Put beans/water/bay leaves in crockpot and cook for allotted time.

When you have 25-30 minutes left, it’s time to start the Roasted Garlic.

Step 1 & 2

Step 3 & 4

Step 5 & 6

Add Roasted Garlic to crockpot and emulsify.

Extra little additions…

Enjoy!

Tuscan White Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup (Crock Pot Recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb dry Cannellini beans, rinsed (2 1/2 cups)
• 1 head garlic, peeled
• 7cups hot water
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 bay leafs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil *
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Place beans, 3 cloves of the garlic, water and bay leaves in the crock pot; cover and set to low 8 hours or high 4 hours, or until beans are soft.
• In the last hour, preheat the oven to 400°. Place remaining peeled garlic cloves in the center of a square of aluminum foil . Cover garlic with olive oil and a little salt. Seal aluminum tightly and place in the oven 25-30 minutes, until garlic is soft and golden. Remove from oven and set aside until the beans are done.
• When the beans are soft, then carefully add the roasted garlic and use a immersion blender,blend  until smooth while adding* 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Taste for salt and adjust as needed
• Top with fresh  italian parsley or rosemary , finely chopped.

Makes about 7 3/4 cups.

~thefoodie

Chop the fennel into thick chunks
Layer the fennel, garlic and short ribs in a crock pot, as shown below
(garlic and beef: fennel: beef)

Add just enough water to cover the top layer of beef
Cook on low heat for 3-4 hours, depending on the (low) temperature and size of your crock pot
(you can cook faster on high (1-2 hours) although the meat is more tender with slow cooking)

After it is cooked, season with sea salt and black pepper, stir well

Enjoy!

What busy mom does not like a good crock-pot recipe?  I am always on the lookout for good recipes that I can put on in the morning before I leave for work.  I love to come home to the smell of something cooking for dinner.  This is a super easy recipe, and once you get home from work, you can pop a vegetable into the microwave, make a quick salad and you’ll have a well rounded meal.

Ingredients:

boneless, center cut pork chops 1/2-inch thick or thicker

2 medium onions, sliced

1 package sliced fresh mushrooms (or a 4 oz. jar of sliced mushrooms, drained)

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1/4 cup water

1 can golden cream of mushroom soup (or regular cream of mushroom soup)

Directions:

Spray inside of the crock-pot with cooking spray.  Place the pork chops in the bottom, overlapping if needed.

Sprinkle the sliced onions and sliced mushrooms over the top.

Mix the onion soup mix, mushroom soup, and 1/4 cup water.

Pour over the top of the pork chops, mushrooms, and onions.

Spread out a little to distribute as evenly as possible.

Set on low and cook for 6-8 hours.  When you get home, dinner will be ready!  Enjoy!

So, I started by adding ingredients to my CrockPot, set on low for four hours. Ingredients for the CrockPot included a packet of dry ranch dressing mix, one packet of taco seasoning (mild, medium or hot based on preference), a can of chicken broth and a quarter bottle of Ranch dressing. I also added chopped onions and garlic for extra flavor. Then I added in the raw chicken breasts. The recipe calls for 4-6, but our chicken breasts were smaller, so we included seven.

We let this cook for 3.5 hours before taking the chicken out to shred it. Since it was cooked in the CrockPot, it shred very easily. Once it’s all shredded, add it back in to the CrockPot for about 10 minutes so that each piece really soaks up the flavor. This makes for a soupier mix than I was expecting, but we made that work to our advantage. Once you add the chicken breasts back in, prepare your tortillas. We lucked out because our pan is exactly the same size as our tortillas, so if you have one of those round baking pans, be sure to use it. Spray the bottom of the pan very lightly, then add the tortilla and a layer of chicken. Be sure to use a slotted spoon to scoop out the chicken, it’ll leave behind some of the sauce while you get plenty of chicken and definitely enough sauce with it. You can use the leftover sauce later. On top of the chicken, add a layer of shredded Mexican cheese – use your discretion for how cheesy you want it.  Then a layer of criss-crossed Ranch dressing, like the photo below. Then another layer of tortilla, chicken, cheese and Ranch. Top it off with a tortilla.

The recipe says to bake this for 45 minutes – I did mine for 35 and it was plenty. Enchiladas are a messy dish, so be prepared for this. Once it cools, cut into quarters – a pizza cutter is best for this. When ready to serve, splatter some of the extra sauce on top. This wasn’t in the recipe, but it definitely adds extra flavor! We also served with sliced avocados, diced tomatoes and sour cream.

This recipe was delicious, especially for Ranch lovers. I highly recommend it, served with a margarita.

Until next meal,

Marki

Ingredients (parentheses are my comments/changes to the original recipe):

• 4-6 chicken breasts (we used 7 because they were small)
• 1 packet of dry Ranch dressing mix
• 1 packet of taco seasoning mix (you choose mild, medium or hot)
• 1 can of chicken broth (Low sodium is better, and you may only need 8 ounces, not the whole can)
• 1 large packet of corn tortillas (we used whole wheat tortillas and it was delicious)
• 1 to 2 cups of grated cheese (Mexican blend)
• 1 bottle of Ranch dressing (fat free)
• (Chopped onions and garlic)

Recipe Credit: Mom’s Crazy Cooking

Wine Pairing: Drink a margarita or maybe some sangria. If you insist on wine, pair with Rioja – according to HelloVino.

Sides: Chips, salsa and guacamole. Also recommended – refried beans and Spanish rice.

Now that it’s colder outside I like to make a lot of soups. This one is easy, you use your crock pot and the results are delicious.

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced(or 1/2 teaspoon dried )
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 pounds potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and refrigerate until serving. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat.

Add onions and cook over medium high heat until softened and lightly browned, about five minutes. Add garlic and thyme season with salt and pepper.Cook for and additional minute,add flour and allow to cook for a minute whisking constantly. Slowly whisk one cup chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until mixture is thick, and transfer to slow cooker stir in remaining 3 cups of broth, potatoes,3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into slow cooker. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender about 6 to 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

Transfer 3 cups of potatoes to medium bowl with cream and mash until smooth using potato masher. Return potatoes to slow cooker along with shredded cheese and sour cream. Stir to combine and let the soup sit until heated through,about 10 minutes.

When ready to serve microwave bacon until hot and crispy, about 30 seconds.

Ladle into bowls and top with bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.

• 2 cups of chicken broth (or could use vegetable stock) 
• 2 cans of whatever beans (kidney and black)– (both drained)
• 1 tomato
• 1 can of corn (and juice)
• vegetables (I used broccili, mushrooms, carrots, asparagus, minced garlic, mushrooms- can use any vegetables)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Drain and rinse the beans; add to crockpot
2. Add vegetables and corn (along with juice) from can.
3. Cover with chicken broth.
4. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

• 4-6 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Bottle of Archer Farms Hawaiian Style BBQ Sauce
• 1 20oz can of crushed pineapple, drained

Directions

1. Spray the inside of the crockpot with cooking spray for an easy clean up
2. Place frozen chicken breasts in crockpot and cover with sauce
3. Empty can of drained pineapple chunks on top
4. Cook high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours
5. Shred chicken with two forks while still in crockpot so the chicken will be well coated with sauce. Serve over rice.

If you know me you know I’m in love with my slow cooker. I tried out this dish the first time and fell in love with it immediately.

2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, cut into cubes
5 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped (I used a green pepper)
1 (5 oz ) can tomato paste
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp garam masala
1 jalapeno, seeded and halved OR 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions
Grease your slow cooker with Pam. Place the chicken and carrots on the bottom of slow cooker.

Place the rest of the ingredients (except water and corn starch) in a food processor and process together until mixture is mostly smooth. ***If your food processor is too small to hold everything, process everything but the coconut milk. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl then mix in the coconut milk.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and carrots, mix well, then cover and cook on low for about 6 hours.

An hour or so before serving, mix cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved. Pour mixture into the slow cooker, stir to combine, and continue cooking for another hour. **This will thicken up the sauce. When the sauce is to your desired thickness, turn slow cooker to warm setting until ready to serve.

Serve over rice, with Naan, and garnish with cilantro.
*if you want you can chop the bell pepper into larger pieces and place in with the chicken and carrots rather than processing into the sauce. This is what I did and we loved the different textures of the carrots, chicken, and pepper in the sauce.

Start out in this position with your hands and feet on the ground and the stability ball underneath you. You’ll need a smaller exercise ball than the one I’m using here, that way you’ll be able to raise your feet up a bit higher than the rest of your body.

Check out that awesome action shot! Like I said, smaller stability ball yields better results because it will be able to keep your knees bent, etc. Try not to fling your legs up, but rather, raise them up in a controlled motion. If you don’t feel it in your glutes, you’re not doing it right! However, I’m not a professional, so feel free to disregard my workout/fitness advice!

When Remington got home from Mother’s Day Out yesterday he immediately noticed the stability ball in the living room and was a little freaked. He kept saying “Ball, Momma!” but would not get close to it. I’m telling on myself with that one because I obviously haven’t been using it enough.

On a different note, I can’t wait for dinner tonight! All of Gina’s skinny recipes that I’ve tried have been wonderful, but I have to say the Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup is one of my absolute favorites! The smell is killing me! I just want to eat a bowl now, but I will have self control and wait until my husband gets home. Maybe.

Don’t you love my old school hand-crank can opener? I refuse to buy one of the electric can openers because I cannot figure them out for the life of me! My mom has had and electric one for like…forever and every time she asked me to open a can I had to bust out the manual one. I’ve tried all kinds! I don’t know why I can never use the electric ones!

What are you having for dinner?

Until next time,

Kelsey

Spicy Crockpot Super Bowl Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef, turkey, or chicken
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup water
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 14 1/2 can diced tomatoes w/ chilies, undefined
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp cumin
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, drained
1 15-oz can black beans

Directions:
In a large skillet brown ground beef, turkey or chicken. Drain off fat.

In a 6 quart slow cooker, add meat, onion, garlic, peppers, water, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, beans, mustard, chili powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and cumin. Stir until all ingredients are evenly mixed together.

Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.

Serving Ideas:
Serve over rice, spaghetti, macaroni, baked potatoes, or hotdogs. If desired, top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and diced onions.

Makes 6 servings

I’ve been enjoying our crock pot since Christmas. For one-dish meals, it works wonders, whether in the morning or at dinner time. Every new recipe is a brand new adventure. Sometimes it doesn’t really work out how I’d like (like when I made polenta in the crock – only to discover I’d rather stand at the stove and stir it into creamy, delicious, goodness instead of the more clumpy version the slow cooker allows). Sometimes the outcome tastes better than what I imagined at first – like this blueberry coconut steel cut oats recipe.

Recently I decided to attempt corn chowder in the crock. I decided to precook some of the vegetables on the stove with the spices that would eventually make it into the chowder anyway. If you’re wanting to merely throw this together and forget about it, like a crock pot is good for, you’re welcome to.

This chowder was very creamy, with the sweetness familiar to corn chowder. I used Yukon gold and red potatoes so that they’d hold their shape while the chowder cooked, rather than fall apart like a russet would. Do whatever you want. If the chowder thickens up more than you like, simply add a little more broth or milk. This is an easy, comforting meal perfect for the drawn out cold winter days and nights we’ve been having!

Slow Cooked Corn Chowder

Serves 6-10.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium leek, thinly sliced (hard green parts removed)
1 large onion, diced
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 large stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, diced
2 large carrots, cut in half, then sliced in half moons
2 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. ground white pepper
½ tsp. smoked paprika
½ tsp. ground cumin
4 cups diced Yukon gold and/or red potatoes
3 cups sweet corn kernels (frozen is A-OK)
4 cups No-Chicken Broth
2 cups milk (preferably whole milk)
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a medium-sized skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, onion and garlic, cooking until the onion is translucent and the leeks completely tender (5-7 minutes). Add the diced celery, bell pepper, carrots, two teaspoons of salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and cumin, stirring to evenly combine everything.

Pour the contents of the skillet into your crock pot, along with the diced potatoes and corn, broth, milk, and heavy cream. Stir everything to combine the ingredients well. Cover and turn the crock pot on high for 5-7 hours. Stir the chowder, then taste and add more salt and pepper to your liking.

Serve hot.

Ingredients

• 1 Large Green  Bell Pepper
• 1 Large Yellow Onion
• Italian Sausage (removed from the casing and browned)
• 1-2 lbs Ground Beef, browned (depending on how meaty you want the chili)
• 1/2 Lb of thinly sliced steak, browned
• 2 Medium Cans of crushed tomatoes
• 1 large can of Kidney Beans or Black Beans
• 22oz of  beer of your choice
• The Add a little something extra (These are some of David’s go-to add-ins: balsmaic vinegar, whochestshire sauce, soy sauce,  small piece of chocolate, salsa, other types of vinegar, jalapenos, fresh tomatoes, etc, just something to add some extra flavor)

Instructions

• Chop and sautee all peppers and Onions
• Then, brown/cook all meat.
• Next add all ingredients to the crock pot, layering with peppers and onions, then meat, then the beans, tomatoes, and then add-ins. Make sure you have enough liquid to cover all the ingredients.

• The turn crock pot on low and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering allow to sit, stirring occasionally until the chili thickens. Make sure not to bring the heat up too quickly because you dont want to burn what is on the bottom of the pot. 
• David usually lets his cook about 6-8 hours before he lets us feast! Once the chili is prepared we serve it up wit some sour cream and a little shredded cheese. So delicious!

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 pound andouille sausage, diced
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 tsp hot sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 pound frozen peeled shrimp, thawed
2 cups white long grain rice
Fresh chopped parsley as garnish.

Directions
Prepare the ingredients for the crockpot: cut chicken, dice sausage, and chop the onion, green bell pepper, and celery stalk.

In the crock pot combine chicken, sausage, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery, and chicken broth. Stir in oregano, cajun seasoning, hot sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.

Once the contents in the crockpot are done cooking, carefully remove the liquid. You will use this liquid to cook your rice in a separate pot. Cook the rice according to package directions using as much jambalaya liquid as possible; 2 cups rice needs 4 cups liquid. Typically I can get 2 cups of liquid from the crock pot so I’ll use an additional 2 cups water. While rice is cooking, stir in the thawed shrimp in the crockpot, cover and cook until the shrimp are cooked (about 30 minutes). Once rice is done mix into the crock pot. Discard bay leaves, add fresh chopped parsley if desired, and serve.

Notes
*If preparing the night before store the crock pot ingredients in a ziplock freezer bag or large tupperware in the refrigerator. *I cook my rice in a rice cooker using as much liquid from the jambalaya as possible. This adds flavor to the rice and makes it taste like its been cooking with the jambalaya for hours.

Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
1 package cream cheese (softened)
1 package dry italian salad dressing mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup water

Directions
Mix together softened cream cheese, cream of chicken soup, water, and italian dressing mix.

Place chicken breasts at the bottom of the crockpot.

Pour mixture over chicken breasts

Cook on low 6 hours

Serve over penne pasta

original recipe found here.

ingredients: butternut squash, potatoes, chickpeas, onion, garlic, ginger root, red curry paste, coconut milk, vegetable stock, cashew butter, swiss chard, peas, cilantro, olive oil, sea-salt, and rice.

cube the potatoes and the butternut squash (if it doesn’t come pre-cut, which luckily, the ones i bought today did); dice the onions; mince the garlic and ginger root. in a pan, saute the onions, garlic, and ginger root in olive oil; after a while, add in the curry paste. place the potatoes and butternut squash in the crockpot and add in the onion/garlic/ginger root/curry paste mixture into the pot. add in the chickpeas, coconut milk, and vegetable stock as well. cook for a while (i think the cook time is around four hours depending on what setting the crockpot is on) and then add in the peas and swiss chard. make some rice to serve on top of and sprinkle chopped up cilantro on the overall dish.

crockpot + rice cooker = makes cooking that much easier.

When you’re facing a huge pile of tasks or find yourself in a creative rut, it’s hard to know how to climb your way of it.  But any effort starts with a single step, and sometimes making a small change in your life can make a huge difference.  That’s what this week’s link round-up is all about.

Product of the Week

I tried really hard to fall in love with French Press coffee, and for a while, we really had something going.  But after a while I had to admit that French Press was a little too acidic for my tastes, not to mention a tad bit grainy toward the bottom.  Enter the Pour Over Method, which uses a cone and a disposable or permanent filter.  It’s a beautiful thing.  I use The Kitchn’s instructions with a digital scale, but you can still get great results with a little less precision.  It’s a small change in the 10 minutes I spend making coffee in the morning (when I’m not running to Starbucks, that is), but it makes it much, much more enjoyable.

Recipe of the Week

Lately I’ve been trying to stock my freezer with ready-to-heat-and-eat meals for after the baby arrives — and also because it’s just good practice for busy people.  While Dump Chicken is perhaps the worst name for a recipe, there’s no denying the simplicity of buying chicken in bulk, placing (or fine, DUMPING) it in a Ziplock bag, adding marinade or stew ingredients, and tossing it in the freezer ’til you’re ready to stick (OK, fine! DUMP) it in a crockpot. Add a side of veggies and a complex carb, and you’ve got a well-rounded, healthy, easy meal. Here’s a list of 48 versions.

Thought-Provoker of the Week

In January of last year, I stumbled across FatMumSlim’s #fmsphotoaday challenge.  She provides a list of prompts each month, and the idea is (you guessed it) to take a photo each day somehow related to the prompt.  There are other versions of this, like #project365, as well as a bunch of photoaday copycat lists, but they all serve the same purpose — getting you to find something new/unique/remarkable every day of your life.  My record isn’t perfect (that isn’t the point), but I’ve noticed beauty in places I’d never have thought to look by taking part.  In fact, many of the photos you see on this blog are a result of that effort.  I wrote a post on my personal blog about it last year expanding on why it’s a great idea, especially for writers.  With the prevalence of cell phone cameras these days, whether you choose to post them somewhere or not, it’s definitely a small but rewarding change to your life worth considering.

Laugh of the Week

And with talk of any photo challenge must come acknowledgment that you’re probably going to take some of these photos. You can still laugh at this video and continue to take said photos. Or at least I do.

Lesson of the Week

All great ventures are done one little step at a time.  If a goal is truly important to you, if you can commit to doing at least one thing a day to get you closer to achieving that goal, you’ve got a great chance of getting there — and sooner rather than later.  Here Seth Godin offers a few ideas on using the “one thing a day” principle to market your small business.

For more better bison recipes, visit: http://www.lindnerbison.com/recipes.html 

For more foodporn, check out our lovely follower: BunnyandPorkBelly

Okey dokey, let’s get started. In your trusty crockpot, add:

6-8 Large Carrots. Hmm, that doesn’t seem like enough…

There we go!

1/2 Head of Cabbage

Cauliflower (if you want it) and a Medium Onion

Lindner Grassfed Bison Chuck Roast
At $10.25/lb, it was like cooking with gold. ~_~ I was terrified.

Wasn’t sure if I was supposed to leave this on… I didn’t.

Salt, Pepper, Rosemary and Thyme

Herbal Camouflage. Actually, I did it to keep the lid of the crockpot from touching the meat.

Add Water, Slap the Lid On, and Cook on Low for 20 Hours (or less, your choice).

Voila! It tastes pretty much just like beef. -__-

What did I learn?

Grassfed bison doesn’t shrink as much as my usual manager’s special beef, but that doesn’t begin to put bison in the same price range (unless you make a lot more money than me, which you probably do  -_^).

Grassfed bison and grassfed meat in general is supposedly more nutrient-dense than grainfed meats. I guess I buy that.

While the flavor is similar to beef chuck roast cooked in the crockpot, it does taste like really good beef, and it has an amazing color and smell. I guess I’d have to cook a beef roast to make a fair comparison, but my belly is full of bison, and I refuse.

I found the vegetables and “soup” to be woefully under-salted, but I worried that adding a lot of salt to the crockpot would dry out the meat. <–That may not be good food science.

If you have any amazing crockpot recipes, feel free to let me know. I’ve got two men and a cat to feed!

Christy

]]> http://blog.2shopper.com/2013/01/23/a-soup-spectacular/ Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:30:14 +0000 Super Sasha http://blog.2shopper.com/2013/01/23/a-soup-spectacular/ Sniff sniff, cough cough, puke puke: with winter flu season in full swing, nothing soothes the ill spirit quite like a bowl of steaming, tasty soup. If that’s true, then imagine what fresh, from-scratch, wholesome homemade soup could do. Oh, the possibilities…  Could Clam Chowder provide you with the strength to cut crime in half? Will Chicken Tortilla Soup give you sudden fluency in Spanish? Would Baked Potato Soup help you finally understand why the Kardashians are so popular? Well, we guess there’s only one way to find out!

Now, we know the thought of making soup from scratch can be intimidating: usually there’s two to three times the amount of ingredients called for in other recipes, and some require major babysitting. Luckily for you, we’ve searched for easy, tasty soup recipes, starting with Italian Sausage Soup!

Italian Sausage Soup

If you like your soup meaty and hearty, this soup recipe is for you! Italian sausage cooks with garlic, broth, a medley of vegetables, and great Northern beans for a satisfying meal that will bring your flu symptoms and hunger to a standstill!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Did that Chicken Tortilla Soup we mentioned earlier spark your interest? It should: it’s delicious! And cooking could not be easier: all the ingredients, including salsa, corn kernels, garlic, and cumin, get tossed into a slow cooker and finish with tortilla strips and Monterrey Jack cheese. If your taste buds desire even more stimulation, a dash of cayenne pepper can be added to the soup recipe or you could also top a bowl off with fresh guacamole and sour cream as well. ¡Fantastico!

Baked Potato Soup

How about another easy slow cooker recipe? Baked Potato Soup is creamy, chunky, and includes real bacon bits! Half-and-half cream, flour, and ranch dressing mix are the key ingredients that recreate that savory, full-bodied taste of loaded baked potatoes.

If you’re still trying to uphold that resolution about losing weight, kudos to you! Try this Zero Point Cabbage Soup recipe. Isn’t that the same soup Charlie Bucket complained about in “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?” Why, yes, it is– except this one isn’t just cabbage and water. Cabbage, vegetables, basil, and oregano basks in a sauna of three types of broth– vegetable, beef, and chicken– for a surprisingly tasty and low-calorie meal.

Zero Point Cabbage Soup

Want a little seafood with your soup? Clam Chowder is your go-to soup recipe. This New England style recipe is the thick, creamy, and chunky soup you’d expect but simplified into an hour’s worth of cooking time. Try baking some sourdough bread bowls to complete your meal!

New England Clam Chowder

Still snifflin’, coughin’, or gaggin’? Well, at least your appetite is happy from a soup spectacular!

Yummy! Had this over some brown rice. For when you want something hearty but nothing too heavy. Oh and I don’t use ground beef anymore so I used ground turkey. Don’t worry people won’t even know it’s turkey.

1 pound(s) uncooked 93% lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 small uncooked, onion(s), minced
1 small green pepper(s), chopped (or any color sweet peppers)
15 oz canned tomato sauce
15 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained
12 medium olive(s), chopped
6 Tbsp raisins, chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground allspice, or to taste
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

Instructions
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, brown beef; drain fat and add beef to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients to slow cooker; stir well to combine. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours. Adjust seasonings before serving, if desired.

One tidbit: why did he deny doping after 2005 (in 2009 and 2010)? What’s the point? Ah, that’s the gem of this little “confession”. The statute of limitations states he can still be sued by sponsors for fraud, etc., for the 2009 & 2010 allegations. He is trying to dupe us again, folks.

Gross. He’s gross. And an ass. And he should NEVER be allowed to participate in competitive sports ever again.

I don’t care about Lance on Oprah.

• These two, on the other hand, I care about and think are just amazing. Good on them.
• And this guy. I mean, Would YOU have done this?
• Did you know ER visits have doubled because of those crazy energy drinks?
• Miss America is from Brooklyn (holla, BK!) & does Crossfit. Love the strong look!
• Running in minimalist shoes does not mimic barefoot running.
• Longer strength training workouts correlated to more lower back injuries in soldiers.
• Speaking of strong, fewer kids in NYC fall into the “obese” category. Keep it up!
• A new flu vaccine may be on the market soon. Get your flu shot, everyone.
• Myths about heart attacks and dehydration in endurance sports. read this.
• This is the kind of cooking I’ve been doing lately. Put food in pot + walk away = dinner.
• My favorite article of the week which will forever remind me of the Notting Hill montage where Hugh Grant’s character goes on a dating spree.

On that note, Happy Friday. See you all tomorrow at the first Team lululemon long training run at 9am. Meet at the E. 66th St. store on 3rd Ave and come run with me!

Now go out and run.

Hi Everyone! As you can see my blog is still up. I haven’t requested for it to be taken down, because honestly, I just

haven’t had a chance. I love to blog, about all things. But my main focus is to blog about Christ, his love, his forever lasting love, his forgiveness & also biblical marriage. I have been struggling to do my bible studies lately. It just seems like the enemy knows

how to keep me busy with every day life and chores .. But I promise myself, I will not let outside things

distract me. I pray about it ! So with that being said, I have about 8 followers on my new blog ( CLICK HERE ) some of those I would love to reach out to them with my words and posts.

I have seen some of your blogs and I love them! From the way you speak to the all the content on your sites. So from the bottom of my heart, I ask you to follow my new blog, and help me spread the word. Maybe you can write a piece on my blog that links back to yours ( a guest post) I think it would blow people away. YOU GUYS DO HAVE A WAY WITH WORDS =)

I would very much appreciate your encouragement.  You subscribe to my new blog at http://www.hisvirtuouswife.com

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp minced fresh ginger

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/4th tsp salt

6 cups chicken broth

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced

3 green onions, sliced

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 baby bok choy, chopped

5 oz chinese noodles (about half a package)

sriracha sauce for serving

chopped cilantro for serving

Directions:

Heat the sesame oil over medium high heat in a large heavy-bottomed stock pot. Add the minced garlic and ginger and briefly saute for about 30 seconds. Add the chicken and bok choy, sprinkle with salt, and saute for another three minutes until chicken has turned white but not completely cooked all the way through.

Add the chicken broth, jalapeno and green onions to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until chicken is done.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles in boiling salted water, drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Add the rice vinegar and soy sauce and stir. You can add a little more salt if you like, but taste first because soy sauce already contains a lot of salt! Add the noodles to the pot and serve with chopped cilantro and sriracha sauce on the side.