Chicken Chili Soup

Chicken Chili Soup

Makes 4-6 Servings| Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 4-5 hours | Total Time: 5 hours

Ingredients

1.5 lbs Frozen chicken tenders

3 cups water

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon

2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried Oregano

1 Teaspoon Cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies

1 (14 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 (14 oz) can pinto beans drained and rinsed

Salt and Black pepper to taste

Instructions

1.         Place all ingredients except the beans into a slow cooker and stir to combine.

2.         Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.

3.         After 4 hours shred the chicken then add the beans.

4.         Cover and cook for additional 20-30 minutes.

5.         Serve with preferred toppings.

 

 
Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash
2 carrots
1 onion
3-4 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
4 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 400*F

2.      Peel and roughly chop butternut squash.

3.      Peel and roughly chop carrots

4.      Roughly chop onion

5.      Combine vegetables into a bowl and drizzle with about 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Add ½-1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, or to taste.

6.      Mix and place on a large sheet pan.

7.      Place in preheated oven and bake for at least 30-40 minutes or until browned. Remove and set aside.

8.      Heat olive oil in a large pot on med-high heat.

9.      Crush garlic into the pot and sauté for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.

10.   Add the roasted vegetables to the pot with the thyme and sage.

11.   Add the broth and stir.

12.   Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer and cover for about 10 minutes.

13.   Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Or place mixture in a regular blender in batches and blend until smooth.

14.   Taste for salt and season accordingly.

15.   Serve warm with roasted pumpkin seeds and crusty bread.

Sheet Pan Dinner: Roasted Vegetables and Sausage

Ingredients 

• 1 1/2 lbs baby potatoes, halved or quartered
• 3 large carrots, roughly chopped
• 1/2 large red onion (or 1 small red onion), roughly chopped
• 1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut in half
• 3-4 garlic cloves, crushed
• ~1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
• ~1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely minced
• ~ 3 tablespoons Olive oil, divided 
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 4 Sausage links (I used Field Roast brand's Smoked Apple & Sage Flavor)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. 
2. Prepare potatoes, carrots, and red onion and place into a large bowl. 
3. Add the rosemary and thyme. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat vegetables. 
4. Spread over a large sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, prepare the green beans. Add to the same bowl you used for the other vegetables. 
6. Add the crushed garlic, remaining 1 tablespoon garlic, and season with salt and pepper. 
7. After 20 minutes remove the vegetables from the oven and add the green beans. Mix together and nestle the sausage between the vegetables. 
8. Return to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes. 
9. Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes and then serve! 

Recipe Adapted from https://pin.it/6LU4tSH 

 

Butter Tofu

INGREDIENTS

1 block Extra Firm Tofu

Salt and Pepper

5-6 Tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 large Onion, Sliced

4-5 Garlic cloves, minced or crushed

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 teaspoons garam masala

½ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2/3 cup plain vegan yogurt (I used almond yogurt)

1 small bag of frozen Cauliflower

½ cup frozen peas

½-1 can Full-fat coconut milk

 

DIRECTIONS

1.       Drain the tofu and slice into 3 pieces then place in a kitchen towel and put something heavy on it for about 20 minutes.

2.       Cut into bite-size cubes.

3.       Heat non-stick skillet on med heat 2-3 tablespoons oil. Pan-fry the tofu until brown on all sides. Set aside.  

4.       In another deep skillet, heat up about 3 tablespoons oil on med-high heat. Add the tomatoes and onion. Cook until both are soft, stirring occasionally.

5.       Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about another minute, or until fragrant.

6.       Add mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, creating the tomato sauce.

7.       As you are blending the tomatoes, add about a teaspoon of oil in the same pan and add the spices. Stir around for about 1 minute.

8.       Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute.

9.       Return the tomato sauce to the skillet and mix well.

10.   Add the yogurt and taste for seasoning. Add more garam masala or salt if desired.

11.   Add the coconut milk. Start with ½ a can and add more to your desired consistency.

12.   Add the cauliflower, peas, and tofu to the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes or until everything is heated through.

13.   Serve over rice and some naan bread.

Baked Falafel

Some notes about this recipe. I do not have a food processor and I used my ninja blender. I had difficulty getting the mixture processed properly and it ended up very smooth. It still baked well, but it did not have the right consistency for falafels. I wish I had a food processor for this and I think it would have turned out much better with one. 

I also think this recipe had too much salt, so next time I will reduce the salt quite a bit. Otherwise, it tasted great! It is super easy to prepare so I would like to try to make this again one day if I ever get a food processor. 

I did not flip the falafel halfway through cooking but I think it would have been better if I did.  If you look at my pictures the falafel looks very much like cookies! I mean they are delicious so you could eat them like savory cookies. 

The original recipe by David Branagan instructs you to fry them. I do not like fry foods at all so I rarely do. If I can figure out alternatives to frying something I do. So I baked them and they were great! Check out my video below the recipe to see how I made these. 

Baked Falafel

Recipe adapted from DAVID BRANAGAN at Delishably.com

INGREDIENTS

·         3 cans (14oz) Chickpeas, drained and rinsed

·         4 cloves of garlic

·         1 small onion, coarsely chopped

·         1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

·         1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

·         1 1/2 tsp salt

·         1 tsp cumin

·         1/4 tsp chili powder

·         Sprinkle black pepper

·         1 tsp baking powder

·         1/3 cup plain flour

 

DIRECTIONS

1.       Preheat oven to 400*F

2.       Drain the chickpeas, rinse well, and set aside.

3.       Combine chopped onion, garlic cloves, parsley, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, and chili powder into a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Remove from food processor and place into a bowl.

4.       Add the chickpeas to the food processor and process until finely chopped as well. Transfer to the bowl with the other mixture.

5.       Combine both together with the flour and baking powder.

6.       Use a small scoop to measure out the mixture and place onto a baking sheet.

7.       Carefully flatten the balls of falafel mixture with your fingers.

8.       Spray with cooking spray.

9.       Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes flipping halfway.

10.   Remove from the oven and let cool.

11.   Serve with some salad, inside a pita pocket or dip into your favorite hummus or yogurt dip.

  

Enchilada Casserole

 This casserole is super easy! You can always prep the day before and have it ready to pop into the oven at any time. I usually make it in a 9x13 baking dish, but this time I decided to split it up into two 8x8 pans so I could freeze one for later. 

Enchilada Casserole

INGREDIENTS

4 Bell Peppers (variety), diced

1 large Onion, diced

3-4 Garlic Cloves, crushed/minced

1 cup Frozen Corn

1 (15oz) can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

Adobo Seasoning

1-2 small cans Red Enchilada Sauce

Corn Tortillas

Shredded Cheese (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS

1.        Dice bell peppers and onions and mince the garlic. Mix together with the frozen corn and season with adobo seasoning.

2.       Saute the pepper mixture until soft and browned. Set aside a let cool for about 10 minutes

3.       Once cooled mix in the drained black beans.

4.       Preheat oven to 350*F.

5.       Pour enchilada sauce into a shallow bowl or dish. Dip a corn tortilla into the sauce and begin layering the casserole.

6.       Place a layer of corn tortilla in sauce on the bottom of a baking dish then spoon over some of the pepper mixture. Sprinkle on some cheese if desired. Place another layer of the corn tortilla and peppers and repeat until all of the mixture is gone. The final layer should be of corn tortillas

7.       If desired pour some more sauce over the casserole and top with cheese.

8.       Bake casserole for about 20-30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

9.       Remove from the oven and let sit for about 10-15 minutes before serving.

 

Notes: You can also roast or grill the vegetables for more flavor.

Spicy Shredded Jackfruit (GREAT FOR TACOS, BURRITOS, TORTAS, OR TOSTADAS!!)

 

Spicy Shredded Jackfruit

 

INGREDIENTS

3 cans Young Jackfruit in Brine, drained and rinsed

1 Portobello Mushroom cap, thinly sliced

½ White Onion, thinly sliced

2-3 Garlic cloves, crushed

2-3 Chipotle in adobo, chopped

1 cup Vegetable Broth

12 oz Dark Beer (I used Modelo Negro)

2 tablespoons Soy Sauce

1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke

Juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon Oregano

½ tablespoon Cumin

2 Bay Leaves

DIRECTIONS

1.       Place all ingredients in a slow cooker.

2.       Cook on high for 4 hours.

3.       Great in tacos, burritos, tortas, and tostadas!  

.

Refried Beans

 

Pinto Beans/Refried Beans

 

INGREDIENTS

 

1 lb. of dried Pinto Beans

½ White Onion, rough chop

2-3 Garlic Cloves, whole

2 teaspoons Salt

1 Bay Leaf

Water

¼ cup Olive Oil

 

DIRECTIONS

1.       Place beans in a pot and cover with water. Let it soak overnight.

2.       Drain and rinse the beans, return to the pot.

3.       Add 6 cups of water, onion, garlic, salt, and bay leaf to the beans.

4.       Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low for 2-3 hours, or until beans are soft.

Serve as is or make refried beans. 

5.       Once beans are cooked heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat.

6.       Carefully add the beans one ladle at a time with the juice.

7.       Let it come to a boil then reduce the heat to low.

8.       Mash the beans, make it as chunky or smooth as you like.

9.       Let it simmer some more until it is at the consistency you like. The more you let it simmer the thicker it will become.

10.   Serve with your favorite Mexican dish!

Easy Mexican Rice with Cauliflower

 Mexican rice is one of the few things that my toddler will eat. He barely eats any kind of vegetable so I have to get creative.  Mixing riced cauliflower with the regular rice is the perfect way to hide veggies! You can't even tell by looking at it that there is anything other than regular rice.  The texture is perfect and my son can't tell the difference. I kept the regular rice rather than completely replacing it because I like the extra flavor that toasting it gives the dish. I hope you guys will try this and get more veggies into your picky eaters! 

Mexican Rice with Riced Cauliflower

Makes 8-10 servings | Prep Time: < 5 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 35 minutes

 

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 ½ cups Long Grain White Rice, washed

2 (10 oz) pkgs Frozen Riced Cauliflower

1 (8oz) can Tomato Sauce

2 ¼ cups Vegetable Broth

(Optional) Salt, Garlic Salt or Adobo Seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1.       Rinse rice in a mesh strainer until water runs clear. Set aside to let dry.

2.       Heat a large saucepan on medium heat and add olive oil.

3.       Add dry rice. Stir occasionally until rice is toasted, about 10 minutes.

4.       Add the tomato sauce and stir for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

5.       Add the frozen riced cauliflower, stir to combine.

6.       Add the vegetable broth, taste for salt.

7.       Bring to a boil.

8.       Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover the pan, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Check the rice around 15 minutes, if there is still liquid cover again and cook for another 5 minutes.

9.       Once the liquid has been absorbed, turn off the heat. Fluff the rice with a fork cover again and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

Spiced Banana Bread (Trial)

 My mom has been making a recipe for Banana Spice Cake for years. She got the recipe through a recipe card subscription.  I love it but I wanted to see if I could make an egg-free version. I also used Crisco Vegetable Shortening instead of butter.  It tastes great, but I think the Crisco made the outside a little too crusty. My boys like it so I wanted to share it with you. 

Banana spice bread

 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Vegetable Shortening

1 cup Sugar

½ cup Brown Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

½ Cup Water

4 Tablespoons Flaxseed Meal

2 ripe Bananas, Mashed

2 ½ cups Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Cinnamon

¼ teaspoon Nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon Ground Cloves

DIRECTIONS

1.       Preheat oven to 350*F

2.       In a stand mixer cream together the vegetable shortening, sugar, and brown sugar. Make sure it is nice and fluffy.

3.       While the mixer is working, combine ½ cup water and 4 tablespoons flaxseed meal in a small bowl and let it sit for about 5 minutes.

4.       In a separate bowl sift all dry ingredients together. Set aside

5.       Add the vanilla to the mixer then slowly add the flaxseed meal.

6.       Carefully add the flour mixture to the mixture and let it just come together.

7.       Divide the batter into two greased loaf pans or use one Bundt pan.

8.       Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted the middle comes out clean.

9.       Take out of the oven a let cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from pan and let cool completely on a cooling rack.