Weekly Recipe Round-up

Hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving weekend!  Here are some recipes to help you get back on track toward healthy eating!

Moroccan Pumpkin, Chickpea, and Ginger Soup {via Mediterrasian}

I didn't have a pumpkin so I substituted a sweet potato and a small butternut squash that I had to use and it turned out fantastic!  Preheat the oven while you're cooking the soup to speed up the process.

Mediterranean Chopped Salad {via A Farm Girl's Dabbles}

This is a pretty filling salad but it also pairs nicely with your favorite whitefish or a homemade falafel. Take the leftovers for lunch!

Chicken Pot Pie {via AllRecipes.com}

This is hands down the best homemade chicken pot pie recipe I have ever had. It take a little over an hour, making it a great weekend meal.  Or prep the chicken and veggies during nap time and the rest for dinner.   I've also made a dairy-free version of this that tastes just as good using unsweetened plain almond milk and Smart Balance "butter."

Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad {via SkinnyTaste.com}

I L-O-V-E, love this salad. The marinade for the chicken is to die for and the salad dressing is SO YUMMY! And you're using fresh ingredients and having a healthy meal that is still filling and just tastes so good. I do leave the onions out of the salad because the dressing itself is quite full of onion flavor with the shallots. Sometimes I add in other veggies that I have hanging around, like fresh mushrooms. We make this even in the winter, when it's too cold to use the traditional grill. We just use our griddler to grill the chicken inside.

Homemade Ground Beef Tacos

I found this recipe online years ago and have never bought a packet of taco seasoning since. It takes just as long, tastes way better, and you actually know what is going into your food. NOTE: I only use 1 TBSP of chill powder since I have to lower the heat for my 2 year old. Also, make sure the beef is 90% lean or you will end up with a large pot of grease tacos. Believe me. 

Beef Taco  Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 onion, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 pound (90 percent lean) ground beef--very important that it is 90% lean!

1/2 cup canned tomato sauce

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar

Salt, to taste

8 crispy taco shells

Making Home Made Beef Tacos

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until soft and transparent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, spices, 1 teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Stir in the ground beef with your hands breaking down into small chunks. Cook until no longer pink about 5 minutes, the whole while continue to break meat down into even smaller pieces using a wooden spoon.

3. Stir in the tomato sauce, broth, vinegar and sugar. The entire mixture will be very loose. Simmer until thickened, about 10-15 minutes (could take longer) to let flavors incorporate. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve with all the fixins!

Let us know how these recipes work for you or if you have any you would like to share!