Slow Cooker Italian Beer & Beef Chili made with lean ground beef, Italian beer, peppers and fire roasted tomatoes will definitely send you back for seconds. Chili, like this Slow Cooker Italian Beer & Beef version is a hearty meal to make for any occasion as it is high in fiber, filling and goes a long way. I chose to make this version using Italian beer as the base; as well as extra lean ground beef (90/10), but you can also substitute ground turkey or chicken in it's ... Read More about Slow Cooker Italian Beer and Beef Chili
Spinach, Pear & Mint Smoothie
Loaded with vitamins, minerals and protein, this Spinach, Pear & Mint Smoothie is the perfect way to start your day or boost your energy mid-afternoon. *This post may contain affiliate links. We got a Vitamix blender for Christmas! Well technically I should say that my husband wanted to start making smoothies at home so the girls and I got him one for Christmas. But it's one of those gifts that the whole family loves! He works long hours and hardly has time to eat, let alone ... Read More about Spinach, Pear & Mint Smoothie
Black Bean Soup
This Vegetarian Black Bean soup made with canned black beans, peppers, onions and organic vegetable broth is hearty and satisfying. This Vegetarian Black Bean Soup is super flavorful, satisfying and healthy. It's perfect for lunch or dinner. In fact, I was afraid the family wouldn't like it so I only made a small batch. I was pleasantly surprised when after initially tasting some, they were disappointed that there wasn't any more left. If you like your soup a little on the ... Read More about Black Bean Soup
Minestrone Soup
This hearty Minestrone Soup made with squash, tomatoes, pasta, garlic and Ditalini pasta is so filling, you can eat it for dinner. January is National Soup Month and it couldn't have come at a better time. Here in NJ we've been experiencing extremely frigid temperatures and soup like this homemade Minestrone will certainly warm your soul on a cold day. What is Minestrone? Minestrone is a thick, Italian soup made up of vegetables, rice or pasta, beans and stock. In my version, I ... Read More about Minestrone Soup
Herbs de Provence Encrusted Pork Loin
This Herbs de Provence Encrusted Pork Loin is a must try for Sunday dinner or holiday gatherings. The fragrant flavors of this dried spice go perfectly on chicken and fish as well. What is Herbs de Provence? Herbs de Provence is a mixture of dried herbs containing savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, oregano and lavender. If you've been a CEK reader for a while, you also know that I generally don't use many dried herbs in my cooking. However, when I saw this package of herbs while out ... Read More about Herbs de Provence Encrusted Pork Loin
Sautéed Spinach with Dried Cherries
Fresh baby spinach sautéed with dried cherries is a tasty vegetable side dish that's ready in under ten minutes. I just love spinach; especially this time of year when it helps boost your immune system with all of its vitamins and minerals. But when making it as a side dish, you have to purchase quite a bit to get enough to serve everyone as it shrinks a lot when cooked. I prefer using baby spinach leaves; which are generally tender and a little sweet versus the larger spinach leaves; which ... Read More about Sautéed Spinach with Dried Cherries