Potato Soup with Ham

We recently bought a 50 pound box of yukon gold potatoes for $16. Score! I canned up most of them, but we still had about 15 pounds left that we could just eat. Matt made us several batches of french fries and then I opted for a potato soup. 

We all loved how this soup turned out. It is amazing! It has layers of flavor, great texture and is a perfect dinner on the soon coming chilly fall evenings! 

If you are wanting a vegan version of this recipe, just omit the ham. The amazing flavor of the soup will remain! 

Ingredients:

8 large yukon gold potatoes

1 cup onion

1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 cups vegetable stock (I used Pacific Foods Organic Vegetable Broth)

2 cups water

2 carrots

5 stalks celery

3 teaspoons sea salt

1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley

Cayenne pepper

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage (the kind from a box)

3 cups cubed ham, already fully cooked (optional)

Dice the onion and toss it into a large soup pot with the extra virgin olive oil. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and water, turn heat down to medium. Peel and chop the potatoes into 1-2 inch cubes. Rinse them and then add them to the soup pot. Peel the carrots and then cut into slices. Wash celery and cut into slices. Add both to the soup. Add salt, parsley and a 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. 

Simmer on medium-low heat for about 30-45 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are soft. Remove from heat. 

Remove half the soup from the pot. Puree it in a food processor, blender or use a separate bowl and an immersion blender. Return pureed portion back into the pot. 

Put back on low heat and add the coconut milk and ham (if using). Stir together and then simmer for another 15 minutes to get the ham hot. 

This soup is easy, fast and tastes great. It makes a large batch and stores great in the refrigerator for leftovers the next day. 

We enjoyed ours with a side of Sorghum Cornbread. 

Baked Italian Chicken

Here is another easy dinner that takes 5 minutes to make and is easily made from basic pantry ingredients. This Baked Italian Chicken is both delicious and super healthy for you. It is one of our family favorites!

Ingredients:

1 pound organic boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 can Organic Diced Tomatoes
1/4 cup diced organic onion
1 teaspoon sea salt, Kirkland no-salt organic seasoning, and garlic powder

Place chicken in a single layer of a 9x9 baking dish. Open can of tomatoes and pour entire can (including liquid) over chicken.  Sprinkle diced onion and seasonings over the tomatoes and chicken.

Preheat oven to 400F. When it is ready, place baking dish uncovered into oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165F.

Slice chicken thighs and place on plate. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the tomatoes and onions and spoon over chicken before serving.

This chicken was very moist and very flavorful. You can substitute chicken breast for the thighs if you prefer.

Pantry Marinara Sauce

We all know that fresh food is the best, both in flavor and nutrition. But what about those times when you don't have fresh ingredients or can't make it to the store? Premade sauces always have preservatives and usually sugar added to them. I have a sure-fire recipe that I use to make marinara sauce when I only have canned ingredients that does not have any preservatives or sweeteners added.

Here is a recipe for a delicious marinara sauce made from ingredients you would have in your pantry.

Ingredients:

1 can Organic Diced Tomatoes
1 can Organic Tomato Paste , 6 ounces
1/2 an onion, finely diced
3 carrots, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Dash of cayenne (optional)

In a medium sauce pan, spoon in the tomato paste then fill the can twice with water and pour into sauce pan as well. Do not drain the canned tomatoes first, pour the tomatoes and liquid in the can into the sauce pan.

Add remaining ingredients.

Set heat to medium and stir often until it begins to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and keep simmering for about 30 minutes. This will reduce down the liquid in the sauce making the flavors more intense, and soften the onion and carrot.

Once the carrots and onion are soft, serve.

We enjoy this best over noodles or quinoa and love a side of my Terrific Turkey Meatballs with it!

Saturday Fun Day

Yesterday was the annual Memorial Weekend Parade so we headed down to where my parents had been sitting for a couple hours to secure us a spot right up front. 

Xander's first parade. He LOVED it!

Gabriella and James had a great time waving their little flags and laughing together. 

Aunt Linda even got in the holiday spirit. It has been so fun having her up lately. They use to come up every year for the parade and all us kiddos would run around together. I miss that! 

Gabriella yelled, "Jamesey! Look at the giant ducky!!"

April and Gramma were having fun too!

Dutch Bros handed out free Rebel drinks. So awesome!!

Watching the parade with Gramma again. 

Enjoying an organic sucker. 

Xander popped Gabriella's balloon on the way home. I love how he is like, "what? What's the big deal?"

Luckily some free lemonade from Dutch Bros cheered Gabriella up. 

Mmmmmm, blended lemonade!!

After a quick lunch and nap at home, we headed out to my parent's house for dinner. 

James is working on doing headstands. So fun!

Cartwheel

Somersault

Jonathan working on some headstands too. 

Terminator Munch

Cousins climbing a tree together. I'm sure in a few years they will be climbing without Matt's help. 

Wrestling with Uncle Matt, another favorite activity. 

Gramma and Aunt Linda enjoying watching the antics in the front yard. 

More fun with daddy

Me and my favorite girlie!!

Dinner was delicious!! We had chicken legs, roasted potatoes, strawberry-spinach salad, and chips. 

Silly James!!

Almost twinsies ;)

From the back. According to April, we have the same "head dent" and "hair swirl"

Having some of mom's "All Done with Chemo" cake! (Black bean cake with coconut milk whipped topping). So fun to celebrate!!

Three of my favorite guys outside around the campfire. 

Snuggles with my little man!

At home we were getting cleaned up before bed (someone came to look at our house today) and Xander was having fun hugging the paper towels. 

Xander and Munch having fun in their bedroom. Xander is quite the little daredevil!!

Delicious Dinner

Experimented a little bit with dinner tonight! I am so thankful that I am married to a man who is willing to eat anything once!!

I decided to try making stuffed chicken and some mashed cauliflower (instead of mashed potatoes)

I gathered all my ingredients and got ready...

Sliced spinach

Shredded Goat Cheese

Sliced Mushrooms

Nitrate-Free Bacon

Chicken Breast

Rice Flour

Dried Basil

Garlic Salt

I started by cooking the bacon in a frying pan on my stove-top. While it was cooking I cleaned the chicken and pounded it flat (I put it inside a large plastic bag and pounded it with a frying pan), then cleaned and sliced the veggies. 

After the bacon was done cooking I drained the grease off and put the bacon on a paper towel (to absorb more of the grease). I filled each chicken breast with the foods I had prepared (some with mushrooms and some without). 

Next I mixed the rice flour, basil and garlic salt  together in a shallow bowl. After the chicken was topped with veggies and meat, I folded it in half, fastened it closed with a toothpick or two, and then floured each side before setting it onto a cooling rack. 

I covered a cookie sheet with foil and then placed the cooling rack with the chicken on top and cooked it at 400 F for 55 minutes (until it was cooked thoroughly). 

While the chicken cooked I cleaned and boiled a whole head of cauliflower. Once it was fully cooked I drained off the water and mashed it up with a potato masher. I added a bit of goat milk, some garlic and salt. 

Yummmy!! A delicious dinner. It is fully gluten-free, dairy-free and loaded with veggies and nutrients!!

So easy and the kids loved it!