Homemade Turkey Stock (Bone Broth)

Homemade Turkey (and Chicken) stock has so many health benefits.  Helps fight colds and flu, and tastes amazing.  It also freezes well!  So once you've gotten all the meat you want off of the bones, throw the carcass, and whatever scraps on the plate, and throw them in your crockpot.  Fill the pot with water and turn it on high.  Let it cook for the better part of a day (I let it go overnight).  Drain the liquid through a mesh strainer to separate the bones and meat pieces from the liquid.  Put the liquid in the fridge for 24 hours.  The next day the fat will all float to the top of the stock.  You will need to scrape the fat off the top of the stock.  After you do this, you can pour the stock into freezable containers and freeze.  Or use immediately to make Turkey noodle soup :)

New Blog Post and recipes for before, during and after Thanksgiving!!!

The Holidays are right around the corner.  I love to cook at this time of the year, because all of the flavors I love so much are focused on.   I used to get so carried away with easy-to-make, processed, junk at this time of the year that I would always gain weight and then regret it.  Not this year!!  I am focusing on making most of my dishes completely clean, using fresh, nutritious ingredients.  Sure I will save some room for a few tasty, not so clean treats, but everything in moderation, right?

Now, one small problem I have is that, while Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are at my house this year, everyone still wants my Mom’s traditional food.  I have been warned not to “play around” or “alter” anything that my Mom will be making.  Ok, I get it, its tradition, and it is only one meal.  So I am in charge of breakfast (brunch, since we usually don’t have dinner until 7 p.m.), dessert, a side-dish or two and also the Cranberry sauce, so I still get my hands in here.  And believe me, there will be no can-ring, gelatinous, red load of corn syrup sitting on my table this year!!!!

And of course, my Mom is all about making the food healthier, so since my Mom is the only one in my family to read this blog, I can safely say that I will get my hands on her dishes, as well  J

Most importantly, I am in charge of the leftovers, so that is where I am really going to focus in terms of this blog and the recipes I have for you.  I have tried a few things this week using chicken I had, rather than cooking a whole turkey.  I have a few incredible recipes for leftovers that I will be posting on this blog and the Facebook page.  I am so excited about the Chicken Shepard’s Pie, not only was it delicious, it was a huge hit!!!  .  I also made Quesadillas, Noodle Soup, and tacos.  

Here are the links for each recipe:

Clean Eating Thanksgiving Side Dishes:

Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/brussels-sprouts-au-gratin.html

Cranberry Sauce - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/clean-eating-cranberry-sauce.html

Clean Eating Thanksgiving Brunch Dishes:

Bacon, Cheese and Veggie Frittata - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/bacon-goat-cheese-and-veggie-frittata.html

Sweet Potato Hash - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/sweet-potato-hash.html

Clean Eating Thanksgiving Leftovers:

Chicken Pot Pie/Shepard’s Pie - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/turkey-shepards-pie-thanksgiving.html

Turkey Noodle Soup - http://stefanie165.blogspot.com/2013/11/turkey-noodle-soup.html

I’m running out of time, so I will have to leave you with only these recipes for this blog post, but I am sure I will come up with a few more before Thanksgiving and I will be sure to post.  I also have to let you know about those tacos ;)

Turkey Noodle Soup

A few weeks back I was so sick, and craving a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup.  This was the recipe I used and it was so delicious.  Since I am calling this a leftover recipe, I will be using Turkey.  But note that you can use chicken should you decide to use this recipe at another time.

Turkey Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Quarts of Chicken or Turkey Broth (that would be 2 32oz boxes)

3 or 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 large onion, diced

3 cups cooked turkey

½ pound whole wheat pasta (I used penne)

½ cup grated parmesan

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a Dutch Oven or Stock Pot drizzle the olive oil.  Saute the onions, celery and carrots until tender.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.

Stir in the turkey and the uncooked noodles.  Cover the pot and turn it down to a simmer.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the noodles are tender.  Stir in the parmesan cheese.

Garnish with more parmesan.

This recipe was even better the next day because the starches from the noodles caused it to thicken.  It was like a homestyle noodle dish, without all the heavy cream.

Turkey Shepard's Pie - Thanksgiving Leftover Ideas

This recipe is probably my proudest culinary dish because not only did my Dad and my Nephew like it, they had seconds!!!  (Both never like anything new, or anything creative or anything not what they have always eaten lol)  For them I did cook this in a premade pie crust (though that isn’t clean unless you make your own crust).

I originally made this with chicken, but am posting in the Thanksgiving Leftovers post, so we will use turkey.  But know that you can always substitute with chicken.

You will also want to make extra gravy, which I had included the recipe for below this recipe.

Turkey Shepard’s Pie

Ingredients:

4 oz bacon

1 tbsp butter

1 large or 2 small shallots

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

1 tsp dried thyme

½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp pepper

¼ cup whole wheat flour

2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth

¼ cup heavy cream

3 cups leftover turkey meat, shredded or cut into pieces

1 cup peas

½ cup corn

1 tbsp corn starch

2 tbsp water

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F

In a large saucepan, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Pour the bacon and any cooking juices onto a paper towel-lined pate. Add the butter, shallots, carrots and thyme to the saucepan. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until the carrots are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Increase the heat to high. Add the chicken broth and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes. Add the cooked bacon, heavy cream, turkey, peas, corn, and the remaining salt and pepper. In a small bowl, add the cornstarch and water and stir until mixed.  Add mixture to the pan.  Simmer for 3 minutes until heated through.

Transfer filling to a baking or pie dish.  Top with the mashed potatoes.  Bake for 20 minutes until potatoes are heated through.

For additional gravy:

Add a little butter and 2 tbsp of flour to a small pot.  Stir until mixed over medium heat.  Add 1 ½ cups chicken broth, 2 tbsp heavy cream, a pinch of salt, pepper and thyme.  In a separate, small bowl mix cornstarch and water.  Add mixture to pot and simmer 3 minutes.

Sweet Potato Hash

What I love about this recipe, other than it’s super easy and always a hit with my Dad every time I make it, is that it can be made the night before and cooked the next day J

If you are not familiar with a Frittata, it is basically a crustless quiche, though a quiche is made with heavy cream to give it custard like consistency.  Frittatas are usually cooked on a pan on the stovetop, but I bake mine in the oven.

Sweet Potato Hash

Ingredients:

1 cup diced red pepper

1 cup diced onion

½ tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp olive oil

1 pound sweet potatoes or yams (about 3-4 potatoes, peeled and diced)

4 slices center cut bacon

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook your bacon.  Once cooked, remove bacon from the skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate.  Add the onions and peppers to the pan (using the bacon grease as your cooking fat). 

I like to put my diced potatoes in the microwave for about 3 minutes to soften them a bit before frying, but this is not a required step, it just cuts down on the cooking time.

Add the olive oil and the potatoes to the frying pan.  Add the thyme.  Stir and cover. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally for 15- 20 minutes.

Serve with a slice of Frittata or with a poached egg on top J

Bacon, Goat Cheese and Veggie Frittata

What I love about this recipe, other than it’s super easy and always a hit with my Dad every time I make it, is that it can be made the night before and cooked the next day J

If you are not familiar with a Frittata, it is basically a crustless quiche, though a quiche is made with heavy cream to give it custard like consistency.  Frittatas are usually cooked on a pan on the stovetop, but I bake mine in the oven.

Bacon, Goat Cheese and Veggie Frittata

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped mushrooms

1 cup diced red pepper

1 cup diced onion

½ tsp herbs de Provence

Olive Oil Spray

8 eggs, lightly beaten

1 ½ oz goat cheese crumbles

½ oz parmesan, grated

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F

In a large skillet, cook your bacon.  Once cooked, remove bacon from the skillet and place on a paper towel lined plate.  Add the mushrooms, onions and peppers to the pan (using the bacon grease as your cooking fat). 

Mist a baking dish or pie dish with Olive Oil Spray, and then add the veggie mixture to the dish.  Add the bacon.  Cover the veggies and bacon with the beaten eggs.  Drop in the goat cheese crumbles and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Cook for 25 minutes or until set.  Serve warm or cold.

Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin

Want to get the kids to eat Brussels Sprouts??  Want to get YOURSELF to eat your Brussels Sprouts?? LOL  You can, by adding CHEESE J

I am a huge fan of almond milk, it’s the only milk I drink and use in baking, but I prefer to use whole cow’s milk for this recipe.

Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin

Ingredients:

2 pints of Brussels Sprouts (trimmed and cleaned)

3 tbsp of butter

3 tbsp whole wheat flour

2 cups milk, at room temperature

5 oz of Gruyere cheese, grated (about  1 cup)  (Feel free to substitute whatever cheese you like, I just love Greyure, it’s a French version of Swiss cheese, no holes, and doesn’t smell like feet J )

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook 5 to 7 minutes, until bright green and beginning to soften; drop into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Make the sauce by melting the butter and flour together in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until smooth and bubbling, about 1 minute; slowly whisk in the milk and continue to cook, whisking frequently, until thick and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3/4 of the cheese, and stir until melted and smooth. Season the sauce well with salt and heavily with pepper.

Halve the Brussels sprouts and put them in an even layer in a 2-quart baking dish. Pour the sauce over the sprouts, and evenly top with the remaining cheese. Bake in the center of the oven 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and bubbling on top.

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce

This is going to be almost as easy as using that can-opener, but the rewards are so much greater!!

Clean Eating Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

12 oz bag of fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)

½ cup of honey, maple syrup or agave nectar (I prefer maple syrup)

1 cinnamon stick (this is preferred, but if you can’t find any, use about a tsp of ground cinnamon)

1 Orange (for zest and juice)

½ cup of water

Directions:

Place cranberries, sweetener of your choice, cinnamon stick, and water in pot and turn the stove on (WOW, you are almost done! Lol)  Zest the orange into the pot.  Then cut and squeeze the juice from the orange.  Cook over medium-high heat until boiling.  Once it is brought to a rolling boil, turn the heat down to a simmer.  Stir more frequently towards the end.  The longer it simmers the thicker the sauce, but be sure not to let it burn.  Pay closer attention during the last 15 minutes.

Recipe - Fusilli with Chicken Sauage, Mushrooms and Sugar Snap Peas

I like to plan, try new recipes I find, and make what I know.  But some nights I have stuff in the fridge that I know I need to use before I have to throw it away.  These nights I throw them all in a pot together and hope the flavor profiles complement each other.  The nights they don’t, you don’t hear about them lol.  I usually suffer through an unsatisfying meal, and note to never pair certain foods together.  But sometimes they turn out delicious and that is why I share.  Never be afraid of trying new things.  All of the food in your fridge is edible, and you must like it if you bought it, so it’s only a small risk.  What you make might not be a masterpiece, but it will still be edible.  And on some nights, you might turn out to have made a delicious meal that you never knew you could.

For this recipe, it’s a good use of whole grain pasta and chicken sausage.  I was lucky enough to have spinach and feta chicken sausage that I buy at the Williamstown Farm Market, but sweet or spicy chicken sausage will work just fine!  If you don’t like mushrooms or sugar snap peas, pick 2 veggies you do like and use them.  I just think the earthiness of the mushrooms pairs so well with the sausage, and the crunch of the sugar snap peas goes so well with softer textures of the sausage and pasta. 

This meal can be plated to look elegant, so if you are trying to impress, this meal can do it in no time, since it is a very simple dish.  You do not have to be a chef to make this, you just need a skillet and a pot for pasta J

Fusilli with Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms and Sugar Snap Peas

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken sausage

2 cups dry whole wheat pasta (I prefer fusilli with this dish, but any will do)

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (separated)

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

8 oz sugar snap peas

8 oz mushrooms (I used cremini/baby bellas) chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet, remove sausage from casing and cook until browned.  Add pinch of salt and pepper to sausage.  Start boiling water to make the pasta.  Remove sausage from skillet.  Add second tsbp of olive oil and add mushrooms.  Cook about 5 minutes.  Add sugar snap peas and cook 3 more minutes.  Return sausage to skillet.

Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to the skillet.  Mix everything together and cook for another 3 minutes.  Add 2 tbsp olive oil and the ¼ cup of parmesan and stir.

Eat and enjoy J  (pairs really well with a side salad for a hearty meal)

Nutritional Info:

(Serves 4)

Calories – 428

Fat – 23 (all healthy fats, so don’t look scared!)

Carbs – 34

Fiber – 4

Protein - 23

Recipe - Clean Eating Banana Bread and Pumpkin Bread

I had the day off yesterday, and really just wanted to relax.  But since I am really bad at doing that, I ended up doing some cleaning around the house and making Banana Bread and Pumpkin Bread.  I LOVE Banana Bread, and because the weather is cool now, and feeling like fall, I decided to make the Pumpkin Bread as well.  Most recipes I have tried in the past have been delicious, but full of sugar and vegetable oil.  I wanted to stray away from those.  These are not "Skinny" breads full of artificial sweeteners, but whole food breads that do have fat and calories, but are nutritional fat and calories (unlike the refined sugar based breads).  I replaced the refined sugar with honey, and used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil.  I made these breads so that they would have 8 servings...8 big, thick, filling slices, but you can also slice them thinner (making 10 or 12 slices) and have lower calories and fat.  For me, I will replace a dessert or even breakfast with a slice of this bread (maybe with some fresh fruit) and I am still getting full nutrition for under 300 calories!

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 and 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. ground flaxseed
pinch of sea or kosher salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
2 eggs
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, flaxseed and salt.
In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, beat bananas until smooth.  Add eggs and beat until combined.  Gradually mix in applesauce, honey and oil.
Mix dry ingredients into banana mixture (you would then mix in any nuts or chocolate if desired).
Grease (or misto) a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.  Pour batter into pan and bake for 45-55 minutes.

Nutritional Info (for 10 servings) - Calories - 215 - Fat - 7 - Carbs - 38 - Fiber - 4 - Protein - 4

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:  (Note, if you do not have nutmeg, cloves and ginger, adding the amounts needed and using Pumpkin spice will also do the trick)

1 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 and 1/2 tsps. cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground gloves
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup 100% pure canned pumpkin (I used Trader Joe's Organic)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing owl whisk together the dry ingredients (from the flour down to the salt).  Make a hole in the center of the and add eggs, oil, honey and vanilla.  Stir together thoroughly with a fork, but try not to over mix.  Fold in the pumpkin. 
Grease or misto a loaf pan and pour in the batter.  Bake for 40-50 minutes

Nutritional Info (for 10 servings) - Calories - 234 - Fat - 13 - Carbs - 30, Fiber - 3, Protein - 4

Recipe - Easy Tomato Soup

I love soup.  To me it’s like the perfect meal.  You can add anything you want to it.  It pretty much cooks itself.  And you can make big batches and freeze it.  I have wanted to make a homemade, clean tomato soup for a while, because I knew that would be very filling, but very low calorie, so it could be paired with some bread, or a sandwich, or some Ciabatta bread with Asiago cheese (yum).  So I made this batch in my trusty dutch oven (or you can do this in a soup pot or just a large pot).  You will need either an immersion blender or a regular blender to make this soup.  I hope you like it!

Ingredients –

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 tsp or 2 cloves of minced garlic

10 plum tomatoes

1 tbsp of fresh tarragon leaves or 1 tsp or dried tarragon

4 cups low sodium vegetable broth (chicken broth can also be used)

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp black pepper

Directions –

In your pot heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and garlic, cook about 5 minutes until they begin to soften and brown.  Cut the tomatoes in large chunks and add to the pot.  Add the tarragon.  Sauté tomatoes for 5 minutes.  Add the broth.  Add the seasonings. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Use immersion blender or transfer soup to blender in batches.

For a creamy texture, add 4 oz of cream cheese, or ½ cup of heavy cream.

Nutritional Info (5 servings)    (not including the cream cheese or heavy cream)

Calories – 59

Fat – 3

Carbs – 8

Protein – 0

Fiber - 2

I forgot to grab a picture of the finished product cause I wanted to eat it :)  But this is a pic of before I blended it.

Southwest Crockpot Chicken

This is one of my favorite crockpot recipes.  While it is delicious and hearty, and of course easy (hello, crockpot!), it is also versatile.  I make a batch of this and usually eat it served over some brown rice.  But you can also serve it cold over mixed greens or spinach, with a little Balsamic Dijon Vinaigrette, or serve it warm with some salsa and organic, clean tortilla chips or in a clean wrap.  These are some things to do with it, but I am sure there are plenty more.

This recipe was inspired by Skinnytaste.com’s Chicken Sante Fe, only I tweaked a few things to make it clean.  But definitely check out her site for some terrific figure friendly recipes.

 

Ingredients:

24oz (1 & ½ pounds) boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 15oz can diced tomato, drained (I buy Shoprite brand organic, as that is clean)

1 small can of mild green chilies

1 15oz can organic black beans

8oz of frozen corn

1 and ¾ cups chicken broth

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

Directions:

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot . Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top.  

Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste. Serve over rice or tortillas and your favorite toppings.

Nutritonal Values:
Calories - 162
Fat - 1
Carbs - 14
Protein-23
Fiber - 3

In the picture below, I mixed a tbsp of organic sour cream with homemade salsa and drizzled on top

Almost Clean Irish Stew

‘Twas a cold and rainy night that had me craving an Irish Stew.  I hated Irish Stew when I was a kid, so I never appreciated it (being that my parents are from Ireland, and my Mom would make it often).  But thankfully my taste-buds have changed and I can appreciate the deliciousness!!  This recipe is almost clean because I cannot make a good irish stew without a little Guinness Stout, and of course, beer is not clean.  So if you want the recipe completely clean, you can just omit the 12 oz of beer and add 12 oz more of beef broth.  But I am telling you, you’ll want the beer ;)

Also, I am not sure how traditional it is to put garlic in Irish Stew, but I put garlic in everything, so I did this stew, and it works wonderfully!

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil

1 pound of lean beef stew meat

2 tbsp whole wheat flour

2 onions, chopped large

2 cups sliced mushrooms

6 cloves of minced garlic (or 3 tsp of pre-minced garlic)

1 can (6oz) tomato paste

2 cups beef broth

1 can or bottle of Guinness Stout (not Extra Stout, or it will be a bitter stew)

3 cups baby carrots (or sliced carrots, I prefer baby carrots because they are a little sweeter)

4 baking potatoes, peeled and diced large

1 tbsp corn starch

1 tbsp cold water

Fresh parsley for topping

Directions

Heat oil in a Dutch Oven or Large Pot over medium-high heat.  Coat beef cubes in with flour, shaking off the excess.  Fry beef cubes until browned on all sides and remove from the pot.  Add the onion, mushrooms and garlic to the pot, and cook stirring constantly until onion is tender (about 3 minutes).

Return beef to the pot, and stir in tomato paste, beef broth and beer.  Add the potatoes and carrots, cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.  Mix together the cornstarch and cold water in a separate bowl.  Add mixture to stew and simmer until thickened.  (If stew is not thick enough for you, add another mixture of 1 tbsp cornstarch/1 tbsp cold water).

Recipe - Penne Ala Stef (the clean and almost clean versions)

So I was thinking about this time I used to bartend at an Italian place and I used to have their pasta with Rosa sauce.  I have been craving that so much, but know that it is a very dense, calorie and fat heavy dish.  That made me want to look into a similar tasting sauce that was clean and lighter.  I found a clean version, but it just didn’t taste like what I wanted.  I used rice milk to make it creamy, but it was just very watery.  Because I like to eat clean at a 90/10 lifestyle, I figured I would try the recipe once with heavy cream and again with light cream cheese, since everything else in the recipe is clean.  If you are looking for delicious and more traditional, and not saving on fat and calories, I would go with the heavy cream, as it tastes AMAZING!  If you are trying to cut down on the fat and calories, go with the light cream cheese.  I have posted the nutritional info for both versions, but beware this is not a “diet” meal, but it is delicious and a treat.  The recipe remains the same, regardless of what cream item you use. 

This recipe yields 6 servings if pairing with shrimp or a piece of chicken breast (any protein really), and that is what I have the calorie counts for.  If you would like to make the pasta a main course, you could yield 4 servings.

Ingredients

1 pound Whole Wheat Penne Pasta (1 package)

1 (15 oz) can Organic Tomato Sauce

½ cup heavy cream or ½ block of light cream cheese

½ cups chopped onion

1 tsp minced garlic

½ cup low sodium chicken stock/broth or ½ cup dry white wine (if you prefer)

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp butter

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions (usually 10-12 minutes in salted boiling water)

While the pasta is cooking, add butter and olive oil to large skillet.  Add onions and garlic and sauté about 3 minutes.  Add chicken stock/broth to skillet and cook for about 1-2 minutes.  Add the can of tomato sauce and stir.  Then add your heavy cream or cream cheese and stir until incorporated.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  At this time you can also add some fresh or dried herbs if you would like.  I added fresh parsley and dried basil.

Add drained pasta to skillet and toss with the sauce.   Top with fresh grated parmesan.  Both versions were delicious!  (Nutritional Info Below)

Using Cream Cheese –  (6 servings)

Calories – 370

Fat – 8

Carbs – 63

Protein – 13

Fiber – 8

Using Heavy Cream –

Calories – 519

Fat – 20

Carbs – 68

Protein -13

Fiber - 9

 

Recipe - Balsamic Beef Soup

What is better for fall than a nice, hearty, healthy soup?!?  (That's rhetorical!)

I found this recipe online from the weedemandreap.com and have fallen in love.  There are 9 other fall soup recipes that I am eager to try, and will report back my likings, sharing the recipes of those that were OMGish ;)

Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBS. olive oil, tallow, lard, or butter
2 pounds stew meat
2 TBS. tomato paste
4 TBS. balsamic vinegar
4 c. beef broth
4 c. carrots, sliced
8 potatoes, diced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
TOP with minced parsley
Directions:
1. In a pot over medium heat, saute onion & garlic in oil for about 5-7 minutes or until translucent.
2. Cut stew meat into medium chunks and add to onion & garlic.
3. Cook meat until browned, reduce heat to low and add tomato paste and balsamic vinegar. Cook on low for 10 minutes to allow the liquid to evaporate and the balsamic vinegar to reduce & sweeten.
4. Increase heat to medium-high, and add broth, carrots, potatoes, salt, & pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes & carrots are well cooked.
5. Remove from heat, top with parsley & enjoy!

This yields 8 servings...

Recipe - Roasted Veggie Pasta Salad

This recipe was made on a whim and was so enjoyable hot and cold (leftover for lunch!)

You can roast ant veggies you'd like, but I must say the 3 I used went so well together.

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 cups broccoli florets

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes

1 Vidalia onion, quartered

6-8 oz pasta of your choice

3 tbsp Parmesan cheese

Cherry tomato or pearl size mozzarella balls, optional

Salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 and place veggies in a shallow baking dish or on a cookie sheet.  Toss with olive oil.  Roast for 30 minutes.

While veggies are roasting cook pasta.  When veggies are done transfer to a big bowl, drain pasta and toss with veggies.  Add salt, pepper, cheeses and a little extra olive oil if desired.

Recipe - Chicken meatballs

I love ground beef, particularly extra lean.  But I'm always up for trying new things with ground chicken.  I was really craving meatballs today, so I thought I'd give it a shot!  Ground chicken tends to be much moister than beef, so I decide to omit the breadcrumbs and egg and see how they turned out...very good!

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp dried parsley

2 Tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and make 12 meatballs.  Cook in a shallow baking dish  at 350 for 30 minutes.  Top with your favorite sauce.

Note, ground chicken is difficult to roll, but unlike ground beef it holds its shape, so just lightly form a ball and that's it.

Recipe - Italian Stuffed Peppers

Hello!  So last Thursday I decided to mix a bunch of stuff together and put it into a pepper and eat it.  When I told my sister what I did she said "oh that's stuffed peppers."  We didn't eat stuffed peppers in my house growing up, so I never knew what was in them.  Yes, I had heard of them, even did a recipe for them with quinoa, but I did not know what the exact criteria were for stuffed peppers.  Apparently my subconscious did though, because I found that what I made on Thursday was almost exactly what the traditional stuffed pepper recipe would be.  So no culinary genius here, but nonetheless I am sharing my recipe because it tasted really good.  And I may be helping anyone out there who was as clueless as me when it came to stuffed peppers!

Ingredients -

Olive Oil Misto Spray
4 Bell Peppers (whatever color you would like)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb of extra lean ground beef, grass-fed ground beef, or organic ground beef
2/3 can organic tomato sauce
1 cup brown rice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 cup mozzarella
Salt and pepper

Directions -
Preheat over to 400 degrees.  I slice my peppers in half,  lengthwise and remove seeds.  Spray with olive oil spray and put in the oven for 10 minutes.

While the peppers are in the oven, spray olive oil spray into skillet and saute onions over med-high heat.  Once onions are translucent add beef and brown.  Once beef is browned, add tomato sauce, all spices, salt and pepper, and rice and mix well.

Remove peppers from oven and let cool slightly (enough to handle).  Fill peppers with beef mixture, top with mozzarella cheese and cook in 400 degree overn for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Recipe - Chicken Sausage with potatoes and summer vegetables!

Hey guys, I know I haven't blogged in over a week, but I have been adjusting to an increase in my thyroid medication, and lets just say it was not easy.  I felt horrible!!!  Lethargic, massive headaches.  Didn't feel like cooking (say what???!!!!!????).  But I seem to be on the upswing, so instead of uninspired meals and boring lunches, I got back to the kitchen last night for something tasty.
Many have asked what is in the profile picture on my Facebook page, and this is it.  The recipe was inspired by Skinnytaste.com, and it was basically already a clean dish, so I didn't have to clean it up.  The only think I did differently was my sausage .  I used Al Fresco Chicken Sausage with Red Pepper and Asiago.  While pre-cooked and packaged, the ingredients were all pronouncable and real.  I prefer the taste of this sausage, but if you want to cook your own that is absolutely perfect (some like sweet italian, some like hot italian, I prefer a flavorful mild).

Ingredients:

• 1 lb baby red potatoes, cut in half or quartered
• 2 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• fresh cracked pepper
• 12 oz Al Fresco Red Pepper and Asiago chicken sausage, sliced 1-inch thick
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4-5 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of the knife or 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 orange bell pepper, diced 1-inch squares
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced 1-inch squares 
• 1 red bell pepper, diced 1-inch squares
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary (or other fresh herb such as thyme)
• 2 cups zucchini, 1/2 inch thick and quartered

Directions:
Place oil and potatoes in a large, deep non-stick skillet with a tight fitting lid on high heat; season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. When the skillet gets hot and starts to sizzle, reduce heat to low and cook with a tight lid on for about 20-25 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the potatoes from burning. Remove from heat and let them sit 5 minutes without removing the lid.  Set potatoes aside on a dish.


Add the sausage to the skillet and saute on medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally until browned but not quite cooked through, about 5 minutes. Season chopped vegetables with salt and pepper. Add onions, peppers, garlic and rosemary to the skillet and mix. Continue cooking stirring occasionally until onions and peppers become slightly browned. Add zucchini and cook an additional 5 minutes, mixing as it cooks until cooked through.


Return the potatoes back to the skillet and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper as needed; cover and cook 5 more minutes.

Delicious!!!  It's one of my favorite dishes, because the veggies make it light, but the potatoes are filling.

Super Easy Chicken Recipe

Hey gang, so I had chicken cutlets defrosted, but no idea what to do with them.  I looked in my pantry and found some dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes, which led me to thinking about rehydrating them in chicken stock.  I knew I was making quinoa, so wanted to make the chicken flavorful, so went to my spice rack...oregano and rosemary!  Of course with those seasonings I wanted to also add some garlic.  Wanted the chicken stock to be saucy, so a little whole wheat flour and boom, this came together! 
Mind you, if you don't like sun-dried tomatoes, or have everything else on hand but them, you can still make this.  You can even add whatever veggie you do have on hand, broccoli, onion, mushrooms, you decide.  But it's something different and healthy to do with chicken!

Ingredients -
1 pound chicken cutlets, or chicken breasts pounded out a bit
1/4 cup whole wheat flour (you won't use all over it, but you want to dredge the chicken)
1 and 1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tsp minced garlic (or 2 cloves minced)
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried oregano
12 sundried tomatoes
salt and pepper

Directions -
Put flour, salt and pepper into a quart side ziploc bag.  Add chicken cutlets one at a time and shake until coated.  Use either EVOO or your Olive Oil Sprayer to lightly coat a pan.  Add chicken and cook about 2-3 minutes on each side until browned (if using full breasts, cook a little longer).  Meanwhile add the rosemary, oregano and garlic to 3/4 cup of broth and pour over the chicken.  Add the sun-dried tomatoes (or veggie of your preference) and cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the liquid reduces by half.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup of broth, reduce the heat to med-low, cover and cook another 5-7 minutes.  If the sauce is too thin after 5 min, add 2 tsp of flour and whisk and cook 2 more minutes.

Serve with a grain and veggie!  I put mine over quinoa :)

Super Easy Chicken Fajitas (and easy guacamole)

I love fajitas!!  What's better than Chicken with sauteed onions and peppers in a smoking seasoning?  Adding easy guacamole to it, that's what!!!!  This is a super easy, clean eating meal that the whole family can enjoy.  Feel free to add tortilla shells (I don't because I prefer to just eat the extra filling), also, it's very difficult to find clean eating flour tortillas, but I know Trader Joe's has clean eating corn tortillas.  You can also add toppings like tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, cheese.  Be creative.  For me, I so love the onions and peppers with the guacamole that I don't even add anything else!
The other night I just paired a few Garden of Eatin clean tortilla chips for some crunch and I was full and happy!!

Ingredients -
1 lb chicken breast (fat removed and cut into slices while still raw)
2 tbsp coconut oil (divided)
2 large onions
2 large bell peppers (use whatever color you like, you may notice I never use green, and it's not that they are not as delicious as red or yellow or orange, but green peppers don't like me and I end up burping them for 2 days!)
3 tsp cumin (divided)
dash of garlic powder
dash of onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions -
In a large skillet heat 1 tsbp of coconut oil over med-high heat.  Season your chicken with salt, pepper and 2 tsp of cumin.  Brown chicken until cooked through.  Remove from skillet and set aside.  Add the remaining tbsp of coconut oil.  Add onions and peppers.  Season with salt and pepper and the remaining tsp of cumin, along with some garlic and onion powders.  Reduce heat to medium and cover skillet.  Keep skillet covered for 10-15 minutes depending on how soft you like your veggies (stir occasionally).  Remove cover, add chicken and stir.  Heat for about another 2 minutes and you are done!!

Top with Easy Guacamole
2 ripe avocados, mashed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together!  Remember, this is just an easy version, you can add onions, tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, etc