squash cilantro American Mexican fall spring summer winter

Ingredients (8 generous servings)

• 8 cups chicken broth, unsalted
• 2 green squash
• 1 yellow squash
• 4 medium potatoes
• 8 large carrots
• 4 large chicken breasts
• 1 bag green beans (I prefer Italian cut)
• 8 sprigs of cilantro or to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Peel and cut carrots and squash

Cut potatoes

Pull leaves off cilantro sprigs and chop into small pieces

Add all ingredients to slow cooker

Cook on low for 5 hours

Tear apart chicken and cook for 1 hour longer

Double Chocolate Banana Mini Muffins

When the craving for chocolate hits, it's hard to stay healthy and still satisfy the craving. These double chocolate banana mini muffins give you the chocolate you want without all the calories (each muffin clocks in at about 60 calories). The bananas and lower amount of sugar keep them healthy, too, and give you a bit of energy to keep chasing the kids.

They go fast once baked, so you may want to freeze some to eat when the kids aren't looking to they don't eat them all before you get any. Since they're bite-sized, it's easy to pop one in your mouth before the kids start clamoring for one of their own. Or so you can actually eat something before they start screaming and getting into everything. Since all the ingredients can be dumped together then mixed, it's a quick recipe to whip up when you have brown bananas that need to be used.

If you prefer a little less chocolate, try my chocolate banana mini muffins. For just a hint of chocolate, my banana chocolate chip muffins hit the spot.

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Double Chocolate Banana Mini Muffins

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients (72 mini muffins)

• 4 cups baking mix
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 5 brown bananas
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 cup baking cocoa
• 4 Tbsp milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350

Combine all ingredients

Mix with a hand or stand mixer until smooth

Spray mini muffin tins liberally

Fill each cup 3/4 full

Bake for 12 minutes

Remove muffins from pans immediately and cool on cooling rack

Spray muffin tins well between each use

Chocolate Banana Mini Muffins

Chocolate and bananas. A delicious combination. This recipe makes a delicious half-and-half blend of chocolate and banana flavor. If you prefer a stronger banana flavor with a hint of chocolate goodness, you'll prefer the banana chocolate chip muffins I shared before. For an extra decedent recipe with double chocolate, check back tomorrow for my double chocolate banana mini muffin recipe.

The muffins are soft and fluffy, a yummy blend that totals around 55 calories each. I end up eating about four for a filling breakfast, which would be the size of one of those large breakfast muffins. These are about half the calories, though, and not nearly as full of salt, sugar and other unhealthy ingredients. Since all the ingredients can be dumped together then mixed, it's a quick recipe to whip up when you have brown bananas about to go to waste.

If you liked this post, please click the brown Top Mommy Blogs button after the recipe then click the orange button to vote for me. Thank you!

Chocolate Banana Mini Muffins

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients (72 mini muffins)

• 4 cups baking mix
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 5 brown bananas
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup baking cocoa
• 2 Tbsp milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350

Combine all ingredients

Mix with a hand or stand mixer until smooth

Spray mini muffin tins liberally

Fill each cup 3/4 full

Bake for 12 minutes

Remove muffins from pans immediately and cool on cooling rack

Spray muffin tins well between each use

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Around here, I always stock up on bananas. Baby B eats them daily. Sadly, sometimes they go brown way too quickly, leaving me with a pile of bananas I either have to toss or use for baking. M2 and I are usually not fans of banana muffins or bread, so the recipe has to be exceptional for use to eat them. My banana chocolate chip mini muffin recipe hits the spot. Even making 72 at a time, these little suckers don't last long.

This recipe creates light, fluffy moist muffins with the right amount of banana flavor and a dash of chocolate to top them off. No dense, dry, overly sweet or overly banana tasting muffins here!

Simple and quick to make, it's essentially a "dump muffin" as all the ingredients but the chocolate chips can be added in any order then mixed together.

The bite-size muffins are a great breakfast, snack or dessert. Each clocks in at about 50 calories, so they aren't too high in calories or unhealthy, either.

Stop by tomorrow for my chocolate banana mini muffin recipe and on Thursday to find out how to make double chocolate banana mini muffins.

If you liked this post, please click the brown Top Mommy Blogs button after the recipe then click the orange button to vote for me. Thank you!

Banana Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Keywords: bake bread breakfast dessert snack low-sodium nut-free vegetarian banana chocolate chips fall spring summer winter

Ingredients (72 mini muffins)

• 4 cups baking mix
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 5 brown bananas
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 1 bag milk chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips

Mix with a hand or stand mixer until smooth

Stir in chocolate chips

Spray mini muffin tins liberally

Fill each cup 3/4 full

Bake for 15 minutes

Remove muffins from pans immediately and cool on cooling rack

Spray muffin tins well between each use

Delicious Potato Soup

Mashed, baked, fried, au gratin, twice baked, roasted -- there are so many ways to cook potatoes, including as the feature in soup. The flavor and texture of potatoes, mixed with spices and cream, make a delectable, yet easy to make, slow-cooker soup.

It's no secret that I love potatoes. 
As a child, there was always a fight over the leftover mashed potatoes each Thanksgiving or Christmas. Whoever sneaked into the fridge and ran off with them, without being caught, would gleefully eat the rest while taunting the losers. We'd eat them cold because if you put them in the microwave, you risked someone realizing it and nabbing them -- or at the very least having to share if the thief decided to be kind.

Now, I make sure to keep potatoes in the house as a staple. They're cheap, have tons of vitamins (did you know potatoes are full of vitamin C?), there are so many ways to cook them and so many varieties exist.

Seriously, what's not to love about potatoes?

Slow-cooker potato soup is a hearty dish that is easily thrown together. A big bowl leaves the whole family satisfied. The ingredients are cheap, making this a frugal  recipe so you can cook up big batch to last a few days without damaging your grocery budget.


I use russet potatoes in my version, though any type of potato works. I'd love to try it using purple potatoes, the color would be beautiful! Peels are optional, it depends whether or not you want to take the time to peel each potato.

You can sub real cooked bacon for the bacon bits if you prefer. To make a lighter version, swap out the heavy cream for half and half.

I created this recipe as part of the Ultimate Recipe Challenge. Every other month, 40+ bloggers and I are being challenged to create a recipe around a mystery ingredient. This month, the potato was our must-use ingredient. Scroll down to the end of the post to see all the other yummy recipes being shared. While you're at the end of the post -- Please vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs by clicking the pink banner, then clicking the big ORANGE button on the next page to cast the vote. 

Delicious Potato Soup

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Keywords: slow-cooker soup/stew low-sodium potatoes cream American comfort food fall spring summer winter

6077586

Ingredients (5 quarts)

• 8 medium potatoes, cubed
• 6 Tbsp bacon bits
• 3 Tbsp parsley
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• 2 tsp chives
• 6 scallions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 2 cups 1% milk
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup flour plus additional 1/3 cup flour
• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Instructions

Add dry ingredients to slow cooker, except for flour

Add wet ingredients to slow cooker

Add flour slowly, stirring as you go.

Set slow cooker for 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low

Part way through cooking, test to see if you need extra salt or pepper

Place immersion blender into slow cooker with one hour left to cook

Blend until approximately half of the ingredients are creamed

If soup is too thin, slowly stir in additional flour one tablespoon at a time

Let soup finish cooking

Serve with a parsley garnish

Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top (optional)

An InLinkz Link-up

3 Fun Pudding Treats Kids Can Make

If someone tells you they're making pudding, what do you think of? Probably a bowl of plain chocolate or vanilla pudding. Sounds so exciting - not. That was C's reaction to me talking about pudding. Bored and lack luster. I decided to get creative the other day with chocolate pudding when I discovered C cracked the bottom of our new gallon of milk. What was I going to do with milk that was about to go bad? Either dump it or make something. I don't like to waste food, especially when money is tight, so I decided I was going make one large box and two small boxes of cook-and-serve chocolate pudding. But what to do with it so that it wasn't boring?

A run through the grocery store gave me a few ideas of what to prepare that C and J really enjoyed. Each recipe is super easy, tasty and turn regular pudding into something dressed up and fun. None cost very much to make, either, so they fit into your grocery budget. Since they're so simple, kids can help make them (the younger ones will need you to help them with the stove parts). They'll love creating a yummy treat. Nothing I made lasted very long, it was eaten up before I knew it!

Chocolate Pudding Cookie Cake

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

6077351

Ingredients (1 8x8 cake)

• 2 large boxes of cook-and-serve chocolate pudding
• 1 package of chocolate sandwich cookies
• 3 cups of milk (I used 1% but the box suggested at least 2% for a thicker set)
• 1 can of Reddi Whip or Cool Whip to garnish

Instructions

Prepare pudding as directed on the box

Have your 8x8 pan ready and start by putting a single layer across the bottom with your cookies

Pour until they're covered and repeat until you have three layers of cookies

Add in the last of the pudding to completely hide the cookies

Refrigerate for 4 hours

When serving cut into squares around approximately where you remember each stack of cookies to be. A butter knife or spatula is enough to cut the cookies will be soft

Garnish with some Reddi Whip or Cool Whip and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 10min

Cook Time: 5 min

6077352

Ingredients (1 pie)

• 1 ready-made graham cracker crust
• 1 small box of cook-and-serve chocolate pudding
• 2 cups of milk (I used 1% but the box suggested at least 2% for a thicker set)
• 1 jar smooth peanut butter
• 1 can of Reddi Whip or Cool Whip to garnish

Instructions

Prepare pudding as directed on the box

While waiting for it to bowl, between stirs get the crust ready

Once it's out of the package, get a rubber spatula and spread a quarter-inch layer of peanut butter over the bottom and sides of your crust

When pudding is thick and boiling it's ready to pour into your crust

Go slowly so it doesn't melt away all the peanut butter

Fill to the top and refrigerate for 4 hours

Top with Reddi Whip or Cool Whip when serving and enjoy!

Hot Cocoa Pudding Mugs

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

6077353

Ingredients (4-6 mugs)

• 1 small box of cook and serve chocolate pudding
• 2 cups of milk (I used 1% but the box suggested at least 2% for a thicker set)
• 1 bag of marshmallows
• 4-6 mugs (depends on your serving size)

Instructions

Prepare pudding as directed on the box

Put a kid-sized handful of marshmallows into the bottom of each mug

Pour hot pudding over the marshmallows

Refrigerate for 4 hours

When you come back to check them it will look like a mug of cocoa with melting marshmallows on top

Perfect surprise treat on a cold day. Happy pudding making!

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About the Author
Laurie is a stay-at-home mom to two little girls -- a baby and a 5-year-old -- and is stepmom to a 5-year-old daughter. Living in New England, she has a big Australian Sheepdog along with the kids and her husband. She enjoys music, decorating cakes and Doctor Who.

Low Calorie & Low Sodium Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup is a great fall and winter staple. Especially when it's healthy for you. The low sodium in this soup promotes heart health while the low calorie count helps to keep your weight under control. The recipe is also great for freezer meals, leftovers for the week and is budget friendly. It's even more budget friendly when you use leftovers from my Healthy Herb and Olive Oil Roasting Chicken recipe. Even if you're not a cook, the soup is simple to make. One bowl is hearty and filling.

Low Calorie & Low Sodium 

Chicken Noodle Soup

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Keywords: boil entree soup/stew low-sodium low calorie chicken noodles fall winter

6074952

Ingredients (16 generous servings)

• 3/4 Leftover Fully Cooked Roasting Chicken ( leftovers from my Healthy Herb and Olive Oil Roasting Chicken recipe are the best )
• 2 large containers low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 7 no-sodium bullion cubes/packets
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp rosemary
• 1 Tbsp salt substitute (or to taste)
• 7 scallions
• 8 carrots
• 6 small or medium potatoes
• 1/2 bag frozen peas
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 box fideo cut spaghetti noodles

Instructions

Pour broth and water into stock pot

Add bullion, salt substitute, rosemary and garlic powder

Peel and cut potatoes into cubes, add to pot and stir well

Dice scallions, carrots and celery, add to pot and stir well

Shred chicken, add to pot and stir well

Bring to boil then let simmer until veggies are almost soft (about 1 hour 45 minutes) stirring periodically

Taste to see if you need more salt substitute, add to taste

Pour in frozen peas and simmer soup until peas and other veggies are soft (about 15 minutes)

When you pour in the peas, cook fideo noodles in another pot just until firm according to directions on the box (they'll get softer when added to the soup)

Drain noodles and add to the soup, stir well

Enjoy!

Cool then freeze leftovers for freezer meals

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Low Calorie & Low Sodium Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup is a great fall and winter staple. Especially when it's healthy for you. The low sodium in this soup promotes heart health while the low calorie count helps to keep your weight under control. The recipe is also great for freezer meals, leftovers for the week and is budget friendly. It's even more budget friendly when you use leftovers from my Healthy Herb and Olive Oil Roasting Chicken recipe. Even if you're not a cook, the soup is simple to make. One bowl is hearty and filling.

Low Calorie & Low Sodium 

Chicken Noodle Soup

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Keywords: boil entree soup/stew low-sodium low calorie chicken noodles fall winter

6074952

Ingredients (16 generous servings)

• 3/4 Leftover Fully Cooked Roasting Chicken ( leftovers from my Healthy Herb and Olive Oil Roasting Chicken recipe are the best )
• 2 large containers low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 7 no-sodium bullion cubes/packets
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp rosemary
• 1 Tbsp salt substitute (or to taste)
• 7 scallions
• 8 carrots
• 6 small or medium potatoes
• 1/2 bag frozen peas
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 box fideo cut spaghetti noodles

Instructions

Pour broth and water into stock pot

Add bullion, salt substitute, rosemary and garlic powder

Peel and cut potatoes into cubes, add to pot and stir well

Dice scallions, carrots and celery, add to pot and stir well

Shred chicken, add to pot and stir well

Bring to boil then let simmer until veggies are almost soft (about 1 hour 45 minutes) stirring periodically

Taste to see if you need more salt substitute, add to taste

Pour in frozen peas and simmer soup until peas and other veggies are soft (about 15 minutes)

When you pour in the peas, cook fideo noodles in another pot just until firm according to directions on the box (they'll get softer when added to the soup)

Drain noodles and add to the soup, stir well

Enjoy!

Cool then freeze leftovers for freezer meals

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Healthy Herb and Olive Oil Roasting Chicken

Whole roasting chickens are a dinner I love to cook because they're easy, smell delicious when cooking, there are so many ways to make them and you end up with plenty of leftovers for other meals or recipes. This version is a healthier take on whole chicken as it doesn't use the butter so many recipes call for. Instead, I use olive oil to keep the meat moist and to add in some healthy fat. The seasonings are simple to keep the chicken light and so the leftovers can easily be used in any other recipe you'd like. When I recently made it, I used the leftovers in chicken noodle soup -- a fall and winter staple in our house that tastes great, is simple to make and freezes great for future meals. The recipe for the soup is here! It's low calorie, low sodium AND easy to make.

Healthy Herb and Olive Oil Roasting Chicken

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Keywords: bake roast entree gluten-free low-carb low-sodium nut-free sugar-free chicken American fall spring summer winter

6074921

Ingredients

• 1 whole roasting chicken
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1.5 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp crushed rosemary
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 large apple
• 2 stalks celery
• 5 scallions

Instructions

Set oven to 350 degrees

Combine olive oil, allspice, rosemary, garlic powder and onion powder in a bowl

Peel and cut apple into chunks, taking out the core

Chop scallions and celery into chunks, mix with apple chunks

Clean chicken and place in roasting pan or metal pan with grate under the chicken

Stuff chicken with apple, celery and scallions

With a basting brush, spread olive oil mix onto chicken covering all of skin then separate skin from breasts and pour some of the mix under the skin, press on the skin to cover meat evenly

Place lid on roasting pan (or foil) and place in oven for 2 hours or until fully cooked

For crisp skin: The last 15 minutes of cooking, take off lid/foil and bake at 450 degrees until done

Let chicken rest for 30 minutes before carving

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Healthy Herb and Olive Oil Roasting Chicken

Whole roasting chickens are a dinner I love to cook because they're easy, smell delicious when cooking, there are so many ways to make them and you end up with plenty of leftovers for other meals or recipes. This version is a healthier take on whole chicken as it doesn't use the butter so many recipes call for. Instead, I use olive oil to keep the meat moist and to add in some healthy fat. The seasonings are simple to keep the chicken light and so the leftovers can easily be used in any other recipe you'd like. When I recently made it, I used the leftovers in chicken noodle soup -- a fall and winter staple in our house that tastes great, is simple to make and freezes great for future meals. The recipe for the soup is here! It's low calorie, low sodium AND easy to make.

Healthy Herb and Olive Oil Roasting Chicken

by The Stay-at-Home Life

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Keywords: bake roast entree gluten-free low-carb low-sodium nut-free sugar-free chicken American fall spring summer winter

6074921

Ingredients

• 1 whole roasting chicken
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1.5 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp crushed rosemary
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 large apple
• 2 stalks celery
• 5 scallions

Instructions

Set oven to 350 degrees

Combine olive oil, allspice, rosemary, garlic powder and onion powder in a bowl

Peel and cut apple into chunks, taking out the core

Chop scallions and celery into chunks, mix with apple chunks

Clean chicken and place in roasting pan or metal pan with grate under the chicken

Stuff chicken with apple, celery and scallions

With a basting brush, spread olive oil mix onto chicken covering all of skin then separate skin from breasts and pour some of the mix under the skin, press on the skin to cover meat evenly

Place lid on roasting pan (or foil) and place in oven for 2 hours or until fully cooked

For crisp skin: The last 15 minutes of cooking, take off lid/foil and bake at 450 degrees until done

Let chicken rest for 30 minutes before carving

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Affiliate Links