You know the kind even your manly man will eat. But packed full of nutrients without extra calories. 

Because let’s face it, most of us don’t need empty calories and are perfectly happy as long as we’re satisfied.  This chili is definitely satisfying.

Building the Chili Flavor

The sweet potato is the star ingredient as it balances the chili seasonings so well. 

Because I was making this chili to share the love with one my work family members, I kept the heat out of it and instead focused on flavor.  Chili powder, ground oregano, garlic powder, and cumin will never let you down.

I also fire roasted the corn and poblano peppers, adding a little smoky flavor to the chili.

If you want to stretch this Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili a little farther, double the quantity of veggies & diced tomatoes and season accordingly.  In addition to the sweet potatoes, I added carrots, onions, red bell & poblano peppers, zucchini, corn, diced tomatoes and black beans.

I hope you’ll give this dish a try and as always I welcome and enjoy your feedback.

Recipe inspiration.  My Healthy Choices lunch buddy shared a new favorite dish, which was baked sweet potato topped with taco seasoned ground turkey and salsa.  It was delicious and has been lingering in my mind ever since.

We are so ready for chili season and have a collection of recipes for your enjoyment.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili

My motivation for this Heart Healthy Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili was to deliver a flavor packed hearty chili.

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey cooked and drained
• 2 small sweet potatoes peeled & cubed (about 2 cups)
• 2 Tbl. olive oil divided
• 1 carrot peeled and sliced
• 1 med. onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper optional
• 1 poblano pepper fire roasted, skins removed
• 1 zucchini diced
• 2 ears corn on the cob or 1 cup frozen
• 1 28- ounce diced tomatoes
• 1 4.5- ounce can diced mild green chiles
• 1 14- ounce can black beans drained & rinsed
• 2 Tbl. chili powder
• 1 Tbl. dried oregano
• 1 Tbl. garlic powder
• 1 Tbl. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• cayenne pepper optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread diced sweet potatoes on a cooking spray coated baking sheet. Bake for 15 -20 minutes or until just tender.
• Meanwhile in a Dutch oven, add 1 Tbl. olive oil and brown ground turkey. Remove from pan and reserve. Add additional 1 Tbl. of olive oil and diced onion and carrot to pot. Saute until onion is tender. Add in remaining veggies and tomatoes, chiles, black beans and seasoning and bring to a gentle simmer; cook for 10 minutes.
• Add cooked sweet potatoes and ground turkey to the pot; heat through. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Serve with favorite toppings, such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro.

Notes

Seasoning chili should be done according to taste. Adding gradually as the dish builds is how we arrive at the right balance.

The post Heart Healthy Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Imagine you are behind the counter at Chipotle building the burrito bowl of your dreams with all your favorite toppings.

That’s what we’re doing, but in your kitchen, no shoes or shirts required.

The Loaded Burrito Bowl Ingredients

• Our Chicken Burrito Bowl has a base of lettuce
• Topped with grilled chicken (rotisserie chicken works great too)
• Shredded cheese
• Sliced avocado
• Fire Roasted Corn & Poblano Salsa
• Black Beans
• Pico de Gallo
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• We then give it a generous drizzle of Southwest Ranch Dressing

Recipe links above.

We ate on this great big burrito bowl for two days and it was delicious!

There’s nothing like a salad (or bowl) made ahead, waiting for hunger to strike.

Optional Burrito Ingredients

This Loaded Chicken Burrito Bowl is meant for you to incorporate your favorite toppings.

Sub pinto beans for black beans, Spanish rice for cilantro lime rice, guacamole for sliced avocado.

You do you all day long.

I recently spent some time with my college senior and his buddies. If there’s one thing for certain, they love Chipotle. I witnessed a full on discussion of how superior that particular chain is over any others that were mentioned. Apparently they’re doing things right! Good for them!

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Loaded Chicken Burrito Bowl

When I say Loaded Chicken Burrito Bowl, I mean find your biggest serving bowl and prepare to make your family oh so happy.

Course Salad Entree

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 hearts of romaine lettuce chopped
• 3 cups cooked chicken cubed
• 1 avocado sliced
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 2 cups Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe link in post
• 1 cup Fire Roasted Corn & Poblano Salsa Recipe link in post
• 1 cup Pico de Gallo Recipe link in post
• 1 cup black beans or Black Bean Puree Recipe link in post
• 1 cup Southwest Ranch Dressing Recipe link in post
• lime wedges, fresh cilantro & tortilla chips optional garnishes

Instructions

• In a large family-style bowl, layer chopped lettuce with cubed chicken, sliced avocado, shredded cheese and remainging ingredients. Drizzle generously with Southwest Ranch Dressing. Garnish with lime wedges, fresh cilantro and tortilla chips.

The post Loaded Chicken Burrito Bowl is a Family Favorite appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

But that’s just the beginning of this flavor journey.

Fire roasted tomatoes, fresh lime juice, chili powder, cumin and oregano elevate the creamy black beans, making this hearty chili a super flavorful vegetarian meal.

When serving this chili, don’t skimp on the toppings. Sour cream, sliced avocado, radish and jalapeño, fresh cilantro and lime all bring nice bright flavors.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili is a delicious and satisfying meal. It’s perfect for when the weather starts to turn towards fall and the leaves remind us that Winter is coming.

I love all kinds of soups, stews and chilis. I rounded them up HERE for your viewing pleasure. Are you a black bean fan? Our Black Bean Puree is amazing, if I might say so myself!

Have you got a favorite cool weather go-to comfort food? I’d love for you to comment below.

Enjoy!!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Black Bean Chili

Black Bean Chili begins like many of our soup and chili recipes….with a medley of carrots, onions and celery. But that's just the beginning of this flavor journey.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Chili

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 3 15-ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• juice of 1 lime
• salt & pepper to taste

For Serving

• 1 lime cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 avocado diced
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• radish & jalapenos sliced

Instructions

For the Chili

• In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the diced carrots, celery and onion and saute until just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 1 minutes then add the spices and stir to coat vegetables. Add the broth, black beans and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove 3 cups of soup mixture to a blender and puree, then return to soup pot. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice to taste.

For Serving

• Serve in bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced radish and jalapeno and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

The post Vegetarian Black Bean Chili appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Virtually any vegetables will work in these tacos, but I love sweet potato, onion and zucchini as my base – I added corn and jalapeño to give it a nice Southwest flavor flare.

Oven Roasted Veggies

Simply toss your diced veggies of choice in a little olive oil, salt & pepper. Spread on a baking sheet (not too crowded) and roast at 400 degrees until golden brown, typically 20 minutes delivers. I adjust the size of my dice according to cooking time. For example, sweet potatoes take longer to cook than zucchini, so I use a smaller dice for the potatoes.

Oven roasting vegetables deepens the flavors. It’s a great way to use those ‘tired’ carrots, celery, Brussels, zucchini, cauliflower (insert occupants of your veggie drawer here). You can roast ahead and incorporate into Lunch Bowls all week long! There’s three strong reasons to roast veggies.

We filled our tortillas with roasted veggies, seasoned black beans (Homemade Taco Seasoning), and shredded cheese. Then we topped them with Chipotle Salsa, fresh cilantro and guacamole. These Southwest Vegetarian Tacos were bursting with flavor!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Southwest Vegetarian Tacos

Southwest Vegetarian Tacos. Customizable. Comfortable (who doesn't love a taco). Your taste buds will thank you.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Roasted Veggies

• 1 large sweet potato diced
• 1 large zucchini diced
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 ear of corn kernels removed from cob
• 1 jalapeno thinly sliced
• 2 Tbl olive oil
• salt & pepper

For the Tacos

• 8 small corn or flour tortillas
• 1 can 15 ounce black beans rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons taco seasoning reipe link in post
• 1 cup shredded monterey jack or cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup guacamole recipe link in post
• 1/2 cup Chipotle Salsa recipe link in post
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

For the Roasted Veggies

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss diced veggies in olive oil. Season with salt & pepper. Spread on large baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

For the Tacos

• In a hot skillet or over an open flame, char tortillas slightly on each side.
• Warm black beans and taco seasoning in a saucepan.
• Fill tortillas with roasted veggies, black beans, shredded cheese. Top with chipotle salsa, fresh cilantro and guacamole.

The post Southwest Vegetarian Tacos appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

There are times when you just need to use up ingredients already in your fridge or pantry.

These Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers are made for those days.

Change up the filling according to what’s on hand and you have an easy week night dinner that the whole crew will love!

The key ingredient categories in Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers are:

Ground meat (chicken, turkey, beef or vegetarian meat substitute): we used ground chicken

Canned beans (black, kidney, white, or chickpeas): we used black beans

Cooked rice or grain (white rice, brown rice, quinoa, or couscous): we used leftover cooked rice and quinoa

Tomatoes (canned or fresh diced tomatoes, salsa, or tomato sauce): we used canned fire roasted diced tomatoes

Shredded Cheese (cheddar, monterey jack, pepperjack, or colby): we used monterey jack

Aromatics (onion, shallot, garlic, jalapeno, scallion, and/or cilantro): we used diced onion and jalapeno, and fresh cilantro

Seasoning (chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder): we used them all

Besides being as satisfying as a casserole or comfort food, Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers are a healthy and hearty meal.

Did you know that red bell peppers compared to green bell peppers have 10 times more beta-carotene and are loaded with Vitamin C, Vitamin A and are rich in antioxidants?

And they make terrific leftovers for lunch the next day!

Enjoy!!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

Change up the filling according to what's on hand and you have an easy, healthy and hearty week night dinner that the whole crew will love!

Course Main Course

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 4 bell peppers halved, seeds removed
• 2 cups cooked rice or favorite grain such as quinoa or couscous
• 1 Tbl olive oil
• 1 sweet onion diced
• 1 jalapeno fine diced
• 1/2 pound ground chicken or turkey, beef or meat substitute
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground oregano
• 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed or kidney or white beans
• 2 1/2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese, reserve 1/2 cup for topping or cheddar or pepperjack or colby
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place halved bell peppers cut side up in a shallow baking dish.
• In a large skillet, saute onion and jalapeno in olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add ground meat, season with salt & pepper and brown until cooked through, breaking into pieces with wooden spoon. Add the garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and oregano, stir to combine. Remove from heat and fold in beans and cooked rice (or grain), 2 cups shredded cheese, and chopped cilantro.
• Stuff pepper halves with filling. Bake for 30 minutes covered in foil. Remove foil, top with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese and bake uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes until peppers are tender.

Notes

For Vegetarian version, substitute meat substitute for ground meat.

The post Healthy Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Southwest Salmon Salad Therapy. Right here.

There are those days, moments, situations when you just need to take your mind somewhere else. For me that typically means I’ll wind up in the kitchen. Slicing, fine dicing, fresh bright flavors and lots of beautiful bowls.

Despite how many tiny beautiful bowls you see surrounding this gorgeous piece of salmon, this recipe at it’s core is very simple.

Start with a nice big piece of salmon, seasoned with your favorite southwest spices. For me that looks like chili powder, cumin, ground oregano, touch of cayenne, salt & pepper.

Now make a mental list (or written list – total list-maker here) of all your favorite southwest ingredients. Black beans, fire roasted corn & poblano peppers, oven roasted sweet potato, tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, red onion, avocado, cilantro chili lime rice and vinaigrette all on a bed of crisp lettuce. The beauty of this salad is you make it your own with your favorite flavors and ingredients.

I love serving Southwest Salmon Salad family-style on a great big platter, to enjoy with friends and family.

Sidenote: I am a huge ‘thrifter’ aka Goodwill, consignment, thrift store junky. We scored this platter during last weekend’s road trip for $6.00.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Southwest Salmon Salad

Despite how many tiny beautiful bowls you see surrounding this gorgeous piece of salmon, this recipe at it's core is very simple.

Course Main Course, Salad

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Salmon & Sweet Potato

• 1 lb. fresh salmon skin on
• 1 sweet potato 1/2" cubed
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground oregano

For the Cilantro Rice

• 1 cup basmati rice rinsed well
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup Cilantro Chili Lime Vinaigrette see recipe below

For the Cilantro Chili Lime Vinaigrette

• 2 cups cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
• 1 shallot rough chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves peeled
• 1/2 tsp. Tajin chili lime seasoning or chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

For the Fire Roasted Corn & Poblano Pepper

• 2 corn on the cob
• 1 poblano pepper

For the Salad

• 1 head green leaf lettuce rough chopped
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 avocado sliced
• 3 scallions thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup red onion finely diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

For the Salmon & Sweet Potato

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place salmon (skin side down) and cubed sweet potato on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings. Bake for 15 minutes.

For the Cilantro Rice

• Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water to boil. Rinse rice for 2-3 minutes until water runs clear. Stir in rice, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with fork. Stir in 1/4 cup of Cilantro Chili Lime Vinaigrette.

Cilantro Chili Lime Vinaigrette

• Combine all ingredients in a food processor or high-powered blender.

For the Fire Roasted Corn & Poblano Pepper

• Fire roast poblano pepper (gas stove or broiler) until skin is blackened on all sides. Place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water removing charred skin, stem and seeds. Fine dice. Roast corn on the cob over open flame (gas stove) or under broiler, until slightly charred. Cut kernels from cobs.

To assemble the Salad

• Spread chopped lettuce on a large platter, top with cooked salmon and remaining prepared ingredients. Drizzle with Cilantro Chili Lime Vinaigrette. Serve family style.

Notes

The post Southwest Salmon Salad appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black.  The classic colors found in an 8 pack of Crayola crayons.

Tomato, carrot, corn, avocado, blue corn chips, purple onion, chicken, black bean puree.  The classic flavors found in our Rainbow Southwest Salad.

Warning.  This recipe post is a whirling twirling merry-go-round.

Our family moved about the time I was entering 4th grade.  A new school meant new friends and a chance to redefine myself.  My mom, ever the optimist, could spin a situation faster than the new merry-go-round I was about to discover.  I had been called ‘Libby’ for as long as I could remember, my entire life.  Could I now reinvent myself?! Yes! I shall be Elizabeth!!

I entered Jaffrey Grade School, as Elizabeth, on what would have been about September 3rd or 4th, 1974. The teachers wore long black dresses and conducted class with a ruler in their right hand.  I remember the three story brick building as a bit dark and intimidating, perhaps that was just a new kid perspective.

We were assigned seats and sat in rows, and when we veered off path,  the ruler.  Ms. Stratton called our names one by one.  I sat anxiously, waiting to hear her call Elizabeth. Yes, here!!  A tap on the shoulder, followed by “Libby!! Hi, I can’t believe you’re here!!” sent my personal reinvention squarely out the window.

Directly behind me sat Katrina, who had attended Kindergarten with me in my former home town.  I had been exposed before I ever got a chance to re-introduce the new me.

About 4 seats behind me, one row over, was Ronnie.  He became a complete distraction.  And while Ms. Ruler taught class, I was writing intro-love notes to Ronnie.  Anyone remember these?

The bright side of the school was the gymnasium.  The place where that oversized parachute came out on gym day once a year, and where they forced us to square dance in the name of exercise, on any given PE day.  Which may have provided a chance to hold hands with someone like Ronnie.  Please tell me I’m not alone in my elementary school memories.  We also practiced our ‘recorders’ in the Gym.  Surely, I’ve got you now!!

We played kickball, baseball, hopscotch, and Chinese jump rope at recess.  In the mostly paved, partially dirt back yard of our school, we spun out of control on a merry-go-round, climbed monkey bars, and played dodge ball.  We survived.

We got through 4th grade and graduated to Middle School, where our town Jaffrey merged with our neighbor Rindge, and St. Patrick’s school.  New friends, two years in a row.  Whoa!

Fifth Grade, meant changing class rooms and padlocks on lockers.  We survived.  In Science Class, I met Michelle aka Micky.  We both had a thirst for learning and developed a kinship with our teacher Mr. Lambert.  He was passionate in his presentation, made us feel worthy of the message, and inspired learning.  TEACHERS, on every level, make a difference!!

Small talk with Micky led to questions like, do you have any sisters or brothers?  Her response, at first, left me speechless.  There are 13 of us.  If emoticons had been invented I would have been the one with two eyes wide open.  Ann, Patty, Cathy, Martha, Nancy, Mark, Mary, Teresa, Clare, Michelle, Peter, Tommy, Laura. Why do I remember the names of her siblings?  Why did I memorize the Crayon colors all those years ago?

Thank you for allowing me to pull out memories, pour out reflections, and randomly spin them into recipes.  Ahh sixth grade…

Back to this fabulous Rainbow Southwest Salad, I’m equally as excited about the dressing.  Check out my Fire Roasted Poblano, Cilantro & Lime Dressing.

I shared this salad with my Healthy Choices buddy this week.  I got the nom, nom, nom nod.  I shared the Fire Roasted Poblano, Cilantro & Lime Dressing with the Customer Service team at my office (in the form of salsa) and they gave it a hearty mmmm Mmmm!! I hope you love it like we did.

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Rainbow Southwest Salad {with Fire Roasted Poblano, Cilantro & Lime Dressing}

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 head green leaf lettuce
• 2 to matoes diced
• 1 carrot spiralized or julienned
• 2 ears fresh corn
• 1 avocado diced
• 2 cups blue corn tortilla chips
• 1 small red onion thinly sliced
• 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast pounded to an even thickness
• 1 15- ounce can black beans rinsed & drained (or Black Bean Puree)
• Fire Roasted Poblano Cilantro & Lime Dressing (see recipe link in post)

Instructions

For salad…

• If making black bean puree, follow recipe link in post.
• Heat grill or grill pan to medium, cook chicken 8-10 minutes per side or until instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees. Remove and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing.
• Boil corn on the cob for 5 minutes. Then fire roast over gas stove burner, grill, or under broiler until slightly charred. Remove kernels from cobs and reserve.
• Line a large platter or serving bowl with loose green lettuce leaves.
• Arrange ingredients in a rainbow shape in this order: diced tomato, carrot, corn kernels, diced avocado, broken blue corn chips, sliced red onion, sliced grilled chicken, black beans.

For dressing…

• Prepare dressing according to recipe link in post.

Notes

1/4th of this hearty salad with dressing = 10 WW Pts+

A few recipe notes.

Fire roasting corn is a simple step that adds character to a dish.  I steam or boil the corn for about 5 minutes before roasting.  Then cut kernels off cobs and enjoy in your recipe.

For this Rainbow Southwest Salad, plain black beans will be delicious.  However, our Black Bean Puree was over the top.  You’ll love this recipe as a dip, filling, or salad addition.

We have a Sous Vide, a counter contraption (temperature controlled water bath) that cooks foods to precise temperatures with delicious moist results.  That frozen chicken breast that you forgot to thaw…no problem.  Want to infuse fresh herb flavors…no problem.  I’m working on a dedicated post for Sous Vide cooking.  Bring your protein up to ‘done’ temperature, then grill or sear it to add color.  For this salad however, all you need is a cooked chicken breast, preferably grilled.

The post Rainbow Southwest Salad {with Fire Roasted Poblano, Cilantro & Lime Dressing} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

This might be my most favorite salad EVER.  I’m sometimes reminded not to make statements that can’t stand the test of thyme.  If you deliver me a Tipico Power Bowl {with Grilled Chicken} 5 days a week, I’m certain I will sing your praises.

Have I told you about our Sous Vide? We have a counter contraption (temperature controlled water bath) that cooks foods to precise temperatures with delicious, moist results.  That frozen chicken breast that you forgot to thaw…no problem.  Want to infuse fresh herb flavors…no problem.  I’m working on a dedicated post for Sous Vide cooking.  For this salad however, all you need is a cooked chicken breast (or your favorite protein).

The next component of my new BFF salad is Black Bean Puree. You can check out this recipe post to see why I love it so much.  The black beans make a wonderful chip dip as well and can be made a couple days in advance.

The other surprise component in this Tipico Power Bowl is the fresh Pico de Gallo {Put The Lime In The Coconut}.  It’s bright flavors impart a lime punch in every bite, with a subtle coconut nuance.  It’s marvelous and best served the day it’s made.

Lastly, our Tipico Power Bowl {with Grilled Chicken} is served with a crispy fried tortilla wedge.  Did I mention how much I adore this salad?  I think you will as well.

Recipe inspiration Cheeky Mexican Taqueria Tipico Salad.

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Tipico Power Bowl {with Grilled Chicken}

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

Per power bowl…

• 2 cups lettuce
• 4 ounces grilled chicken breast sliced
• 1/2 cup black bean puree see recipe link in post
• 1/2 cup Pico de Gallo see recipe link in post
• 4-5 avocado slices
• 2-3 Tbl. Queso fresco crumbled
• 1/4 flour tortilla pan browned until crispy

Instructions

• Arrange ingredients on top of bed of lettuce.
• The pico de gallo serves as enough dressing for me. However the original restaurant salad was served with a side of creamy chipotle dressing.

The post Tipico Power Bowl {with Grilled Chicken} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Yesterday I described a fantastic salad with Black Bean Puree that I enjoyed recently. 

I’m recreating my favorite components, including Pico de Gallo and this amazing savory black bean dip.

The salad was built on a thin layer of the puree.  It was creamy and full of flavor with hints of jalapeno, cilantro and cumin.  I couldn’t get it out of my mind so naturally I had to recreate it.

Keep an eye out for this Black Bean Puree to make an appearance in a salad bowl very soon.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Black Bean Puree

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 can black beans rinsed & drained
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 jalapeno diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• salt to taste
• queso fresco to garnish

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute.
• Add in black beans and 1/2 cup broth. Bring to a simmer, stirring often. Allow to simmer until broth is mostly absorbed. Add another 1/2 cup of broth, cilantro and seasonings; heat through.
• Using an immersion blender or blender, puree to desired consistency.
• Serve warm with a sprinkle of queso fresco cheese and tortilla chips.

The post Black Bean Puree That You’ll Love appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I spent this past weekend organizing my kitchen.  Starting with the spice cabinet, moving on to the pantry, followed by my dishes cupboard and ending with the freezer. I’m sure everyone has their problem areas but since I began food blogging all of mine have blown up.  Hey now! ;-)

I found a package of Chorizo sausage in the back of my freezer.  I bought it from the sausage guy at the Farmers Market, mostly because it was delicious, partly because I can’t say no, then promptly forgot we owned it.  It was time for it to find it’s way into a recipe.  I did a mental rundown of the ingredients on hand and without hesitation Chicken & Chorizo Chili rolled off my tongue.  Brilliant!!

The next day we grilled the sausage along with a couple of chicken breasts then added them to a sautéed onion.  We found this recipe that called for grinding the chorizo before adding it to the chili.  What a fantastic way to infuse the broth with the slightly spicy chorizo flavor.  Delicious.

Diced tomato, chicken broth, chili powder and cumin are added to the chorizo chicken mixture and simmered for 15 minutes.  Then black beans finish it off.  Can’t get much easier than that.

We had no idea just how brilliant this flavor combination was.  Even two days later when we were enjoying the leftovers we were oooing and aaahing over Chicken & Chorizo Chili.  It was still delicious, bursting with flavor.

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Chicken & Chorizo Chili

Servings 6

Author adapted from iVillage

Ingredients

• 3 chorizo sausage links or other smoked sausage
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 28- ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 Tbl. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 15- ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Grill chicken and chorizo until cooked through. Cut chorizo into chunks then pulse in food processor 4-5 times; should be small chunks. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Reserve.
• In a Dutch oven, sauté onion until translucent. Add in chorizo, chicken, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, chili powder and cumin. Simmer covered for 15 minutes.
• Add in black beans and simmer an additional 10 minutes until chili has thickened. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Here are a few BERORE AND AFTER pictures.  It’s such a pleasure to work in an organized kitchen :)

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