Kitchen Sink Soup
Its been snowing quite a bit lately and I have been in the mood for soup more than usual this winter. This recipe is a favorite because it makes such a large batch of soup, but also because it uses up just about anything I have in my fridge. Bonus is my kids love it.
Kitchen Sink Soup
3 pounds ground beef
3-4 cups chicken broth
3-4 cups water (or more if needed – less if you want yours more “stew like”)
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 large sweet potato, diced
6 carrots, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
5 celery stalks, chopped
2-3 cups shredded green cabbage
3 small shallots, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 teaspoons ground cumin
1-2 teaspoons coriander
2 teaspoons chili powder
1-2 tablespoons dried basil
About 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
In a large soup pot add the sweet potatoes, carrots, chicken broth, and water and bring to a boil
In a separate large pot or skillet, brown the 3 pounds of ground beef, and season with a little bit of salt and pepper, and set aside. You can also use ground chicken, turkey, or lamb.
After the soup pot comes to a boil, add the shallots, garlic, diced tomatoes, celery, and bell pepper and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the browned ground beef and shredded cabbage and continue to simmer until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
Season with all of the spices. Taste, and add more seasoning if desired.
Stir in the fresh cilantro and serve.
*Tips: Garnish with more fresh cilantro if desired, diced green onions, minced jalapeños and more shredded green cabbage. With your leftovers, eat a bowl of soup for breakfast topped with fried or poached egg!
To Your Best Health,
Coach Nancy
Yes, You can Eat Good at the Holidays
Christmas is a busy time of year. Don’t let it be an excuse to not eat healthy meals prepared at home. My favorite kitchen aid is my crock pot. It serves up delicious meals without a lot of fuss. Plus it makes the house smell good all day while it cooks. Here are three meals when served with a salad will keep you on track nutritionally.
Salsa Style Pork
- 1 pound pork loin, cut into one inch cubes
- 1- 20 ounce jar of salsa
- 1- 4 ounce jar of diced green chilies, drained
- 1- 15 ounce can of black beans, drained
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Combine pork loin, salsa, chilies, and black beans in crock pot and mix well. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Sprinkle cheese and cilantro over top and serve.
Herbed Turkey Breast
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 12 baby carrots
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1- 4 pound boneless turkey breast
- 1- 14 ounce can of chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon sage
- 1/8 teaspoon thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon marjoram
- 1/8 teaspoon oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Place vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot. Top with turkey breast. Combine seasonings and chicken broth. Pour over the top. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-7 hours.
Sirloin Tip Roast with Horseradish
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼pound boneless beef sirloin tip roast, cut in half
- ½ cup beef broth
Combine seasonings. Spread over roast halves. Place in slow cooker. Add broth. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove from cooker. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing diagonally across the grain. Scoop juices from crock pot into gravy dish. Serve with horseradish if desired.
Enjoy,
Coach Nancy
Egg Roll in a Bowl
We did S3 a few years ago and I acquired a few recipes from my team. I just had to share them again with you. They transport easily. They can be eaten hot out of the pan or served chilled. They work at a pot luck because they both make so much. This is here one of my all-time favorite recipes.
Egg Roll in a Bowl
by Coach Nancy
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 package coleslaw mix
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 3-4 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1-2 teaspoons rice vinegar
Cook ground beef in a skillet until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan leaving the drippings. Add celery, onion and garlic to the pan and sauté until cooked and softened. Add coleslaw mix and continue to cook for about 15 minutes. Mix ground beef back in. Add the ginger, coconut aminos, and rice vinegar. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes and it is ready!
Eating Right at the Holidays
Christmas is a busy time of year. Don’t let it be an excuse to not eat healthy meals prepared at home. My favorite kitchen aid is my crock pot. It serves up delicious meals without a lot of fuss. Plus it makes the house smell good all day while it cooks. Here are three meals when served with a salad will keep you on track nutritionally.
Salsa Style Pork
- 1 pound pork loin, cut into one inch cubes
- 1- 20 ounce jar of salsa
- 1- 4 ounce jar of diced green chilies, drained
- 1- 15 ounce can of black beans, drained
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Combine pork loin, salsa, chilies, and black beans in crock pot and mix well. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Sprinkle cheese and cilantro over top and serve.
Herbed Turkey Breast
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 12 baby carrots
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1- 4 pound boneless turkey breast
- 1- 14 ounce can of chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon sage
- 1/8 teaspoon thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon marjoram
- 1/8 teaspoon oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Place vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot. Top with turkey breast. Combine seasonings and chicken broth. Pour over the top. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-7 hours.
Sirloin Tip Roast with Horseradish
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon basil
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼pound boneless beef sirloin tip roast, cut in half
- ½ cup beef broth
Combine seasonings. Spread over roast halves. Place in slow cooker. Add broth. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Remove from cooker. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing diagonally across the grain. Scoop juices from crock pot into gravy dish. Serve with horseradish if desired.
Enjoy,
Coach Nancy
Get Fit NH’s Fall Beef Stew
Get Fit NH's Fall Beef Stew
by Coach Nancy
I love this recipe because it brings all the beauty of fall and its colors to the stove. It also makes the kitchen smell fantastic. You'll hardly be able to wait to eat it once you smell it cooking!
- 2 pounds stew meat
- 32 oz beef stock
- 2 large carrots, choppe
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cups Brussels sprouts, cut into halves
- 1 large sweet potato, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Adobo seasoning (it's a mix of garlic, onion, pepper, oregano, bay, turmeric, and sea salt)
Place all ingredients in a large pot and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Better yet, place all ingredients in a crock pot in the order they are listed and cook on low for 8 hours. Yummy!
Pumpkin Shepherd’s Pie
Pumpkin Shepherds Pie
Recipe Type: Main Dishes
Author:
The recipe is sent in by rock star Sara. Sara plans each week’s meals. When I saw this recipe on her plan, I just needed to know the recipe. Here’s what Sara said: “The pumpkin shepherd’s pie is yummy–it’s adapted from The Fresh 20 cookbook. Jason and I (and the kids) get a good dinner plus a good sized lunch out of it.”
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ medium onion, rough chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch piece of ginger, grated
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 lb ground turkey or ground beef
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 3 large egg whites
- 2 cups roasted pumpkin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onion, garlic, ginger, and carrots, and sauté until slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Season with cumin, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Add meat and brown.
- Toss in baby spinach to wilt, and transfer to a greased 8×8 inch baking dish.
- Using a handheld mixer, whisk egg whites in a large bowl until stiff.
- In a medium bowl, combine the pumpkin with the cayenne and salt.
- Fold the egg whites into the pumpkin, then spread the topping over the filling.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden on top.
Notes
*Chef Sara’s notes: I made the topping with the eggs the first time, but haven’t since. They make it nice and light and fluffy on top, but even without them it still tastes good. Also, I use various types of winter squash in place of the pumpkin all the time, and I probably use closer to 3 cups.
Sweet Potato Sliders
Sweet Potato Sliders
Recipe Type: Main Dishes
Author:
Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- 1½ pounds ground turkey or lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1½ teaspoons steak seasoning
- 3-4 slices cooked bacon
- Lettuce torn into small pieces (slider size)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Slice sweet potatoes into ¼ inch to ½ inch thick slices.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. You want edges to be slightly crispy.
- While potatoes are roasting, mix ground turkey (or ground beef) with garlic salt and steak seasoning.
- Shape into 8 to 10 mini patties (about ¼ cup meat each). Remember these are small patties. Look at the size of your sweet potato slices to judge what size to make each patty. The slices will be the bun.
- Place patties on a well-heated grill, flipping after 3-4 minutes, and cook until cooked through (and desired done-ness).
- Assemble burgers, placing a mini burger in between two roasted sweet potato slices. Garnish burgers with lettuce, bacon, guacamole, and/or mustard.
- Be creative. What do you like on your burger?
Notes
Note: I used McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning.
Food Prep Friday: Homemade Taco Seasoning
Food Prep Friday: Homemade Taco Seasoning
Cuisine: Mexican
Author:
Why bother with homemade when you can just buy the packaged? It’s time for you to let your creativity shine! Start with the basic recipe, but then add and subtract as you wish. A little less heat? Reduce or leave out the red pepper flakes. Want to reduce salt? You can do that too. Have fun!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
- Mix in a small bowl and put into an airtight container. The ingredients will stay fresher in the fridge. Use 3 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of cooked meat.
Food Friday: “Forget the Pasta” Roast
“Forget the Pasta” Roast
Recipe Type: Main Dishes
Author:
When we decide what we are fixing for dinner, many of us first think of what bread, pasta, or rice to center the meal around. Forget the pasta! Center your meal around protein instead! Protein is a necessary component to a healthy diet. It’s packed with the building blocks your body needs to repair, recover, and build itself strong. This delightful meal is centered around the roast. Before it is even cooked, it looks grand (as you can see). A side salad served alongside this roast is all that’s needed to complete the meal.
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 beef tri-tip roast (2 to 3 pounds)
- 4½ teaspoons olive oil
- Red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Baby carrots
- 2 medium yellow peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch slices
- Fresh parsley
- Bay leaf
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Combine the garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper; set aside 4 teaspoons of this mixture.
- Rub the remaining mixture over roast and place in a shallow roasting pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk reserved herb mixture with oil.
- In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the red onion, carrots, yellow peppers and sweet onion; add oil mixture. Seal bag and toss to coat.
- Arrange vegetables around roast. Add fresh parsley and a bay leaf to pan.
- Bake uncovered at for 30 to 60 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium 160°; well-done 170°).
- Transfer roast and vegetables to a warm serving platter. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Coach Dean’s Spicy Shredded Beef
Coach Dean’s Spicy Shredded Beef
Recipe Type: Main Dishes
Author:
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Blend the spices together to create a rub. Slather it into the roast, rubbing it into the meat. You’ll get messy, don’t worry it washes off.
- Place the roast in the crockpot for 5 or 6 hours, shred it up and serve with some tomatoes, lettuce and maybe a little guacamole. That should work!
- P.S. – As far as the time in the kitchen, 15 or 20 minutes tops – not much at all!