healthy

Hearty Turkey Chili

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Turkey ChiliChili is one of my favorite quick and healthy meals that fills your belly on a cool day. It’s like comfort food but without the added fat that a lot of comfort foods have. Plus, *bonus* that turkey also tastes delicious in this dish. There are so many beautiful flavors that you will not miss the beef at all. Promise.

Turkey ChiliYou can also take this recipe and run with it. I don’t mean literally. **Disclaimer: Do not run with chili. You are bound to get burnt.** No, I mean take this recipe and make it yours! Add your favorite beans, veggies, or spices. Have some red beans? No worries. Add those. Green beans…go for it! You love chocolate. Add some cocoa powder. Why not?? One time I even snuck some kale into the chili. I swear you couldn’t notice but I think my husband described it as “stringy.” It’s still up for debate.

Turkey ChiliThis is one of those dishes that is good on day like today in Michigan where it is cold and drizzling and you don’t want to leave the couch. But it’s also Halloween today so I will probably leave the couch to pass out candy to those brave enough to venture out into the rainy cold. Maybe they’ll even get a few extra pieces of candy for being so brave.

Oh, I remember a few times my sister and I went trick-or-treating in ponchos and/or large jackets. It was so sad to cover up one of my favorite Minnie Mouse costumes with a poncho /sigh/ but you gotta do what you gotta do to get candy. It’s serious business out there.

Turkey ChiliWhether you are out in the cold and need something to warm your belly or it’s just a day to cuddle up and do nothing, this chili is the perfect solution to a “chilly” day. Get it?? Chilly. Chili. Yeah, I’m cool.

Hearty Turkey Chili
Serves 6
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
40 min
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
35 min
Total Time
40 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 pound ground turkey
  2. 1 yellow onion, diced
  3. 1 clove garlic, minced
  4. 3 carrots, diced
  5. 2 bell peppers, diced
  6. 1 jalapeño, finely diced
  7. 2 cans diced tomatoes (28 ounce cans), or approximately 6 cups of diced tomatoes
  8. 2 cans black beans (15 ounce cans)
  9. 2 tablespoons chili powder
  10. 2 tablespoons cumin powder
  11. 1 teaspoon oregano
  12. 1 teaspoon paprika
  13. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  14. 2 dried bay leaves
  15. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  16. 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
  17. 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
  1. Brown the turkey in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once browned, remove any excess oil from the pan.
  2. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, bell peppers, and jalapeño to the pot and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add the tomatoes, beans, and spices (chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, cinnamon, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper). Simmer covered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chili reaches your desired thickness.
  5. Remove the bay leaves prior to serving.
Notes
  1. You can reduce or increase how spicy this chili is by reducing or increasing the cayenne and jalapeño. This chili has a little kick to so try it with less first if you are unsure and add more to taste. I typically serve mine over mashed potatoes or french fries with a little cheddar cheese on top (yum!) but it's also delicious on its own!
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

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Tomato SoupTomato soup is the perfect pair for grilled cheese. It’s like peanut butter and jelly. They just go together. Or like ice cream and chocolate syrup. Bread and butter. Turkey and stuffing. Pancakes and syrup. Wow…apparently the only pairs I can come up with are food related. Such is life.

Note how since this is fancy tomato soup I cut my grilled cheese into fancy strips. Yeah, I felt cool about that. Don’t judge. Another favorite is the diagonal cut. If you want to be boring you can cut it straight down the middle. I’m *pretty* sure it tastes the same any way you cut it. And by pretty sure I mean 107% sure. So just cut it fancy for fun.

Tomato SoupI had a boatload of tomatoes piling up from our backyard so I decided to make tomato soup! This recipe certainly does the trick. It’s a little sweet from the tomatoes, a little smoky from roasting the tomatoes, a little spicy from the red pepper flakes, a little creamy from the half and half, and a burst of freshness from the basil. YUM. YUM. YUM.

Tomato SoupI tried a couple of ways of roasting the tomatoes. I found online that you can grill them after cutting them in half and tossing in olive oil. Everything you find online is a perfect solution, obviously. It was a beautiful thing…until I tried to flip them and they mostly ended up between the grates or stuck to the grates. I might have missed something there. Anyways, the oven roasted method worked MUCH better and was MUCH easier. Plus you don’t  have to haul your grill out of hiding to complete this!

Tomato Soup

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
Serves 4
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Ingredients
  1. approximately 30 small tomatoes (or two 14.5-ounce cans of roasted tomatoes)
  2. 4 tablespoons olive oil
  3. 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
  4. 6 cloves garlic, minced
  5. 2 cups chicken stock (or other stock)
  6. 1/2 cup half and half
  7. 20 fresh basil leaves, chopped
  8. 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  9. salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Turn oven to broil. Cover baking sheet in foil. Toss tomatoes in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and place on baking sheet. Broil in oven for 5 minutes. Turn the tomatoes over and broil another 2-3 minutes. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cooled. Remove the peel from the tomatoes (they should basically fall off) and cut tomatoes into large chunks. Set aside.
  2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add 5 of the cloves of garlic and saute 1 more minute. Add the tomatoes, cover, and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
  3. Add chicken stock and half and half. Simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes.
  4. Add last garlic clove, basil, red pepper flakes, and salt & pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat and use immersion blender to blend until smooth. You can also transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. If not to your desired consistency, return to stove to simmer another 5 minutes, or until thickened.
Notes
  1. I used San Marzano tomatoes from our garden for this recipe. I would also recommend Roma tomatoes. If you use canned roasted tomatoes, you will only need 2 tablespoons of olive oil since the other half is for the roasting process.
Adapted from The Novice Chef
Adapted from The Novice Chef
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Beet & Corn Risotto

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I have the tendency to say I don’t like something then never try it because I told myself I don’t like it. It’s really a silly thing. I’m working on cracking that bad habit. I’ve already figured out I like eggs and cherries after many many years of thinking I didn’t like them. Two major wins and bonus that they are healthy too!

I definitely had to push myself to make this recipe because let’s face it…beets are a little mystifying if you’ve never cooked with them or ate them before. I mean, they’re BRIGHT red. Almost unnaturally so. But obviously they’re natural. And supposedly very good for you. If the pictures aren’t obvious enough, the rice turns out a crazy red/magenta color which is just *awesome* but also a little strange.

Beets have a very unique taste that a lot of people describe as “earthy.” I tried to balance that earthiness with the sweet corn and the tangy lemon juice. I think it worked! The thyme is also a key player that adds a strong but familiar flavor to the dish.

I have to admit I started out very cautious when eating this but after trying it, I would very much say that my unjustified aversion to beets is no longer! Woo hoo! Another food crossed off my, “don’t eat that” list. If you have a, “don’t eat that” list that includes beets, try this recipe! If you love beets, still try this recipe! If you’re somewhere in between, also try this recipe! Everyone…TRY THIS RECIPE! I think I made that point clear. Just try it! It’s proven itself to be delicious!

Beet & Corn Risotto
Serves 6
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Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
1 hr 15 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 fresh beets
  2. 3 tablespoons olive oil
  3. 3 ears of corn, kernels removed (or about 2 cups)
  4. 5 - 5 1/2 cups chicken stock
  5. 2 tablespoons butter
  6. 1/2 onion, chopped
  7. 2 cloves garlic, minced
  8. 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
  9. 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  10. 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus lemon slices for garnish
  11. 2 teaspoons salt
  12. 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  13. 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Peel the beets with a vegetable peeler, cut into chunks, and place on the parchment lined baking sheet. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil (remaining 2 tablespoons will be used later).
  2. Roast the beets for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and add the corn (and lemon slices if desired for garnish) to the baking sheet. Roast for an additional 25 minutes, or until the beets are tender. Once cooked, set aside to cool slightly.
  3. While the beets and corn are roasting heat the chicken stock in a small sauce pan until warm.
  4. In a separate large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the rice and toast for about 2 minutes, stirring often.
  5. Reduce the heat to low. Add 1 cup of the warm stock to the rice, stirring often until the liquid is absorbed. Keep adding 1 cup of stock at a time and stirring until the liquid absorbs between each addition. Stop adding stock when it appears to no longer absorb into the rice.
  6. Add the beets to a food processor and blend until pureed. Add the beet puree to the cooked rice along with the corn, thyme, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese.
  7. Saute over low for 3-4 minutes until heated through. Garnish with lemon slices and grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
  1. You can use any kind of stock instead of chicken stock, though I think it paired nicely with the thyme. I made this recipe with fresh beets but I suppose it would work with canned beets as well. If you use canned beets, drain and puree the beets and add directly to the rice (you can skip the roasting step). We ate this with grilled chicken and it was delicious!
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

 

 

Carrot Top & Basil Pesto

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I’m not going to lie…this is a weird sounding one. I got some pretty strange looks from my family when I told them I was going to make carrot top pesto. Even my sister, who I have to admit makes some weird stuff of her own, looked at me like I was out of my mind. I questioned my sanity for a brief moment. My official conclusion was that I was sane…at least in regards to this pesto.

This pesto is just as, if not more, delicious than your run of the mill pesto. It’s got a bit of a bite to it that typical pesto doesn’t have. Plus, it’s also a great use of otherwise overlooked, yet perfectly good food!

My husband and I grew some gorgeous carrots in our garden that were scrumptious in my balsamic & orange roasted carrots. We had a RIDICULOUS amount of carrot tops from these carrots. We worked so hard to grow those pretty little carrots and, by golly, I was determined to use the carrot tops. This is great for those of you who grow carrots or that get carrots with the tops on at the farmer’s market or store. I would recommend organic because you never know what ends up on vegetables these days.

I wish I had taken a picture of our refrigerator full of carrot tops while I decided what to make with them. It was like a jungle in there! Every day my husband comes home looking for a pre-dinner snack. I’m pretty sure he didn’t even question the fact that when he opened the fridge he couldn’t see through the forest of carrot tops. Apparently it’s like a don’t ask, don’t tell situation with the weird food that pops up around our house waiting to made into something delicious. I suppose he just trusts that I have a plan with the random food he finds. And I usually do have a plan…usually.

Carrot Top & Basil Pesto
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 3 cups carrot top leaves, roughly chopped
  2. 1/2 cup basil, roughly chopped
  3. 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted (see directions)
  4. 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  5. 1/2 cup olive oil
  6. 3 cloves garlic
  7. salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. To toast the pine nuts, place in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until they start to lightly toast. You will know they are starting to toast when they start to become more fragrant. Stay close during this process because they can burn quickly!
  2. Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until mixture turns into a paste/puree.
Notes
  1. We made pesto grilled cheese sandwiches with these (recipe to come). We also used some of the pesto to top grilled chicken, which was also delicious!
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

 

 

Balsamic & Orange Roasted Carrots

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Who here likes to be fancy? ME! ME! Actually, it’s more that I like to pretend to be fancy. It’s a fine line between real and pretend fancy so pretending to be fancy is 99% of the way there. Either way, these carrots will make you seem super fancy. Why? First, because I say so. Of course that’s a legitimate reason. Second, because balsamic vinegar. Fancy. Third, you add orange zest into anything and it’s *for real* fancy. Even the word “zest” sounds fancy. Fourth, we grew these multi-colored carrots in our garden and WHOA are they fancy.

You can of course make this recipe with normal orange carrots from the store. I swear I won’t even tell you that you are not fancy, partially because the carrots that you see in the picture are the ONLY carrots we were able to grow this year. Better than last year when we did not get even one carrot to grow. Luckily, these beauties turned out absolutely delicious so it was all worth it!

It’s hard to tell but if you look at the pan of carrots, you can actually see that the reddish purple carrots were bright yellow on the inside (i.e. the carrot on the far left on the baking sheet above)! How awesome!! Little things amuse me…but come on, pretty cool. I was shocked when I cut into it. For those of you who knew this because you are real gardeners or real cooks, just pretend to be excited with me. Someday maybe this won’t surprise me anymore but for now it seems crazy awesome! 

Balsamic & Orange Roasted Carrots
Serves 4
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
35 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
35 min
Ingredients
  1. 12 small to medium whole carrots
  2. 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  3. 1 large orange (to get 1/4 cup orange juice and 1/2 tablespoon orange zest)
  4. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  5. 2 tablespoons olive oil
  6. salt & pepper, to taste
  7. handful of green beans, optional (I threw them in because they were in our garden)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Cut carrots into halves or quarters lengthwise depending on the size of the carrots. You want them to all be a similar thickness. Place on a baking sheet with green beans (optional).
  3. Zest orange and set orange zest aside for later. Add 1/4 cup of orange juice from your orange into a small sauce pan. Add the balsamic vinegar and simmer on low heat for 3-5 minutes until is starts to thicken slightly. Add minced garlic and 1/2 tablespoon of orange zest. Simmer for another 3-5 minutes until the mixture reduces by about half.
  4. Toss carrots and green beans (optional) with olive oil, balsamic orange sauce, and salt & pepper.
  5. Place carrots in 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, until they reach your desired tenderness.
  6. To serve, you can squeeze fresh orange juice over the top.
Notes
  1. This recipe works with regular or fancy multi-colored carrots so don't fret if you don't have the ones like in my pictures.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/
 
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