Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Yum!  This chili is on point.  It's a bit spicy, but not in an overpowering way and it's so hearty you won't even miss the meat.  You get lots of vitamins by using sweet potatoes and it's full of vegetables and beans for protein.  Serve with a side of cornbread and scoop some sour cream (or Greek yogurt) on top.  Of course, if you're vegan, skip the sour cream and enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. cayenne, adjust to taste
2 10 ounce cans  diced tomatoes with chiles, undrained
1 15 ounce can black beans, drained
2 cups vegetable broth
Optional toppings: sour cream (Greek yogurt), shredded cheese

Preparation:
In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat.
Add sweet potato, onion, garlic and bell pepper and saute until onion softens, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano and cayenne, and saute for 1 minute.
Add diced tomatoes, black beans, and broth and stir until combined.
Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender.
Serve with any toppings you wish.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Alida's Kitchen

Fennel and Carrot Soup

This is not normally a recipe I would try on a weeknight, it takes about an hour and a half to complete and though it isn't super labor intensive, it does take time.  Tonight I got home super energized, went grocery shopping, and then changed my menu (this was going to be made on Sunday!) to make this tonight!
This turned out super yummy, I made a few changes to make it more affordable/so I was able to find all the ingredients in my grocery store.  This was more fennel-y than carrot-y, but still was very tasty and definitely was a perfect cool fall night dinner.  I accompanied my dinner with Nightmare Before Christmas and a nice blanket.  Perfect!

Fennel and Carrot Soup

Fennel and Carrot Soup

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large fennel bulb, chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
3 carrots, peeled, chopped
1 small russett potato, peeled, halved
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable if you're vegetarian)
1/4 cup roasted unsalted almonds, chopped
¼ cup plain Greek Yogurt
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

Preparation:
Heat 4 Tbsp. butter in a large heavy pot over medium. Add fennel, onion, carrots, potato, thyme, and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally and reducing heat if needed, until vegetables are soft but not browned and have released their moisture, 40-50 minutes.
Add broth, bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until potato is falling apart, 8–10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Remove bay leaf.
Working in batches, purée in a blender until smooth. Strain into a clean pot; season with salt and pepper.
Mix yogurt and maple syrup in a small bowl. Serve soup topped with maple yogurt and almonds.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

Chickpea Peanutbutter Curry

Fall is here!  It's finally time to start making soups and stews and curries are in the mix too!  If you read my blog a lot, you know that I try to include vegetarian or vegan meals several times a week into our diet.  I always want to make sure that the vegetarian and vegan recipes I pick are filling and not so so full of cheese.  This recipe is both!  The chickpeas and peanut butter add protein and it's vegan so no cheese!  

You can always use another nut butter if you're allergic to peanuts and vegetable stock instead of chicken stock to make to vegan or vegetarian; if you're not, feel free to use chicken stock.  Other great news is that this recipe is gluten free!

Chickpea Peanut Butter Curry

Chickpea Peanut Butter Curry

Ingredients:

1/2 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp coconut oil 

3/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 tsp. ground coriander

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cayenne 

1/2 tsp. tumeric

1/2 tsp. curry powder

3 Tbsp. peanut butter or almond butter

1/2 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup chicken stock (or vegetable stock to make vegan)

1 red pepper, chopped

1 small zucchini, chopped

1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained

1 tsp. salt, or more to taste

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 lime, juiced 

Preparation:

Add oil to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add garlic, onion, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, turmeric, and curry.  

Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Add in the nut butter, coconut milk and stir. Add broth. 

Add the veggies and chickpeas, salt, sugar. 

Mix, cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook for 5 minutes. 

Stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust salt.  

At this point, if you want a thinner curry, add more coconut milk or if you want it thicker, uncover and keep simmering. 

Serve over rice.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Vegan Richa

Zucchini Rollups

Last time I went home my Mom gave me a pound of ground beef so I made meatballs with it and needed something to go with them.  I didn't want pasta because I just made pasta a few days earlier and decided to take advantage of zucchini being in season and made these.  They were much more time intensive than I had intended, but they were delicious!

If you're vegetarian, these would be great with veggie meatballs or some salad and Italian bread.

Zucchini Rollups

Zucchini Rollups

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup ricotta

3/4 cup parmesan, divided (the kind in the green container)

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

4 medium zucchinis, sliced thin, with a vegetable peeler or mandolin 

1 1/2 cup marinara

1 cup shredded mozzarella

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350° and spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and pepper and mix until well combined.

On a clean working surface, lay out four slices of zucchini so that they are slightly overlapping and place a spoonful of the ricotta mixture on top. Roll up and transfer to the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining zucchini and ricotta mixture.

Spoon marinara on top of the zucchini, then sprinkle all over with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and mozzarella.

Bake until the zucchini is tender and the cheese has melted, about 30 minutes.

Let dish rest for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from delish. 

Black Bean Tacos with Corn Salsa

As I was planning out my menu this week, I realized I was meat-heavy, and thought I would give this recipe a whirl, taking advantage of all the yummy summer produce.  As you know, Matt is always weary of a dish without meat, but I didn't think this would be an issue because of the protein-packed black beans.  As an extra incentive, I promised we could walk to Rita's and get water ice after.
These turned out super yummy and definitely fulfilled my taco craving.  They were filling without being too heavy and there's even a little leftover, so I can have tacos for lunch tomorrow!  Yum!
Also, don't mind that the picture is basically entirely avocado, I promise there's some beans and corn in there too!

Black Bean Tacos with Corn Salsa

Black Bean Tacos with Corn Salsa

Ingredients:
5 small round corn tortillas
1 large avocado, sliced into thin strips
Optional garnishes: pickled onions, hot sauce

Bean Filling
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 Tbsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. water
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Corn Salsa
1 cup corn (thawed if using frozen)
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
2 red radishes, sliced into thin strips
1/2 lime, juiced
1/8 tsp, salt
1/4 cup feta

Preparation:
Corn Salad: Place the corn into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the chopped cilantro, radishes, lime juice, and sea salt. Mix well. Stir in feta.  Set the bowl aside to marinate while your prepare the beans.
Black Beans: Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots have softened and turn translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add the cumin and cook for about 30 seconds while stirring. Pour in the beans and water. Stir and cover.   Cook for 5 more minutes, remove from heat and then remove the lid and use the back of a fork to mash up about at least half of the beans. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cover until you’re ready to serve.
To Serve: Spread black beans down the middle of each tortilla. Top the beans with corn salad. Place a slice of avocado in the taco and serve with optional pickled onions or hot sauce.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate

Shakshuka with Feta

So today is Labor Day, but we don't have a grill so shakshuka it is!  This recipe is super healthy, super flavorful, and filling.  Now, usually when I make vegetarian meals I douse it in cheese, but this one only used 3/4 cup of reduced-fat feta (of course you can use regular feta, I honestly couldn't reach the regular at the store... the woes of being 5 feet tall).  I actually also bought a rotisserie chicken because I was really worried this wouldn't be filling enough, but it was after I dunked Italian bread in all the juices.  (You can make your own bread too, but I ran out of time.)
As a side note when this comes out of the oven, don't touch the handle it's super hot.  Yikes.  My hand is is a little sore :(

Shakshuka with Feta

Shakshuka with Feta

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
⅛ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
¾ teaspoon salt, more as needed
¼ teaspoon black pepper, more as needed
3/4 cup feta cheese
4 large eggs
 Chopped cilantro, for serving
Challah, Italian Bread, or Pita, for serving

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
Add onion and red pepper, cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add garlic, cook for about 1 minute.
Add cumin, paprika, and cayenne.  Cook for about 1 minute, stirring.
Add tomatoes, 3/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.
Cook for about 10 more minutes, until mixture thickens.
Stir in feta.
Crack eggs over the top of tomatoes and place in oven.
Cook for 7-10 minutes, or until eggs are set.
Take out of oven and sprinkle with cilantro.
Dip some bread in and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The NY Times

Zucchini Green Chile Enchiladas

Alright, first things first, it's been a really long time since I last posted, but I've been so busy!  I've moved up in the world of teaching to 2nd grade and we start next week!  I also have been crazy busy with my online grad classes AND we just moved into a house!  That we bought!

Of course, my first post back is enchiladas.  If you're an avid reader, you know I love making enchiladas.  (For example, my most popular Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas or my Vegetarian Crockpot Enchiladas).

ANYWAY, these enchiladas are awesome.  Zucchini is the star of these, which is perfect for summer.  It was finally cool enough to turn my oven on and use some fresh summer veggies!  I did add about one chicken breast into my filling, but only because I needed to use it up.  I omitted it in the recipe below, but if you're feeling like you need to add some meat, go right ahead.

Zucchini Green Chile Enchiladas 

Zucchini Green Chile Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 tsp. vegetable oil
2 zucchini, quartered
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chile powder
1.5 cups corn
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 ounce green chile enchilada sauce
8 large flour tortillas
2 cups cheddar jack cheese
1/4 cup cilantro (optional)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350.
Heat vegetable oil in large skillet over medium heat.
Add onion and cook until translucent but still crunchy, about 4 minutes.
Add zucchini, garlic, salt, cumin, and chile powder.  Cook until soft, but still a little crunchy, about 6 minutes.
Add corn and cook for 1 minute.
Meanwhile, line a 9x13 pan with foil.  Add half a cup of enchilada sauce into pan.
Take each tortilla and fill it with about 1/4 cup of zucchini mixture, rolling it as you go.  Place seam-side down in pan.  Repeat until you've filled all your tortillas.
Pour the rest of the sauce on top, spreading it out and making sure the tortillas are covered.  Add cheese and cover with foil.
Bake 10 minutes.
Remove foil and bake another 8 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle on cilantro.
Enjoy!

Roasted Squash and Onions

This recipe could not be easier.  For real.  Got some squash? Got some onions? Great, that's all you need.  Also, it's delcious!  Matt was convinced that it was bad for him because it was so tasty.  "There's really no cheese?  No meat? No butter?"  It was really like that, and then he ate all of it.  This was a great side to my no carb meal with sausage!

Roasted Squash and Onions

Roasted Squash and Onions

Ingredients:
2 medium yellow summer squash, cut in thick strips
1.5 small onions, sliced
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425F.
Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil. Trim the ends of the squash, cut off the slender necks, and slice the necks in half, lengthwise. Then slice each squash into lengthwise slices, about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick. Lay the slices on the cooking sheet in a single layer, or best you can, I had to overlap, but it was fine.
Layer in onions.
Sprinkle with pepper and salt.
Bake for about 15 minutes, until bottoms of squash begin to brown. Flip squash and onions and bake until bottoms of squash are browned, about 15 minutes more. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Susan at Fat Free Vegan

Arugula Salad with Tomatoes

Are you ready for the easiest salad accompaniment ever?  Perfect.  I serve this salad all the time.  My Mom serves this salad all the time.  It goes great with any Italian meal or as a nice summer salad.  I served it tonight with eggplant parmigiana and some homemade bread... delicious!

Arugula Salad with Tomatoes

Arugula Salad with Tomatoes

Ingredients:
6 oz. arugula (1 bag)
1 tomato, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1/2 lemon
parmesan, to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil, more to taste
salt, to taste

Preparation:
Add lemon juice and olive oil in small bowl. Whisk to combine.
Place arugula in large bowl. Sprinkle parmesan on top of arugula, to taste.  Add salt, to taste. Mix well. Add tomatoes on top.
Enjoy!

Maque Choux

Today I made cajun marinated chicken (which I totally forgot to take a picture of... evidence of how fast we ate them... don't worry I'll make it again!) and needed a side dish.  I stumbled on this New Orleans side and decided it would be perfect!  Corn is in season right now and I didn't need to turn on the oven, I was sold!
When I set out to make this, I unfortunately couldn't use my "holy trinity" in this dish (onions, bell peppers, and celery) because I used all my pepper in the Tex Mex Sweet Potato Salad I made the day before.  Whoops!  I doubled the celery, and didn't really miss it, but it would have added a nice sweetness to the dish.  I included it in here for you guys, but if you don't have any pepper, you can double the celery, I promise.

Maque Choux

Maque Choux

Ingredients:
3 ears of corn, kernels cut off
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
1/4 cup celery, finely diced
1/4 cup bell pepper, finely diced
1 cup tomato, finely diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon parsley
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat.
Add the onion, celery and bell pepper, and saute until tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the corn, tomatoes, cream, and parsley and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to puree 1/4 of the corn mixture.
Mix in the green onions, season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Closet Cooking

Tex Mex Sweet Potato Salad

I really needed a side dish for my cilantro lime salmon and this seemed like a perfect solution!  I'm not a huge fan of overly mayonnaise-y potato salads, so I really wanted something that would fill me up without being too much.

This potato salad uses a homemade honey mustard dressing that feels like a nice light solution to mayo.  I halved the dressing recipe for you guys because there was a ton in the bottom of the bowl when I was done.  

This recipe is also very easily made vegan, substitute agave or maple syrup for the honey!

Tex Mex Sweet Potato Salad

Tex Mex Sweet Potato Salad

Ingredients:

about 1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 jumbo), washed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

3 green onions, thinly sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, diced 

1 cup corn (I use frozen that I allowed to thaw)

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, minced

1 Tbsp. honey

1 Tbsp. dijon mustard

1 Tbsp. lime juice

1 Tbsp. oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Add the sweet potatoes in an even, flat layer. Evenly drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and bake for about 40 minutes, or until fork-tender and done. Halfway through baking flip potatoes to ensure even cooking. Baking time will vary, I recommend starting to check at 30 minutes for doneness.

Add the green onions, red pepper, corn, cilantro to a large bowl; set aside.

Add the honey, dijon mustard, lime juice, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper, optional cayenne pepper to a medium bowl, whisk to combine; set aside.

After potatoes are cooked, add them to the bowl with the beans and vegetables, add the sauce, and toss to combine. Taste, check for seasoning balance, make any necessary tweaks, and serve. Potato salad can be served warm, at room temp, or chilled.  

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Averie at Averie Cooks

Skinny Off the Cob Mexican Street Corn

Have you ever had Mexican street corn?  It's very tasty, cheesy, and messy.  However, one thing it is not is healthy.  It's full of mayonnaise and cheese.  This version is lightened up with Greek yogurt and made a little less messy by going off the cob- it's still packed with flavor though!

Do you see all the cheesy gooeyness?  I promise it's good for you!

I served this with Mexican Spice Crusted Salmon for a low carb meal!


Skinny Off the Cob Mexican Street Corn

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. butter (I used Smart Balance)
1 12 oz. package frozen corn
1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup cotija or feta cheese
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
Salt, to taste

Preparation:
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Melt butter.  Once butter is melted, add package of corn.  Saute until cooked through and the liquid is evaporated.
While corn is cooking, combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
Add corn to Greek yogurt mixture.
Combine.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Double Dipped Life

Eggplant Parmigiana

Before I went to the grocery store this week, I decided to check out the farmer's market.  I haven't been down there before, and my friend Hilary was visiting, so I figured we could check it out together!  Among other things, I got a lovely looking eggplant!  When I got home, I found out that mozzarella was on sale this week, so it seemed like fate.  Eggplant Parm!  Of course, I had to call my mom for her recipe. Bonus, this recipe is much healthier than normal eggplant parm because the eggplant is baked instead of fried!  Hooray!

Eggplant Parmigiana

I halved the recipe and Matt ate the whole thing.  Well, actually he ate the whole thing except for two bites.  Trust me, it's super good.

Eggplant Parmigiana 

This picture is my updated picture, because the light was better!  I served it with some arugula salad for a yummy dish! 

Eggplant Parmigiana 

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

2 Tbsp. skim milk

1 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs

1 13/4 -2 lb. eggplant (or 2 1 lb. eggplants)

2 tsp. olive oil

1 jar of your favorite sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used fresh mozzarella that I shredded)

Grated parmesan cheese (I used grated 4 cheese blend that had parmesan, asiago, fontina, and mozzarella)

Pepperoni, optional

Preparation: 

Preheat oven to 375, spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
Meanwhile, lightly beat eggs and milk in shallow bowl. Place the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl.  Dip eggplant in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs and arrange in a single layer on the baking pans.  Lightly spray the eggplant with the cooking spray, season with salt & pepper & spices.  Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for 10 more minutes.
Spoon sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Top with a layer of cooked eggplant, pepperoni (if using), mozzarella cheese,  repeat. Top with mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese.  Bake uncovered until hot and bubbly about 30 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Coleslaw

This is my favorite coleslaw.  It's vegan (plus!) and it's just plain delicious!  I make this all the time in the summer, and this recipe is nice because I often halve the recipe for just Matt and I and then throw the rest of the coleslaw shreds into a stir fry. 

Coleslaw 

Coleslaw

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 bag (or 6 cups) shredded cabbage
1 red pepper, diced
1/3 cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Make the dressing first by combining the mustard, lemon juice, and garlic.  Add the oil a little at a time, whisking continuously until combined.
Add cabbage, pepper, and scallions to a large bowl.  Add the dressing and toss to combine.  Sprinkle with pepper and salt.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour to let flavors mellow and cabbage to soften.
Toss with parsley just before serving.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Christmas Chili

Today I decided to make chili.  I didn't realize all of the vegetables I used were red and green until they were in my crock pot, so I decided to name it Christmas chili.  I combined a couple of recipes into my own for this one.  First, I cooked down some onions, celery, garlic, and green peppers.  Once they were soft, I added ground turkey.

All of my green (and white) vegetables!

While they were cooking, I turned on my crock pot and added one can of chicken broth, two cans of diced tomatoes (with green chiles), and one can of red kidney beans.  After the turkey had cooked most of the way through, I added that and the vegetables to the crock pot as well.  To finish it off, I added a mixture of chili powder, Italian seasoning, cumin, and garlic.  I also added the rest of the tomatillo salsa I made the other day.

Even my crock pot fit the theme!

I cooked the mixture on high for two hours, stirring occasionally.  To serve, I threw some mozzarella cheese on top.  Next time, I will add a little bit more seasoning.  I actually used the seasonings that my mom uses in her white chicken chili recipe, but that has green chiles in it, so it doesn't need as much.  Here's to next time!

Christmas Chili

Christmas Chili

Ingredients:
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (14 oz.) can red kidney beans
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cilantro
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
Toppings: Shredded cheese, sour cream

Preparation:
Add vegetable oil to a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic.  Cook for about 3 minutes, until slightly soft.  Add pepper and celery.  Cook for about 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add ground turkey, cook about 5 minutes, it's okay if it is still a bit pink, you will cook it more in the slow cooker.
Meanwhile, add all other ingredients to slow cooker.  When vegetable and turkey mixture are done, add that to the slow cooker as well.
Cook on high for about 2 hours.
Top with whatever you like.
Enjoy!

Chorizo, Potato, and Pepper Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa

So once again, I cooked Mexican food courtesy of Rick Bayless.  I feel like we always have chicken, so I decided to go the sausage route tonight; the recipe calls for chorizo, however I didn't have any, so I just used Italian sausage.
First, I started making the tomatillo salsa.  It's supposed to be pureed, however remember when I chopped the rubber part on my blender?  Yeah, it's still broken, so I just kind of mushed it together.

Roasting the tomatillos.

Tomatillo Salsa

Next I cooked the sausage, peppers, and onions together in a skillet.  Then I grated some potatoes and added that to the mixture.  After those cooked down, they were ready!

Sausage, peppers, and onions.

The addition of the potatoes!

Chorizo, Potatoe, and Pepper Tacos!

Chorizo, Potato, and Pepper Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa

Ingredients:
12 oz. chorizo (sausage), casings removed
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 medium poblano pepper, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, grated
Salt
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
12 tortillas, warmed
Tomatillo Salsa
4 medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, roughly chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
Salt

Preparation:
Salsa
Set a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and tomatillos, cut side down.  When the tomatillos are well browned, 3-4 minutes, flip.
Scrape the tomatillos and garlic into a blender and let cool to room temperature, about 3 minutes.  Add the jalapeno,  cilantro, and 1/4 cup water.  Blend to a course puree.  Pour into a bowl and add extra water if necessary.  Rinse onion with a strainer and add to the salsa. Season with salt, about 1/2 tsp.
Tacos
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the chorizo, stirring frequently and breaking up the clumps.  Cook until chorizo is half cooked, about 4 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high.  Add the onion and pepper and cook, stirring almost constantly, about 3 minutes.
Sprinkle the grated potatoes over the mixture.  Continue to stir frequently, and cook until the potatoes are soft, about 5 minutes.  Taste and season with salt, if needed.
Scrape mixture into a bowl and add cilantro.  Serve with warm tortillas and salsa.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken

So today I decided to make a healthier choice and use spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti.  I cut the squash in half, sprinkled some salt and pepper on, and roasted them for about 45 minutes.

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

I made the sauce from scratch, just adding random spices that I thought sounded good: garlic, onion flakes, Italian spices, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Next I cooked some chicken with red peppers, onions, and red pepper flakes.

Chicken, red peppers, and onions.

Then I added the chicken concoction to the sauce, let it simmer for a little bit and scooped it on top of the squash.  It turned out great, with a little kick from the red pepper flakes.  Yummy!

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken and Red Sauce

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken

Ingredients: 
1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium spaghetti squash
1 chicken breast, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 (28 oz.) can tomato puree
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp. onion flakes
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350.  Cut spaghetti squash in half and sprinkle inside with salt and pepper.
Roast for about 45 minutes, or until the skin is easily pierced with a fork.
Meanwhile, add tomato puree, garlic, Italian seasoning, onion flakes, and red pepper flakes to a medium saucepan.  Heat on low until spaghetti squash is done.  (The longer it cooks, the better!)
As sauce and squash are just about done, add olive oil to medium frying pan.  When hot, add chicken and peppers.  Flip everything over after about 3 minutes.  Cook until chicken juices run clear.
After spaghetti squash comes out of oven, let cool and use a fork to scrape the squash out of the skin.
Serve the chicken and peppers over the spaghetti squash with sauce over top.
Enjoy!

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Tonight I decided to make a chicken and broccoli casserole recipe I found in Cosmo.  Well, first, I used Smart Balance instead of regular butter to be healthier, but when I mixed in the flour, I don't think there was enough fat to keep it liquid and it formed into weird mushy balls.  Then I had to add the chicken broth without it being mixed correctly, but I guess it was fine.  

My sauce bubbling away!

Right before my casserole went into the oven. 

Everything went fine after that until I was supposed to put the casserole into the broiler.  Now, I don't usually use the broiler, but I decided I would follow the entire recipe this time.  MISTAKE!  The recipe said to put it in for one minute, so after about 30 seconds I started smelling burning and took the casserole out, which was on fire!!  I blew it out but then my fire alarm started going off.  Luckily I had the windows open already so they stopped after a few seconds.  

After I blew out the fire!  All my cracker crumbs and cheese
wasted!  

My previously beautiful crumb topping.

I scraped off all the burnt parts and salvaged the casserole.

The finished product... minus most of the crackers and
cheese.

Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients: 
3 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 shallot, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 cups chicken breast, cooked
1 cup cracker crumbs

Preparation: 
Preheat oven to 325.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and add the flour.  Cook for about two minutes, whisking.
Add the broth, and shallot and increase the heat to bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.
Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice.  Remove from heat, stir in Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup of the parmesan.
Place the broccoli in a greased casserole dish and pour half the sauce on top.  Add the chicken and pour the remaining sauce on top.  Top with cracker crumbs and the remaining cheese.  Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cosmo