Super Fast and Easy Veggie Chili

( I use the Morning star veggie crumbles a lot. they can be found by the frozen breakfast stuff. I plan on learning to make my own so I can make it cheaper and when I do I will share that as well!)

My Dad taught me the base of this recipe and me and Nate have tweaked it to our own liking. This is so easy and fast to throw together and is packed with protein!

1 15 oz. Can diced stewed tomatoes, or diced stewed tomatoes with green chilies if you like it hotter!
1 15 oz.Can Ranch Style Beans
1/3 Package of Veggie Crumbles (I use this very sparingly because it is expensive sometimes)
1 15 oz. can of corn drained or 1 cup frozen corn
And anything else you want to throw in there :)

Pour it all into a pot and bring it to a boil then let simmer for five to 10 minutes, until it is heated all of the way through. Serve with cheddar Cheese on top and with salad and multi grain Crackers on the side! Yummy! P.S. Caden loves!!!!! this chili!

How to get your Spinach!

I don't know about you but I know that spinach is amazing nutritionally, however, I have trouble eating it! If I have it in a salad I have to have it mixed with iceberg and even then I don't eat very much! So when I was in Arizona my dad showed me how to make a spinach drink (He invented) that is not only a power house of nutrition but gives you energy to boot! It's also very low calorie and very filling! When you cook food you are breaking down cell walls so that nutrients can be digested however you are also losing nutrients in the cooking prosses. By blending the spinach you are breaking down every cell wall and not losing any of the good stuff. You body is getting 3 times the nutrients it would be getting if you chewed all of the spinach. I recorded a video of me making it and I feel like such a dork in it but I think it's important to see how it's made. Here is what you will need;

Spinach

10 frozen or fresh strawberries

1/3 to a 1/2 of lime juice, about four limes

1 packet of Crystal Light

Water

Blend it all together in a blender adding enough water to get it all blended, then top it off with water till it makes a complete gallon.

Caden Loves this drink but I like to make him one that is all Natural (No Crystal light).

1 apple peeled or not

1 cup of Water

2 hand fulls of spinach

I like to blend it all together and add more water if it looks too thick. You can also toss any other fruit in along with it, I've done mango, cantaloupe, strawberries, carrots and others. If you think your child might be weary of drinking something green then put it in one of these green cup lid straw combos that you can get at any store for pretty cheap. Now, Caden loves this drink and begs for more but he's never had full strength juice so his taste buds aren't spoiled yet, if you find that your child doesn't like it, add some apple juice and then each time you make it add a little less apple juice. You can also add less spinach at first and work you way up.

Three Bean Veggie Tacos!

This is an absolute Favorite at our house! We have had lots of non vegetarian friends over who loved it!

What you will deed:

Taco shells, how ever you like them! We do Corn tortillas fried and salted

1 Bag of Morningstar Crumbles

1 Can of Dark Red kidney beans

1 Can of black beans

1 packet of Taco seasoning

Ketchup (secret ingredient, shhhhh)

1 Can of refried beans

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Cheese

Directions:

Pour Crumbles, taco seasoning(follow packet instruction for how much water to add), and a good squirt of ketchup into a skillet start heating on medium while you open the kidney beans and black beans. Drain and rinse to get all of the sugars and preservatives off and add half a can of each to the skillet, Mix the rest together in a Tupperware and save for next time or as a snack for the kids, Caden loves them fresh out of the fridge. Set the skillet to a nice simmer, stirring occasionally while you cut lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and heat the refried beans(Microwave, I'm lazy!). You can build your taco however you want but the Packer family style is; Tortilla, refried beans, taco mixture, cheese, lettuce and tomato! This is a delicious meal packed with protein and by adding the inexpensive beans it fills it out add makes the more expensive Veggie crumbles go a long way! Let me know if anyone tries it!