I hope you’re having a wonderful Wednesday. I’m running behind on work today because I was sitting outside under a blanket finishing my book. There was no way I could walk away with a few chapters left. If you’re looking for a book to read, Eliza Starts a Rumor was beautiful and so hard to put down! The ending was unexpected, and I burst out into tears as I closed the book.

We’re definitely getting fall weather now, which is crazy for South Carolina this time of year. Last year, September seemed endless with its heat. And when cooler weather returns, that calls for a big bowl of chili. I probably make chili at least twice a month during the fall and winter. I love making it all kinds of different ways. Today, I’m sharing a chili recipe you must make for this year’s sweater weather! Chili is the perfect dish to plop on the couch with during football season.

I filmed this recipe video on my YouTube channel, which will be premiering live at 2 pm eastern time! THANK YOU ALL FOR HANGING OUT IN THE PREMIER! SO FUN! I’ll be hanging out over there if you want to chat! I hope the video puts you in the fall spirit. I decorated and filmed in my kitchen (other than my cleaning videos) for the first time!

This delicious gluten-free chili recipe is incredibly easy to make (as you can see from the video!) and so customizable. You can add any ingredients you want and keep out any ingredients you do not like. The best part is that the leftovers get better each day, so make sure to make a ton of it! We are going to be making a big batch for Halloween night. Chili is always best served with crostinis or some kind of bread. In the video, I also show you how I make my gluten-free crostinis!  

I hope you enjoy this recipe and video! I’m so deep into the Fall spirit, and can’t wait to grab a pumpkin spice latte while I’m out and about later on today!

Questions for you!

1. What fall recipe do you want to see in my next “Cook With Me” video?
2. What is your favorite ingredient to add to chili?

One more day until the weekend! I can’t believe it. I’m so excited because we are heading to the mountains tomorrow to stay for the weekend. After I get done blogging this recipe, I’m going to start packing, and then head over to the outdoors store to pick up a few camp-friendly items! I’ll also be making several energy balls, and other recipes to take with us. I’ll share what I’m up to on my Instagram stories just in case you’re interested! I’m also going to try to squeeze in another blog post tomorrow before I head out.

On Monday night, I made a crockpot vegetable and chicken chili soup. I didn’t plan on sharing the recipe or creating a post, but after I took a bite, I thought it would be wrong of me to keep this to myself. I’ve been living off of this soup all week, and each bowl gets better and better. I’m not sick of it yet, just excited to make it again next week! It’s light enough to have during the hot weather as we patiently wait for fall to arrive.  
When I don’t feel like individually prepping my meals, I’ll buy a ton of eggs and yogurt for breakfast, salad for lunch, and make some type of crockpot meal to eat for dinner each night. This makes meals easy and stress-free. I love having things prepared, so I don’t have to brainstorm meal ideas.

This soup is low carb, high protein, gluten free, dairy free, and can be made vegan by swapping out the chicken brother for vegetable broth and replacing the chicken with extra beans.
Kyle likes to add cheddar cheese to his, and I love adding rice crackers. Another great thing about crockpot soup is that if you have a ton of produce about to go bad, you can throw it into the soup, and then freeze for future meals. We will have some soup left before we head out on the trip, so I’ll end up freezing the extra, so it doesn’t go to waste.

Now, It’s time for me to head out and get ready for the weekend away! I’ll pop on here later this afternoon with my cappuccino to start tomorrow’s blog and reply to the comments in my box!

Questions for you!

1. Are you team crockpot or Instant Pot? (I’ve never used the instant pot)
2. What meal do you like to make to keep in the fridge all week long?
3. Team spice or team no spice?

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

I’m finally back on east coast time and have been getting into the grove of my normal schedule after being away for two and a half weeks. I have so much travel content to post, and it has been a blast putting it all together. Aside from catching up on the blog, I had to catch up on housework and do some food prepping for the week. After traveling, I like to restock my fridge with tons of healthy items for making salads, quick snacks, and soup that I can eat all week long. When I’m tired or jetlagged, I tend to crave a lot of sweet and salty foods because my body wants quick energy. Knowing that I made sure to chop a lot of fresh fruit, vegetables, and prepare my fridge for all the cravings to come.

Soup is one of my favorite food prep items to keep in my fridge. It’s so easy to reheat and eat on repeat  
Whoever said that soup was just for the colder months, was seriously mistaken.

Soup keeps me full, is filled with nutrients, protein, and it’s a comfort all year round. Like salads, you can make so many different variations so it never gets boring. I love thick soups filled with a ton of vegetables and protein. I don’t care for the brothy soups unless it’s tomato and comes with a side of grilled cheese
This is what my dinner has looked like all week long. Giant salads and big bowls or mugs filled with soup.

I have enough soup for three more bowls, and then I’m going to have to come up with a new recipe to eat next week. I’m on that soup kick!
I always overload my crockpot because there is no such thing as too much soup.

If I know I’m not going to be able to eat it all, I’ll usually pack a container up and take it over to my parent’s house. I didn’t have to do that this weekend because my boyfriend was here to help me eat it. He loved the soup, especially since I added an overload of chicken. 

Print

Spicy Chicken and Vegetable Soup with Beans & Legumes

Course Main Course

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 hours hours

Total Time 5 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 18 Servings

Calories 120kcal

Author Taralynn McNitt

Ingredients

• 1 Large Zucchini (sliced & halved)
• 1 Cup Celery sliced
• 1 1/2 Cups Carrots sliced
• 1 Large Green Bell Pepper chopped
• 1 Large Red Bell Pepper chopped
• 1 Medium Sweet Yellow Onion chopped
• 1 Cup Green Beans sliced
• 1 Medium Jalapeno Pepper (deseeded & diced)
• 1 Cup Diced Tomatoes (drained can)
• 1/4 Cup Green Chilies
• 1/4 Cup Minced Garlic
• 15 Ounces White Northern Beans (drained)
• 15 Ounces Lentils (drained)
• 32 Ounces Low-Sodium Organic Chicken Broth
• 3 Tbsps Avocado Oil (or olive)
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Tsp Sea Salt
• 1 Tsp Cayenne Powder
• 2 Tsp Chipotle Powder
• 1 Tsp Oregano
• 1 Tbsp Cumin
• 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts

Instructions

• Add avocado oil to the bottom of the crockpot, and turn the heat to high. 
• Add the zucchini, celery, carrots, bell peppers, onion, green beans, jalapeno pepper, tomatoes, chilis, white beans, legumes, minced garlic, and broth to the crockpot. 

  Mix in the garlic powder, oregano, onion powder, black pepper, sea salt, cayenne pepper, chipotle powder, and cumin.

  Stir, and allow to cook for four hours on high. (stir every hour or so)
• At the four hour mark, dice the chicken breast and stir them into the crockpot. Cook for an additional 90 minutes on high. (stir every thirty minutes to allow the chicken to cook evenly)
• Give the soup a final taste test to determine if it needs any additional seasonings like salt or pepper. 

Notes

Makes 18 Servings 

Serving Size 1 1/2 Cups of Soup

Per Serving: 120 Calories, 13g Carbs, 2g Fiber, 3g Fat, 16g Protein, 1g Sugar 

This recipe is packed with lean protein, and pairs perfectly with a tossed salad.

Makes 18 Servings 

Serving Size 1 1/2 Cups of Soup

Per Serving: 120 Calories, 13g Carbs, 2g Fiber, 3g Fat, 16g Protein, 1g Sugar 
Now, I need to think of which soup I’ll be making for next week!

Have a great Memorial Day! Thinking of all who served and lost their lives for my freedom. I will be forever grateful!

Questions for you!

1. Do you ever make crockpot meals to eat throughout the week?
2. Do you like a brothy soup or soup filled with ingredients?
3. What’s your favorite side to go with soup?

Last Friday, I was outside in shorts and a T-shirt. This Friday, I’m bundled up under my cozy blanket, wearing fuzzy socks, and layered in two sweaters by the fireplace. That’s the south for ya! In approximately two hours, a snowfall will be arriving! It’s supposed to sporadically snow throughout the weekend, so thank goodness I made a delicious crockpot soup yesterday! It’s going to be the perfect dish to warm up to this weekend.

I love the way a warm bowl of soup heats up your entire body. It’s a healthy comfort food that also comes in handy when you’re feeling sick during the winter months. I made a giant batch of this recipe and froze about six containers so I can reheat for the next couple of months. The great thing about soup is that you can customize it any way you’d like! If you want to make it vegetarian, you just use vegetable broth, trade in the chicken for extra beans or tofu, and you can make soup fit any dietary needs.

I also love that soup gives you a break from all the heavy foods this time of year.
My minestrone is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. I’ve made it for the past five years, and I still get tagged in photos from other people who have made it and loved it. This recipe was inspired by my minestrone, but I subbed out a lot of the potatoes, beans, and tomatoes and replaced them with new vegetables like cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and snap peas! It turned out perfect, and there are so many ways you can spice it up! 

I loved the way the cauliflower and brussels sprouts soaked up the flavor of the broth. If you’re not a fan of the vegetables, you may like them in this soup! The ultimate test will be when my mom tries it. She’s never been a brussels sprout fan. I loved the way the peas popped when you bite into them! 
If you don’t have a crockpot, just use a regular pot on the stove! Just make sure to stir frequently. I think for the next time I make this recipe, I’ll add more varieties of beans. 
Soup is filling, warm, and a great dish to make when you’re feeling sluggish or down during the winter months. It’s like a big hug in a bowl. (Did I really just say that?) This soup is great with crackers, parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, or warm bread on the side. Sometimes, I add croutons!

Soup Recipe Nutrition (20 Servings: 1 1/2 Cup)

Annnnnnnnyways. I hope you all have wonderful weekend! & STAY WARM! 
Questions for you!

1. Will you have a snowy weekend?
2. What is your favorite kind of soup?
3. What do you top your soup with?

Check out my other soup recipes here! 

And don’t forget to enter the $350 giveaway!! >> ENTER HERE

I wanted to stop and blog a recipe I made last weekend before my crazy day starts. I have so much going on today/this weekend. More about that Monday (in the recap post.) I’ve been eating a delicious crockpot soup all week long. There’s nothing better than warming up to a delicious soup at the end of the night, especially a healthy one that is filled with protein and vegetables. I was excited to break out the crockpot because it had been way too hot to even think about soup the past four months. Now, the evenings and mornings are in the low fifties! Finally. 
For the past four years, I’ve been making vegetable soup. My minestrone has been a favorite on the blog, and I still receive photos from people who have been making it. That always makes me happy to see! Today’s recipe is similar, but it has the addition of butternut squash, chicken, and more spices! I think this one is my favorite so far. Who doesn’t love a healthy soup that you can have multiple bowls of without all the guilt?
Leo was feeling extra cozy while I chopped vegetables in the kitchen. This is his favorite spot to sit and watch me. We call it his “begging” platform. 

 I love this soup because you can find these ingredients almost all winter long at nearly any grocery store around you!  This soup is so flavorful! You’ll have to bring out your inner chef and use your taste buds to make it fit your standards. Some people like more garlic, or less! More spice, or no spice! Have fun and play with it. Add potatoes! Pasta! Or anything extra! 
The great thing about this crockpot soup is that you can prepare it in the morning, and have it ready by evening. My favorite part? Freezing the leftovers for meal prep! Perfect for the nights I don’t feel like cooking. 
I use the Bella Dots Collection Crock Pot. It comes in differnt colors. I had the teal one years ago…but there is a story with why that one is long gone…(long story short…a certain someone thought that you were supposed to put the crockpot on the stove top to heat it up. Yup, they literally put it over the burner…)
I always take Kyle’s meal prepping containers. They are reusable, washer safe, microwave safe, and so freaking convenient! You can get them pretty cheap on Amazon! This is a pack of 20 for under $20. Link here.
I found these Pumpkin Spice Sweet Potato Chips at the grocery store, and I thought it would be fun to add them to the soup! There is nothing better than adding a little sweet to your savory meals. I usually add croutons, but this looked so fun! & Holy moly, what a tasty addition! By the way, these Terra chips are incredible!
I loved the chunky butternut squash in the soup. I think next time I’ll add even more. It brings to much “fall” to the dish, and I love the potato-like texture. 
The soup is perfect by itself, or paired with a salad! Soup & salad are pretty much BFFS.

Makes 24 Servings (1 1/4 cup size)

Nutrition Per Serving

75 Calories, 9g Protein, 2g Fat, 9g Carbs, 2g Fiber, 1g Sugar, 266 mg Sodium

This soup is gluten free, dairy free, nut free!

Want to make it vegetarian/vegan? Use vegetable broth! Omit the chicken & add tofu!
Questions for you!

1. Have you made anything in the crockpot this Fall yet?
2. What soup would you like me to make next?
3. Important Question: WHICH CANDY SHOULD I HAND OUT THIS YEAR?  (and don’t say pretzels.

BY THE WAY, THE COFFEE GIVEAWAY ENDS TONIGHT!!!! (12 AM WEST COAST TIME)

Van’s Gluten Free Waffles

Udi’s Pepperoni Gluten Free Pizza

Udi’s Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread

Melt Spread

I bought three pounds of chicken breast. I usually make my crockpot chicken soup with a whole chicken, but there were none left at the grocery store. The place was wiped out because of the storm.

This soup had: 3 lbs chicken breast, 2 cups sliced carrots, 4 celery stalks diced, 1 large yellow onion, 4 tablespoons better than bouillon chicken flavor, 2 tsp black pepper, 1 cup frozen peas, 2 tsps sea salt, 5 cups organic chicken broth, 2 cups water, 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic in water, 1/2 cup chopped green on onion, 1 can cannellini beans (drained), 2 tsps garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tablespoon italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon honey. 
Add all the ingredients into the crockpot and turn on high.

Let the soup cook for about three hours.

Remove the chicken breast from the soup and shred with a fork. Add the chicken back to the soup and let it cook on medium heat for four more hours.

I made Ancient Harvest Organic Quinoa Pasta on the side to add to the soup! You don’t want to add the pasta to the soup or it’ll get soggy. We also sprinkled some parmesan in the soup.

The soup was so perfect for the cold night! Kyle and I had soup and watched a couple Netflix documentaries.

The meteorologist were going nuts on the local news channel on Friday night. They predicted seven inches of snow, icy roads and a horrible blizzard. I was so excited when I woke up on Saturday morning because I wanted the pups to play in the snow. BUT NOTHING! We had a little ice and that was it.
 
We waited a bit more in the morning…
AND FINALLY WE HAD SNOWFLAKES! 
It wasn’t much, but it was still fun. Leo loved his first snow experience.

We let the boys run around my backyard and get as dirty as they wanted.
Throwback to Grumples fun snow days!

Leo was eating the snowflakes and I wanted to cry because it was so cute.

I love these doods so much.


After running around in the snow, I headed upstairs to do a bedroom workout. I love that you can do strength training anywhere.

I got cleaned up after my workout so Kyle and I could grab coffee and head to my parents house to say hello.

Not a lot of places were open because of the ice, but luckily the Grapevine at the Riverwalk was open.
 We wanted to let the dogs run around and play in the snow some more. They were LOVING their saturday.
    
When we got back to my place, we warmed up with some chicken soup!

We decided to head uptown for the night. We walked the pups at the park and enjoyed the snowy city.

I had a late night protein shake for dinner.

It had 3 cups spinach, 2 scoops vanilla whey protein (40g protein) 1 banana, 1 cup ice, 1 cup almond milk and 1 cup blueberries! 
We also popped some popcorn and hopped on the couch to watch a movie!

We had a crazy sweet tooth later in the night, so I made toasted marshmallow hot chocolate!

We ended up watching an amazing documentary on Netflix. It’s called Finding Traction and it’s incredibly inspiring. WATCH IT! You’ll make up less excuses for yourself by the end of it.

I was sitting in bed commenting back on my previous post and I saw Kyle bundling up in his coat and gloves. The dogs had already been out, so I asked where he was going. He said he was going to grab me coffee…I don’t know how I got so lucky. He’s the sweetest guy I know. I didn’t want him to walk alone, so I insisted on going with him. I love snowy morning walks in the empty city.

Extreme coffee lovers will go the extra mile for their coffee.

Pre-cofffffffeeee.
 
We walked to the grocery store after coffee so Kyle could get ingredients for his weekly meals. 
Kyle makes his meals every week and it’s so inspiring. I wish I was half as dedicated.
 
I met up with Becca later in the afternoon for a workout.
Pre workout: 1 scoop protein powder, half banana, 1 cup spinach, 2 cups water.

We killed our workout and I’m still feeling the pain today. This is a great workout and you can do it pretty much anywhere.

We picked up coffee at Smelly Cat in NoDa after our workout. I didn’t sell myself short on coffee this week.
 Becca had been contemplating a tattoo for a while, so we stopped at Charlotte Tattoo in Plaza Midwood. They got her in and helped her come up with an amazing sketch.
 
It took him a couple hours to get the tattoo ready. I was so hungry, so I walked across the street to grab something to hold me over. I should have had a post-workout snack, but we didn’t expect that tattoo to take that long. We had nothing else to do, so we didn’t mind.
 The only gluten-free option at Nova’s Bakery & THEY WERE DELISH. 

I got back home around 8pm. I made a quick Udi’s Pepperoni Gluten Free Pizza and gluten free chicken strips. 

When I got home on Sunday night, I found this.

I seriously have the greatest friends! My birthday isn’t until January 31st, but I guess the festivities start early. Thank you so much, Meighan!

Breakfast yesterday morning: gluten free cinnamon raisin bread with melt spread, coffee and Greek yogurt!
 I took both pups for a FREEZING walk later in the afternoon. 
I had leftover chicken soup for dinner and watched the Bachelor.

Ugh….CORRRRRRINNNE! (if you watch, you know what I mean. And I’m kind of glad Liz went home, she was making me feel so uncomfortable.

This week I really like Vanessa, Alexis, Brittany, Rachel, Danielle M, and Raven.  Their personalities are starting to show through more!

*post edit* GLUTEN FREE, SAY WHAT?!

*For the past month and a half, I have been gluten free. I’ve been battling endometriosis for about two years now. The pain can be pretty excruciating. Sometimes I don’t even want to leave my house. My doctor recommended a couple options to help with the pain and attempt to resolve endometriosis. He’s had a lot of luck with patients experiencing the same symptoms by having them cut gluten from their diets. I also mentioned in a post a while back about my swollen joints and stomach on some days, so I’ve decided to spend the next couple of months experimenting with how I feel on a 100% gluten free diet. I’m not doing it to “lose weight” simply to get better and I hope it works.  I have definitely been feeling different. I have more energy, my moods have changed tremendously, and my knees do not ache during my long runs. It’s still early, so I will continue to see how the progress goes. I definitely don’t recommend going gluten free unless you consult with your doctor first. 

Questions for you!

1. What do you do on snow days?
2. Favorite inspirational documentary?

Crockpot Sriracha Salsa Chicken Sliders

The weather has been brutally hot here in the south. I didn’t think it could get any hotter until I made crockpot Sriracha salsa chicken sliders for dinner the other night! Not only were the sliders amazing, but the homemade papas fritas I made as a side were freakin’ bomb, especially with a side of Sriracha Ketchup!?

Thursday night was all about Sriracha!?

Red Gold Tomatoes has expanded their product line featuring the original Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce. Some people put Sriracha on their fries, their snack mixes, their eggs and just about anything. So when Red Gold Tomatoes sent me over a box of their new products, I decided to make a simple crock pot recipe that can be eaten all year round. This is going to be great for football season, which is just around the corner. ?

I want to share a fun new contest Red Gold Tomatoes ? is throwing before I share the recipes!

**Choose a favorite Red Gold Sriracha product and share a photo or video of you with the product on Instagram, Twitter or Facbook. You’ll be entered to win a Sriracha prize pack and $500! Make sure to be creative and don’t forget to use the hashtag #HowISriracha and tag @redgoldtomatoes!**

I LOVE crockpot recipes because they are so easy to make and take little time. My mom used to make cheesy salsa chicken when I was a kid. All she did was throw salsa, cheddar cheese and light cream into a crockpot with chicken breast. She let it cook for four hours on high, shredded the chicken, and served it with tortilla chips. This was her go-to during football season. When I saw the Sriracha salsa in my box, I immediately thought of my mom’s recipe. I wanted to do something similar, but a tad bit healthier.

I turned crockpot on high and added two chicken breasts (.8lbs) with one tablespoon of olive oil. The chicken was skinless & boneless.

I added 1 can of diced tomatoes with red chilies and 1/2 jar of Sriracha Salsa. I also added a sprinkle of garlic powder, black pepper and onion powder.

I set the crockpot to high and let the chicken cook for four hours.

I used the leftover salsa with my chips for a pre-dinner snack! I thought Sriracha in my salsa would be weird, but it was surprisingly good and had a unique flavor. It was sort of addicting. It had spicy, sweet and savory all in one. The prefect combination if you ask me. My friend refused to try it at first, but then found herself obsessed after the first bite. It’s pretttttty dang good.

I decided to make papas fritas as a side. I needed something to go with my Sriracha ketchup (which is so good on eggs by the way!)

I used my vegetable spiraler to cut the potatoes into thin slices.

I used garlic coconut oil for frying. I heated the oil on high and added the potatoes into the pan one handful at a time.

Once one side was brown, I flipped it over and let the other side cook.

These papas fritas were SO CRISPY and tasted jus tike the ones I had in Asheville. I sprinkled sea salt on top and served them with the Sriracha Ketchup.

*If you’re questions the coconut oil, don’t worry…they do NOT taste like coconut.

The Sriracha Ketchup has the perfect kick of spice and goes well with the sweet tomato flavors. You won’t find any corn syrup in this ketchup! People get so excited over the Sriracha Ketchup! Don’t forget to bring it to the tailgates with you because it’s also amazing on grilled chicken and hotdogs!

When the chicken is fully cooked, use a fork to shred the chicken!

*You could even use this as a dip if you wanted to.

Remove the chicken from the crockpot and add it to a serving bowl.

Use crackers, pita’s, bread, buns, or whatever you want to make your sliders!

Take it to the next level and add a slice of pepperjack cheese!

I hope you guys enjoy this recipe just as much as I did. ?

Questions for You! 

1. Are you a Sriracha fanatic?
2. Sweet or Spicy?
3. What would you put your Sriracha Ketchup on?

Thank you Red Gold Tomatoes for teaming up with me on this sponsored post! All opinions are my own

You can go to any sports bar, any restaurant, or wherever you want, but you won’t find a nacho recipe as good as this one! I may have created the golden nacho recipe here!

I’m dating a nacho man. He orders nachos every time we are out watching football. I’m pretty picky about nachos and I like them to be a certain way. I don’t like when they come out with shredded cheese just simply melted on top. What is the point of that? I could just sprinkle cheese on my nachos and make them at home in the microwave? I especially don’t like dried chicken on my nachos, or chicken on my nachos at all. I was traumatized after biting into a dried out pieces of chicken on a bed of nachos. That ruined it for me. And don’t even think about adding olives; that just turns into an obstacle race. It’s also annoying when you have to dig around for chips that have traces of meat or cheese on them. You should be able to have cheese and meat on every chip! Now you guys understand my nacho madness and why I never bother to order nachos.

To solve my nacho madness, I just make them at home instead so I can make them just the way I want. I made the guys some nachos during the championship game last weekend. These nachos blew every restaurant out of the water! I also decided to make beer cheese for these nachos instead of cheddar. I tried beer cheese for the first time when I moved down south. At first, I was like “EW, I don’t even like beer. Why would I like beer cheese?” Turns out, I loved it. It was nothing like I expected. I tried it for the first time at a local brewery and it was creamy, thick, and had so much flavor.

That brewery’s beer cheese was the inspiration for my beer cheese recipe and I think mine may have come pretty close! My cheese was made with four different types of cheese! The only reaction I could get out of my boyfriend was “mmm, mmm, yeah,” when he tried these nachos. It’s safe to say the nachos were a touch down! The pulled pork was seasoned and cooked for eight hours in my crockpot. I fell right apart, was moist, and had so many sweet and savory flavors. It paired so nicely with the beer cheese.

If you are having people over to watch the super bowl, you should definitely make a nacho spread for your guest! They’ll go nuts. Plus, this recipe is super easy to make and you can start the night before. You can add fun toppings to the spread like: beans, tomatoes, avocado, shredded lettuce, jalapenos and olives.

DIRECTIONS

I prepared the pulled pork the night before. It takes about eight hours to slow cook the pork. Add the pork to a crockpot on low heat. Pour in the olive oil and soy sauce. Mix the chicken bouillon and water together. Add the mixture to the crock pot. 

Combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, minced onion, paprika, chili powder, italian seasoning, sea salt and pepper together.

Massage the pork with the rub on both sides.

Cook for 7-8 hours on low. Flip the pork over several times to make sure each side cooks evenly.

Use a fork to shred the pork. Place the pork and juices into a container and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to make the cheese.

Prepare all the ingredients for the cheese. 

Melt milk and butter on medium heat.

Slice the cheese blocks up.

Add the cheese to the melted milk and butter. Continue to stir.

Once the cheese has melted, add the beer and stir. Let the cheese cook on low heat for an additional ten minutes and continue to stir.

Heat the pork up by throwing it back into the crockpot for an hour on low heat. You can keep it in the crockpot during the game or add it to a serving dish. You could also mix the cheese and pork together in the crock pot.

In order to get cheese and meat on every bite, you must layer! Add a layer of cheese, cheese and meat. Add another layer of chips, cheese, and meat.

Top with diced jalapeños or other fun toppings!

Pulled Pork Nachos with Four Beer Cheese

INGREDIENTS

• 4 lbs Boneless Pork Rost
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Water
• 2 Tablespoons Better Than Chicken Bouillon.
• 1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Tablespoon Garlic Powder, 1/2 Tablespoon Minced Onion, 1Teaspoon Paprika, 1/2 Teaspoon Chili Powder, 1/2 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning, 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt, 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 1/2 Cups Milk
• 1/2 Stick Unsalted Butter
• 6 Ounces Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 6 Ounces Pepper Jack Cheese
• 6 Ounces Monterey Jack
• 6 Ounces Plain Cream Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Beer
• Bag of Restaurant Style White Corn Tortilla Chips

DIRECTIONS

1.  I prepared the pulled pork the night before. It takes about eight hours to slow cook the pork. Add the pork to a crockpot on low heat. Pour in the olive oil and soy sauce. Mix the chicken bouillon and water together. Add the mixture to the crock pot.
2.  Combine the brown sugar, garlic powder, minced onion, paprika, chili powder, italian seasoning, sea salt and pepper together.
3.  Massage the pork with the rub on both sides.
4.  Cook for 7-8 hours on low. Flip the pork over several times to make sure each side cooks evenly.
5.  Use a fork to shred the pork. Place the pork and juices into a container and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to make the cheese.
6.  Prepare all the ingredients for the cheese.
7.  Melt milk and butter on medium heat.
8.  Slice the cheese blocks up.
9.  Add the cheese to the melted milk and butter. Continue to stir.
10.  Once the cheese has melted, add the beer and stir. Let the cheese cook on low heat for an additional ten minutes and continue to stir.
11.  Heat the pork up by throwing it back into the crockpot for an hour on low heat. You can keep it in the crockpot during the game or add it to a serving dish. You could also mix the cheese and pork together in the crock pot. I drained all the extra juices out of the pulled pork.
12.  In order to get cheese and meat on every bite, you must layer! Add a layer of cheese, cheese and meat. Add another layer of chips, cheese, and meat.
13.  Top with diced jalapeños or other fun toppings! Enjoy!

1. Are you a nacho snob?
2. What is your favorite nacho topping?
3. Any plans this weekend?

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I hit five miles Monday. Running after six is my jam. I run so much better when it’s cooler, when I hydrate all day long, fuel properly and have a running partner. I’ve also been keeping my run keeper on silent so I don’t hear the times and milage. I think it forces me to run faster and it’s better to do what feels natural. It’s a mental thing for me. After my run, I took a hot bath, stretched and then used the massager on my legs and knees. I took yesterday off and will run again today.

Tino and I walked the greenway yesterday. It was so nice out!

I’ve been anxiously waiting for the Juice Bar at the Park Road plaza to open! Chopt is also opening up:)

I stopped at Earthfare so I could make the first soup of the fall season! I also picked up some delicious foods.

I grabbed a juice and coffee before I left!

I got some new Fall clothes and my first pumpkin of the year!

I also made chicken and veggie soup.

I boiled an entire chicken and then used a strainer to pour the homemade broth into a giant pot. I shredded the chicken and added it back to the giant pot of broth.

I added chopped squash, zucchini, carrots, celery, green beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, russet potatoes, and sweet potatoes.

For the seasoning I added black pepper, sea salt, fresh oregano, minced garlic, parsley, garlic powder, and brown sugar. I don’t measure when adding seasoning. I go by taste.

Cook on high for three-four hours.

I love adding croutons to my soup…and a couple tablespoons of cheese.

This soup was delicious and I can’t wait to have it all week long.

It was gorgeous last night (around 70 degrees) and I spent some time playing with Grumps in the backyard. He’s obsessed with sticks!

I love this time of year

This shirt is from my collection and you can find it here. 

Every time I sat down somewhere, Grumps would bring his stick over to me.

His leg is doing so much better. The cut from the groomer has healed and the limping has gone away 100%.

He wasn’t feeling the selfies. (my hair hates this weather)

I love this picture because I have a photo of Grumps and I doing the same pose when he was a puppy!

And I found these little devils yesterday…

What is your favorite thing to do in the Fall?