VeggieConverter

Helping moms introduce meatless meals with ease.

7 New Year good luck recipes

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Minestrone

Ring in the new year in style with these 7 New Year good luck recipes that will bring you abundance. And, they'll be tasty, too! While the southern tradition is to have black-eyed peas and collard greens, New Year's traditions from around the world vary from 12 grapes at midnight (Spain) to tasty tamales (Mexico), so expand your New Year's day menu to include a few of these tasty treats.

Check out these 7 New Year good luck recipes

1. Black-Eyed Pea Minestrone

Trade out some of the beans for black-eyed peas in this masterpiece, which can be made with all sorts of leftovers. It's a great crisper-cleaner-outer in my experience. So use it for all of your new year's needs, throw those collards in, too! Why not!

Tamales

2. Tamales

Hello! I love these corn and black bean tamales and they'd be a great way to celebrate the Mexican New Year tradition. And, if you wanted to get super into it, you could combine two traditions and replace part of the black beans with black-eyed peas! Bonus.

Black Bean Soup

3. Black-Eyed Black Bean Soup

Swap out about one-fourth of your black beans for black-eyed peas in this delicious black bean soup for a black-eyed pea dish that, you know, still tastes delicious. Win.

Vegan Chili

4. Vegan Chili with Black-Eyed Peas

Third verse same as the first. Just mix in some black-eyed peas instead of using all black beans in this delicious vegan slow cooker chili and you'll be all set for the new year. I've chosen my top three favorite black bean recipes, but you can really pick any black bean recipe to swap in black-eyed peas! I think it'd be great in a 7-layer dip, too. 

Dal Makhani | @VeggieConverter #slowcooker

5. Dal Makhani

OK, this might be a stretch. But, Italians celebrate with a lentil stew called cotechino con lenticchie, and well, Dal Makhani is one of my favorite lentil dishes. So good and it's kind of a stew. I skip the sausage that the Italians serve alongside the lentil stew, but you do you. The lentils represent money and good fortune. You can also find a yummy red lentil soup in my Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook. It's a delicious, light Mediterranean-inspired soup.

Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe | @VeggieConverter

6. Chicken Soba Noodle Soup

Sub in some buckwheat soba noodles for the rice noodles and have yourself a merry little new year with this delicious chicken noodle soup (use chickpeas for a vegan version). The Japanese tradition of eating soba noodles at midnight on New Year's Eve dates back to the 17th century, and the long noodles symbolize longevity and prosperity.

Hoppin-John-Burgers

7. Hoppin John Sliders

My traditional favorite meal is a burger that incorporates slow cooker hoppin' john, made of creamy black-eyed peas, with collard greens mixed in. You mix them with gluten-free breadcrumbs and mold the hoppin' john into sliders or nuggets for a tasty, easy-to-eat good luck meal. 

Note: Soak and Cook Dry Beans

If you're starting out with dry black-eyed peas, here's how to cook them in your slow cooker.

And don't forget to follow the Spanish tradition on New Year's Eve and eat your 12 grapes at midnight! Enjoy!

Chickpea Parmesan

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Chickpea Parmesan

Instant pot chickpea parmesan is one of my new favorites. It's so incredibly simple. If you use premade sauce, it's stupid easy. You can even use already cooked chickpeas and reduce the cooking time. I absolutely love this dish, which is a riff on chicken parmesan, so you could also call this vegetarian "chicken" parmesan if you like.

My first parmesan love is eggplant parmesan, an Italian restaurant classic. I enjoy it every year on my birthday at a local restaurant that has a free birthday meal and it's so tasty. The full breaded and baked version is kind of a lot of work to make yourself, but it's worth it.

I have a few versions of eggplant parmesan and its related culinary adventures here on the site like eggplant tian and eggplant caponata. But man, I'm cheating on my eggplant and I'm loving it. I'll have to try an eggplant version in the instant pot now that I've figured this out though. I love how easy this is to throw together!

I hope you love this as much as I do. You can easily make this recipe vegan by using nondairy cheese or a "cheesy" vegan topping in lieu of the mozzarella. 

Chickpea Parmesan

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry chickpeas

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups marinara sauce

1 cup mozzarella, for serving

fresh basil, for serving

Instant Pot Method

Place all ingredients except mozzarella and basil in instant pot and cook on low pressure for 30 minutes.

Top with cheese and basil.

Serve over noodles.

Note: If you use precooked chickpeas, reduce your cook time to 15 minutes.

Slow Cooker Method

Place all ingredients except mozzarella and basil in slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

Top with cheese and basil.

Serve over noodles.

Note: If you use precooked chickpeas, reduce your cook time to 4 hours.

Yield: 4

Chickpea Parmesan

Chickpea Parmesan

Instant pot chickpea parmesan is one of my new favorites. It's so incredibly simple. If you use premade sauce, it's stupid easy.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup dry chickpeas
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups marinara sauce
  • 1 cup mozzarella, for serving
  • fresh basil, for serving

Instructions

    1. Place all ingredients except mozzarella and basil in instant pot and cook on low pressure for 30 minutes.
    2. Top with cheese and basil.
    3. Serve over noodles.
© Kristi
Cuisine: Italian / Category: vegetarian

Tikka Masala Mash Pie

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Tikka Masala Mash Pie

Tikka Masala Mash Pie is a dream creation of sorts. I was having a conversation with Mr. Meaty on our way to Costco and I dreamed up a dish...Tikka Masala Pot Pie or Shepherd's Pie. My first thought was to put it all inside a samosa shell. But I decided that, while delicious, was a little much on the carbtastic side for a weeknight for me. Maybe for Sunday dinner later.

So, I went with Shepherd's pie style instead.

I'm offering this baby in several versions. My personal favorite is paneer tikka with Bombay potato mash. But if you're keto, you'll want to try the chicken tikka a la Two Sleevers with cauliflower mash. It's fantastic, too, but, of course, not vegetarian. 🙂 Whatever meal plan you follow, enjoy, and eat heartily!

You can also use the fabulous butter chickpeas recipe from my new cookbook. Or, if you have leftover turkey from thanksgiving, use it up instead of chicken by making Turkey Tikka Masala with Urvashi's Tikka Masala recipe.

If you have leftover mashed potatoes, use those, too. It's a great way to use leftovers without getting tired of the same old flavors. And if you're looking for more uses for leftovers, check out this Thanksgiving leftovers post!

So, the end result of my dream is a Tikka Masala Mash Pie, which is a Shepherd's pie style pie, a tikka topped with Bombay potato mash. It has turkey, chicken, paneer and chickpea options.

Check Out My New Cookbook...

You can find more recipes like Butter Chickpeas in my new cookbook. Whether you are a dedicated vegan, a moderate vegetarian, or just a weekend herbivore, The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook is your simple source for recipes that fit into your busy life. With 115 delicious, hands-off recipes, it proves you can spend minutes in the kitchen and still have a delicious end result.

The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook is filled with simple dishes that involve no pre-cooking and that rarely exceed 10 minutes of prep time. Simply load your slow cooker (or Instant Pot) with raw ingredients, go about your day, and return to a ready-to-serve meal.

Tikka Masala Mash Pie

Serves 8

Ingredients

Tikka

Chicken Tikka Masala OR

Butter Chickpeas OR

*Turkey Tikka Masala use turkey in place of chicken OR

Paneer Tikka use 6 ounces Paneer in place of chicken in the Tikka Masala

Bombay Mash

4 Yukon gold potatoes, cubed OR 1 Cauliflower

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon garam masala

1/2 tablespoon coriander

1 tablespoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon dried fenugreek

1/2 tablespoon ginger paste

1/4 teaspoon amchur (dried mango powder, optional)

1/4 teaspoon chaat masala (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 small carrots, diced small

1/2 green pepper, diced small

1/2 cup peas

1/2 cup heavy cream

Fresh cilantro and naan for serving.

Sunday samosa pot pie option

2 cups maida flour (or gluten-free flour)

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

Bombay Potato Mash

Method

Bake potato or cauliflower for 1 hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit with remaining ingredients except for carrots, pepper, peas, and cream.

Mash.

Add cream.

Parboil carrots and bell pepper for 5 minutes.

Stir carrots, bell pepper, and peas into the mash.

Layer tikka in serving dish.

Top with mash.

Broil on high in the oven for about 5 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve with naan.

Tikka Masala Mash Pie Bowl

For Sunday pot pie, mix flour with oil until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add water and knead into a firm dough. Add a bit more water if needed. Roll out dough to the size of your pot or pie dish.

For bubbly samosa crust, fry in hot oil until golden brown and bubbly. Then place the fried crust on top of your pie. Alternatively, you can place the raw dough on top and bake the whole pie at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes. It won't be bubbly, but there is less risk of breakage.

Instant Pot Method

Cook Indian butter chickpeas or tikka masala or paneer via instant pot method.

Add your potatoes and the spices and lemon juice to your instant pot along with 1/2 cup of water.

Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.

Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.

Add cream and switch to saute mode.

Mash and add peas, peppers and carrots.

Place tikka in a cast iron or other oven-safe dish. Top with bombay potatoes. Broil for about 5 minutes until potatoes are golden brown.

Turkey and Sauce

*For leftover turkey and mashed potatoes method. Prepare masala sauce in blender. Mix turkey with masala sauce in your dish (I use a cast iron pot), skip marinade and add about 1/2 to a cup of cream or yogurt to the sauce instead.

Add the previously cooked mash on top with the carrots and all. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Switch to broil for 5 minutes to brown the top of the potatoes. 

Serve.
Turkey sauced

The Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Cookbook

Want more vegetarian and vegan recipes you'll love? Check out my first cookbook! I'm so excited about it and I hope you'll love it. You can find more information about it right HERE.

Indian Butter Chickpeas, an option in this Tikka Mash Pie, is updated and featured as  just one of 115+ yummy vegetarian recipes in the cookbook!

Butter Chickpeas

Recipe card

Yield: 8

Tikka Masala Mash Pie

Tikka Masala Mash Pie

Tikka Masala Mash Pie is a dream creation of Shepherd's pie style tikka topped with bombay potato mash. It has turkey, chicken, paneer & chickpea options!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • TIKKA:
  • Chicken Tikka Masala OR
  • Butter Chickpeas recipe from Super Easy Vegetarian Slow Cooker (recipe card below) OR
  • *Turkey Tikka Masala use turkey in place of chicken OR
  • Paneer Tikka use 6 ounces Paneer in place of chicken in the Tikka Masala
  • BOMBAY MASH:
  • 4 Yukon gold potatoes, cubed OR 1 Cauliflower
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1/2 tablespoon coriander
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried fenugreek 
  • 1/2 tablespoon ginger paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon amchur (dried mango powder, optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon chaat masala (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 small carrots, diced small
  • 1/2 green pepper, diced small
  • 1/2 cup peas
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Fresh cilantro and naan for serving.
  • SUNDAY SAMOSA PIE CRUST (OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS)
  • 2 cups maida flour (or gluten-free flour)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

Instant Pot Method

Cook Indian butter chickpeas or tikka masala or paneer via instant pot method.

Add your potatoes and the spices and lemon juice to your instant pot along with 1/2 cup of water. 

Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.

Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes.

Add cream and switch to saute mode. 

Mash and add peas, peppers and carrots.

Place tikka in a cast iron or other oven-safe dish. Top with bombay potatoes. Broil for about 5 minutes until potatoes are golden brown.

© Kristi
Cuisine: Indian / Category: vegetarian

Squash Casserole

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Squash Casserole

Squash casserole may not be something you've had on your dinner table unless you grew up in the south. Mr. Meaty introduced me to squash casserole not long after we were married. I didn't grow up down here in Atlanta really. I'm from everywhere and nowhere as my dad worked for the Air Force and we moved around quite a bit. 

OG squash casserole is a tasty concoction of onions, cheddar cheese, sour cream and, of course, yellow squash. Neither Mr. Meaty nor I are really fans of yellow squash. It's usually watery and bland and not that exciting. But, throw those beauties into squash casserole and we're big fans. 

I decided to tinker with perfection when we had four squash in our Misfits Market box recently. I thought, hey, I'll add an extra kick of flavor, why not? So, I added a bit of curry. If you want traditional cheesy and still delicious southern squash casserole, just leave out the curry and you're good!

I loved the curry flavor, Mr. Meaty liked it but said he nostalgically prefers the traditional casserole. You do you. I've listed the curry as an optional ingredient. I think you could add just about any of your favorite spices in that slot, too. Taco seasoning could be fantastic. 

Squash Casserole

Ingredients

1 tablespoon avocado oil

4 yellow squash, sliced into rounds

1 onion, sliced

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt

2 tablespoons curry powder (optional)

Salt to taste

3/4 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs

Squash and Onions

Method

Saute squash and onion in oil for about 10 minutes to soften before baking.

Mix cheese, sour cream, and spices in a small bowl.

Add squash mixture to a greased 13 x 9 baking pan and mix in sour cream mixture.

Top with breadcrumbs.

Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and browned on top.

Squash Casserole Sauce

Yield: 12

Curry Squash Casserole

Curry Squash Casserole

Squash casserole is a tasty concoction of onions, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and yellow squash. We're not big yellow squash fans, except in this casserole.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 4 yellow squash, sliced into rounds
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • 3/4 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs

Instructions

  1. Saute squash and onion in oil for about 10 minutes to soften before baking.
  2. Mix cheese, sour cream and spices in a small bowl.
  3. Add squash mixture to a greased 13 x 9 baking pan and mix in sour cream mixture.
  4. Top with breadcrumbs.
  5. Bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and browned on top.
© Kristi
Cuisine: American / Category: vegetarian

Cozy fall flavor recipes

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Fall flavors are one of the best parts of the season. Who loves fall? I do and I love fall flavors. Fall is definitely my favorite season and its flavors are probably my favorite. Pumpkin, carrots, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, apples and broccoli are in season.

Yum! If you love fall flavors as I do, you may enjoy a few of these fall recipes. You can also enjoy seasonal tomatoes and beets this season just to name a few of the fall's bountiful delicious fall fruits and veggies.

Whether savory or sweet, these tasty fall treats are sure to be a hit in your house this season and, since the ingredients are readily available, it'll be great for your wallet, too.

Fall Fruits and Vegetables

Here are a few of my FALL favorites...

Turnips and Carrots

Chickpea Root Vegetable Stew

Carrots

Carrot Cake

Carrot Pancakes

Carrot Spice Muffins

Guinness Beef Stew with Carrots

Carrot Fries (20 Veggie Fries Recipes)

Cauliflower

Curry Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Moroccan Roasted Cauliflower

Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower Quinoa

Sneaky Veggie-Filled Mac and Cheese

Vegan Aloo Gobi

Fathead Pizza

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Brussels Sprouts

Candy Brussels Sprouts

Pumpkin

Pumpkin Spice Syrup (for making Pumpkin Spice Lattes)

Pumpkin Alfredo

Pumpkin Custard

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Quinoa

Chewy Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Granola Bars

Pumpkin Baking Portions

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Waffles

Pumpkin Pie Push Pops 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Biscuits

Pumpkin Walnut Bread

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins

Sweet Potatoes

Pumpkin Sweet Potato Cupcakes

"Turkey" Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Squash & Sweet Potato Lasagna

Vegan Sweet Potato Mac & Cheese

Thanksgiving Salad

Vegan Fried Sweet Potato Skins

Sweet Potato Crisp

Sweet Potato Chips

Apples

Homemade Applesauce

Apple Pie Oatmeal

Apple Chips

Broccoli

Paleo Broccoli Beef

Chickpea Broccoli Rice Casserole

Thai-Style Broccoli Salad

What are your favorite fall flavor recipes? Please share your family's recipes in the comments.

Healthy Fall Food Recipes

Halloween Party Snacks

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halloween snacks

We love Halloween. We often host a kids' party on Halloween weekend complete with fun snacks and games. This year is no different. As I'm planning my Halloween party snacks, I thought to myself, I should share these with you guys.

Spiderweb Seven Layer Dip

Spiderweb Seven-Layer Dip

Seven-layer dip is one of my go-to party foods. It's pretty simple, really. Refried (or just mashed) beans mixed with taco seasoning, guacamole, sour cream or yogurt, cheese, olives, salsa, and green onions. In this version, you'll want to put the sour cream on top in rings and then drag a knife through it every inch or so to make it into a spider web. You can make spiders out of black olives. Or, buy some little spiders from a party shop if you like.

Bloody Hot Dog Fingers

Make these with either veggie dogs or hot dogs. Cut the dogs in half and slice out fingernails and knuckle lines. Then add a bit of ketchup for bloodiness. Delish. Don't do dogs? Do the same technique with baby carrots!

making hot dog bloody fingers

cutie jackolanterns

Clementine Jack-O-Lanterns

Those cute little clementines (tiny oranges as my kids call them) that the kids like? Take a sharpie and draw jack-o-lantern faces on them and pile them up on a platter or in a bowl for the kids to peel and eat at the party.

deviled eyeballs

Deviled Eyeballs

Just make deviled eggs mostly as usual, but add a bit of guacamole to the mixture. Then use either thinly sliced pimento or paprika and a bit of mayo to make bloodshot squiggles. Slice olives and place them atop the center of the eggs to complete the eyeball look.

Apple Cider

Once all the snacks are ready I just throw some apple juice with sliced oranges and cinnamon sticks in the slow cooker so the kids stay nice and warm. Once the kids go home, Mr. Meaty and I add vodka to our mugs and call it a night!

Halloween Lunch

Halloween Lunch Boxes

Don't forget to keep it spooky in your kiddos lunch boxes on Halloween (or if you're feeling frisky the whole week). I like to do ghostly cheese sticks and guacamole (I used blueberries for the eyes and mouth) and carrot stick witches fingers. I've seen some great lunchboxes on Instagram with bat and mummy wrapping sandwiches. Have fun with it. 

Carrot Witches Fingers

Try a few of these ideas from other bloggers, too.

Baby Carrot Jack-o-Lantern

Tombstone Taco Dip

Veggie Skeleton

Witch Brooms

Chickpea Root Vegetable Stew

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Chickpea Root Vegetable Stew

Chickpea root vegetable stew is a beautiful creation I stumbled upon by accident when the kids were home with the sniffles. They needed something warm, soothing and nutritious. So, I rummaged through our pantry and crisper. Chickpea root vegetable stew is the result. And wow, it is fantastic. We'll be enjoying this again.

This stew is the perfect stick-to-your-ribs sooth your sickies meal. It's also a great amalgamation of fall flavors. I love using root vegetables in a stew, it's a great way to experiment with the different varieties.

The kiddos didn't remember having parsnips previously, so they asked about the "white carrots." One out of two kids enjoyed them. I'm not sure why the other kid didn't like the parsnips since they took on the taste of the broth, which she loved. *shrug* Kids are funny sometimes. 

I intended to add rice noodles in at the end, but the stew looked so lovely and nourishing when finished that I forgot.  However, I don't think the noodles were necessary. If you want noodles or rice, toss in whichever starch you like already cooked. Or, add the raw version and cook it on saute mode for another 15 to 30 minutes until the starch is tender.

Chickpea Root Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chickpeas, dried

1 quart vegetable broth

1 quart water

2 parsnips, sliced into coins

2 carrots, sliced into coins

4 potatoes, cubed (peels on)

1/4 cup Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or soy sauce)

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 prunes, diced small

chives, for serving

Instant Pot Method

Place all ingredients, except chives, in the pot. 

Cook on high pressure for 22 minutes and allow pressure to release naturally.

Serve topped with chives.

Slow Cooker Method

Place all ingredients, except chives, in the crock.

Cook on low for 6 hours.  

Serve topped with chives.

Looking for another sick day soup? Try our Paleo chicken noodle soup.

Chickpea Root Vegetable Stew #instantpot #slowcooker

Yield: 8

Chickpea Root Vegetable Stew

Chickpea Root Vegetable Stew

Chickpea root vegetable stew is a beautiful creation I stumbled upon a bit by accident when the kids were home with sniffles. It's soothing and nutritious!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups chickpeas, dried
  • 1 quart vegetable broth
  • 1 quart water
  • 2 parsnips, sliced into coins
  • 2 carrots, sliced into coins
  • 4 potatoes, cubed (peels on)
  • 1/4 cup Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 prunes, diced small
  • chives, for serving

Instructions

Instant Pot Method

Place all ingredients, except chives, in the pot. 

Cook on high pressure for 22 minutes and allow pressure to release naturally.

Serve topped with chives.

Slow Cooker Method

Place all ingredients, except chives, in the crock.

Cook on low for 6 hours.  

Serve topped with chives.

© Kristi
Cuisine: American / Category: vegan

Grapefruit Curd

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Grapefruit curd, I didn't set out to make it. It just happened.

Grapefruit Curd

The girls have a new favorite citrus fruit and, I'll be honest...it comes as a bit of a surprise. It's grapefruit. We got a big box of red grapefruit as a holiday gift and they went nuts for it. I really love citrus curd, so, we decided to whip up a batch with one of the grapefruits. It was fantastic. It might've been even better than lime or my previous homemade favorite, plum curd.

If you've never made curd at home, it's crazy easy to put together and it's great in all sorts of ways. Just grab a spoon and eat it right out of the ramekin, spread it on toast or pastries or use it to make tarts or small pies. You won't regret trying this tasty way to elevate just about whatever fruit yo have on hand. I love it most with citrus, stone fruit and berries, but I encourage you to experiment with mixes of your favorites.

Grapefruit Curd

Ingredients

Makes about 12 ramekins
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 cup grapefruit juice
Splash of lemon juice
5 eggs
Pinch salt
Zest of 1 grapefruit
2 teaspoons vanilla
1-2 drops grapefruit (vitality) essential oil (optional)... I get mine HERE
1-2 drops lemon (vitality) essential oil (optional)... I get mine HERE

Method

In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar.

Beat in the eggs slowly.

Add salt and juice. The mixture will look curdled.

Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened (do not boil), 3 to 4 minutes.

Add in zest, vanilla and essential oils.

Cool to room temperature, whisking frequently.

Transfer to small bowls, cover and chill for a couple of hours. The curd can be stored in refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Serve as is or over muffins, pound cake or other pastries.

Grapefruit Curd

Grapefruit Curd

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 1 cup grapefruit juice
  • Splash of lemon juice
  • 5 eggs
  • Pinch salt
  • Zest of 1 grapefruit
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-2 drops grapefruit (vitality) essential oil (optional)... I get mine HERE
  • 1-2 drops lemon (vitality) essential oil (optional)... I get mine HERE

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
  2. Beat in the eggs slowly.
  3. Add salt and juice. The mixture will look curdled.
  4. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened (do not boil), 3 to 4 minutes.
  5. Add in zest, vanilla and essential oils.
  6. Cool to room temperature, whisking frequently.
  7. Transfer to small bowls, cover and chill for a couple of hours. The curd can be stored in refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  8. Serve as is or over muffins, pound cake or other pastries.
© Kristi Arnold @VeggieConverter.com

 

Grapefruit Curd Recipe

Cuban Black Bean Soup

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Cuban Black Bean Soup Recipe | @VeggieConverter

The girls and I love our Cuban black bean soup. One of our favorite local restaurants is the Cuban Diner and they have an amazing black bean soup. They also have fantastic picadillo, empanadas and plantains. Mom's a big fan of their cuba libres, too. They're tasty. Can't be helped.

We make a pretty good slow cooker black bean soup already. But we decided to try a slightly different version.

This one is full of cumin and tomatoes and is absolutely fantastic. Tall Fry had thirds!! It's so easy to make. It's a simple dump the ingredients into the crockpot and walk away kind of recipe, so it's perfect for a chilly school night meal. We love this one.

And, bonus points, it worked out really well in the girls' lunchboxes in our awesome lunchbots thermoses. I love these thermoses. They keep soups and stews nice and hot and they're just the right size for the kids. We also use smaller ones for yogurt. They're super.

It's gotten pretty chilly lately for Georgia in fall, so we're glad to have some warm, tasty meals to warm us up. It's a great change up from our traditional veggie chili. And, it's similarly super frugal! Dry beans and some pantry staples are about all this soup takes. Winner!

What's your favorite chilly day crockpot meal?

Cuban Black Bean Soup Recipe

Ingredients

16 ounces dry black beans, soaked for 24 hours
6 cups organic vegetable broth
1 can organic tomato paste
1 can green chiles
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Method

Place all ingredients in slow cooker.

Cook on LOW for 8 hours.

Carefully blend to desired consistency either with a stick blender or in a high-speed blender.

Serve.

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces dry black beans, soaked for 24 hours
  • 6 cups organic vegetable broth
  • 1 can organic tomato paste
  • 1 can green chiles
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons cumin
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker.
  2. Cook on LOW for 8 hours.
  3. Carefully blend to desired consistency either with a stick blender or in a high-speed blender.
  4. Serve.
© Kristi Arnold @VeggieConverter.com

Cuban Black Bean Soup Recipe | @VeggieConverter

 

Ningxia Wolfberries Trail Mix

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Ningxia Wolfberries Trail Mix | @VeggieConverter

Trail mix is our go-to travel snack. This Ningxia wolfberries trail mix is our current love. We enjoy taking various fruit and nut mixes along with us on road trips, to conferences, into amusement parks and on any family outing. You can mix in just about any of your favorite dried fruits, nuts and, if you like, a little bit of chocolate to sweeten it up a bit.

Our latest favorite mix is cashews, almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, Ningxia wolfberries and chocolate chips. We usually just eyeball it in a big canning jar, shake it all up and slip it into a backpack or just into the car for our trip.

The Ningxia wolfberries are sweet and a little tart. If you've never tried them, you really should check them out. I get my dried organic wolfberries from Young Living here. About the only substitution I could recommend would be dried cranberries, but they just don't pack quite the same oomph.

We figured out this little gem was the perfect addition to trail mix because for some reason Small Fry doesn't care for "plain" mixed nuts. She needs some extra punch in there. So we add chocolate chips and dried fruit. Raisins will do the trick in a pinch, but these Ningxia wolfberries really add something special to the mix.

What all do you like in your trail mix?

Ningxia Wolfberries Trail Mix

Makes about 4 cups

Ingredients

1 cup cashews
1 cup almonds
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup Brazil nuts
1/4 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup dried Ningxia wolfberries (I get mine HERE)

Method

Add all ingredients to a quart jar.

Shake to mix.

Eat or store.

Ningxia WolfberriesTrail Mix

Ningxia WolfberriesTrail Mix

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashews
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup Brazil nuts
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup dried Ningxia wolfberries (I get mine HERE)

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a quart jar.
  2. Shake to mix.
  3. Eat or store.
© Kristi Arnold @VeggieConverter.com

 

Ningxia Wolfberries Trail Mix Recipe

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