smoky chipotle — Blog — Fit Foodie Le

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bwhahahahahaha! i cracked UP at that meme and immediately sent it to my brother. he understands my humor like nobody else. get it?? happy first day of FALL, yall!

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in the studio extra early waiting for my coffee to kick in and ready to teach some HIIT. i usually wear my Lifetime jacket to feel cool but i needed it this morning. the weather was fantastic at the crack of dawn; the exact opposite of humid and stuffy.

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afterwards i did about 10 min of steady state cardio on the arc trainer (cause i got cold again after class) before hitting the weights for some upper body work. bring on the leggings, yoga pants, and all things pumpkin! i was sipping on the last of my coffee spiked with International Delight's fat-free Pumpkin Pie Spice creamer on my way home.

later that evening, i had the pleasure of hosting my very first small group. yep, comfort zone aborted. joining one, sure, ok. hosting one? me? no way. i remember signing up for it several weeks back, but only up until a few days ago did i realize the magnitude of what i had done. people really were signing up to come, and they were actually coming. whoa. the food responsibilities fall on the host, and well, i was SUPER excited about that part, you already know. i had to sincerely pray about keeping the whole point of the small group and our curriculum as the main focus though, not the food! don't get me wrong, the food needed to be on point, but ensuring our meeting was well facilitated from beginning to end was just as important.

thank God, it went WELL! excited to meet again next week.

so, here's what we munched on:

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fresh fruit salad with blackberries, strawberries, and nectarines,

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i got all the ingredients needed to make my kopy kate Central Market Cranberry Pepita Kale Salad and did just that.

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yummers.

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next, Zucchini Pizza Cruise Ships made with 93% lean ground turkey, smoky chipotle cheese, and turkey pepperoni.

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voila.

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homemade guac and butternut squash tortilla chips,

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and finally, i cut up and toasted some naan bread to be dipped into the hummus or the guac.

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here's my plate! got a little bit of everything like always.

remember last year's BE conference!? well it's that time AGAIN! the opening ceremony kicks off tomorrow and Ogechi and i are IN THAT THANG! be sure to keep up with me during BE weekend on Twitter and IG.

peace!

i had a cooking date with my sister-friend, Ogechi recently.

she's heeeeeere! i snapped this right after she rang the doorbell- i was so excited to spend some girl time together hanging out, cooking, and EATING.

Ogechi brought me some of this insanely good sweet potato black bean soup while i was in the hospital having Chiso, and again once we got home and adjusted to being a 3 member family. so this recipe is AAAALLLL her! she gets 100% credit and nothing but 100% gratitude from me.

it was a no-brainer as to what we'd be making for our cooking date.

'just be natural, Ogechi!' lol.

Sonny better be glad he wasn't home cause he knows he woulda been our photographer for the evening.

she brought the bulk of the ingredients with her and even some gifts for me:

SEASONINGS!!!!!!! :shock: smoky chipotle...it smelled magical.

and some sweet smoked paprika. will that not be BOMBTASTIC on some fresh salmon!?

this girl loooooooooves the spice aisle @ Marshalls and hooked me up big time. she also brought me some hickory smoked salt. i have been convinced to go look around for more spice aisle goodies at Marshalls / Home Goods / T. J. Maxx for sure.

we broke out all the ingredients on the island, and yaaaaay, she brought the Bragg's liquid aminos!!! then, Ogechi whipped out her kitchen knife.

yes, she brought her own knife! i completely understand... i'm the same way with my own kitchen utensils and pots and pans. she was slicing and dicing away on the onions, garlic and sweet potatoes with her impressive knife skills, my goodness. i was in awe cause ummmm.... i put the rough in rough chop :lol:

'i just love the sound of sizzling vegetables.'

me too Ogechi, me too.

medjool dates- sweet and chewy. Ogechi brought these with her, but i had some fake medjools (they were cheaper *shrugs*) i bought in bulk from HEB last week. they have been sitting on my counter staring at me since then. i've seen them used in pie crusts for vegan recipes and i plan on making some key lime pie soon, just in time for turkey day next month!

my kitchen

smelled

AMAZING.

p.s. remove the bay leaves after the soup is done; they get bitter if left in too long.

time to taste! a few pinches of salt and some fresh cilantro made it perfect.

Chi enjoyed his dinner and the show.

sweet potato black bean soup

the stuff:

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 large sweet potato
1 can diced tomatoes (may use fresh as well)
1 cup frozen sweet corn (may use canned)
1/4 cup salsa
1 medium onion
3 cloves fresh garlic
3 medjool dates chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tbsp smoky paprika chipotle seasoning- (can use regular paprika, no worries)
1 tsp cumin
*1 tsp smokey sweet paprika.....(add this more for color but it gives a nice smokey taste too) optional!
1/2 cube low sodium veggie bouillon
1 tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos
salt & pepper to taste (or chili powder)
1-2 bay leaves
1-2tbsp olive oil (may use vegetable oil)
3 cups broth or stock
3 cups water

do this:

chop the onions, garlic & cut sweet potatoes into bite sizes.
heat oil in sauce pan on medium heat, add onions, garlic and sweet potatoes. saute for 3-5mins.
while veggies are sautéing, rinse beans very well (this helps keep the soup color pretty & not muddy brown & washing off extra salt too).
after 3-5mins of sautéing, add the stock to the pot.
throw everything else in.....the beans, tomatoes, salsa, dates, corn, bouillon cube (melt this with a lil warm water first) ginger, all seasonings and top off with water.
add enough liquid to make it soup. remember, the size of the soup will reduce a bit as it simmers.
cover and let simmer for about 30mins.
taste and adjust seasoning (some salt or even an extra dash of Braggs ) as needed, then top with cilantro, cheese avocado, lime, sriracha, etc.