Turkey Stuffed Peppers

I think stuffed peppers are an underrated food. It's basically an all in one dish and who doesn't like that?!
These are my absolute favorite stuffed peppers recipe out there (other then my anti-inflammatory version).
I have made these so many times and never get sick of them. The flavors are absolutely fantastic and to top it off, its super healthy for you.
The filling alone is worth making if you don't like peppers. I like to serve mine up with a nice green salad.

Smoked Pulled Pork

My husband and I have started to jump on the food smoking bandwagon. I am so excited that the weather here has started to warm up enough that our cute little electric smoker can keep the temperature level. There are all sorts of different types of smokers out there, so when reading recipes make sure that you modify it to your specific smokers needs.
This recipe has quickly become our families favorite thing to smoke. We have made it many times for multiple people now and every time gets the same reaction of ,"Oh....OHHHHHH. That is AMAZING." So needless to say it is blog worthy and making its way on.
This recipe begins with brining the meat to make it nice and tender and add more flavor. This does add some time to the process but it is well worth the wait. I usually get my meat in the brine in the morning, the day before I plan to cook it, but that will depend on whether you want it to be done just before dinner and get up really early to get it in, or if you decide to smoke it overnight and then just re-heat when you want it. Hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as we have.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef

Hello all! Life is just crazy. I think that is enough said. Between the holidays, trips, and the dreaded toilet paper shortage of 2020, posting recipes has been the last thing on my mind. But, here I am, getting my mind off of the worries of the world and spending more time at home with my family. Recipes may get a little...interesting...over the next few weeks but that's alright.
I know a few days after St. Patrick's day isn't the typical day to post a recipe about Corned Beef, but, that's what's happening. This is the Corned Beef we made this year and it was absolutely phenomenal! Every year I say the same thing, "Why don't we eat Corned Beef more often?!" Seriously though...why don't we. Corned Beef is absolutely delicious. Cooked in the slow cooker keeps it nice and juicy and tender while packed with the amazing peppercorn and saltiness we all love! I wanted to jazz up the flavor packet just a little by adding a couple of other pantry staples to it.
I opted to leave the traditional carrots, potatoes, and cabbage out of the slow cooker this time, but, you can totally add them in to make this an all in one pot dish.

Beef and Broccoli

MMM. Guys. This recipe is amazing. This version of the classic beef and broccoli does NOT have some of the typical ingredients that cause inflammation in the body such as cornstarch, sugar, and vegetable oil. This is a great recipe to use if you are in the beginning phases of "trialing" foods, because other then the beefy ingredients the other ingredients are anti-inflammatory!
Something I love about beef and broccoli is that it doesn't take long to make and can be served together, separate, with rice, without rice, etc. My kids typically like their food all separated out, so meals like this where I can easily do that not only makes them happy, but me as well because I don't have to listen to the groaning at dinner if it's combined.

Avocado Salsa

One thing I miss about living a little further south is El Pollo Loco. Everything I got at that restaurant was delicious (although slightly over priced in my humble opinion). My favorite thing to order was their Chicken Taco Al' Carbon and I would drench it in this amazing avocado salsa.
So being that we no longer live by an El Pollo Loco I had to go in search of a copycat recipe. 
This recipe is PRETTY DARN CLOSE to El Pollo Loco's Original avocado salsa. I say original because they changed the recipe for theirs a few years ago (per the update below). I don't know if they changed it back but this is our favorite homemade version.
We like ours a bit more thick then how they have theirs but aside from thickness, everything else is pretty spot on.
This recipe is a great alternative to salsa's that use a tomato base for those who can't have tomatoes or who are just looking for something different. We like to make a double batch and keep it in the fridge for a few days to eat with chips and quesadillas.

**UPDATE** I have recently been noticing that the kind at El Pollo Loco is spicier then it used to be and read a sign somewhere that they don't use the jalapeno anymore to make this but they use a habanero pepper instead. So I guess if you like the extra heat you can change the type of pepper in this recipe but I prefer the taste of the original salsa better.

Tortillas

Homemade tortillas are seriously a BILLION times better then store bought ones. You know how store bought tortillas don't really have much of a flavor...these do! Now, they aren't overpowered in flavor that it takes over whatever yumminess you are putting inside said tortilla, but it's more then just a vessel to hold your fillings. I've been on a huge tortilla making kick for a while now, testing and re-testing different recipes and I finally have come up with the ones I prefer.
Now, do they take a little more time and effort then the kind you buy already made from the store? Yes, but can you make a decent amount and keep them in your fridge for another time when you need some instantly...YEP. So I will typically make a batch on the weekend and then use them throughout the week. (Yes we go through a lot of these because they make the best quesadillas, and lets be real, quesadillas for lunch with little kids is always a win!)

Cashew Chicken

This recipe is legit. It is full of flavor and just flat out delicious. My kids love it, I love it, my husband loves it...I'm sure if I had a pet they would love it as well. It takes hardly any time to put together from start to finish and is anti-inflammatory!
💥Mind Blown💥
In all seriousness, this is just a darn good recipe. It's got the crunch of the roasted cashews and all the wonderful flavors you would expect from an Asian dish.
Since discovering this recipe (and tweaking it) we have had it almost every other week. That's a pretty big deal in this household because I don't like to make very many meals over and over again.
Give it a try, you won't regret it, and your gut will thank you!

Lentil Curry Soup

So it's been a while. I go through these periods of time where I get really into blogging and then I need a break. But, here is one of our favorite soup recipes. We make this quite often at our house.  This stuff is great.
This soup recipe is one that is not only warm to eat but is full of those delicious warm curry flavors. I love it so much! 
Besides the flavor being amazing, another awesome thing I like about it is that it comes together pretty fast which makes it great for a weeknight meal.
This soup is great for many dietary needs. It's anti-inflammatory which is awesome for me as I have been trialing foods right now.
Every week we try to do a meal that doesn't have any meat in it. This is a great recipe if your trying to cut out some meat because having the lentils in it makes it very filling.
*This picture isn't the most appetizing to look at but I promise it is worth trying!!!*

Spanish Rice

In this house we actually call this Orange rice because as you can see it is bright orange, but I will call is Spanish rice as this is what I make to go along with all of our Mexican themed meals. Is this true Spanish rice? No idea...but does it taste good...YES! So call it what you may, just make it.
I feel like when I make any kind of Mexican dish I need to have rice and beans with it. I don't know if that's just because it's been ingrained in me because every Mexican restaurant serves rice and beans with all of it's meals or because it's traditional to do so. Either way, I like the combination of it all together, so I always do it.
This recipe is super simple and doesn't require any prep-work other then putting everything in the pot and letting it do it's thing.
The two seasonings I use in this recipe I have been asked quite a few times what they are and where to buy them.
First, the Sazon Goya seasoning. I like to use either this one or this one. Either work just fine and taste pretty similar. As you can see one has chicken on it and one has fish on it. So I use one or the other depending on what I am serving it with. You can buy these through Amazon, or I am always able to find them at local Mexican markets.
The second seasoning is Knorr Tomato Bouillon. I use this in quite a few of my Mexican themed dishes. This can be purchased through Amazon or I often am able to find it in most grocery stores down the Mexican food isle next to the chicken bouillon.

Anti-Inflammatory Lettuce Wraps

I love lettuce wraps. They make me feel like I am doing something good for my body, and everybody else in my family loves them as well. Double win for me. I know I have another lettuce wraps recipe on the blog already, but this one is one that we have been making a lot lately because it is full of ingredients that are anti-inflammatory. I honestly can't decide which recipe I like better. I guess you can decide if you make both of them 😁
One thing I love about this recipe is that yes it has meat in it, but it's also loaded with minced up mushrooms, which helps stretch the meat without you even realizing it's mushrooms. My daughter HATES and I mean HATES mushrooms. If we get a supreme pizza with mushrooms on it, even if we pick them off, she won't eat it because the sauce and bread take on the flavor of the once placed mushroom. True story. BUT...she loves this recipe. Gobbles it up every stinking time! Of course, I don't tell her there are mushrooms in it until after she has already consumed a massive plate full and every time she gets mad at me and tells me she hates mushrooms, and yet I continue making it, and she continues to enjoy it. 😏😏

Chicken and Lentil Soup

It has really begun getting colder here lately and I for one have not been ready for it. I hate being cold, so when I have been planning my meals all I can think of is soup. What is it about soup that just warms the body so well!?
This has become one of my families favorite soups over the years. I think one of the reasons we like it so much is because it has more of the Spanish flavors that we like. I also love the fact that it is jammed with delicious lentils. I love lentils. Especially in soup. You won't regret trying out this soup recipe because it's got amazing flavor and is packed with protein.

Slow Cooker Basil Chicken

I love basil. Like, absolutely love it. So when a friend of mine told me I need to try a similar Basil Chicken recipe, I knew I needed to jump on it immediately. This recipe is amazing. If you like curry, and you like basil, this recipe will be your jam.
I think sometimes people feel that Anti-Inflammatory recipes are lackluster in the flavor department, but I am here to show you otherwise. This Anti-Inflammatory recipe is jam packed with flavor and seriously will not disappoint. I love the fact that this dish is made in the slow cooker, because it makes my house smell delicious for many hours and it helps to keep dinner time less hectic. I also love the fact that I GENERALLY will have all of the ingredients on hand to make this, which makes it budget friendly and easy to add into a rotation when I have forgotten something at the store for a different meal.
I haven't tried to figure out times for making it in the Pressure Cooker yet, but I'm sure that won't be to far off in the future.

Butternut Squash Soup

It's soup season! I love fall. The leaves changing, the weather getting cooler (although it's gotten cold to fast for me this year), and the general bout of excitement that seems to be in the air for the rest of the year because there are so many awesome holidays over the next few months! I'm not usually a craver of soup but I feel like our family has been sick with something new every couple of weeks this season so we have been enjoying A LOT of soup at this house. There is just something about being sick and eating an awesome bowl of soup that makes everything in your body feel better, for the 10 minutes it takes to eat it 😁
Anyone who knows me well knows that fall flavors are generally not my favorite. I avoid Pinterest at all costs once September hits because all I see on there is "Pumpkin this" and "Squash that". Pumpkins should be carved...not eaten...JUST KIDDING! I came across this recipe in a cookbook and it screamed fall flavors. Like I stated above, I usually go right by a recipe like this, BUT, for some odd reason I decided nope we are going to try it. GUYS!!!! I am so glad I did. Who knew butternut squash could actually taste okay?! 😂
This soup has so many "warm" spices in it that roast in the oven with the butternut squash helping the squash to develop some really tasty flavors! So if you are looking for a delicious soup that screams fall, you need to give this one a try.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

I have a recipe for stuffed peppers that I absolutely love. I decided to tweek said recipe to be an Anti-Inflammatory version and guess what... I literally can't decide which recipe I like better. The other night I decided to make both of the recipes to eat so I could figure out which I liked best and it was an equal tie. They are very similar, but this recipe leaves out some of those inflammatory ingredients that give some of us problems. 
If you have been to my blog before and looked at this recipe, I have changed it a bit so make sure you give this new version a try!

Tilapia Tacos

Okay after taking pictures I realized that I had a LOT of tomatoes in this shot, but I promise there is good fish in there as well!!
We don't eat fish enough at our house, but when we do I like to make sure that I make it in a variety of ways. My kids aren't the biggest eaters of fish (although my oldest LOVES salmon), so when I am cooking fish I tend to try to hide it with lot's of flavor so they don't realize they are eating fish. Thus, the taco. I love fish tacos and I love that there are so many different ways of making fish tacos!
This recipe is great for those who are watching their weight and looking for a non deep fried piece of fish. It's so full of flavor and takes 15 minutes to make!
One of the reasons we don't eat a lot of fish is because it's so darn expensive! Healthy, yes...but expensive! When I'm trying to add some fish in, but not break the bank I always resort to using Tilapia! It's affordable and can be eaten in so many different ways.
So if you are looking for a cheaper way to incorporate fish into your diet, this is your recipe!

Fried Zucchini

Is it truly summer if you haven't had fried zucchini?! Now, I am well aware that summer is over and that most gardens have now officially frozen over but some of you may still have some zucchini in your fridge that need to be used. This recipe has been a family favorite for years. The outside gets super crispy and delicious while the inside stays nice and soft! Growing up I remember the only way we would have fried zucchini is coated in flour and fried in butter (which is still heavenly don't get me wrong) but this version adds in some Parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs to give it even more of a delicious crunch!

"Everything" Bagel Baked Chicken

Have you tried the Everything Bagel Seasoning yet?! This stuff is AMAZING! I literally put it on almost everything I make now. Okay, maybe not everything but when I am looking for a simple way to jazz up any kind of meat or veggie I pull out this stuff and sprinkle away! It used to be that you could only find this stuff at Trader Joes, but I have recently been able to find variations of it at Walmart and Costco as well.
Okay now that you know what seasoning I'm actually talking about, let's talk chicken. This chicken is beyond delicious, and probably one of the easiest recipes you can possibly make. It's juicy, full of flavor, and again, incredibly easy. Now this picture does not do this chicken justice, so just trust me when I say that it's delicious. At first I had a hard time getting my kids to try this because they couldn't get past the "little black stuff" all over it, but once I got them to try a bite (possibly forced) 🤷, they shoveled the rest down easily.

Mediterranean Chicken

I have been loving my slow cooker lately. For some reason, I have been busier then usual lately and by the time I get home I haven't wanted to fix dinner. Thus the amazingness of the slow cooker comes into action. Being able to prepare my meals earlier in the day and let it cook while I am out and about makes my life so much easier! Not only does it make dinner time less chaotic, but your house smells amazing the whole time it's cooking, or you get to walk into a home that smells fantastic after a long day.
Is there anything better then that? Okay, having somebody else do all the prep and cooking would probably be better BUT this is a close second. 😁
This is a new recipe that we tried out that is Anti-Inflammatory! Wahoo, I know it's been a while since I added a recipe that knocks out all of those inflammatory foods, but here it is. This dish is packed with flavor. If you have a love for kalamata olives, you will love this dish...if not...well it may not be your favorite! I LOVED this dish and I hope you do as well!
*I also like to prepare this in the Pressure Cooker so I don't need to dirty up another pan to saute the chicken. I have only prepared it using the saute and slow cooker features so far, so if you try it with a different feature you will have to let me know how it turned out!

Chow Mein

Whenever I would go to Panda Express growing up I always got the fried rice. The Chow mein always looked so gross to me, but whenever we would go to any type of Chinese restaurant, my mom would get it. Since Panda changed their rice recipe a while ago (I actually have no idea how long ago it was haha) I decided one day a couple years ago to venture out and try the chow mein. Okay, normally I have a hard time saying that my mom knew what she was talking about ;) but she did. Chow mein rocks! I've never gone back to the fried rice and always get the chow mein now and trust me I have a hard time resisting the urge to tell them to just fill up the whole container and forget the main dishes.
This recipe is a great mock version of the Panda Express kind. It has very similar ingredients, as far as I can tell, and it tastes just as good if not better.
It also comes together very quick so its an easy side to pair with your favorite dishes.  SO YUMMY!
Anyway, enjoy!

Chicken Massaman Curry

A few years ago, when my parents were visiting us, they took us to a Thai restaurant by our apartment. I had never had Thai food before so I had no idea what to order. Long story short...we ended up eating Massaman which was so absolutely amazing. So amazing in fact that I ended up going back the next weekend to get some more and then back a couple of weeks later. Since then, I become obsessed with it. Shortly after this experience I went to the Asian food market just down the road and I grabbed every can that said Massaman on it so that I could give them a try. I finally found the paste I like the best and created this beautiful recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!