Italian sausage and cannellini bean soup

2 lbs ground italian sausage
3 cans cannellini beans (drained or 2 cups dry, rinsed, sorted and soaked overnight, drained rinsed again)
1/2 tsn dried sage
3 minced cloves garlic
1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion (chopped)
1 large green bell pepper (seeds removed, chopped)
large pinch red pepper flakes
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (drained or about 1 lb tomatoes seeds removed and diced)
1/2 tsn dried parsley
1/4 tsn dried oregano
1/4-1 tsn sea salt to taste
1/2 tsn ground black pepper or to taste
2 c. chicken stock

Combine all ingredients and cook in a slow cooker or crock pot until sausage is cooked and no longer pink (if dry beans were used also make sure beans are tender. Enjoy.

a simple pumpkin-turkey chili...

1 tsn olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 diced onion
1/2 c diced red bell pepper
2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can unsweetened pumpkin
1 tbsn maple syrup
1 1/2 tsn pumkin pie spice
1 1/2 tsn chili powder
1/4 tsn nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on high about 90 minutes. Reduce heat to low for about 30 more minutes. Stir 2-3 times while cooking and again before serving.

Gooey Pumpkin Brownies

1/2 c. vegan shortening
3 tbsn extra virgin olive oil

10 tbsn unsweetened dairy-free cacao or cocoa
3/4 tsn ground cinnamon
1/2 tsn ground nutmeg
1/4 tsn ground ginger
1/4 tsn ground cloves
1/2 tsn pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsn sea salt

1 tbsn vanilla extract
3/4 c. light agave nectar
2 large eggs
1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk
1 15 ounce can organic unsweetened pumpkin

1/2 c. all purpose flour
(for gluten-free: 1/2 c. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour and 1 tbsn Xanthan Gum instead of all-purpose flour)
2 tbsn arrowroot flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt shortening, add olive oil. Mix in cacao/cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, sea salt. Add agave nectar; mix well. Add eggs one at a time; mix well. Add almond milk; mix well. Add pumpkin; mix well. Add flours; mix well.

Grease mini-muffin pan. Fill cups about 90% full. Bake 10-12 minutes. Bake 1 pan at a time in center of oven. Wiggle pan to check firmness. Will still be gooey. Invert pan to remove. Cool in fridge at least 30 minutes. Re-grease pan. Repeat.  Makes about 40 mini-muffin pumpkin brownies.