I'm excited to finally post a new recipe after quite some time away from Nosh N' Nutrition. The weather in Alabama is absolutely crazy, but on one of our cooler January nights, I was really in the mood for a warm, comfort food dish. Instead of slaving away in the kitchen for hours, I settled on a simple crockpot recipe that I had been eyeing on Pinterest (along with tons of other fabulous recipes) for Chicken and Dumplings. Generally "comfort food" has a negative connotation in the world of healthy eating, but after studying the original ingredients, I didn't have to change much in order to make a light version. This was very easy to make and tuned out to be a wonderful meal. It reminded me so much of Cracker Barrel's Chicken and Dumplings, which I order occasionally. While their dish is just as tasty, I think I enjoyed my version more simply because I knew the exact ingredients and nutritional content. I will definitely be making this again soon!

1. Put the chicken, butter, soup, broth, parsley, and onions in the crockpot and cook on high for 4-6 hours.
2. As the chicken cooks and gets tender, break/shred it up with a fork or knife.
3. Cut your biscuits into strips (about 3 per biscuit). Stir into chicken mixture and cook for another hour.

1. Wash chicken and pat dry. Brush with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Place chicken in slow cooker. Sprinkle Italian dressing mix on top. Cover and cook for 5-6 hours.
3. One hour before serving, mix soup, cream cheese, Sherry, and onion in a saucepan. Cook and stir until smooth. Spoon over chicken.
4. Add mushrooms and peas. Cover and cook for 30 minutes longer.
5. Serve over rice or egg noodles if desired.

Ok I am going to be totally honest. This is the first recipe that I have posted without trying myself. I love the challenge of making a traditionally unhealthy dish more nutritious, mainly because it means that no foods are completely off limits. With modification, almost any meal can be guilt-free. For example, the sound of "fettucine alfredo" is very appealing to me. The fat and calories, not so much, which is fine because I know that I can make a tasty, healthy version. Now when I hear "red beans and rice", I have no desire to make-over this dish. It's just not my kind of food, healthy or not. While we were in New Orleans for New Year's Eve, the boyfriend decided that he is quite fond of the cajun cuisine. We bought a red beans and rice box dinner mix in a little shop so that I could make it for him back at home. I made it the first time using cajun sausage, and he loved. Actually everyone who tried it seemed to enjoy the spicy flavors. My mom, like myself, didn't think this type of food was her thing. Well she was braver than me and tried it. She was surprised that she really liked the dish. Using the pork sausage, it wasn't the healthiest meal ever.

The last time I was visiting the boyfriend in Auburn, we decided instead of going out to eat, we would spend the money on groceries for me to cook. That way he would have plenty of leftovers throughout the week. He decided on lettuce wraps, mexican lasagna, and red beans and rice. I was a bit surprised when he suggested that we use smoked turkey sausage in place of the pork, which saved 110 calories per serving (so proud of him!). We bought the Zatarain's box mix which was made of basically the same ingredients as the mix we purchased in New Orleans. This was very easy to make as I just threw it all in the crock pot. The beans did have to soak overnight and cook for about an hour but that's really not any work. Since the smoked turkey sausage did not have any cajun flavor, I sauteed it with ground red pepper and red pepper flakes. I swapped brown rice for white rice to add additional fiber to the beans. The final verdict: The boyfriend loved it and decided it was every bit as good as the pork sausage version. With all of the positive reviews, I might just have to try out the next batch.

1. Spray large pan with cooking spray and saute sausage pieces until done.
2. Follow cooking directions on package of red beans. (I like to soak them overnight before cooking)
3. Combine seasoning mix with cold water and then empty the mixture, sausage, and beans into the crock pot and cook over low for 4-6 hours.
4. Serve over cooked rice.

I am on vacation at the beach for a week before jumping back into the school routine. While we are mostly dining out at local seafood restaurants, I planned ahead and saved some recipes that I cooked last week to post while I am away from my kitchen. Since I don't care to spend much time sitting in the condo on my computer, these posts will be short and straight to the recipe. Unlike with most of my other posts, you will be spared the rambling of nutrition information. Although, now that I think about it, I really want to share with you all the exciting ways to make a healthy spaghetti dish...okay it is just way too pretty outside. I'll save it for a rainy day.

This virtually fat-free dish is so delicious and cooks in a crock pot. You can prepare it, leave it, and come home to a warm Italian entree. Add a salad and dinner is served.

1. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Cook ground turkey over medium heat until completely cooked (no pink). Mix in minced garlic.
2. In crock pot or slow cooker, add cooked ground turkey, seasoning mix, water, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine and add salt and pepper. Cook on the low setting for 4 to 6 hours.
3. Thirty minutes prior to serving, stir mushrooms into sauce mixture in crock pot.
4. Boil noodles and top with sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan if desired.