CHICKEN N' DUMPLINGS

I feel like every person should allow themselves pure and delicious comfort food once in a while. This meal is one of mine. (Those I've shared it with say it's the best Chicken n' Dumplings they've ever had!) I throw caution to the wind and just enjoy.

I got this basic recipe so long ago I can't remember who I got it from. I changed several things about it and added things I like, so I'm declaring this recipe MY OWN CREATION. :o)

This recipe is enough to feed 12-18 people. It’s great to make for large groups or if you are taking a meal to a friend. (Or, you can just cut everything in half.) Easy and delicious!

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Tbsp coconut or olive oil

• 1 Onion chopped

• 2 ½-3 Large Chicken Breast, cubed

• 2 Tbsp Curry Powder

• Salt and Pepper to taste

• 9 Ribs Celery – chopped

• 7 Carrots (I cut mine long and thin.)

• 3 (10.5 oz) cans of Cream of Celery

• 3 (10.5 oz) cans of Cream of Chicken

• 48 oz. Chicken Broth

• 4 Bay Leaves

• 4 Garlic Cloves crushed (more if you like garlic)

• 3-4 small cans of refrigerated biscuits. (I like a little byte of dumplings in each spoonful. If you don’t require that much, then add less biscuits.)

• ¾ Cup Cilantro – chopped

Directions:

1. In a large/deep pot, heat oil.
2. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper and curry powder and cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Mix in celery, carrots, and cream of celery, cream of chicken and chicken broth. Bring soup to a simmer.
5. Add bay leaves, and crushed garlic.
6. Open the cans of refrigerated biscuits one at a time. Start tearing off pieces of each biscuit and drop in into the soup mixture. I like small (quarter size) pieces of dumplings so I can get a little bit in each byte. If you like larger dumplings then go for it.
7. Continue tearing the biscuits until they are all in the pot. Stir the contents every few minutes to make sure the pieces of bread are not sticking together. NOTE: The dumplings will swell at first. After cooking a while they will shrink back down.
8. After all of the biscuits are in the soup, let them cook for 10-15 minutes.
9. When finished, pull the pot from the burner. Remove bay leaves. Stir in the cilantro.
10. Enjoy!!!

SPLIT PEA SOUP

My family LOVES this soup! I doubled it, and it was gone! Light, Healthy and guilt free!

1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced* (optional)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup split peas, rinsed and sorted
5 cups water
2 teaspoons good quality salt
1/2 teaspoon basil
1 bay leaf

Directions:
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. Add water and bring to a boil. Add split peas and
simmer until slit peas form a smooth soup. Add salt, bay leaf and basil. Simmer for 10
minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Variations:
Add 1/2 to 1 cup evaporated milk to finished soup.
Add chopped carrots and celery to soup with the seasonings and simmer until vegetables
are lightly cooked, but still crisp.
Add 1/2 cup brown rice to the boiling water first, then after 1/2 hour add split peas and
cook until peas are tender or form a smooth soup. Add seasonings and simmer for 10
minutes. (Note: The brown rice completes the protein of the legumes.)

Notes:
*A head or bulb of garlic usually contains about 10 cloves. 1 clove = 1 teaspoon chopped
garlic = 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder = 1/2 teaspoon garlic
flakes = 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic = 1/2 teaspoon garlic juice

Turkey Chili

This is a simple and Clean Eating worthy recipe. It also has only basic ingredients but still YUM!

Ingredients

• 1.2 lbs lean ground turkey (I used 7% lean beef for the extra iron boost)
  
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 can diced tomatoes, ( no salt added)
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp virgin olive oil

Instructions

Brown diced onion and diced garlic in olive oil with the cayenne and cumin powders. Add turkey, brown. Drain and rinse beans. Once the turkey is looking cooked add beans, diced tomatoes, water and tomato paste for the desired taste. Simmer and serve with your choice of topping.....i used either chopped fresh spinach or broccoli, Yum!

* You can add more or less cumin, cayenne and tomato paste depending on your needs.

*Tip: I cook in my cast iron Dutch Oven, or skillet when I can. I tend to need every extra iron boost I can get and this is proven to help.

Spicy Taco Soup

Zesty soup with a little kick, perfect on a cold day. Vegetables can be added or taken away to fit personal tastes. Makes for great leftovers!

Ingredients

• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 16 oz. bag frozen corn kernels
• 1.5 lbs. ground turkey
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 15 oz. can black olives (sliced)
• 2 cans Rotel tomatoes with green chiles (or habaneros for some extra heat)
• 2 packs taco seasoning
• 2.5 C. water
• 1 pack dry ranch dressing mix (optional)
• 1 15 oz. can black beans (do not drain)
• 1 15 oz. can pinto beans (do not drain)

Instructions

In a soup pot, brown onions in oil until tender.
Add ground turkey and cook thoroughly.
Strain excess grease (to remove more fat, run under hot water).
Add turkey, onions, and all other ingredients to pot, and let simmer for 25 minutes.


For a more flavorful soup:

Put all ingredients in a crock pot and let simmer all day.
Replace 1C. Water with chicken or vegetable broth.

Tips & Bonus Information

Per Serving: Calories: 186.2 Total Fat: 10.6 g Cholesterol: 33.7 mg Sodium: 821.1 mg Total Carbs: 12.9 g Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g Protein: 9.8 g Make it Healthier: Buy all veggies fresh! It'll add some time to the cooking process, but you cut way back on the preservatives.

Yield: 12 Servings
Preparation Time: Approximately 30 minutes (to prepare and cook)