9 Cold Weather Cocktails To Try

Happy Thursday!! Almost done the week you guys, It's felt like Friday since Monday!! Hahaha

And it's officially feeling wintery cold in NYC and well it's suppose to snow today. I am so not ready for any of it. With Thanksgiving next week I thought I'd start rounding up some recipes to inspire those of you hosting. First up cold weather cocktails!

My taste buds crave different things each season and well right now I am all about the spicy cocktail (hello jalapeños and ginger!), anything with a soul warming whiskey and apples! Lots of apples!! These hot toddy's (Above) I made with ginger tea, and threw in some cloves, a cinnamon stick and some sliced apples) and they where my favorite way to greet my guests during the holidays and most likely what you will catch me drinking on a cold winter night. I'll be making these next week for sure.

Oh man I am already missing our fireplace this season. Here are a few more favorites cocktails to make during the colder months!

1. Crock Pot Winter Cocktails

2. Homemade Mexican Hot Chocolate (would spike this !)

3. Spiked Hot Apple Cider

4. Apple Cider Mimosas

5. Buttered Rum Coffee

6.Jalapeno Gin Cocktail

7. Jalapeno & Hibiscus Vodka Cocktail

8. Hot Blooded Cocktail

9. Fresh Ginger Hot Toddy's

xoxo

Natalie

PS Are you guys ready for the holidays?! I am soooo excited to be with family and celebrate!

#dishes #cocktail #letshaveadrink

Instant Pot Lentil & Squash Soup

OK, this was named the best soup I have ever made by my husband, so then I had to recreate and write it down. It all started with getting a really great deal on some dried lentils at Whole Foods, a recipe I saw on Monday Meal Preps freezer meals (do you guys follow her on Instagram?) and then completely making it kid friendly for you guys. In this case kid friendly meant I used my Vitamix to mince up the squash, onion, celery and garlic (mainly because Zoe is so crazy pants about texture these days and O'Neal refuses to eat pieces of onion.).

And since this isn't a detox soup for us, I threw in organic chicken sausage (which was so great with the rest of the flavors) and I will say the homemade bone broth made a HUGE difference when I made it the first time but store bought works too. This isn't the chicken sausage I used the first time ( I totally guilty of buying whatever organic, low sugar sausage I see on the shelves!).

It honestly is not cute to photograph but it gets better as left overs and this makes a pretty big batch so I would say freeze half for a busy nights dinner. Our freezer is tiny so I'll be putting into a ziplock bag to make room.

And the instant pot sourdough bread was not a complete home run but I lathered up a piece with the lentils and gosh it was relish, because carbs make everything better!

INGREDIENTS

2-3 cups chopped Butternut Squash (fresh or frozen work)

2 cups of chopped celery & yellow onion (carrots too if you'd like)

1 pound Dried Green Lentils

1 package of organic chicken sausage (any kind of sausage would work in this recipe!)

1 tbsp sea salt (less if you used regular sodium bone broth)

1 tbsp sweet paprika

4 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp Italian Seasoning or herbes de Provence

2 tsp dried sage

2 tsp cumin

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar (this helps the lentils from going into MUSH factor).

(you can also add 1 cup of finely chopped kale or spinach to this at the end or blend it in with the squash)

RECIPE

I mince up all the herbs & seasoning, garlic, squash, celery and onion in my Vitamin (pricey but I use it every day so I think price per use makes it worth it!) until it's very minced. You can toss in the kale or spinach or any other veggies here too.

Then I placed it all in the Instant Pot. (this post has lots of tips if you are new to the IP game).

For the Instant Pot

I like to do 20 minutes and then natural release ( about 10 more minutes).

Probably about the same if you have everything uncooked and frozen.

Cooked and frozen, I would do 5 minutes and natural release.

Recipe for slow cooker.

all ingredients in the cooker and 6 hours on high!

DO NOT FORGET the vinegar or you'll have mush. or in other words the lentils fall apart, By blending the squash and veggies you have a thick soup with no cream! Yay to us on WW!

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Like I said you can freeze the cooked soup and easily drop back the frozen batch into the instant pot for 5 minutes to warm up on a busy night.

Or you can freeze half off the uncooked ingredients (minus the broth, which you would add when cooking) and make fresh whatever night you want. Or third and final option, half the ingredients listed above and only whip up half of this deliciousness. But this mama needs the leftovers or back up meal in the freezer!

Looking for a veg friendly dish, omit the sausage and use organic low sodium vegetable broth. I can't imagine it not tasting relish.

This is the perfect blend of Fall flavors and easily on a monthly rotation here until spring! I hope you love as much as the hung did. Happy almost Friday!

xoxox

Natalie

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Posting a little roundup of Halloween costumes, Friday Favorites, Tips we've gotten to staying healthy, and my Weight Watchers Update post in the next few days so stay tuned and subscribe. Or share with a friends!!

#dishes #instantpot #easyweeknightmeal #familyfriendlymeal #soup

Meal Prep Tips & Instant Pot Mongolian Beef

Two posts in one weekend?! Whaaaaaaaat! Jessh I am on a roll!! Ha or maybe I just have the hubby home and can actually put some thoughts on to paper. I have gotten soooo many requests for more dinner ideas, so I have been sharing my weekly menus in our newsletter, but I promise to keep the easy family friendly but still impress the inlaws meals coming.

And well if you guys aren't on this instant pot life yet then run, order this one and get on it. You guys it's life changing!! All you need are some TIPS and some recipes. Favorites are the perfect fluffy brown rice, frozen chicken to delicious perfect (not dry chicken) in 25 minutes. Cannot wait to make my first chili in there.

Here are some meal prep tips that I use weekly to keep us on track with eating at home and on budget.

this newsletter had some favorite salad dressings, this favorite shredded chicken crock pot meals, need something sweet for the week, well these cookies are the bomb.

And now for the newest favorite in our meal rotation. It is so flipping good, and even better the longer it sits. Which means that it is the perfect meal to make ahead on a Sunday night for one day during the week.

I haven't tried it with chicken or tofu, maybe some meaty mushrooms and other veggies for a vegan take on it but I can imagine this sauce would just do SO well with anything. We served with raw broccoli and brown rice last night (last time I minced carrots, red peppers and spinach) so the options are endless.

Ingredients

2 pounds of flank steak cut into strips (I buy it cut like this from Whole Foods)

4-5 Garlic Cloves

1/2 red onion

1/2 Red Pepper

1 in of fresh ginger, peeled

4 tbsp brown sugar (I've made it with maple syrup too!)

1/4 cup of water

2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

3 tbsp liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

1 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp dried cilantro

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 - 1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp sweet paprika

3 tbsp of whole wheat flour

*(corn starch can work here too, it's to thicken the sauce quicker than reducing it on a school night!)

2 tbsp of olive oil

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1 tbsp of coconut oil for the instant pot.

Recipe

Heat coconut oil to the Instant Pot by hitting sauté for 5 minutes

Add steak to the pot to brown, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick

(I have totally skipped this step and not browned in effort to make it quicker!)

Blend the rest of the ingredients in the blender!

Add the sauce to the steak, covering the steak completely

Close the lid (make sure it's sealed!)

Turn Pressure Cook on HIGH for 20 minutes (26 if it's frozen)

Let the pressure release naturally.

Once it releases, carefully open

Hit sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick.

Serve over brown rice, veggies, white rice or even egg noodles.

Letting this sauce sit for a bit is KEY!! IT get's better the longer it sits.

Be prepared to want to make this every single weak.

xoxox

Natalie

#dishes