Vol. 1 Issue 5 | Jan '24 Newsletter - Recipes

 Creamy Tortellini Soup

Recipe from "A Pinch of Yum"

Ingredients

1 lb ground mild Italian sausage
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp kosher sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp fennel seed, crushed or chopped

One 6oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6-7 cups of chicken broth
14 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cups half and half or heavy cream
1 handful fresh spinach, chopped
Parmesan or parsley for topping

Directions

1. In a large stockpot set over medium-high, cook the sausage, breaking up into little pieces. When sausage is mostly browned, add onion, celery and carrot. Sauté for 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
2. Add the garlic, spices, and tomato paste. Sauté for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
3. Add wine and let it cook out for a few minutes. Stir the flour into the sausage and cook for 1 minute. It’ll be sticky and dry. Gradually add in the chicken broth, stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add the cream and bring it to a low simmer. Add the tortellini and spinach. Cook just until tortellini is al dente, per package directions. Serve with fresh parsley and Parmesan and dunk with cheese bread!

Instant Pot Beef Stew

Recipe from "The Real Food Dieticians"

Ingredients

2 lbs beef stew meat
1 Tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
12 ounces potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
8 ounces parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, minced
One 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, with liquid
4 cups beef broth
1 ½ tsp dried thyme (or 1 Tbsp fresh thyme)
1 tsp fresh rosemary (or 1 Tbsp fresh, chopped)
8 oz green beans, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 2 cups, may use frozen)
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cornstarch (optional for thickening)

Directions

1. Select ‘Sauté’ on the Instant Pot. Add 2 teaspoons of oil to the pot. Add half of the beef and cook until browned, 2-3 minutes, then flip and repeat until browned on all sides. Transfer meat to a plate and repeat with remaining oil and beef.
2. To the instant pot add the beef, onion, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, garlic, diced tomatoes, broth, thyme, and rosemary. Stir, lock the lid into place, set vent valve to ‘Sealing’ and select the ‘Meat/Stew’ setting (about 35 minutes, high pressure).
3. Allow for 10 minutes of natural release before flipping the value to ‘venting’ to release any remaining pressure.
4. Press ‘Cancel’ then select the ‘Sauté’ setting. Add green beans and cook 5-6 minutes or until green beans are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
5. Optional step to thicken stew: Make sure the Instant Pot is on the ‘Sauté’ setting. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with a few tablespoons of cold water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the hot stew to thicken. Bring the stew to a simmer to continue to thicken.

Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Recipe from "The Real Food Dieticians"

Ingredients

1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium bell pepper (any color), diced
1 small jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp black pepper
1 ½–2 cups chicken broth
One 14 oz can full-fat coconut milk
Juice of ½ lime
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh cilantro and lime wedges for garnish, optional
Optional: one 14 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed

Directions

1. Add the onion, peppers, garlic, and spices (cumin, oregano, chili powder, salt, and black pepper) to the bottom of a slow cooker. Arrange the chicken on top of the vegetables in a single layer.
2. Add the broth and place the lid on the slow cooker. Set heat to LOW and cook 5-6 hours or until the chicken is done and the vegetables are tender. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker.
3. Turn the heat to HIGH. Add the coconut milk and stir. Add the beans, if using. Replace the lid and continue heating for an additional 15 minutes.
4. Stir in the lime juice and fresh cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.

Chicken Tortilla-less Soup

Recipe from "The Real Food Dieticians"

Ingredients

1 ½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Tbsp. ghee or cooking fat of choice
1 medium onion, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
One 4 oz can diced green chiles
1 small jalapeno, minced (and membranes removed for less heat)
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
4 cups chicken broth
One 28 oz can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes (may substitute diced tomatoes)
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Diced avocado and lime wedges for serving

Directions

1. Select ‘Sauté’ on Instant Pot. When the pot is hot, add ghee. Sauté the onions and bell pepper 3-4 minutes or until they start to soften.
2. Press ‘Cancel’ and stir in garlic, green chiles, and jalapeno (if using).
3. Add chicken, taco seasoning, cumin, salt, broth, and diced tomatoes. Set cook time for 15 minutes (high pressure) and flip vent valve to the ‘Sealing’ position.
4. After cooking time is up, allow for 5 minutes of natural pressure release before manually releasing any remaining pressure then remove lid when safe to do so. Stir in lime juice.
5. Serve with fresh cilantro, avocado, and lime wedges.