Moroccan Quinoa Chickpea Salad, by Cheryl

This is a fantastic meal to have for lunch or as a dinner side! The flavors are so warm and the different ingredients pop in your mouth while eating it. It was super easy too as it's all made in one pot. Healthy, easy, and delicious! Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
black pepper
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, finely diced
1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds
olive oil

Directions:

1) Heat oil over medium heat. When oil is hot add onions and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the spices and cook for 30 seconds more.

2) Add in the broth and quinoa and mix until combined. Cook for 15 minutes (I needed to cook it for 25-30). Fluff with a fork.

3) Stir in the cranberries, chickpeas, and parsley and mix. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with toasted almonds and parsley.

Cacao Beef Chili, by Diane

This recipe comes from @daniellewalker on IG. I was intrigued by the combo of spices and the addition of the unsweetened chocolate, and it's been freezing again here, so this was an easy choice to make for dinners last week! I really liked the way this came out, it was similar to mole sauce and not as heavy as traditional chili can be. I got to use some of the raw cacao paste I got in Belize recently for this as well!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 green and 1 red bell pepper, diced
3 lbs ground beef
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes with juice
1 cup beef broth
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2.5 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp each: sweet paprika, curry powder, cinnamon
1/4 tsp each: cayenne and red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium high heat and saute onion and peppers for 3 min.

2. Add the beef and cook until it's browned, the drain and return the mixture to the pot.

3. Add remaining ingredients except the chocolate, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer.

4. Add in the chocolate, continue to simmer for 45 minutes.

Crockpot Stuffed Peppers, by Cheryl

I'm not even sure how I came across this recipe or why. I already have a recipe for stuffed peppers, but this one looked like it would take way less time given that I didn't have to cook anything beforehand except the rice. We also recently stayed on a farm in Windham, NY for a skiing weekend and they had a "meat shed" where we bought some delicious ground beef that would work perfectly for this dish. And it did! There was something very savory about this recipe and even though there is a cup of cheese in the mix it didn't seem cheesy at all... in fact, no one even knew there was cheese mixed in there. I'm definitely making this again! Yum!


Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 15oz can black beans
1 15 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes, drained
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
1 cup cooked white rice (I used brown)
1 cup frozen corn, defrosted (I used canned)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
salt
black pepper
4 bell peppers, tops and seeds removed
1 tbsp chopped cilantro, for garnish
Optional toppings: sour cream, avocado, etc.

Directions:

1) In a large bowl combine beef with beans, tomatoes, 1 cup of cheese, corn, rice, and spices. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Stuff peppers with beef mixture and place them in the crockpot, open side up. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.

3) When peppers are tender, top peppers with the remaining cheese and cover. Cook on low for 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.

4) Garnish with cilantro and other toppings and serve.

Sweet Potato Chicken Poppers, by Diane

I found this recipe on @unboundwellness Instagram, and they looked delicious! These were very easy to make and customize. I wound up increasing the spices in them to add more flavor, and they didn't even need dipping sauce! The recipe also called for coconut oil and coconut flour, but I didn't add these and they were tender and crispy just as they were. This is a great healthy option for lunches or snacks on the go.

Ingredients:

1lb ground chicken
2 cups sweet potato, finely grated
3 green onions, chopped finely
Spices: garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, black pepper (I also added adobo in here which I highly recommend!)


Directions:

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. While the oven preheats to 400, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and form little flattened disks. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flip, and brown the other side (another 20 min). If they aren't crispy enough you can put them under the broiler for a few minutes as well.