Skinny Recipes.

Recently I had the opportunity to take supper to a family that just had a sweet, new baby girl. She was so tiny, and all I could think was, "Wow, I can't believe Jack was ever that small!"

{It turns out that he was never that small--at least not outside the womb.}

Anyway, speaking of large and small, I'm sure everyone is getting back on the fit train with the arrival of 2012 and the impending swimsuit season on the horizon. Spring break is not that far away, my dears, and last year's "I just had a baby excuse" is going to be an entire year old very soon.

3 days old versus 9 months old
Barely relevant to this post, but he's so cute I couldn't help myself.
Today I'm sharing with you my current favorite skinny meal. 95% of the times I have used my Crock Pot, it has been for this. Delicious, filling, and skinny. I serve it up on cilantro lime rice (recipe below) like a Chipotle bowl. There are copious leftovers, and it reheats well in a skillet with a tiny bit of water added in. (Few things gross me out like microwaved chicken.) Both of these are from Skinny Taste, which I love since it lists WW points along with the calories. I've been a point counter for years, but I rarely try new stuff because I'm lazy and only eat things for which I have the points memorized. So thanks, Skinny Taste, for enabling my laziness while attempting to eat well.

This is also what I carried to the new parents I mentioned above, along with a colorful salad and a chocolate chip cookie pie, complete with Blue Bell. New moms need some indulgences after what they have endured. Am I right, or am I right?

And now I must ask, what is your favorite, easy skinny recipe?

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Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken 4 Points+ for 1 cup
24 oz. chicken breasts (I usually just throw in 4)
14.4 oz. can of diced tomatoes with mild green chilies (I use 2 cans of Rotel)
15 oz. can of black beans
8 oz. frozen corn
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz. can of fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (you might cut down on this to keep it mild.)
salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt in the Crock Pot. Season chicken with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half an hour before serving, remove the chicken and shred it. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice (extra points.)

Skinny Cilantro Lime Rice 5 Points+ for 3/4 cup
1 c. extra long grain rice or bismati (I use Minute Rice and follow those intructions)
1/2 lime, juice of (I use the bottled lime juice since I rarely have fresh limes on hand.)
2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
3 tsp. vegetable oil

In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp. oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off heat and keep covered and additional 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice, and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.