Butternut Squash and Chicken Soup

Perfect for a winter day...I adapted this from a Martha Stewart Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 1 large Butternut Squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and diced
• 1 large Spanish Onion
• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt and Ground Pepper to taste
• 4 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
• 1/4 tsp. Cumin
• 1/4 tsp. Ground Coriander
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
• Juice from 1 lemon

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees
• Toss the chicken, onion and squash in the olive oil, and spread out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan (I had to use 2 pans)
• Season with salt and pepper, and roast approximately 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through, and squash is softened
• Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside
• Transfer the squash and onions into a stock pot and add the chicken broth and spices
• Let simmer for 15 minutes, and then mash with a potato masher, leaving some chunks
• Add the chicken back, add the lemon juice, and let simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

Venison Chili

For those of you who know me, you know that I don't eat red meat, and haven't since I was about 10 years old.  However, this Whole30 challenge has really made me want to be more adventurous with my protein choices.  My friend Jess' dad hunts deer pretty regularly, so she has a freezer full of venison.  She was nice enough to give me some ground venison.  I decided to make a chili with it because red meat still freaks me out a little, so I figured I could disguise it a bit.  Well, I can now add venison to the list of proteins that I'll eat.  I adapted this recipe from a recipe on Food.com

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs. Ground Venison
• 1 Large Vidalia Onion, chopped
• 3 Bell Peppers (I used yellow, red, and green), chopped
• 1, 28 oz. can Crushed Tomatoes
• 1, 28 oz. can Diced Tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp. Chili Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt
• 1/4 tsp. Paprika
• 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 3 Tbsp. Cumin
• 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. Pepper

Instructions:

• Brown the venison in a stock pot
• Add the onion and peppers and saute until softened
• Add the rest of the ingredients
• Bring to a simmer, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour

Whole 30

Oh hey...where did the last 6 months go?  Well, I'm currently on Day 22 of a Whole30 challenge, and I'm so so so thrilled with the results so far.  I feel amazing, I've definitely lost some weight, my clothes fit better, and did I mention I feel amazing?

While I don't think I could eat this restrictively all the time, there have definitely been some good habits I've learned that I'll carry forward with me to hopefully continue with this success.

The next few posts will be some of the meals I've made in the past few weeks.

Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Shells with Asparagus, Spring Peas, Shallots, and Garlic in a Fresh Lemon and Olive Oil Vinaigrette with Slivered Almonds, Fresh Parsley, Chives, and Mint

Ingredients:

Ingredients

• 1 box Whole Wheat Medium Shell Pasta
• 3 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 4 Shallots, finely chopped
• 1 lb. Asparagus, cut in 1/2 inch slices
• 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
• 2 c. Spring Peas
• 1/2 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
• Zest from 1 Lemon
• Juice from 1 Lemon
• 1 c. Mixed Herbs, chopped (I used parsley, chives, and mint)
• 1/2 c. Slivered Almonds
• Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

Instructions:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain, leaving around 1/2 cup of water in the pot
• Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large pan.  Add shallots and saute until soft and fragrant, 4-5 minutes
• Add asparagus and garlic, and saute 3-4 minutes
• Add peas and saute for another 2-3 minutes
• Add the vegetable mix to the pasta and stir over low heat until a "sauce" forms
• Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl
• Add the parmigiano-reggiano, lemon zest, lemon juice, rest of the olive oil, herbs, almonds, and spices and toss to coat

Penne with Sauteed Chicken, Tomatoes, Roasted Peppers, and Arugula

As the Healthy Summer Project continues, I wanted to make Brad something that would be super filling, but also something that could be eaten cold and was super fresh tasting.  This was so delicious I even ate some myself...and I HATE tomatoes.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 boxes Whole Grain Penne
• 3 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
• Garlic Powder to taste
• 5 Chicken Breasts, cubed
• 3 Shallots, chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 2 c. Grape Tomatoes, Halved
• 6 Campari Tomatoes, Quartered
• 1 c. Roasted Red Peppers, Roughly Chopped (I used jarred to save time)
• 2 c. Fresh Basil, Chopped
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 1 tsp. Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
•  Sea Salt and Black Pepper
• 5 oz. Fresh Arugula

Instructions:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and chill using cold water in a colander.  Transfer to a large bowl and toss with balsamic vinegar
• Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium/high heat.  Sprinkle garlic powder over cubed chicken breasts and saute until cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Remove from pan and set aside.

• Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until soft. 

• Add the tomatoes, roasted red peppers, basil, paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and toss. Let the mixture cook for 8-10 minutes, until the tomatoes soften and form a "sauce" 

• Add the arugula to the pan and cook until it wilts.

• Add the tomato, pepper, and arugula mixture and the chicken to the pasta and toss to coat.

 

• Let cool on the counter for an hour
• Cover tightly and refrigerate

Quinoa Blueberry Salad

This past weekend, I hosted a 30th Birthday party for my wonderful husband in our backyard.  I wanted to make a side dish that was healthy, delicious, and complemented barbecue food well.  I think this was a hit!

Ingredients:

For the Salad:

• 1 1/2 c. Quinoa
• 3 c. Blueberries (fresh)
• 1 c. Parsley (chopped)
• 1/2 c. Scallions (chopped)
• 8 oz. Feta (crumbled)

For the Dressing

• Zest from 1 Orange
• Juice from 1 Orange
• 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Freshly Grated Ginger

Instructions:

• The night before you plan on serving, bring 3 cups of water and the 1 1/2 cups of quinoa to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until the water is absorbed.  Fluff with a fork and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, put the quinoa in a large bowl.  Add the blueberries, parsley, scallions, and feta
• Whisk together the dressing, pour over the salad, and toss to coat.

 

Banana Peanut Butter Protein Muffins

I've been making these for months every single weekend for Brad to have with his lunch every day at work.  I play around with the recipe a lot, but this seems to be the final version (for now).

Ingredients:
 

• ½ c. Unsweetened Applesauce
• ½ c. Egg Substitute
• ½ c. Sugar
• 3 Overripe Bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 2/3 c. All Purpose Flour
• 3 Tbsp. PB2
• 2 scoops Protein Powder (I use MRM Vanilla Whey Protein...find one low in sugar!)
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 1 Cup of Chocolate Chips

Instructions

• Preheat over to 400 and place liners in a 12-cup muffin tin
• In a large bowl, mash the bananas and add the applesauce, egg substitute, sugar, and vanilla.  Whisk until blended
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, PB2, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined
• Fold in chocolate chips
• Spoon into muffin tins (fill almost to top)
• Bake 20 minutes

Cocoa Banana Buckwheat Breakfast Cakes

Chocolate for breakfast without the guilt...need I say more?

Ingredients:

• 1 c. Raw Buckwheat Groats (grind into flour in a coffee grinder/blender)
• 2 Bananas, mashed
• 1 ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 c. Almond Milk (unsweetened)
• 2 tbsp. Agave Nectar
• ¼ c. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 4 Egg Whites
• 1/3 c. chia seeds, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 ¼ tsp. baking powder
• Flax seeds for sprinkling

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Mash bananas and mix with almond milk and vanilla.  Whisk until combined
3. Add buckwheat groats, cocoa powder, baking powder, and chia seeds.
4. Add egg whites, and whisk until combined
5. Spray 3 small oven-safe dishes (I used Pyrex) with coconut oil cooking spray
6. Pour mixture in, sprinkle with chia and flax seeds, and bake for 30 minutes

Sweet Potato, Power Greens, and Quinoa Burgers

I love everything about these burgers...I'll be eating them this week on whole wheat pita.



Ingredients :

• 3 Medium Sweet Potatoes
• 1 c. Power Greens (blend of baby spinach, baby kale, and chard)
• 1/4 c. Quinoa (uncooked, rinsed)
• 1/4 c. Almond Meal
• 1 tbsp. Coconut Oil
• 1 tbsp. Maple Syrup
• 2 tsp. Hot Sauce
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 400. 
• Peel, slice, and boil sweet potatoes until soft.  Drain and let cool
• Put quinoa and 1/2 c. water in a small pot.  Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat, and simmer 15 minutes until all water is absorbed
• In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes and blend with chopped greens, quinoa, almond meal, hot sauce, and spices
• Pour the coconut oil and maple syrup over the mixture and stir until combined
• Form into 4-5 patties (depending on size) and place on lightly greased cookie sheet
• Bake 40 minutes, turning after 20 minutes

Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

I love chocolate.  I reallllly love chocolate.  I seek out ways to consume it without going crazy with calories and sugar, and this recipe definitely hits the mark.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. Almond Milk (unsweetened)
• 2 tbsp. Chia Seeds
• 2 tsp. Stevia in the Raw
• 1 1/2 tbsp. Dark Cocoa Powder (I used Hershey Special Dark, unsweetened)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

• Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl
• Refrigerate 2-3 hours until the Chia Seeds have expanded and the mixture thickens