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Vegan Lentil Marinara Pasta Sauce

Lentil Marinara Pasta Sauce #SundaySupper

Lentil Marinara Pasta Sauce - heatlhy, vegan, delicious from Alida's Kitchen

Lentil Marinara Pasta Sauce is a protein-packed, thick and hearty pasta sauce, made vegan using lentils in place of meat. {vegetarian, vegan without cheese, sauce is gluten free}

Lentil Marinara Pasta Sauce a thick and hearty, like a meat sauce, using lentils instead of meat.  I love using lentils as a meat substitute in recipes.  They are very meat-like in that they are high in protein, take on flavors in a sauce (or salad) and are very versatile.  Unlike meat, lentils are high in fiber and easy on the budget.  They do not require soaking or long cooking times, making lentils a wonderful choice for quick, easy and healthy meatless meals.

Lentil Marinara Pasta Sauce is very easy to make and takes roughly an hour to get a thick, hearty meatless pasta sauce.  The first step is sauteing the onions and garlic.  The next step is to add the lentils and broth to cook the lentils.  The last step is to add the tomatoes and the remaining ingredients to make the pasta sauce and let it simmer for about 40 minutes, letting the flavors come together.  The result is a healthy, protein-packed,  hearty meatless tomato pasta sauce made with lentils that is delicious, nutritious and suitable for a variety of dietary needs.  Lentil Marinara Pasta Sauce makes a generous amount of sauce, and leftovers reheat nicely….

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Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes from Alida's Kitchen

Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato #WeekdaySupper #FamilyDinnerTable

Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato is a delicious combination of tangy-sweet barbecue chicken with a sweet potato, topped with green onions (and optional cheese).   This super easy dish is perfect for a weeknight! 

Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato | Alida's Kitchen

One of our favorite summer meals is to grill barbecue chicken, served with a side of sweet potato fries and a green vegetable or side salad.  Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato is kind of a spin on the meat and potatoes of that meal, only simplified.  Instead of peeling and cutting the sweet potatoes, just scrub, poke and bake.  For the chicken, I typically utilize one of three go-to options:  1) The easiest option is to use any leftover Baked Barbecue Chicken; 2) Poach and shred chicken breast; or 3) Pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred it.  With whichever method is used, just toss the shredded chicken in a sauce pan with additional barbecue sauce to warm up and moisten the chicken.

Last Sunday, the Sunday Supper Movement partnered up with American Family Insurance as they launch their Back to the Family Dinner Campaign.  The theme was big Sunday Supper meals that make leftovers to be reinvented into Weekday Suppers.  Barbecue Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato is one of my favorite recipes for using up leftover Baked Barbecue Chicken, and I am pleased for the opportunity to share this with you for this Weekday Supper!…

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Baked Barbecue Chicken ~ easy and healthy!

Baked Barbecue Chicken #SundaySupper #FamilyDinnerTable

Baked Barbecue Chicken ~ easy and healthy!

Baked  Barbecue Chicken is a quick and easy recipe for enjoying a classic favorite, made in a healthy way.  For some reason, Barbecue Chicken always makes me think of summer, but we enjoy this dish no matter what the weather is outside – even when there are several feet (!!) of snow on the ground!  Perhaps it’s a little too early to be discussing snow…

The concept of Baked Barbecue Chicken is not new to the blog.  I have made a few tweaks to the previous recipe to simplify the process and yield a shorter cooking time ~ all with great results.   This recipe is very easy.  You can make your own barbecue-style sauce (like this easy pantry sauce or this one if you like some spice).  If you prefer, a store-bought sauce also works great.  The recipe can easily be adjusted to yield more or fewer servings to fit your needs.   I like to make plenty of extras because barbecue chicken is so versatile  and leftovers can be transformed into something different for a quick and easy weeknight supper….

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Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili #SundaySupper

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili from Alida's Kitchen

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili is a chunky, spicy chili with a hint of sweetness that combines two superfoods into an easy, healthy, one-pot meal.  {vegan, gluten-free}

As the temperatures get cooler, we tend to gravitate toward warm comfort foods, such as baked pastas, soups, and chili. This is one of the many reasons that Fall is my favorite time of year for cooking and baking!  On Sundays, I love to make a big pot of chili or a pan of baked tortellini to have leftovers for lunches or easy dinners throughout the week.

While I have several favorite old standby recipes, I am am always looking to find new recipes to try.  This Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili will definitely become part of the regular rotation.  Sweet potatoes and black beans are two of my favorite superfoods that go so well together; there are lots of vegetables; there is plenty of spice to warm you up; and this recipe is very simple to make in under 45 minutes using just one pot.  (which also means easy clean up!)

The theme for Sunday Supper this week is one pot recipes.  Since one pot meals are typically easy recipes, this theme is right up my alley!  The group is sharing recipes for slow cookers to desserts and everything in between that can be made in one pot or pan or dish, you get the idea.  Be sure to check out what everybody made below.   …

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Sweet and Spicy Roasted Pepitas

Sweet and Spicy Pepitas #SundaySupper

Sweet and Spicy Pepitas {roasted pumpkin seeds}

Sweet and Spicy Pepitas are roasted pumpkin seeds made into a crunchy snack that is a little sweet, a little spicy and a lot delicious!  {naturally nut-free, gluten-free and vegan}

With Fall upon us, I am in full pumpkin mode.  So far I have made pumpkin cakepiepastamuffins, and still have more pumpkin recipes I want to make this season.   Not only do I love pumpkin puree, I also adore pumpkin seeds and pepitas!  Pepitas are  the lovely little raw green seeds inside the pumpkin seed shell.  They are a great alternative to nuts, yet offer many of the same health benefits.  Like nuts, they are packed with protein, vitamins and antioxidants.  I find them in the bulk bin at the grocery store or sometimes near the bags of sunflower seeds….

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Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup

Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup #SundaySupper

Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup

Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup is smooth, creamy and a little spicy!  This delicious and health soup is easy to make and pure comfort food.

Since today is officially the first day of Fall, the Sunday Supper theme for this week is “Fall Foods.”  I had several ideas for this one, but after making Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup, it was the obvious choice to celebrate the season.  A warm soup made with sweet potatoes, that is smooth and creamy, is perfect comfort food for when the temperatures start to get cooler.  A little spice from the chipotle chile adds just enough heat and depth to make it interesting.   Made as-is, this Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup is vegan and gluten free….

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Sweet Potato Hummus - sweet, spicy, vegan, delicious!

Sweet Potato Hummus #SundaySupper

Sweet Potato Hummus is a little sweet, a little spicy and a lot delicious! This hummus is healthy, quick and easy to make, and vegan.

Sweet Potato Hummus from Alida's Kitchen

With Football season means it is tailgating time!  Whenever I’m tailgating, at a barbecue, picnic or party, the first thing I look for is something healthy, like fresh vegetables.  And if there is something healthy to go with them, such as hummus, I am a happy girl!  It just so happens that ‘tailgating’ is the theme for this week’s Sunday Supper, and I am bringing to the party a healthy treat to go with that ~ Sweet Potato Hummus!

Who would have thought the addition of sweet potato to a basic hummus recipe, along with some spice and some heat, would result in such a tasty (and healthy!) dip.   Paprika and chipotle seasoning really enhance the sweet potato and are otherwise complementary to the traditional hummus flavors.  Sweet Potato Hummus is also very easy to make and a wonderful accompaniment to a vegetable tray, pretzel crisps or whole wheat pita chips. It would also be great on a wrap or as a sandwich spread.

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Sunday Supper group brought to our Tailgate party!

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Healthy Banana Mango Smoothie | alidaskitchen.com

Healthy Banana Mango Smoothie

 

Healthy Banana Mango Smoothie

This Healthy Banana Mango Smoothie is a thick, frosty, fruity smoothie with a protein boost from Greek yogurt.  I often add ground flaxseed for additional health benefits.   

Ever since I made my Diet Mixed Berry Smoothie recipe, I have been on a real smoothie kick.  While I have enjoyed coming up with several different recipes, I think this Healthy Banana Mango Smoothie recipe is my favorite.  When made with a perfectly frozen banana and chilled mango, this smoothie whips up to the consistency of soft serve ice cream….

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Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars {Alida's Kitchen}

Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars #SundaySupper

Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars {Alida's Kitchen} Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars are easy, no-bake bars made nut-free with sunflower seed butter, and topped with a layer of semi-sweet chocolate. They are also gluten-free.  

With back-to-school just around the corner, we are starting to think about ideas for what to pack for school lunch.  Something nutritious, delicious and easy isn’t too much to ask, right?  A little variety might be nice too.  Fortunately, today I am joining the Sunday Supper Movement, and the theme is ‘lunch box.’  Several wonderful bloggers have come up with fantastic recipes and ideas to help solve the lunchbox dilemma.  These are recipes are helpful when packing your own lunch to bring to work!  You can find links to all of the wonderful recipes at the bottom of this post.  But first, let’s talk about these Cocoa Crispy Sunbutter Bars!    

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Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with Quinoa

Baked Sweet & Sour Chicken with Quinoa | alidaskitchen.com

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken is a healthy 30-minute meal made with chicken, lots of vegetables, and a light sweet and sour sauce.  It takes just minutes to prepare, making this Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken an ideal weeknight meal that is much healthier than its take-out counterpart.

Here the Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken is served over the ever trendy super-seed, quinoa.  You can easily substitute brown rice, or another favorite grain, or eliminate it all together for a lower carb option.

healthy baked sweet and sour chicken with quinoa | alidaskitchen.com

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with Quinoa
 
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into thick coins
  • 6 scallions, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 13x9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk honey, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger and 1 tablespoon water.
  3. Toss chicken in 3 tablespoons of honey mixture and place in prepared baking dish. Toss peppers, carrots and scallions in remaining honey mixture and pour evenly over chicken.
  4. Loosely cover baking dish with foil, leaving one end open to vent. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and vegetables are tender.
  5. Meanwhile, put quinoa and broth in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then cover, reduce to a simmer (medium-low) for 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.
  6. Divide quinoa on plates and spoon chicken and vegetables over quinoa.
Notes
Slightly adapted from Family Circle, June 2013

If you enjoy this recipe, you may also enjoy:

Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Salad

Lighter Sesame Chicken