Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

Olive Oil 1/2 lb lean ground turkey breast 1 cup chopped onions 1 heaping tbsp of homemade taco seasoning (or you can use the packaged type if you like) 2 cups of cooked rice (any type you like – I like brown) 3-4 organic bell peppers, halved and seeds removed 1 can of black beans, drained & rinsed ½ cup of organic frozen corn 1 (15 -16 ounce) jar of salsa (my favorite is mango peach) Shredded Cheddar Cheese Toppings: fresh cilantro sour cream sliced avocado Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil and roast in a baking dish about 20-25 minutes just until cooked thru. Remove the peppers from the oven and allow to cool until you can handle them. *****Note – make sure you cook your turkey ahead of time that way you do not have to worry about it later. Also, I sauteed the onions until cooked thru, I then added in my cooked rice, black beans and corn.

Salsa Chicken

Ingredients: 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 cup salsa 1 package (1 TBSP) taco seasoning 1 cup sour cream cilantro, for serving (optional) (I also added a little shredded cheddar-jack, black beans and scallion on top) Directions: Put chicken, soup, and salsa in slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over everything. Cook on low for 6 hours. If shredding the chicken, pull the breasts out and shred; return back to slow cooker. Stir in sour cream and heat just until everything is combined.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients: 8 ounces uncooked linguine (I used Dreamfields) 1 pound chicken breast strips 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/2 red onion, sliced 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 medium tomatoes, diced 1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth 1/3 cup skim milk 1 tbsp flour 3 tbsp light cream cheese fresh cracked pepper 2 scallions, chopped salt to taste Smart Balance cooking spray Directions: Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt. Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions. Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside. Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes. Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Homemade Mushroom Soup

Ingredients: 2 cups fresh mushrooms - cleaned and chopped finely (I used a mix of swiss brown and white button) 1 tbsp olive oil 3 cloves garlic - chopped 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 - 2 bay leaf 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock 1 tbsp flour dissolved in 1 tbsp water Salt to taste 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup milk Dash of nutmeg Freshly ground black pepper to taste Fresh parsley or thyme for garnish Method: 1. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan. Add butter and lightly sauté garlic on medium heat. 2. Add in mushrooms, thyme, bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the moisture from the mushrooms disappears. 3. Add in chicken broth. Stir occasionally until broth boils, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. 4 Add diluted flour in, and stir constantly (while simmering) until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasoning. 5. Finally, add milk and heavy cream, and bring to a simmer. Turn heat off. 6. Serve hot in your soup bowl. Add freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme if you have them on hand. And warm up this holiday season! Notes: - You can thicken the soup by adding in another tablespoon of flour or cut down on the broth, for use in pasta or your Christmas casserole dishes.