{Coconut Curry Lentil Soup}

There must be a little switch within me that triggers my senses to crave everything Fall once September hits! 

September is here and I am already looking forward to cooler days where I can bundle up in sweaters and boot.  The thought of going to the apple orchard for fresh Honey Crisp apples makes me giddy, and I want everything pumpkin.  I am dying to see the leaves changes colors and I long for crisp Autumn evenings that are just cool enough to sit outside on the patio with a big blanket, cup of tea and good magazine.  Yes, to say I am over this hot summer weather is an understatement… give me Fall!

September in my mind also kicks off soup making season!  There is nothing better then a warm bowl of soup on a chilly Minnesota Fall evening!  So despite the fact that we have had days where we experience 80 degree temps I have been whipping up soup over here like winter is coming!  This Coconut Curry Lentil soup is full of flavor and just what you need on a crisp fall day.  This soup is thick and hearty thanks to the lentils and sweet potato, and the curry adds a nice warming effect!  I snuck in some kale to up green factor, and you know what Derek didn't mind!  Serve with crackers or your favorite hearty bread to make it a meal.   

Coconut Curry Lentil Soup 

Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Serves 8 

Ingredients:

2 - 15 Oz. Cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes 

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste 

1 - 15 Oz. Can Light Coconut Milk - I used Trader Joe's 

1 Cup Chicken Broth 

1 Cup Green Lentils 

1 Medium Carrot Chopped 

1/2 Large Onion Chopped 

1 Medium Sweet Potato Peeled and CHopped 

1 Large Zucchini Roughly Chopped 

2 Garlic Gloves Minced 

2 Cups Roughly Chopped Kale 

1/2 Tablespoon Curry Powder 

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin and Chili Powder 

Salt and Pepper to Taste 

1 Tablespoon Agave 

Directions: 

1- In a large stock pot coated with cooking spray saute veggies until tender - about 7 minutes. 

2- Add tomato paste, canned tomatoes, chicken broth, spices, agave and lentils to stock pot.  Bring to boil. 

3- Once soup is boiling reduce heat and cover pot with a lid.  Allow soup to simmer on stove for 30-40 minutes or until lentils are tender. 

4- Gently stir in coconut milk and kale and cook until kale has wilted.  Serve with crackers or your favorite bread! 

Other great soups from around the web:

Chicken Verde Stew with Hominy - Cooking Light 
Chunky Turkey Vegetable Soup - Martha Stewart
Chunky Pumpkin Vegetable Soup - Brunch N'Cupcakes  

Enjoy! 

{Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Spinach}

Growing up Mac and Cheese was one of my favorite foods.  

However I was pretty picky about my mac and cheese!  I wouldn't eat mac and cheese unless it came from the blue box (you know... the Kraft blue box... homemade just didn't cut it), there had to be peas and carrots mixed into the finished mac and cheese, and I had to have a little pile of the powder cheese mix on the side of my plate to dip my already cheesy noodles in!  Oh and I would never eat leftover mac and cheese... because that was just gross!  Yes, I was an odd odd child! 

However now a days I prefer homemade mac and cheese to boxed mac and cheese and I no longer need a pile of powdered cheese to dip my noodles in... But I do still want my mac and cheese loaded with veggies which is why I love this Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Spinach! 

This mac and cheese is so flavorful and creamy and just darn delicious!  You won't even taste the squash!  Trust me my squash hating husband even gobbled this mac and cheese down and said he would even eat it again, that's a winner of a dish!  And if I haven't given you enough reason to make this awesome mac and cheese here is another reason... You make the whole dish start to finish in the same pot!  Have I convinced you? 

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Spinach 

Adapted from Cooking Light 

Serves 6

Ingredients 

Cooking Spray 

10 Oz. Pureed Butternut Squash ( I bought frozen Archer Farms Squash and pureed it myself)

1 Cup Almond Milk 

2 Cups Chicken Broth 

10 Oz. Elbow Macaroni Whole Wheat Pasta - Uncooked 

3 Cups Broccoli Florets 

2 Cups Spinach 

3 Garlic Cloves 

1/4 Cup Onion Chopped 

5 oz. Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese 

1/2 Teaspoon Salt 

1 Teaspoon Pepper 

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin 

Serve with additional cheese and sriracha if you like! 

Directions:

1- Heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray ( I used a small cast iron Le Crusest Dutch oven) add onions and cook until tender, add garlic and cook until fragrant. 

2- Carefully stir in butternut squash puree, almond milk and chicken broth. Stir occasionally. 

3- Once squash mixture is boiling add in your uncooked elbow macaroni.  Cover the pot and reduce heat.  Simmer for 5 minutes occasionally stirring.  Stir in your broccoli and cover and cook an additional 3 minutes or until sauce has thickened and pasta has cooked. 

4- Carefully stir in 4 oz of cheese, spinach, salt and pepper into macaroni allowing the heat of the pasta to wilt the spinach.  Top with remaining cheese and serve! 

Enjoy! 

{Spicy Pumpkin Quinoa Bake }

The weather in Minnesota recently has felt more life fall then late August!  And I loved every minute of it!  Cool crisp mornings and beautiful 60-70 degree evenings!

I will say that I am secretly ready for fall!  I am ready to to pull out all my fall clothes, Boots, chunky sweaters, cute light jackets... I cannot wait!  And I am even more ready and excited for the wonderful fall activities (apple picking, pumpkin patches)  and smells!

It was so funny with the weather cooling off a bit this week I found myself craving everything pumpkin!  Pumpkin bars, pumpkin bread, but most of all my pumpkin chili!  Which is why I decided to try my hand at a delicious one pan quinoa bake that featured pumpkin like my delicious chili! The end results are hands down delicious.  This is a perfect dish to enjoy on a cool evening.  Serve it up with fun chili style toppings along with crackers/tortilla chips for dipping!  Tasty, healthy and super delicious! 

Spicy Pumpkin Quinoa Bake 
Brunch N'Cupcakes
Serves 6-8

Ingredients: 

1 Cup Quinoa 

1 - 15 oz can Pumpkin 

3 Cloves Garlic 

1 - 15 oz Fire Roasted Tomatos

1/2 a Large Onion Chopped 

2 Red Peppers Chopped 

1 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock 

1 - 15 oz Can Kidney Beans - Drained 

1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese 

2 Teaspoons Sriracha 

1 1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder, Cumin and Cinnamon 

1 Teaspoon Salt and Pepper 

Directions:

1- Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray.  Toss veggies and kidney beans in the bottom of the casserole dish.  Top veggies and beans with quinoa and toss in casserole dish till combined. 

2 - In a large bowl mix together the pumpkin, chicken broth, tomatoes and spices.  Carefully pour the wet ingredients over the veggies and quinoa in the casserole dish.  Give everything a quick stir to make sure that the veggies and quinoa are equally coated. 

3- Bake casserole in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes or until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed.  Top casserole with cheese and broil on high for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned! 

Serve with plain or with your favorite chili toppings!

Enjoy!

{Kale and Spicy Chicken Sausage Skillet}

A few weeks ago I had a dear friend over for dinner!  We enjoyed a lovely evening on the patio catching up on life; all while enjoying the beautiful weather, a glass of wine and this delicious Kale and Spicy Chicken Sausage Skillet.  

Let me just pause for a moment and say that there is nothing better then a night spent with a dear friend, where you get to talk for hours and enjoy good food and wine!  Nothing better!  Let me also say that this Kale and Spicy Chicken Sausage Skillet is hands down amazing.  

Oh, and you know what makes this dish even greater?  It is simple to make,  not a lot of complicated steps... week night win!  I used Trader Joe's Jalapeno Chicken Sausage to give the dish a kick, but if your not into heat use a chicken sausage that is a bit milder (like Roasted Red Pepper, or Mild Italian - Trader Joe's has tons of options)!  Don't like kale?  Sub in spinach!  Wanna serve it over rice?  go ahead, but I love the extra veggie boost and flavor the cauliflower rice provides!  PS Derek even loved this dish... cauliflower rice, kale and all!  Win Win for this cook! 

Kale and Spicy Chicken Sausage Skillet 

Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Serves 4 

Ingredients:

Skillet 

1 Package of Chicken Sausage (5 links total) - I used Trader Joe's Jalapeno - Chopped 

2 Garlic Cloves 

1/2 Cup Chopped Mushrooms 

1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil 

1/2 Medium Onion Chopped 

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin, Paprika, Chili Powder

1-2 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar 

3/4 a large bag of chopped kale

Salt and Pepper to Taste 

Cauliflower Rice

1 Head Cauliflower - Roughly Chopped 

1/2 Cup Chopped Onion 

1-2 Garlic Cloves Minced 

Salt and Pepper to Taste 

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin and Paprika

1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil 

1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro Chopped 

Directions: 

To make the Kale and Spicy Chicken Sausage Skillet: 
1- Heat coconut oil in a large skillet.  Saute onions until tender.  Add Garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add mushrooms and seasoning to the skillet.  Cook until mushrooms are soft and liquid from mushrooms has absorbed.  Add chicken sausage and cook until heated through and chicken sausage is lightly browned.
2- Add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar to the skillet and de-glaze the pan.
3- Add spinach to the skillet and cook until wilted.  Serve immediately over cauliflower rice or plain rice.

To make the cauliflower rice:

1-  Place chopped cauliflower into the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse food processor until cauliflower resembles grains of rice.
2- In a large skillet heat coconut oil.  Saute onions until tender.  Add garlic and saute until fragrant.  Carefully add "riced" cauliflower to the skillet.  Season with salt, pepper, cumin and paprika.
3- Cook cauliflower for 7-10 minutes until tender and heated through.  Carefully stir in cilantro and remove from heat. 

Enjoy! 

{Clean Eating}

Over the years I have learned that my body just functions better when I eat cleaner.  I am more alert, have more energy and overall just feel better.  But I also like to indulge every now in then, because what is life without a little sugar?  

I will say these days I try to embrace an 80-20 lifestyle.  Eating clean 80% of the time and indulging/living 20% of the time.  It is a balance that works for me and has become sort of second nature to me.  But eating clean wasn't always easy for me, it took a lot of effort, that is why I was so excited when Cooking Light asked their Blogger Connection to share how they make clean eating a part of everyday life, in partnership with Panera Bread!   Which if you have not been to Panera recently you need high tail it over there and try their new menu!  I am in love with Panera's new fresh salads that feature good for you ingredients, clean dressing and loads of flavor!  Panera's Mediterranean Chicken and Quinoa salad is my new fav, its so delicious!  Plus, I can enjoy it knowing that I am putting good for me nutrients into my body!  

So now lets talk about how I make clean eating work in my busy everyday life!  Below are 5 ways that I make clean eating work along with some tips!  

1- Meal prep, meal prep, meal prep.
I find that when I plan out meals for the week (yes even breakfasts, lunches, and snacks)  I make better food choices.  Sunday nights I like to cut all my veggies for my weekly lunches, cook up a big batch of grains and cook up hard boiled eggs for quick easy grab and go breakfasts/snacking.  By prepping all this Sunday I can easily assemble a healthy and clean salad to take for lunch each day.   I also spend Sunday nights prepping as much as I can for our weekly dinners (chopping veggies, assembling meatballs, marinading chicken, etc).  This helps ease meal prep during the week and makes creating a healthy and clean dinner a breeze during the hectic work week.   

2- Read Labels, and stick to what you know!
In the beginning I didn't know where to begin when it came to grocery shopping, so I did a lot of research to find the cleanest foods, and read a lot of labels.  Grocery shopping took a lot of time in the beginning when I was trying to clean up my diet.  Now a days I have my tried and true staples that I purchase on a weekly basis, think Greek Yogurt, Beans, Canned Tomatoes etc.  These are my clean eating staples that I know I love and help eating cleaner so much easier!  Remember the shorter the ingredient deck the better! I also make sure that I shop mainly the perimeter of the store! 

3- Stock up and fill up on fresh produce.  
Fresh fruits and veggies are some of the cleanest and purest foods you can eat, so why wouldn't you want to fill your tank with as much of that goodness as possible?  I love subbing in fruits and veggies in lace of other snacky foods like pretzels, chips, etc.  I am a huge lover of chips and salsa but in an effort to eat cleaner and up my intake of fruits and veggies I dip carrot chips into fresh salsa instead of tortilla chips!  With that simple swap I upped my veggie intake and cleaned up my diet just a little more! More go to snacks; apple with peanut butter, homemade hummus and veggies, greek yogurt with honey and berries! 

4- When in doubt make your own! 
I love making my own salad dressings, granola and granola bars/energy bites!  By making my own I can control the ingredients that go into the foods I consume and I can make sure that I am putting only whole and nutritious ingredients into my body!  Busy?  Try making a pan of granola bars on Sunday night as a part of your meal prep!  For salads try drizzling greens with a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil and 1 apple cider vinegar!  I also love combining olive oil, honey, lemon juice and zest for a zippy and bright salad dressing! 

5- Make smart choices when dining out, but also enjoy!
When dining out I stick with dishes that feature loads of fresh and in season veggies!  I love grilled foods and if I don't like something the dish is featuring I ask for it on the side or not at all!  Don't be scared to ask for modifications to a dish when you are out!  But remember dining out is also a treat and you should enjoy it!  Remember 80% clean and 20% indulging and living.

Enjoy and Happy Eating!

{Grilled Greek Chicken}

Let me first start by saying these are not my finest photos!  Derek and I enjoyed this delicious Greek Chicken a few weeks ago outside by our pool and I didn't have my camera with me... so iPhone photos it was!  But hey, photos are better then no photos in my eyes!   

This chicken is what I would classify as a perfect summer meal.  The chicken is light and full of flavor... and  pairs great with warm weather, wine, outdoor dining and grilled veggies!  All the things I love about summer cooking! Perfect for week nights or a weekend grill out with friends... enjoy and happy cooking! 

Grilled Greek Chicken 

Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

2 Chicken Breast 

Salt, pepper, dried dill and garlic to season chicken 

1/3 Cup Cucumber Diced 

Juice and Zest from Half a Lemon 

1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt 

1 Garlic Clove Minced 

Teaspoon Agave 

2 Tablespoons Fresh Dill 

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine Greek yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice, minced garlic, agave, cucumber and fresh dill together in a medium bowl.  Place Greek yogurt cucumber sauce in fridge. 

2- Liberally season both sids of each chicken breast with salt, pepper, dill and garlic.   

3- On a grill heated to medium-high grill chicken flipping once until chicken is cooked fully through. 

To serve:

1- Cut each chicken breast in half and top with equal portions of Greek yogurt cucumber sauce. 

**Serve with steamed veggies, grilled veggies or a simple side salad! 

Enjoy! 

{Black Bean Meatball Bowls with Cauliflower Rice}

Hi friends! 

I just thought I should let you know that my brain is completely fried!  After a crazy but totally fun weekend of traveling (we drove 18 hours in 3 days) and now a busy busy work week... I have to say that I am lucky if I can even string a full sentence together... So I will leave you with this... and I am going to go take a nap, or get another cup of coffee!  One of the two! 

Simple, healthy and delicious - Check. 

Veggies - Check 

Protein - Check 

"Rice" that fakes you into thinking you are actually eating rice... Check! 

Yup, these Black Bean Meatball Bowls with Cauliflower Rice has it all!  I have been enjoying these little veggie packed bowls for over a week now, and am in heaven!  The meatballs can easily be made ahead of time and they freeze wonderfully (trust me I have tried it).   You can even chop the veggies and rice the cauliflower ahead of time to help cut cooking time down! Don't let the cauliflower rice scare you... it is super easy to make and hands down delicious!  I hope you enjoy as much as I did! 

Black Bean Meatballs with Cauliflower Rice 

Brunch N'Cupcakes 

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients: 

Black Bean Meatballs:

1 - 15 Oz. Can Black Beans Drained and Rinsed 

1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro 

1/2 - Medium Red Pepper - Finely Chopped 

1/4 - Medium Onion - Finely Chopped 

3/4 Cup Quick Cooking Oats 

Teaspoon Cumin and Chili Powder, Pepper and Garlic Powder 

1/2 Teaspoon Salt 

2 Large Egg Whites 

Cauliflower Rice

1 Head Cauliflower - Roughly Chopped 

1/2 Cup Chopped Onion 

1-2 Garlic Cloves Minced 

Salt and Pepper to Taste 

1/2 Teaspoon Cumin and Paprika

1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil 

1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro Chopped 

To Serve - 

1-2 Cups Spinach 

1 Red Pepper 

2/3 Cup Grape Tomates - Halved 

Salsa and or Srirach 

Avocado, Lime Wedges, Greek Yogurt, Cilantro 

Directions: 

To Make the Black Bean Meatballs: 

1- In a large bowl lightly mash the black beans with a fork. 

2- Add oatmeal, spices, cilantro and egg to the bowl and mix until well combined.  Set aside. 

3- In a large skillet coated with cooking spray saute peppers and onions until tender. 

4- Add veggies to the black bean mixture and mix until veggies are incorporated throughout the black bean mixture. 

5- Grease a muffin tin (with 12 slots) and form black bean mixture into 12 meatballs placing one meatball in each muffin tin.  

6- Back in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until tops are slightly browned. 

To make the cauliflower rice:

1-  Place chopped cauliflower into the bowl of a food processor.  Pulse food processor until cauliflower resembles grains of rice.  

2- In a large skillet heat coconut oil.  Saute onions until tender.  Add garlic and saute until fragrant.  Carefully add "riced" cauliflower to the skillet.  Season with salt, pepper, cumin and paprika. 

3- Cook cauliflower for 7-10 minutes until tender and heated through.  Carefully stir in cilantro and remove from heat. 

To Serve: 

1- Divide cauliflower rice among four plates. 

2- Top each serving of "rice" with equal parts spinach, tomatoes, and peppers. 

3- Top plate with black bean meatballs and additional toppings of choice! 

Enjoy!