One Pot Meals

Whole30 Spring Clam Chowder

March 21, 2018 1 Comment

Whole30 Spring Clam Chowder|www.mannaandspice.com

One of my all time favorite soups is clam chowder. New England clam chowder to be exact. No tomatoes here, thank you very much. I’ve always been a sucker for a a creamy bowl of steaming hot clam chowder with oyster crackers, of course. Who’s on team oyster cracker with me? YASSSS! But, I’m also the weirdo that loves hot soup in summer weather. I’m just a big soup person because I love eating all of my meals in bowls. Everything tastes better when bowls are involved. Who doesn’t love eating butter chicken in a bowl for the most epic meal ever?

Whole30 Spring Clam Chowder|www.mannaandspice.com

So friends, even though we’ve had the first official day of spring and us New Englanders are about to get hit with our fourth snowstorm of March- can we just take a moment to remember spring?- I’m making clam chowder. I’m still making soups like my instant pot creamy tomato soup because we’re still bundled up in all our winter gear. But the thing with this specific clam chowder is that it lends itself to the spring palate. It has all of the richness of clam chowder without the heaviness of cream and butter that clam chowder can have. It’s a lighter fare, while still being true to its origins, in a much better for you sorta way. It’s lightness gives it a craveability factor in the spring!

Whole30 Spring Clam Chowder|www.mannaandspice.com

If you want to have it everyday for a week and not feel the guilt or baggage of a heavy meal, you can. We’ve all been there- I have personally had this chowder on repeat over the last week. We’ve covered all the basics in this clam chowder, and moved away from what can sometimes be a disappointing soup. Add too much cream and it becomes a milky mess with a hint of clams. Add too much flour, and soup becomes too pasty for my liking. And let’s just forget the cardinal sin of overcooking clams! This soups corrects all of the mistakes that can happen with clam chowder, while being easy to throw together. I wish that statement was true about all of things of adulting and life.

Whole30 Spring Clam Chowder|www.mannaandspice.com

This soup has:

√ Indulgence.The richness of a roux thickened soup- a combo of flour and butter- but without all the flour. I simply use potatoes and puree some of them at the end and add a tablespoon of potato starch to thicken even more if I want a thicker soup. Or use cornstarch/arrowroot powder. Your call.

√ Satisfaction.The texture of cream, without using any dairy. Swap out the cream and half and half with a much lighter almond milk and coconut milk combo. I use unflavored nutpods for my coconut nut milk.

√ Convenience. We’re using frozen clams. Because, let’s face it- not everyone can get fresh clams and/or has the time to clean and steam them. This is a weeknight meal here. No epic processes need apply.

√ Forgiveness. If you can’t find frozen clams, you can use canned clams just as easily. If you want to stick to your dairy version, feel free, friend. We are a judgment free zone here. And we use bottled clam juice because see convenience.

√ Whole30/Paleo Friendliness. I cannot count the number of days I eat soup when I stick to a clean, whole30 or paleo situation. And I miss my comfort foods like chowder. This soup is all that and a tray of baked plantain chips. Yumminess galore! Major bonus, my kids love this soup with bread. Mom win. Period.

Whole30 Spring Clam Chowder|www.mannaandspice.com

Whole30 Spring Clam Chowder

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, trimmed and diced
3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 8 oz bottles clam juice
2 cups unsweetened almond milk (regular milk can be used if you’re not doing whole30/paleo)
1 cup full-fat coconut milk or unflavored nutpods (heavy whipping cream can be used if not doing whole30/paleo)
24 oz. frozen clams, thawed, drained and chopped (You can use canned too)
1 tbsp potato starch/arrowroot powder dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water (cornstarch can be used if you’re not doing whole30/paleo)
2–3 tsp salt (or to taste)
pepper to taste
1 tbsp ghee (butter can used if not doing whole30/paleo)

Instructions

Heat ghee in a medium pot, over medium heat. Add onions and saute until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add celery and salt and continue cooking for 3 more minutes, until the veggies start releasing their moisture.
Add pepper, potatoes and clam juice. Cover and reduce to simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully cooked and tender. Remove from heat.
Using a potato masher or immersion blender, puree/mash the soup base until it’s to your desired consistency. I like my soup a little bit chunky so I usually puree half of the soup.
Stir in clams and return soup to a simmer. Add in the potato starch mixed with water. Continue to stir to avoid lumps- you may feel the soup getting thicker. Slowly stir in almond milk and cook until the soup is heated through, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve hot with more black pepper if desired.

Back Pocket Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Soup

February 9, 2018 Leave a Comment

I think I just finally have to say it out loud; we are in the thick of winter (and wool sweaters/socks/snuggies).

January and February feel like the longest months. I’m THAT person. The person who complains and whines about winter all winter long. Because spring feels like it’s taking its sweet time. The limited amount of sunshine, dressing in infinite layers, and the struggle to be productive are all too real and too much for me. I don’t want to adult, I don’t want to leave the warmth of my bed in the mornings. I also don’t look forward to spending my days tearing my house apart, looking for lost gloves, hats, and scarves. I should’ve been smart and started buying said items in bulk because I currently have no less than 10 very sad and lonely gloves, waiting for the other half to be found. Don’t you just hate that?

I DO want one bowl wonders. Like soup. And warm, comforty things.

Bonus points for Instant Pot usage. Yessssss! Because we’re still pretending that snow days mean that we get time off from meal prep too but not really, so we’ll take all the help we can get.

As much of a winter hater as I am, I DO love fresh snow falls. As soon as I hear the weather peeps predict snow, out come all the ingredients for the best, comfort, cozy tomato soup. Because tomato soup+grilled cheese during the cold, winter months is seriously my jam.

I have so many memories tied to tomato soup. When I was little, tomato soup, the one from a can- the one I was so jealous of all other kids who got it on the regular- was the thing to look forward to when any of us were sick. I loved watching my mom pour equal parts water (or milk) and canned tomato soup into a pot and heat it up. And if I was especially lucky that day, I’d get a grilled cheese sandwich. That was me living my best, eating soup from a can, life. I didn’t even mind the metallic taste because I thought it was part of the charm.

Fast-forward to my life now, where my kids wouldn’t even believe me if I told them they can buy soup in a can. Because, at some point, I decided that soup shouldn’t taste watery, metallic, and generic. After having tasted legit tomato bisque, I wanted to recreate it in a clean, fuss-free, dinner is half an hour and I have zero idea what I’m gonna feed myself sorta way. Also-the kids-I can’t forget to feed the kids. So much work!

Enter this ultra-creamy tomato soup. But go ahead and hold the cream for something else, because you don’t need it. In fact this soup is:

√ deliciously creamy, without using any cream (or guilt) so wining healthy eats

√ totally dairy-free and vegan, rejoice all you alternative milk lovers

√ whole30 and paleo friendly, because of course!

√ kid approved, no joke, my kids down this soup like they’ve been starving for weeks

√ 110% pairable with a oeey- goey grilled cheese sandwich, if that’s your jam

Remember how I’m into basic and flavorful these days? Because a good, basic tomato soup should be in everyone’s back pocket, to customize as they please. There are times when I don’t have fire roasted tomatoes (which you should definitely add if you have on hand), so I substitute with regular, canned whole or diced tomatoes. There are also times when you don’t want to dig into your life savings to buy those two stems of basil in the middle of winter and that’s totally okay. Use dried basil, I promise the world will keep moving. You may decide that after having argued with one of your kids about everything under the planet from the time you wake up on a Saturday morning to dinner time, that mommy needs that dose of cream. Go right ahead my friend, I’ll be right here helping you pour, in a non-creepy, guiding you through your iPhone screen sort of way.

And what if you don’t have an Instant Pot? My friend, the stove is still there. We can work through it together, just keep scrolling to the recipe. And once you’ve made your soup, hit instagram and make make my day, by tagging me and showing me that you’ve made this beautiful soup. I love nothing more than seeing you guys making and loving my recipes.

As for me, I’ll be working on bringing you more recipes and sending warm fuzzies your way!

P.S. I won’t tell the kids this soup is packed with veggies, if you won’t!

Basic Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Soup

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Yield: 5 1x

Scale

Ingredients

4–5 large carrots peeled and chopped (about 2–3 cups)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tbsp chopped garlic (I use 3–4 cloves)
2 14.5 oz cans diced fire roasted tomatoes with liquid (Or whole or plain tomatoes, whatever you have on hand)
1 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed and roughly chopped (1 tbsp dried basil)
2–3 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp kosher salt (less if using table salt)
1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

On the high saute function of the Instant Pot, heat olive oil. Add in carrots, onion, celery, and salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until onions begin to soften. Add garlic and continue to cook until garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 more minute.
Add thyme, basil, pepper, and tomato paste and stir to coat veggies.
Add in tomatoes and broth, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to entire nothing is sticking to the liner.
Set the Instant Pot to high manual pressure for 15 minutes, cover with vent on “sealing” and allow to come to pressure. Once done, quick release the pressure.
Puree the soup, using either an immersion blender, food processor, or blender.
Serve hot and with crusty bread/grilled cheese sandwiches/crackers if desired.
STOVETOP DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a large pot, on medium heat. Add in carrots, onion, celery, and salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until onions begin to soften. Add garlic and continue to cook until garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 more minute.
Add thyme, basil, pepper, and tomato paste and stir to coat veggies.
Add in tomatoes and broth, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to entire nothing is sticking to the pot.
Reduce heat to low, cover with lid and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until veggies are completely cooked and soft. Add more broth if the liquid has reduced or if you like a thinner consistency.
Puree the soup, using either an immersion blender, food processor, or blender.
Serve hot and with crusty bread/grilled cheese sandwiches/crackers if desired.

Instant Pot Chicken Meatball+Kale Soup

January 24, 2017 Leave a Comment

2017 has already been a year of firsts for me. I’ve ventured outside my comfort zone in an effort to be more open minded about things I’d written off. Like kale and pressure cookers. And a redoux of the chicken soup I’ve been making for years to turn into a chicken meatball+kale soup. What is even happening in here?

As a college student, I imagined adults in the real world to do things like change out of their pajamas before noon and eat weird looking vegetables like kale. I, on the other hand, was perfectly content with eating things like noodles in a cup, while in my pajamas at 2 PM and writing papers. Noodles in a cup > kale. Until now. After this chicken meatball and kale soup, I’m finally winning this adulting thing. Finally, redemption from the years of showing up at my kids’ school carpool lane with mysterious stains on my shirt and disheveled everything- I’ve turned into a fully fledged adult who eats kale. I’ve even redeemed myself from my irrational phobia of pressure cookers.

When I first got married, we got a pressure cooker as a wedding gift. Within two months, and the first time using it- because why should you ACTUALLY know how to properly operate said gadget?- I tried to open the pressure cooker without releasing the pressure, tugged at the handles and the pressure release valve, and then watched in horror as the pressure came full force and painted a giant yellow circle on my kitchen ceiling. I looked at that yellow stain every single day while The Mister and I lived in that apartment and swore off pressure cookers. Pressure cooking? errrrmmmm, no thanks to that yellow stain redoux. I got by with a little help from the stove, slow cooker, and oven.

P.S. We didn’t get our deposit back for that apartment.

Fast forward to a decade later where I’ve watched the Instant Pot grow in popularity for the last few years and I finally caved and got one on sale a couple of months ago. And then I stared at the box and gave myself a pep talk- I may have had repressed fear and anxiety from the yellow stain incident. Out came the pressure cooker and as my inaugural dish, I made gumbo with 15 minutes of hands-on time. This pressure cooker’s game is strong. I have learned a few things over the two months that I’ve been using the Instant Pot:

The cooking time listed in recipes is how long it takes for the food to cook AFTER coming to pressure. The pressure cooker may take anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes before actually coming to pressure. All of this depends on the amount of liquid in the cooker and how long it takes to heat up. I like to either add hot liquid to speed up the process or keep the pot on the sautee program so the liquid heats up faster and the contents come to pressure faster.
If I’m cooking vegetables, I prefer to do a quick release to stop the vegetables from overcooking. I use this rule for soups or stews with meat and vegetables as well. There should be enough liquid in the soup to keep the meat moist after a quick release.
The Instant Pot, while convenient, is not a replacement for the stove, slow cooker, or oven. I still prefer my roasts slow cooked, like corned beef. They retain so much more flavor from breaking the connective tissue slowly. There are others who swear by it and abandon all their other appliances.
Liquid doesn’t evaporate in the Instant Pot the way it does in a slow cooker or on the stove so if you add 5 cups of broth, you’ll end up with 5 cups of broth at the end. You’ll probably have to add 1-2 cups additional liquid if you follow the recipe stovetop/slow cooker.

If I were to use one word to describe this soup, I would say TENDER.

KALE: Fibrous kale becomes meltingly tender- I’ve decided that this is my favorite way to cook kale. The trick is to remove all stems and chop the kale leaves into bite size pieces so that when the soup cooks, all the fibers break down and the bitterness mellows out too. I used tuscan//lacinato//dinosaur kale for its mellow flavor compared to its counterpart, curly kale because 50 cents a bunch is too good of a deal to say no. You can still use curly kale with the same results. If you like your kale to have a hardier and stronger flavor, you can add it in after the soup cooks too.

CHICKEN MEATBALLS: Let me tell you again, TENDER. TENDER. TENDER. These have to be some of the most tender meatballs I’ve ever had. Can you say TENDER? I used a slight modification of my italian chicken sausage recipe to make the meatballs whole30 compliant. You can also use pre-made italian sausage with the casings removed and rolled into meatballs for a shortcut because life happens and sometimes you have to roll with it. Use a tablespoon and roll the sausage mixture into balls and drop into the broth. I got 32 meatballs.

MIREPOIX: Can we say veggies galore? The combination of chopped onion, celery and carrots is enough to bulk up any soup. Since this soup is a light broth-based soup, I love the addition of extra vegetables. I always have these three ingredients stocked because you can use in so many soups and fillings, like pot pie. You can get these veggies pre-chopped too, if you’re looking to cut down on prep time.

I like to use low-sodium vegetable stock as my soup base because it tends to have sweet undertones which highlights the sweetness of the carrots and meatballs. Chicken stock will have more savory undertones but will work just as well.

I like the addition of a beaten egg at the end, while the soup is simmering on sautee for 2 minutes. It reminds me of egg drop soup and it adds texture and more protein to the soup. You can easily skip this step if eggs aren’t your thang but they’re very much in my top 5 faves like breakfast enchiladas. Feel free to sprinkle grated parm at the end for extra flavor- my kids love it this way!

Instant Pot Chicken Meatball+Kale Soup

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 30 mins
Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1 ½ lbs. ground chicken breast
2 tbsp. arrowroot powder or ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
½ tbsp. dried oregano
½ tbsp. basil
2 tbsp. nutritional yeast or grated Parmesan cheese

For soup:

6 cups low sodium vegetable stock
4 celery stalks, diced
2 medium onions, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 bunch kale, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. thyme
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
½ tsp. crushed red pepper (or to taste)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 eggs, beaten (optional)

Instructions

INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS

MAKE THE SOUP BASE: On the HIGH SAUTEE setting, add olive oil and heat for 1 minute. Add celery, onions, and carrots. Saute for 3 minutes, until vegetables start to become soft. Add garlic, salt, thyme, and red pepper. Add in kale and stir to combine. Add vegetable stock and continue to cook.
MAKE THE MEATBALLS: combine all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix well. Use a tablespoon to measure out meatballs. Wet hands to help create smooth balls and roll chicken mixture into meatballs. Continue to wet hands, if you feel the chicken sticking to your hands. Add chicken to the soup by gently dropping into the cooking soup. Do not stir or the meatballs will break apart.
SET THE INSTANT TO HIGH PRESSURE: Cancel the sautee setting using the cancel/keep warm button. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL PRESSURE and adjust pressure to HIGH. Secure lid on the pot and set to pressure for 15 minutes. Let the pot come to pressure. Once the cooker is finished, do a quick release and return the soup to the saute setting.
ADD EGGS: Slowly drizzle in beaten eggs in a circular motion throughout the pot and cook for 2 minutes or until eggs are set. Turn Instant Pot off. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.

STOVETOP DIRECTIONS

MAKE THE SOUP BASE: Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat Add celery, onions, and carrots. Saute for 5 minutes, until vegetables start to become soft. Add garlic, salt, thyme, and red pepper. Add in kale and stir to combine. Lower heat to low. Add vegetable stock and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
MAKE THE MEATBALLS: combine all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix well. Use a tablespoon to measure out meatballs. Wet hands to help create smooth balls and roll chicken mixture into meatballs. Continue to wet hands, if you feel the chicken sticking to your hands. Add chicken to the soup by gently dropping into the cooking soup. Do not stir or the meatballs will break apart. Cover and simmer for 20 more minutes.
ADD EGGS: Remove lid and slowly drizzle in beaten eggs in a circular motion throughout the pot and cook for 2 minutes or until eggs are set. Remove from heat. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.

SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS

MAKE THE MEATBALLS: combine all ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix well. Use a tablespoon to measure out meatballs. Wet hands to help create smooth balls and roll chicken mixture into meatballs. Continue to wet hands, if you feel the chicken sticking to your hands.
ADD TO SLOW COOKER: Add olive oil, celery, onions, carrots,kale, ,and all the spices into the slow cooker. Cover with vegetable stock. Add in shaped meatballs.
COOK ON HIGH FOR 4 HOURS OR LOW FOR 6 HOURS.
ADD EGGS: Remove lid and slowly drizzle in beaten eggs in a circular motion throughout the pot cover and cook for 30 minutes on high or until eggs are set. Turn off slow cooker.. Serve with grated parmesan if desired.

Autumn Harvest Bowl

October 7, 2016 6 Comments

I have three words for you. autumn. harvest. bowl.

Talk about clean eating. Yes, clean eating is delicious. This salad is cleaning eating; it’s seasonal eating. This salad is autumn in a bowl. It’s leaves changing colors, beginnings of crisp, cool mornings, and pulling out those gorgeous boots you got on clearance last spring and have been dying to rock all summer. It is teeming with creamy, slightly sweet butternut squash; caramelized red onions; tender yet crispy cauliflower; slightly tart dried cranberries; roasted pumpkin seeds; and firm, tangy seasonal apples. There is just so much happening here. The textures, the flavors, the yumminess. It’s almost too much to handle. ALMOST. And Homer J. Simpson, you DO make friends with salad. If it’s this autumn harvest salad.

Speaking of autumn, have you been apple picking yet? This year, like clockwork, we went apple picking. Apple picking is one of my favorite activities in the fall, next to pumpkin picking and I look forward to it all year. In fact, it’s become something of a tradition at our house to go as soon as humanly possible after Labor Day weekend. We come home with a giant loot that we munch on for days/weeks. And then it hits me- we have a whole bushel of apples and munching on them isn’t quite making a dent so then I start incorporating them into recipes. Sure, apple pie sounds great but seriously, with my sugar dragon roaring, I can’t risk eating an entire apple pie by myself because #sugarmakesmyworldgoround. ESPECIALLY with halloween and thanksgiving around the corner (seriously?! It’s OCTOBER already!)

My sugar dragon has been majorly out of control and ever since I got back from summer to fall life, I’ve been feelin’ it. And not in a good way. I’ve been looking for a way to detox and go back to CLEAN eating. Like real, actual clean eating I can be proud of. When I tell people I’m a food blogger, they expect gourmet, fab food but my reality has been either very semi-homemade or shortcut-based cereal eating for dinner. Total slacking happening here which is why you don’t see me post evidence of my slackmanship. So I’ve been experimenting these last few weeks with different ways of eating. I picked up a book at the library a couple of weeks ago, just as I was walking past the bestsellers and happened to pick it up. I’d heard of The Whole30 in passing before and have thought about doing some recipes. As I was reading, I realized that this might be my way out of my sugar addiction. Enter the whole30. It’s like bootcamp for taming my sugar dragon. Also, please note, I wish I was cool enough to have thought of the phrase sugar dragon but I lifted it from the pages of whole30.

The general premise? You eat whole, unprocessed foods for 30 days. Unprocessed meats (with nitrites), veggies, fruit, seafood, seeds and most nuts are supposed to be the foods that provide fuel for your body. What did I cut out of my diet? Grains of all kinds, soy, dairy, processed meats, legumes, gluten, and ALL refined sugar (natural and artificial). Yes, ALL S-U-G-A-R, including maple syrup and honey. Why would someone subject themselves to this horrible torture? Because you’re trying to break the cycle of sugar addiction, which by the way is in everything as I learned. Even sriracha! I now read the labels on every food item before buying it. It’s amazing how much sugar we are unknowingly consuming! It seems so, so, so difficult but it’s all tough love- and tough love is something I desperately need to get back to my real lyfe of self-care. And there are so many possibilities of so many things you CAN have. I haven’t repeated a single dinner, yet. All you have to do is spend some time prepping and then it’s smooth sailing.

I’ve been modifying my recipes to fit into whole30. Like this blast-from-the past italian chicken sausage. I subbed in nutritional yeast and arrowroot flour for the parmesan and breadcrumbs, and all of a sudden it’s whole30 compliant! I’m two weeks into it and I feel great (now). The first couple of days, I felt like I’d been hit by a garbage truck, filled with sugar, on its way out of my driveway, after having collected my lifetime supply of all things sugar. That first night, I was like a crazy person, talking to myself and trying to will myself to not crave sugar or carbs. I’ve noticed a definite change in my skin, as I’m no longer breaking out. Yes, starch and sugar have THAT much of an effect. I’m not exhausted by 5 which means I’m not secretly celebrating when it’s time for the kids to go to bed. Seriously, WHO IS THIS PERSON in my body?! I might even start believing that I’ve got IT together!

Chia seed pudding, minus the honey, has been a lifesaver when I just need a quick meal. The key is in the dates. But wonderful things like autumn harvest salad have made an appearance in my life and I’m not in a hurry to say goodbye. One of the best things about this bowl is that is so versatile to change and adaptable to different ingredients. It doesn’t have to be an exclusive whole30 kinda thang. But don’t skip the cauliflower, roasted squash and apples. Add but don’t take away. If you don’t have butternut squash, feel free to sub in sugar pumpkin, kuri or acorn squash, or even delecta. This is a fall friendly bowl so give it some autumn produce love. The creaminess from the squash is a great stand-in for creamy cheeses like goat or feta. The key to drawing out the natural sugars and perfect caramelization? High heat roasting.

Cauliflower is a very understated vegetable. It is deceptively delicious and a more nutritious sub for potatoes in roasted garlic cauliflower mash or can take on a whole new flavor profile in roasted red pepper and cauliflower spaghetti. In the autumn harvest bowl, cauliflower takes on the rightful role as as the ‘bulk’ food, especially after it hangs out in the oven with red onion and draws out the subtle sweetness.

Growing up, I DESPISED apples. I would eat other fruit but if you gave me an apple, I would cry. But now, apples > candy. When I had (adult) braces, I lamented biting into a whole apple instead of having to pre-plan and cut into slices. The first week I got my braces off, I ate a million apples. I was like a kid in a candy store, filled and abandoned. It was then that I discovered a world beyond red delicious. Tart and crisp galas, soft golden delicious, and ohmygosh honeycrisp, the apple every appleseed dreams of becoming. The apples in this bowl have impressive showmanship. They add a burst of natural flavor, crisp texture, and offset the sweet creaminess of the squash.

Then we build onto the bowl and this is where it gets fun and creative. Toasted pumpkin seeds add additional crunch to cut through the creamy goodness. Friends, you must toast the pumpkin seeds. You must, you must, you must- untoasted pumpkin seeds are criminal. Start telling yourself, it doesn’t take long and the payoff will make you feel like a baws. For whole30 compliant cranberries, make sure you get cranberries sweetened with apple juice, because dried cranberries, in the normal form, are little sugar bombs. I prefer the apple juice sweetened cranberries because they’re not so sugary sweet and have an unapologetic tang. Some juicy, plump golden raisins would be great as an alternative to the cranberries too!

Friends, the dressing is a very basic, four ingredient dressing I’ve been making for years. It’s foolproof but really brings the bowl together. At this point, if you’re looking for even more bulk, diced grilled chicken is a classic addition. I added grilled chicken to mine for leftovers and I didn’t even end up going back to seconds. That’s how filling it was. I think some citrusy shrimp would be great here too. So go ahead, personalize and make this the dish that makes you friends.

Autumn Harvest Bowl

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 medium butternut squash, peeled diced (4–5 cups)
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets (5 cups)
1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3–4 medium apples, cored and diced
1/3 dried cranberries (sweetened with apple juice)
1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tbsp divided
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
A handful of chopped parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Toss butternut squash with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Spread out on baking sheet in a single layer.
Toss onions and cauliflower with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1 tbsp olive oil. Spread out on baking sheet in a single layer.
Roast vegetables in oven for 15-20 minutes, until squash becomes soft and cauliflower starts browning. Flip with spatula and roast for 5 more minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting, place pumpkin seeds in a dry and toast over high heat, until the seeds become light golden brown. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine lemon juice and remaining salt and pepper. Whisk rigorously with a wire whisk and slowly drizzle in remaining olive oil. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine squash, onions, cauliflower, apples, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and parsley. Drizzle in dressing and gently toss with a spoon until well coated.
*Add grilled chicken if desired*

Chicken Tamale Pie

March 16, 2016 1 Comment

Let’s go over this. Sweet, soft cornbread + shredded chicken in fiery sauce+lots of CHEESE= delicious dinner is served ?.

THE END.

I’m just kidding. But seriously, you have to try this comfort tex-mex classic: chicken tamale pie. Because sometimes, I just don’t wanna deal with making a full meal and would rather just do a one-dish wonder with a simple salad.

Confession time: I’m really not into casserole-y type dishes that call for “a can of cream of x soup” and “a can of x vegetables”. *gasp* I’m just not; they’re bland and full of unnecessary fat, and lack texture. I’d rather just eat a giant bowl of ice cream because priorities, man. Priorities. ?

But I get why casseroles exist. Casseroles are a quick way to put a meal on the table while stretching the buck. And casseroles usually have a component of a protein and sides built into one single dish. That’s a win for busy people everywhere; especially when your 5-year-old is whining because she’s hungry even though minutes before she said she was too full to finish her third snack of the afternoon. AFTER you warned her that she wouldn’t get anything else until dinner-time. And your 3-year-old is walking about growling at and terrorizing the toddler who is taking a break from unfolding the previously folded and sorted laundry for the fifth time in an hour, to rip the pages out of your 8-year-old’s overdue library book. Who is in turn screaming at the top of her lungs to get her brother’s attention. Because that’s efficiency right there. And then there is me. I just want them all to be quiet. For like 3 entire minutes so I can pretend to have some sort of order in my chaotic world.

On days like these, I ~~want~~ desperately need a quick dinner, ya’ know, before my entire house comes crashing down. I usually go for things like this 20-minute classic, or these sammies, The chicken tamale pie fits the bill, where I can just assemble a few ingredients and pop it in the oven.

I made my cornbread from scratch, and used homemade enchilada sauce but you can use canned enchilada sauce, cornbread mix, and pre-cooked chicken to make this an even faster meal. Did I mention that I cut back on the fat and calories by replacing butter traditionally found in cornbread with fat-free greek yogurt? And I slow cooked my chicken in the crockpot for lunch earlier that day, so I didn’t have to make additional chicken. The chicken was fall-apart tender; I barely had to shred it myself. The best part is, you can use ANY leftover chicken like I did with my leftover lunch. I had some roasted poblano peppers to use as well so I mixed them in with the chicken; you can replace the peppers with canned green chiles, mild or hot, depending on your preference.

Let’s talk layers. The cornbread forms the bottom layer, or the crust of the tamale pie. The addition of whole kernels of corn give the crust a more varied texture, with bursts of savory and sweet. And this is key: using the back of a wooden spoon, poke holes into the cornbread. These holes allow the enchilada sauce to seep into the cornbread and flavor it even more. Then comes the layer of shredded chicken mixed with enchilada sauce, and finally the cheese. Oh the cheese! I only had cheddar in my fridge but you can use any blend of cheese you want. I’ll probably use a combination of pepper jack and colby next time. Then it bakes again, until the cheese is melty.

And with that, dinner is done!

Chicken Tamale Pie

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Yield: 8 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 lb cooked shredded chicken breast (recipe follows)
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tbsp baking soda
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup 0% fat greek yogurt
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup shredded cheese of choice (like a mexican, pepperjack, colby, etc.)
2 cups enchilada sauce (or canned enchilada sauce)
1 small can diced green chiles, drained or roasted poblano peppers
slow cooker chicken:
1 lb chicken breast
1/4 tsp garlic
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt

Instructions

COOK THE CHICKEN: combine chicken with spices and cook in slow cooker on high for 2-3 hours, until fully cooked. Shred with two forks and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-10-inch pie pan or cast iron skillet and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk, oil, and greek yogurt. Stir in corn.
Slowly stir in wet ingredients to dry ingredients, just until mixed. Do not overmix.
Pour cornbread mixture into greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden brown. The cornbread will be a little wet even when fully cooked.
While the cornbread is baking, combine shredded chicken with1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce and green chilies.
Remove cornbread from the oven. With the back of a wooden spoon, poke holes all over corn bread. Spread remaining enchilada sauce onto the cornbread. Spread the chicken and sauce mixture on top of the cornbread. Top with cheese.
Bake for 10-15 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef

March 9, 2016 3 Comments

Every year, for St. Patrick’s Day, I make corned beef and cabbage. Or corned beef hash. Or some variation of corned beef. Why? Because it brings back memories for The Mister. Somewhere down the line, my kids are part Irish and to commemorate a little bit of that heritage, my mother-in-law always sends the kids something green they can wear to school on St. Patrick’s Day. Ya’ know to avoid those pinches from their fellow classmates. And in the process, I learned that The Mister also grew up eating corned beef and cabbage on/around St. Patrick’s Day. With what started off as a culinary challenge and effort to recreate a part of my kids’ heritage has now become an adapted tradition in our house.

That being said, I have never been a big fan of deli meat. If given a choice between a home roasted meat over a deli purchased one, I will always choose the former. When I first had corned beef, I didn’t understand why it was such a big deal. Then I made corned beef, the whole thing, from start to finish IN MY KITCHEN, and my entire world shifted. I strongly believe that homemade corned beef is THE reason I own a slower cooker, or two…or five. No joke guys, I actually do own five slow cookers because gluttony is a real thing.

Corned beef, when made in a slow cooker is fall-apart tender, moist, rich from braising in its own juices, and hearty. Served on a bed of cabbage and carrot noodles, which cook in the meaty broth, is truly the ultimate comfort, one pot meal that’s ready for you at the end of the day, without having to scramble. It’s also low carb without feeling like you’re missing the starch and gluten-free.

And the options with leftover corned beef. OHMYGOD the options! I would make corned beef JUST to use the leftovers. In fact, I have made corned for the leftovers; corned beef hash, ruben sandwiches, omelettes, corned beef and cabbage soup, corned beef pot pie, corned beef by itself… I could seriously keep going all day with the list.

When I first started making corned beef, and one of those times I took it to a potluck, people looked at me in disbelief. I mean corned beef is supposed to be a deli thing (read: impossible to make at home), amIright? A part of me wanted to let them think I labored for days on end to make this piece of deliciousness but I guess the secret’s out now.

The thing with corned beef is that, at first thought, it seems intimidating but all it requires is some planning, prep work, and patience. Don’t let the list of spices intimidate you; you’re not doing anything with them except bruising them a little bit and throwing them in the brine. The brine is what does the hard work.

The brisket, trimmed and lean, is the blank canvas with which to ~~paint~~ cook this perfection. I didn’t take pictures of brisket beforehand because apparently I was in a hurry to get this party started. The brisket soaks in a brine for about a week filled with all sorts of wonderful smelling spices and herbs to help breakdown the muscles and connective tissue so that the meat becomes very tender and flavorful once cooked.

If you’ve never brined before, you should start. I always brine, especially my thanksgiving turkey and whole chickens when I roast them. And then I eat this yummy mac and cheese. I’ve also made this grilled mac and cheese sandwich with leftover corned beef. Trust me. Just trust me when I tell you that grilled mac and cheese is the food of superheroes. And me.

If you’re still unsure about doing your own brine, that’s okay. Ease yourself into it. Lots of stores sell brisket that’s been brined and comes with its own packet of pickling spices. If you go this route, simply add the spice packet to the rest of your ingredients in the slow cooker at the beginning. I know Trader Joe’s is on that list. A trip to TJ’s=winning!

Now, the prague powder or curing salt. It’s what gives the corned beef its unmistakable pinkish hue. Some people don’t like using it, which is fine; it won’t alter the end result. Just remember, if you skip the prague powder, your corned beef will end up looking more brown/greyish than the pink that corned beef is notorious for. I got mine on amazon.

Finally, I used my spiralizer to make cabbage and carrot “noodles”. Because for some reason, my kids love veggie noodles more than the actual thing. I’m not complaining and using the spiralizer is so much fun that I jump at every chance to use it. You can also cut the cabbage into wedges and chop the carrots into smaller pieces. Just throw them into the slow cooker at the beginning and serve with the corned beef. Dress with a little bit of mustard and you will have perfection on a fork (or your fingers).

Slow Cooker Corned Beef

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 20 mins
Yield: 8-10 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 6 lb lean beef brisket
5 cups hot water
1/2 medium head green cabbage, thinly sliced
3 medium carrots, cut into thirds
4 medium carrots, spiralized (optional)
2 ribs celery, cut into thirds
1 onion, peeled and quartered
for the brine:
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
5–6 bay leaves
10–12 pods cardamom, lightly crushed
8 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
2 tbsp juniper berries, lightly crushed
2 tbsp whole coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorn, lightly crushed
2 tbsp allspice berries, lightly crushed
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsp prague powder
1 gallon warm water

Instructions

MAKE THE BRINE: In a large bowl or pot, dissolve kosher salt and sugar in water. Add in all remaining spices and stir to mix together. Pour brine into a large pot or a brining bag and submerge brisket completely, adding more water if necessary. Refrigerate and let brine for a minimum of five days and up to ten days, checking on it daily and adding more water if necessary.
PREPARE BRISKET FOR SLOW COOKER: remove brisket from brine and wash off brine completely. Place in slow cooker, add onions, carrots, and celery. Carefully pour hot water to cover the brisket. Don’t worry if the water doesn’t cover the entire brisket. Set on low for 8 hours.
During the last hour of cooking, remove brisket carefully using tongs, and remove cooked carrots and celery. Add in sliced cabbage and spiralized carrots, if using, into the broth. Place brisket back on top and continue cooking for one hour.
Remove from slow cooker and let rest for five minutes. Carve into slices, going against the grain. Serve with brown mustard and drained cabbage and carrot noodles if desired.

Skinny One-Pot Chicken with Tomato Cream Sauce

February 2, 2016 1 Comment

Do you ever have those moments where you you find yourself alone and realize that the house is so quiet that you can hear the water dispenser refilling in the fridge? Okay, that NEVER happens to me. EVER. And tonight it happened for the first time in who knows how long. So I pulled out my laptop and decided, I couldn’t wait to post about my dinner tonight. I was that eager to share my recipe for my too-good-to-be-true one-pot chicken with tomato cream sauce. So out comes the 90s tunage, as I reminisce my teenage years and break that silence in my house. Hey, don’t judge. 90s music=best music to work to. This is what happens when I eat deliciousness for dinner!

So what if I told you that this indulgent, creamy, rich, one-pot chicken with tomato cream sauce is actually made with zero cream and very little fat? You’d stare at me like I was crazy or like I’m lying. Crazy, maybe. But lying, not at all. It’s 100% true. This chicken dish is made with a healthier alternative to the traditional heavy cream and fat you see in these sorts of dishes: cream cheese and the tinsiest bit of buttah. Butter is not bad for you guys; just be mindful of the portions- it took me a long time to not feel guilty for cooking with butter. The best part is, this skinny version doesn’t compromise, not even the teeniest bit, of flavor. In fact, it’s explosive in flavor and oh so filling and loaded with good-for-you veggies like tons of meaty mushrooms, two different kinds in fact, and leafy baby spinach.

It starts with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. And mind you, I’m a chicken breast kinda gal. I rarely ever cook with dark meat because I don’t like the taste and yet I found myself staring at the accidentally purchased boneless, skinless thighs this morning. What the heck do I do with this stuff? And then a light bulb went of: chicken with a tomato cream sauce that is deceptively lighter than traditional cream sauces. I’m just a tad obsessed with food and cooking so much so that I dream in recipes and new dishes. Anyway, I have to confess, I might start using dark meat again if they turn out half as good as this dish did. Maybe I’ll even shred some cooked thigh meat into this guiltless eggroll in a bowl next time I make it.

But first things first, let’s talk sauce. OHMYGOD the sauce. I loved the sauce even more than the chicken and vegetables. I might just do the sauce by itself next time! This sauce was a tangy, slightly spicy, sweet, velvety, melt-in-your-mouth dream come true. It left me wishing for some nice, crusty bread because it begs to be sopped-up with carby goodness. But for those of us who are *ahem* trying to keep it low-carb, it pairs beautifully with spiralized veggie noodles or brown rice. Or even roasted vegetables. You pick. OR you can splurge on the carbs and go with polenta or mashed potatoes. That’s like heaven on a plate for me.

The secret ingredient to this sauce is something no one will ever guess: dijon mustard. DO.NOT.SKIP.THE.DIJON.MUSTARD. Trust me when I say that. I made the sauce and tried it first, without the mustard and it was just okay; it felt like something something was missing. Enter the dijon mustard and you’re talking epic sauce now. It took this dish from average to gourmet with the addition of one simple ingredient. So just go ahead and stir that bad boy in; just regular ole’ dijon mustard.

I love, love, love mushrooms. I never ate them growing up because my mom never cooked with them; there isn’t much room in Indian cooking for mushrooms, apparently. At least in my mom’s version there wasn’t. And the first time I had them, when I started doing the grocery shopping myself, I turned to my mom and said “Why have you kept these from me all these years?!” Yeah, I come with a flair for the dramatic. So back to the mushrooms. Mushrooms add bulk and “meat” to any dish because of their complex, earthy flavor. And they can mimic the texture of meat for only a fraction of the calories. Add less meat + more mushroom= hearty meal without too many more calories. I had some portabella and button mushrooms on hand so I married them with some tender baby spinach, another match made in heaven.

Look at how beauteous my cast iron pan looks with the addition of diced tomatoes? I made that, you guys. Yes, little ‘ole me made that-or at least began the process of making that! I want to dive into this pan and swim in this sauce. Seriously, just let me drown in it.

Also, I love the word beauteous. Try to casually use it in a sentence. You will blow peoples’ minds. Because, like who the heck really uses words like that? Other than the dictionary people?!

Some useful suggestions:

this dish is super customizable. Don’t like mushrooms? Don’t add them. Add more spinach instead or any similar veggies in your fridge. Just stay away from the more ‘watery’ veggies like zucchini because they’ll turn to mush and make the chicken dish quite messy.
If you use bone-in chicken, you’ll have to adjust the cooking time and increase it by 10-15 minutes because bone-in chicken takes longer to cook.
If you have the time and plan ahead, let the chicken marinate in the spices from the first step in the recipe. It really infuses the flavor into the meat.
The consistency of the sauce is 100% based on preference. I like my sauce to be on the thinner side so I added more broth. If you prefer a thicker sauce, just use less broth. You can always add more broth later.
The sauce will thicken as the chicken stands, once you take it off the heat. To reheat, just add 1/2 cup water or broth at a time to bring it back to desired consistency.

So my friends, this is where I leave you. With this delightfully easy, healthy, and less-dishes-to-do meal that comes together in one pot. If you make this dish, post pictures on instagram and tag me @mannaandspice.

Until next time when I’m hungry again!

Skinny One-Pot Chicken with Tomato Cream Sauce

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 40 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 6 pieces
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1 14.5 oz can diced red tomatoes
2–3 cups baby spinach
2 portabello mushrooms, sliced
8–10 button mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp dijon mustard
3 1/2–4 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 oz reduced fat plain cream cheese
chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl combine chicken thighs, 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper, 1 tsp paprika. Set aside.
Heat olive oil on medium-high to high heat. Once almost smoking hot, add chicken and allow to sear and caramelize about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
Add mushrooms and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the mushrooms release water and then start to soften and caramelize. Continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Add garlic cloves and spinach. Saute until spinach is wilted. Add crushed red pepper and paprika. and continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Add diced tomatoes and cook until most of the water has evaporated.
Slowly pour in 3 1/2 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Stir in cream cheese and allow to fully melt and blend into the sauce. Add in butter and let melt.
Arrange cooked chicken pieces in the pan by making wells into the sauce to submerge chicken.
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked.
Remove lid and increase the heat to medium high. Stir in dijon mustard and cook until sauce is to desired consistency. If sauce is too thick, add remaining chicken broth.
Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Homestyle Game-Day Chili

January 26, 2016 2 Comments

Chili may be the most versatile food known to humans. Think about it: it can go on pasta, fries, chips, hot dogs, cornbread, pizza (yes, yes, such a thing exists even if only in my mind). Did I mention the toppings?! Oh my, the toppings ON TOP of what the chili goes on are endless; guac, cheese, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, oyster crackers, etc… the possibilities are endless. I think at some point I’ve even had chili with over eggs. And everyone and I mean EVERYONE has a go to recipe they swear by. Lets face it, chili is the (un)official food of football, by which I mean American football. I am no exception to that rule.

Which brings me to the strong sell on why my chili is simply the best, knock-your-socks-off chili ever. You see, my chili looks unassuming but looks can be quite deceptive. My chili is packed with a ton of vegetables, lean protein, heat, and one very special ingredient: cocoa. Mmmmhhmmmm, I said cocoa. No, not the melt-in-your-mouth-milk-chocolate. I’m talking about the cocoa you use to make the chocolate candy. The rich cocoa powder works brilliantly with the heat from the spicy elements in the chili. It melts into the chili, gives it a nice, deep, dark, maroonish color and a depth of a flavor I have yet to find in anything that even comes close to that of cocoa.

Since I’ve been trying to eat better, ya know, like a grown-up should, I’m always looking for ways to add vegetables anywhere I can. And chili is the perfect way to deliver a ton of vegetables, without highlighting it for picky eaters. Some of my brood are picky eaters but they will eat chili with tons and cheese and chips, and vegetables! Shhhh, don’t tell them! All is fair when it comes to feeding the little humans. Lately, I’ve been geeking out over a homemade, outrageously low calorie and low fat salad dressing I’ve been working on. Plus I’ve renewed my love for my caramelized onion and pepper salad with chickpeas. Here’s the miraculous part: my kids are shocked now if I don’t give them salad with their meals. And truthfully, they eat most of it if not all of it. Hey, get creative and serve chili on top of your salad.

Anyway, so the chili starts off with a lot of hearty, bright, fun vegetables like peppers, onions and celery. You can’t help but smile when you look at all the pretty colors. C’mon try to not smile, I know you can’t resist the urge.

The long cooking time may be off-putting to a lot of people, but really, all you’re doing after the initial prep work is letting the chili simmer on very low heat, while the flavors deepen. It’s really doesn’t need much babysitting. If you would prefer to not even worry about stirring occasionally, just throw it into a slow cooker on the lowest setting. I’ve let it simmer up to 8 hours and it makes for the best chili. It’s a great thing to prep the night before and add to the slow cooker in the morning. And think about it, when you come home, dinner is ready to go! How lovely is that?!

Chili night is a lot of fun at my house. I have a smorgasbord of toppings. I don’t think I’ve introduced you to the cast of characters in the manna & spice household.

My oldest, who will be eight next month, The Bookworm and always carries a book with her, is a purist. She prefers her chili with cheese and a lot of tortilla chips. Little Diva, the spunky five year old girl, loves to use the chili as a dip with Fritos and oodles of melty cheese- or if we have hot dogs, she piles it on into the bun and eats the hot dog by itself- her love of carbs makes me so proud. Baby Bear, the three year old who randomly growls (since birth, true story), loves anything covered in cheese and sour cream, which he proceeds to lick off his finger. Amazing what qualifies as a utensil when you are three years old. Mr. Bean, the one and half year old underdog who’s ultrasound pictures reminded me of a kidney bean, loves rice more than he loves anything else in this world and has chili and rice, mixed with cheese. And of course, The Mister, who is the other half of our parental unit, loves variety and will eat chili in every form imaginable. Then you have me; like The Bookworm, I prefer just a touch of cheese and sliced green onions, sometimes a few chips. So there you have all six of us!

Helpful tips:

when chopping the vegetables, keep them uniform in size. This way, they will all cook at the same rate and evenly. I start cooking with the onions, so they have a chance to soften and really flavor the pot itself. Then add the celery, cook for a few minutes, and then the peppers. Finally, add the garlic. Adding the garlic in as the last vegetable ensures that it will coat the rest of the vegetables and won’t burn as quickly as it would otherwise.
add the cocoa powder in the last 20-25 minutes of cooking. If you add it too far in advance, it has a tendency to burn, and impart a bitter flavor. And remember, a little goes a long way.
The longer you cook the chili, the more the flavors will develop. Just cover with a lid and simmer on the lowest setting and, as it cooks, the color and flavor of the chili will get deeper and stronger.

So what are you waiting for?! Get cooking!

Homestyle Game Day Chili

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 mins
Yield: 8-10 1x

Scale

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 15.5 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 medium onions, chopped
3 medium bell peppers (any color combination), chopped
2–3 celery ribs, chopped
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
1 tsp ground black pepper
2–3 bay leaves
4 cups water
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot with lid on medium high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent but not brown. Add celery and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add bell peppers and garlic. Stir in salt and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and coat vegetables. Add ground beef and cook until the beef is browned, 5 minutes.
Add paprika, chili powder, crushed red pepper, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Slowly add 1 cup of water and scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck bits of meat or vegetables. Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, beans and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Reduce heat and cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook for at least 1 hour.
In the last 20-25 minutes of simmering, stir in cocoa powder.
Remove from heat, discard bay leaves and serve with toppings of choice

One Skillet Spicy Eggs & Potatoes

January 19, 2016 4 Comments

I am FINALLY able to post my skillet spicy eggs and potatoes recipe! I make these eggs ALL THE TIME and I always start out saying “Today’s the day. I’m going to take pictures and I’m definitely going to post it.” Then, as I’m licking the plate clean, I say out loud “Oh mannnnnnn! I meant to take pictures!” Lather, rinse, repeat.

And you know what else? I’ve made this for company more times than I can remember and I always get requests for a recipe. Last time, I served it alongside this baked chocolate chunk panettone french toast. It was the perfect brunch. No wonder brunch is my favorite meal. I could live on brunch. And perfect eggs.

These are PERFECT eggs. And they cook perfectly in a cast iron skillet. Remember that ole think your mom gave you for your birthday one year and you just looked at her with confusion? Yesssss, that one. It’s time to bring it out from storage, rub it down with some oil and cook this. No really, cook this with it’s golden, runny yolks and melty goat cheese atop beautiful, fingerling potatoes. And if you really want to go all the way, use some nice, crusty bread to sop up all that spicy sauce. I like to eat mine with grilled pieces of pita, if I’m feeling the love for extra carbs. Let’s be honest, when have I ever not wanted extra carbs?!

I can’t help it. The fiery tomato sauce with tender pieces of potatoes, pillow eggs, and tangy goat cheese call my name as I get them ready. This time was no exception; I had to channel all my willpower to hold off eating this yumminess for as long as I did. I think I deserve an extra serving for my herculean efforts.

Just look at it. No, I mean LOOK at it. Don’t you wish this was your breakfast today?! That’s the thing. My skillet spicy eggs and potatoes are so versatile that you can have them for breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner, snack, dessert or whenever you want! I would eat these for every meal if I could. I don’t think the Mister would mine either. My five year old insisted on 2 entire loaves of pita and refuses to eat the eggs if the yolk isn’t runny. She makes me a proud mama!

We start with beautiful, delicate fingerling potatoes. Sometimes I use the gold ones and other times I use red ones. It just depends on what I have on hand. Because it’s a one pot meal, the potatoes soak up the stuck on bits of tomato sauce as it adheres to the potatoes and caramelizes, giving it that nice, deep brown crust. Behold, the glorious potato!

Once the potatoes are cooked, they are reacquainted with their good friend, the tomato sauce. Then you dig little wells in the lovely cast iron pan (or regular pan) you dug up, and add an egg inside each well. And THEN you top with tangy, crumbly goat cheese, stick a lid on and cook until the whites cook and the yolks set. I’ll confess, breaking the center and watching the sunny yolk ooze out of the egg is my absolute favorite part of eating these eggs. Then as it mixes with the tomato, it forms a rich, creamy sauce. Oh be still my heart!

There are many variations of this dish. I first had as a traditional middle eastern dish called shakshusha which is just a eggs cooked in a tomato sauce. It can also be called eggs in purgatory. The first time I saw the addition of eggs was in this New York Times recipe. Since then I’ve experimented and added my own touches until it became what I present to you as skillet spicy eggs and potatoes.

Helpful tips:

The less starchy the potato, the better it’ll hold up. If you use a Russet or Idaho potato, chances are, because of the high starch content, the potatoes will fall apart, leaving a mushy mess. If you can’t find fingerlings, red potatoes or new potatoes work well too. Leaving the skin on helps keep the potato together, especially if it’s a thin-skinned potato. Plus the skin is loaded with nutritious goodness.
Dry the potatoes thoroughly before adding them to the hot oil, otherwise the water will cause the oil to splatter. The best way to dry them is to blot them with a paper towel or a dry dish towel.
To see if the eggs are cooked, gently shake the pan. If the eggs jiggle a lot, they aren’t cooked. A little jiggle is perfect. That means the yolks are still runny. Covering the pan is essential to this process. The lid traps the steam into the pan and uses that heat to gently steam the eggs. In the end, they eggs will look like they’re cooked over-easy. You can cook the eggs until the yolks are completely cooked, if you really want but I strongly discourage it. You want the runny yolk to flavor the sauce. Trust me.
while cooking the tomato sauce, use a potato masher, or the back of a wooden spoon, lightly mash the tomatoes to release some of the liquid. Do not puree it, otherwise you will lose the chunky texture that makes this sauce hearty.
When making wells for the eggs, try to surround each well with pieces of the potatoes so that the eggs aren’t fully mixed with the sauce and can cook in small circles. The potatoes will create a barrier between eggs and tomato sauce and prevent them from mixing too much.
If you’re looking for a really spicy kick, like I do, add a little bit of your favorite hot sauce. I’ve used sirarcha with a lot of success. Mix it into the tomato sauce after the sauce is cooked so the depth of the sirarcha will stand up to the acidity of the tomatoes.
Serve with crusty bread, crostinis, or simply grilled pita triangles. The potatoes have enough texture that you don’t have to have another carb but if you like to dip bread into sauces, this sauce is perfect for that purpose.

Skillet Spicy Eggs & Potatoes

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Yield: 4 1x

Scale

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ garam masala
½ tsp paprika
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 onions, chopped
1 tsp chili powder or to taste
2 oz goat cheese
4 whole eggs
2 cans 15.5 oz diced tomatoes
10 oz fingerling or baby red potatoes, quartered (about 2 cups)
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp cilantro for garnish
black pepper if desired
4 pieces of crusty bread or pita triangles

Instructions

Heat a 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add garam masala and salt. Add tomatoes and once they start to simmer, add paprika, and chili powder. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Using the back of a wooden spoon or potato masher, gently mash the tomato mixture to release the liquid. Add mint, cover again and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Remove tomato sauce into a separate bowl and set aside.
Return the pan to high heat and add remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add potatoes and stir to coat potatoes with whatever tomato sauce remains in the pan. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, until the potatoes become crispy. Turn the potatoes to cook the other side, until they become tender.
Reduce heat to low and add the tomato sauce on top of the potatoes and bring to a simmer. Create 4 wells and crack an into each well. Crumble goat cheese evenly top of the eggs and tomato sauce. Cover with lid and simmer for 7-8 minutes, until the eggs are cooked to desired doneness.
Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot, with bread.

Lightened Up Chicken Gumbo

January 13, 2016 2 Comments

Guys, something happened last night that changed my world forever. I made the most EARTH SHATTERING gumbo. Not just any ole’ gumbo; I’m talkin’ eyes-growing-wider-with-every-bite-I-want-to-eat-this-forever-and-ever kinda gumbo. YES! It was that fantastic. I’m salivating just thinking about it. It’s a flavor explosion in a bowl. A thick, spicy, tangy sauce is the perfect base to cradle juicy pieces of sausage, tender morsels of chicken, plump shrimp. All surrounded by tiny pieces of sweet onions, celery, green pepper and okra, the star of the show. As a result of being simmered on low heat, the vegetables develop a sweetness that complements the fiery sauce and meat. It is THE ULTIMATE stew.

You know how else I know it was good? My lovely offspring were 100% quiet for the entire 5 minutes it took them to inhale this stuff, breaking the silence to ask for seconds. Okay, really that NEVER happens. At least 1 out of 4 children always has to complain or refuse to eat dinner. No, a 7, 5, 3, and 1 year old all devoured it in minutes, without a single complaint. And you know what else? the 5 year old’s first question this morning, as soon as she got out of bed, was “Can I PUHHHHH-LEASSSSEEE have gumbo for lunch? I promise I’ll be extra good!”

No, seriously, that actually happened.

I deeply love cajun food. I love gumbo, jambalaya, beignets, crawfish etouffee …you name it, I love it. It deepened when I first saw Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. I’m dead serious. The way the characters talk about gumbo and prep the vegetables, I was hooked. Then, when the animated form is served, it looks incredible so I could only imagine the real stuff being nothing short of delectable! That movie pretty much sealed the deal for me. I live in the absolute wrong place; I should be living in New Orleans!

Any time I’m at a cajun restaurant, I look at the gumbo longingly. Because you see, my family doesn’t eat pork and gumbo almost always has andouille sausage, which is made from pork. Over the years, I have had to experiment and come up with an alternative. I’ve got one word for you: soujuk.

What is this soujuk, you ask? Soujuk is a turkish sausage make of lamb and/or beef and uses similar spices to that of andouille sausage. Most middle eastern grocery stores carry them. I have at least two in my freezer at any given time because I end up making A LOT of cajun food. It comes in hot and mild; the hot can be pretty spicy so if you don’t do well with spice, opt for the mild. If you’ve never worked with this kind of sausage before, it comes stuffed in a waxy, paper casing- you have to cut it off before slicing the sausage.

The key to great gumbo is to get the roux right. Roux is the quintessential component of gumbo. Roux is flour that is cooked in fat, sometimes just to cook away the “raw” taste of flour, while other times, it is slowly cooked until it turns a deep brown color. Normally, for gumbo you have to babysit the roux, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, cooking on very low heat, until it turns into a deep, rich, nutty brown. It’s a lot of work and requires a lot of fat. My method is a lot easier and also omits the need for an entire cup of oil, without taking away from the flavor. Imagine that, so many calories slashed!

I toast all-purpose flour in a 400 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, until the flour becomes a deep, nutty brown. And your kitchen will fill with this wonderful aroma. Toasted flour is not only a great alternative for a healthier roux, you can use it in baked goods too. It gives a deep, nutty flavor that regular flour can’t compete with. Try it the next time you bake!

Gumbo seems like an intimidating dish. I worked myself up to gumbo because it seemed so tedious and a ‘professional chef grade’ dish. Let me stop you right there and tell you it is neither; anyone can make gumbo. There are some complicated recipes out there for making gumbo but I’ve really simplified the process. If you follow my directions, you will end up with a meal that LOOKS gourmet and good enough for company but without that much actual work for you!

A few suggestions to simplify the process:

*use a dutch oven, if you have one. You will need to simmer the gumbo on very low heat and a dutch oven, or a heavy bottomed pot with a lid, cooks evenly and keeps the heat trapped in the pot. If you don’t have a dutch oven, use the heaviest bottomed pot you have. Make sure it has a lid.

*don’t skip toasting the flour; it will take an average dish from satisfactory to amazing and gourmet. You NEED to have toasted flour to make the roux for gumbo.

*add the shrimp at the very end of the cooking process. I have seen way too much overcooked shrimp ruin dishes and it is very unappetizing. Shrimp cooks very quickly; in about 3-4 minutes. Add the shrimp in, close the lid, and check in 3 minutes. If the shrimp is lightly pink or opaque, it is cooked. Take it off the heat!

*if you don’t end up using soujuk…then you might as well not make the gumbo. I’m serious. The deep, smokey flavor in the gumbo comes from cooking the vegetables in the soujuk fat, after browning the soujuk. In fact, you cook the chicken in the fat too. So really, there is no gumbo without the rendered fat of soujuk.

*serve the gumbo with rice. I highly recommend just a half serving of rice because gumbo is meant to be soupy, not dry. The rice to gumbo ratio should be 2:1. I used brown, long grain basmati and I thought it worked perfectly. The nutty flavor of the brown basmati rice really adds another layer of depth to the gumbo but if you are one of those “I can’t eat any whole grain starches” then feel free to use white rice; it works just as well.

Lightened Up Chicken Gumbo

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 mins
Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
Yield: 8 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 lb soujuk (andouille sausage substitute), cut into 1″ thick, angled slices
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast (or boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
1 lb peeled and deveined raw shrimp
¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups sliced okra (frozen or fresh)
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
2 tsp Cajun seasoning (like Zataran’s) or to taste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp hot sauce (like Tabasco) or to taste
2 tsp dried thyme
4 bay leaves
2 chicken bouillon cubes
4–5 cups water
2–4 stalks green onions, finely chopped (for garnish)
chopped parsley for garnish
cooked rice (white or brown)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spread flour on a baking sheet evenly. Toast in oven for 30 minutes. Stir flour to ensure even browing. Return to oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the flour becomes golden brown and develops a nutty smell. Remove from oven and set aside.
Heat a dutch oven on high heat and add soujuk in an even layer and brown each both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add chicken to the rendered fat and cook until chicken is no longer pink on the inside, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium low and add onions into the rendered fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions become translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add celery and green pepper and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
Slowly add in toasted flour and mix well. Add browned soujuk and stir to coat with flour mixture. Stir in tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Add 4 cups water, stirring to dissolve lumps. Add in vinegar and chicken bouillon cubes, stirring to dissolve. bring to a boil and reduce heat to lowest setting.
Add in thyme, bay leaves, salt, paprika, hot sauce, cajun seasoning, and okra. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove lid and shrimp and chicken. Cook for 5 minutes, until shrimp turns opaque. Remove from heat.
Serve with rice. Garnish with green onions and parsley.