Breakfast Egg Muffins

Figuring out what to eat for breakfast is always a challenge.  I don't have time to make anything at home before I leave for work, and even if I did, I would still want to eat something when I arrived.  I eat all the time!

When I kicked off the paleo challenge back in December, I started making these delicious egg muffins.  They are super easy to make and after having two in the morning, they definitely help start the day off right.  I usually have one first thing in the morning and then one around 10:00 am.

(On a sidenote: While the paleo lifestyle didn't stick, I definitely saw the benefit and felt way less bloated than normal.)

Ingredients

6-8 eggs (depends on how many you want to make)

3 pieces of diced Canadian bacon

1/2 yellow onion

1 1/2 cups of diced cherry tomatoes

Salt and pepper

Directions

*1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
*2) Saute diced tomatoes, onions, garlic and Canadian bacon until onions are translucent

*3) While everything is sauteing, crack and whisk 6-8 whole eggs

*4) Once onions are translucent, combine and stir in with eggs in a separate bowl
*5) Using a 1/4 cup, scoop egg batter into muffin tins equally (this makes anywhere from 6-10, depending on how big you make them)
*6) Cook at 425 for 6-8 minutes

Enjoy!

xx,
KMH

Comfort Food: Potato Soup

I have been craving potato soup lately.  My mom used to make an awesome chunky version.  I wanted something different though, something a little creamier.  After finding two recipes I found interesting, I merged them together and made my own tweaks.  Here's what I came up with.

Before you begin, please note that the more bacon, the better!!

Ingredients

6 slices Thin Bacon, Cut Into 1-inch Pieces

1/2 Medium Onion, Diced

1 tablespoon of garlic

1 cup of carrots, Diced

3 stalks Celery, Diced

2-3 whole Small Russet Potatoes, Peeled (this is your preference) And Diced

2 cup of frozen cauliflower (if you do three potatoes, don't do the cauliflower)

2-3 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (depending on how thick you want it)

1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste

 Black Pepper To Taste

1/2 teaspoon Cajun Spice Mix

1 teaspoon Minced Fresh Parsley

1 cup Grated Cheese Of Your Choice (white cheddar or pepper jack is recommended)

Preparation Instructions

1) Cook bacon and set aside

2) Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery to a pot and saute until translucent. Stir and cook for 2 minutes or so, then add the diced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, and Cajun spice.

3) Pour in the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are starting to get tender. 

4) Remove half to 2/3 the soup and blend in a blender/food process until completely smooth. (This is where I used an immersion blender.)

5)Pour it back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Let it heat back up as you taste for seasonings, adding more of what it needs. Then stir in parsley, reserving a little for garnish.

6) Serve in bowls garnished with parsley, grated cheese and crisp bacon pieces.

Enjoy!

xx,

KMH

A Twist on Chicken "Noodle" Soup

This colder weather has made me long for a warm dinner pretty much every night.  I found this recipe a few weeks back and after making it a few times, I've made my own tweaks along the way.  It comforts you just the same way chicken noodle soup does, but with a twist.

Ingredient

Chicken Meatballs:

1 lb ground chicken

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

2 tbls garlic 

2 tsp dill weed

salt and pepper to taste

Soup:

2 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

2 medium carrots, shredded

1 garlic clove

4 cups of chicken broth

1 cup of orzo

2 tsp dill weed

Directions

1. Meatballs: In a mixing bowl, combine the meat, garlic, bread crumbs, egg,  dill weed, salt and pepper. Mix and divide it into small meatballs a little smaller than a ping-pong ball.  Additionally, dice onions and carrots and set aside.
2. Preheat 2 tbs of oil in a soup pot, over medium heat. Add meatballs and saute until cooked through 9 about 8-10 minutes.
3. Remove meat balls and set aside, add a tiny bit more oil with the garlic, diced onion and carrots. Raise the heat to medium-high and saute the veggies until they begin to caramelize. Stir often.
4. When vegetables are caramelized, add meatballs back into the pot and add the chicken broth.
5. Add a tiny bit more dill and salt and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for about 10-15 minutes.
6. When the broth starts to boil a bit, add orzo and cook until orzo is done. (About 10 minutes but make sure to taste the orzo to check.)
7. Serve and enjoy!

** This does have a tendency to become thick, so if you want to maintain a soup like consistency, I'd add 1 cup to a 1 cup and a 1/2 in addition to the amount listed above.

Crock-Pot Chili Recipe

Chili is the best meal when it gets cold!  As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I prepped chili before we went to our Octoberfest activities.  It is the perfect meal to come home to after a long cold day outside.

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground sirloin
1/2 lb ground pork
1 stalk celery, finely chopped

½ yellow onion, finely chopped

1 ½ tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

½ tbsp garlic, minced

1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can chili beans

28 oz. of tomatoe juice

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional Toppings: Shredded cheddar cheese, chopped red onions and sour cream

Directions

**1) Saute celery, onions and garlic until translucent
**2) Add meat and saute until cooked, season meat with some of the cumin, chili powder and red pepper flakes (the red pepper flakes are optional)
**3) Mix diced tomatoes and tomato juice to crockpot 
**4) Add meat mixture and beans to crockpot
**5) Set crockpot on low for 6-8 hours
**6) Serve with shredded cheese (cheese is a must!)  :)

I hope this is on your menu plan sooner rather than later!

XX,
KMH