Quinoa Vegetable Soup

I love the colder months just because it means I can make soup. This is one of my favorites, can be modified to include whatever vegetables you like most, or whatever you have on hand (this is a nice way to use up some produce you have left in your fridge). This recipe calls for white or garbanzo beans, but when I didn't have those on hand I used chicken and it was a great substitute. To make this dish even easier, pour everything into your crockpot, let it cook for a few hours and then enjoy! Just make sure to sauté the vegetables before putting them into the crockpot so they are thoroughly cooked.

   
Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
1-2 cups seasonal vegetables (zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, sweet potatoes, butternut squash)
6 garlic cloves
1 can (28-ounce) diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup quinoa
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 can
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
pepper (to taste) great northern beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup or more fresh kale or spinach with tough ribs removed

Instructions

1. Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, seasonal vegetables and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 1 minute. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often.
3. Pour in the quinoa, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 2 bay leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
4. Cook for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and add the beans and the chopped greens. Continue simmering for 5 minutes or more, until the greens have softened to your liking.
5. Remove the pot from heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt and pepper until the flavors really sing. (You might need up to ½ teaspoon more salt, depending on your vegetable broth and your personal preferences.) Divide into bowls and top with grated Parmesan if you’d like.

Notes: Be sure to cut all vegetables roughly the same size so they cook evenly in the same amount of time. 

Original recipe adapted from this blog. 

Chicken Skillet with Sweet Potatoes, Apples and Brussels Sprouts

This has turned into one of my favorite dishes. It is such a good mesh of flavors and is filling without making you feel heavy.  A big batch makes a great dinner and [possibly] even better leftovers. 

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
3 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered (about 3/4 pound)
2 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 8 ounces)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 apples (I've used Granny Smith and Gala), peeled, cored and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon in large nonstick pan to desire crispness, set aside. Drain excess oil from pan
2. Add the chicken, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes (make sure internal heat reaches 165 degrees). Transfer to cutting board, dice into 1/2 inch cubes. 
3. Reduce skillet heat to medium high. Add Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, onion, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and the onions are beginning to look translucent, about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the apples. Cook until apples tender (about 1-2 minutes). Stir in reserved chicken and bacon. 
5. Serve warm and enjoy!

*Notes: 

1. It is heartier to use chicken, but I have made it without and it is still a great dish. You can use either chicken or bacon for a heartier meal, or omit both to make this dish a side. 
2. For a Whole30 breakfast, just make this dish and add a fried egg!

• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (the bacon will soften somewhat, but the meal is still yummy). Reheat gently in the microwave with a splash of chicken stock to keep it from drying out.

Original recipe found here.

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

This is a lighter version of a traditional lasagna dish, and everyone in our family loves it. Spaghetti squash replaces the usual lasagna noodles, and is layered with ricotta cheese, mozzarella and marinara sauce.

Ingredients:

2 cups marinara sauce
3 cups roasted spaghetti squash*
1 cup part-skim ricotta
6 oz part-skim mozzarella, shredded

*For directions on how to roast spaghetti squash, click here 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Ladle 1 cup marinara sauce on bottom of dish
3. Top with 2 cups of cooked spaghetti squash, spreading evenly
4. Top with 1 cup ricotta, remaining sauce and mozzarella cheese
5. Cover with foil and bake 15-20 minutes (until cheese is melted and edges begin to bubble).
6. Uncover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve immediately and enjoy!


Original recipe found here 

Notes:
1. I usually double this recipe to make a large batch. Everyone gobbles the dish up (especially our toddler) so it's nice to have a lot, and then some for leftovers. I will usually just use an entire spaghetti squash to fill a 9x13 pan (and if the squash is big enough, I'll have enough for an 8x8 pan in addition). I eyeball the amount of sauce and cheese as I layer the ingredients in the pan. That's the beauty of this recipe; it is not exact at all, so it's flexible with amounts used. Pretty hard to mess up, which is a big perk of this meal. Delicious, yet easy. 
2. This dish makes great leftovers, and freezes well for a meal to use on busy days. 

Curried Coconut Chicken

My mom sent me this recipe while I was in college years ago, and I've made a few modifications to the original recipe that has made it one of our favorites, especially during the cold weather months. And best of all, it is the perfect dish to make in the crockpot so it takes hardly any work to make!

Ingredients:

About 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts (can be fresh or frozen)
 1 (14.5 oz) can stewed, diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
3-4 russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 chunks
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS curry powder
1 teaspoon salt + pepper, or to taste
1-2 cups dry rice (I love using jasmine rice since it adds richness and really lovely aroma to the dish, but you can also use brown or white rice)


Directions:

1. Saute the onions and garlic for 4-5 minutes until onions translucent and garlic is fragrant
2. Put all other ingredients into crockpot, stir together so everything is well incorporated
3. Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 5-6 hours.
4. Toward the end of cooking time, prepare your rice in whatever quantity needed to match the amount of curry you made
5. When chicken is tender, shred with two forks and mix. Add additional curry powder or salt/pepper as desired.

*Note: I usually double this recipe so I can have leftovers and/or freeze a few servings for a quick meal! I like the "cook once, eat twice" philosophy when I make meals. It's always nice to make a little more for a ready-to-go homemade meal when you're in a pinch (or when you just don't feel like cooking)

Original recipe found here 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cauliflower

Roasted veggies make a great side for meals and are super easy. Two of my favorites are sweet potatoes and cauliflower. The kids are huge fans and eat them up so fast. Other yummy choices are broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots and other root vegetables. 

Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower
4-5 large sweet potatoes
2 TBS melted coconut oil
2 teaspoons sea salt (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Scrub potatoes with veggies brush (or peel if you don't have one)
3. Chop into large chunks or quarters
4. Wash and cut cauliflower into florets
5. Toss each in 1 TBS melted coconut oil until lightly coated
6. Spread onto baking sheets
7. Sprinkle with sea salt
8. Bake for 20-50 minutes or until slightly browned and tender, flipping halfway through

BBQ Chicken Sandwich

When you need a really simple, easy meal this is a nice go-to. I turn to the trusty slow cooker for some BBQ chicken that comes together without any work and put it into a sandwich (or a salad if you want something lighter). Literally two ingredients for the chicken, and you can put whatever toppings with it that fit your fancy.

Ingredients:

About 2 lbs fresh or frozen chicken breasts
1 18 oz [ish] bottle of BBQ sauce
Bun
Toppings: cabbage, cilantro, pickles, banana peppers, cheese, etc.


Directions:
1. Put chicken into slow cooker.
2. Cover with BBQ
3. Cook on high 3-4 hours, low 4-6 hours (may need to adjust depending on if chicken is fresh or frozen)
4. Shred with fork after cooking time (should be tender and come apart really easily), let sit on low setting or keep warm to soak up the juices until ready to serve.

*If chicken was fresh to begin with, you can put cooked BBQ chicken in a freezer bag and save for a quick meal for later! Super convenient and nice to do since this makes a large amount all at once.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a lightened version of the traditional tortilla soup from a reliable source, the whole30recipes instagram account. I love following them; they have a guest blogger each week who share tons of awesome recipes that give me a needed boost in meal planning and ideas to mix things up. The original recipe can be found at https://therealfoodrds.com/chicken-tortilla-less-soup/

Serves about 8

Ingredients:

2.5 lbs chicken breasts

2 TBS butter or ghee

1 medium onion, diced 

1 red bell pepper, diced 

8 cloves garlic (I use the minced from a jar to save time)

1-2 jalapeños (optional! Remove seeds for less heat)

1 TBS + 1 tsp taco seasoning (or to your taste)

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp sea salt

3-4 cups chicken broth 

1 28-oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes (or diced tomatoes)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Toppings: diced avocado, lime wedges, tortilla strips, sliced radishes or jicama, sour cream (or Greek yogurt for a lighter option) 

Directions: 

1. Place large pot over medium heat. Add butter.

2. When butter is melted, place chicken on top in single layer. Cook 5-7 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes.

3. Move chicken breasts to side (can stack them) and add onions, red bell pepper, jalapeños, taco seasoning, cumin and salt. Stir to combine and cook for about 5 minutes until onion and peppers start to soften. Add garlic and cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. 

4. Add 3 cups chicken broth [not the full 4 cups!] and crushed tomatoes. Bring soup to a boil, cover and reduce heat.

5. Cook 20 minutes until veggies are tender and chicken is cooked all the way through (I used a cooking thermometer to make sure chicken reaches 165 degrees for food safety)

6. Remove chicken to cutting board and shred/cut into small pieces. Return to pot, and add additional chicken broth until you get desired consistency. 

7. Add cilantro and lime juice. 

8 Serve with additional toppings 

Poppyseed Chicken Salad

With warmer weather on the horizon I have been gathering some favorite recipes that are refreshing and satisfying. This poppyseed chicken salad is one of my favourites. It's light but filling, and super easy to make which is a big bonus. As most of my recipes go, adjust amounts according to your preferences and substitute based on what you have on hand.

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breast, cooked and shredded*
1 apple, diced of your choice; we usually choose Gala or Fuji)
1 cup grapes, halved or quartered
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/3 cup raw walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries
2 green onions, diced
1/2 cup Brianna's poppyseed dressing (more or less depending on preference)
Dash of white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Feta cheese
Ciabatta/torta rolls or artisan bread

Directions:
1. Place chicken in slow cooker with enough water to cover about halfway. Cook on low 6-7 hours, high 3-4 hours. You can also boil the chicken in water/broth until tender enough to shred.
2. Prepare ingredients that need to be chopped and diced, add to large bowl.
3. Add shredded chicken, poppyseed dressing, vinegar, salt and pepper to the rest of the ingredients and mix.
4. Let chill until ready to serve. Serve with feta cheese on sliced French/artisan bread or ciabatta/torta rolls

*to make it a super easy and convenient meal, use a rotisserie chicken [shout out to Costco] instead of cooking your own.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

I'm slightly obsessed with butternut squash and love using it in lots of different ways. My dear friend made this soup for us a couple years ago and it has become a staple during the fall/winter months. Like most soups, I like to make a big batch (think double or triple) and have some for dinner that night, some for leftovers within the following days and then freeze some for a speedy meal when needed. You can use a food processor to blend the soup, but an immersion blender works best for a smoother consistency.

Yields about 6 servings 

Ingredients:

2 T butter
2 onions chopped
2 C butternut squash, peeled and diced*
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
3 T flour*
2 t curry powder
Pinch nutmeg
3 C chicken stock
1.5 C milk*
1 orange; grated rind and juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: heavy cream and parsley for serving

Directions: 
1. Saute onions in the butter until soft and flavorful. Add the butternut squash and apple, saute to absorb the butter and develop flavors (about 3 minutes), stirring lightly from time to time
2. Add flour, curry powder and nutmeg, blending with vegetables
3. Add chicken stock, milk, orange rind and juice. Simmer slower for about 15-20 minutes until vegetables are tender
4. Liquidize the solids in food processor or use an immersion blender in the pot 
5. Taste, then add salt and pepper

Optional: Serve with a dollop of cream and sprinkling of parsley

Notes:
1. Substitute almond flour and unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk) to make it Whole30 compliant
2. This soup improves with keeping. Prepare a day or two in advance if time allows. Keep refrigerated. 
3. I like to double this recipe, save some for leftovers and some to freeze for future meals. 

Roasted Veggie and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing

This is a fresh but filling meal you can have for lunch or dinner. Switch up the roasted veggies, greens and dressing. This was combination that turned out well. Just make a big batch of roasted vegetables (here I used butternut squash and cauliflower), put them on top of some greens (spinach, arugula, kale, etc) add some protein and some dressing for a good blend of flavors. 

Ingredients:

1-2 T coconut or olive oil
1 head cauliflower
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 Adeil's chicken + apple sausage links, diced and cooked
1 bunch spinach
homemade lemon tahini dressing (link here)
feta cheese for topping (omit to make it whole30 compliant)

To Roast vegetables:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut and dice vegetables of choice into bit size pieces
3. Toss in 1-2 T of coconut or oil olive (I like coconut oil for a rich flavor)
4. Spread evenly in baking pan, put in oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Toss halfway through for even baking.

To assemble:
1. Just toss the green in a big serving bowl, add vegetables and sausage. Garnish with feta cheese. Add dressing according to preference.

Zesty Chicken Bites

I love these Zesty Chicken Bites from Lexi's Clean Kitchen. I would make a big batch (double or even triple) to save time. If I'm going to make something, I like making a lot of it and having some for a meal that same day, having some for leftovers throughout the week and freezing some for a quick meal when I need it.

These are like a fancy, much tastier and wholesome version of a chicken nugget. They go with everything. I had them with sweet potato wedges, tossed in a salad, or on their own with a yummy dipping sauce. 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. organic boneless chicken breasts
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp water
• 1/2 cup almond meal or almond flour (flax meal makes a great substitution)
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp Himalayan sea salt
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• Optional: 1 tbsp fresh parmesan cheese*

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with tin foil- spray the foil (or grease with oil of choice)

In a bowl, combine almond meal and all spices

In a separate bowl crack 1 egg and add 1/4 tsp water- whisk together well

Cut chicken into bite size pieces

Drop the chicken pieces into the egg and mix until fully covered

Transfer chicken pieces to the spice mixture, coat evenly and place on baking sheet; repeat until all are coated

Bake for 12-15 minutes then flip chicken bites over and cook for another 10-12 minutes until golden and crispy

Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce (I like homemade tomato sauce)

Recipe Notes

-Depending on how many chicken pieces you use, you may need to double the spice mixture.

-Serving depends on how small or large you make the bites. Mine made about 25-30 chicken bites.

*Leave out parmesan cheese for fully dairy-free

Original recipe found here.