Sweet Potato Turkey Stew

Sweet Potato Turkey Stew. YUM!

To set the scene: Conor and I had just gotten back from a gorgeous autumn weekend in Indiana visiting friends and family. It was just the perfect time to be there. All of the leaves were changing and we spent time in Brown County, which is known for their dazzling fall. This was our third week of marriage, so everything may have seemed even more romantic and wonderful for that reason too. :) 

I was feeling super #basic, and wanted to keep the autumn feeling going. Since I’m not all about #PSLs- I decided to make this perfect fall dish.  I already had all of the ingredients for sweet potato turkey stew, which I originally found on Oh Sweet Basil.

Here we are supporting a local brewery. Everything in moderation!

I don’t typically advocate for eating in front of the TV, but we had DVRed Hocus Pocus, so it was necessary. We lit our new pumpkin candle, and it was just magical. The stew was so warming and nutrient-loaded. It really took my happiness to the next level.

{Side note: you should know that I am a ridiculous nerd. I watch and reread Harry Potter more often than any full grown adult should ever admit to. I love all things magic. Practical Magic with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock was my favorite movie when I was 13. Hocus Pocus is a classic, and a great deviation for me around Halloween. Conor can only watch HP so many times! But really though-he is a trooper.}

I used olive oil (instead of butter) and coconut milk instead of conventional. These swaps make the dish #paleo approved. Recipe below!

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato, baked then peeled (about 400 for 45 minutes or in the microwave on a paper towel for 6 minutes)
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I used vegetable and chicken to use up what I already had opened)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (original called for half red/half yellow pepper, but I was being frugal, so only used 1 red pepper)
• 1/2 pound lean ground turkey (freeze any excess!)
• 1 large apple, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
• 1/4 teaspoon-ish pumpkin pie spice (I used liberally)
• salt to taste
• cayenne pepper (optional- but really adds some nice heat!)

Instructions

Blend broth and sweet potato, puree until smooth. Set aside.

Heat a large pot with olive oil over medium heat . Add the carrots, peppers, and zucchini and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the ground turkey and apple and cook through, about 5-8 more minutes (Note: if you are working with frozen turkey, this will take longer).

Once everything is cooked through and tender, add the puree and coconut milk to the pot, stir gently. Add the spices and turn down to simmer. You can simmer very low all day or just for 30 minutes prior to serving. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Superfood Soup

This is my first recipe post. I can’t help think that there is not a better day to start than today. I woke up feeling, empowered, motivated, and dedicated. It’s been a great day. I fit in an hour workout, brainstormed group class ideas and now am making up a soup from what was in my kitchen. Fantastic.

Cooking is not something that used to come naturally to me. I pretty much never know what I am doing, but every day I’m in the kitchen is one more day that I am getting experience under my belt. Typically, I find my recipes on Pinterest or other bloggers. Occasionally, I use a good cookbook.  Today, I just made this up!

I haven’t been to the grocery store in over a week; we are desperately overdue. I have been cooking a lot, and had quite a few odds and ends in the fridge. So instead of going to the store, I decided to be resourceful and work with what I had. The cupboard had:

• White quinoa
• 1 frozen chicken breast
• 1 qt vegetable broth (unopened)
• ¼ bag leftover carrot cabbage slaw (shredded, not prepared)
• Kale (for my morning smoothies)
• Spinach (also for morning smoothie)
• Garlic (ALWAYS in the house)
• Celery (3 stalks)
• Green onions (3 stalks)
• 1/2 red onion
• Olive oil (ALWAYS in the house)
• Some spices

My fiancé and I moved into our new apartment a month ago, and we are seriously lacking in kitchen essentials. We have 1 pot, 2 small pans, a few brand new sharp knives, and a grill tool I use as everything (spatula, wooden spoon, knife, etc- it is actually pretty embarrassing- we desperately need to go shopping), and very few spices.

So in my lacking kitchen environment, I began my quest to make something healthy, hearty, and delicious. What I came up with was a fabulous superfood soup. I decided it should be called "Superfood Soup" because it is loaded with delicious greens, lots of veggies, and packed with lean protein. It is a perfectly balanced, nutrient packed meal! 

The soup was so warming, nourishing, and flavorful. It was just perfect on a cold winter night. Conor loved it. I loved it. Overall, it was a love fest. My take-away is to not be intimidated by a mishmash of ingredients, and have fun getting creative! I encourage you to see what healthy foods you have in your kitchen and have some fun!

Ingredients

• 1 cup white quinoa
• 1 frozen chicken breast
• 1 qt vegetable broth (unopened)
• ¼ bag carrot cabbage slaw (shredded, not prepared)
• 1 large handful of kale, chopped 
• 1 large handful of spinach 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 green onions stalks, chopped 
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (ALWAYS in the house)
• 1/4 tablespoon garlic salt 
• 1 teaspoon(ish) thyme
• Sea salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)
• Cayenne pepper (to taste) 
• parmesan, shredded (to taste) (used as garnish- w/o is dairy-free)

Instructions

Cook 1 cup of quinoa in pot with 2 cups of water. Boil, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes (or until water is absorbed).  When water is absorbed add enough vegetable broth to cover quinoa. Add thyme.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan, add garlic, once simmering add in green and red onion. Cook until onions soften and look a little translucent. Add carrot/cabbage slaw mixture . Stir often. Cook until carrots are soft. Add salt, garlic salt, and pepper.

Add sautéed veggies to quinoa. Fill the pot with the rest of the vegetable broth. Add 2 handfuls of kale and spinach. Return to boil, and then simmer for 30 minutes.

In the veggie pan, add 1 tbsp(ish) of olive oil. Add chicken breast. (Because I hate wasting dishes and have a small space, I always spice in the pan.)  Add cayenne pepper, salt, garlic salt. Flip the breast, do the other side. Fry in pan until cooked through about 7 minutes. Chop up the breast into smaller pieces and place in soup. Heat through.

Serve warm, topped with a bit of Parmesan. Enjoy!