Vietnamese Chicken Ragu

vietnamese chicken ragu
Although nothing about Vietnamese Chicken Ragu screams Vietnamese, it remains one of our most beloved dishes. Clearly, it is a culinary delight left behind by the French from the old colonial days. Perfect on a cold winter’s day, or any day for that matter, this stew-like dish is traditionally eaten with freshly baked, crusty French bread. I simply love dipping the bread into the savory broth!

After years of watching my mother and grandmother make this dish, I have perfected the recipe by combining their techniques with a few of my own :-). I prefer to use a combination of chicken drumsticks and thighs because they are my favorite; however, you could use any combination of chicken parts you prefer. I hope you give this recipe a try soon!

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Quick and Easy Lentil Soup

lentilsoup
Lentils, a tiny little member of the legume family, but a mighty source of fiber, minerals and vitamins. All at virtually zero fat and calories! These little guys fill you up and keep you full so you don’t go searching in your kitchen for a snack a few hours later (we can all admit to doing this after having a ‘light’ salad for dinner). Sure, lentils aren’t the prettiest to look at, but with just a few spices and ingredients they are extremely satisfying and delicious.

I’ve played around with a few different recipes for lentil soup, but this is my favorite version. It’s simple, quick and easy. What I love most about this recipe is that you can just throw all the ingredients into one pot and let it simmer. In less than an hour, you have a hearty and delicious soup for dinner. It’s perfect for any cold day this winter! (Have leftovers? No worries. It freezes very well!)  Continue reading

Turkey Chili

turkey chili
There’s nothing more satisfying, sometimes, than a hot bowl of chili on a cold winter’s night. My mom and I used to make chili with the seasoning packets they sell at the store. All the different spices were conveniently premixed for you, including tons of sodium. I took a look at the nutrition information on one of these packets a few years ago and was shocked at the sodium content! Since then, I have been making chili using my own spices and seasoning at home. I think it’s a much better choice because you control the amount and quality of ingredients that go into your food. It’s also not that much more difficult or time consuming. You probably already have all the necessary ingredients sitting on your spice rack.

I’ve played around with different recipes, but I really like this particular version of my turkey chili. It has less calories and fat because I use lean turkey. Plus, there’s tons of nutrients from the beans and carrots I add. You can substitute other veggies of your choice if you don’t like beans or carrots. Red peppers, corn, and zucchini would all work very well.

Give my recipe a try sometime this winter and you’ll have a delicious pot of chili in no time!  Continue reading