Author: Megan

White Bean Chili? What the heck? How many of you reading this have ever tried white chili? I tried it a few years ago with a chicken option and it was out of this world amazingly good!!! I recently came across a recipe using turkey instead of chicken I wanted to try it. But wait a minute…it’s summer time who wants to eat a hearty, warm bowl of chili in JULY?

Did you also know that today, July 3 is National Eat Your Beans Day? This chili recipe has seasonal summertime ingredients like fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro, and jalapenos that kick up the spicy heat, the fresh flavor along with the summertime flavors. Plus, this chili is more like a soup versus a chili consistency and can be eaten either warmed or chilled…yes chilled!

Naturally, I test almost all recipes on my husband because he’s my human litmus test, guinea pig whatever title at the moment. His reaction was priceless upon hearing my new concoction of ‘white turkey chili’ he too gave me the side eye of…’Are you serious?’

This up close and personal picture you can see the celery, onions and fresh cilantro.

I started this recipe off like most soup bases with diced, onion, garlic, chopped celery and I simmered making sure not to overcook the onions to the point where I burned them. I also added ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes and my chopped (with or without the seeds) jalapenos. So the flavors could start blending before the broth.
Depending on how spicy you want this chili to be you can add the jalapenos seeds which adds the heat.

I then I added 1 pound of lean ground turkey and did not add any other ingredients until my turkey was thoroughly cooked. Once this was cooked I had my other ingredients already prepared while the turkey was cooking. I added three cans of rinsed beans 1 can of Cannellini beans, 1 can of Pinto beans, and 1 can of Garbanzo beans before my vegetable broth and mixed the beans with the onions, celery, jalapenos, and garlic. At this point if any of the food looks to be cooking too quickly just add a bit of water to the pan so nothing starts to burn.

Finally, pour in your 4 or 5 cups of vegetable and lime juice along with any additional leftover chopped cilantro.

And that was it! Another easy and delicious recipe in the books!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of lean ground turkey
• 3 cans of beans 1 pinto, 1 garbanzo, 1 cannellini
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 jalapenos
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 4-5 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 c. fresh chopped cilantro
• 1/4 – 1/2 c. fresh lime juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil for browning the turkey

Directions:

1. In a large pot drizzle a 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add your chopped onion, garlic and celery and cook until translucent
2. Add the turkey and cook thoroughly
3. Add all 3 cans of rinsed beans, and chopped jalapeños
4. Add your vegetable broth lime juice, and left over cilantro and simmer on low for 15 minutes.

Picnic, birthday and graduation parties are in full swing and the question that always follows is ‘what do I bring’?

Depending on the occasion, I have been there and often times wish I had available food options for me to safely eat.  A new fan favorite is this amazing salad that can be served warm or cold and it’s sure to please those looking for a bit of a healthier side option.

Quinoa is so versatile, if you haven’t tried making it because it sounds too complicated it certainly is not!  You can get regular or flavored quinoa and just follow the directions on the container.

Again, depending on how you want to serve your side dish depends on the social function.

Today, I am sharing my version that I actually served warm but when I ate the leftover cold quinoa and brussels sprout salad with spinach, it was better than even I thought it was going to be.  Some people are not leftover people, I am a leftover person, especially, food that only gets better the next day.  Like Italian dishes, and like this dish the celery, carrots, and onion were all in full flavor and the cold salad mixed with spinach leaves and dressing was quite GOOD!

My intention was to talk about the warm salad, but actually I am going to say since eating it both warm and cold both of these versions were delicious so you can decide whichever one you want eat.

I don’t recommend leaving this salad out for too long, but considering there is no dairy you don’t have to worry too much about dangerous time temperatures when bringing this dish to a picnic or party.

For my salad, I went with simple baby spinach leaves, dried cranberries, and a garlic infused dressing.    Full disclosure I was trying to use up and make some food with items I already had in my refrigerator and all I had left was baby spinach.  Any leafy greens will be excellent for that crispy crunch!

Enjoy!

XOXO

Megan

Ingredients:

• 1 bag or container of spinach
• 1 bag of Brussels Sprouts
• 3 regular carrots
• 3 celery stalks
• 1 medium to small onion diced
• 1 packet of quinoa (made 2-3 cups of quinoa)
• Himalayan Sea salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• Olive oil to saute veggies
• ½ cup of dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 for your sliced Brussels Sprouts.  Slice Brussels Sprouts spray pan and lightly drizzle olive oil over with Sea Salt and pepper.
2. Bake until edges of the sprouts start to crisp
3. In a large pan or wok, drizzle in some olive oil and add your diced onion, chopped carrots, diced celery.  (If you decided to just saute the Brussel Sprouts you can add them here too.)
4. In a separate pot, follow the direction for your quinoa
5. In a separate large serving bowl have your spinach or leafy greens rinsed and dried with your added dried cranberries.
6. At the end combine your roasted Brussel Sprouts and vegetables with your quinoa and mix it with your spinach and allow flavors to cool down together.

**Optional if you decide to add a dressing or simply add a blend of olive oil and lemon make sure it’s a small amount so it doesn’t make the salad too greasy with oil.

Chocolate chip cookies aren’t just for Christmas or weddings they’re great  to make and share all year.  I have honestly only ever made chocolate chip cookies, solely, maybe twice in my life…I know.  I just don’t have a sweet tooth anymore.

My husband has been some  renovations around our house and I wanted to make some goodies for him to have for a quick snack.  Obviously, not my first choice for him to eat but hey whatever!

Cooking is an art and baking is a science.  You can’t just add or alter a baking recipe if you don’t properly substitute with equal ingredients or foods specifically made to replace unhealthier options. (For example; some people choose to use egg replacers over eggs.) Also, when baking you have to consider the weather outside…I found this out a few years ago when I was trying to make blueberry muffins and they turned out awful.  The hot, hazy, and humid weather can alter the texture and structure of baked goods.

So in order to avoid flat,  broken chocolate chip cookies I actually made my batter mixed it up and placed the it in the refrigerator, in this case, overnight although, 30 minutes to an hour works too.

Before my husband woke up the follow morning which happened to be Saturday morning the house smelled like a bakery.  I had scooped out the harden batter on a parchment lined cookie sheet. I baked for 10 minutes until the edges were a slightly golden. Baking time any where from 9-12 minutes.

Since the batter was cold I  balled my cookies into similar size shaped chocolate balls so I had a feel for the consistency which is why the cookies came out almost identical to one another.  Again, another first for me, making chocolate chip cookies, like I was making meatballs.

***This recipe contains food allergy ingredients but this recipe can be adapted to accommodate those with specific sensitivities.

• Replace eggs with egg replacers
• Use Coconut oil in place of butter
• All purpose flour can be replaced with almond flour mixed with flaxseed flour
• Replace Sugar with coconut sugar

XOXO,

Megan

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups All purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• ½ tsp. Baking powder
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1 cup packed Brown sugar
• 2 cups Chocolate chips (I added a bit more and I mixed semisweet and dark Choc. chips)
• ½ cup regular sugar
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla extract
• 1 cup. Unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. In a large mixing bowl mix dry ingredients
3. Some like to use a mixer with the wet ingredients, but I generally do not because I hate additional clean up, so I mix the wet ingredients together and add it to the dry ingredients
4. After all ingredients are mixed together add your chocolate chips and fold them into the batter.
5. Set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour or longer
6. Once chilled drop similar sized scoops on lined parchment paper
7. Bake for 9-12 minutes.  Place on cooling rack to cool down