Makeover Taco Soup

Yield: 7 cups

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1/2 medium red onion, diced
8 oz. no-salt added-tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 1/2 oz) can no-salt-added or low-sodium whole kernel corn, undrained
1 (15 1/2 oz) can no-salt-added or low-sodium kidney beans, undrained
3 1/2 Tbs. Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
1-2 cups water

Garnishes:
Shredded cheese
Fritos
Light or fat free sour cream OR plain, fat-free Greek yogurt

Brown turkey and onion; drain.  Add tomato sauce, tomatoes, corn, beans, taco seasoning, and water.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts:
1 cup (no garnishes) = 225 calories, 5.32 g fat (1.2 g saturated fat), 37 mg cholesterol, 304 mg sodium, 25.2 g carbohydrates, 7.3 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar, 19 g protein

Notes:
- The nutrition facts listed use no-salt-added corn and reduced sodium kidney beans.  Amounts will actually vary by brand.

Turkey Sloppy Joes

From Quick Cooking (July/August 1998), page 44.

Yield: 6 servings

1 pound ground turkey breast
¼ cup chopped onion
½ cup ketchup
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon vinegar
1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon celery seed
¼ teaspoon pepper
6 whole wheat hamburger buns

In a nonstick skillet, cook the turkey and onion for 5 minutes or until turkey is no longer pink. Add the next seven ingredients; simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve on buns.

Nutrition Facts:
1 serving = 236 calories, 3 g fat, 37 mg cholesterol, 364 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 23 g protein.

Sesame Ginger Chicken

From Taste of Home (June/July 1996), page 31.

2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
½ teaspoon ground ginger
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 green onions with tops, cut into thin strips

In a small bowl, combine the first four ingredients; set aside. Pound the chicken breasts to ¼ inch thickness. Grill over medium-hot coals, turning and basting frequently with soy sauce mixture, for 8 minutes or until juices run clear. Garnish with onions.

Note:
- Can be made on an indoor grill.
- Use reduced-sodium soy sauce to apply the "lower sodium" label.

Nutrition Facts:
1 serving = 173 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 63 mg cholesterol, 528 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 24 g protein.

Honey Lime Grilled Chicken

From Quick Cooking (July/Aug. 2000), page 38.

Prep: 5 min. + marinating / Cook: 15 min.
Yield: 4 servings

½ cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
¼ cup lime juice
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

In a resealable plastic bag or shallow glass container, combine the honey, soy sauce and lime juice; mix well. Add chicken and turn to coat. Seal or cover and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Drain and discard marinade.

Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium heat for 6-7 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Note:
- I didn’t discard the marinade. Instead, I boiled it, using part to baste the chicken and served the other part with it.
- Use reduced-sodium soy sauce.

Short Thyme Broccoli

From Simple and Delicious (March/April 2006), page 9.

Prep/Total Time: 15 min

1/2 pound fresh broccoli florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon salt

Place the broccoli and 1in. of water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, salt, and thyme. Drain broccoli; toss with oil mixture.

Nutrition Facts:
3/4 cup = 45 calories, 4 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 88 mg sodium, 3 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Picante Chicken

From Quick Cooking (July/Aug. 2001), page 31.

Prep: 5 min / Cook: 30 min.
Yield: 4 servings.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound)
1 jar (16 ounces) picante sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
Hot cooked rice, optional

Place chicken in a greased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the picante sauce, brown sugar, and mustard; pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Serve over rice if desired.

Notes:
- I'd recommend buying reduced-sodium salsa or mustard, if such a thing exists.
- Karen of the 365 Days of Slow-Cooking blog turned this into a crock pot recipe: cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours.  She also recommended eating it in tortillas as tacos.

Nutrition Facts:
1 serving (minus rice) = 209 calories, 2 g fat (trace saturated fat), 66 mg cholesterol, 1009 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 26 g protein.

Salsa Chicken

From Mom Larsen.

Prep: 5-10 min. / Cook: 15-20 min.
Serves 7.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix (use Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix for lower sodium)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup apricot or peach jam

Empty taco seasoning onto a plate or into a plastic bag. Add chicken strips and toss to coat.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté 5-7 minutes or until done.

Stir in tomatoes and jam. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with rice.

Nutrition Facts:
1/2 cup sauce = 150 calories, 3.4 g fat (0.4 g saturated fat), 31.4 mg cholesterol, 538.4 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 9.5 g sugars, 14.3 g protein

Notes:
- 1 package of taco seasoning = about 3 1/2 Tbs.
- Mexican stewed tomatoes are the best for this.
- My mom chops her tomatoes up (thinner, chunkier sauce); I puree mine (thicker, smoother sauce).  Do what you want.
- Using the Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix will save you about 220 mg sodium per serving.