Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew

For this stew I almost faithfully followed this recipe: Bean and Chicken Sausage Stew.  The changes I made include: adding onions and Creole seasoning, substituting with crushed tomatoes instead of diced, and adding 15 ounces of cannellini beans instead of 19 (that last one had to do with availability at my co-op).  I did serve this with bread, and I chose an Oatmeal Flax Seed loaf that complemented it nicely.  

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 12 oz chicken sausage links
• Creole seasoning*
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 15 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed
• 14.5 oz low-sodium chicken broth
• 14.5-ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
• 1 bunch kale leaves, torn into 2-inch pieces
• several dashes of black pepper
• optional: 1 loaf country bread 

*Creole Seasoning

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Directions

• Cook the chicken sausage, seasoning with the Creole seasoning.
• Slice the chicken sausage.
• Saute onions in a kettle for a couple of minutes.
• Add cooked chicken sausage and continue sauteing for a few minutes.
• Add garlic and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.
• Add crushed tomatoes, cannellini beans, chicken broth, black pepper, season to taste with more Creole seasoning.
• Bring stew to a boil then add the kale.
• Cook for a couple of minutes, until kale wilts.
• Optional: serve with bread.

Amaranth Porridge

This is super simple and super good for you! I make a big batch ahead of time, divide it into single servings and store them in the fridge, and then I just heat up one of those servings for myself the morning.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry amaranth
• 3 cups water
• optional: cinnamon
• milk of your choice

Directions

• bring amaranth and water to a boil (add cinnamon too if you like)
• reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes
• serve in a bowl with some milk

Greek Style Summer Sausage Pasta Salad

This salad is based on this recipe I found online: Summer Sausage Pasta Salad Recipe.  The only differences are that I altered the proportions slightly, changed the black olives to kalamata olives, and I added cucumber and feta cheese.

Ingredients: 

• 10 oz summer sausage 
• 7 oz  pitted kalamata olives, drained and sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 small purple onion, diced
• 6 oz Italian dressing
• 12 oz spiral pasta
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
• 1 medium or 2 small cucumbers, cut into small pieces
• 4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Combine all ingredients but the tomatoes and the pasta in a sealed container and let sit in the fridge over night.  Boil the pasta and rinse it with cold water, and combine that with everything else adding the tomatoes as well.  Enjoy right away, or let sit in the fridge for a while.

Stuffed Breakfast Peppers

Links: primary inspiration for this concoction, secondary inspiration, Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning).

Indredients

• 2 large bell peppers
• Several tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 medium potato - diced
• 1/8 cup onion - diced
• 1/2 clove garlic - minced
• 1/2 cup mushrooms - diced
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon plain yogurt
• 1 cup shredded cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons Essence*

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 375.
• Prepare bell peppers by cutting them in half lengthwise, and then removing seeds and ribs being careful to leave the stem intact (this helps the pepper hold more).
• Roast the bell peppers, open side down, on an oiled baking pan.
• Saute the veggies, starting with the potatoes, and adding the mushrooms, onion, and garlic.  Season the potatoes with Essence.
• Whip up the eggs with the yogurt, then add the 1/2 cup of shredded cheese.
• Once the bell peppers come out of the oven flip them over, and then scoop 1/4 of the sauteed veggie mixture into each bell pepper half.
• Pour 1/4 of the egg and cheese mixture over the veggie mixture in each bell pepper half.
• Sprinkle 1/8 cup shredded cheese over top of each bell pepper half.
• Return to the oven, and bake for approximately 35 minutes.
• Let cool a little bit, and enjoy!

*Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning)

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Squash Blossom Salad

Ingredients needed for 1 salad:

• mixed spring greens
• sprouts
• 3 squash blossoms
• 1/2 small bell pepper sliced into 6 strips
• 9 cherry tomato halves
• 3 chicken tenders
• 1 stem of a green onion, thinly sliced
• slivered raw almonds
• dressing of choice

Directions:

• Make a bed of mixed spring greens and sprinkle a handful of sprouts all over it.
• Arrange the squash blossoms, bell pepper strips, and cherry tomato halves on the salad.
• Grill the chicken strips over medium heat using the salad dressing as a glaze.
• Arrange grilled chicken strips onto the salad.
• Sprinkle with green onion slices and slivered raw almonds.
• Serve with dressing of choice.

This recipe works quite well when making 2 salads, because then you can use the whole small green pepper, and the odd number of tomato halves can result in the two salads sharing one of the tomatoes.  How harmonious!  Not that you have to use my exact proportions, this is just the way this salad worked out for me today.

Special note:
Almost everything that went into this salad was purchased at the Good Earth Food Coop (except for the green onion, I grew that myself).  The squash blossoms were today's locally grown treat at the coop, and they are what I created this salad around.  The chicken I used was from Just BARE Chicken, and the dressing that I chose for today's salad was Drew's All Natural Rosemary Balsamic Vinaigrette.  Hooray for supporting small local shoppes and local growers, using organic and natural foods, and just plain eating healthy!

Chicken Fried Quinoa

• 1 1/2 cups prepared quinoa
• 4 oz cooked, cubed chicken
• 3 large rainbow chard leaves, washed and coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3/4 cup small broccoli florets
• 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 2 eggs, scrambled
• sunflower oil (or your oil of choice)
• coconut aminos (or soy sauce) to taste
• pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Scramble the eggs and set them aside.  
2. Saute the veggies in this order: 1) onions, 2) broccoli, 3) bell pepper, 4) garlic and jalapeno.  Take a couple of minutes in between adding each next veggie in order to make sure the last veggie has gotten enough time to start cooking.  
3. Add the chard and cook until it starts to wilt.
4. Add the quinoa and chicken and heat through.  
5. Splash in some coconut aminos (or soy sauce).  
6. Fold in the eggs.
7. Serve.

Chai Spice

• 5 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Shake well.

This recipe was taken from: 

http://www.thespicehouse.com/recipes/spicy-chai-recipe

The original recipe also has 1 can (14 oz) of sweetened condensed milk.  I decided to leave that out, and just add milk and sweetener later when I decide how I am going to use this.  I brewed up some black tea, added a generous amount of this seasoning along with some milk and a spoonful of sugar, and enjoyed a nice Chai tea.