Corn chowder is my ultimate comfort food.
And when thickened/creamified (totally a word) with avocados?
Now it's, like, my everyday food. Especially since I can throw it in the crock pot and move on with my day.
Slow Cooker Avocado Corn Chowder
Serves 8-10
8 cups vegetable broth
5 yellow potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
1 lb frozen yellow corn kernels
1 cup chopped sweet bell peppers of your choice
1 small yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed and minced
1/4 tsp fresh thyme
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 small avocados, chopped
Combine all ingredients, except for avocados in a slow cooker, and heat on low for 6 hours.
Thirty minutes prior to serving, add 3 of the 4 chopped avocado to a large food processor and puree until smooth. Add 1/2 cup broth from the soup to the processor and mix until combined. Add an additional 1/2 cup and mix until smooth. Add avocado mix back into the slow cooker, and add remaining chopped avocado. Heat until warm. Serve.
Nutrition Info per 1 1/2 cups: 316 calories, 14 g fat, 14 g protein, 31 g carbohydrates, 10 g fiber
Brown rice is a whole grain, in that only it's outermost layer has been removed. When brown rice has been stripped to white rice, it loses all of its dietary fiber, over half of its iron, two thirds of its vitamin B3 and 90% of vitamin B6!
This risotto feature this brilliant grain in all it's glory. Short grain brown rice has a slightly shorter cooking time than long grain, and still has all of the nutritional value!
Brown Rice Risotto with Tuna and Spinach
Serves 6
6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups short grain brown rice
1/2 cup white wine
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, pressed and finely minced
2 cups spinach leaves, chopped
1- 6 oz can solid albacore in water, drained
4 oz shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add white wine and pepper and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in brown rice and cook until all liquid has been absorbed. Add 3/4 cup broth and continue to cook until all liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding broth 3/4 cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid prior to adding more.
When rice is done and all the broth has been absorbed, add in spinach and cook until wilted, 4-5 minutes. Stir in tuna and Parmesan cheese and cook until cheese is melted.
Serve immediately!
Nutrition Info per 1 serving: 297 calories, 6 g protein, 23 g protein, 37 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber
Pistachio nut butter. Need I say more?
Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, all natural, and delicious.
There. I've gone and outdid myself.
Pistachio Butter Granola Bites
Makes ~18
1 cup shelled pistachios
1/4 cup hot water
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 Tbsp chia seeds
3/4 cup rolled oats
5 dried figs, chopped
Soak shelled pistachios in hot water for 30 minutes. Transfer nuts and water to a food processor and chop until smooth. Add coconut oil and honey. Continue to mix until a thick puree is formed. Add in coconut, chia seeds and oats. Mix until combined. Transfer to a bowl and fold in chopped figs.
Roll ~1 1/2 Tbsp of mixture into a tight ball. Place in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to eat!
Nutrition Info per 1 ball: 105 calories, 6 g fat, 2.5 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber
Who here likes spinach artichoke dip? Alright, put your hands down my invisible internet friends. Let's just assume that we all do.
This bisque will knock your socks off. Without blowing the buttons off of your trousers.
We should use the word trousers more often, shouldn't we?
All of the flavor of your favorite dip. In a soup. A healthful one at that!
Spinach= superfood. 1 1/2 lb of spinach? Well, that's crazy SUPER.
Creamy Spinach Artichoke Bisque
Serves 6
2 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed and minced
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
9 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 lbs spinach leaves
3 cups quartered artichoke hearts (frozen are preferred, if using canned, drain and rinse)
1 cup half and half
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and saute until fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add spinach and artichoke hearts and reduce to medium-low. Cook until spinach leaves are wilted, 7-8 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to blend soup to a smooth puree. Alternatively, you may transfer batches to a blender and blend until smooth.
Whisk in half and half and pepper. Simmer until heated through. Serve immediately, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese, placed under the broiler to melt the cheese, if desired.
Nutrition Info per 1 1/2 cups: 188 calories, 6.5 g fat, 16 g protein, 12 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber
If you want a truly easy, all natural, gluten-free, almost healthy dessert for Thanksgiving........here she is.
I really was not expecting this to turn out as a holiday-level dessert. But it is truly, almost unexpectedly, decadent. There's just something about fruit.
Baked "Caramel" Apples
Serves 8
4 large Golden delicious apples, halved, cored and seeded
4 tsp butter
3 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a small paring knife to make a slightly larger well in each apple. Place apple halves, well side up, in a large baking dish sprayed lightly with baking spray.
Place 1/2 tsp butter into each apple well, then top with 1 tsp brown sugar. Place baking dish in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until apple halves are soft and brown sugar has melted. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Transfer apples to individual serving plates and drizzle with any remaining melted brown sugar from the baking dish. Top each half with ~1 1/2 tsp ground walnuts. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Info per 1 apple half: 110 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g protein, 12 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber
Tis the time of year when I start to test out Thanksgiving dessert recipes.
Odd that desserts are my contribution to the meal?
I don't think so.
Stick with me and I will deliver a true 20 experience; traditional flavors without playing it "safe" with pumpkin pie. Consider it a Thanksgiving adventure. This one's a GO!
Mini Maple Cheesecakes with Gingersnap Crust and Caramelized Pecans
Serves 10
4- 8oz packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
4 eggs
PECANS
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
CRUST
2 cups gingersnap crumbs (from homemade or store-bought gingersnap cookies- use gluten-free if desired)
4 Tbsp butter, melted
For crust: Pulse gingersnap cookies in a food processor until crumbs are formed. In a medium bowl, mix crumbs with melted butter until moistened.
Spray 10 ramekins lightly with baking spray, then add ~1 1/2 Tbsp crumbs to the bottom of each ramekin. Use the back of a spoon (or your clean fingers) to press crumbs to form a bottom crust.
For pecans: Heat butter on the stovetop in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and brown sugar and cook until sugar begins to melt, shaking the pan occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir until sugar caramelizes and thickens to a syrup-like consistency. Remove from heat. Spoon pecans onto parchment paper, spread evenly and allow to cool completely. Break apart if needed once cooled.
For cheesecake: Use a mixer to whip cream cheese until smooth. Continue to mix as sour cream is added. Mix well. Add in one egg at a time, then add maple syrup. Continue to mix until very smooth.
For assembly: Preheat oven to 350 degreees. Sprinkle ~1 1/2 Tbsp caramelized pecans onto the crust in each ramekin (save some pecans for garnish if desired). Top with ~1 cup of the cheesecake mixture.
Place ramekins in a baking dish (or two) and fill the dish with water until it comes up halfway on the sides of the ramekins. Place the dishes into the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the center of each cheesecake is set. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then place ramekins into the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour prior to serving (can be made the day before- BONUS for holiday meal prep!).
Top with a sprinkle of caramelized pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup if desired!
