Vegan Beef Nachos

Lately I've been crushing on these Vegan Beef Nachos I made last week. They're full of good for you stuff like black beans, red onion, tomatoes, avocado, and jalapeño. You get it, they're full of veggies that pack a punch to your taste buds!

But the one thing that sets these apart from other vegan nachos is the vegan "beef" I added to them. Yes, vegan beef made with mushrooms and walnuts. Those vegetarians are a resourceful bunch because this vegan beef comes awfully close to beef in taste and texture.

Notice I say "close to beef" and not "exactly like beef" because you cannot get vegetables to have the exact same texture and taste of beef, so if you're expecting that, you will be disappointed. Let's just say, it's as close as you can get to beef with mushrooms, walnuts, and spices.

I absolutely love this stuff and you can be certain it will show up in more recipes from me. I'll be sharing my recipe for vegan beef next week, so be sure to stop back by because this stuff is delicious!

Anywho, back to these nachos, so flavorful and filling you can eat them for dinner. As a matter of fact, YES, you can eat these for dinner!

Your kids (and your main squeeze) will think you're such a cool mom serving up nachos for dinner! Little do they know, they're eating healthy and getting their recommended daily allowance of veggies at the same time.

Chalk up another win-win meal.

Vegan Beef Nachos

Recipe by Julie Murphy @ Sweet and Spicy Monkey

Flavorful beef nachos, vegetarian style.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 minute
Total time: 11 minutes
Yield: 2
Ingredients

• 1-16 ounce can vegetarian refried beans
• 17.6 ounces vegan beef (mushroom and walnut meat)
• 1-15 ounce can black beans, drained, rinsed, and warmed
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped
• plain Greek yogurt
• fresh salsa
• tortilla chips

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, heat refried beans over low to medium heat until warmed. Set aside.
2. You can place all ingredients in separate bowls and let everybody customize their own nachos.
3. Or if you're assembling the plates of nachos, start by spreading tortilla chips over the plate. Followed with a large spoonful of refried beans, spreading an even layer over tortilla chips (as even as you can over the chips).
4. Spread a spoonful of vegan beef over the refried beans.
5. Add a large spoonful of black beans over the top of the vegan beef.
6. Sprinkle cheese over the black beans. Place plate into microwave (about 1 minute) to melt the cheese.
7. Once cheese is melted, remove plate from microwave and sprinkle remaining ingredients over the top: avocado, tomatoes, red onion, and jalapeno.
8. Top with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and salsa.
9. Garnish plates with chopped lettuce and serve with tortilla chips.

You're welcome!

*Recipe for Vegan Beef can be found here.

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Slow Cooker Vegan Sweet Potato and Carrot Chili

 

It's that time of year to bring out the crockpot and start cooking something delicious. Especially when temperatures go from a balmy 69 degrees to a frigid 18. Talk about a wakeup call!

So when I heard about the Bush's beans chili cook off, it gave me another reason to dust off my crockpot and make a big batch of chili to help warm me up.

Now I've only been sharing recipes with y'all for two years and I've already shared four different chili recipes. I've made Vegan Chile (my most recent), Crockpot White Chicken Chili (twice, recently updated), Crockpot Pumpkin Turkey Chili, and Crockpot Chicken Chile.

I am by no means a chili connoisseur, but I do love my chili. I think I inherited my love for chili from my daddy. And just like my daddy, I love a hearty chili, not one where it's all soupy with just a few beans.

Look how hearty that chili is that my spoon stands up on its own!

Nope, I want my spoon to literally stand up straight in my chili. And your spoon will stand up straight in this Slow Cooker Vegan Sweet Potato & Carrot Chili.

This chili is hearty with all the flavorings of a meat chili, but without the meat. It's full of Bush's black beans and pinto beans, chunks of sweet potato and carrots, barley, and quinoa, to name just a few of the ingredients.

Just like my vegan chile, I added cocoa powder to this one too. Because I love the rich flavor it brings to chili as it mixes with the other spices.

And if it’s not spicy enough for you, you can also add a little more heat to this chili by adding more chile powder or jalapeños.

My daddy is probably rolling over in his grave because I made a vegan chili (gasp!). He was a big meat lover.

But I'm sure if he was still with us, he would admit this chili is worth another bowl!

Slow Cooker Vegan Sweet Potato and Carrot Chili

Recipe by Julie Murphy

A hearty and flavorful vegan chili with sweet potatoes, carrots, and Bush's beans.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 6 to 8 hours
Total time: 8 hours and 20 minutes
Yield: 12 to 14 servings
Ingredients

• 2-32 ounces vegetable broth
• 2 sweet potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut into cubes
• 1 sweet yellow onion, diced
• 5 carrots, washed, peeled, and cut
• 3-15.5 ounce cans Bush's Black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-15.5 ounce can Bush's pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 green Bell pepper, washed, seeded, and diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup barley, uncooked
• 1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile pepper powder
• 1 Tablespoon cumin
• 1 Tablespoon chile powder
• 2 teaspoons homemade taco seasoning
• 4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano, coarsely chopped
• 1-7 ounce can diced green chilies
• pinch sea salt to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Prepare crockpot (7 quarts or larger) by lightly wiping inside with olive oil. I find this helps prevent food from sticking to the inside, which makes for easier cleanup.
2. Add all ingredients into crockpot, stir together, cover.
3. Cook on Low setting for 6-8 hours. If you're home when making, stir ingredients every few hours.
4. Serve warm with cornbread or tortilla chips.
5. Top with sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, diced onions, jalapenos, avocado, or tomatoes.

*Helpful Hints*

 

- This recipe is for a 7 quart or larger crockpot. If you want to make a small batch, just half the ingredients.

 

 

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Slow Cooker Turkey Fajita Soup

As the holidays wind down, so does the year 2015.

Many people like to take this time to reflect on this last year and see if they can make any changes to improve themselves in the upcoming new year. While others look back at the lessons learned and how to prevent something like that again.

S-C-R-E-E-C-H ............HALT.

Not me.

I'm kicking this year to the curb and getting ready to soar higher into the new year with a new pair of wings. You can't change the past and last I looked, the world isn't stopping.

You have to step off that curb and adapt and overcome because only the strong survive and I'm not going to get trampled.

I can start this post by looking back on my recipes from 2015 like everyone else, but I'm forging a different path and I'm moving forward because you can easily look at my top four recipes located in the right hand side bar of this page. ----------------------------->

So today, on the last day of 2015, I’m sharing a new recipe with y'all, so we can end this year with a bang!

Well, not really a bang, but something with a little spice to help warm you up during these cooler months, Slow Cooker Turkey Fajita Soup.

It's full of good for you stuff like beans, corn, tomatoes, and peppers. Not to mention, you can toss everything in before you go to work and have a warm, delicious meal when you get back home.

Now that's my kind of meal!

Serve with chips and salsa and top with cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced avocados, jalapenos, or tomatoes. And if you're feeling really motivated, whip up some cornbread to serve on the side.

This slow cooker Turkey Fajita Soup will warm you up from the inside out and what better way to start a new year than that!

How do you look back on the old year? Do you like to reflect on things or move forward?
What New Year’s resolutions do you have for 2016? Do you have any?

Slow Cooker Turkey Fajita Soup

Recipe by Julie Murphy

An easy and delicious one-pot meal that's perfect for the cold winter nights.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 4 to 6 hours
Total time: 5 to 7 hours
Yield: 4 to 6
Ingredients

• 1 lb. turkey meat, boneless, skinless breast or strips
• 1 Family Size can (22.6 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup fresh salsa
• 12 ounces (1 package) frozen corn
• 1-15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-16 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1-14.5 ounce can diced organic tomatoes
• 1-7 ounce can diced green chiles
• 1 green pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (for topping)
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

Cooking Directions

1. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil into slow cooker and using a paper towel, wipe inside of slow cooker, bottom and sides.
2. Place turkey on bottom of slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Stir together.
3. Cover and cook on Low setting for 4 to 6 hours.
4. Remove turkey meat and shred using 2 forks. Add back into slow cooker, mixing together.
5. Continue cooking on Low setting for another 30 to 45 minutes, covered.
6. Serve in individual bowls topped with sour cream, cheddar cheese, diced avocado, salsa, diced jalapenos, and tortilla chips or cornbread.

Inspired by ~ Alyssa at The Recipe Critic.

 

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Chicken Taco Bowls

I love Mexican food! Although I've been eating it, I know I haven't posted any Mexican food recipes in quite some time. Please don't hate me.

The reason being is sometimes I just don't feel like taking photos before I eat what I make. My hunger overtakes my need for photos. Does that make me a bad food blogger?

So when The Daily Meal and Perdue asked me to create a recipe with chicken, my first thought was this Chicken Taco Bowl. What better way to enjoy chicken than in Mexican food. And what better way to promote Perdue's "farm to family meals" than with this healthy Chicken Taco Bowl!
Chicken, quinoa, fresh tomatoes, avocados, and onions make this one delicious meal in a bowl.

Another reason why I love Perdue chicken!

And this is so easy to make. You cook the chicken in the crockpot so all you have to do when you get home is cook the quinoa and chop the avocado, onion, and tomatoes. Throw it all in a bowl and serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheese.

It's also great for when you want to watch the game in the TV room or eat outside without all the mess of tacos. It's my favorite go to dinner these days when I'm craving Mexican food.

And the kids will never know its good for you too with quinoa, chicken, and fresh vegetables. I'll keep your secret!

I promise I won't wait so long before my next Mexican food recipe. Pinky promise.

The best part about this? You can get a coupon for Perdue chicken here. Just click on the link I just gave you and go to Perdue's page, scroll down, and there is a coupon for $1.50 off your next two Perdue products. It's a winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Chicken Taco Bowls

Recipe by Julie Murphy

A convenient way to enjoy chicken tacos in a bowl without all the mess.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 4 to 6 hours (for chicken)
Total time: 6 hours and 20 minutes (includes crockpot cooking time for chicken)
Yield: 4 chicken taco bowls
Ingredients

• 6 cups organic quinoa, cooked
• 1 lb. chicken breast, skinless & boneless
• 1 large can (28 ounces) red enchilada sauce, mild
• 1 can (15.25 ounces) sweet corn, drained
• 1 small can (2.25 ounces) sliced olives
• 1 can (16 ounces) dark red kidney beans, drained
• 2 tomato, diced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 avocados, halved and diced
• 1 bag tortilla chips
• Top with plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• cilantro

Cooking Directions

1. Lightly wipe inside of crockpot with olive oil, wiping off any excess with a clean, dry paper towel.
2. Remove chicken from package and place chicken breast in bottom of crockpot.
3. Pour enchilada sauce over chicken. Stir with a wooden spoon to cover bottom of chicken with sauce.
4. Set to Low setting and cover. Cook 4 to 6 hours at Low setting.
5. After chicken is cooked all the way through, remove from crockpot and place on a clean plate. Using 2 forks, shred chicken. Place shredded chicken back into the crockpot. Place on warming setting.
6. Stir in corn and olives with shredded chicken. Cover.
7. Prepare quinoa as directed on package.
8. After quinoa is ready, mix with drained kidney beans. Add 1 and 1/2 cups into each bowl.
9. Place tortilla chips around the entire edge of the bowls, with triangle points sticking out as shown in photo.
10. Layer 3/4 to 1 cup shredded chicken mix over top of quinoa.
11. Layer 1/2 avocado over quinoa in each bowl.
12. Layer desired amount of tomato and onion over top of quinoa.
13. Top with cheese cubes (as shown) or shredded cheese, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, and cilantro.
14. Serve with tortilla chips.

*Helpful Hints*

 

- You can use red or black quinoa or a mix of them for a more colorful bowl. I used regular and red quinoa.

- If you don't like quinoa, you can always use rice.

Disclaimer ~ This is a product post for @PerdueChicken. I was not paid for this post. All ideas and opinions are my own.

 

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Shared with: Savoring Saturdays

Homemade Pineapple Salsa

Today is Cinco de Mayo, one of my favorite Holidays of the year because it gives me an excuse to eat Mexican food! Not that I need an excuse to eat Mexican food because I just love it...but I have a reason today! {smile}

Now I didn't think I was going to be able to share this recipe with you today as I just made this delicious pineapple salsa this morning. And I still had to write out the recipe, take photos, edit, and double edit all myself.

Whew, that sounds like so much to do before the celebrations start this evening! So I'm going to get right to the recipe so you still have time to run to the store, pick up your ingredients, and whip up this salsa before your guests arrive...or the family comes home for dinner.

Whichever one it is, they're going to love this salsa made with all natural ingredients. Yep, no bottled salsa here. This is made with fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, with both lemon and lime juice. Plus you can make it depending on your tastes, mild, medium, or hot. And it’s so easy to make.

Now the pineapple was a last minute addition, and I only had a few chunks of fresh pineapple on hand, so I used canned pineapple chunks too. But the flavoring is so much better with the fresh pineapple chunks. Whichever you have available to you, the pineapple really makes this salsa!

Ok, enough from me, onto the recipe. With that said, I raise my chip to you (full of fresh pineapple salsa, of course) and wish you a Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Homemade Pineapple Salsa

Recipe by Julie Murphy

A delicious homemade pineapple salsa

Prep time: 20
Cook time: 0
Total time: 30
Yield: 1 and 1/2 Liters
Ingredients

• 6 tomatoes
• 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks (or 1 - 20 ounce can of pineapple chunks, drained)
• 2 jalapenos, seeded
• 1 sweet yellow onion
• 1 small red onion (or 1/2 of a large one)
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2-3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Pinch paprika
• 2-3 dashes ground black pepper

Directions

1. If you like a chunky salsa (like me) leave a couple of the tomatoes and 1/2 of the sweet onion out and chop by hand. Adding into large pitcher and setting aside.
2. While you place all other ingredients into a food processor or blender and pulse until you get desired texture and add into pitcher.
3. Stir together well, making sure to blend ingredients on bottom of pitcher into mixture. A wooden spoon works well for this.
4. Serve immediately or you can cover and refrigerate until serving.
5. Best served with tortilla chips, nachos, tacos, eggs, or any Mexican dish.
6. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 1 week.

*Helpful Hints*

- Wear gloves when cutting and seeding the jalapenos.

- If you like a Hot salsa, leave the seeds in the jalapenos.

- For a milder salsa, you can leave out the jalapenos.

- Remember, its much easier to add salt than fix a too salty dish, so add little salt at a time to taste.

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

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Crockpot White Chicken Chili

In honor of Throwback Thursday, I thought I would repost one of my favorite recipes that I made when I first started blogging, my Crockpot White Bean and Chicken Chili.

I first posted this recipe after just starting Sweet and Spicy Monkey, and I was using my mobile phone camera, which at that time was a Blackberry Curve. I know, it seems like eons ago doesn't it...Blackberry. Do they even make phones anymore?

When I made this recipe again last week, I decided to snap a few shots before chowing down so you can see just how delicious this chili really is, since the Blackberry didn't do this recipe any justice.

And since I was revamping, I figured why not rename it too, shortening the name from Crockpot White Bean and Chicken Chili to Crockpot White Chicken Chili. A new and improved recipe. Ok, not really improved, but the photos have been improved, at least I think so {smile}.

So without any further rambles from me, here's my Throwback Thursday recipe for Crockpot White Chicken Chili aka Crockpot White Bean and Chicken Chili.

A new name and new photos for a delicious chili anytime that's also easy to make and perfect for this chilly weather.

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Crockpot White Chicken Chili

Serves 6

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Ingredients

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

3 - 15.5 ounce cans Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or white beans)

8 ounces shredded Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey cheese (approximately 1 and ¾ cup)

1 – 7 ounce can diced green chilies

2 – 32 ounce boxes Chicken broth (can use low-sodium)

2 – cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips

Tortilla chips

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Directions

Bring out crockpot or slow cooker and spray inside with olive oil. Wipe out excess oil with paper towel. This helps the chili from sticking to the sides, even though there will be some sticking.

Pour in one box of chicken broth and turn crockpot to Low setting.

Place unthawed chicken breast in crockpot.

Add ½ of the 7-ounce can of chilies, placing other ½ of chilies aside until one hour before dinnertime.

Let cook on Low temperature for about 5-6 hours. Enjoy your day at work or go run some errands as you’re good for the rest of the day until you return.

*If you forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer and chicken is still frozen when you start making this and you’ll be home or able to return in 2 hours, you can place the frozen chicken in the crockpot and put the setting on High temperature for 2 hours. Then return and turn the setting back to Low. Then you’re good until about 1 hour before dinner. *

You can either add the beans in the chili in the morning with chicken breasts and broth or about one hour before serving dinner, since they are already cooked, whichever you find easiest. I prefer mine to cook all day.

About 1 hour before dinnertime, remove chicken breasts and place onto a plate. Shredding meat with two forks as meat will be hot to the touch. Add shredded chicken back into broth.

Add other ½ of chilies.

Grate pepper jack cheese and stir in with shredded chicken, chilies, and broth.

Coarsely crush 2 cups of the tortilla chips. I find it easy to place tortilla chips in large mixing bowl and crush with bottom of a cup until I have 2 cups. Add crushed chips into crockpot, stirring throughout.

Turn crockpot temperature back to High setting and let cook for remaining hour.

5 minutes before serving dinner, preheat oven to 405F degrees.

Take remaining tortilla chips and place on an ungreased cookie sheet or a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, sprinkle with grated pepper jack cheese.

Place in oven until cheese is melted, approximately 5 minutes, give or take.

Remove from oven and serve with chili. Enjoy!

*Helpful tips*

- You can prep remaining ingredients (grated cheese, crushed chips) the night beforehand or in the morning if you will be away all day, to help make it easier for you when you return back home.

- I add ½ of the chilies in the beginning with chicken to help get their flavor. And since cooking all day will lessen some of their flavor, I add remaining chilies during the last cooking hour. You can add all in beginning or all during the last hour if you choose.

-  If you find chili too thick after adding crushed chips, you can add more broth. Chili will thicken up as it cooks. If too watery, add more crushed chips.

Cover and refrigerate any leftovers. Can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

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Shared with: Munching Mondays #82, Totally Terrific Tuesday Link Party #25

Crockpot Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Winter will be rearing its frigid little head this week as temperatures will be dropping. It's going to be below freezing here in Georgia this weekend....Brrrrr! In case you weren't aware, that's flippin' cold for the South!

With that in mind, you have to not only bundle up on the outside by layering your clothes but also warm up from the inside out. And the best way to do that is with a delicious hot meal.

And I've got the perfect recipe to help keep you warm and toasty through this arctic chill, my Crockpot Pumpkin Turkey Chili. Which also happens to pair up deliciously with my Pumpkin Sage Cornbread from earlier in the week.

Not only is this a warm and hearty meal, but as my dad used to say, one that will stick to your ribs. For those of you that have never heard the term, stick to your ribs, it doesn't mean it's going to make you fat because this is really a healthy recipe, it means it will help stave off hunger because cornbread makes you feel full longer.

As long as you're all covered up on the outside, I've got you covered on the inside. So go out and enjoy your weekend and do some Christmas shopping, go to that football game, or whatever you planned on doing before Mother Nature said, "I don't think so, Scooter".

Because....well, you worked hard all week and you deserve it! Of course you might want to make sure you don't leave the house without first putting on your long johns, wool socks, and Uggs {smile}.

Crockpot Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Ingredients

1-2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 lb. ground turkey

1 – 32 ounce box Chicken broth (can also use vegetable)

1 sweet onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 – 7 ounce can diced green chilies

3 – 15.5 ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 - 15 ounce can pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

2 whole bay leaves

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Dash of rubbed Dalmatian sage

Directions

Add olive oil to medium skillet and heat.

Add in ½ of chopped onion, ½ of diced yellow bell pepper, and jalapeno. Sauté for 1 minute, after 1 minute add in minced garlic and brown for about 30 seconds or until lightly browned.

Add in ground turkey and cook until meat is browned. Remove from heat.

Combine all ingredients, including rest of chopped onion and diced bell pepper, into your crockpot.

Place on LOW setting and cook for 8 hours. Or you can place on HIGH setting and cook for 4-5 hours.

If needed, add more seasoning to taste and serve with my Pumpkin Sage Cornbread for a delicious Fall meal.

Inspired by ~ Gina's Crock Pot Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili from Skinnytaste.com

*Helpful Hints*

- I used canned pumpkin puree for this recipe.

- All measurements are US

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post for original recipe.

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Shared with: Tickle My Tastebuds #27, Munching Mondays #65

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

As y’all know, I love me some Mexican food! And taco seasoning is a great way to spice up the meats you’re going to use in your Mexican dishes. Since I’m trying to cut out the preservatives, added salt and sugars, and artificial colors in my foods, I just had to try this recipe after I found it on Stephanie's site Fit Mom in Training.

An ingredient list for an average store bought taco seasoning consist of spices that include paprika, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. And other ingredients including onion, whey (milk), salt, sugar, garlic, potato starch, and citric acid.

Now I have never actually looked at the back of a seasoning packet to see what was in it before this. But after reading the ingredient list and seeing the added salt and sugar in it, I realized I was adding another 430 mg of sodium, 4 grams of carbs, and 1 gram of sugar to my diet! I like to refer to these as sneaky sources since you don’t realize they are in the foods because you did not add them yourself. Something I could certainly do without!

I have tried other homemade taco seasoning recipes and found this one to be the best while tasting just like the store bought versions. After making this, I no longer buy store bought taco seasoning packets. This is my go to recipe whenever I’m making Mexican dishes.

It’s easy to make and much cheaper than buying those store bought packets with all the added sodium and starch. Plus the spices used for making this are common and easy to find in your local store’s spice aisle.

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (can use a little more or less, depending how hot you prefer your seasoning.)

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon paprika

1 and ½ teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl and store in an airtight container.

Makes approximately ¼ cup of seasoning.

One store bought package of taco seasoning is equal to 6 Tablespoons, with a serving size of 1 Tablespoon.

*Helpful Hints*

- I use 2 teaspoons of this mix for recipes. Season to your taste.

- I keep mine stored in a zip lock bag in the freezer.

- You can cut the salt down or omit it altogether, depending on your diet and preference.

Shared with  Savoring Saturday's link party #10 at Eva's site Whole Food on a Budget, Kat's Simply Living Simply Sunday Social Blog Hop #9 , Wine'd Down Wednesday Link Party   , Gluten-free Fridays #85, Take it on Tuesday Blog Hop #118, Cast Party Wednesday #136, Tex Mex Link Up 4/18/2014 Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party- #4, Reasons to Skip the Housework Saturday, Munching Mondays #37

 

All content and images are property of Sweet and Spicy Monkey. Please do not reprint this content without my permission. If you wish to include this recipe on your site, please re-write in your own words and use your own photographs and link back to this post or for original recipe click here for Fit Mom in Training's website.

Guacamole

Last week, I made homemade tortilla chips and what better way to enjoy snacking on them than with some homemade guacamole. Do you sense a theme here? I do love me some Mexican food!

Guacamole is an avocado based concoction that dates back as early as the 16th century when it was found to be prevalent in the Aztec’s diet. Yes, this ugly little dark green fruit (yes, avocados are a fruit) with an extremely large pit in the middle, has been around for quite some time.

Avocados are a climacteric fruit, meaning they mature on the tree but ripen after they’ve been picked off the trees, just like bananas. So when you go shopping for avocados and don’t need it for that day’s meal, pick one that is a little firmer so it can ripen before you have to use it. Now if you need an avocado and all you’re finding are firm ones, simply place the avocado in a paper bag with either an apple or a banana, and it will ripen faster. This is due to the influence of the ethylene gas, a natural plant hormone, produced by apples and bananas.

There are many tips for storing avocado halves once you cut them open so it doesn’t turn brown and I’ve tried many of them. I’ve heard of squeezing lemon or lime juice over the half and storing in an airtight container, ½ teaspoon of vinegar over the half will prevent browning, slathering the half with olive oil, just leaving the pit intact, wrapping the half in cling wrap, or placing a red onion in the bowl with the avocado half will prevent browning. None of these methods work as good as the one I came across in a Cosmopolitan magazine article a few years back, of all places!

The best way I’ve found to help prevent an avocado half from turning brown is to simply place the half under cold running water for a few seconds and then store in an airtight container in your refrigerator. The cold water helps by acting as a seal against the air (oxygen), helping to prevent any further browning.

The reason avocados turn brown is because they contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, which basically causes the avocado to turn brown when it comes in contact with oxygen (air). I’ve tried the cold water method many times and it is by far the best method to prevent your avocado half from browning. Regardless, it will still turn a slight brown because of the contact with air, but not as dark as the other options.

And you thought we were just making guacamole today! And that we are now that you know a little more about the avocado fruit. It’s a simple recipe that embraces the fresh taste of avocados and a mild spiciness of its Mexican culture.

 Homemade Guacamole

Serves  - 2
Prep Time - 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 avocado, halved and pitted

1/2 jalapeno*, seeded and diced

4 Tablespoons fresh salsa

1/8 teaspoon paprika

2 lemon wedges

Dash of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and Chipotle Chile pepper to taste.

Directions

In a small mixing bowl, mash avocado.

Mix in salsa, juice from the two lemon wedges, paprika, and spices to taste. Add diced jalapeno.

Mix well and serve with tortilla chips.

*Helpful Hints*

- *jalapeno can be optional*

- can also be served with any type of Mexican food or just out of the bowl! Don't limit yourself, be creative!

This recipe is featured on Kat's Simply Living Simply Sunday Social Blog Hop #9 on 04/06/2014.

You can also find this recipe shared at Grassfed mama's Sunday Social Blog hop 03/30/2014 and featured on The Sunday Social Blog Hop #9 on 04/06/2014, shared with Gluten-free Fridays #86, Side Dishes Blog Hop 4/11/2014, Tex Mex Link Up 4/18/2014, Pin it Thursday , Munching Mondays #37
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