Ingredient: garlic powder

Parmesan Herb Sweet Potatoes

Family Traditions

For my family, the holidays always seem to revolve around delicious food. The second an invite for a gathering goes out, the menu planning begins. Of all the holidays throughout the year, Thanksgiving is the one that we just don’t mess with in regards to the menu 😉 We eat the same thing every year, everyone has their signature dish that they like to bring, and we don’t veer from the usual.

With that being said, I’ve tried to sneak in a little something unexpected the last few years. The health nut inside of me just can’t help it! With all of the heavy casseroles filling our plates, I like to share a dish that’s light and fresh, too. One year it was roasted brussels sprouts with a maple citrus vinaigrette. Another year I took a paleo version of sweet potato casserole. This year, I’m taking these savory parmesan herb sweet potatoes. I’ve been experimenting with this recipe and after rave reviews, I’m making an executive decision to add them to the blog! These are perfect for a Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, Christmas dinner or even a fun weeknight meal with your family.

Health Benefits

Before I share the recipe, I’d love to tell you about some of the health benefits of my favorite root veggie, the sweet potato. Many people know this versatile vegetable to be full of fiber but that’s not all! It’s also full of vitamins and minerals such as several B vitamins, C vitamins, iron, selenium, and calcium as well as an antioxidant called beta-carotene which gives it that vibrant orange color. So not only do they taste awesome, they are good for you, too!

So let’s get started, shall we?

First, you’ll want to peel 5 large sweet potatoes and slice them about 1/2 inch thick.

Next, in a gallon sized storage bag, toss in 1/2 of the sweet potatoes (I only prepped 1/2 of the sweet potatoes at a time because I couldn’t fit all of the potatoes in the bag at once) and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Then, add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.

Seal the bag and toss them until all of the potatoes are evenly coated. Arrange them in a well oiled 13×9 baking dish. Repeat the process with the remaining sweet potatoes, oil, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Arrange the second batch of potatoes in the same baking dish. To finish, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of fresh thyme on top and bake at 400 degrees for about an hour.

Pretty simple, right?

These herby (is that a word?) little round sweet potatoes are rock-your-world yummy and I can’t wait for you to try them! 🙂

Notes

Make sure you use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Don’t use the unrefrigerated kind because not only is it full of preservatives and junk, it doesn’t melt the same as the real stuff. Trust me on this one 😉

About 1/2 way through the cooking time, you can cover your potatoes with foil to avoid them getting too dark on top.

After an hour of baking, take them out of the oven. Poke one of the center potatoes with a fork to test it’s doneness. If the fork goes in easy, they are done! If not, let them bake a little longer and test them again.

This recipe would also taste great with a variety of other root veggies. You might try layering white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and purple sweet potatoes to switch it up a bit if you’re feeling adventurous!

Print Recipe
 Parmesan Herb Sweet Potatoes
These savory sweet potatoes are a delicious side to take to a gathering or even make at home for meal prep.
Course Side dish
Cuisine Christmas, Family Dinner, Friendsgiving, Italian, Thanksgiving
Keyword christmas dish, easy, easy recipe, eat move live happy, Friendsgiving, garlic, herb, holiday dish, italian, parmesan cheese, parmesan herb sweet potatoes, side dish, sweet potato, Thanksgiving
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings
13x9 dish
Ingredients
Course Side dish
Cuisine Christmas, Family Dinner, Friendsgiving, Italian, Thanksgiving
Keyword christmas dish, easy, easy recipe, eat move live happy, Friendsgiving, garlic, herb, holiday dish, italian, parmesan cheese, parmesan herb sweet potatoes, side dish, sweet potato, Thanksgiving
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hour
Servings
13x9 dish
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. First, peel 5 large sweet potatoes and slice them about 1/2 inch thick.
  2. In a gallon sized storage bag, toss in 1/2 of the sweet potatoes (I only prepped 1/2 of the sweet potatoes at a time because I couldn't fit all of the potatoes in the bag at once) and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
  3. Add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 tsp italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Save the remaining cheese and seasonings for the remaining potatoes.
  4. Seal the bag and toss them until all of the potatoes are evenly coated.
  5. Arrange them in a well greased 13x9 baking dish. I used spray oil.
  6. Repeat the process with the remaining sweet potatoes, oil, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Arrange the second batch of potatoes in the same baking dish.
  7. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of fresh thyme on top and bake at 400 degrees for about an hour. They are ready when a fork can easily go into the center of a potato.
Recipe Notes
  • Make sure you use freshly grated parmesan cheese. Don't use the unrefrigerated kind because not only is it full of preservatives and junk, it doesn't melt the same as the real stuff. Trust me on this one 😉
  • About 1/2 way through the cooking time, you can cover your potatoes with foil to avoid them getting too dark on top.
  • After an hour of baking, take them out of the oven. Poke one of the center potatoes with a fork to test it's doneness. If the fork goes in easy, they are done! If not, let them bake a little longer and test them again.
  • This recipe would also taste great with a variety of other root veggies. You might try layering white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and purple sweet potatoes to switch it up a bit if you're feeling adventurous!

Super Easy Taco Soup

Something happens to me when the weather starts to cool and football season begins. I automatically want soup or chili and all things pumpkin spice. Last week when I heard Florida was getting a “cold front” (which means temps were in the 80’s rather than high 90’s) the cravings set in. While I’ve have never made taco soup before, I’m the queen of real deal tacos. This super easy taco soup combines all the flavors of tacos you love while also incorporating veggies for heartiness and healthiness. This is a great soup to make ahead of time, too! Warm it up for an easy week night meal. Take to work for quick lunch. Make it for a get together with friends. However you choose to do it, I promise it will be a crowd pleaser!

Let’s Get Started

I used an instant pot for this recipe but if you don’t have one, you can totally do this on the stove top or in the crock pot. Here is a link to the instant pot I use and love dearly.

With the instant pot set to saute, add in the teaspoon of oil and the chopped onions. Saute them until they are soft and caramelized. At this point, add in your chopped up chicken and saute it for a few minutes with the onions. The pieces are so tiny that they will cook fast but they don’t have to be completely cooked through since you will be cooking the soup further under pressure.

*If you are doing this on the stove top, you might want to cook the chicken all the way through.

Once the chicken is ready, add in all of the remaining ingredients and stir it up. Put the lid on your instant pot and set the soup/stew setting to 5 minutes. I use the quick release on soups because they don’t have to continue cooking, but natural release won’t hurt it either.

And that’s all you have to do! See why I call it Super Easy Taco Soup? It’s almost not even a recipe because it’s so simple!

I served mine sprinkled with cheese and homemade tortilla chips but it would also pair well with cornbread, a simple sandwich, or even a salad. The options are endless. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you and how you serve it in the comments below!

Print Recipe
 Super Easy Taco Soup
This super easy taco soup is healthy, full of bold flavors, and is the perfect cozy meal to make when the autumn air begins to turn cool and crisp.
Course Soups
Cuisine Mexican, Taco Night
Keyword chicken, dairy free, easy, easy recipe, eat move live happy, taco soup, tomato
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Course Soups
Cuisine Mexican, Taco Night
Keyword chicken, dairy free, easy, easy recipe, eat move live happy, taco soup, tomato
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. With the instant pot set to saute, add in the teaspoon of oil and the chopped onions. Saute them until they are soft and caramelized.
  2. Next, add in your chopped up chicken and saute it for a few minutes with the onions. The pieces are so tiny that they will cook fast but they don't have to be completely cooked through since you will be cooking the soup further under pressure.
  3. Once the chicken is ready, add in all of the remaining ingredients and stir it up. Put the lid on your instant pot and set the soup/stew setting to 5 minutes. I use the quick release on soups because they don't have to continue cooking, but natural release won't hurt it either.
  4. Serve with tortilla chips, corn bread, or anything your heart desires!
Recipe Notes
  • This recipe can also be made in a crock pot or on the stove top. You'll just adjust the recipe accordingly. 

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken

This whole chicken recipe has been one that is tried and true in our household and I wanted to share it with you because something this good shouldn’t be kept a secret!

I’ve tested the recipe over and over again to make sure it’s perfect, and I feel like it just keeps getting better and better. Even my 6 year old can’t stop eating it when I’m cutting it up for dinner time. He reminds me of the dad on A Christmas Story who can’t stay away from the turkey!

The key to making this amazing chicken recipe is using a cast iron dutch oven. I was gifted mine for Christmas from my mama but this is the link to the exact one. I used to bake chicken in a regular pan before and while it was really good, this dutch oven is a game changer. If you don’t have one, just bake it in a pan. You’ll still get amazing results!

To prep your chicken, you’ll want to loosen the skin by sliding your fingers under it. It’s a dirty job but somebody’s gotta do it!

Under the skin you’ll rub in few cloves of roasted garlic and put in a few sprigs of rosemary to infuse the meat as it cooks. On top of the skin, I like to sprinkle it with lots of seasonings. I don’t measure this part but you’ll want to be liberal with the garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and sea salt. Then thinly slice 1 lemon and place them all over the top of the chicken. It should look something like this…

Once it’s ready, you are going to put it in the oven at 475 degrees for 15 mins. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake it for an additional 20 mins for every pound. So a 4 pound chicken will need an additional 80 mins. You’ll bake it without the lid but if it starts to get too dark on top, you can put the lid on to avoid burning.

Once it’s done cooking and reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees, you’ll take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 20 minutes before cutting it. This is an important step because it lets all the juices settle so they don’t run all over your cutting board instead of in your mouth. Ha!

Notes:

If you’d like to make this a whole meal in one pot, you can add veggies like carrots, onions, and/or potatoes under and around the chicken before you put it in the oven. Those veggies will absorb the flavors of the chicken and spices and will taste amazing!

To roast the garlic, drizzle a few cloves in olive oil, add them to foil and make a little packet. Roast it at 450 for 20 mins. It should come out caramelized, brown(ish), and soft.

If your lemons slide off, secure them with a toothpick. You can remove the toothpick before serving.

Remember, you’ll bake the chicken for 15 mins at 475 then an additional 20 mins at 350 for every pound that your chicken weighs. When it’s done, the internal temp of your chicken should be 165.

Print Recipe
 Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken
This chicken recipe is cooked in a cast iron dutch oven and is sure to be a crowd favorite!
Course Main Dish
Keyword chicken, eat move live happy, garlic, lemon, rosemary
Prep Time 10 min
Cook Time 95 min (depending on the size of your chicken)
Servings
chicken
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Keyword chicken, eat move live happy, garlic, lemon, rosemary
Prep Time 10 min
Cook Time 95 min (depending on the size of your chicken)
Servings
chicken
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Step 1: Prep your chicken. You'll want to loosen the skin by sliding your fingers under it. It's a dirty job but somebody's gotta do it! Step 2: Under the skin you'll rub in few cloves of roasted garlic and put in 2 sprigs of rosemary to infuse the meat as it cooks. Step 3: On top of the skin, sprinkle with lots of seasonings. You'll want to be liberal with the garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and sea salt. Step 4: Thinly slice the lemon and place the slices on top of the chicken. Add the last sprig of rosemary to the top. Step 5: Put it in the oven at 475 degrees for 15 mins. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake it for an additional 20 mins for every pound. See recipe notes. You'll bake it without the lid but if it starts to get too dark on top, you can put the lid on to avoid burning.

Taco Seasoning Mix

As you’ll soon learn, I am a taco fanatic. I’ve mentioned before that we do taco night at least once a week in our house and it’s always a favorite for all 4 of us. We just cant. get. enough. With that said, we go through A LOT of taco seasoning mix! And while I don’t mind the taste of the little packets from the grocery store, I’m not a fan of what’s inside of them. Plus, it’s just so easy to make your own and the flavor is out of this world! You can use this mix on any protein you are using for taco night including chicken, steak, shrimp, fish and even chickpeas.

This version is not spicy. If you like it spicy you can always add a little cayenne or red pepper flakes to the mix to add some extra heat.

This will last a few months (if you don’t use it all first) in a mason jar or other container. When seasoning your food, you’ll use about 2 tablespoons per pound of meat plus 1/4 cup of water, more if needed. If you like it a little thicker, a teaspoon of cornstarch will thicken it right up. Enjoy!

Print Recipe
 Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
Course Condiments
Cuisine Taco Night
Keyword eat move live happy, gluten free, Taco Seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings
cup
Ingredients
Course Condiments
Cuisine Taco Night
Keyword eat move live happy, gluten free, Taco Seasoning
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings
cup
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl. When you are ready to cook, add 2 tablespoons of seasoning per pound of meat and ¼ cup of water. You can also add 1 tsp of cornstarch to thicken if desired. Store any extra seasoning in an airtight container or mason jar to keep it fresh.