veggies Archives - Simply Happenstance

Classic Tuscan Soup

January 21, 2015

Classic Tuscan Soup //

It’s winter… but I live in Southern California, so it’s not reallllllly winter! I surely can’t relate to those of you shoveling snow and bundling up in your cozy cold-weather gear. Where I live, we’ve had a few days of cooler weather, some rain, and even one day of random snow {can you believe it?}… but for the most part, we’ve had many days in the 70’s. {I’m not complaining, I assure you!}

Despite the warmer weather we’ve had this past week, I do still crave cups of soul-warming food and steaming hot beverages! This Classic Tuscan Soup completely takes care of those seasonal cravings. It’s filled with earthy, satisfying vegetables and hearty white beans. It’s a healthier soup, so for those of you eating clean… this one’s for you! [Read more…]

Chicken Sausage Veggie Bowl

September 2, 2014

:: Chicken Sausage Veggie Bowl ::

If you happen to follow Simply Happenstance on Instagram… you may have already seen pictures of my favorite lunch! I’ve showed a couple variations, but haven’t actually shared the recipe on our blog. I thought it was about time to do so!

A few months ago, I embarked on the Whole30. Basically, it’s an eating plan where you eat primarily lean meats, veggies, fruit, some nuts, and healthy fats. {Are you wondering why I would do such a thing? Ha! To torture myself, of course! No… I’m only kidding! If you have questions about it, just leave a comment below and I’ll gladly get back to you!}

While on that particular eating plan, I had to get rather creative for my meals {since typical lunches like sandwiches were out due to the bread, condiments, etc.}. I spent the first couple of weeks eating salads, but found that I needed to add more protein to stay satisfied without snacking. I then came up with this tasty meal! {Although, the Sweet Apple Trader Joe’s sausage I used for this particular recipe is not Whole30 approved… I actually ate the Aidells Chicken and Apple Sausage.} [Read more…]

Black Bean Chili

October 29, 2013

:: Black Bean Chili ::

Can you believe that Halloween is this week? We are still waiting on costumes {delivery takes a bit longer now that we are living in the mountains}. It looks like we have a super girl, batman, a werewolf, and obi wan kenobi! Ha! An eclectic bunch, for sure!

I thought I’d share with you one of our favorite Halloween traditions…. chili! I don’t think we are alone in this one. I have lots of friends that make a big pot of warm chili for a quick and easy dinner on Halloween night! This recipe is one of my favorites, as it is loaded with healthy vegetables and hearty black beans. I also like that it’s hard to mess up. Measurements aren’t really a necessity {as long as you don’t go overboard with the optional hot peppers and spices}. Also, you can adjust the recipe as needed to suit your own taste… even adding in ground turkey or beef, if you’d like. The best part about this recipe is that it’s ALL IN ONE POT! That’s right! Way less clean up, my friends! With four kids… I am completely over the clean up process…. plus less time cleaning up, means more time enjoying your sweet littles!

So, without further ado, here is the dream dish…. easy, healthy, and completely delish! [Read more…]