Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
•  2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
•   1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
•  1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
•  3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
•  1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
• 1 cup white quinoa
•  2 cups chicken stock (can use broth) (use vegetarian stock/broth to keep this vegetarian)
•  1 cup frozen corn
•  1 can (15.5 ounces) chili beans in mild sauce
•  1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
•  1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
•  Optional toppings: fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, sour cream, cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron pot over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add in the (peeled and chopped) sweet potatoes.
• Cook until quite tender, around 7-9 minutes. Add in the chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir for 1 minute or until fragrant.
• Thoroughly rinse the quinoa. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the quinoa to the hot skillet, stirring constantly for 30 seconds.
• Return to the heat and add in the stock/broth, the frozen corn, undrained chili beans, black beans and undrained diced tomatoes.
• Stir everything well and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, reduce the heat to medium low and cover the pot.
• Allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. The time will vary, depending on the heat of your stove. For best results, check it every 3-5 minutes and give it a good stir at each check to avoid burning or sticking to the bottom.
• Once the liquid is mostly absorbed, remove from the heat. Season to taste with any additional salt/pepper as needed. I like to add a few tablespoons of lime juice here.
• Add your favorite toppings to individual bowls. We top ours with a good handful of freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese, another squeeze of lime, a good dollop of sour cream and some chopped cilantro. Don't forget the toppings; they add a lot!

 

 

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White Chicken Black Bean Chili

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (I use low sodium)
• 15 ounce can diced tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes
• 4.5 ounce can green chiles
• 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 15 ounce can Great Northern/white beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk (trust me on this one; see note below)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large or 3 medium)
• 8 ounce package cream cheese, light or regular, cut into 6-8 pieces
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• Toppings of choice (fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, diced avocado, sour cream, fresh limes)

Instructions

1. Instant Pot Directions: To the insert of a 6- or 8-quart Instant Pot, add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, green chiles, black beans, white beans, dry milk, chili powder, salt, parsley, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dill, and black pepper. Stir or whisk well to combine.
2. Nestle the chicken and cream cheese cubes into the chili (it's ok if it isn't fully submerged). Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, make sure the valve is set to seal, and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes (select Manual or Pressure Cook and dial up or down to 15; the IP will start on its own).
3. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes then quick release the remaining pressure. Remove the chicken to a cutting board or plate and shred or cut into small pieces. Stir the chili to incorporate the softened, melty cream cheese.
4. Add the corn and shredded chicken back into the Instant Pot; stir to combine and let sit on warm to heat through. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve the chili with toppings of choice!
5. Slow Cooker Directions: To the insert of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker, add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, green chiles, black beans, white beans, dry milk, chili powder, salt, parsley, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dill, and black pepper. Stir or whisk well to combine.
6. Nestle the chicken and cream cheese cubes into the chili (it's ok if it isn't fully submerged). Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
7. Remove the chicken to a cutting board or plate and shred or cut into small pieces. Stir the chili to incorporate the softened, melty cream cheese.
8. Add the corn and shredded chicken back into the slow cooker; stir to combine and let sit on low or high temp to heat through. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve the chili with toppings of choice!

Notes

If you don't want to mess with taking out the chicken and shredding, you can cut the chicken into small pieces before adding to the Instant Pot at the beginning (and probably take a few minutes off the cooking time).
I know it seems odd to use dry milk in a chili recipe, but the dry milk (plus a bunch of the other seasonings like parsley, dill, etc) are meant to replicate packaged dry ranch dressing mix. I never have that on hand, so I wanted a quick homemade substitution.
Chili powder brands vary greatly in spicy heat, so reduce the amount in the recipe if the chili powder you use is spicy and/or you want a milder tasting chili.
Once the corn and chicken is stirred into the chili, it can stay on warm (in the Instant Pot or slow cooker) for several hours before serving.

Tortellini Sausage Soup

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 links Italian sausage (the kind that is uncooked in casings - see note)
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 medium zucchini, grated (no need to peel)
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 8-10 ounce package refrigerated or frozen cheese tortellini

Instructions

1. Remove the casings by slicing down one side of the sausage and peeling the casing back from the sausage. In a large pot, cook the sausage over medium heat until it starts to brown, using a wooden spoon to crumble as it cooks. Add the chopped onion and garlic. Continue cooking until the onions are translucent and the sausage is cooked through. Drain any excess grease, if needed (alternately, if your sausage is extra lean, you may need to add a drizzle of olive oil to keep it from sticking).
2. Stir in the chicken broth, apple cider, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, carrots, oregano, and basil. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in zucchini and parsley simmer for 10-12 minutes. Add the tortellini and cook until tender (usually only a couple of minutes, even when the packages call for 7-9 minutes cooking time, I only cook the tortellini for 4-5 minutes so it doesn't fall apart). Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan, if desired.

Notes

If zucchini isn't in season, you could easily sub chopped spinach or frozen peas here.
Also, if you absolutely can't find apple cider, try apple juice and in a last ditch effort, leave it out (although it does add a delicious hint of unique flavor).
Even in my little town, I have been able to find Italian chicken sausage. It is lean, healthy and delicious. You want to look for sausage that is in a casing and is uncooked.

Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 7 hours

Total Time 7 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 (14-ounce each) cans petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup finely diced celery
• 1 cup finely diced carrots
• 1 cup finely diced onions
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 (4 tablespoons) butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups fat free or regular half-and-half, lightly warmed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Croutons for serving

Instructions

1. In a 5-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, oregano, basil, broth, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours until the vegetables are tender.
2. About 45 minutes before serving, melt the butter over low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is golden, about 3 minutes. The mixture will be crumbly, but that's ok.
3. Whisking constantly, slowly ladle in 1 cup (or a ladleful) of the hot soup from the slow cooker. Whisk until smooth and bubbly. Add another cup or ladleful and stir again until smooth. Add another cup or two and stir until smooth.
4. Stir the creamy, hot mixture back into the slow cooker. Add the Parmesan cheese, half-and-half, salt and pepper, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
5. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes until ready to serve (at this point, you can blend for smoother texture, if desired). Serve with homemade croutons, if desired (and trust me, you'll want to desire it).

Notes

Note: You can use regular diced tomatoes if you don't have or can't find petite diced, but if you have the option, go for the petite diced. The smaller size of the tomatoes meshes better with the finely diced vegetables.

Chicken Tortilla soup

Yield: 6-7 servings

Ingredients

• 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
• 1 medium red or green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds (about 3 medium) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed into 1-inch pieces
• 3 to 4 corn tortillas, chopped (see note)
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, avocados, crispy tortilla strips or chips, and other desired toppings, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Pressure cooker: Using the saute function, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, jalapeño and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
2. Add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, chili powder, oregano, and cumin, chicken, and chopped tortillas. Stir.
3. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.
4. Let the pressure naturally release for 10-15 minutes before using quick release for the remaining pressure.
5. Stir in the corn and lime juice. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with desired toppings.
6. Stovetop: In a 4- or 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onion, garlic, jalapeño and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
7. Add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Stir.
8. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
9. Add the chicken and chopped tortillas; cook for 8-10 minutes more until the chicken is cooked through.
10. Stir in the corn and lime juice. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with desired toppings.
11. Slow Cooker: In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onion, garlic, jalapeño and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker (you can skip this pre-cooking step, but I like to do it since I find that sometimes the onions don't soften all the way when cooking).
12. Add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, chili powder, oregano, cumin, chicken, and chopped tortillas. Stir.
13. Cook for 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 on high. Stir in the corn and lime juice. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with desired toppings.

Notes

Let's talk about those corn tortillas for a second. I like adding the chopped corn tortillas while the soup is cooking - they soften and dissolve a little bit in the soup adding a yummy texture, and they thicken the soup slightly. You don't have to add them if you don't want, or you can substitute them with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of masa harina (I haven't tried it with regular cornmeal, but I'm guessing it would work).

Thai Basil Beef Bowl

Ingredients

Lemongrass Rice

• 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemongrass chopped

Thai Basil Beef

• 2 large carrots cut into matchsticks
• 4 baby bells peppers sliced
• 1 hot red peppers sliced
• 2 green onions chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• Juice of 1 lime plus lime wedges for serving
• 4 cloves garlic minced or grated
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated
• 1 pound lean ground beef may use ground chicken or pork too
• pinch of black pepper
• 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce divided
• 1/3 cup sweet thai chili sauce
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves sliced or chopped, plus extra for serving
• Toasted sesame seeds + chopped roasted peanuts for serving

Instructions

1. To make the rice. Add the coconut milk and water to a medium size pot. Bring to a low boil and then add the rice, sesame oil and lemongrass. Stir to combine, then place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook ten minutes on low and then turn the heat off completely and let the rice sit on the stove, covered for another 15-20 minutes (don't take any peeks inside!). After 15-20 minutes remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork and stir in 1-2 tablespoons chopped peanuts if desired. Note that rice can cook differently for everyone, this is just what works for me.
2. While the rice is cooking, make the beef. Add the carrots, peppers, hot red pepper, green onions fish sauce, honey, lime juice and 2 tablespoons soy sauce to a medium bowl. Toss well and set aside.
3. Heat a large wok or heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and once hot add the garlic and ginger. Cook 15-30 seconds then add the beef. Season the beef with black pepper and brown all over, breaking it up as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Once the beef is browned, add 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup sweet thai chili sauce and 1 cup of fresh basil. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce coats the beef, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup fresh basil.
4. Divide the rice among the bowls, top with equal amounts of beef. Add the carrots + pepper on top of the beef. Garish with chopped peanuts, fresh basil and toasted sesame seeds. EAT!

Mexi Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Peppers

 Serves 4
Adapted from Minimalist Baker
Dana's original version is vegan, but I see that you can take this recipe any direction towards what your family eats. I added a small amount of sour cream and goat cheese to keep the insides creamy and the whole thing not overly dietetic, but you could leave those out to keep it dairy free. You could go with no cheese, or use goat, cheddar or queso fresco (I am sounding ambivalent about the cheese choice, but I think all work here). I have added chopped grilled chicken or prepared carnitas for company. This way you can do a few vegetarian peppers and then add meat for those that prefer it. It's pretty flexible.
The times given below will leave your peppers with some texture. If you prefer yours really soft, add 5 minutes to both roasting times.
3 bell peppers, ribs removed
extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (coconut or avocado work too!)
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb. riced cauliflower (store-bought or from one, medium cauliflower)
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. cumin
1/3 cup prepared salsa
5 green onions, chopped
1.5 cups cooked black beans (roughly a can, drained and rinsed)
1/3 cup sour cream
3/4 cup (about 6 ounces) goat cheese, white cheddar, queso fresco, plus more for serving
avocado, green onion, limes, sour cream, hot sauce, for serving