What's Cookin' Sunday

I've got 3 recipes for you this week!  I was just going to do the usual 2, but then I remembered that eating black eyed peas as you ring in the New Year is thought to bring good luck to the coming year, so I figured I'd include a healthy version of black eyed peas along with the other 2 recipes I'd originally intended to do feature.

Let's kick it off with the black eyed peas!

HEALTHY CROCKPOT BLACK EYED PEAS

Ingredients:
• 5 cups water
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced or minced
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 bay leaves

Directions:
• sort and rinse black eyed peas.  place all ingredients in the crockpot.  stir and cover.  cook on low for 7-8 hours.  remove bay leaves before serving.

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SAUSAGE & KALE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Ingredients:
• 2 medium acorn squash, halved & seeds removed
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• olive oil cooking spray
• 3 tsp olive oil, divided
• 10 oz mild Italian chicken sausage
• 1 large leek, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, diced or minced
• 4 cups chopped kale
• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp grated fresh parmesan
• 2 tbsp 100% whole grain bread crumbs

Directions:
• heat oven to 375°.  cut a thin slice off round side of each squash half to create at stable base.  sprinkle with salt and pepper; coat with cooking spray.  place squash flesh side down on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil; bake until golden and tender, 30 minutes.  remove from oven; flip squash and set aside.
• heat broiler.
• in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tsp oil.  add sausage; cook, breaking into coarse pieces (or cut into small pieces before putting in skillet if necessary), until brown, 6 minutes; transfer to a bowl.
• to same skillet, add remaining 2 tsp oil and chopped leek; cook until leek is soft, 3 minutes.  add garlic; cook, 30 seconds.  add kale and toss; add broth.  cover and cook until kale is tender, 5 minutes; stir in sausage.
• divide kale-sausage filling among squash.
• in a bowl, combine walnuts, parmesan and bread crumbs; sprinkle evenly over squash bowls and coat with cooking spray.  broil until bread crumbs are golden, 2 minutes.

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forgot to buy this yesterday when shopping for ingredients
got lucky as this was the ONLY bottle left in the store!!!

SHRIMP CURRY

Ingredients:
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 pound shrimp, cooked and peeled
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14 oz) + 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cup water
• 1 can no salt added diced tomatoes
• 1.5 tsp ground turmeric

Directions:
• place all of the ingredients except the coconut milk into a slow cooker.
• mix well and cover.  cook on high for 3 hours.
• after the cooking time, remove the lid and stir in the coconut milk.
• continue cooking an additional 30 minutes.