Sausage & Veggie Brown Rice Pasta

This dish turned out excellent. The broth was delicious, veggie mix was perfect, it was incredibly easy! I will definitely be making it again! My mom got the sausage from a local grocery store and it was fresh, I think that is what made all the difference in this dish, so if you have it available, get fresh sausage!! If you are looking for a similar recipe to this, I made a different Hot Italian Sausage dish back in January, it was also delicious and a bit of a change up from the below recipe.

1 pound spicy Italian sausage

1 pound mild Italian sausage (can do all spicy if you want)

2 -3 cups cut green beans

1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped small

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons minced dehydrated onions

1 tablespoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 pint mushrooms, chopped

Brown Rice Pasta

Baby spinach

Chopped mozzarella cheese (optional)

Directions:

• Remove Italian sausage from casing and brown in a large pan.
• Add diced tomatoes, mushrooms, chicken stock, green beans, Swiss chard and seasonings and cook for about 15 - 20 minutes to let all the flavors incorporate and to let the Swiss chard cook down and green beans get softer.
• Cook pasta according to directions.
• Layer some pasta in a bowl, then cover with about a 1/4 cup of fresh baby spinach. Then cover with the sauce!
• You can also top with a few small chunks of mozzarella cheese, however if you are doing paleo, that is of course a no-no. 



The Hubby's Lettuce Burgers

These were SO delicious! Just look at the spread Stephen had for our burger night! Of course, no buns required (or allowed) so we used butter lettuce to wrap these babies up. The sauteed jalapeno and mushrooms were an amazing addition. Not to mention the side dish of BBQ broccoli and asparagus.

Ground beef or turkey

1 lb bacon (1/2 for crumbled inside burgers, 1/2 for stacking on top)

mushrooms, sauteed with garlic and clarified butter

red onions

tomatoes

salsa

sauteed jalapenos

butter lettuce

mustard

avocado

Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps

We are doing the Paleo-ish challenge again at the gym, and although I am pregnant and NEED my toast, I am trying to participate as much as possible. My mom, dad and Stephen are all doing it, so I am helping support them and cook some meals throughout the week! This one turned out really yummy. I made a TON, or what I thought was a ton, and there was some left over for us to all have for lunch the next day. I kind of made this up as I went, so I tried to estimate the amounts of everything I used. Definitely one we would all eat again! This recipe is great because you could keep the seasonings the same and add different veggies that you have in your fridge. It has an "asian" like taste.

4 lbs ground turkey

1 yellow pepper, diced small

about 20 baby carrots, diced

1 cup mushrooms, diced

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

1/4 cup liquid aminos

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

1/4 cup sesame seeds

3 tablespoons chili powder (it might have even been closer to 1/4 cup)

1 tablespoon coconut flour (to thicken)

2 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

butter leaf lettuce

red peppers, sliced

avocado

2-3 green onions

arugula 

Directions: 

• Add meat, onion, yellow pepper, mushrooms, and seasonings to the pan and brown the meat, about 15-20 minutes. 
• If you have a lot of liquid at the bottom of the pan, drain the meat. 
• Add the liquid aminos and red wine vinegar.
• Add the coconut flour and stir to start to thicken the sauce. 
• When you are about 5 minutes away from the meat being done, add the carrots, you want them to have a slight crunch. 
• Serve in a butter leaf lettuce cup and top with some avocado, red peppers, green onions and arugula!

Creamy Mediterranean Pasta

Life has been pretty insane the past few months, hence, why there have been no blog posts. I will post on soon though that describes the reason for the level of insanity :)

This recipe feeds a CROWD, however you can definitely cut back on everything to make for 2. This was really delicious. I got my inspiration for it from a dish at Rosa's in Pismo Beach called California Pasta. Although I think they have more of a creamy pesto sauce, this one was really delicious for just winging the recipe. It is a MUST try!

1 Rotisserie chicken

3 cans quartered artichoke hearts

2 small jars of julienne sun dried tomatoes

1 jar of sliced kalamata olives

1 pint baby bella mushrooms, chopped

2 tablespoons red onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 lbs spiral pasta (or your favorite shape)

1/2 pint heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken stock + 3 tablespoons

1 tablespoon corn starch

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions:

• Shred chicken into small pieces, set aside
• In a large pan, add olive oil and onion and let saute about 5 minutes
• Add mushrooms and saute about 5 more minutes
• Add garlic and chicken stock, then mix 2 tablespoons chicken stock to 1 tablespoon corn starch and add to the pan, this will help thicken the sauce
• Then add the cream and stir, let cook about 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper
• Once the sauce slightly thickens, add the artichokes, chicken, tomatoes, and olives
• Stir and let cook and get warm about 10 minutes
• Cook and drain pasta according to instructions
• Then mix pasta and sauce in a large bowl and serve!!

Pork Tenderloin Stir Fry

I was in the meat section of Traders last week, looking for some inspiration. I am embarrassed to even say it, not sure if it was the shape of the tenderloin or what, but it grabbed my eye and I decided it was the piece of meat for me :)  This is what I came up with! I made this last week - a little late on the post, but better late than never on this one!

1 pork tenderloin, cut into medium sized cubes

2 cups carrots

2 cups snow peas

1/2 cup broccoli
1/2 cup green beans

Sauce:

1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons coconut flour (to thicken sauce)

1 tablespoon coconut sugar
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced**
4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon sesame seeds
juice of one lime

salt and pepper

Directions: 

• Cut up the tenderloin into either medium size cubes or thinner sliced rounds. If you want to cut thinner, and you have time, placing the pork loin in the freezer for 20-30 minutes really helps make that process 100 times easier.
• Season the pork with salt and pepper.
• In a pan with 1 tablespoon oil, saute the meat until it is mostly opaque and browned. Remove from the pan and drain. 
• In the same pan, add the veggies and cook about 5 minutes. I prefer my veggies to be very crisp still when I eat them- leave those nutrients where they belong!
• Then mix up your sauce and add to the pan, then add back in your meat right away and cook about 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened. 
• Serve up alone or over some quinoa or brown rice!

** Another tip with ginger. I always keep mine in the freezer. When I go to grate it, it goes SUPER fast and is way easier!

Paleo Bacon, Pancetta & Chicken Alfredo

Got this recipe from PaleOMG and OMG it is amazing. Seriously what I have been craving! Definitely a super easy must try. I made several modifications from the original, and I think it was pretty dang good, really I might even make this over normal alfredo from now on. One modification that I LOVED was my addition of Jalapeno Bacon!! We will see how it is for leftovers the next day! I made a BUNCH so I could have leftovers, plenty for dinner, and take a friend some for lunch too :)

2 spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed

1 larger acorn squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed

6 chicken thighs (or 3 chicken breasts)

6 slices of Jalapeno bacon, diced
1 small package of diced pancetta
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

2 cans light coconut milk
3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon oregano

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper
olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat your 450 degrees.
• Cut spaghetti squash & acorn squash in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and excess threads. 
• Place all squash open side down on a baking sheet (use aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean up) and cook for 20-25 minutes. 
• Just place chicken on a foil or parchment paper lined baking sheet, sprinkle some olive oil over the chicken (or other kind of fat), salt and pepper it and add some garlic powder. Cook about 15 minutes in the 450 degree oven, turning 1/2 way through. . 
• Once your squash is done cooking, pull it out of the oven, dethread the spaghetti squash into a large bowl with a fork. 
• Now throw your diced bacon and pancetta into a skillet and cook until done. Use a slotted spoon to pull out your cooked bacon, but leave behind the grease (remove some if it happens to be a lot.
• Take your acorn squash and hollow it out. Just use the insides and dump them into your warm skillet filled with bacon grease. Then add your coconut milk. You may need to add a little bit more coconut milk depending on how runny you like your sauce. Mix thoroughly with a ladle to break up the squash a bit.
• Add seasonings to the mix and salt and pepper as needed. Mix thoroughly and cook on low for about 5 minutes to simmer.
• Now dice up your cooked chicken and add the chicken and bacon back into the pan. 
• Pour sauce over spaghetti squash serve up!
• Next time I make this I will add some mushrooms too!

Crock Pot Thai Chicken

I had been wanting Thai food, but wanted to make sure there wasn't a ton of sugars and other stuff I couldn't eat in it. So I came up with this recipe! Best thing about this recipe is that I pretty much always have all the ingredients on hand, just had to run to the store for some limes and fresh ginger!

Small jar salsa

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup light coconut milk

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon garlic chili paste (no sugar added)
2 teaspoons salt

3 chicken breasts 

chopped peanuts, green onion and cilantro as garnish

Red pepper cut very thin
bean sprouts

Brown rice or quinoa

Directions: 

• Mix all of the ingredients (minus the last 5) together in a bowl. 
• Put the chicken in the crock pot and cover with the sauce.
• Cook on low for 8 hours. 
• When it is done and you are about to eat, mix in the thinly cut red pepper and the bean sprouts. You want the pepper to be very fresh. You can also add other veggies at this point too if you want!
• Make some brown rice or quinoa to serve it over. 
• Garnish with chopped peanuts, green onion and cilantro. 
• Salt a little more if you need it. I also served it with more garlic chili sauce. 

Crock Pot Chicken Soup

I found this recipe on Pinterest of course, although why I didn't think of it before is beyond me. So easy. I put it together while I was cooking dinner last night, so it was perfect for a busy week night. Tasted pretty good too- comfort food without all the effort! Sorry, in all my haste to make it, I completely forgot to take pictures.

3 chicken breasts (or about 7 thighs)

1 cup carrots

1 cup onions, diced

1 cup celery, diced

1 large can of petite diced tomatoes

1, 32 oz container of chicken broth

Corn pasta

1 tablespoon oregano

2 teaspoons garlic powder

salt and pepper

1/4 cup basil, chopped

Directions: 

• Put all the veggies in the crock pot then put the chicken on top.
• Add all the seasonings, tomatoes and chicken broth, mix to incorporate. 
• Cook on low for 8 hours. 
• Options for the noodles: You are welcome to cook your noodles right in your soup, it always gives it extra flavor, BUT if you think you will have any left overs, I recommend against doing that. It will only make your noodles super soggy overnight. If you do want to cook them in the crock this is how you do it (otherwise, just boil the noodles how you normally would). 
• About 30-45 minutes before you want to eat, add your favorite noodles. I used corn penne noodles. Let cook about 30-45 minutes until al dente.
• Serve up and sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese and fresh basil!

Ancho Chipotle Chicken Fajitas

Fajitas are a go-to meal for us. Low in carbs, great flavor and so easy. I found some pre-marinated Ancho chicken at Vons over the weekend and thought it would make perfect fajitas. I was right- so delicious. They came out a little watery with the marinade, but just drain before adding to your corn tortilla and it will be fine. I had a corn tortilla for one, but then just put the mix over fresh baby spinach. It was perfect!

1 package of Ancho Chipotle Chicken *

2 pasilla peppers

1 red pepper 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion

salt and pepper

Directions:

• In a dutch oven or normal pan, add olive oil and onions cut into thin long pieces and saute for about 4 minutes. 
• Add peppers and mix all together. Then add salt and pepper to your preference.
• Add chicken thighs and get them all mixed in with the veggies. 
• Cover the dutch oven and let cook about 15-20 minutes. 
• Remove the chicken and cut into strips, then add back to the veggies and stir. 
• Serve it up on your favorite warmed corn tortilla or over a bed of spinach!

* I am not sure if the chicken is only available and Vons and Safeway. If you don't have or can't find the pre-marinated chicken, from eating the chicken, I think the following would be a good substitute for the marinade. Mix 1 tablespoons ancho chili powder, 1/2 cup chili sauce, 5 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons coffee and the zest of 1 orange.

Taco Soup

Stephen requested this meal after he had it at one of the coaches houses after a game last week. Super easy, kind of like my Pantry Chili but a little more like a soup and less like a chili- if that makes sense? Stephen actually found all the ingredients for the Taco Soup and was going to make it for me... but I kind of took over. Sorry Stephen! It was really good - I give him all the credit :)

1 lb of ground turkey

2 cans of corn

1 can of black beans

1 can of white beans

1 medium size can of hominy

1 large yellow onion

1 can of green chilies

2 cans vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 cup jar jalapenos (we didn't have this but thought it would be a good addition)

Optional ingredients to add when you serve: 

cilantro

Green onion

more yellow onion

cheese 

Seasoning mix (or you can use store bought taco seasoning):

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

Directions: 

• In a large pot, cook turkey and add seasoning mix.
• Add onion and saute until it starts to get tender. 
• Add the vegetable broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to get all of the little bits off- that is all flavor! 
• Dump in all the other ingredients and let it cook about 20 minutes for all of the flavors to join together.
• Serve up and top with your favorite toppings!

Stuffed Acorn Squash Bowls

Went to Avila Barn today with my friend and her 3 &4 year old and my mom. Had a great time on the tractor ride and seeing all the goodies Avila always has to offer. I decided the acorn squash looked so cute, couldn't resist making something with them. This is what I came up with! This dish could also be made into a vegetarian/vegan dish by omitting the chicken and just do all water or veggie stock!

2 Acorn squash *

3 medium shallots

5 cloves of garlic

1 tablespoon cilantro

2 green onions

1/2 cup craisins

1 rotisserie chicken **

juice of 1/2 a fresh lemon

1 cup quinoa

3/2 cup water

1 can chicken broth

1/4 cup roasted and chopped almonds

olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Cut acorn squash in half and remove seeds
• Place in a baking dish and brush olive oil all over the inside and outside, season with salt and pepper. 
• Roast for approximately 30 minutes until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork.
• Chop 
• While squash is cooking, in a pan on the stove add 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute shallots and garlic. 
• Add rotisserie chicken (chopped) and cook for 3 min just to get warm. Add quinoa and let cook for about 2 minutes just to toast the grain. 
• Add 1 can chicken broth and 3/4 cups water. 
• Cover and let cook, stir occasionally with a fork. 
• When quinoa is cooked remove pan from the heat, add 3 cups fresh spinach, cilantro, craisins and green onions. 
• Juice the lemon and mix everything together. 
• Put the quinoa mix in the acorn squash bowls and put the squash bowls back into the oven and cook about 10 more minutes. 
• Remove and sprinkle with almonds.
• Serve!

* This could serve 4 people. Stephen and I each ate 1/2 of an acorn squash.
** You can substitute the chicken for sausage if you want too!

Crock Pot Pesto Chicken

I can't seem to get enough of my pesto. I thought it would be delicious to make it with a protein  so what better than chicken? I made the pesto the night before and then put it in a crock with the chicken and magic definitely happened! You can also just buy store bought pesto and add if you are pressed for time- but really- homemade pesto is SO good and actually very easy.

2 chicken breasts

1 cup pesto sauce

1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 teaspoons dried minced onions

Pesto: 

Roughly 3 cups basil

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (can be vegan or dairy free version)

1/4 cup walnuts

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper 

1 clove garlic

Directions:

• Put your chicken in the crock pot and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried minced onions. 
• Then put all of your pesto ingredients in a blender or food processor (minus the olive oil). 
• Pulse the ingredients until well mixed
• Slowly start to pour the olive oil into the blender or food processor until the pesto has the desired consistency. It should be somewhat liquid but still have some thickness to it. 
• Then add 1 cup of the pesto and the stock to the chicken breasts.
• Cook on low for 6 hours. 
• Shred the chicken in the crock pot and stir, let it sit about 15 minutes or up to an hour on warm. You can also just carefully pull the chicken out whole, but I like that the pesto gets all over every bit when you shred it!
• Serve over rice, pasta or just serve it with a side salad!

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Thank you thank you thank you SLO Veg (an awesome business in SLO County that deliveries fresh produce and veggies right to your door) for this delicious recipe. I replaced the normal butter for vegan butter, but to me it didn't change the flavor at all. It is SO good! I also made some little garlic toast crostini to go with it, you definitely don't have to do that though.

2 tablespoons vegan butter (original called for unsalted butter)

2 tablespoons good olive oil 

4 cups chopped yellow onions (2-3 large) 

2 tablespoons mild curry powder 

5 pounds butternut squash (2 large or 3 medium) 

1 1/2 pounds apples (4 apples) - I used Fuji

2 teaspoons kosher salt 

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

2 cups water 

2 cups good apple cider or juice 

Directions

• Warm the butter, olive oil, onions, and curry powder in a large stockpot uncovered over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the onions are tender. 
• Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot. 
• Peel the squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut the squash into chunks. Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Cut into chunks. 
• Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water to the pot. 
• Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes, until the squash and apples are very soft. 
• Process the soup in a blender. Pour the soup back into the pot. I liked to leave some small chucks in mine.
• Add the apple cider or juice and enough water to make the soup the consistency you like; it should be slightly sweet and quite thick. 
• The original recipe says to drizzle a little bit of heavy cream over the top to make a pretty display- I would LOVE this- but did without :) 
• Check the salt and pepper and serve hot.
• To do the garlic toast crostini, you just drizzle olive oil on a good baguette and put under the broiler until the edges turn brown. Then rub it with a piece of garlic to get it nice and garlicy- then sprinkle a little salt and pepper on it. 

Mexican Lasagna

So this is a recipe, that like chicken enchiladas, I am sure everyone has their own. For this one, I am going to break some of my rules and use some ground turkey meat, but you can most definitely just leave that out and you have yourself a dairy free, sugar free and gluten free Mexican lasagna! If you do leave out the turkey, I would suggest adding an extra can of beans- and quite honestly, this dish doesn't even need the meat! It is delicious, give it a try!

1 lb lean ground turkey breast

1 can black beans

1 can vegetarian re-fried beans 

1 can corn
1/2 red onion, chopped

1/2 bag soy cheese

8 blue corn (or regular corn) tortillas, cut in half

2 green onions, chopped

cilantro, chopped

1 medium jar of your fav enchilada sauce (or 1/2 a large can)

tomatillo sauce (optional)

1 orange pepper, chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
2 tablespoons vegetable stock

Directions

• In a skillet, add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and add onion. Cook until tender.
• Then brown turkey meat in the same pot. Because the turkey breast is so incredibly lean, you likely will not have to drain it. 
• Then when it is browned, add your seasonings, beans, corn, veggie stock, and bell pepper. 
• Mix to incorporate. 
• Cut your tortillas in half so they are easier to assemble. 
• Spray your baking pan and layer 1 layer of tortillas
• Follow with 1/2 of the meat mixture
• Add 1/2 of the enchilada sauce
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Repeat the layers. 
• Bake, covered with aluminum foil, at 375 degrees for approximately 25 minutes. The lasagna should be bubbling. 
• Remove the aluminum and let bake another 5-10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with cilantro and green onions. 
• Serve!

Spicy Garlic Chow Mein

I have been so lame with posting recipes the past few days. I keep forgetting to take pictures, or do a dish that is relatively similar to others so I haven't been posting. Sunday I made this yummmoo chow mein (as I am calling it). It had some heat, garlic and some sweet. Was so good!

Sauce: 

1 tablespoon vegetarian oyster sauce (uses mushrooms rather than oysters)

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (optional- add more for more spice)

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon thyme 

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Chow Mein: 

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 8 oz package of asian rice noodles

1 onion, chopped

1 cup broccoli, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1/2 cup green beans, chopped

1 cup swiss chard, cut in thin pieces

2 pieces of dried seaweed, for garnish

2 green onions, chopped for garnish

Directions:

• Mix all the ingredients of the sauce in a small bowl and set aside. 
• Cook the noodles according to the packaging- drain and rinse with cold water. 
• In a pan, add the coconut oil and all the vegetables. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook about 3 minutes. 
• When the vegetables are starting to cook but are still firm, add the sauce and let it cook with the vegetables about 5-10 minutes. Until the veggies have soaked up some of the sauce, but they are still firm. 
• Then add the noodles and mix, making sure the noodles get covered in the sauce. 
• Plate it up and then sprinkle with green onions and seaweed pieces. 

Green Packed Pasta

Tonight was a night I wish I could have just gone out to dinner. Stephen has been sick the whole week, I had to run a ton of errands after work and I just wanted to be lazy! Luckily I had a TON of greens from farmers' market I needed to use up. This was a dish I literally threw together in about 10 minutes. Was pretty darn good too!

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon vegetable stock

1 cup Swiss chard, chopped

1 cup kale, chopped

1/2 cup spinach, chopped

5 tomatoes, diced very small

1 container of mushrooms, sliced

4 cloves garlic

corn & quinoa pasta

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon dried minced onions

1 teaspoon oregano

Directions

• Boil and drain pasta according to the directions. 
• In a large saute pan, add your olive oil and garlic and let cook about 3 minutes. Then add tomatoes, seasonings, and vegetable stock and let the tomatoes cook about 5 minutes then add mushrooms. 
• Add all the greens and stir to get all of them mixed with the tomato garlic sauce. Then add cooked pasta right to the dish!
• Serve!

Get Better Soup

Stephen was super sick this weekend and asked for me to make him some chicken soup. I had every intention of not eating it, but it smelled SO dang good, I had to :) I think it was worth it though. We are at day 20 of the cleanse and it was still gluten & sugar free. Chicken soup just isn't the same without the chicken! I added a bunch of veggies to make it extra yummy and good for you. I watched my mom for years make this recipe and it was one of my favorites she made. I just added a couple little twists to make it mine. This is a must make soup for someone that isn't feeling very well, thanks mom :)

1 whole chicken, washed and innards removed

large pot of water

2-3 onions, chopped

5 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tablespoon Natures Seasoning

4 carrots, sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

3 red potatoes, diced

2 large leaves kale, chopped

2 baby bok choy, chopped

1 cup split red lentils (my mom always does barley but I was out & got creative)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

2 teaspoons oregano or parsley

Directions

• Put washed chicken in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Let it cook about 40 minutes. Sometimes there will be a foam that forms over the water, skim that off. 
• Add seasonings, onions and red lentils and let cook about 2 hours until chicken is cooked and stock is ready
• Remove chicken and separate the meat from the bones and add the chicken meat back into the broth
• Add the rest of the ingredients and let cook until vegetables are soft but still have a bite to them. 
• Sample the broth and see if it needs more seasonings
• Enjoy!! You can serve it with some noodles if desired. 

Roasted Golden Beets & Swiss Chard with Brussel Sprouts

There are two camps when it comes to Brussels sprouts, the lovers and the haters. I find myself posted up in the lovers camp for sure. I love Brussels, so when I found these little gems at farmers' market on Saturday, I knew I had to have them.  This evening, I stood and looked in my fridge trying to contemplate what I was going to do with them. I ended up LOVING what I came up with. The beets were sweet, Brussels tender and Swiss chard perfect! This is definitely a dish you have to try.

3 large golden beets

1 pint of Brussels sprouts 

10 leaves of Swiss chard

1/4 cup almonds, chopped

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 1/2 cups qunioa

3 cups vegetable stock

1 teaspoon agave

salt and pepper

3 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried minced onions

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. 
• Wash, scrub and peel your beets and chop them into small cubes. Try to make them as uniform as possible and put them in a bowl.
• Mix beets with 1/2 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, minced onions and agave. Mix up so all the beets are covered in the oil mix. 
• Prepare your Brussels. Wash and remove stem and a few of the outer leaves. Chop in 1/2
• Now put your beets on a cookie sheet with sides, lined with aluminum and put in the 425 oven and cook for about 45 minutes. The beets will be soft all the way through and begin to brown on the edges when they are done. 
• I was able to do my quinoa and Brussels at the same time in my cooker. Put 1 1/2 cups qunioa and 3 cups of vegetable stock in a rice cooker. In the steamer attachment, put your Brussels sprouts. Season Brussels with salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. 
• Cook until the qunioa is done, the Brussels will also be done, set aside.
• Now spray a pan lightly with cooking spray and then toast your chopped almonds for 3-5 minutes. 
• Remove from the pan and set aside. 
• Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil to the pan and add chopped Swiss chard. 
• Let Swiss chard cook about 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. 
• Add almonds and cook another 2 minutes. 
• Add steamed Brussels to Swiss chard and mix. 
• Serve it all over your quinoa!

Polenta with Vegetarian Ragu

We had some left over sauce from the quinoa pasta from last night, so I thought it would be good to add to it and kind of re-create the dish! It turned out really great. If you don't have leftover quinoa like I did, you can just add some of the same veggies and tomato paste like I used for it. Below are the ingredients I added.

1 tube of polenta, cut in rounds

1 tablespoon olive oil + more for drizzling on polenta

2 tablespoons soy mozzerella

1/2 head of cauliflower

1-2 carrots

1 pasilla pepper

4 leaves of swiss chard

1 cup kale, chopped

salt and pepper

oregano

 

Directions

• Cut the polenta into rounds and set aside
• Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and saute carrots and cauliflower for about 10 minutes until it starts to get tender
• Add the leftover quinoa pasta sauce
• Add swiss chard, kale and seasonings and cook about 10-15 minutes
• Put polenta on a foiled, then sprayed cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
• Broil on high for 5 minutes until they are cooked and slightly crispy on the edges
• I sprinkled a little soy mozzerella on the polenta when it came out of the oven!
• Serve!

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

We love chili, I only wish I could have some corn bread on this diet. I am sure there is a good recipe out there but I either didn't have all the ingredients or the recipes had other items that were not allowed. This chili was great with some warm blue corn tortillas though :)  You can also try the Roasted Butternut Squash dish :)

1 onion, diced

2 Pasilla peppers, diced

1 jalapeno, minced very small

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 red pepper, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash
1 red potato, diced 

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can red beans, drained and rinsed

1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 can tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock 

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning

2 cups kale, chopped

Directions:

• Put all ingredients (except the kale) into a crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours (or high 4 hours). 
• Put kale in and stir, let it cook about 15 minutes, just to get a little soft. 
• Serve up with some warm blue corn tortillas!
• You could also do this meal on the stove. Just saute all the peppers, onion and garlic. Then add the remaining ingredients and let cook about 25 minutes. Then add the kale and let cook about 5 minutes.