Author: K.V. Fischer

K.V. Fischer’s diverse experiences as an attorney, certified civil mediator, registered dietitian, teacher, speaker, and published author with more than 20 years’ experience in the corporate, government, and private sectors have fueled her desire to assist people live fuller, richer lives. Although she is extensively published in nonfiction, with one book and more than 100 articles (the majority of which were ghost-written), her passion has always been writing suspense thrillers. Search Beyond Lies is the first in the Search & Recovery International Series and her second suspense thriller. With 2 grown children, one a neurosurgeon and the other a radiation health physicist, she is fortunate to have go-to experts for some of her research. She lives in Colorado with her husband and their dog Brady; practices law in Colorado and Florida; and travels nationwide speaking and teaching.

Italian Orzo Soup

Italian Orzo Soup is one of my favorite low-calorie meals. It is very healthy with a taste that cannot be denied — simply delicious. Even my nieces love it (and they don’t like soup)! An added bonus is the prep time involved – truly minimal.

Ingredients

Fresh Oregano
Fresh Oregano
  • Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
  • Lean ground chicken or turkey (at least 93% lean) – 12 ounces
  • Chopped oregano (1 tablespoon fresh chopped or 1/2 tablespoon dried)
  • Mushrooms (cremini or what is available) – 4 ounces
  • Garlic – 5 cloves, chopped

    Garlic & Tomatoes
    Garlic & Tomatoes
  • Unsalted chicken broth – 3 cups
  • Water – 2 cups
  • Petite diced tomatoes – 1 (15 ounce) can
  • Whole wheat orzo pasta – 3/4 cup uncooked
  • Spinach – 3 cups fresh
  • Lemon rind – 1/2 teaspoon grated

    Lemons
    Lemons
  • Red pepper (if you like it spicy) – 1/2 teaspoon

Directions

Heat a large Dutch oven if you have it (or a pot if you don’t) over a medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat. When the oil gets hot, add the lean ground chicken or turkey and then cook until browned. Make sure you stir to make sure the meat is crumbled. Add the sliced mushrooms, oregano and chopped garlic; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken stock, water, red pepper (if you like it spicy), and diced tomatoes. Keep scraping the pan to loosen the browned bits and the bring the mixture to a boil. Add the orzo pasta and cook for about 7 minutes. Stir in the ground lemon rind and fresh spinach and then cook for another 5 minutes.

Italian Orzo Soup
Italian Orzo Soup

This recipe serves 4 (I usually double it) and each serving size (2 cups) is approximately 322 calories. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour … Gluten Free

Enjoy an easy-to-prepare healthy entree you can customize for your taste/needs. You’ll notice that I do not add salt. Most of our sodium intake is considerably higher than the F.D.A.’s daily recommended intake which contributes to health problems in a significant number of people (more on this later). I also did not add quantities to this particular recipe. That’s because you can make as much or as little as you wish. My preference is to make more than what we’ll need so I can freeze a meal for later use. It helps in a crunch and avoids the easy, high calorie way out of stopping by a fast food restaurant.

Ingredients
Sweet & Sour Ingredients
Sweet & Sour Ingredients
  • Your choice: chicken, pork, beef, or tofu
  • Vegetables: broccoli, corn, snow peas, carrots, onions, mushrooms (and any others you enjoy)
  • Pineapple
  • Sweet & Sour Sauce (check for any ingredients you may be sensitive to on the label)
  • Hot Sauce if you like it spicy
  • Rice: I prefer an organic wild medley, however, choose your favorite (keep in mind that whole grain is always better than white)
Sweet & Sour in Pot
Sweet & Sour in Pot

Precook your chicken, pork, or beef and set it aside. Chop the vegetables in bite size pieces. In season, I prefer fresh, but fresh vegetables lose their vitamin potency with time, so if it’s off season, use frozen or canned. Sauté the vegetables until tender but firm, not mushy. You may want to start with the carrots since they tend to take a little longer and are the only vegetable where the availability of a vitamin actually improves upon cooking (Vitamin A). Add the rest of the vegetables, pineapple, sweet and sour sauce. Finish by adding the meat/tofu. Dole out a healthy serving size (1 cup of the vegetable/meat mixture and 1/2 cup of cooked rice).