Turkey Stew

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Crockpot to the rescue with this delicious homemade meal I call turkey stew.

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These are two turkey thighs, I prefer them over cooking with chicken thighs. These do well when cooked for 10 hrs.

Ingredients:

2 turkey thighs, about 2#

4 small red potatoes

1 cup baby carrots or two carrots cut into 2 inch pieces

1 cup celery, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 medium onion, cut into semi-circles

spices: sea salt, paprika, black pepper, oregano

Method:

1. Peel and cut onion into semi-circle pieces. Place in bottom of crockpot.

2. Rinse well and cut potatoes in half, then half again.

3. Rinse carrots and celery, baby carrots can be tossed right into pot, if using whole carrots, cut carrots and celery sticks into 2 inch pieces.

4. Toss all veggies in crockpot.

5. Remove turkey thighs from packaging and place on top of veggies.

6. Sprinkle on sea salt, paprika, black pepper, and oregano. Feel free to use your favorite spices.

7. Cover and set to Low, cook for 8-10 hours. I typically cook for 10hrs and it comes out great!

8. Pull apart turkey and places meat and veggies in serving bowl.

9. Enjoy!

Dinner is ready in about 10 minutes when you get home, what could be better than that?

Serve with a green salad for some crunch!

Time Saving Tip: Prep and fill your crockpot with ingredients the night before and put into fridge, then you can just pop into crockpot heater, set to Low and head out the door.

Pumpkin Seed Butter

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Pumpkin seeds are incredibly delicious and a wonderful alternative to those who are sensitive to almonds, peanuts, walnuts, cashews. Seeds are often tolerated by those who are allergic to nuts. You can buy pumpkin seeds at bulk bins in Whole Foods and other natural food stores. I often find mine at Publix Greenwise or Whole Foods. Some grocery stores carry them as well. If you love nut butters for their smooth, creamy, and spreadable textures, then you’ll love this nut free alternative. Click here to learn about the health benefits of pumpkin seeds.

Skip the coffee, have this nutrient rich and delicious plate of food instead. Pumpkin seed butter with carrots and celery for a yummy afternoon snack!

 

Start with 1.5 cups of raw pumpkin seeds. If you bought roasted seeds, skip steps for roasting.

Preheat oven to 375. Spread seeds onto baking sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Set your timer for 7 minutes and check to make sure seeds aren’t burning. Roast for additional 3 minutes if needed. Seeds will go from flat to round.

Let cool for about 10 minutes then put into your food processor.

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Process on High for about a minute, until seeds are finely chopped.

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Next, add 1.5 Tablespoons First Cold-Pressed Olive Oil and continue to process. Seeds will start to bead up. Stop processor and scrape down sides.

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Pumpkin seed butter is beginning to form now. At this point, you are getting very close, keep on going!

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Destination smooth! Now you’ve got your smooth and creamy pumpkin seed butter! The whole process in under 30 minutes.

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Oh Yum! Remember to taste before giving to others Smile

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Save for snacks to bring to work, place in Pyrex containers for easy travel. Store in fridge.

Goes great with carrots, celery, apple and pear slices, millet toast, or a piece of dark chocolate!

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Pumpkin Seed Butter Recipe

Ingredients:

1.5 cups raw pumpkin seeds

1.5 Tablespoons first cold-pressed olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Measure out 1.5 cups pumpkin seeds and spread even layer onto cookie sheet.

3. Roast pumpkin seeds for 7-10 minutes. Check after 7 minutes, they may be done depending on how hot your oven runs.

4. Remove pumpkin seeds from oven, set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.

5. Pour pumpkin seeds into food processor, 4-10 cup size.

6. Process pumpkin seeds on High for 1 minute, until finely chopped.

7. Add olive oil and process on High for 3 minutes, stopping every minute to scrape down sides of food processor.

8. Pumpkin seed butter will start to thicken and form chunks, keep going at this point!

9. Process in shorter intervals and keep going until pumpkin seed butter gets smooth, no chunks remaining.

10. Place into glass container, cover, and store in fridge.

Enjoy!

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Coconut Curry Chicken

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This delicious meal comes together in under 30 minutes! Spectacular for a weeknight meal and you cook it all in a single skillet, leaving only one pot to clean up.

I suggest you serve over brown rice or even millet would be great. You can cook your grains the evening before, a great meal planning strategy!

 

Ingredients:

1 – 14oz can unsweetened coconut milk

1 T. red curry paste

3 T. curry powder

1 large red bell pepper cut into julienned strips

2 medium onion carrots, sliced

1 cup broccoli florets

1 pound boneless & skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips

2 T. brown sugar

1/2 t. fish sauce (optional)

1/4 cup water

1/4 t. cayenne pepper, to taste

sea salt and pepper, to taste

coconut flakes for topping (optional)

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Method:

1. Heat large cooking pan to medium-high heat and add coconut milk, curry paste and powder. Bring to a boil while whisking constantly.

2. Turn down heat to medium, add bell pepper, carrots, and broccoli. Sauté for about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in chicken, brown sugar, fish sauce, and water.

4. Cover and cook until chicken is done, about 10 minutes. Stir often.

5. Add cayenne, sea salt, and black pepper to taste.

6. Serve over brown rice or millet. Top with 1 T. coconut flakes (optional).

Enjoy!!

Decadent Chocolate Valentine’s Cake

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Valentine’s Day treat for your sweetie! This chocolate delight is both dairy free and gluten free for your special loved one.

Serve with lots of hugs and kisses XOXO!

 

Recipe adapted from my Birthday Cake!

Ingredients:

* 1 cup millet flour or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour

* 1/2 cup quinoa flakes

* 3/4 cup unrefined turbinado sugar

* 4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

* 1 teaspoon baking soda

* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

* 4 Tablespoons applesauce PLUS 2 Tablespoons canola oil

* 1 cup water

* 1/3 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Sift flour, quinoa flakes, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa together into an 8×8 inch ungreased cake pan.

3. Make three depressions. Pour applesauce and oil into one well, vinegar into second, and vanilla into third well. Pour water over all, and stir well with fork.

4. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top of batter in pan.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes, or until tooth pick inserted comes out clean.

6. Cool completely, then cut into 16 small squares.

Moist and delicious, the perfect Valentine chocolate treat for your sweetie!

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Quinoa Tabouli

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Quinoa is a great gluten-free substitute; it’s also a complete protein because it contains all of the essential amino acids. Tabouli is typically made with bulgur, i.e., cracked wheat; this is a twist on a traditional Mediterranean dish I grew up eating. Read more →