Crock Pot Chili and Flourless Morning Glory Muffins

We are in the middle of moving so I have been using the crock pot like crazy and cooking anything that is totally quick.  The chili was a hit and I heated up for Loa's lunch the following day as well.  We also made smoothies that stayed perfectly cold in her thermos.

Another hit was the flourless morning glory muffins.  These are so quick and delicious.  I woke up 10 min early to prepare these fr the kids before school.  They loved them and asked for them in their lunch.

 Smoothie: 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup berries, 1/2 banana, probiotic, fiber, 1 cup ice.  After making I put in thermos in the freezer for about 10 min.  Lola used a straw and drank it all for lunch.

 

Crock Pot Chili (designed with kids in mind) 

Ingredients:

• 1.3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced fine
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 10 oz can Rotel Mild Tomatoes
• 8 oz small can plain tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 bay leaf

Optional Toppings:

• diced avocado
• shredded cheese
• baked tortilla chips

Instructions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the turkey, season with salt and cook, breaking up with a spoon until turkey browns and is no longer pink; place into the slow cooker. 
2. Add the oil to the skillet and sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper over medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes. 
3. Spoon over turkey into the slow cooker and stir in corn and tomatoes, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, paprika and salt, mix until well blended. 
4. Pour chicken broth into the crock pot and add the bay leaf.
5. Cover and cook on HIGH 4 hours or LOW 6 hours. Serve with desired toppings.
   
   

   

   
   

   Flourless Morning Glory Muffins

   Ingredients:

• ¼ cup creamy almond butter
• 1 medium-size ripe banana
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup  honey
• 1/2 cup  rolled oats
• 2 tbsp  ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup carrots (about 2 large), peeled and grated
• 1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and grated
• 1/3 cup raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375F  and prepare a muffin pan by spraying 9 muffin cups with cooking spray. ( I always use the silicon muffin liners..less to clean and never sticks)
2. Add all ingredients except for carrots, apple, raisins, and walnuts (if using) to a high-speed blender and blend on high until oats are broken down and batter is smooth and creamy. Fold in carrots, apple, raisins, and walnuts and mix by hand.
3. Pour batter into prepared muffin pan, filling each muffin liner until it is about ¾ full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops of your muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in pan for ~10 minutes before removing. Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.

Cute Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches I will make for our Halloween party tomorrow.

 

Dugger Noodles

One of my favorite recipes growing up was my mom's chicken spaghetti.  Our friends called it Dugger Noodles because that is our last name and everyone loved it. My mom is an incredible cook, can make anything and everything and she loves it.  I don't have the natural ability or will to spend all day in the kitchen, but I am very passionate about nutrition.  I used her recipe but decided to swap the spaghetti for spaghetti squash.

Baked chicken and spaghetti squash
Crock Pot Butternut Squash Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
High Protein Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Muffins

Baked Chicken Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cans tomato soup
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 3-4 Tbs red pepper
• Pinch of salt
• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions:

For the Spaghetti Squash:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut one large spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise. Discard seeds.
3. Drizzle 1 T. olive oil in each half of the squash and sprinkle with equal amounts salt and pepper.
4. Place, face-down, on a parchment paper or aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
5. Roast squash in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until squash is tender and shreds easily with a fork.
For the Chicken:
6. Drizzle 2 T. olive oil in a large skillet. Place cubed chicken, salt and pepper into skillet and cook over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
7. Remove chicken and set aside

Sauce and Bake:

1.  Saute garlic, onion and bell pepepr.  
2. Add tomato soup, cream of mushroom soup, and red pepper
3. Combine the chicken, sauce and spaghetti squash.  Combine well.
4. Pour into greased baking dish and top with cheese.
5. Bake on 350 covered for 20 min. then un covered for an additional 5-10 min.  

Crock Pot Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash (pitted, peeled and chopped)
• 2 large apples (peeled, cored and chopped), I used Honeycrisp
• 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
• 4 large carrots (cleaned, stems removed and chopped)
• 4 large stalks celery (cleaned, ends removed and chopped)
• 1 box low-sodium vegetable broth (about 4 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 - 1 tsp nutmeg
• Salt and pepper to taste (I usually am super generous with the pepper!)

Instructions

1. Put everything in the slow cooker on high for 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours. Squash should be soft and easily squished with a fork.
2. Transfer to a blender (you'll probably have to do this in two batches) and blend until fully combined. If you have an immersion blender, it'd probably be easier to use that right in the slow cooker.
3. Serve warm. I'll be serving with grilled cheese sandwiches

High Protein Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Muffins

1. 1 cup cottage cheese
2. 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3.  1/2 cup sweet potato puree
4.  1 mashed banana
5. 1.5 cups dry oats
6. 2 eggs
7. 1 TBL melted coconut oil
8. 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
9. 1 tsp vanilla

Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor until well mixed.  If batter is not thin enough, add a touch of water or milk to get it the consistency of pancake batter.  Use silicon muffin liners (this is a must.. will never stick).  Bake in liners on 350 until baked all the way through (use tooth pick to test).  About 15-25 min.



 

It's Fall Ya'll

I love love love fall and Halloween.  I know that it is still 90 degrees here in Louisiana but there hasn't been much humidity so it feels like fall to me:) I am incorporating pumpkin, butternut squash, cinnamon, and anything remotely fall sounding or tasting.  More to come all month.

Lola ate the butternut squash pumpkin shaped muffins in her lunch all week.  She dipped them in honey.

GETTING READY FOR HALLOWEEN

 Sweet Cheerleader

 Above: His second choice after mama wouldn't let him get the scary mask below

Decorating for Halloween.  Yay

 

Now for the Meals- 

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small yellow onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1½ cups shirt grain brown rice

• 1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and sliced into ½” cubes

• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste

• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions:

1. To prepare: Place your oven racks in the lower third and upper third positions, then preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for the butternut squash. Reserve 1 cup broth from your container and set it aside for when the risotto is out of the oven.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium to large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add 3 cups broth and 1 cup water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the rice. Cover the pot and bake on the lower rack until rice is tender and cooked through, about 65 to 70 minutes. It will seem pretty dry when you take off the lid, but don't worry!
4. Immediately afterward, toss the cubed butternut with 2 tablespoons olive oil on your lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and some freshly ground black pepper and arrange the butternut in a single layer on the pan. Roast on the upper rack until the butternut is fork tender and the edges are deeply caramelized, tossing halfway. This took 55 to 60 minutes for me, but start checking for doneness around 40 minutes.
5. While butternut squash and rices are cooking.  Cook the shrimp until pink. 
6. Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Remove the lid and pour in the remaining cup of broth, the Parmesan, wine and butter. Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Stir in the salt, a generous amount of pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
7. Stir in the roasted butternut and cooked shrimp. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper, as needed. Divide the risotto into bowls and top each with a sprinkle of fried sage.
   
   
   
   
   

Butternut Squash Pancakes and Pumpkin Shaped Muffins

Ingredients:

•   1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced into ½” cubes, steamed and pureed
•   2 ripe bananas
•   3eggs
• 2-3 cup rolled oats (do not use quick oats or steal cut oats)
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 2-3 Tbs of honey
• splash of milk if needed

Instructions:

1.  Peel the squash and slice into cubes, steam to soften then puree. Set aside
2. Puree banana, eggs, oats, flax and honey until smooth.  Add in the squash.  I had to divide because it didn't all fit in the food processor. 
3. Add milk as needed for pancake batter consistency.
4. Spray griddle with coconut oil spray and cook or put the batter into silicon muffin tins and bake on 350 until heater through.  Use a tooth pick to test.   

NO BAKE PUMPKIN SPICE BITES

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups  rolled oat
• 1/4 cup coconut or almond flour
• 2 T granulated sweetener of choice (I used coconut palm sugar)
• 1 T pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cashew butter (can sub for any nut butter)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 T milk
• Cinnamon to coat bites in

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sweetener, pumpkin pie spice and mix well.
2. On the stove,  heat your nut butter with your sticky sweetener until combined. Mix in your vanilla extract. Pour your wet mixture and pumpkin to the dry mixture and mix well. Depending on consistency, either add  milk of choice or extra flour until a firm texture is formed.
3. Using your hands, form into small bite sized balls. Roll balls in optional cinnamon/sugar mixture and place on a baking tray or plate. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to firm up.