Power 3

Power 3 is a combination of THREE ingredients that have been proven to go well together, so you can use them to create thousands of recipes.  

Mirepoix 

Mirepoix is a combination of carrots, celery, and onion. The common ratio is 2 parts onion, 1 part carrot, 1 part celery.

So, what does that mean? Start with a medium onion and give it a dice. One medium onion will equal about 2 cups. Next, peel and dice 2 medium carrots. This will give you about 1 cup of diced carrots. You will repeat with 2 stalks of celery, making sure to get some of the leaves in there. They add a ton of flavor. Make sure to dice the vegetables the same size. 

This is the standard proportion, but you can adjust it to your liking. This combination is quite savory in flavor and is used as the base for so many soups.  

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup (4-6 Servings) 

• 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 stalks celery with leaves, diced
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (a rotisserie chicken works well)
• 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• Pepper to taste
• Optional: 8 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked

In a large stock pot, heat oil to a medium heat. Add diced vegetables and saute for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.

Add broth and bring to a boil.

Add chicken and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for a few minutes to allow everything to heat through.

Add parsley and pepper, stir.

Add the cooked noodles to the pot for immediate eating. You can keep the noodles separate if you are planning to have leftovers. (If you are trying to watch your carbs, you can omit the noodles completely or try a zucchini noodle.)

You can take this basic recipe and make it your own. You can add chili powder, cumin, tomatoes, and black beans to make a Southwest Style Chicken Soup. You can replace the noodles with dumplings for a Quick Chicken and Dumplings Soup.

Holy Trinity 

Holy Trinity is a combination of bell peppers, celery, and onion. Common ratio is 1 part bell peppers, 2 parts celery, 3 parts onion.               

The Holy Trinity is a fun and delicious combination that is traditionally used in Cajun Dishes. Easy 1-2-3. To make this ratio, you will need one large onion, four stalks of celery, and one large bell pepper. Clean and dice each of these the same size. Any time you are using celery, make sure to include the leaves. They bring so much more flavor than the stalks alone. As with most dishes, you can play with the proportions of these items to suit your preferred tastes. This Power 3 is the base for many Cajun dishes. You can also use this combination to make soups and other savory dishes. If you dice the vegetables small, you can even add it to your meatloaf recipe.   

Easy Jambalaya (4- 6 Servings) 

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (breast or thighs can be used), cut into bite size pieces
• ½ lb smoked sausage (you can use andouille for extra spice), sliced into ½ inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large onion, diced 
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
• 1 – 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Heat 1 Tbsp oil on medium heat in a heavy bottomed pot. Add chicken, brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of the pot. Once cooked, place chicken on a plate. Repeat with sausage.

Add 1 Tbsp oil to pot and add green bell pepper, celery, and onion.  Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until vegetables have softened a bit.

Add garlic and seasoning, stir. Add rice and stir again. Add chicken, broth, and tomatoes to the pot and stir.

Bring to boil, put a lid on the pot and reduce heat to simmer.

Simmer until liquid is gone, about 30 minutes.   

*If you are trying to watch your carbs, you can make the following changes: Omit the rice and 2 cups of broth. Simmer without lid for 15 minutes - OR - Replace rice with Cauliflower Rice and reduce broth to 1/2 cup. Simmer without lid for 5-8 minutes.*  

Bell, Onion, Garlic 

Another popular combination includes bell peppers, onion, and garlic. The ratio for these looks a little different than the others. Here we would combine: 1 medium onion, 1 large bell pepper, 1 tbsp fresh minced garlic.  This is an amazing combination to have as a base for any style recipe. They are common and inexpensive ingredients. You can use this combination for all sorts of dishes, including meatloaf, tacos, meatballs, spaghetti sauce. This Power 3 can help add vegetables to diet, while adding so much flavor. 

Chicken Tacos (about 6 servings) 

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
• 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, cut into bite size pieces
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt and pepper
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large bell pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic, minced 

Heat oil in large pot. Add chicken, cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, stir. 

Add bell pepper and onion. Stir, cook for an additional 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. 

Optional – when finished cooking, squeeze a lime onto chicken. 

Add chicken mixture to corn or flour tortillas, and top with your favorite taco toppings. 

*If you are trying to watch your carbs, you can make the following changes: You can easily turn these tacos into a Taco Salad by putting the filling on a bed of mixed greens and top with your favorite salsa - OR - You can use a strong leafy green like Boston Bib Lettuce, in place of the tortillas.*