Garden VeggieSkillet Dinner

photo courtesy of shutterstock

This time of year....early spring...is sometimes difficult for me when it comes to cooking dinner.

The family starts to get tired of the "comfort foods" of winter:  soups, stews, casseroles, quiches.

We long for more fresh veggies and thankfully, at most supermarkets, fresh carrots, broccoli, peppers, celery, garlic, and onions begin to take place on the shelves with lower prices.  I have found that this time of year is a good year for skillet type dinners...it's still too cold and (usually) rainy to grill outdoors and I'm still working in the classroom so my time is limited in the evenings between work and ballet classes for the ballerina  girl.

I found this recipe to be very healthful and easy to whip up.  Here is my version of Garden Skillet Dinner.

GARDEN VEGGIE SKILLET DINNER

1/2 pkg of wide ribbon noodles, cooked and drained

2 c. of carrots, peeled and cut julienne style

1/2 c. chopped celery

1 c. red bell pepper, cut into strips

1 c. green bell pepper, cut into strips

1/2 c. thinly sliced sweet onion

2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

1 c. chopped broccoli florets

1 Tbl of dried basil

1 c. cooked, diced chicken (optional)

3/4 c. low-sodium or fat-free chicken broth

1 can low-fat cream of chicken soup

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

dash of ground black pepper

• Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and cover to keep warm.
• In a large skillet, place 1 Tbl of olive oil and saute all the veggies for about 3 minutes.
• Add in the chicken and cook over medium heat for 1 more minute.
• Add in the soup and broth and stir well.  Heat to where the soup mixture is starting to thicken.  Stir often.  
• Turn heat to low (simmer) and stir in the noodles.  Add in the black pepper and stir well.
• To save time, serve the dinner right from the skillet after tossing with grated parmesan cheese or place in a large serving platter.

To complete an easy dinner:  make a fresh fruit salad with cut up watermelon, cantaloupe, apple slices and blueberries.  Toss with a sprinkle of lime or lemon juice. Top with a dash of cinnamon.  

Add a loaf of garlic bread or garlic herb biscuits. (or skip this carb!) 

Serve with iced water and lemon, orange, or lime slices or iced tea

ENJOY!!!

as with all the recipes under the faithfixes label, you do have permission to copy this recipe.