Chili is such an easy one-pot meal that you and the family can enjoy during those chilly fall days or frigid winter nights. Here is a simple chili recipe filled with protein from three (tres) different beans, and fresh peppers and tomatoes for some veggie action.  Top your chili with some plain Greek yogurt, or your favorite cheese, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro --mix altogether for a hearty bowl of deliciousness!!

Tres Bean Chili
Makes many servings for your family or
lunch meal preps :)

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 5-6 cups of low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1  1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1  1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2-15 oz. cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-15 oz. can of cannellini (white) beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-15 oz. can of garbanzo (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 1-28 oz can of diced tomatoes with juices
•  2 peppers (red and yellow), diced

Optional Toppings: 

• Plain Greek yogurt
• Fresh Cilantro

1.  Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. 

2.  Add in chopped garlic and onion.  Cook until onions are slightly translucent and garlic is fragrant. 

3.  Add in seasonings and stir altogether.  Let it cook for 1-2 more minutes. 

4.  Add in vegetable broth and bring liquid to a boil.  Once broth is boiling, turn it on low-medium heat to simmer for 5 minutes. 

5. Next, add in beans, peppers, and tomatoes with the juices.  Stir altogether and let cook for 10 more minutes, or until chili is warm enough to eat.  

Top with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, and fresh cilantro for a warm tasty meal at home or on-the-go! 

                Always craving good food,
                           Jillian 

Forget The Wobble line dance, let's make The Waffle line dance! 

These waffles are the easiest waffles to make!  Not only do they taste AMAZING, but all you need to do is throw the ingredients in a food processor to blend, then pour directly into your waffle iron- yup!  Enough talking --and let's get waffling and syruping ?!? :) 

BANANA OAT WAFFLES
makes 4-5 waffles

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Put all ingredients into a large food processor.  Blend until it makes a smooth batter.  

2.  Let this batter sit for about 5 minutes.  The oats take a little time to soak up liquid, so as to thicken up the batter. 

3.  Spray your hot waffle iron with coconut oil. Then pour batter into your waffle maker, covering 3/4 of the waffle iron.  Cook until your crispiness liking.

4.  Top your waffle with fresh banana slices and a drizzle of maple syrup!  Or maybe even some peanut or almond butter?!  Yummy.



                            Always craving good food,
                                        Jillian 

Turn kale into a delicious, healthy spreadable topping! Making pesto is a great way to get the most out of your greens, especially kale. What makes this pesto "cheesy" is the nutritional yeast flakes. Nutritional yeast flakes can be found in most grocery stores.  It has a cheesy flavor, without the dairy, and adds some protein to the mix too! Add in some pecans, lemon juice, basil, extra virgin olive oil and "PESTO!"-- you have a healthy kale pesto!

That joke was kinda "cheesy" :)

"Cheesy" Kale Pesto

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups of kale
• 1 cup of fresh basil
• 1 cup pecans
• 3/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1.  In a food processor, blend just the kale into tiny pieces.  

2.  Next, add in the rest of the ingredients. Blend together until it makes a beautifully green spreadable pesto! 

Spread this pesto on pizza crust, toast, fish, chicken, or mix in with pasta or quinoa.  

Pizza photo above: Brooklyn Bred's Crust topped with roasted butternut squash, "cheesy" kale pesto, feta, fried sage leaves- then drizzled with honey.

The possibilities for using this healthy pesto are endless.  Get creative!


            Always craving good food,
                              Jillian 

Pick up two pounds of ground chicken and let's make these clean and simple burgers! These tasty burgers can be made in less than 30 minutes, and the recipe makes enough for meals throughout the week. As you know, chicken is a very lean type of protein, but when paired with oat flour and grated onion it makes each bite super juicy and moist!  I apologize if you don't like the word moist, but these burgers are the definition of the word.

FYI: Moist means slightly wet, and not completely dry :)

The Moistest Chicken Burgers
makes 8-10 burgers

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of ground chicken
• 1/2 onion, grated
• 1/2 cup oat flour **
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

**To make oat flour:  In a food processor, blend 1/2 cup of rolled oats until it is a fine flour consistency. 

1.  In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together with your hands. 

2.  If the mixture is too wet to form patties, you can add a little more oat flour.  But, do know that this mixture should be slightly wet.  

3.  Next, form the chicken burgers, not too thick, with your hands (about the size of your palm).  Push your thumb in the center of each patty you make. This helps the burgers cook evenly through.

4.  Grill or fry these tasty burgers in a large skillet on medium heat.  These burgers take about 6-7 minutes to cook on each side.

Pair these delicious moist burgers with your favorite veggies or baked sweet potato wedges.  I love to make burger bowls to take on the go!

See above photo: Baby spinach, carrots and hummus paired with a chicken burger.

Enjoy this quick and healthy way to eat ground chicken!


          Always craving good food, 
                                    Jillian 

Autumn is my all time favorite season, because all of my 5 senses are incandescently happy during this time :). The weather feels cool and crisp, and oddly shaped pumpkins start appearing on front porches and door steps. And, there is nothing better than the smell of a wood-burning fire as I am walking my dogs around the neighborhood.  The taste of autumn is quite fantastic as well.   Seasonal foods like pumpkin, butternut squash, figs, pears and apples are all in abundance and ready for the picking-and eating! 

Pumpkin so happens to be the star ingredient in my deliciously moist Maple Pumpkin Bread.  Pumpkins are not only enjoyable to the eye, but to your gut and body as well.  Pumpkins are a great source of Vitamin A and fiber. Keeping your vision sharp and your stomach feeling fuller longer. Pumpkin is also a great post-workout food to ingest, filled with more potassium than a banana! Check out this Huffington Post article for more healthy  Pumpkin Benefits!  

Maple Pumpkin Bread
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Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup almond milk or any milk
• 1- 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree 
• 2 tsp pumpkin spice 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups of whole wheat flour or gluten free flour
• dash of salt 
• Optional toppings or add-ins: mini semi-sweet chocolate chips or walnuts

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, add all wet ingredients and whisk together.  

3. Next, add all dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients.  Whisk these together until most of the flour clumps have dissipated. 

4. Grease a loaf baking pan with coconut oil and pour in your beautiful orange bread batter. 

5. Top with mini chocolate chips or walnuts for added sweetness or crunch!

6.  Bake bread for 35-40 minutes.  I always do a toothpick check as well (insert toothpick into bread and if it comes out clean you are good to go).  
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7.  Let bread cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving to family and friends!  

P.S. This healthy bread is very addicting and may not last long :)

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        Always craving good food,
                            Jillian 

Need a quick and filling lunch or dinner?  Then I have just the recipe for you! 

This is a good reason why you should always have multiple cans of chickpeas in your pantry- it might save your hunger one day :)  This chickpea salad is similar to tuna salad, just minus the tuna.  You can eat it on whole grain toast as a sandwich, spread it on whole grain crackers, as a topping on a baked potato or even over some fresh salad greens! There is no wrong way to eat this delicious protein-packed salad.  

            Avocado Chickpea Salad
                        Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt + Pepper, to taste

Creamy Yogurt Sauce (optional)

• 3/4-1 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

1.  Put all ingredients in a medium size bowl. Use a hand masher, or a fork to mash ingredients together.  Mash until it makes a creamy, but still crunchy consistency. 

2.  If you are a sauce fan (like my sister), then quickly whip up the Creamy Yogurt Sauce to pair with the chickpea salad.  It makes for a flavorful spread on toast or a creamy dressing for salad greens! 


         Always craving good food,
                             Jillian