Vegan 3 Bean Chili

This chili is a staple in our household. Not only is it super inexpensive, it's easy to make, and the whole family loves it.

What you'll need:
*a cutting board
*knife
*big pot
*something to stir with

Ingredients:
*1 cup dried black beans
*1 cup dried dark red kidney beans
*1 cup dried pinto beans
*3 tomatoes
*1 bell pepper
*2 jalapeno
*1 onion
*3-4 garlic cloves
*1 cup of corn
Spices:
*1/4 cup of chili powder
*salt
*pepper
*cumin
*onion powder
*garlic powder

Now for the how to:
This recipe is not to specific. You can add as much or as little as you like of all the ingredients. Do note that because my little ones will be eating this chili I make sure to remove all the seeds and rib (the white part) of the jalapeno because that's where all the spiciness comes from. So first you'll want to chop up all your vegies. Then with just a tiny bit of sunflower oil I like to saute the peppers, onion, and garlic just until they're soft. Next toss in your beans and spices. Give it a good stir then add in the rest of your veggies and lastly plenty of water. You can either throw it in the crock pot and let it cook on low all day or if you'll be home you can leave it on the stove top on low until you're ready to eat.

Not Just Any Ole Mashed Potatoes

 I love potatoes - chips, fries, mashed. Its really hard to choose a favorite but when it comes to dinner I have to say mashed potatoes are one of my all time favorite side dishes. These mashed potatoes are not just any ole mashed potatoes these are the most flavorful yet simple mashed potatoes you could make. I've always really enjoyed some good roasted garlic mashed potatoes but I don't always have the time to roast garlic or sometimes I think of it to late and don't want to wait for the garlic to roast. This recipe eliminates that problem all together. I picked up this trick from watching food network.



What you'll need:
*Vegetable peeler
*Cutting Board
*Knife
*A strainer
*A pot
*Something to mash with (potato masher or hand mixer)

Ingredients:
4-5 medium sized russet potatoes
3-4 cloves of garlic
Water
Salt & Pepper
1 stick of butter
1 cup or so of milk

Now for the how to:
First things first peel your potatoes. Next you'll want to quarter them. This will help the potatoes cook evenly and will even help reduce your cooking time. Once the potatoes are cut drop them into a pot of water and salt the water with a couple teaspoons of salt. Next thing you'll want to do is add 3-4 cloves of garlic to the water. Before I put the garlic in the water I like to mash the garlic with the knife to help bring out its flavor. Cook on medium high heat until your potatoes are fork tender. This will take approximately 20-25 minutes. Once the potatoes are cooked strain them and set them aside while you move on to the next step which is heating up the milk and the butter. I heated up about 3/4 cup of milk and half of a stick of butter. Once the butter is melted you can turn off the heat and return the potatoes to the pot. Now its time to mash. You may notice that you'll need to add a little more milk. I ended up adding probably another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk. It depends on the consistency that you prefer. I like my mashed potatoes smooth and creamy. (So the more milk and butter the better.) Be sure to add salt and pepper to taste. Once you have the potatoes all mashed toss a chunk of butter on top and cover the pot until you're ready to serve. If you like mashed potatoes and if you like garlic I promise this recipe will not disappoint.

{Gluten Free} Turkey Meatballs

I'm not sure if its the Italian in me or what but boy do I love a good plate of spaghetti and meatballs. When I make meatballs I always use ground turkey. I personally prefer it to ground beef. The only problem with using ground turkey is that it can easily dry out. So, I've been working on trying some new things. This recipe definitely delivers. It is flavorful, moist and seriously downright delicious.

What you'll need:
*cutting board
*knife
*bowl
*tongs
*frying pan
*blender

Ingredients:
*1 pound of ground turkey
*gluten free bread crumbs
*olive oil
*blended veggies: 1 zucchini, 1 large handful of kale, 1 red onion, 3-4 cloves of garlic
*1 egg
*grated Parmesan cheese
*spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasonings 

Now for the how to:
First thing you'll want to do is chop up all of your veggies. Heat up your pan on medium high heat with some olive oil. Toss your veggies into the pan and season with the spices. Saute the veggies until they are fork tender. Then remove them from the pan and transfer them to your blender. Blend them until they are smooth. In a large bowl combine about 1/2 cup of the blended veggies, raw turkey, 1 egg, about 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, about 1/3 cup of gluten free bread crumbs, and some more of the spices. Mix together until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Form meatballs to the size of your choosing. I like my meatballs on the

 smaller size so sometimes I use a tablespoon to measure the meat and make bite sized meatballs. Reheat your pan with some more olive oil. Once oil is hot carefully drop in your meatballs. These took about 15 minutes to cook through. I turned them about half way through. While the meatballs were cooking I took the remaining blended vegetables and added them to my favorite sauce. Tossed the sauce with my favorite gluten free spaghetti and plopped a couple of meatballs on top and viola pasta and meatballs. It's a delicious & healthy meal sure to make your taste buds & tummy super duper happy.