Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Soup

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Now onto this soup, it's actually a soup with quinoa!  I love that it is comfort food that is satisfying but also good for you.  I used Shrimp in this recipe, but you could also use chicken.  Just cube it up raw and add it in the soup with the quinoa, and it will cook through in the broth.  Delicious!  

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Cajun Shrimp and Quinoa Soup

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Ingredients:

• 1 Tbls Oil
• 1 Cup Onion, chopped
• 3/4 Cup Carrot, chopped
• 3/4 Cup Celery, chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
• 1 Quart Chicken or Seafood Stock
• 1 Tbls Cajun Seasoning
• 1 Cup Quinoa
• 12 oz Shrimp, whole or chopped
• Salt and Peper, to taste
• Optional Tortilla Chips

Directions:

1. Soften onion, carrot, celery, garlic, pinch of salt, and pepper in a large soup pot over medium heat for 8 minutes
2. Next add in the tomatoes, stock, and cajun seasoning, bring to a boil,
3. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer add in quinoa and Shrimp and cover for 15-20 minutes until quinoa is tender.  
4. Taste for salt and pepper, serve with tortilla chips if desired

Hoisin Chicken Stir Fry

I love to make stir fry,  because it is so versatile, it's quick cooking, and it's healthy!  If you love to go to those "make your own stir fry" places in town, you will love this recipe!  As always, you can change up the veggies and protein in this dish to whatever you prefer, maybe broccoli for the snow peas, or shrimp for the chicken.  No rules here!

Hoisin Chicken Stir Fry

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Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 2 tsp Ginger, minced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Orange Bell pepper (any color will work)
• 3 Green Onion, chopped
• 6 oz Snow Peas, no chopping required
• 4 oz Shitake Mushrooms, any variety you prefer will work
• 1 lb Chicken Breast, cut in thin strips
• 1 Tbls Canola Oil
• 2 Tbls Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbls Hoisin Sauce
• 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock or Water
• 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Prep all of your veggies first
2. Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken, place in a wok or large skillet over med high heat in oil and toss until cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Then remove and set aside.
3. In the same skillet throw in all of the veggies, tossing about 2 minutes until softening begins
4. Then add in soy sauce, hoisin, and water (or stock) toss to coat while cooking another couple of minutes until veggies are to desired tenderness.
5. Lastly add chicken back in to heat up and coat with sauce.

Serve with Brown Rice (instant works fine!)

Broccoli Mac and Cheese

This is a stove top Mac and Cheese, that is extra creamy and it is way better than for you than the boxed kind.  This recipe uses whole wheat pasta as well as some blanched broccoli for some extra fiber and green goodness!  The sauce in this pasta dish is also lower far than what you will find in most mac and cheese sauces, it uses low fat milk and only 2 tbls of butter.  

As always always you can substitute whatever type of cheese you prefer, but I don't think it gets any better than Sharp Cheddar :) 

Broccoli Mac and Cheese

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Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 Cups Whole What Short pasta (Rotini, Macaroni, Shells, etc) 2 Cups Broccoli 2 Tbls Butter 3 Tbls Flour 1 3/4 Cup Low fat Milk 1/2 tsp Ground Mustard 1/2 Garlic powder 3/4 Tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Pepper 1 Tbls Worcestershire Sauce 2 oz 1/3 less Fat Cream Cheese 1 1/2 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese Freshly Grated Parmesan for topping Directions: 1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt to water, then add in noodles, cook according to package directions, the last 2-3 minutes of cooking add in the broccoli, then strain. 2) Melt butter in large pot over medium heat, then add in flour, stirring with a whisk for 2-3 minutes, then add in milk, seasonings, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until sauce thickens, stir occasionally. 3) Next add in Cream Cheese, stir until completely melt. Turn down heat and add in the Cheddar cheese, stir until melted.  4) Once melted add in pasta and broccoli, stir to coat with cheese sauce and Enjoy!

Cinnamon Pecan Granola VIDEO

If you make nothing else that I post...make this granola! It is so easy and the smell alone in your kitchen  makes it worth your time to make.  I can't say enough about this one, I love granola period, and this kills the stuff at the grocery.  Feel free to change up the nuts and dried fruit to whatever you have on hand or prefer.  

So without further ado...

Cinnamon Pecan Granola

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(Click the arrows button in the bottom right corner of video to expand)

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
• 1 1/2 Cup Pecans, roughly chopped
• 1/3 Cup Oil
• 1/3 Cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Tbls Honey
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 Cup Raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2. Heat sugar, oil, honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to boil stirring often, then remove from heat
3. Pour sugar mixture over oats and pecans and spread on a sheet pan
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then toss and bake another 15 minutes then add raisins to mixture
5. Allow to cool completely and eat up!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites VIDEO

Three of my favorite ingredients: Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Banana...in that order!  This is just a quick and easy sweet treat that would be great for an after school snack for kids or a late night snack for adults.

Since I am using dark chocolate, natural peanut butter and banana here, it actually has some health benefits as well.  One more thing...get creative with the toppings, you could try crushed up M&Ms, Oreos, or pretzels.  Whatever you have in the pantry will work!  It's dessert without many rules...my favorite kind!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

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Makes 10 Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 large Banana, cut in half inch sections
• 1/4 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips or Chopped Bar
• 1/2 Tbls Natural Peanut Butter
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla
• 3 Tbls Topping of your choice (Chopped Nuts, Whole Roasted Almonds, Crushed Pretzels, etc)

Directions:

1. Place banana bites in freezer for 10 minutes
2. Melt Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Vanilla in microwave in 30 second intervals (stirring in-between) for 1 min and 30 sec total
3. Spoon Chocolate Mixture over cold bananas and add topping, refrigerate for another 10 minutes, for chocolate to harden.  Enjoy!

3 Bean Taco Soup Video

Well what a Labor Day weekend it has been...maybe the most boring one I have ever experienced :)  We even resorted to doing a puzzle, .and I don't even like puzzles!  The one thing that sounded pretty appealing to me with all of the rain and time spent inside, was a warm bowl of soup.  So, I came up with this 3 Bean Taco Soup.  It does have a long list of ingredients, but most of them consist of opening a can or spice jar and dumping it in the pot!  It's easy, inexpensive, and full of flavor.  It would be great for a rainy day or game day, enjoy!

3 Bean Taco Soup

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Ingredients:

• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
• 1 Cup Corn, frozen or cut off the cob
• 1 Chipotle, minced (Seeds removed)
• 1 Tbls Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1 tsp each Cumin and Paprika
• 2 tsp Chili Powder
• 1 1/2 Cup Beef Stock or use Vegetable Borth for a complete vegetarian version
• 1 28oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Can Kidney bean, drained and rinsed
• 1 16oz Can Bush Original Baked Beans
• Optional Toppings: Cilantro, Lime wedges, Sour Cream, Cheese, Avocado

Directions:

1. Place oil, onion, pepper, corn, chipotle, cumin, paprika, and chili powder in large soup pot over medium high heat.  Saute for 8 minutes, until veggies are softened. 
2. Add in beef stock and scrape brown bits off of the bottom of pot with spoon or spatula, allow mixture to come to a boil.
3. Next add in the tomatoes and beans, bring to a boil again, then turn down to a simmer and cover.  Cook for 20 minutes and soup is ready!
4. Top with "taco toppings" of your choice