Monthly Archives: January 2024

Who doesn’t love a good chili?!  It is the perfect meal for a cold, winter day!

ANDDD IT IS MADE IN THE CROCKPOT!!!  This is SO SIMPLE, you’ll love it!

Enjoy! Xo Jen

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil
• 2 medium-large sweet potatoes,
• peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups water
• 3 15-ounce cans of black beans
• 1 14-ounce can diced
• 4 teaspoons lime juice
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Dump everything into the crockpot.
2. Cook on High for 4 hours. Or on Low for 8 hours.

That is it!!! Told you it was easy!!!

Easy, delicious, nutritious and so comforting on those cold days!

I love how easy this soup is and it is definitely one that the entire family can devour, and trust me, they will!

It’s a different take on the classic chicken noodle soup and it’s definitely worth trying out this week!

Pesto Chicken Minestrone Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 head garlic
• 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 8 c. chicken stock
• 1 1/4 lb. boneless, ­skinless chicken breast
• 1 large piece Parmesan cheese rind
• 1 (15.5-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 (9-ounce) package fresh four-cheese tortellini
• 1 bunch curly kale, stems discarded and leaves torn
• 2 tbsp. prepared pesto, plus more for serving
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut off pointed end of garlic, exposing cloves. Place on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; wrap tightly. Bake until soft, 35 to 40 minutes; let cool. Squeeze pulp from garlic and mash into a paste; reserve.
2. Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add chicken stock, chicken breast, and Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove chicken and shred with two forks; return to pot.
3. Stir in beans, carrots, red pepper, and 2 tablespoons reserved mashed garlic. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Uncover and stir in tortellini. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in kale and cook until pasta is cooked through and kale is tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and discard Parmesan rind. Stir in 2 tablespoons pesto. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with additional pesto.

Enjoy! xo Jen

Cheesy Oatmeal Bowl With Fried Egg

Ingredients:

1/4 cup dry quick­cooking steel cut oats
3/4 cup water
salt and pepper
2 TBS (15g) shredded white cheddar cheese (add more if you like)
1 tsp coconut oil, divided
1/4 cup diced red peppers
2 TBS finely chopped onions
1 large egg
chopped walnuts
sliced green onions

Directions:

Stove Top Method: (to cook the oatmeal)
Bring water to boil. Add oatmeal, reduce the heat a little and let it cook for about 3 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat and stir in cheese, a small pinch of salt, and pepper.

Microwave Method*: (to cook the oatmeal)
Place oats and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Line microwave dish with paper towels to catch any spills. Microwave at a high setting (but not the highest, about 8/10 power setting) at one-minute intervals for a total of 3 minutes. If you want a softer texture, continue microwaving at 30­second intervals. Give the oats a little stir between intervals. When the oatmeal is done, stir in shredded cheese, a small pinch of salt, and pepper.

Heat a non­stick pan with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil over medium­ high heat. Add vegetables and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until they soften. Spoon vegetables over cooked oats. Reduce heat to medium.

Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oil and fry the egg. Cook until the whites are no longer translucent and serve over oatmeal.

These take 7 min to make and sure do make the busy AMs easier!

And it doesn’t hurt that they are SOO delicious!

Enjoy!

No Bake Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oats
• 2/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 1/2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp coconut, shredded
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• 2 Tbsp chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 tsp coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Mix the peanut butter with the honey in a bowl
2. Add the walnuts, sunflower seeds, oats, and coconut and stir together until combined.
3. Take about 1 1/2 Tbsp from this mixture and roll it in your hands as to form cookies or patties.
4. Melt the chocolate with coconut oil and combine. You can do this by microwaving for 15-30 seconds and then consistently stirring.
5. Drizzle the chocolate over the cookies quickly in all directions.
6. Refrigerate the cookies for at least 1 hour and eat them within 4-5 days. Store in the fridge.