 The season of soup is officially upon us and this one is my very favorite chicken noodle. The flavors are simple and remind me of childhood - warming you from the belly up. Unfortunately, with the change in the weather usually comes flu season (if you're anything like me) so this is a great one to make now (in less than 30 min might I remind you!) and throw into your freezer for when you or your kiddos are feeling under the weather.
I love to serve mine with some really yummy toasted whole wheat bread on the side. If this doesn't scream fall, I don't know what does! xx C Ingredients- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced thin (about 1 1/2 large carrots - I used rainbow carrots in the above) 1 cup celery, sliced thin (about 2 stalks) 1 cup sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, peeled and diced small (about 1 medium onion) 2 garlic cloves, minced 64 ounces (8 cups) low-sodium chicken broth 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme) 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste 12 ounces wide egg noodles 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 3 to 4 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional salt, to taste Directions- 1. To a large Dutch oven, add EVOO and heat over medium-high heat to warm. 2. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently. 3. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes. 4. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, pepper, and bring to a boil. Allow mixture to boil gently for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender. 5. Add the egg noodles and boil mixture for about 10 minutes, or until noodles are soft and cooked through. (At any time while making the soup, if the overall liquid level is lower than you like and you prefer more broth, adding a cup or two of water is okay. At the end you will adjust the salt level.) 6. Add the chicken, parsley, optional lemon juice (brightens up the flavor), and boil 1 to 2 minutes, or until chicken is warmed through. Taste soup and add salt to taste. I added about 1 tablespoon but this will vary based on how salty the brand of chicken broth used is, how salty the rotisserie chicken is, and personal preference. Make any necessary seasoning adjustments (i.e. more salt, pepper, herbs, etc.), remove the bay leaves, and serve immediately. Soup will keep airtight in the fridge for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
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 Looking for a new protein to throw into your meal prep routine? Well let me tell you, this one here takes the cake! (get it, salmon cake?)
As I've mentioned probably one hundred thousand times on my Instagram page, meal prepping is the key to success for those looking to stay on track with their diet. When life gets crazy and free time becomes scarce our clean eating is usually the first thing to be sacrificed. And I get it...I am totally guilty of this! That's why I started meal prepping - preparing protein, fruits and vegetables (usually not full meals) on Sunday evenings to be enjoyed in various ways throughout the week. It. saves. me. This week, I added in salmon cakes to the mix. Traditionally I oven bake my salmon and call it a day but decided to take it a step further to switch up the routine and meals a bit. These salmon cakes are soooo easy to throw together, store super well and are really great in a variety of dishes - think salads, sandwiches, crumbled in tacos, etc. Recipe on how to make below! xx Ingredients- 2 salmon fillets Extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs* 1 egg Salt Pepper Additional seasoning of your choice *you can sub for seasoned bread crumbs to switch up flavor, just watch for ingredients! Directions- 1. Place salmon in baking dish and drizzle with EVOO, then sprinkle with salt and pepper 2. Bake salmon at 400 degrees for about 30-35 minutes (you want the salmon to be slightly undercooked since you'll continue to cook after cakes are formed) 3. Once done, pull salmon out of the oven and place in medium size mixing bowl then shred with a fork 4. Add bread crumbs, egg and seasoning and mix thoroughly and then form patties about 1/2 inch thick and about 2 inches across (two fillets should make about eight patties depending on size of fillets) 5. Warm about 1TB of EVOO in a large frying pan and then place patties in the pan, cooking for about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes on each side or until each side is slightly browned  It's officially fall which means crockpot recipes will be on repeat for the next few months. And my first to share is my all time favorite - white bean chicken chili. The recipe is really simple and straightforward, there are only a few steps for prep, and the recipe makes a large batch perfect for storing in the fridge for leftovers or even freezing.
Chilis are really a fall staple in our home because of the vibrant flavor and satisfying taste. When the soup broth starts to run low in my leftovers (kinda like the photo above), I love to throw the veggies + protein into other dishes. I'll be showing more of this on my Instagram later this week, but it's amazing for a variety of leftovers including salads, enchiladas, omelettes, burritos, nachos, + more. Stay tuned! As for now, throw this into your slow cooker, throw on some football, and C H I L L. Happy fall y'all! xx Ingredients- 2 chicken breasts 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cumin 1 small onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 tsp ground oregano 1/2 tsp ground coriander Dash of cayenne pepper 2 (4.5) oz cans diced green chiles 15 oz can white corn, drained and rinsed 2 15.5 oz cans white beans (I used Cannellini and Small White beans) 14.5 oz can organic chicken broth 3 tablespoons oil of your choice 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 1 cube chicken bouillon 1/2 tsp white pepper 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup non-dairy unsweetened yogurt Optional for serving- Lime Avocado Cilantro Directions- 1. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place them at the bottom of the crock pot. Add in the chili powder, cumin, onion, garlic, oregano, coriander, cayenne pepper, green chiles, white corn, white beans, and chicken broth. Stir to combine, cover, and heat on “low’ for 6-8 hours (or "high" for 3-4 hours if you're in a bind) or until chicken shreds easily with a fork. 4. An hour before serving, put oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once warmed, whisk in the flour. Whisk constantly, until the flour and oil brown lightly and thicken. Then, slowly whisk in the almond milk. Add in the chicken bouillon, and continue to whisk as the sauce cooks and thickens and the bouillon cube breaks down, about 5 minutes. 5. Remove the saucepan from heat and mix in the white pepper and salt. Pour into the chicken chili. 6. Add the non-dairy yogurt to the chicken chili and stir well to combine. If the chicken hasn’t shredded as you stirred, remove the chicken from the chili and shred with forks before returning to the chili. Cook for an additional hour. 7. Serve with lime, avocado, cilantro, and (of course) tortilla chips!  Taco Tuesday rolls around and it still feels like Monday and you haven't made it to the grocery store yet...so what's for dinner? These veggie tacos are it! Its likely that you'll already have you what you need in the fridge (#winning), they're easy to make and are full of flavor.
It's not uncommon for me to skip meat for lunch or dinner and mushrooms have become my favorite substitute. They're a great source of protein, Vitamin C and iron, really take on the flavor of the oils and seasonings you're cooking with, and have a meat-like texture to them - making them a great option to include in almost any dish. I opted for kale, bell peppers and black beans in my taco as well but you can really get creative and throw your favorite vegetables (or even fruits) into the mix. Take on this recipe for Taco Tuesday and tag @wingspanwellness in your photos! xx Ingredients- 1/2 can black beans, rinsed and dried 1 1/2 cups mushrooms (pick your fav!) 1 cup kale, rinsed and dried 1 bell pepper (any color will do), rinsed and thinly sliced Non-dairy unsweetened yogurt Organic peppercorn ranch seasoning 1 large avocado Corn tortillas Avocado oil Homemade taco seasoning Directions- 1. Place mushrooms, kale and bell peppers in a mixing bowl with about 1 TB of avocado oil and taco seasoning to taste and mix well 2. To prepare dairy-free avocado cream sauce, place avocado, 1/2 cup of non-dairy yogurt and 1 TB ranch seasoning into a blender and blend on low until combined well (avocado should no longer be chunky/meaty), once done place in a small serving bowl and put in the fridge until ready to serve 3. To prepare black beans, heat on low on the stove while veggies and tortillas are cooking, stirring intermittently 4. Place seasoned vegetable mix in a large stir fry pan and continue to stir on low/medium heat until kale takes on a dark color, peppers have softened and mushrooms have darkened in color (this took about 10 min for me in a cast iron pan) 5. While the vegetables are cooking, warm corn tortillas on a frying pan flipping until slightly browned on each side 6. Layer corn tortillas with black beans, veggie mix and then drizzle with avocado cream sauce and serve while hot  My absolute favorite thing about smoothies is that you can pretty much throw anything in and they'll still taste amazing. They're a great way to get a whole bunch of nutrients quickly and efficiently when you're on the go or even when you're just craving a sweet treat!
When my dad generously shared the harvests of his amazing little garden, including a ginormous zucchini, my first concern was being able to use the produce before it went bad. To prevent this from happening with my zuc, I cut up the zucchini and froze half of it to throw in my smoothies (yes, you're reading this correctly - zucchini in smoothie). Today's smoothie recipe is below and includes a nice sized handful of frozen zucchini (skin on). Abundant in antioxidants and inflammation-fighting nutrients, it's the perfect addition to my (almost) daily drink. G R E E N is just so dang G O O D !!! Try this trick in your next blended beverage + enjoy! xx Ingredients- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries 1/2 frozen banana 1 1/2 cups spinach 2 TB PB2 (peanut butter powder) 1 scoop Further Food collagen 1/2 cup frozen zucchini Granola of your choice Raw honey Directions- Place all ingredients in blender and blend until combined. Top with granola + raw honey.  This Thai Cashew Chopped Salad with Ginger Peanut Sauce is the perfect light and crunchy summer salad to add into your meal planning. During the warmer months, anything that is easy to throw together and that doesn't heat up my house is at the top of my list.
I served this at girl's night tonight alongside grilled mahi mahi to incorporate some lean protein and it was the perfect paring. xx Ingredients- 4 cups Romaine, chopped ½ head red cabbage, chopped ½ cup sliced carrots ½ cup edamame, shelled 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 3 green onions, chopped ½ cup cashews (I used roasted) 1/2 cup crunchy lo mein noodles Ginger Peanut Dressing: ⅓ cup peanut butter 2 tablespoons honey 3 teaspoons freshly grated ginger 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 teaspoon sesame oil Water to thin (I used about 2 TB) Directions- 1. In a small bowl whisk together the peanut butter, honey, ginger, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time until you have your desired consistency. 2. In a large bowl, combine romaine, red cabbage, carrots, edamame, red and yellow bell pepper, green onions, and cashews. Toss. 3. Drizzle on the ginger peanut sauce and serve.  One of my favorite parts of healthy eating and advising is the challenge of taking a fan-favorite and making it Wingspan-approved. My husband is a serious pizza lover, so this was high on my list when we got married.
This twist on pizza made on a whole wheat lavash is a crowd pleaser in our house! The lavash gets light and crispy when broiled in the oven and is hearty enough to carry the load of our favorite toppings. You really can't go wrong here - throw what you love on top and broil for a few minutes on high. Recipe for last night's Turkey Bacon Ranch pizza is below! xx Ingredients- 1 Trader Joe's whole wheat lavash 1/4 cup your favorite red sauce 4 slices your favorite organic turkey breast 1/4 cup cooked + crumbled bacon 1/4 cup cheddar cheese* Drizzle of light ranch* *I sub out avocado for cheese and skip the ranch on mine and it's still yummy! Directions- 1. Spread red sauce on lavash 2. Sprinkle with toppings 3. Broil for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted + edges of lavash are browned  Calling all hummus lovers!
This baked hummus chicken bowl is a week-night go to because of the quick prep time, nutrient content and - most importantly - killer taste. Let me know what you think! xx Ingredients- 1/4 c. of your favorite hummnus 1 boneless + skinless chicken breast 1/3 c. cherry tomatoes 1/2 c. zoodles (I bought these at Whole Foods or you can make your own!) 1/4 c. cubed + baked sweet potato (I meal prep my SP on Sundays so I can use throughout the week) Olive oil Salt + Pepper Directions- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Place chicken breast in baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper (to taste), then spread hummus of choice over the breast 3. Bake chicken for 35-40 min (depending on size) 4. While chicken is baking, rinse tomatoes and cut in halves 5. Pour about 1 TB of olive oil in a sauce pan and cook zoodles for about 3-4 min on medium heat, then add sweet potato and stir for 1 min to heat (if pulling out of fridge - if just baked simply add them into the bowl) 6. Once chicken is done baking, combine all ingredients in bowl + drizzle any melted hummus on veggies  There's nothing better than a warm bowl (or mug :D) of chili on a cold fall/winter day. Although I'm definitely not a vegetarian, I still don't eat a ton of meat and often times prefer dishes without it. This chipotle sweet potato and lentil chili is spicy sweet perfection and serves as a great dairy and meat free option, for those who need or want it.
This chili is a one pot recipe and takes less than two hours start to finish. I opt for avocado and cilantro on top of mine, but you can go with cheese, sour cream, onions, etc. to make it as heavy or light as you choose. It's also great with a homemade cornbread. xx Ingredients- 1 medium-size yellow onion, diced (approx. 2 cups) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 large green bell pepper, cored and diced 1 large jalapeno, cored and diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 3 teaspoons cumin 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, diced + 2 tablespoons adobo sauce from the can* 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed (my grocer didn't have brown, so I used green) 3 cups vegetable broth 2 medium-size sweet potatoes, diced into 1/2” cubes (approx. 2 and 1/2 cups) Optional Toppings: cilantro, cashew sour cream, avocado, green onion, shredded cheese Directions- 1. Start by warming the olive oil in a large pot (or dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. 2. Next add the diced bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, spices and chilies with adobo sauce. Stir together and cook for another 5 minutes. 3. Add the lentils to the pot along with the can of diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring to a low boil, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes. 4. Lastly, add the diced sweet potato to the pot and stir together. Cover and continue cook at a low boil for 30 more minutes, or until lentils and sweet potato are tender. 5. Serve warm with desired toppings and enjoy! Recipe cred: Making Thyme for Health  I drink a smoothie for lunch almost every day. No...I'm not on a calorie restricting diet or on some crazy cleanse. Smoothies are a great way to get an abundance of nutrients in a quick and convenient way. They're also a great way get through the fruit + veggies in your fridge. If I know I won't get through all of my bananas and they're ripening quickly, I cut them in half and throw then in my freezer to use in smoothies - how easy is that?
Because they're are so many "quick fix" cleanses out there, I think that we mostly associate drinking a "shake" or smoothie for lunch as an attempt to restrict calories, replace meals and shed weight fast. If you're doing it right, smoothies can be real, filling and satisfying meals. A few things to make sure you include:
Here's what I threw together today! xx Ingredients- 1 c Califia unsweetened vanilla almond milk 1 c frozen mixed berries 1/2 frozen banana 2 c spinach/kale 1 t maca powder 1 TB flax seed 2 TB PB2 powder 1 scoop @vitalproteins Directions- Blend all in Vitamix and top with granola + local honey |