Knead to Cook

Food & fitness obsessed girl.

Crock Pot Vegan Bean Chili.

by Filed Under: Chili, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Mexican, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free 11 Comments

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Chili is one of those super comforting meals for me and I have many, many recipes for different versions.   To me… it’s the perfect Monday meal – I have no idea why… probably because I can fix it and walk away.  I love dinners that are ready when you are with little fuss.  Yesterday I woke up thinking it was Sunday -admittedly, this was NOT good as it was Monday and the start of the week.  I lost a weekend day because Sunday our swim team hosted the longest Championship meet (or what seemed to be) and it was just draining after months of preparation.  

So yesterday was Meatless Monday and I was really craving a big bowl of chili.  Monday was also our very first night since September that we didn’t have swim practice or commitment so it was lovely to make dinner, do homework and just chill out for the night.  Tonight we celebrate our freshman swimmer at her high school banquet and her earning her very first letter  and once again, off we go.  Very thankful we have leftovers from last night!  This recipes yields about 10 servings.  

This recipe can easily be adapted if you wish to have it with meat by adding ground turkey or beef (cooked) to it.  It is already protein-packed with beans and was so filling that you honestly won’t miss the animal protein if you go that route.  This recipe took me about 8 minutes to prepare and I let it slow cook in my crock pot for 4-6 hours and just served it up once everyone was home.  Also makes great leftovers.

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— Knead to Cook

Black bean and sweet potato bake in the crock pot.

by Filed Under: Cheese, Crock Pot, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Mexican, Potatoes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free 32 Comments

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This was our dinner from Monday but after a week of pure madness with the weather again, I’m finally sitting down to blog about it.  My husband has now embraced the vegetarian lifestyle (for the moment) and I’ll admit, it’s becoming a balancing act between three carnivores and two vegetarians for dinner.  I’m having flashbacks of when my kids were younger and everyone wanted something different for dinner.  Moms out there know exactly what I’m talking about!  So Mondays are strictly Meatless Mondays here now. It helps me out a tremendous amount – taking the guesswork out of what’s for dinner and my kids know not to look for the elusive meat choice of the night.  Plus one night without meat won’t kill them, despite what they think.

This recipe takes seconds to get together and put in your slow cooker/multi cooker/crock pot.  I’ll admit, not a gorgeous dish but it rocks your tastebuds!  I’ve been eating the leftovers and it just gets better every day.  Plus it’s loaded with beans for protein and great vitamins!  A good friend of mine dropped off some of her special Indian rice and we served this over that.  All I can say is HEAVENLY!

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— Knead to Cook

Stuffed mini pepper appetizer – Vegan, Vegetarian or Meat lovers.

by Filed Under: Beef, Cheese, Gluten Free, Ground Turkey, Mexican, Party Foods, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

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I made these for the Super Bowl this past Sunday and everyone loved them.  I apologize for the picture but I snapped these fast with my iPhone before everyone devoured them.  I made two versions but you can easily make these for your carnivores, vegetarians and vegans by mixing up the ingredients a bit.  These bite-sized poppers are fun appetizers or serve alongside some quinoa or kamut for a fun dinner idea.  Take minutes to whip up and then broil to finish them off.  Doesn’t get any easier than that.  Plus kids love eating with their fingers – and this is a great way to get some beans and corn into even your pickiest munchkin.

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— Knead to Cook

Roasted tomato salsa.

by Filed Under: Condiments, Dips, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Mexican, Party Foods, Salsas & Guacamole, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Vitamix, Wheat Free, Your Life Edit Foundations Leave a Comment

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Apparently it’s salsa week here at Knead to Cook!  Ha ha.  Seriously, we hosted a taco party last Friday night for a bunch of swimmers/friends and I whipped up some new salsas for our taco bar.  This was another fun recipe I wanted to share – especially with the Super Bowl happening this Sunday.  Time to get those healthy recipes (yes, I said healthy) on your menu for your tailgating or party.  The tomatoes this time of year are simply deplorable.  I opted to broil/roast them to bring out their natural flavor.  This salsa came out with a deep, richer flavor than my traditional light and fresh summer salsa.  It was hearty and perfectly paired on our free range organic beef tacos.  Gluten free and vegan.

Perfect for game day served up with tortilla chips or atop of some chicken or beef nachos.

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— Knead to Cook

Roasted Red Pepper Salsa.

by Filed Under: Breakfast, Condiments, Dips, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Featured, Gluten Free, Mexican, Salsas & Guacamole, Snacks, Vegan, Vegetarian, Vitamix, Wheat Free 5 Comments

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Happy Monday!  Okay, I’m a little jacked up today.  I forced myself to take a “rest” day yesterday.  I worked in the morning, went to lunch for Thai food with my husband post his yoga class and had a nice relaxing afternoon.  My daughter had a high school carb loading swim dinner last night and after she got off – I went upstairs and curled up with two fabulous books I’m reading and actually went to bed early.  I got 9 hours of solid sleep last night.  Rarely happens but I woke up feeling really good today and energized.  I guess rest days really do work, despite how much I dislike them.  As I told my family, I went analog for the night – turned my iPhone off, twitter, Instagram, computer, tv… all of it- off!  Have you done this?  You really should.  We get so wrapped up in it all that it takes away from some much needed quiet time in our life.  Try it!  I bet you’ll feel your battery recharge and be more present in the moments going on around you.  Okay, off my soapbox.

Last Friday, because we didn’t have a dual meet on Saturday, I told my girls that they could invite some friends over for dinner.  We were going to have a pizza party and then migrated it over to a taco night.  I’m known for my salsa recipe but have to admit, it’s only really good in the summer with fresh tomatoes.  So I wanted to whip up some different salsas for the taco bar and this by far is a new fave.  Why didn’t I ever think of making it earlier?  LOVE!  Super easy and just had a great flavor.  I would totally use this on eggs, atop your favorite protein or as a spread on sandwiches.

Think Super Bowl party appetizer.  Easy.  Can be made ahead of time and let’s face it… it’s gorgeous.  The colors just jump out at you.  You do eat with your eyes first, after all.  And the more colorful the veggies – the more vitamins and minerals they have!  Color rules!

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— Knead to Cook

Cuban Black Bean Soup.

by Filed Under: Crock Pot, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Mexican, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

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Perfect recipe on a snowy, cold day.  This recipe is healthy, perfect for Meatless Mondays or if you’re a vegetarian or vegan like me.  This soup packs a great punch of vitamins and protein thanks to the veggies and black beans.  I like to serve this with a hearty cracker, tortilla chips or crusty bread for dipping.  I’m all over flavorful soups that are easy, fix it and forget it and are heart healthy.  So, remember that New Year’s Resolution to eat healthy?  Well even if that’s long past… you can hop back on the train.  This soup would also be perfect for Super Bowl Sunday.  Serve it with some baked tortilla chips and no one will miss the meat.  Also would be wonderful in a bread bowl.  
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— Knead to Cook

Easiest Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili.

by Filed Under: Chicken, Chili, Crock Pot, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Mexican, Party Foods, Wheat Free 2 Comments

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My husband made this dish on Saturday prior to our swim meet.  We recently got a new slow cooker that allows you to sauté in the insert and it makes life so much easier.  This recipe came about from what we had on hand and whipped up in under ten minutes before we were out the door.  Perfect for busy mornings and using up leftovers!  You can add or subtract what you have on hand to make this work in your kitchen.  This would be a great dish if you’re hosting a super bowl party of playoff game get-together.  Insanely easy!

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— Knead to Cook

Vegetarian Chili.

by Filed Under: Chili, Evolution Power Yoga 40 Days, Gluten Free, Mexican, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wheat Free Leave a Comment

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Today was a rainy, dreary day.  Now, it has turned into a lovely, sunshine-filled afternoon.  Once again, this fall weather has me perplexed.  It is however the beginning of my rest days as I prepare for my half marathon this Sunday.  I admit, I’m not a fan of “rest” days as I get very antsy and prefer to keep myself active either running or at the gym but for now – I’m taking it a bit easier, hydrating and eating lots of protein in preparation.

If you’ve been a follower of my blog, you know that about seven months ago I opted to change my diet and focus on becoming more vegetarian based foods.  To my chagrin, I haven’t missed the meat at all.  Actually, I’ve felt better without it.  Now my family however, are quite the carnivores.  My kids especially.  They swim a lot and I realize that the best option for protein (as they don’t consume the amount of beans/veggies I do) is lean meats (organic).  I do have one caveat and that is that a few times a week, everyone eats vegetarian or vegan.  No one seems to mind or really even miss the meat as I make hearty options that are super filling.  Plus the homemade cornbread is always a hit/distraction.

This recipe is very versatile using up whatever veggies you have on hand or like in your chili.  Adjust the spices to your taste as well.
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— Knead to Cook

Pulled chicken in the crock pot. {Tacos}

by Filed Under: Chicken, Crock Pot, Gluten Free, Mexican, Wheat Free 2 Comments

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This recipe can be used for a myriad of recipes – soup, tacos, bbq sandwiches – the options are endless!  I had four meetings yesterday and had pretty much no cooking time for dinner. I always pull out the crock pot on busy days because let’s face it, it is a magic machine that transforms any ingredients into perfection in only a few hours.  This was no exception.  I used it for make-your-own taco Tuesday dinner.  The family loves it and it’s a great way to get your kids to eat some veggies.

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— Knead to Cook

Pumpkin Turkey Chili.

by Filed Under: Chili, Gluten Free, Ground Turkey, Mexican, Soups, Vegetarian, Wheat Free 1 Comment

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September is here and I may be jumping the gun but it’s pumpkin time to me!  I know I’ve gotten a lot of heat about jumping on the pumpkin bandwagon too early but I am a pumpkin fanatic and once school starts… GAME ON!  This recipe can be made with or without ground turkey if you’re looking for a vegetarian option.  I made this for my family so I went the meat route (total carnivores) – if I were making this for me, I would’ve omitted it and added more beans.

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— Knead to Cook