Black Bean, Lentil & Quinoa Chili 🍲

• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1 cup chopped baby carrots
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 1 - 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 - 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 cup dry lentils
• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 6 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp. coriander
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. oregano
• 3 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Spray your crock pot with cooking spray.  Add all ingredients and give it a good stir.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Yields six 2 1/8 cup servings: 355 calories, 18.7g protein, 1.5g fat, 17.5g fiber & 49.5 net carbs each.

Enjoy with avocado chunks, vegan (or regular) cheese and chopped green onions.

Vegan Pumpkin, Bean & Quinoa Chili

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & minced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. crushed garlic
• 1 - 14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 - 15 oz. can pumpkin puree
• 1 - 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed & drained
• 1 - 15.5 oz. can white navy beans, rinsed & drained
• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 4 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Add all ingredients into your sprayed crock pot and give it a good stir.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Yields six 2-cup servings: 248 calories, 0.9g fat, 11.9g protein, 12.8g fiber, & 34.8 net carbs each.

Top with your favorite chili toppings such as avocado chunks, vegan (or regular) cheese, and chopped green onions.  Yum!

Low Carb Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Bites

• 1 - 10 oz. bag frozen riced cauliflower, cooked according to package directions, and cooled
• 1/2 cup Just Egg
• 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup shredded vegan cheese (I used Violife smoked provolone)
• 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped yellow onion
• 4 slices plant based pepperoni, chopped

Preheat oven to 400F.  Spray 8 silicone muffin cups (or 8 cups in a muffin pan) with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled riced cauliflower, Just Egg and seasonings and stir to mix well.  

Fold in the vegan cheese, plant based pepperoni, chopped bell pepper and onion and stir to combine.

Scoop 1/3 cup of the mixture into each muffin cup, lightly pressing down on the top to bind it together.  

Pop in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and the tops are golden.  Let sit in the cups for a few minutes before serving.

Yields 8 pizza bites:  64 calories, 2.9g fat, 4.4g protein, 3.5 net carbs each.

Enjoy with warmed pizza sauce, optional.

I enjoyed 4 for lunch!

Slow Cooked Italian Lentil & Barley Soup

• 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup dry pearled barley, rinsed and drained
• 1 - 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chopped baby carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
• 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram

Put everything into a sprayed crock pot and give it a stir.

Cover and cook on low for 6.5 hours.

Enjoy! Yields five 2-cup servings: 193 calories, 0.2g fat, 9.6g protein, 31 net carbs, 7.9g fiber each.

Crock Pot Chickpea Noodle Soup

• 2 - 15 oz. cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup chopped baby carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 bay leaves
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth
• 8 oz. dry healthy carb living rotini pasta

Add everything except for the pasta to a sprayed crock pot and give it a stir.

Cover and turn your crock to low for 4.5 hours. After 4 hours, add the pasta to the crock and continue to cook until pasta is cooked to your liking, about 20-30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Yields 5 servings: 365 calories, 3.7g fat, 14.6g protein, 52.9 net carbs, 17.7g fiber

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Split Pea Soup (Vegan & Soy and Gluten Free)

• 1 - 16 oz. bag green split peas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup chopped organic yellow onion
• 1 cup chopped organic baby carrots
• 1 cup chopped organic celery
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth

Put everything into a sprayed crock pot.  Give it a good stir, cover and cook on low for 6 hours.  

Remove bay leaves before serving.

Yields five 2 cup servings: 357 calories, 0g fat, 21g protein, 25g fiber, 43 net carbs per serving.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Spicy Enchilada Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1.5 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth
• 1 - 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
• 1 - 4.5 oz. can diced jalapeños (use mild green chiles for less spicy)
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 - 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (omit for less spicy)
• freshly ground black pepper

Put everything into a sprayed crock pot.  Give it a stir.

Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.  Keep on warm until ready to serve.

Yields four 1.5 cup servings: 365 calories, 4.1g fat, 14g protein, 17.3g fiber, and 49.6 net carbs.

Serve with all of your favorite enchilada toppings!  Shown here with shredded lettuce, vegan cheese, sliced black olives, chopped tomatoes, chunks of avocado and vegan sour cream.  DELISH!

Easy One Pot Vegan Chili Mac

• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 - 14.5 oz. can petite cut tomatoes with hatch chiles, not drained
• 1 - 15 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 - 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 - 15 oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 3 cups dry small pasta
• 2 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth

Heat a pot over medium heat.  Generously spray with avocado oil spray.  Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until starting to get translucent, about 4 minutes.

Add the garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and salt and stir to coat the onions with the spices.   Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, black beans, kidney beans and corn to the pot and stir to mix well.

Add the broth and the pasta to the pot and stir to combine. 

Increase heat to bring it to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer and cover the pot.  Let simmer covered for 20 minutes, checking and stirring every 5 minutes.  After 20 minutes remove lid and continue to let simmer, until pasta is cooked, through about 10 minutes.  Cooking time will vary based on the pasta you use.

Yields six 1.5 cup servings: 415 calories, 19g protein, 1.2g fat, 70 net carbs.  DELISH!

Enjoy with shredded vegan cheese. YUM!

Hearty Slow Cooked Black Bean Soup

• 1 lb. dry black beans
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
• 1 tbsp. crushed garlic
• 1 - 14.5 oz. can petite cut tomatoes with hatch green chiles
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups reduced sodium vegetable broth

Put the beans into a large bowl and cover with water about 1 inch over the beans.  Let soak for 4-8 hours.  Drain and rinse the beans and add them to a crock pot sprayed with cooking spray. Add everything else to the crock pot and give it a stir.

Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.  Give it a stir, reduce heat to low, and continue to cook 3 more hours, until beans are softened.

Serve with sliced green onions and chunks of avocado.  Yummy.