Alfredo Sauce

½ cup butter
2 cups heavy whipping cream
4 oz cream cheese
½ tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a medium saucepan add butter, cream and cream cheese.  Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted.  Add seasonings and whisk until smooth.  Add Parmesan cheese.

Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.  Toss with your favorite pasta and toppings!

Topping suggestions: steamed veggies, chicken, sun dried tomatoes, bacon bits, etc.

Spiced Red Lentils

2 Tbsp. oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 medium finely diced sweet potato
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red lentils
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ginger
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can coconut milk
3 cups chicken broth
Salt to taste

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, sauté onion until softened. Add sweet potato, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir, and reduce heat to low.

Add lentils, coriander, cumin, turmeric ginger and chili powder to pan. Stir until lentils are well coated with oil. Add tomatoes, coconut milk and broth. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat until mixture is at a fast simmer. Cook uncovered until lentils and potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.

Season with salt, and continue to simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes.

Serve with chopped cilantro and shredded coconut over brown rice.

Queso

12 oz. pork sausage, browned & drained
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can black beans
1 can corn
2 lbs. Valveeta cheese
Tortilla chips

Combine ingredients and melt in crockpot.  Serve with tortilla chips.

Acai Bowl

3/4 cup almond milk
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
2 Tbsp. hemp seeds
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. freeze-dried acai powder
1 scoop protein powder (chocolate or vanilla)
1 banana frozen into chunks
1/2 cup blueberries
3 ice cubes

Put ingredients in high-powdered blender and blend.  Pour into a bowl and top with suggested toppings.

Suggested toppings:
shredded coconut
cacao nibs
almond slices
strawberries
Love Crunch granola (chocolate & red berry - YUM!)

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

1 ½ lbs. cubed stew meat
Small onion, chopped
3-5 potatoes cubed
5 carrots, sliced
2-4 celery stalks, sliced
1 14-oz. can stewed tomatoes
2 beef bullion cubes
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 tsp. tapioca
Salt & pepper to taste

Layer ingredients in slow cooker then pour 2 14-oz cans of water over the top.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

2 bell peppers (any color)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup uncooked rice

1 lb. ground beef

1/4 cup onion, diced

1 tsp. minced garlic
1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 Tbsp. milk or cream
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 tsp. Worcestershire

1 tsp. beef bouillon

1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
Shredded Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400°.  Cut peppers in half length-wise; clean out seeds and stem.  Place in small casserole dish, set aside.

Add water to small sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Add rice and simmer on low until rice is tender and water is absorbed (about 15 minutes).

Meanwhile, brown ground beef with onion and garlic in a large saute pan.  Add cooked rice, tomato paste, milk, vinegar and spices and heat.  Fill peppers with beef filling.  Top with Parmesan.

Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes or until peppers are fork tender.

Beef Stroganoff

1-2 lbs. stewing beef
1 pkg. Lipton Onion soup mix
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. salt
2 cups beef broth
2 cups milk (divided)
4 oz. cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
½ cup flour
3 cups egg noodle pasta

In crock pot, add stewing beef, soup mix, garlic, paprika and beef broth.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

Before serving:
Boil egg noodle pasta in large pot filled with water for 18 minutes.

Using a container with a tight fitting lid, combine 1 cup milk with flour and shake well to create a slurry.  Remove any clumps with a colander or whisk. 

In a medium saucepan, combine other 1 cup milk, cream cheese and sour cream.  Bring to a low boil.  Slowly add flour mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

Pour mixture into crock pot and mix well.  Serve over egg noodles or mix noodles into stroganoff.

Optional Mix-Ins:
Mushrooms
Peas