SimplySenia

It’s been a busy week for most of us with holidays. Most of us have been over indulging with delicious food and sweets. I don’t know about you but I’m starting to feel it in body. I decided to get back to my healthy food this week starting today. This soup is so easy to make in the slow cooker. Split peas are often used in an Indian dish called dal. Turmeric enhances the golden color of the soup. You can refrigerate it for a week but it will thicken up. If you want to loosen the soup reheat it with a little more liquid.

This is what you will need:

16 ounces split peas, rinsed well

1 cup diced peeled butternut squash, fresh or frozen

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup chopped celery

6 cups reduced sodium vegetable or chicken broth

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup chopped yellow onion

6 garlic cloves, crushed

1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground Tumeric

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 cups baby spinach

Combine the split peas, butternut squash, carrots, celery, and brought in a slow cooker. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low for 9 to 10 hours, until peas are very soft.

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, cumin, Tumeric, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook, starring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.

Transferred to the slow cooker with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and spinach. Stir well and cook until the spinach wilts, 15 minutes. Serve hot, enjoy!

This cake is one of those cakes that screams holidays to me. Super delicious and easy to make.This is what you will need:

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour (see note below for gluten-free alternative)

12 oz fresh cranberries

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should almost double in size. The eggs work as your leavening agent in this recipe, so do not skip this step. This mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl. Add the butter and vanilla; mix two more minutes. Stir in the flour until just combined. Add the cranberries and stir to mix throughout.

Spread in a buttered 9×13 pan. ( This pan is my favorite!) Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. (I baked mine for 43 minutes.) Let cool completely before cutting into small slices. I cut mine into fairly small pieces, about 1″x2″, so that they could be easily eaten at a party. Enjoy!

After a long day of hiking and having girl time with a friend the last thing I was thinking about when I got home was baking. But when your kids ask to bake them some cookies, how could I say no to those cute little faces.I took these pictures with my iPhone.This is a quick recipe and the cookies are super soft.This is what you will need:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 and 1/2 cups flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a stand mixer, combine butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla, continuing to mix. In a separate bowl stir together baking soda, salt, and flour. Slowing incorporate dry ingredients into stand mixer, continuing to mix. Shape into 1 and 1/2 inch balls and arrange on a lined baking sheet. Slightly flatten each ball of dough with a fork. Bake 8-9 minutes. Allow to cool.

One of my favorite soups to make. I love this recipe even more because it’s make in the crockpot.Once the soup is made you can add your own toppings.

This is what you will need:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups less sodium chicken broth
8 oz can tomato sauce
1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce (or more to taste)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total)
For topping:
3/4 cup shredded part skim cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 oz (1 small) haas avocado, diced
6 tbsp reduced fat sour cream, optional

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.
Add the drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with cheese, avocado, scallions and cilantro. Also great with sour cream or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!

If you are short on time or have picky eaters this is the meal for you. This is a one pot meal that doesn’t take long to make.

This is what you will need:

4 lbs baby potatoes cut in half
4 tbs olive oil
2 16 oz kielbasa sausage
1 small yellow onion or red, sliced
2yellow banana pepper, sliced or get the jar
2 Roma tomato, quartered and sliced
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Place baby potatoes in slow cooker and drizzle with olive oil. Toss well, add sausage Top with onions, pepper slices, then add chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for 8-10, or until potatoes are tender.
Add fresh chopped parsley and stir.
Enjoy this easy, fuss free dinner.

This is one of my husbands and Mother in Law favorite cake. Since we are eating leftovers today I decided to bake a cake.

This is what you will need:

2 1/4 cups cake flour*
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups low fat buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 8×2-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, then butter the parchment.
In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate, medium bowl or a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites.
Place the granulated sugar and lemon zest in the bowl of a standing mixer or a large mixing bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and beat on medium speed for 3 full minutes, until very light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon extract.
Beating on medium speed, add one-third of the flour mixture, then half of the egg/buttermilk mixture and beat until combined. Still beating on medium speed, add the next third of the dry ingredients, then the remaining eggs/buttermilk. Beat until the batter is smooth, then add the remaining dry ingredients. Beat for 2 additional minutes on medium speed, ensuring the batter is very well combined and plenty of air has been beaten into it.
Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber of offset spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen, spring back lightly when touched, and a small knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the cake pans on a wire rack and let cool 5 minutes, then run a dull knife around the sides of the cake to loosen. Gently invert the cake into your hand so that it comes out of the pan, remove the paper liner, then place the cake directly back onto the wire rack, bottom (flat) side down and right-side up. Let cool to room temperature.
Prepare the frosting: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth and no lumps remain, about 3 full minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Once the sugar begins to incorporate, increase the mixer to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon lemon juice to thin if desired.
Frost the cake: First, using a large serrated knife, trim the tops off the cake layers to create a flat surface. Place 1 layer on your cake plate or stand. Tuck wax or parchment paper strips underneath the edges of the cake to protect the plate. Evenly cover the top with lemon cream cheese frosting. Place the second cake layer on top, cut-side down. Top with more frosting and spread the frosting down around the sides. Decorate as desired. You can slice the cake right away, but for the cleanest cut, refrigerate the frosted cake or place in a cool room for 40 minutes to set.

As the weather is getting colder we want to feed something hearty and warm to our families. This stew is easy to make. You can prepare it in the morning and go. I came home today and dinner was ready. This stew is 384 calories per cup.

This what you will need:

3½ lbs stew meat
3 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups chopped onions
4 cups beef broth
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups chopped carrots
4 cups cubed potatoes
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 cubes beef bouillon
2 cups frozen peas

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.
Add all ingredients expect for peas and stir.

For a busy mom like me a slow cooker is a must.  Us moms are always constantly on the go. So when I do it is if I’m going to have a busy day like running errands,appointments ,or cleaning my house a slow cooker is very convenient.  Wake up early in the morning prep everything and put in my slow cooker on low so I can cook all day. I’m not worried to rush back to the house to cook dinner because it’s already cooking at home. I have  mentioned before I love to cook soup in the wintertime. For this soup and a side of rice will go well with this. This soup is 347 calories for 1 1/2 cupThis is what you will need:

1 pound 95% lean ground beef

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup chopped onion

2/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

2(14.5 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes

1 3/4 cups canned tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

freshly ground black pepper

heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the ground beef and salt,and cook, using a wooden spoon to break the meat into pieces as it browns, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the fat from  The pan. Return the pan to medium low heat and add onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, starring, until soft, 6 to 8 minutes.  Transfer to a slow cooker and add the broth tomatoes tomato sauce oregano and black pepper to taste. Cover and cook on high for four hours on low for eight hours.

Ladle the soup into six serving bowls top each with half a cup of rice serve hot.