Rustic Chickpea Stew with Apricots and Turnip (made in the slow-cooker!)

A really easy, hearty, and flavorful recipe that I served over quinoa. If you're not a fan of turnips (or don't know how you feel about them), this is a great way to try them out. You could also serve over rice or couscous.

From Simple Bites

Ingredients:
~19 oz can chickpeas
~28 oz. can crushed tomatoes or 3 and 1/2 cups homemade tomato sauce
~1 cup apple juice (I had cider on hand and used that instead)
~2 tbs. butter
~1 med. onion, diced
~1 cup diced turnip (we used 2 medium-sized ones that came in our farm tote)
~1/2 cup dried chopped apricots (ALDI has these for a great price!)
~zest of 1 large lemon
~1/2 tsp. ground coriander
~1/2 tsp. salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and stir to combine.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
3. Before serving, cook quinoa according to package directions. (I always make mine with chicken stock instead of water for more flavor.) Spoon quinoa into bowls and ladle stew on top.

Greek Skillet Chicken

Delicious Mediterranean flavors. A great meal for any season
or even to feed dinner guests.

From Paula Deen

Ingredients:
~2 lbs. chicken thighs (I used bone-in thighs and removed the skin - ALDI has great chicken prices if you are looking to be more budget-friendly)
~1/2 tsp. salt
~1/2 tsp. black pepper
~1 tbs. olive oil
~(2) 14.5 oz cans Italian style diced tomatoes (we also added some fresh Campari tomatoes that we had in the fridge)
~(1) 4.8 oz. jar pitted kalamata olives
~1/2 cup minced red onion
~2 tsp. minced garlic
~1 and 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
~(1) 10oz. box couscous (I used a Parmesan-flavored one which was delicious)
~1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
2. In a large dutch oven or ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Place thighs, meaty side down, in pan and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from pan and drain excess oil. Add tomatoes, olives, garlic, onions, and oregano to pan and stir to combine.
3. Place pan in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until thighs are fully cooked.
4. Meanwhile, cook couscous according to package directions.
5. Sprinkle chicken dish with feta cheese and serve over couscous.

Quinoa Turkey Chili

We love different types of chili and this was a great addition to our repertoire. Hearty and flavorful.

From Taste of Home

Ingredients:
~1 cup quinoa
~3 and 1/2 cups chicken stock
~1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
~1 large sweet onion, chopped
~1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
~4 garlic cloves, minced
~1 tbs. chili powder
~1 tbs. ground cumin
~1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
~2 cans black beans
~1 28oz. can diced tomatoes
~1 medium zucchini, chopped
~1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
~1 tbs. adobo sauce
~1 bay leaf
~1 tsp. dried oregano
~1/2 tsp. salt
~1/4 tsp. pepper
~1 cup frozen corn
~1/4 cup minced cilantro
~2 small avocados for topping

1. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring quinoa and 2 cups chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with fork. Set aside.
2. In a soup pot or dutch oven coated with cooking spray, cook the turkey, onion, red pepper, and garlic over medium heat until meat is cooked through and veggies are tender. Drain if there is excess liquid. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon and cook 2 minutes longer.
3. Add black beans, tomatoes, zucchini, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper, and remaining chicken stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in corn and quinoa and heat through. Discard bay leaf and stir in cilantro.
4. Serve into bowls and top with avocado slices.

Butternut Squash & Parsnip Soup (made in the crock pot!)

This was delicious and uses readily available fall ingredients. Serve with or without the yogurt - it provides a nice extra tang to the soup.

From The Roasted Root

Ingredients:
~1 large yellow onion, chopped (we use a mini food processor - makes it so easy!)
~2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
~1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped (about 5 cups)
~1 Fuji apple, chopped (I left the peel on, and you could probably use whatever apple you want)
~2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
~1/2 tsp ground coriander
~1/2 tsp ground cumin
~1/4 tsp dried thyme
~1/8 tsp ground sage
~1/2 tsp salt
~plain Greek yogurt for serving

1. Add all ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
2. Once veggies are cooked, either blend in batches in a blender until smooth, or use an immersion blender in the slow cooker.
3. Serve with yogurt (if desired) and crusty bread is a must - it's really yummy with the soup.

Mediterranean Roasted Chicken with Tomatoes and Cannellini Beans

This is delicious and hearty - almost like a stew. Great for a chilly night.

From The Cafe Sucre Farine

Ingredients:
~1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
~4 garlic cloves, minced
~1 tsp. smoked paprika
~1 tsp. coriander
~1 tsp. oregano
~1 tsp. ground cumin
~1 tsp. curry powder
~1 tsp. sriracha chili sauce
~1 tsp. salt
~1 medium lemon, very thinly sliced
~4-6 chicken breasts
~2 15oz. cans cannellini beans, drained
~2 pints cherry tomatoes
~1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preaheat oven to 450. Mix first 9 ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Heat 1 tbs. olive oil in a large saute pan. Rub each chicken breast with about 2 tsp. of olive oil/spice mixture. Place in heated pan and saute for several minutes. Remove from pan and place in a large oven-safe dish (I used a Dutch oven).
3. In a large bowl, combine remaining oil mixture with the beans, tomatoes, lemon slices, and 1/2 cup cilantro. Add to dish with chicken, surrounding the chicken, but not covering it. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast until chicken is cooked through, about 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with other 1/2 cup cilantro.

Coconut Corn Chowder with Shrimp

Delicious flavors. The coconut milk adds a slightly exotic touch and the corn provides a sweet crunch.

From Shrinking Kitchen

Ingredients:
~1 tbs coconut oil
~1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
~1 poblano pepper, seeds removed and chopped
~4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed from cob
~2 cloves garlic, minced
~1 lg. russet potato, peeled and diced
~1 and 1/2 tsp cumin
~1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
~4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
~1 can light coconut milk
~1 lb. shrimp, fresh or frozen
~chopped cilantro

1. Heat coconut oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions, poblano, and garlic and cook for a few minutes, until tender.
3. Add corn and potato, salt, pepper, and cumin. Stir to combine.
4. Add broth and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Use an immersion blender to slightly puree soup. You still want most of it to be chunky.
6. Add coconut milk and whisk to combine. Turn heat up to bring back to a gentle boil.
7. Add shrimp and reduce to simmer. Cover and cook a few minutes more, until shrimp are pink and cooked through.
8. Serve into bowls and top with cilantro.

Shrimp Stir-Fry Soup

Takes all the flavor of stir-fry and combines it into a yummy soup.

From Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:
~6 oz. snow peas, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal
~1 tbs. cornstarch
~3 tbs. soy sauce
~1 tsp. + 3 tbs. sesame oil (DO NOT substitute the sesame oil. It is delicious and will really flavor this soup)
~1 bunch scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated
~4 tsp. grated peeled ginger (Side note: buy a large piece of ginger and keep in the freezer. Break off the size you need and peel - it's so much easier to peel and grate when frozen!)
~3 carrots, diced
~3/4 tsp. sugar
~salt
~3/4 lb. shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
~3 tbs. rice wine
~6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
~1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (ALDI has great raw shrimp in their frozen section - they're already deveined!)
1 and 1/2 cups cooked white rice (we used Basmati)

1. Bring a medium-sized saucepan of water to a boil. Add snow peas and cook until crisp-tender (about 4 mins). Fill a bowl with ice water. Drain snow peas and add to ice bath to cool; drain and set aside.
2. Whisk cornstarch, soy sauce, 1 tsp. sesame oil, and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Heat remaining 3 tbs sesame oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Add scallion whites, ginger, carrots, sugar, and 3/4 tsp salt and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute more.
4. Add rice wine and broth and bring to a rapid simmer. Add shrimp and cook until pink, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk cornstarch mixture and stir into soup, simmer until slightly thickened (about 2 mins). Stir in snow peas and rice. Garnish with scallions after serving.