I love making guacamole to go with tortilla chips or to use on top of tacos, enchiladas or burrito bowls.

Guacamole is a good source of vitamins C, E, and K, as well as fiber and healthy fats. Homemade guacamole is a delicious recipe that’s gluten and dairy free.

My signature simple guacamole recipe is heavy on cilantro, and includes only 5 ingredients. It’s an easy recipe to customize to your taste preferences, and I know you will love all the flavors of this homemade guacamole recipe!

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we have readers of all comfort levels in the kitchen. To better serve everyone who visits our site, we make our recipes simple and easy to follow.

If you would like to skip past the ingredient information, detailed instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations, you can scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our printable recipe card for this Simple Guacamole Recipe.

Ingredients in Simple Guacamole Recipe

• Avocados: Avocados are very nutritious. They’re great sources of folate, potassium, and healthy fats, as well as vitamins K, C, and E. They also contain small amounts of B vitamins and minerals, such as copper, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, iron, and zinc. You will want to be sure to use ripe avocados to make good guacamole. If the avocado yields to firm gentle pressure, you’ll know it’s ripe and ready to eat.
• Cilantro: Fresh cilantro has a fragrant, refreshing and citrusy taste and aroma, though not everyone agrees. Some people may have a specific genetic trait where cilantro tastes like soap. I am not one of those people and I feel strongly that cilantro is essential in authentic guacamole recipes.
• Onion: I use white diced onion when I make guacamole, but you can also use red onions or even onion powder if you’re in a pinch, though not suggested.
• Tomato: I use roma tomatoes for this guacamole recipe. If you don’t like chopped tomato in your homemade guacamole, you can omit the roma tomato.
• Salt: I use just a pinch of salt when I make guacamole. I know everyone’s tastes are different so I suggest adding a little salt, then tasting the guacamole until you get the perfect guacamole flavor.
• Optional: Some other ideas to add to your homemade guacamole are fresh lime juice, jalapeno pepper or serrano pepper (if you like spicy guacamole), fresh garlic, or even grilled corn.

How to Make the Best Guacamole Recipe

1. Start by chopping the vegetables. Bigger is better in my opinion.
2. Then, in a medium bowl, gently mash the avocado with a fork or potato masher, but don’t smash too much. The best guacamole is chunky guacamole!
3. Mix the chopped onion, chopped cilantro, and chopped tomatoes together with the salt. This is called pico, and is an excellent topping for tacos, pulled pork, and enchiladas!
4. Finally, mash the avocados together with the chopped vegetables. Taste test your guacamole and adjust seasonings as needed.
5. Serve immediately and enjoy the fresh flavor of this homemade guacamole recipe!

Recipe Tips

• Guacamole is really best when it’s served fresh. If you must store leftover guacamole, it might help to add lime juice or lemon juice to keep your guac from turning brown. Simply squeeze the extra lime juice or lemon juice on top of the guacamole, and then cover with plastic wrap (laying plastic wrap directly on top of the guac, and pressing out any air bubbles.) Store guacamole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for one to three days.
• This is a basic guacamole recipe that is so easy to adjust to your preferences. You can omit or add to this simple guacamole recipe and it will still be delicious!

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Simple Guacamole Recipe

The entire guacamole recipe is 8 Blue Containers and 1 Green Container.

Per serving, this simple guacamole is 1.25 Blue Containers and less than 1/4 of a Green Container.

Weight Watchers Simple Guacamole Recipe

5 2023 Plan Points

Looking for recipes to go with this simple guacamole recipe?

• Steak Fajita Bowl
• Healthy Carne Asada Enchiladas
• Crockpot Chicken Fajitas
• Easy Carnitas Taco Recipe
• Healthy Veggie Quesadillas

Print

Simple Guacamole Recipe

This easy guacamole recipe is so delicious and the perfect dip for tortilla chips!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Easy Guacamole

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 211kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Cutting Board
• Kitchen Knife
• Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

• 2-3 ripe avocados
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1/2 onion
• 1 tomato
• pinch of salt

Instructions

• Chop the veggies. Bigger is better in my opinion. 1 bunch cilantro 1/2 onion 1 tomato
• Smash the avocado with a fork, but don't smash too much. The best guacamole is chunky guacamole! 2-3 ripe avocados
• Mix your veggies together and add a pinch of salt. This is called pico, and is an excellent topping for tacos, pulled pork, and enchiladas! pinch of salt
• Mix in your avocados, then dip and enjoy.

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Easy Guacamole Recipe

The entire easy guacamole recipe is 8 Blue Containers and 1 Green Container.

Per serving, this easy guacamole recipe is 1.25 Blue Containers and less than 1/4 of a Green Container.

Weight Watchers Easy Guacamole Recipe

Per serving: 5 2023 Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.9g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 19.6g | Saturated Fat: 4.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 7.1g | Sugar: 1.2g | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 0.2mg

The post Simple Guacamole Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Carne asada technically means “grilled meat”. Typically it’s made with flank or skirt steak, but it can be made with any steak as long as it’s sliced thin. We use a homemade marinade that adds the best flavor to this healthy beef enchiladas recipe!

My family loves when I make these healthy enchiladas because they can choose their favorite toppings to customize it just the way they want.

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we like to write our recipes simply enough so that any level cook can recreate them. Whether you are new to the kitchen or are a seasoned chef, we want you to feel confident when you are cooking our recipes.

In this article you will find information about the ingredients that are used, as well as detailed cooking instructions. Then a little farther down you will see recipe tips and healthy eating plan calculations. If you want to skip past all that, simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find our printable recipe card for these homemade beef enchiladas.

Ingredients to make simple beef enchiladas

• Corn tortillas: I prefer to use corn, but you can flour tortillas if you’d like.
• Skirt steak: my family loves to make steak enchiladas using skirt or flank steak, but this recipe is so versatile you can use a variety of meats like ground beef, shredded beef, or chicken breast.
• Cheese: I like to use a Mexican blend cheese for this enchilada recipe, but you can use any type of melty cheese you prefer. Spicy pepper jack cheese would give it a little bit of a kick, or queso fresco would help to create a creamy sauce.
• Enchilada sauce: I like making my own homemade red sauce, but store bought red or green enchilada sauce would work too. Just be sure to adjust the calculations if you follow a healthy eating plan.

Ingredients to make the carne asada marinade

• White vinegar
• Coconut aminos: you can also use low sodium soy sauce or Tamari if that’s what you have.
• Lime juice: fresh lime juice really helps make this carne asada taste authentic.
• Olive oil: avocado oil would work well too.
• Orange: fresh orange juice is highly acidic, which is great for tenderizing the steak
• Garlic powder
• Chili powder
• Oregano
• Cumin
• Onion Powder

Ingredients to make healthy red enchilada sauce

Our healthy blender enchilada sauce is super easy to make and the flavor is so much more complex than the store bought variety. 

• Dried red chili pods: you can find dried chili peppers in the Mexican aisle at your grocery store or on Amazon.
• Water
• White vinegar
• Oregano
• All spice
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder

How to make the carne asada recipe

You can find more details on how I make the carne asada here.

1. First thinly slice the steak.
2. Next combine all the marinade ingredients in a large zippered bag or container with lid.
3. Then add the diced steak to the container and mix to ensure it is completely covered by the marinade.
4. Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
5. Coat a large skillet with olive oil or avocado oil and heat on medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, scoop the meat into the skillet and dispose of the marinade.
6. Cook the meat until the desired doneness (a minimum internal temperature of at least 145°F. (approx. 5-8 minutes)
7. Remove the carne asada from the heat and set aside until you’re ready to assemble your enchiladas.

How to make the enchilada sauce

For more information on how to make the enchilada sauce you can read this post.

1. Add all of the enchilada sauce ingredients into a large sauce pan.
2. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the temperature to medium heat and allow the chili pods to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the pods are soft.
3. Allow the chili pods to cool then dump all the contents of the sauce pan into a blender. Blend until the sauce is smooth.
4. Use the sauce immediately or store in the refrigerator/freezer until ready to use. The sauce will last for 5-7 day in the fridge and up to a month in the freezer.

How to make healthy carne asada enchiladas

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F.
2. Lightly grease the bottom of a casserole dish or baking dish.
3. Cover the bottom of the pan with 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce.
4. Next, roll the enchiladas–placing some cheese and your carne asada meat in the center of a corn tortilla. I used 3/4 cup carne asada for every two enchiladas, and 1/3 cup cheese for four enchiladas (it’s 1 tablespoon of cheese for each enchilada). 
5. Fold the side over and place the enchilada seam side down in the pan. Continue until your pan is full.
6. Spread the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, and then top with the remaining cheese.
7. Bake the enchiladas for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and kind of crispy. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Recipe tips

• This recipe is a great meal prep freezer meal.
• Meal prep enchilada sauce: I love making the red sauce ahead of time and freezing it in 1/4 or 1/2 cup portions for quicker thawing.
• Meal prep marinade: I like to make this marinade and freeze it, for future use, with sliced or diced steak. That way when it’s thawing it’s also marinading. The marinated steak is also delicious in carne asada tacos or burritos.
• Meal prep carne enchilada: I do prefer the enchiladas fresh but they can definitely be frozen! I’d recommend defrosting on the counter for a bit and then reheating at 350º for 30 minutes, and checking for them to be done often after that. 
• Leftover sauce is perfect to top tacos, mix with shredded meat to make red chili, or it can be used to make other southwest dishes.
• Some of our favorite toppings are fresh cilantro, sour cream, green onions, pico de gallo, sliced jalapeno peppers, and guacamole.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix: 

To make the enchiladas the proper fix portions, use the red and blue container to measure out the meat and cheese before filling the enchiladas. Use 1 red container of meat to make 2 enchiladas, and 1 blue container to stuff 4 enchiladas.

2 enchiladas counts as 1 yellow container, 1 red container, and 1 blue container. If you choose to count the homemade sauce, add another 1/2 yellow container. If you need extra 21 Day Fix containers, you can find them here.

Note about the enchilada sauce: I’d personally count a 1/2 yellow container per 1/2 cup serving for the sauce, but peppers are technically free. The carbs are high with these though, so I feel better counting it. It’s completely up to you. 

Weight Watchers:

My recipes fit well within healthy eating plans like this because they’re full of unprocessed foods and don’t contain extra fats and oils. 

My Weight Watchers Enchilada post details the ingredient changes I made, along with the smartpoint values. 

Note about the sauce: Technically it’s a zero point food because peppers aren’t usually counted–but like I mentioned for the 21 Day Fix, this recipe has carbs because there are so many peppers. Count it as you see fit.

More healthy Mexican recipes

• Vegetarian Mexican Casserole
• Spicy Mexican Meatloaf
• Slow Cooker Carnitas
• Healthy Chicken Enchiladas Verdes
• Instant Pot Spaghetti Squash Taco Bowls

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Healthy Carne Asada Enchiladas

These Healthy Carne Asada Enchiladas are a delicious meal that your whole family will love!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword beef, Enchiladas, healthy, skinny

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 446kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board
• Baking Dish

Ingredients

• 12 corn tortillas
• 1 lb. carne asada
• 2 cups cheese shredded
• 1 cup enchilada sauce *see post for homemade recipe

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

To make the carne asada

• First thinly slice the steak.
• Next combine all the marinade ingredients in a large zippered bag or container with lid.
• Then add the diced steak to the container and mix to ensure it is completely covered by the marinade.
• Place in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
• Coat a large skillet with olive oil or avocado oil and heat on medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, scoop the meat into the skillet and dispose of the marinade.
• Cook the meat until the desired doneness (a minimum internal temperature of at least 145°F. (approx. 5-8 minutes)
• Remove the carne asada from the heat and set aside until you're ready to assemble your enchiladas.

To make the enchilada sauce

• Add all of the enchilada sauce ingredients into a large sauce pan.
• Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat. Then reduce the temperature to medium heat and allow the chili pods to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the pods are soft.
• Allow the chili pods to cool then dump all the contents of the sauce pan into a blender. Blend until the sauce is smooth.
• Use the sauce immediately or store in the refrigerator/freezer until ready to use. The sauce will last for 5-7 day in the fridge and up to a month in the freezer.

To make enchiladas:

• Preheat the oven to 350º F.
• Lightly grease the bottom of a casserole dish.
• Cover the bottom of the dish with 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce. 1 cup enchilada sauce
• Next, roll the enchiladas–placing some cheese and meat in the center of a corn tortilla.  12 corn tortillas, 1 lb. carne asada, 2 cups cheese
• Fold the side over and place the enchilada seam side down in the pan. Continue until your pan is full.
• Spread the remaining 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese.
• Bake the enchiladas for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and kind of crispy. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Video

Notes

Note: To make the enchiladas the proper fix portions use the red and blue container to measure out the meat and cheese before filling the enchiladas. Use 1 red container of meat to make 2 enchiladas, and 1 blue container to stuff 4 enchiladas.

21 Day Fix Container Counts: For 2 enchiladas, 1 Yellow, 1 Red, 1 Blue. If you choose to count the homemade sauce, add 1/2 Yellow. 

Nutrition

Calories: 446kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 376mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 249mg | Iron: 2.5mg

The post Healthy Carne Asada Enchiladas appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

The combination of almond milk and coconut milk gives you the thickness of cream without the overpowering coconut flavor that most healthy homemade coffee creamer recipes have. I often freeze mine in single servings so I can easily make iced coffee–you can thaw each serving to use in hot coffee, as well. 

Adding this homemade (and healthy!) creamy almond milk creamer to my daily routine has been exactly what I needed to break my store bought coffee creamer habit.

Where’s is the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life, we make our recipes easy for everyone to follow. In the article below you’ll find lots of information including recipe tips and ingredient substitutions.

If you’d like to skip past that and jump to the recipe, simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find the easy to follow Mocha Almond Milk Creamer recipe.

Ingredients in Homemade Mocha Creamer

These delicious and dairy-free ingredients are super easy to find in your local grocery store:

• Coconut Milk: Be sure to grab a can (not a box or carton) of full fat coconut milk to ensure you get the true cream consistency you want.
• Unsweetened Almond Milk: You can find this in your grocery store’s refrigerator section right next to the regular milk. Be sure and grab the unsweetened variety. You can use unsweetened chocolate almond milk if you’d like.
• Coconut Crystals: Much like maple syrup comes from the sap of a maple tree, coconut sugar come from coconut tree sap, not the actual coconut. Coconut crystals are minimally processed, vegan, and studies show they have a lower glycemic index than traditional sugar. You can typically find this near the regular sugar.
• Cocoa Powder: A great way to get that chocolate taste without extra sugars. Be sure you’re using real cocoa powder and not chocolate syrup or a powdered hot cocoa mix.
• Vanilla Extract: Be sure and check the bottle label for pure vanilla.

How to make this Mocha Coffee Creamer with Almond Milk

1. Add canned coconut milk, almond milk, cocoa powder, coconut crystals, and vanilla to a small saucepan.
2. Whisk over low heat until cocoa powder and coconut crystals dissolve completely.
3. Turn off the burner and remove the pan from the heat. Allow your creamer to cool naturally for 20 minutes, then transfer it to an airtight container bottle and refrigerating.
4. Refrigerate for 5-7 days or freeze up to 3 months. 

Recipe Tips

• Homemade creamers are often not quite as creamy as store bought creamers. That’s why we are adding canned coconut milk to this recipe. It’s how we get the thicker and creamier consistency.
• Missing your store bought peppermint mocha almond creamer? Add a drop or two of peppermint oil or peppermint extract to add a “kiss of peppermint” to your coffee.
• The basic recipe is coconut milk, almond milk, and coconut crystals–I encourage you to experiment a bit with your favorite flavors and make a creamer of your own!

Why use a healthy coffee creamer alternative?

Most store bought creamers (even my favorite Silk Mocha Almond Creamer!) are highly processed and contain unsavory ingredients. While almond milk creamers are healthier and dairy free, they still have extra ingredients (including preservatives) in them.

I love making this homemade creamer because it’s super easy and I know exactly what I am putting in my body. I’ve done plenty of research on buying a healthy coffee creamer you can get at the store, but still prefer making my own. 

Why freeze coffee creamer?

As easy as this recipe is, making your own coffee creamer is a time commitment. I don’t want even small amounts to go to waste, so make these into coffee creamer ice cubes. Another perk of frozen creamer cubes is that they’re perfect for iced coffee, which is pretty important down here in Arizona.

Healthy Eating Plans

Over the years, I’ve seen that many coffee drinkers struggle losing weight because of the ratio of coffee to store bought creamer that they use. Many store bought creamers contain artificial sweeteners, which can cause weight gain stall as well as cause sugar cravings. Using a minimally processed creamer with whole foods ingredients can help you keep the weight off and not derail your progress every morning.

One of the things that isn’t usually encouraged on weight loss plans are coffee drinks. This idea of frozen creamer cubes helps you enjoy an iced coffee or frozen blended drink with ease. It’s a fun way to have a guilt-free indulgence when you’re paying attention to ingredients and being mindful of what you’re consuming.

The 21 Day Fix, for example, doesn’t promote adding anything except homemade coffee creamer into your morning brew. This recipe fits into the Fix food list pretty perfectly uses minimal containers. If skipping the coffee creamer isn’t for you, I definitely think this is a delicious option.

Weight Watchers Coffee Creamer: Each 2 tablespoon serving of this recipe contains 3 2023 Points | 2 Blue Plan Points | 2 Green Plan Points | 2 Purple Plan Points

21 Day Fix Coffee Creamer: For the entire recipe: 5 Blue Containers, 1/3 Teaspoon.

Per Serving (2 tbsp): 1/4 Blue Container, Trace Teaspoons (I do not count the teaspoons).

2B Mindset: This is an “Accessory” on 2B Mindset.

More delicious recipes:

• Healthy Pumpkin Cold Brew
• Easy Southwest Breakfast Casserole
• Healthy Vanilla Coffee Creamer
• No Bake Mocha Coconut Bar Recipe
• Fudgy Espresso Brownies
• Mocha Wonder Whip
• Dairy free Coffee Ice Cream

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Mocha Coffee Creamer with Almond Milk

This Mocha Coffee Creamer with Almond Milk is the perfect creamy, dairy free creamer with just the right amount of sweetness. This recipe makes healthy homemade coffee creamer using a mix of coconut milk and almond milk.

Course staples

Cuisine American

Keyword coffee creamer

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 12 minutes minutes

Servings 17 servings

Calories 60kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Le Creuset Cast Iron Pot
• Whisk
• Egg Bite Molds

Ingredients

• 1 can coconut milk full fat, unsweetened
• 3 tbsp almond milk unsweetened, chocolate if you'd like
• 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp coconut crystals
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add coconut milk, almond milk, cocoa powder, coconut crystals, and vanilla to a small saucepan. 1 can coconut milk 3 tbsp almond milk 2 tsp cocoa powder 2 tbsp coconut crystals 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Whisk over low heat until cocoa powder and coconut crystals dissolve completely.
• Turn off the burner and remove the pan from the heat. Allow your creamer to cool naturally for 20 minutes, then transfer it to an air tight glass jar or bottle and refrigerating. This recipe can also be frozen in egg bite molds or ice cube trays, as well.
• Refrigerate for 5-7 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbsp | Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Mocha Coffee Creamer with Almond Milk appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

Drinking your coffee black is often thought to be the best for our health, but it’s not the most appealing flavor to most drinkers. Flavored store bought coffee creamers are full of sugar, artificial ingredients, and trans fats. This is an easy and healthy dairy free coffee creamer that will change the way you drink coffee.

Many almond milk, oat milk, and soy creamers, while lactose free and plant based, are still lacking in nutrition and flavor. I’ve been on a mission to to create a plant based coffee creamer that has all the flavor of store-bought creamers, but with clean ingredients. I think this Vanilla Almond Milk Creamer fits the bill. 

Where is the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life, we like to make our recipes easy for everyone to follow. In the article below you’ll find lots of information about the ingredients needed for this recipe as well as recipe tips and ingredient substitutions.

If you’d like to skip past all of that extra information and jump to the recipe, simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find easy to follow directions for How to Make Healthy Coffee Creamer.

Ingredients in this dairy free creamer

• Coconut Milk: You’ll want the canned coconut milk. Be sure it is unsweetened and full-fat coconut milk for that creamy taste you love. Using another non-dairy milk instead of the canned coconut milk will result in thinner more “watered down” creamer.
• Unsweetened Almond Milk: I like to use unsweetened vanilla in this recipe, but plain works just as well. You could also use another non-dairy milk of your choice.
• Coconut Crystals: Also called coconut palm sugar or coconut sugar. Studies show that coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index than cane sugar, which means it causes a slightly lower rise in blood sugar. I’ve found that this is a 1:1 swap for brown sugar so if you can’t find coconut sugar, brown sugar will give you the same result (but with different nutritional values).
• Vanilla Extract: Be sure and pick up pure vanilla extract, not bakers vanilla or imitation vanilla, for the best vanilla flavor. You could also use almond extract or another flavor if you’d like–experiment and have fun with different flavors!

How to make Healthy Coffee Creamer

This recipe should take about 10 minutes to mix ingredients and heat, and about an hour in the fridge to chill.

1. Add canned coconut milk, almond milk, coconut crystals, and vanilla to a small saucepan.
2. Whisk ingredients together over low heat until the crystals melt and incorporate completely.
3. Turn off the burner and remove the pan from the heat. Allow your creamer to cool naturally for 20 minutes so it cools closer to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container or glass jar and refrigerate.
4. This keeps in the fridge for 5-7 days. You can also freeze it.

Recipe Tips and Common Questions:

• This creamer works great in iced coffee as well. I like to make ice cubes out of the creamer, and then pour brewed ice coffee or cold brew right over them.
• Definitely add flavors that appeal to you and experiment with this recipe! Your base recipe is coconut milk, almond milk, and coconut sugar. You’re welcome to swap the vanilla out for other flavors that you like.
• Looking for chocolate creamer? Try this recipe for Mocha Coffee Creamer :)
• Making your own homemade coffee creamer will take some getting used to as it doesn’t last as long as store bought. I love freezing my creamer small containers so I can use a little bit at a time.
• If you feel like the oil in traditional coffee creamer is something you’re missing, try adding a tablespoon of coconut oil or mct oil to the creamer. Just stir or shake well before use.
• If you prefer an unsweetened creamer, skip the coconut crystals in this recipe.
• If you’re looking for other flavors, I recommend adding one of these options in place of the vanilla extract:
  • cocoa powder
  • pumpkin pie spice
  • hazelnut flavors
  • coconut flavor
• I’ve added maple syrup in place of the coconut crystals and love that flavor. This is an easy recipe to experiment with!

Healthy Eating Plans

This is a perfect 21 Day Fix, 2B Mindset or Weight Watchers coffee creamer. This healthy homemade coffee creamer recipe makes 17 servings that are about 2 tablespoons each.

Weight Watchers: 3 Blue Plan Points | 3 Green Plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points | 3 Points on the 2023 Plan.

21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix: For the entire recipe: 5 Blue Containers, 1/3 Teaspoon. Per 2 Tablespoon Serving: 1/2 Blue Container and trace teaspoons (I do not count them).

2B Mindset: This would be an “Accessory” on 2B Mindset

More healthy breakfast recipes

• Whole Wheat Banana Bread
• Zucchini Bread Oatmeal
• Pumpkin Cold Brew
• Pumpkin Overnight Oats
• Chia Pudding
• Starbucks Egg Bites

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How to Make Healthy Coffee Creamer | Vanilla Coffee Creamer Recipe

Wondering how to make healthy coffee creamer? This Vanilla Creamer is full of good things–it's plant based, vegan, dairy free, no refined sugar, and so easy to make!

Course staples

Cuisine American

Keyword coffee creamer

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 17

Calories 61kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Le Creuset Cast Iron Pot
• Glass Milk Bottles

Ingredients

• 1 can coconut milk full fat, unsweetened
• 3 tbsp almond milk unsweetened
• 2 tbsp coconut crystals also called coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Add coconut milk, almond milk, coconut crystals, and vanilla extract to a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. 1 can coconut milk 3 tbsp almond milk 2 tbsp coconut crystals 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• Heat on low, stirring continuously until crystals incorporate with the rest of the ingredients.
• Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 20 minutes before storing in the fridge.
• Keep in fridge for 5-7 days, or freeze.

Notes

 

Healthy Eating Plans:

This is a perfect 21 Day Fix, 2B Mindset or Weight Watchers coffee creamer. This healthy homemade coffee creamer recipe makes 17 servings that are about 2 tablespoons each.

Weight Watchers: 3 Blue Plan Points | 3 Green Plan Points | 3 Purple Plan Points | 3 2023 Points per serving.

21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix: For the entire recipe: 5 Blue Containers, 1/3 Teaspoon. Per 2 Tablespoon Serving: 1/2 Blue Container and trace teaspoons (I do not count them).

2B Mindset: This would be an “Accessory” on 2B Mindset.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tbsp | Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg

The post How to Make Healthy Coffee Creamer appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

The great thing about making this spicy cauliflower mac and cheese with chicken is that it’s got a boost of protein, which is perfect for any healthy eating plan. I love that it’s a full meal in one pot when using the Instant Pot, but it can also be made on the stovetop or in a Crockpot.

The heat level for this recipe is a solid 2.5/5–it’s medium heat, not too spicy. It’s a delicious Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe that the entire family can eat. If your kids like spicy foods, you could definitely increase the amount of hot sauce in this recipe.

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life, we write recipes that anyone can follow, whether you’re new in the kitchen or have been cooking for a bit! In the post below, you’ll find ingredient information and details cooking instructions, along with recipe tips and healthy eating plan information for diets like WW, the 21 Day Fix, and 2B Mindset.

If you’re just looking for the recipe, head straight down to the bottom where you’ll see the ingredient measurements and cooking instructions (three different ways!) for this Buffalo Cauliflower Creamy Macaroni and Cheese recipe!

Ingredients in Buffalo Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

• Olive Oil: I always aim for coconut, avocado, or olive oil. I try to stay away from highly processed oils like vegetable.
• Chicken Breast: Cut into small bite sized pieces for the Instant Pot and Stovetop versions, but left whole if you’re using the Crock Pot.
• Spices: A hint of ranch seasoning spices to complement your hot sauce and creamy base–you’re essentially making your own buffalo wings sauce.
• Cauliflower: I use a full head for this recipe, and it cooks so fast–cauliflower rice can be used, but it tends to come out a little mushy. I love the extra texture you get with full cauliflower florets.
• Hot sauce: Simple hot sauce, like Frank’s. Not buffalo sauce, as it has many more processed ingredients and oils. Regular hot sauce plus the spices in this recipe will still give you a buffalo style cheese sauce that’s delicious!
• Cottage cheese: Hear me out on this–blending together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt will give you a protein packed and creamy buffalo cheddar cheese sauce for this recipe! Much healthier than heavy cream that’s typically called for in a recipe like this.
• Greek yogurt
• Cheddar Cheese
• Brown Rice Flour: This is used as a thickener, and can be substituted with other thickeners you may have in your pantry. Whole wheat or all purpose flour work!

How to make Buffalo Mac and Cheese in the Instant Pot

1. Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the oil and allow it to heat up. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is browned.
2. Add garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dill, and parsley to the pot. Mix up the chicken so that the seasoning is evenly distributed.
3. Add the cauliflower to the Instant Pot and cover with the hot sauce. The hot sauce acts as your liquid for this recipe. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing.
4. Cook the chicken and cauliflower on high pressure using the manual setting for 1 minute. Let the pressure release naturally for 3-5 minutes before manually releasing it. This means that after the pot is done cooking, allow it to sit without touching it for 3-5 minutes. The contents will still be cooking. After that time, move the Sealing valve to the Vent position and allow the steam to come out. *See recipe tips section if you’re nervous about overcooking the cauliflower.
5. In a high speed blender, mix together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to create a creamy sauce. I know it’s difficult for some to trust the Greek yogurt/cottage cheese blend–trust me. The blending will remove the chunks from the cottage cheese and take that tangy taste out of the yogurt.
6. Blend the sauce until smooth, then pour the sauce over the chicken and cauliflower. Add the cheese and brown rice flour. Carefully fold the sauce and cheese in so that the cauliflower holds its shape.
7. Garnish and serve while still warm, or pack up for lunch through the week.

Note: For this buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese to work you must cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces and brown the chicken. If you skip this step the chicken will not have enough time to cook. Plus, it keeps the chicken from cooking in a solid lump.

How to make Buffalo Mac and Cheese on the stove

1. Heat a large skillet on the stove and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, sauté the chicken until it is browned.
2. Add the seasonings, hot sauce, and cauliflower to the skillet. Mix it up so the cauliflower is covered in hot sauce. Cover the skillet and reduce heat to medium low heat.
3. Allow the cauliflower and chicken to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cauliflower is tender.
4. Blend together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to make a cream sauce. Remove the cauliflower and chicken from the heat when it’s cooked.
5. Stir the sauce, cheddar cheese, and brown rice flour into the skillet until the cheese melts. Garnish and serve.

How to make this in the Crock Pot

*Do not cube the chicken before cooking in the slow cooker.*

1. Add the whole chicken breast, cauliflower, seasoning, and hot sauce to the slower cooker.
2. Cover and let cook for 2 1/2 to 4 hours on low heat or until the chicken is done.
3. Remove the chicken, chop it into cubes, then add it back into the slow cooker.
4. Blend together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to make a cream sauce. Add the cream sauce, cheddar cheese, and brown rice flour to the chicken and cauliflower and mix until the cheese is melted. Garnish and serve.

Recipe Tips and FAQs

1. Can I make this with fresh riced cauliflower? Yes! You’ll want to quick release the pot. Just know it won’t have the same macaroni and cheese texture that the whole cauliflower florets have–it will taste a bit mushy.
2. Can I use pasta instead of cauliflower? You can, but I recommend a few changes. First, use larger chunks of chicken so they don’t become overcooked. Also, look to the back of the pasta box for your cooking time–you’ll want to cook it for half the lowest amount of time as listed on the back of the box.

• Optional garnish and toppings: diced green onion, breadcrumb topping, cayenne pepper sauce (like Frank’s original sauce – not Frank’s buffalo sauce, as it contains a ton of processed ingredients), blue cheese crumbles.
• If you’re nervous about overcooking the cauliflower, manually release the pot after 2 minutes. If the cauliflower isn’t cooked yet, close the pot back up and allow it to sit for a couple more minutes before checking it again.
• If adding a breadcrumb topping, I highly recommend adding the recipe to a baking dish and putting it under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp it all up.

Healthy Eating Plans

Portion Fix/21 Day Fix: This recipe serves: 4. The approximate serving size is 1 3/4 cup (1 cup vegetables and 3/4 cup protein), but I always recommend separating out your recipe into 4 equal sized servings for the most accurate counts.

• Container Counts for the entire recipe: 6 red containers, 4 green containers, 1tsp (it’s so little that I don’t add this to my final counts), 4 blue containers, 2 tablespoons brown rice flour. The brown rice flour is not on the food list, but based on the ingredients and nutrition information, counts as 1 yellow container for 1/4 cup. 2 tablespoons equals 1/2 yellow container. Over four servings, I think this is so little that I don’t count it.
• Container counts per serving: 1 1/2 red containers, 1 green container, 1 blue container.

2B Mindset:

This is a great dinner option for the 2B Mindset nutrition plan because it’s got lean protein and veggies. If you’re eating this for lunch, pair it with an FFC.

Weight Watchers:

Using fat free cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, the counts for this recipe are 6 Blue Points | 8 Green Points | 6 Purple Points

The points for the 2023 Plan is 2 when using fat free cottage cheese, fat free Greek yogurt, and fat free shredded cheese.

Trim Healthy Mama:

This is an S recipe when you use one of the following instead of the brown rice flour: Xanthum Gum, Glucomannan Powder, or oat fiber.

More delicious Instant Pot recipes

• Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Bites
• Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
• Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers
• Healthy Veggie Quesadillas

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Buffalo Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Recipe

This healthy buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese is made with cauliflower and chicken, and it's a healthy weeknight meal! This spicy cauliflower mac and cheese with chicken can be made in the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stove top. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword 21 Day Fix, 2B Mindset, buffalo chicken, Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese, healthy, mac and cheese

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 306kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Crockpot
• Sealing Rings

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dill dried
• 1/2 tsp parsley dried
• 1 head cauliflower cut into bite sized pieces
• 3/4 cup hot sauce Frank's ORIGINAL, not Buffalo
• 3/4 cup cottage cheese
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt plain, 2%
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
• 2 tbsp brown rice flour or whole wheat flour

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

• Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté. Add the oil and allow it to heat up. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and sauté until the chicken is browned. 1 tsp olive oil, 1 lb chicken breast
• Add garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, dill, and parsley to the pot. Mix up the chicken so that the seasoning is evenly distributed. 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp dill, 1/2 tsp parsley
• Add the cauliflower to the Instant Pot and cover with the hot sauce. The hot sauce acts as your liquid for this recipe. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. 1 head cauliflower , 3/4 cup hot sauce
• Cook the chicken and cauliflower on high pressure using the manual setting for 1 minute. Let the pressure release naturally for 3-5 minutes before manually releasing it. *See recipe tips section if you're nervous about overcooking the cauliflower.
• In a high speed blender, mix together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to create a creamy sauce. I know it's difficult for some to trust the Greek yogurt/cottage cheese blend–trust me. The blending will remove the chunks from the cottage cheese and take that tangy taste out of the yogurt. 3/4 cup cottage cheese, 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• Blend the sauce until smooth, then pour the sauce over the chicken and cauliflower. Add the cheese and brown rice flour. Carefully fold the sauce and cheese in so that the cauliflower holds its shape. 1 cup cheddar cheese, 2 tbsp brown rice flour
• Garnish and serve while still warm, or pack up for lunch throughout the week.
• Note: For this buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese to work you must cut the chicken into small bite sized pieces and brown the chicken. If you skip this step the chicken will not have enough time to cook. Plus, it keeps the chicken from cooking in a solid lump.

Stove Top Instructions

• Heat a large skillet on the stove and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, sauté the chicken until it is browned. 1 tsp olive oil, 1 lb chicken breast
• Add the seasonings, hot sauce, and cauliflower to the skillet. Mix it up so the cauliflower is covered in hot sauce. Cover the skillet and reduce heat to medium low heat. 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp dill, 1/2 tsp parsley, 3/4 cup hot sauce , 1 head cauliflower
• Allow the cauliflower and chicken to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cauliflower is tender.
• Blend together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to make a cream sauce. Remove the cauliflower and chicken from the heat when it's cooked. 3/4 cup cottage cheese, 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• Stir the sauce, cheddar cheese, and brown rice flour into the skillet until the cheese melts. Garnish and serve. 1 cup cheddar cheese, 2 tbsp brown rice flour

Slow Cooker Instructions

• * Do not cube the chicken before cooking in the slow cooker.
• Add the whole chicken breast, cauliflower, seasoning, and hot sauce to the slower cooker. 1 lb chicken breast , 1 head cauliflower , 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp dill, 1/2 tsp parsley, 3/4 cup hot sauce
• Cover and let cook for 2 1/2 to 4 hours on low heat or until the chicken is done.
• Remove the chicken, chop it into cubes, then add it back into the slow cooker.
• Blend together the cottage cheese and Greek yogurt to make a cream sauce. Add the cream sauce, cheddar cheese, and brown rice flour to the chicken and cauliflower and mix until the cheese is melted. Garnish and serve. 3/4 cup cottage cheese, 3/4 cup Greek yogurt

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips

• Optional garnish and toppings: diced green onion, breadcrumb topping, cayenne pepper sauce (like Frank’s original sauce – not Frank’s buffalo sauce, as it contains a ton of processed ingredients), blue cheese crumbles.
• If you’re nervous about overcooking the cauliflower, manually release the pot after 2 minutes. If the cauliflower isn’t cooked yet, close the pot back up and allow it to sit for a couple more minutes before checking it again.
• If adding a breadcrumb topping, I highly recommend adding the recipe to a baking dish and putting it under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp it all up.

Healthy Eating Plans

Portion Fix/21 Day Fix: This recipe serves: 4. The approximate serving size is 1 3/4 cup (1 cup vegetables and 3/4 cup protein), but I always recommend separating out your recipe into 4 equal sized servings for the most accurate counts.

• Container Counts for the entire recipe: 6 red containers, 4 green containers, 1tsp (it’s so little that I don’t add this to my final counts), 4 blue containers, 2 tablespoons brown rice flour. The brown rice flour is not on the food list, but based on the ingredients and nutrition information, counts as 1 yellow container for 1/4 cup. 2 tablespoons equals 1/2 yellow container. Over four servings, I think this is so little that I don’t count it.
• Container counts per serving: 1 1/2 red containers, 1 green container, 1 blue container.

2B Mindset:

This is a great dinner option for the 2B Mindset nutrition plan because it’s got lean protein and veggies. If you’re eating this for lunch, pair it with an FFC.

Weight Watchers:

Using lowfat cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, the counts for this recipe are 6 Blue Points | 8 Green Points | 6 Purple Points. 

The points for the new 2022/2023 plan is 2 when using fat free cottage cheese, fat free Greek yogurt, and fat free shredded cheese.

Trim Healthy Mama :

This is an S recipe when you use one of the following instead of the brown rice flour: Xanthum Gum, Glucomannan Powder, or oat fiber.

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 1918mg | Potassium: 928mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 137IU | Vitamin C: 71mg | Calcium: 232mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Buffalo Cauliflower Mac And Cheese appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

When you’re wanting to make a delicious meal, pull it out of the fridge or freezer and heat it up on top of a salad, inside corn tortillas or flour tortillas, or add black beans and rice to make a bowl out of it.

Where’s the recipe?

The recipes here at My Crazy Good Life are written two ways–in the post below, you’ll find detailed cooking instructions that anyone can follow, ingredient and substitution information, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan information for specific diets. Scroll through that information before heading to the printable recipe for the best cooking experience.

If you scroll all the way down to the printable recipe, you’ll find to-the-point instructions along with the information about measurements and ingredients. Whichever method you choose to use, I hope you love this Green Chile Chicken as much as we do!

Ingredients in Green Chili Chicken

• chicken breasts
• green onions
• fresh cilantro
• diced green chiles: We like spicy, but you can also use mild green chiles for less spice. Hatch chiles are our favorite!
• tomatillo salsa Found by the jarred salsa in the Mexican food section of the grocery store.
• Shredded cheese (optional)

How to make Green Chili Chicken in the Instant Pot

This can be made in any electric pressure cooker.

1. Heat oil using the sauté mode in the Instant Pot. When the oil is hot, slightly sauté the green onions and cilantro.
2. Add the chicken to the Instant Pot and brown. Cover with the can of green chilies and tomatillo salsa. No additional liquid is needed for this recipe to come to pressure.
3. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on high pressure using the manual button for 15 minutes.
4. Let the pressure release naturally or do a quick release–whatever you have time for. Natural release is always good for chicken because it helps it stay tender.
5. Remove the lid and shred the chicken right in the pot. You can use a hand mixer for this, two forks, or stick it in the stand mixer to shred. If you’re going to eat this as a dip, you might want to put it in the food processor instead so it breaks into smaller pieces.
6. If you’ve chosen to add cheese to your chicken, add that now and mix it up.. The sauce will thicken a little as it cools.
7. Serve this chicken over a bed of lettuce. Garnish with tomatoes, olives, salsa, and plain Greek yogurt.See more serving ideas below.

How to make this in the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Lightly coat a small baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
3. Add chicken to the dish, and top with tomatillo salsa and green chilies.
4. Top with cheese (optional), diced green onion and cilantro.
5. Bake until chicken is heated through to 165º and cheese is melted, about 40 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
7. Shred chicken with a stand mixer or two forks.

How to make this in the Crockpot

1. Add the chicken to your slower cooker insert.
2. Cover with green chilis, tomatillo salsa, cilantro, and green onions.
3. Cover and let cook on high heat for 3-4 hour or low heat for 5-6 hours.
4. Shred the chicken with two forks or move to a stand mixer to shred. Add the cheese (optional) and mix it until it melts.
5. Serve over a bed of lettuce. Garnish with tomatoes, olives, and plain Greek yogurt.

Things you can make with this chicken recipe:

• Serve on top of tortilla chips
• Serve on top of a fresh salad
• Serve with tortilla chips or raw vegetables as a dip
• Serve baked inside of mini bell peppers
• Make a taco salad with crispy tortilla strips and veggies

Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas:

1. Roll the shredded chicken mixture into flour or corn tortillas and place in a baking dish.
2. Top with shredded cheese and leftover green chilis or green salsa, if you have it!
3. Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes, until enchiladas are warm and cheese is melted.

Green Chili Chicken Tacos:

1. Add green chili chicken to taco shells or tortillas
2. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, and shredded cheese.

Recipe tips

• Tomatillo salsa is similar to salsa verde or green chili salsa, and what is available across the country can vary greatly. Don’t stress too much about what you get, your chicken will be delicious!
• This recipe is a great freezer meal! If you make extra or want to freeze some, add it to an airtight container or freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months.
• If you have pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to use with this recipe, pull it off the bone and heat it on low with the tomatillo salsa and deiced green chilis for about 30 minutes. The chicken will be seasoned and falling apart with flavor.
• Want to use chicken thighs? No problem! The cooking time will be the same for all three cooking methods. Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165º before removing from heat.
• You can use fresh green chilies if you’d like! I typically use about 1/2 cup.
• If you struggle to find the green chiles or tomatillo salsa, go ahead and use green enchilada sauce.

Healthy Eating Plans

Portion Fix / 21 Day Fix:

• Entire recipe: 5 Red containers, 5 Green containers, 3 Blue Containers. I give you the container counts for the entire recipe so that if you change the ingredients, it’s easier for you to recalculate the containers.
• This recipe makes four servings (depending on how spot on your chicken measurements are), and each serving is about 3/4 cups. Each serving is 1 1/4 red container, 1 1/4 green container, and 3/4 blue container.

Weight Watchers: Each serving of this recipe counts as 0 Points on the 2023 Plan | 4 Blue Plan Points | 7 Green Plan Points | 4 Purple Plan Points when skipping the cheese.

I calculate my recipes based on the exact ingredients that I use, not the nutrition information. WW has said this is the most accurate way to count points.

Trim Healthy Mama:

This is a THM Crossover recipe.

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Healthy Green Chili Chicken

This healthy Green Chili Chicken is perfect for meal prep! Makes enchiladas, tacos, burritos, and salads with just one recipe. Directions for making this recipe in the Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, and right on the stove!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword green chile chicken, green chili chicken

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Total Time 27 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 253kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Crockpot
• Enameled Cast Iron Pan

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breasts or thighs
• 1 can diced green chiles or fresh
• 2 cups green chili salsa or tomatillo salsa, or green chile salsa
• 4 green onions diced
• 2 tbsp cilantro chopped
• 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken:

• Heat oil using the sauté mode in the Instant Pot. When the oil is hot, slightly sauté the green onions and cilantro.
• Add the chicken to the Instant Pot and brown. Cover with the can of green chilies and tomatillo salsa. 1 lb chicken breasts, 1 can diced green chiles, 2 cups green chili salsa
• Cook on high pressure using the manual button for 15 minutes.
• Let the pressure release naturally or do a quick release–whatever you have time for. Natural release is always good for chicken because it helps it stay tender.
• Remove the lid and shred the chicken right in the pot. You can use a hand mixer for this, two forks, or stick it in the stand mixer to shred. If you're going to eat this as a dip, you might want to put it in the food processor instead so it breaks into smaller pieces.
• If you've chosen to add cheese to your chicken, add that now and mix it up.. The sauce will thicken a little as it cools. 1 cup cheddar cheese, 4 green onions, 2 tbsp cilantro
• Serve as is, or refer to the full blog post for several serving ideas.

Oven Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Lightly coat a small baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
• Add chicken to the dish, and top with tomatillo salsa and green chilies. 1 lb chicken breasts, 2 cups green chili salsa, 1 can diced green chiles,
• Top with cheese (optional), diced green onion and cilantro. 1 cup cheddar cheese, 4 green onions, 2 tbsp cilantro
• Bake until chicken is heated through to 165º and cheese is melted, about 40 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Shred chicken with a stand mixer or two forks.

Slow Cooker Directions:

• Add the chicken to your slower cooker insert. 1 lb chicken breasts
• Cover with green chilis, tomatillo salsa, cilantro, and green onions. 1 can diced green chiles, 2 cups green chili salsa, 2 tbsp cilantro, 4 green onions
• Cover and let cook on high heat for 3-4 hour or low heat for 5-6 hours.
• Shred the chicken with two forks or move to a stand mixer to shred. Add the cheese (optional) and mix it until it melts. 1 cup cheddar cheese
• Serve as is, or refer to the blog post for serving ideas.

Video

Notes

Recipe tips:

• Tomatillo salsa is similar to salsa verde or green chili salsa, and what is available across the country can vary greatly. Don’t stress too much about what you get, your chicken will be delicious!
• This recipe is a great freezer meal! If you make extra or want to freeze some, add it to an airtight container or freezer bags and freeze for up to 2 months.
• If you have pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to use with this recipe, pull it off the bone and heat it on low with the tomatillo salsa and deiced green chilis for about 30 minutes. The chicken will be seasoned and falling apart with flavor.
• Want to use chicken thighs? No problem! The cooking time will be the same for all three cooking methods. Make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165º before removing from heat.
• You can use fresh green chilies if you’d like! I typically use about 1/2 cup.
• If you struggle to find the green chiles or tomatillo salsa, go ahead and use green enchilada sauce.

Healthy Eating Plans

Portion Fix/21 Day Fix:

• Entire recipe: 5 Red containers, 5 Green containers, 3 Blue Containers. I give you the container counts for the entire recipe so that if you change the ingredients, it’s easier for you to recalculate the containers.
• This recipe makes four servings (depending on how spot on your chicken measurements are), and each serving is about 3/4 cups. Each serving is 1 1/4 red container, 1 1/4 green container, and 3/4 blue container.

Weight Watchers: Each serving of this recipe counts as 0 Points on the 2023 Plan | 4 Blue Plan Points | 7 Green Plan Points | 4 Purple Plan Points when skipping the cheese.

I calculate my recipes based on the exact ingredients that I use, not the nutrition information. WW has said this is the most accurate way to count points.

Trim Healthy Mama:

This is a THM Crossover recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1129mg | Potassium: 895mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1052IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Healthy Green Chili Chicken Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This healthy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese is so easy because it all cooks in the Instant Pot. This Mac and Cheese recipe is easier and healthier than the processed boxes from our youth–no evaporated milk or heavy cream in sight, as you’ll be using Greek yogurt for this protein packed recipe.

Who doesn’t love a creamy, cheesy, warm bowl of macaroni and cheese? This pasta recipe will quickly be become a staple in your house that you can feel great about serving to your entire family.  

Where’s the recipe?

My community has readers from all levels of experience in the kitchen, and I receive a lot of questions about recipes. To better serve all of my readers here at My Crazy Good Life, I am committed to giving you a ton of helpful information in all of my posts.

If you’d like to skip over the information about freezing, swapping ingredients, and diet information, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find this easy to print High Protein Mac and Cheese recipe.

Ingredients in this Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Recipe Tips

• To add some color and veggies, sauté 2 cups of bell peppers for 3-5 minutes and mix back into the dish when you add the Greek yogurt.  
• Like it spicy? Add some green chilies or jalapeños. 
• If using Gluten Free pasta, reduce your cook time to 1 minute in the pressure cooker.
• If your pasta is not as cooked as you like, turn your pot to sauté and let it boil an additional minute or two before draining the water.
• Looking to top your mac and cheese with bread crumbs? Add them after it’s completely finished and either use your Air Fryer Lid or put your entire pot in the oven for a minute of broiling.
• Pasta tends to foam while it cooks, so be aware of that while releasing pressure. Sometimes, the foam wants to escape out of the sealing valve and can make a mess for you to clean up.

Ninja Foodi/Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Directions

This Instant Pot Mac and Cheese can be made in any electric pressure cooker!

1. Melt your butter: Turn your Instant Pot to sauté and melt your butter in the bottom of the pot.
2. Pressure Cook: Add the whole wheat macaroni to the pot and fill with three cups of water. Close and lock the lid, and set to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook (high pressure) and set the cook time for 2 minutes. *this cook time is based on whole wheat elbow pasta. Cooking another type of pasta will impact your results.
3. Quick release: When the cook time is up, quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Quick release means that you move the valve from Sealing to Venting and a loud spray of steam will come out of the valve.
4. Drain the pasta water from your pot, but keep it to set aside. You might want to add it later to make the cheese sauce a little thinner.
5. Add the cheese: Stir in the cheese until evenly mixed.
6. Make it creamy: Gently stir in the Greek yogurt and add salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, slowly add some of the pasta water back to the recipe to thin it out. If you’re adding veggies, do that now.

Stovetop Directions

Making this on the stove is super easy!

1. Boil pasta according to package directions.
2. Once pasta is cooked, drain the water and set it aside to possibly use later.
3. Add macaroni back to the pot and add shredded cheese to the macaroni. Stir well.
4. Gently stir in the Greek yogurt. If your mac and cheese is too thick, slowly add the pasta water to thin it out.

Healthy Eating Plans

Weight Watchers: The WW version of this recipe needs a bit of changes, so you can find those along with the points totals over here.

21 Day Fix: This entire 21 Day Fix mac and cheese counts as 8 Yellow Containers, 8 Blue Containers, 2 Green Containers, 4 teaspoons, and 1/3 Red Containers. I give you the total container amount so it’s easier for you to recalculate containers if you change the recipe.

Per 1/2 cup serving: 1 Yellow Container, 1 Blue Container, ¼ Green Container, and ½ teaspoon, trace Red Containers for the yogurt (I do not count it.) 

If you’re making this without the 2 cups of vegetables, remove the green containers from the counts above.

2B Mindset: This recipe counts as a protein and FFC. Fill your plate with 50% vegetables for a perfect lunch.

Frequently Asked Questions about this recipe

• Can you freeze macaroni and cheese? Yes! I reheat it in the microwave for a few minutes after thawing in the fridge overnight.
• Is this Greek yogurt Mac and Cheese? It is, and I bet you’ll love it. This recipe has won a few friendly mac and cheese contests–right alongside “regular” mac and cheese recipes.
• What’s the best noodle for mac and cheese? I love using elbows because I think they’re easiest to eat, but I’ve used penne and cavatappi as well and they’re delicious.
• How long should I cook pasta in the Instant Pot? I round down the lowest number on the package to an even number and then divide it in half. Then, to account for the time the pot takes to come to pressure, subtract two minutes from that cook time. So, if the package says 7-9 minutes, I round down to 6, then divide it in half. Then I take 3 minutes and subtract two minutes to account for pressure time. One minute cook time = my perfect pasta.

More Healthy Instant Pot Recipes

• Drunken Noodles
• Beef Stroganoff
• Minestrone Soup
• Tuna Casserole
• Bang Bang Shrimp

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Healthy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

This healthy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese with greek yogurt is an easy weeknight meal. It can be made in any electric pressure cooker and is great for those on the 21 Day Fix and Weight Watchers!

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 278kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board

Ingredients

• 4 tsp butter unsalted
• 1 ¾ cup whole wheat pasta (elbow)
• 3 cups water
• 1 ⅓ cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
• 1 ⅓ cup cheddar cheese shredded
• ⅓ cup Greek yogurt plain, 2%
• 2 cups diced and sautéed bell peppers optional

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions:

• Turn your Instant Pot to sauté and melt your butter in the bottom. 4 tsp butter
• Add the whole wheat macaroni to the Instant Pot and fill with 3 cups of water. 1 ¾ cup whole wheat pasta (elbow), 3 cups water
• Close and lock the lid and turn the valve to sealing.  Select Pressure cook and set time for 2 minutes.
• When the cook time is up, quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Drain any remaining water from your noodles, but do not rinse. Keep some of the remaining water and set aside.
• Stir in the cheese and Greek yogurt until evenly mixed. If sauce is too thick, slowly add pasta water until it's perfectly thin and creamy. 1 ⅓ cup Monterey Jack cheese, 1 ⅓ cup cheddar cheese, ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
• If using peppers or other vegetables, add them now. Serve immediately. 2 cups diced and sautéed bell peppers

Stovetop Instructions:

• Boil pasta according to package directions. 1 ¾ cup whole wheat pasta (elbow)
• When pasta is cooked, remove from the stove and drain–keeping some of the liquid aside.
• Add pasta back to the pot and add cheese, stirring until melted. 1 ⅓ cup Monterey Jack cheese, 1 ⅓ cup cheddar cheese
• Slowly stir in the Greek yogurt. If sauce is too thick, slowly add pasta water to the pot until it thins out. ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
• If using peppers or other vegetables, add them now. Serve immediately. 2 cups diced and sautéed bell peppers

Video

Notes

Healthy Eating Plans

Weight Watchers: The WW version of this recipe needs a bit of changes, so you can find those along with the points totals over here.

21 Day Fix: This entire 21 Day Fix mac and cheese counts as 8 Yellow Containers, 8 Blue Containers, 2 Green Containers, 4 teaspoons, and 1/3 Red Containers. I give you the total container amount so it’s easier for you to recalculate containers if you change the recipe.

Per 1/2 cup serving: 1 Yellow Container, 1 Blue Container, ¼ Green Container, and ½ teaspoon, trace Red Containers for the yogurt (I do not count it.) 

If you’re making this without the 2 cups of vegetables, remove the green containers from the counts above.

2B Mindset: This recipe counts as a protein and FFC. Fill your plate with 50% vegetables for a perfect lunch.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 100mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 396IU | Calcium: 300mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Healthy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This Healthy Shepherd’s Pie in keto friendly cheese cups is a family friendly recipe that you can make on the stove or in your Instant Pot. This is healthy comfort food that’s Weight Watchers and 21 Day Fix approved!

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life we like to make our recipes easy for everyone to follow. In this post you’ll find ingredient information, detailed cooking instructions, recipe tips, and healthy eating plan calculations. If you’d like to get straight to the recipe, just scroll down to the bottom where you’ll find the easy to print keto Shepherd’s Pie Bites recipe!

Ingredients

• Ground beef: use lean ground beef or ground turkey to cut down on fat and calories.
• Onion
• Garlic
• Brown rice flour: you can use whole wheat flour if you’re not following a gluten free diet.
• Beef broth: low sodium beef broth.
• Carrots
• Peas: canned or frozen peas.
• Corn kernels
• Coconut aminos: or low sodium tamari or soy sauce. This takes the place of the classic but salty Worcestershire sauce.
• Italian seasoning
• Tomato paste: find a low sodium tomato paste, if you can.

Mashed cauliflower ingredients

• Cauliflower
• Garlic salt: you can use garlic powder if you want to cut down on sodium.
• Pepper

Cheese cup ingredients

• Cheddar cheese

Instant Pot directions

1. Turn your Instant Pot to sauté.
2. Add ground beef, onions, garlic, and Italian seasoning to your pot and, while stirring together, sauté until beef is browned.
3. Mix in the carrots, peas, corn, coconut aminos, and tomato paste to the meat.
4. Turn off the Instant Pot and add the broth.
5. Place a vegetable steaming basket over the meat and fill it with the cauliflower florets.
6. Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using the “manual” or “pressure cook” setting for 4 minutes.
7. After the cook time has ended, release the pressure using a quick release.
8. Turn off the Instant Pot and remove the steaming basket of cauliflower and set aside.
9. Turn the Instant Pot to sauté again and mix in the brown rice flour. Stir the meat filling until the liquid turns to gravy, then turn the Instant Pot off.
10. In a food processor, blend together the cooked cauliflower, garlic salt, and pepper until smooth.

Stove top directions

1. Brown the ground beef, onions, garlic, and Italian seasoning together in a skillet.
2. Mix in the carrots, peas, corn, coconut aminos, and tomato paste to the meat.
3. Add the broth and bring it to a simmer. Stir in the brown rice flour until the broth thickens.
4. When your broth has thickened to gravy, remove from heat and set aside.
5. Fill a pot with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
6. Place a steaming basket of cauliflower into the pot and cover. Let the cauliflower cook for 8-10 minutes until the cauliflower is soft.
7. In a food processor, blend together the cooked cauliflower, garlic salt, and pepper until smooth.

Cheese cup directions

1. Preheat oven to 375º F
2. Cover a baking dish or sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
3. Sprinkle the cheese onto the covered baking sheet into round piles a little bigger than a standard muffin pan.
4. Bake the cheese for 5 minutes, then remove the cheese from the oven and let sit for about 15 seconds until the cheese stops bubbling.
5. Quickly peel the cheese off the baking sheet and place them inside a cupcake pan to cool and harden.
6. When the cheese has cooled, about 10 minutes, they can be easily removed from the cupcake pan.

Assembling your Shepherd’s Pie Bites

Fill your cheese cups with the meat mixture and top with a spoonful of mashed cauliflower. Garnish with green onions and enjoy!

Recipe tips

• You can learn more about soy sauce substitutes, like coconut aminos, here!
• You may want to double the recipe if you’re making this for a party. As written it makes about 12 cups. 
• Some readers have made this dairy free by omitting the cheese cups and using phyllo dough cups instead. This will add carbs so adjust your nutrition and healthy eating calculations accordingly.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe: 2 red containers, 4 green containers, 1 yellow containers, 4 blue containers 

Per serving: 1/2 red container, 1 green container, 1/4 yellow container, 1 blue container

Weight Watchers

Using 95% ground beef, fat free both, and fat free shredded cheese:

Per serving: 2023 points: 3 | 8 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 8 Purple Plan Points

More low carb recipes

• Buffalo Chicken Bites
• Easy Cauliflower Taco Bowl
• Southwest Egg Roll in a Bowl
• Healthy Crack Chicken
• 20 Minute Bacon Egg Bites

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Low Carb Shepherd’s Pie Bites

These mini Shepherd’s Pie bites are perfect for your grazing table! Healthy Shepherd’s Pie in keto cheese cups is a family friendly recipe that you can make on the stove or in your Instant Pot. The cheddar cheese cups are low carb and easy to make. 

Course Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword 21dayfix, healthy, shepherds pie, Weight Watchers

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Resting Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 362kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Food processor
• Instant Pot Trivet

Ingredients

Meat Filling:

• 1/2 lb. ground beef lean, or ground turkey
• 1/2 cup onion chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup carrots chopped
• 1/4 cup peas
• 1/4 cup corn kernels
• 1 tsp coconut aminos or low sodium tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato paste low sodium
• 1/2 cup beef broth low sodium
• 1 tbsp brown rice flour or whole wheat flour

Mashed cauliflower:

• 3 cups cauliflower chopped
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Cheese cups:

• 1 1/3 cups cheddar cheese 1/3 cup can make 3 cheese bowls

Instructions

Cheese cups:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Sprinkle the cheese onto the covered baking sheet into round piles a little bigger than a standard sized muffin tin. 1 1/3 cups cheddar cheese
• Bake the cheese for 5 minutes. Remove the cheese from the oven and let it sit for about 15 seconds until the cheese stops bubbling.
• Quickly peel the cheese off the baking sheet and place them inside a cupcake pan too cool and harden.
• When the cheese has cooled about 10 minutes they can be easily removed from the cupcake pan and filled.

Instant Pot:

• Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode.
• Add ground beef, onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning to your pot and, while stirring together, sauté until beef is browned. 1/2 lb. ground beef, 1/2 cup onion, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• Mix in the carrots, peas, corn, coconut aminos, and tomato paste to the meat. 1/2 cup carrots, 1/4 cup peas, 1/4 cup corn , 1 tsp coconut aminos, 1 tbsp tomato paste
• Turn off the Instant Pot and add the broth. 1/2 cup beef broth
• Place a vegetable steaming basket over the meat. Fill the steaming basket with the cauliflower. 3 cups cauliflower
• Close the lid and turn the pressure valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure using "manual" or "pressure cook" for 4 minutes.
• After the cook time has ended, release the pressure using a quick release.
• Turn off the Instant Pot and remove the steaming basket of cauliflower. Set aside.
• Turn the Instant Pot to sauté again and mix in the brown rice flour. Stir the meat filling until the liquid turns to gravy, then turn the Instant Pot off. 1 tbsp brown rice flour
• To make the mashed cauliflower mix the cooked cauliflower, garlic salt, and pepper together in a food processor until smooth. 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
• Spoon the meat filling into the cheese cups and top with a spoonful of mashed cauliflower. Garnish with green onions.

Stove top:

• Brown the ground beef, onions, garlic, and Italian seasoning together in a skillet. 1/2 lb. ground beef, 1/2 cup onion, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• Mix in the carrots, peas, corn, aminos, and tomato paste to the meat. 1/2 cup carrots, 1/4 cup peas, 1/4 cup corn , 1 tsp coconut aminos, 1 tbsp tomato paste
• Add the broth and bring it to a simmer. Stir in the brown rice flour to thicken the broth and make a gravy. Remove from heat and set aside. 1/2 cup beef broth, 1 tbsp brown rice flour
• Fill a pot with 2 cups water and bring it to a boil.
• Place a steaming basket full of cauliflower into the pot and cover. Let the cauliflower cook for 8-10 minutes until the cauliflower is soft. 3 cups cauliflower
• Mix the cauliflower, garlic salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth. 1/2 tsp garlic salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
• Fill the cheese cups with meat filling and top with a spoonful of mashed cauliflower. Garnish with green onions.

Video

Notes

21 Day Fix

Entire recipe: 2 red containers, 4 green containers, 1 yellow containers, 4 blue containers 

Per serving: 1/2 red container, 1 green container, 1/4 yellow container, 1 blue container

Weight Watchers

Using extra lean ground beef and fat free shredded cheese:

Per serving: 2023 points: 3 | 8 Blue Plan Points | 8 Green Plan Points | 8 Purple Plan Points

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 635mg | Potassium: 588mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3181IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 312mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Low Carb Shepherd’s Pie Bites appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This recipe is similar to potato soup–filling and comforting. Instead of potatoes, you’ll keep the carbs down by using radishes. Surprisingly, radishes cook very similar to potatoes and lose that spicy taste they have when cooked!

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life, our recipes are written out the same way for ease of cooking. In this post, you’ll find ingredient information, detailed cooking instructions, and information for Healthy Eating Plans such as 2B Mindset, the 21 Day Fix, and Weight Watchers.

Scroll down to the printable recipe at the bottom of the page for the printable recipe. You’ll find basic cooking instructions there along with nutrition information and links to supplies needed.

Ingredients in Vegetable Chowder

• Avocado or Olive Oil (or vegetable broth if you’re oil-free)
• Onions
• Garlic
• Seasonings
• Radishes As I mentioned above, these surprised me when they cooked just like a potato! You won’t be able to tell it’s a radish when the soup is done!
• Carrots Super hearty and filling!
• Celery I love the crunch this adds
• Yellow Squash You can swap this for zucchini if you’d like.
• Cauliflower I love how this “quietly” adds extra veggies.
• Broccoli
• Vegetable Broth Low sodium, of course!
• Brown Rice Flour This is used to thicken the chowder. You can also use corn starch.
• Greek yogurt 2% unflavored is what I recommend. Add this after the soup cools a bit to prevent curdling.
• Cheddar Cheese Optional!

The great thing about this vegetable chowder is that a lot of the delicious flavors come from all the vegetables. You won’t even miss the meat in this great recipe, it’s packed full of great flavors and those essential nutrients we all need.

Recipe Tips

• Add salt and pepper to taste after you’ve made this.
• Wait until the soup has cooled to add the dairy products, if you’re adding those. If the soup is too hot, they will curdle.
• If you’d rather not use oil, you can use vegetable broth or melt butter in your pot to avoid sticking.
• I’ve never added them, but some readers have mentioned adding black bean to this recipe and it sounds delicious!
• If your vegetables are already cut up, this soup takes about 20 minutes to cook–perfect for a busy winter night!

How to make this Chowder in the Instant Pot

Stovetop Directions

• Heat the avocado oil in a stock pot over high heat on the stove. Saute the onions, garlic, pepper, Italian seasoning, and cayenne pepper until fragrant.
• Add the radishes and carrots to the stock pot. Allow the carrots and radishes to saute for 2-3 minutes, then add the rest of the vegetables to the stock pot.
• Cover the vegetables with the broth and bring it to a boil.
• Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium heat. Allow the soup to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
• Remove the lid and allow the soup to cool for a few minutes, then mix in the Greek yogurt, cheese, and brown rice flour.
• Continue to stir the chowder until the cheese melts and the soup thickens.
• Remove the soup from the heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Crockpot Directions

Making this vegetable chowder in the slow cooker makes it so easy!

• Combine all the ingredients in the crock pot except the Greek yogurt and cheese.
• Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on low heat for 3-4 hours or on high heat for 1-2 hours.
• Remove the lid and allow to cool for a few minutes, then mix in the Greek yogurt and cheese until the cheese is melted. If you add these items while the soup is too hot they’ll curdle.
• Serve and enjoy!

We could eat this creamy vegetable soup recipe year round (thank you Instant Pot for not heating up the whole house) but it’s definitely a great fall and winter soup.

This healthy soup recipe is creamy and delicious, and there are so many options for making this recipe friendly as a vegan or vegetarian soup as well as gluten free!

Healthy Eating Plans

Eating winter soups and stews is perfect for any healthy eating plan because they keep you full! Enjoy this soup–which is similar to cream of vegetable soup–any time of year.

More Healthy Stew and Soup Recipes

• Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Crack Chicken Soup Recipe
• Cream Of Chicken Soup Recipe
• Healthy Cream of Asparagus Soup
• Rotisserie Chicken Soup With Salsa Recipe
• Healthy Cream Of Mushroom Soup

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Hearty Vegetable Chowder Recipe

This hearty vegetable chowder is packed with veggies! It's a creamy vegetable soup similar to potato soup, and can easily be adapted to plant based diets and made to be gluten free and dairy free. This is my favorite winter soup!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword Vegetable Chowder

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 163kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• Instant Pot 6 qt
• Kitchen Knife
• Sealing Rings

Ingredients

• 1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil, or broth
• 1 onion yellow, chopped, about 1 cup
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for spice
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 lb radishes about 1 cup, cut into quarters
• 4 carrots about 2 cups, chopped
• 4 stalks celery about 2 cups
• 1 yellow squash about 1 cup, chopped
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 3 cups vegetable broth low sodium
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour or whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt plain, 2%
• 1 1/3 cup cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Instant Pot:

• Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode. Add the oil to the Instant Pot. When the oil is hot, saute the onions, garlic, Italian seasoning, cayenne pepper, and pepper for about 30 seconds until they are fragrant.
• Add radishes and carrots to the Instant Pot. Saute them for 3-5 minutes.
• Next, mix in the celery, yellow squash, cauliflower, and broccoli. Add the broth then close the lid.
• Cook on high pressure using the “manual” or “pressure cook” setting for 1 minute. Release the pressure by opening the pressure valve for a few seconds and then closing it. Repeat this motion until all the pressure is released. This will prevent the soup from spraying out the top.
• Remove the lid and turn the Instant Pot back to saute mode.
• Stir the brown rice flour into the chowder. Continue to mix the soup for 2-3 minutes until the chowder reaches the desired thickness.
• Turn off the Instant Pot and allow the vegetables chowder to cool for 10 minutes, then mix in the Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese. before serving.

Stove top:

• Heat the oil in a stock pot over high heat on the stove. Saute the onions, garlic, pepper, Italian seasoning, and cayenne pepper until fragrant.
• Add the radishes and carrots to the stock pot. Saute the carrots and radishes for 2-3 minutes then add the rest of the vegetables to the stock pot.
• Cover the vegetables with the broth and bring it to a boil.
• Cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium low heat. Allow the soup to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the carrots and radishes have softened.
• Remove the lid and mix in the brown rice flour.
• Continue to stir the chowder until the cheese melts and the soup thickens.
• Remove the soup from the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then stir in Greek yogurt and cheese before serving.

Slow cooker:

• Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker except the Greek yogurt and cheese.
• Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Cook on low heat for 3-4 hours.
• Allow the soup to cool for 10 minutes before serving, then mix in the Greek yogurt and cheese until the cheese is melted.

Video

Notes

21 Day Fix

Serves 4-6, depending on the size of your vegetables. I counted 6 servings.

Serving size is about 2 cups Per serving (if you get 6 servings): 1 3/4 green containers, negligible red and yellow containers, 2/3 blue container.

Per serving (if you get 4 servings): 2 3/4 green containers, 1/4 red containers, 1 blue container, 1/4 yellow container

Serves:4-6

Serving Size: approximately 2 cups

Weight Watchers:

Making this chowder recipe with no Greek yogurt (or fat free Greek yogurt) and no cheese makes it only 1 2023 Point | 1 Blue Plan Point | 1 Green Plan Point | 1 Purple Plan point per serving!

As written, the recipe is 2 2023 Points | 5 Blue Plan Points | 5 Green Plan Points | 5 Purple Plan Points in each serving. You can enjoy this recipe for lunch or dinner and it is a great one to prep ahead of time for meals throughout the week.

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 734mg | Potassium: 768mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 7518IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Hearty Vegetable Chowder Recipe appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.

This dairy free, gluten free, vegan coconut whip cream comes together quickly and is great on top of chia pudding, overnight oats, healthy desserts, or your favorite dairy free ice cream. Really, this not too sweet topping goes on just about anything.

Where’s the recipe?

My readers range from beginner all the way to advanced when it comes kitchen experience and I receive a lot of questions about how to make recipes.

My posts contain a lot of information about substitutes, healthy diets, and recipe tips to help better serve my readers.

If you’d like to skip over the detailed information about this recipe, please simply scroll to the bottom of the page, where you will find the easy printable Coconut Whipped Cream recipe.

Ingredients for Coconut Whipped Cream:

• Cold Coconut Milk: The one in the can is what you want! Coconut milk is a great addition to your diet. It is full of electrolytes, improves digestion, and lowers cholesterol.

Directions for this recipe:

This recipe will explain exactly how to make whipped cream with coconut milk. Please take a peek at the recipe tips below for additional tips about how to separate the thick and creamy coconut milk from the coconut water, and how different brands can impact your coconut whipped cream.

1. Open your can of chilled coconut milk, being careful not to shake or tip the can. Use a spoon to very carefully scoop the thick coconut cream of the top of the coconut water.
2. Take shallow scoops, and stop as soon as you begin to see the clear coconut water. Separating the milk from water is kind of like separating egg whites–you can’t mix them up or the milk won’t whip nicely.
3. Read the Recipe Tips below if you feel like your coconut milk isn’t thick enough.
4. Save the coconut water for a later use :) It’s great in smoothies!
5. Place thick/hardened cream in a medium sized mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium for about 30 seconds. Gradually increase the speed to high and whip until light and fluffy and small peaks form when you pull the mixer away.
6. Once you’ve whipped the coconut cream, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or use immediately.

Pro tip : Room temperature coconut cream does not whip well. Just refrigerate overnight and remove just before preparing your whipped topping.

Recipe Tips & Questions

• You can find canned full fat coconut milk in the Mexican and Asian food aisle at your grocery store. Be sure you get regular coconut milk, and not low fat.
• The brand of coconut milk matters. I recommend Savoy, or Aroy-D brand. I have found that some brands (like Thai Kitchen and Trader Joe’s) tend to be thinner, less creamy, and don’t separate as well. Those brands that don’t get thick can still work for taste, but they won’t be thick stiff peaks when you whip them. For example, I used Thai Kitchen brand with the Pumpkin Chia Pudding that you see below. It’s not the best brand for whipping, but it works!
• I would still give this a try even if you don’t like coconut. The coconut flavor is very mild. You can add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to cover the flavor even more.
• Don’t throw away the coconut water–add it to your smoothies or drink it plain. Coconut water is loaded with electrolytes and great for hydration.
• Be sure and grab unsweetened coconut milk. The only ingredients should be coconut, water, and maybe guar gum.
• Liquid sweeteners like Stevia or maple syrup aren’t the best option for this recipe, as they weight it down quite a bit and then the whipped cream doesn’t whip nicely. It ends up with more of a melted ice cream texture.

Healthy Eating Plans

This is a delicious treat on any eating plan, as it has healthy fat and only one ingredient. If adding powdered sugar, make sure to add in points or containers for that as well.

• Weight Watchers: 7 Blue Plan Points |7 Green Plan Points | 7 Purple Plan Points
• 21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix:
  • Entire recipe: I give you these counts so it’s easier to adapt the recipe and re-calculate container counts. 6 Blue Containers
  • Per Serving: (1/3 cup) 1 Blue Container
• 2B Mindset: This recipe would be considered an “extra” on 2B Mindset and should be consumed in moderation.

More healthy dessert recipes:

Need some ideas for what to make this coconut whipped cream with? Here are some of my favorites:

• Basic Chia Pudding
• Chocolate Overnight Oats
• Instant Pot Lava Cake Bites
• Healthy Instant Pot Cheesecake
• Fudgy Espresso Starbucks Brownies
• Key Lime Pie Bites
• Air Fryer Apples

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How to Make Coconut Whipped Cream

Have you made coconut whipped cream? Whether you're vegan or just looking for a dairy free whipped cream recipe, you'll love how easy this coconut milk whipped topping is!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Coconut Whipped Cream

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 153kcal

Author Becca Ludlum

Equipment

• hand mixer

Ingredients

• 1 can coconut milk full fat, 13.5 oz

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Use a spoon to scoop the hardened/thickened coconut cream out of the can. Save the water for a later use. 1 can coconut milk
• Add coconut cream to a mixing bowl.
• Using a hand mixer, beat your coconut cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy and peaks begin to form. This will usually take 3-4 minutes.
• Refrigerate or serve immediately.

Notes

• Weight Watchers: 7 Blue Plan Points |7 Green Plan Points | 7 Purple Plan Points
• 21 Day Fix/Ultimate Portion Fix:
  • Entire recipe: I give you these counts so it’s easier to adapt the recipe and re-calculate container counts. 6 Blue Containers
  • Per Serving: (1/3 cup) 1 Blue Container
• 2B Mindset: This recipe would be considered an “extra” on 2B Mindset and should be consumed in moderation.

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 175mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

The post How to Make Coconut Whipped Cream appeared first on My Crazy Good Life.