#12 Picadillo Chowder with Quinoa Browns

This recipe is out of the Clean Eating magazine. Super fast meal--1/2 hour from cutting board to table!  The flavor is deeply spicy(not hot spicy) and great for a cold, rainy day.  My boys loved the quinoa browns :D 

Picadillo Chowder with Quinoa Browns
Serves 4


Browns:
1 c. quinoa (or brown rice) 
1 large egg or 2 egg whites
2 t. extra virgin olive oil and butter


Chowder:
1 c. beef (ground, roast, steak), cooked
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart broth
1 c. beans, cooked, any kind (black, white, kidney)
1/4 c. cooked quinoa (or rice)
1 c. each corn kernels, chopped green beans, cabbage (diced finely)
1 t. ground cumin (you might need to adjust to taste)
1 t. chile powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro and yogurt for garnish




1.  Cook onions in oil/butter for a few minutes until slightly softened.  Add meat, beans, corn, green beans and cabbage and cook for 5 minutes or so.
2. Add spices and broth.  Cook for 20 minutes.  Add lime juice and stir.  Garnish with yogurt and parsley/cilantro.

Banana Roll-ups

These are absolutely YUMMY! Very filling and full of apple-pie spices! My boys LOVED these and wanted to eat them all morning!  Makes me drool for them just thinking about them. :D


Banana Roll-Ups


2 bananas, sliced 
8 oz cream cheese, softened (preferably organic)
1/2 - 1 t. cinnamon, ground
1/2 nutmeg
1/4 t. allspice
dash of cloves 
1/2 t. vanilla (opt)
4 whole grain tortillas (I made thin pancakes instead)


1. Mix spices, vanilla (if desired) with cream cheese.
2. Spread cream cheese on pancake or tortilla and top with bananas.
3. You can serve it as it is or put it back in the pan to warm, blend flavors and brown a bit.  


Topping options: fruit (I loved the strawberries on top!), shredded coconut, chopped nuts. whatever else you can think of! Enjoy! :D

#11 Chicken and Rice Soup

Oh, I loved this soup.  The taste is deep, rich and very filling!  I think the key is the tarragon.  This is my first time using it (though I'd had it in the freezer for some months).


Tarragon is an excellent source of minerals like calcium, manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, potassium, zinc and a very rich source of vitamins such as vitamin-C, vitamin-A as well as B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, 
pyridoxine, niacin, and riboflavin.


Parsley is the highest known plant source of antioxidants, a good source of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, manganese, vitamin A, vitamin C, beta carotene, Vitamin K, and Vitamin B.




Chicken and Rice Soup

8 c. chicken broth
4 carrots, sliced very thinly ( I like then quartered too)
1 c. celery, diced
1 baby leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 potatoes, diced
4 oz tiny peas
2-3 c. cooked rice
2 c. cooked chicken, diced
2 tsp. chopped tarragon
1 T. chopped parsley

1. In pot, add broth, leeks, potatoes, carrots and celery and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes.
2.  Add peas, rice and chicken and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
3. Add herbs and add salt and pepper as needed.