Homemade Taco Seasoning

Homemade Taco Seasoning:

Chicken Chickpea Coconut Curry

What You Need:

1 tsp coconut oil

1 can coconut milk

32 oz low sodium chicken broth

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

1 large carrot

1 small sweet potato

1/4 cup of roasted red peppers

1 chicken breast

1 teaspoon of salt

4 tablespoons of curry powder

1 handful of fresh spinach

1 can of chickpeas

What To Do:

Sauté the garlic and onion in coconut oil. When the onions are cooked put all ingredients except for spinach in a crockpot on low. Cook for 4 to 6 hours on low, until the chicken begins to fall apart. Toss in spinach for the last five minutes of cooking. We served sugar snap peas on the side for a little crunch.

Bok Choy and Tofu Stir Fry

What You Need:

1 package firm tofu
1/3 cup chicken broth (add as needed to wok to help vegetables steam)
2 -3 tbsp coconut oil, as needed when
1 cup baby portabello mushroom caps
1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 heads bok choy, stems and leaves
1 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 large carrot, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp lite soy sauce
1 tsp light brown sugar
few drops of sesame oil (optional)
sesame seeds as garnish (optional)
1 cup brown rice
1/2 tbsp butter

What To Do:
Boil 2 and 1/4 cups water with butter, then add brown rice.  Reduce heat and cover for 30 minutes.  While that cooks prepare the stir fry.  Slice tofu into 1/2 inch thick strips.  Place on a plate in a towel (or a few paper towels) and put a heavy pot or pan on top.  Place 2 cups of water in wok and bring to a boil.  Wash and cut the vegetables.  Remove tofu from towel and place in wok of boiling water for two minutes (this is to harden the tofu a bit, and may need to be done in a couple of batches, you want the water to keep boiling).  Remove water from wok. Place 1 tbsp coconut oil in wok over medium high heat.  Brown tofu in a couple batches and set aside.  Add another tbsp of coconut oil and the onions and garlic.  Cook for a few minutes until the onions starts to get a little color.  Add the chopped bok choy stems,  carrot, snap peas, and a bit more oil if needed.  While the carrots and peas cook, make the sauce.  Cook for a few minutes and add the mushrooms.  Stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, and salt and add to the wok.  Stir well, and add the bok choy leaves  and tofu to warm for a minute or two.  Garnish with sesame seeds.  

Lemon Garlic Chicken with Asparagus

What You Need:

For chicken:

3 Chicken breasts

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 lemons

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp dried oregano

2 tbsp fresh parsley, optional 

salt and pepper to taste

For asparagus:

1 bunch asparagus

goat cheese (to crumble over asparagus)

2 tbsp chopped walnuts

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

What To Do:

For chicken:

Preheat oven to 400.  Place chicken in glass casserole dish and sprinkle with oregano, salt, and pepper.  Melt the butter in the microwave and pour it over the chicken.  Flip the chicken to coat.  Place garlic over chicken.  Squeeze juice from one lemon over chicken.  Bake for 20 minutes on 400. Flip the chicken and bake another 20 minutes on 400.  Reduce the heat to 300 and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and squeeze more lemon juice on top.  Slice a lemon and place on top of chicken breasts for garnish with parsley.  

For asparagus:

Cover bottom of baking dish with foil.  Wash asparagus and remove bottom of stalks.  Place asparagus on baking sheet in a single layer.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Place in oven with chicken for 10 minutes at 400.  While asparagus is cooking, toast walnuts in a skillet over medium heat until brown (2 or 3 minutes).  Remove asparagus from oven, let cool.  Place on serving dish, brush with balsamic vinegar, and crumble goat cheese and walnuts on top.  

The asparagus recipe came from www.boulderlocavor.com

The chicken recipe came from www.ownchef.wordpress.com

   

Better Than Moms Steel Cut Oats

What You Need:

4 cups water

4 cups milk

2 cups dry steel cut oats

3 very ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp honey

1/2 cup flax seeds or chia seeds optional

1/2 can unsweetened pumpkin

1 cup raisins

What To Do:

Bring the milk and water to boil in large pot, taking care not to scsld the milk.  While that comes to a boil mash the bananas.  When milk boils, add in the steel cut oats, a pinch of salt, and reduce heat to low. Let oats cook uncovered for 10 or 15 minutes, then add all other ingredients. Remove from heat when oats have softened, about 25 minutes.  Let oats cool then put them into 24 silicone muffin cups and freeze.  We eat two muffin cups at a time. Just nuke 'em for a couple of minutes in the morning and they turn out great!  We have also tried figs and dates instead of the raisins with good results.

Power Protein Peppers

What you need:

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 can red beans, rinsed and drained

1 can corn, rinsed and drained

1 can diced tomatoes

2 handfuls fresh spinach

1/2 cup quinoa, cooked per package instructions

1.5 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tsp salt

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350.  Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Throw spinach in with onions for 1 minute. 

Place onions and spinach in large pot with red beans, corn, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and salt.  Cook over medium heat.  While filling cooks, brown turkey in the pan you used to sauté onions.  Slice tops off of peppers, remove seeds, and rub with olive oil. Mix browned turkey with filling in pot. Add quinoa and mix.  Fill peppers and place in a small caserole dish.  Cover with a small bit of mozzarella if desired. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Black Bean, Lentil, and Chicken Tacos

What you need:

1 can black beans rinsed and drained

1 cup dried red lentils, cooked per package directions

1 cup chicken broth

1 large chicken breast

1 jalapeno diced

1 onion chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

8 whole wheat tortillas

What to do:

Sauté onions in olive oil and prepare lentils.  Put all ingredients except lentils in crock pot.  Cook on low 4 hrs until chicken begins to fall apart.  Pull chicken apart with forks.  Add lentils to mixture.  Use for tacos and top with your choice of ingredients.  We used tomato, avocado, sour cream, and Ortega taco sauce.  We also added a side of fruit which went well with it.

Thai Chicken Soup with Butternut Squash

What you need:

1.5 cups butternut squash, cut into small cubes

1 chicken breast 

1 onion, diced small

1tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 handfuls fresh spinach

1 can chickpeas, drained

16 oz chicken broth

2 tbsp green curry paste

2 tbsp curry powder

1 carrot, chopped 

1 jalapeño, chopped 

1tbsp red chili paste 

What to do:

Place chicken broth, chili paste, curry paste, and curry powder in crock pot. Stir and add chicken, jalapeño, carrot, chickpeas. Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic to crock pot.  Cook on low for 4 to 6 hrs, until chicken begins to fall apart.  During last hr of cooking add spinach and butternut squash.

Chickpea Spinach Burgers from LivingPlate.com

Turned out great.

Chickpea Spinach Burger