True confession: My Instant Pot sat in a box for a year after I bought it. I was afraid of it. Visions of imploding appliances danced in my head. But finally, with some encouragement from a friend, I unpacked it and gave it a whirl. Instant Pot black beans were one of the first of…
Freezer Friendly
Red Curry Carrot Ginger Soup
PrintRed Curry Carrot Ginger SoupAuthor Marcia W. SmartYield 6-8 servings Whole30, dairy-free and vegan, this red curry carrot ginger soup is full of flavor. It freezes well, so make a double batch and stash some for a busy night down the road. Ingredients1 tablespoon coconut butter or coconut oil1/2 medium onion, peeled and chopped2 celery…
Chicken Tortilla-less Soup
Have you noticed I’m on a soup kick lately? We’re having a chilly winter in Houston and the flu is going around something fierce. Warm bowls of soup — like this Whole30 Chicken Tortilla-less Soup — help me feel like I’m warding off illness, even if that’s a total farce. This Chicken Tortilla-less Soup is…
Dairy-Free Creamy Tomato Soup
When I was growing up, I loved a warm bowl of Campbell’s Tomato Soup and a side of buttery toast cut in triangles. It’s a cold and blustery day in Houston, and nothing sounds better than a big pot of creamy tomato soup. While I haven’t had a bowl of Campbell’s in at least two…
Holiday Granola to Feed a Crowd
PrintCranberry, Pecan and Pumpkin Seed GranolaAuthor Marcia W. Smart If you don’t have a large sheetpan, use two cookie sheets when baking the granola and rotate them halfway through. The granola needs to cook in a single layer so it toasts evenly. If you use dark baking pans, decrease the time by 10 minutes and…
Weeknight Chili
Halloween night. Sports team parties. Potlucks. This weeknight chili recipe sees a lot of action in our kitchen. It’s super versatile, easy, fast and savory. The best part is you can make this chili with either ground beef or ground turkey, canned kidney or pinto beans or no beans at all (just double the meat)….
Pumpkin, Apple and Honey Nut Squash Soup
Squash season is in full swing, and that means a rotation of roasted butternut squash, Delicata and Kabocha. Recently, I noticed a new variety of squash that looks like a baby butternut. Honey nut squash is sweet and tender when cooked, and easier to cut than its big brother. A couple of these cuties are…
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
PrintSlow Cooker Chicken Tortilla SoupPrep 10 minsTotal 10 minsAuthor Marcia W. Smart This is a simple Mexican soup. If you would like to add corn tortillas as a garnish, toast and cut them into thin strips. I prefer my soup with a lot of lime – about a whole juiced lime on top of every…
Oatmeal Cranberry Energy Bites
These little nuggets are as good as stolen bits of cookie dough, serepticiously swiped from the bowl. Made from gluten-free oats, cinnamon, cranberries, maple syrup and crunchy almond butter, there’s also a little flaxseed for Omega-3s and cinnamon to stabilize the metabolism. Oatmeal cranberry energy bites are a bite size nutritional bomb. Basically, you just throw everything…
Pork Chile Verde
Earlier this year, we had an interesting run in with food allergies around here. After a blood test showed that our oldest had 20 class III food allergies, I had to cook pretty creatively until we could get her into Texas Children’s Allergy and Immunology Center. During that time, I scoured cookbooks and the internet to…