Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

This is our favorite hearty chili, that is also healthy and vegetarian friendly. I can’t believe that we haven’t posted it to the site until today.  

Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili

Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Sweet potato, medium-large peeled and diced
  • 1 Red Onion, large dices
  • 2 tbsp Chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Chipotle powder
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 3.5 cups Vegetable stock
  • 1 can Black beans,15 ounce rinsed
  • 1 can Diced Tomatoes, 14.5 ounce
  • 1/2 cup Quinoa, dry
  • 4 tsp Lime juice
  • Suggested garnish include: avocado, cilantro, crema, cheese

Instructions
 

  • Heat a large heavy bottom pot with 1 tbsp oil over medium heat.
  • Add the sweet potato and onion and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onion is softened.
  • Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine.
  • Cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. 
    Cook for 30-40 minutes until the quinoa is fully cooked and the sweet potatoes are soft and the entire mixture is slightly thick like a chili.
  • Add the lime juice and remove the pot from the heat. Season with salt as needed.
  • Garnish with avocado, cilantro, crema, or cheese before serving. 

Notes

Original recipe: https://whatsgabycooking.com/black-bean-sweet-potato-chili/
Keyword Vegetarian
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Category: Main Courses, Side Dish, Soup & Stews, Vegetarian & Vegan | LEAVE A COMMENT

Tomato, Kale, and Quinoa Soup

In an attempt to eat less red meat, we tried to searched for some hearty soups. I was on a kick to find a slow cooker recipe which is how we found this delicious soup.

The first time we made this recipe, we made it exactly to the original. I think we got about 8 or 9 servings out of it. Next time, we’re going to make a few changes. Next time, we’ll wait until half way thru cooking to add the quinoa. it was just a tad bit on the over cooked side to me. We had used a whole medium onion, but the flavor from it was just, meh. Next time, we’ll try sauteing and browning the onion first, to bring out more flavor from it.

Tomato, Kale, and Quinoa Soup

Print Recipe
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Quinoa, uncooked rinsed thoroughly
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 bunch kale stems removed and leaves chopped

Instructions
 

  • Place quinoa, tomatoes, beans, onion, garlic, oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in vegetable broth and 2 cups water until well combined; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours. Stir in kale until wilted.
  • Serve immediately.

Notes

Original recipe: https://damndelicious.net/2016/01/07/slow-cooker-tomato-kale-and-quinoa-soup/
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Category: Main Courses, Soup & Stews | LEAVE A COMMENT

Mississippi Chicken

We loved the Mississippi pot roast a lot, but sometimes it just felt heavy after eating it for a few days (meal prepping).  So we talked about trying the same recipe, but using a different protein. This time we tried it using chicken. We are certainly glad we decided to try it. Because it is really tasty! I imagine that it would also make tasty version of carnitas too, but we’ll save that for another post.

This recipe makes a lot of food, which is the main reason i like it meal prepping. The chicken releases a ton of its own juices which is perfect for that au jus flavor. I like to shred the chicken then let it sit in the juices for a bit before serving so that it can absorb even more flavor.

This recipe is perfect for making a huge chicken sandwich and then dunking it in a cup of au jus. Or throw it all over a scoop of rice, or some low card miracle noodle rice, and it is still a very filling meal. This recipe is super easy and makes a TON of food. There are so many ways to incorporate the chicken into other meals.

Mississippi Chicken

Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 3-4 lbs Chicken
  • 1 package Ranch Dressing mix 1oz, dry
  • 1 package Au Jus gravy mix 1oz, dry
  • 1 stick Butter
  • 5-10 pepperoncini peppers plus a few tablespoons juice
  • Vegetables optional

Instructions
 

  • Add optional veggies to the bottom of the cooker. Carrots, onion, potato, etc...
  • Place chicken in slow cooker
  • Empty packages of dry Ranch dressing and Au Jus dressing on top of the roast.
  • Place stick of butter on top.
  • Place pepperoncini around and on top of the roast.
  • Cook on HIGH for 3-3.5 hours, or on LOW for 6-7 hours.

Notes

Original recipe: https://recipes.giffen.cloud/2018/08/29/mississippi-pot-roast/
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Category: Main Courses, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | LEAVE A COMMENT

Easy Egg Cup Mini Frittatas

I could eat eggs everyday. These egg cups or mini frittata bites are my go to weekly breakfast meal prep. They’re so fast and easy to make, and store very well. By making them in a muffin pan instead of a casserole dish, you have them already portioned and in an almost bite size form. And by making a dozen at once, you have enough for breakfast all work week.

I will literally try to use up whatever leftover stuff from the refrigerate that I can. Got a few mushrooms sauteed them up, throw them in. That half an onion from a couple days ago, saute it too. Asparagus, spinach, avocado, broccoli, cauliflower; dice it up! It’s a great way to have a bit of variety from week to week so its not always the same.

Easy Egg Cups

Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American, Italian, Spanish
Servings 12 muffins

Ingredients
  

  • 10 Eggs
  • Salt to taste
  • 1-2 tbsp Water
  • 1 tbsp Oil

Optional Additions

  • Mushroom
  • Sausage
  • Garlic
  • Salsa
  • Spinach
  • Tofu
  • Cheese
  • Vegetables
  • Onions

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400F
  • Prepare any optional additions to the eggs.
    Saute mushrooms, onions, garlic. Cook any sausage or meat
  • Spray a silicon cupcake tray with cooking spray.
    Divide your additions, and any cheese, into each cupcake cup before adding your egg mixture.
  • Combine the eggs, salt, pepper, water, and oil. Whisk together.
    Can also add other appropriate additions in the eggs mixture.
  • Divide the egg mixture equally into each of the cupcake cups.
  • Place tray in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Category: Breakfast & Brunch | LEAVE A COMMENT

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

This recipe is so simple that I kinda feel bad calling it a recipe. It is literally just two things – chicken & salsa.

You can mix it up by varying the salsa used. The chicken lets out a lot of its own juices, so don’t be afraid to use a salsa that has some kick. Because of all those juices, don’t add the whole jar of salsa, only add up to two cups, no more. Also, the thing to remember about this recipe is that the better the salsa, the better the flavor will be; As it is literally the salsa doing all of the work here.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 1 minute
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs Boneless Chicken
  • 1 container Salsa
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Salt and pepper your chicken to help add flavor.
  • Add the chicken to the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Add at least 2 cups of salsa on top of the chicken.
    Don't add any more than 2 cups, as the chicken produces a lot of its own juices.
  • Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
  • Chicken will become easy to break apart with a fork..
    Shred all of it right in the slow cooker and serve.

Notes

Original recipe: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/2-ingredient-slow-cooker-salsa-chicken-recipe/
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Category: Main Courses, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | LEAVE A COMMENT

Mississippi Pot Roast

 

This was super easy to make. It came out really delicious. We followed the original recipe and wasn’t disappointed. It was tender, flavorful, tons of juices.

The simplicity is what really makes this a great recipe. Dump in the meat, the powdered mixes, then pepperoncini with juice. It is just about fool proof.

Our first try was a 3.77# roast and it took 7 hrs on low. I think next time we will try to half the butter. Traci whipped up some low-carb biscuits to go with this. The combo was pretty amazing! They ended up being a great way to mop up all those tasty meat juices.

Other suggestions that we found suggested to try substituting french onion soup mix, or brown gravy mix. Searing the meat will help with increasing the flavor, but it is an optional step. We have already decided that next time we will be adding a layer of vegetables to the bottom of the pot.

We’ll report back after we give it another go. Meanwhile, here’s the recipe…

Mississippi Pot Roast

Print Recipe
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 3-4 lbs Beef Roast
  • 1 package Ranch Dressing mix 1oz, dry
  • 1 package Au Jus gravy mix 1oz, dry
  • 1 stick Butter
  • 5-10 pepperoncini peppers plus a few tablespoons juice
  • Vegetables optional

Instructions
 

  • Add optional veggies to the bottom of the cooker. Carrots, onion, potato, etc...
  • Place roast in slow cooker
  • Empty packages of dry Ranch dressing and Au Jus dressing on top of the roast.
  • Place stick of butter on top.
  • Place pepperoncini around and on top of the roast.
  • Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours

Notes

Original recipe: https://belleofthekitchen.com/2016/04/13/mississippi-pot-roast/
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Update 1

Okay, we did it again… We made another roast. This time we did 5.651bs. The Wholefoods by us sells the roast in slabs that are -1.71bs., so this time i went for three slabs. It also came out very tasty. We tried a few things different though.

We added lots of vegetables. A bag of baby carrots. A bag of baby potatoes, A box of mushrooms. Totally doing this again next time. We cut the amount of butter used in half. That it was fine. We subbed brown gravy for the au jus. Next time though, we’re going back to using the au jus.

 

Update 2

We tried making it with chicken. What a treat! I think it might even be better then the pot roast. Anyways… this is our Mississippi Chicken recipe.

Category: Main Courses, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot | LEAVE A COMMENT

Low-Carb Biscuits

Traci made these to go with the Mississippi pot roast.

Man… They tasted great and were perfect for soaking up all the delicious meat juices. These would also work great for making breakfast sandwiches as the original recipe mentions.

Just make sure that you use an aluminum free baking powder!

Low-Carb Biscuits

Print Recipe
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 0

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 cups Almond Flour
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder aluminum free
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Sour Cream
  • 4 tbsp Butter melted
  • 1/3 cup Shredded Cheese optional
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400F.
  • Spray your pan. Use a pan that has walls like a brownie or cupcake pan. As these like to spread and flatten some.
  • Combine all of your dry ingredients. Using a fork will help break up some of the clumps in the almond flour.
  • Combine all of your wet ingredients and start mixing.
    Looks like egg drop soup? Keep mixing.
    Looks like you put too much butter in your mashed potatoes? Keep mixing.
  • Pour your wet ingredients into your dry and start mixing. A silicon spoon is great for this. This doesn't take much effort. The almond flour actually absorbs liquid faster than flour.
  • Dump in some cheese and mix it in.
  • Transfer into a greased pan.
    Try to keep the portions even-ish.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes

Notes

Original recipe: https://snapguide.com/guides/make-low-carb-biscuits-keto-diet/
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

Category: Breakfast & Brunch, Side Dish | LEAVE A COMMENT

Sesame Ginger Kale Salad

This is a great lunch or dinner salad. It can get so big that you’ll be tired of chewing at the end of it. lol.

We actually make this pretty often for a great colorful salad to take for lunch at work.  This was definitely influenced by Traci, as kale isn’t always one of my go-to veggies. But being that this salad has so much flavor, I have yet to complain about it.

Sesame Ginger Kale Salad

Print Recipe
Course Salad
Cuisine American, Japanese
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup Soy Aminos
  • 2 tsp Cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup Cooking Oil any nuetral oil, or sub garlic oil and remove garlic below
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 1/4 cup Rice Vinegar
  • 3 tbsp Ginger grated
  • 1 tbsp White Sesame Seeds

Salad

  • 8 leaves Curly Kale roughly chopped
  • 1 cup Carrots shredded, optional
  • 4 Radishes thinly sliced
  • 1 cup Edamame shelled
  • 1 Avocado sliced
  • 2 tsp Sesame Seeds black or white

Instructions
 

  • Whisk together the cornstarch and soy sauce until cornstarch is dissolved. In a small saucepan (or microwave-safe container), combine the mixture with the remaining ingredients for the dressing. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently (or in the microwave in 15 second increments stirring after each increment) until it begins to simmer. Continue heating until vinaigrette thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
  • At least 30 minutes and up to a day before serving, toss kale with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and massage dressing into kale leaves.
  • Toss kale with carrots, radishes, edamame, and avocado.
    Add vinaigrette until it is dressed to your liking. You won't need all of the vinaigrette for this recipe, but it can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 weeks. Sprinkle with extra sesame seeds.

Notes

Original recipe: http://inquiringchef.com/sesame-ginger-kale-salad/
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Category: Healthy & Light, Main Courses, Side Dish | LEAVE A COMMENT

Vietnamese Noodle Soup

I forgot why we decided to make pho, i think we had just wanted something different. Regardless, we were quite happy with how this Vietnamese noodle soup ended up.

Traci found that toasting the spices befre addign them to the broth added so much more flavor to the disk and made it taste more like we stopped someplace and picked up pho to-go.

A great way to make this one lower carb is to sub in shirataki noodles (aka Miracle Noodles) for the vermicelli or rice. You get to to enjoy all that flavorful broth and skip those carbs that kick you out of ketosis.

Vietnamese Noodle Soup

Print Recipe
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 inch Ginger chopped into a few pieces
  • 1 clove Garlic
  • 2 cups Stock chicken, beef, vegetable
  • 1-2 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 1-2 tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 1-2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
  • 1 tsp Sugar or sugar substitute
  • 2 Limes cut into wedges
  • 1 bunch Cilantro or Mint
  • Sriracha sauce optional
  • 1/4 tsp Chinese 5 Spice
  • 1/4 tsp Cardamom
  • 1/4 tsp Coriander
  • 1/4 tsp Fennel Seed
  • 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
  • Vermicelli Noodle or rice
  • Shredded Chicken, cooked or protein of choice

Instructions
 

  • In a pot, add your choice of stock, ginger, and smashed garlic clove and bring it to a simmer over medium heat, ~10minutes.
  • Separate from the stock - Combine the Chinese 5 spce, cardamom, coriander, fennel seed, and ground clove. Toast them in the toaster oven or heat in a pan over med-low heat until they are warmed and fragrant. Then add to the stock.
  • Add the soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce and sugar (start with smaller amount of sugar, add to taste).
  • Add the vermicelli. While it cooks, taste the broth and adjust to your liking. 
  • When the noodles reach al dente, add your shredded chicken, letting it heat through, then take the soup off the stove.
  • Top with a squeeze of lime, some cilantro and mint, and a drizzle of sriracha

Notes

Original recipe: http://3-chairs.com/food/vietnamese-noodle-soup/
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Category: International Cuisine, Main Courses, Soup & Stews | LEAVE A COMMENT

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Who doesn’t love a warm, buttered, homemade biscuit?

The key to this recipe is to freeze the butter. The other crucial part is not over work, or over stimulate the dough.

Southern Buttermilk Biscuits

Who doesn't love a warm biscuit.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 10 Biscuits

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cup All-Purpose Flour, Unbleached plus more for the board
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tbsp Baing Powder Use one with no aluminum
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 6 tbsp Butter, Unsalted Freeze. Grate on cheesegrater
  • 1 cup Buttermilk apprximately

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your over to 450F.
  • Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl, or in the bowl of a food processor.
  • Cut the butter into chucks and cut into the flour until it resembles course meal.
    If using a food processor, just pulse a few times until this consistence is achieved.
  • Add the buttermilk and mix JUST until combined.
  • If it appears on the dry side, add a bit more buttermilk. It should be very wet.
  • Turn the dough out onto a floured board
  • Gentlym gently PAT (do NOT roll with a rolling pin) the dough out until it's about 1/2 inch thick. Fold the dough about 5 times, gently press the dough back down to 1 inch thick.
  • Use a round cutter to cut into rounds
  • You can gently knead the scraps together to make a few morel but they won't be as good as the first ones.
  • Place the biscuits on a cookie sheet.
    -Soft sides: put them down touching each other
    -Crispy sides: put them down about 1 inch apart, these will not rise as high as the biscuits put close together.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes.
    The biscuits will be a beautiful light golden brown on top and bottom.
  • Do Not Over Bake
  • NOTE 1: The key to real biscuits is not in the ingredients, but in the handling of the dough. The dough must be handled as little as possible or you will have tough biscuits.
    A food processor produces superior biscuits, because the ingredients stay colder and there's less chance of over mixing.
    You also must pat the dough out with your hands, lightly.
    Rolling with a rolling pin is a guaranteed way to over stimulate the gluten, resulting in a tougher biscuit. 
  • NOTE 2: You can make these biscuits, cut them, put them on cookie sheets and freeze them for up to a month. When you want fresh biscuits, simply place them frozen on a cookie sheet and bake at 450F for about 20 minutes.

Notes

Original recipe: http://geniuskitchen.com/recipe/southern-buttermilk-biscuits-26110
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Category: Breakfast & Brunch, Side Dish | LEAVE A COMMENT