Lentil Vegetable Barley Soup

When everyone in the family eats all of their dinner, I know we have a winner!

Recipe and photo credit from Full Measure of Happiness


INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 medium summer squash (or zucchini), halved lengthwise and sliced thinly
• 1 bunch carrots, sliced
• 1/2 C red lentils
• 1/2 C yellow split peas
• 1/2 C barley
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 4 C vegetable broth
• 1/2 t salt
• added water, as needed 

DIRECTIONS

1. Layer ingredients in a slow cooker, in order as listed above. 
2. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.
3. Add water as needed (I ended up using a bag of frozen onions and bell peppers and didn't need to add any water).

Cilantro Lime Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Another new family favorite :) This one is from October Morning

I stayed pretty close to the original recipe. This is great served over rice, couscous, wrapped in tortilla, with tortilla chips, or just as it :)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 chicken breasts, diced
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1.5 cups black beans (I cook dried black beans and freeze them in can-sized portions)
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• juice from 1 or more limes, to taste
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp cumin
• salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix all ingredients in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Smokey Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

From Fitness Magazine: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipe/smoky-black-bean-and-sweet-potato-chili/

I loved this, and more importantly, my girls (3 and 5) loved it too!
I omitted the chocolate and the chili peppers, but only because I didn't have any at home and didn't have time to go shopping ;)
I had forgotten that this recipe was a slow cooker one, and didn't check it until 3 hours before dinner... so instead, I cooked it in a Dutch Oven, on low, for 2.5 hours. Worked perfectly!

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 15 ounce cans low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup shreded reduced-fat cheddar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine chipotle pepper, chocolate, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cinnamon, garlic, black beans, sweet potatoes, corn, bell pepper and tomatoes in cooker; cook on low 8 hours.
2. Serve chili topped with cheddar and cilantro.

Photo and full recipe credit to http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos with Lime, in the slow cooker

Recipe from http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/03/slow-cooker-recipe-for-sweet-potato-and.html


Mmmm mmmm good :)

INGREDIENTS for Filling:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans (or use 1 can (15 oz.) black beans)
• 2 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, diced in 1 inch cubes 
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock or canned vegetable broth
• 2 T fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• salt to taste

Ingredients for Burritos:

• medium-sized flour tortillas (use whole wheat or low-carb tortillas for South Beach Diet)
• chopped fresh cilantro for serving (optional)
• shredded mozzarella cheese for serving (optional)
• shredded lettuce for serving (optional)
• sour cream for serving (optional)
• lime pieces to squeeze on filling (optional)

 DIRECTIONS

1. Spray a small slow cooker with olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Put beans, diced sweet potatoes, corn, vegetable stock, lime juice, and spices into the slow cooker.
3. Cook on high for 3 hours, or until potatoes are tender. (I will often steam them a bit ahead of time to speed up the cooking process, about 10 minutes of steaming).
4. Assemble burritos and add toppings as wanted. Enjoy!

Whole Chicken in the Slow Cooker

A whole chicken is much cheaper to purchase and can last you up to 3 meals! Sometimes I'll roast them in the oven, but this way is just as easy (easier?), and makes melt-in-your-mouth chicken :) Not to mention you can actually leave the house while it's cooking! ;)

Tonight we'll have roasted chicken with green beans and mashed potatoes. Tomorrow will be shredded chicken enchiladas using the rest of the meat. I plan on making homemade chicken stock with the carcase. 

INGREDIENTS

• Whole chicken, insides discarded.
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry.
2. Place chicken in slow cooker.
3. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a bowl, then pour over chicken.
4. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Apple Pie Oatmeal in the Slow Cooker

Yum!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups steel cut oats
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 20 oz can apple pie filling
• 6 c water
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

1. Spray the inside of your slow cooker really well with cooking spray so the oatmeal won't stick.  
2. Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker and mix well.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours.  
4. Enjoy! 
 

* I've actually never eaten steel cut oats before this morning, but I'm liking them! You can make this with regular oatmeal too.
*I'm eating it right now and it's good, but a little bland. I think next time I'll make it either with milk or apple juice, or maybe a mix of apple juice and water....and probably add a bit of salt.

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken in the Slow Cooker

This recipe was goooood and so easy! I can't remember where I originally saw the recipe, but it was not my original idea. I must have seen it on a blog or on Pinterest and I went back to find it but couldn't. The recipe was so simple that I did my best to recall and I think it turned out pretty good :)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 chicken breasts, diced
• 1 28oz can diced pineapple, with the juice
• 1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce
• Jasmine rice

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the chicken, pineapple with juice, and BBQ sauce in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 6-7 hours (I think my chicken was still a little frozen in the center. I cooked this for 7.5 hours and that was just right).
3. Serve over rice, using extra liquid as sauce.

Slow-Cooked Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans Stew

Recipe inspired from Everyday Food online

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 jar (11 ounces) mild or medium salsa (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 large chicken breasts
• salt, to taste
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream, for serving
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp basil

Directions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir together beans, salsa, flour, and 1 cup water. 
2. Season chicken with salt, garlic and basil, then arrange on top of bean mixture. 
3. Scatter onion and bell pepper on top of chicken.
4. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours. (Do not open lid or stir.)
5. Shred chicken into large pieces and return to stew. 
6. Serve topped with sour cream.

I forgot to start this early enough, so in place of the beans, I decided to serve this over couscous.

Lemon Garlic Chicken in the Crock Pot

Easy, healthy, delicious :) The girls both actually ate the chicken!

INGREDIENTS

• chicken tenderloins
• 1 can low sodium chicken broth
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Mrs. Dash (garlic and herb spices)
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp butter
• Serve w/ rice or noodles

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix all ingredients (minus rice or noodles) in a slow cooker.
2. Cook on low for 4-5 hours.
3. Serve over rice or noodles.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Recipe inspired from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• chicken tenderloins, cut to bite sized pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 onion, finely diced
  1 cup diced baby carrots
  3/4 cup frozen peas
  1 cup chicken broth
• 1 packaged roll of refrigerated biscuit dough, torn into pieces

Directions

1. Place the chicken, butter, chicken broth, soup, carrots, peas, and onion in a slow cooker and mix.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
   Place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker and cook an additional 30 minutes, until the dough is no longer raw in the center.

White Bean Chicken Chili in the Slow Cooker

Trying a different style chili today :)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups Great Northern Beans, bagged, soaked overnight
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 cup half and half

DIRECTIONS

1. Before: Rinse and soak beans overnight (according to package directions).
2. Brown chicken and onions in olive oil.
3. Transfer to slow cooker.
4. Add beans, seasonings, kale, and chicken broth.
5. Cook on low for 4 hours.
6. Add half and half, cover, then continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
7. Enjoy on a cold day!

Spiced Pork and Apricot Stew

Original recipe inspired from Real Simple: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/spiced-pork-apricot-stew-00000000039498/index.html

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 tbsp strawberry or apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
• ½ cup dried apricots, halved
• 1 cup baby carrots
• cooked couscous, sliced scallions, and chopped roasted almonds, for serving

Directions

1. In a large slow cooker, mix spices and onion with pork.
2. Add chicken broth, preserves, vinegar, carrots, chickpeas and dried apricots. 
3. Cook on low for 6 hours. 
4. Serve over couscous.

Swedish Meatballs in the Crock Pot

Recipe inspired from about.com

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (14ish ounces each) beef gravy
• 1 pound sliced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 pounds frozen meatballs
• 1 cup sour cream
• egg noodles, cooked and drained

Preparation:

1. Sauté onion and mushrooms in butter until tender, about 5 mins. 
2. In crockpot, combine onion, mushrooms, gravy, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic . 
3. Stir meatballs into the sauce. 
4. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours (or Low for 6 hours). 
5. Slowly stir the sour cream into the slow cooker mixture. 
6. Serve meatballs over hot buttered noodles.

Barbeque Beer Chicken Thighs in the Slow Cooker

Original recipe from blogger So Tasty, So Yummy: 
http://sotastysoyummy.blogspot.com/2009/07/barbecue-beer-chicken-thighs.html

INGREDIENTS

•  2 frozen chicken breasts
• 1 cup beer (I used Amber Ale)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worchestire sauce
• 2 teaspoons mustard
• 1 cup frozen chopped onions
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix ingredients, minus the chicken, in the crock pot.
2. Add chicken.
3. Cover and cook on high for 6-7 hours.
4. Serve with sides of choice (I served this with mashed potatoes and green beans).

Chicken Sweet Potato Enchilada Crock Pot Casserole

Recipe inspired from: http://www.mealmakeovermoms.com/recipes/comfort-food/chicken-sweet-potato-enchilada-casserole/

This was really good! I rolled mine up in a whole wheat pita, my husband ate his served over rice. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 chicken breasts, diced to bite-sized
• 3/4 cup frozen diced onions
• 2 small sweet potatoes, diced
• 1 can red enchilada sauce
• 1.5 tsp dried cumin powder
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (or 1.5 tsp garlic powder)
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• wheat tortillas

DIRECTIONS

1. Put diced chicken, onions, sweet potatoes, enchilada sauce, cumin, garlic and corn in crock pot.
2. Cook on low for 5 hours.
3. Add cheese, stir until melted.
4. Serve on tortillas (or rice).

Cheesy Italian Tortellini in the crock pot

Inspired from http://tastycrockpotrecipes.net/recipes2/article1136.html

 How good does this sound!!?! And easy :)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground beef 
• 1 container marinara sauce (15 ounces)
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3/4 tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 package refrigerated cheese tortellini (9 ounces)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella or pizza style cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook beef over medium heat until brown. Drain grease.
2. Spray inside of slow-cooker with cooking spray then add beef , marinara sauce, mushrooms and tomatoes.
3. Mix, then cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours. 
4. Stir in tortellini and sprinkle with cheese. 
5. Cover and cook on low another15 minutes, until tortellini is tender.

Creamy Beef Stroganoff in the Slow Cooker

We're going to the park after nap time to take advantage of this gorgeous weather while we can! So what's the easiest thing I can do for dinner? Something in the crockpot! And how about something other then chicken for a change... ;)

INGREDIENT

• Beef cubes, about 1 lb
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup 
• 1 packet dry onion soup mix
• 4 oz plain cream cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix ingredients together in crockpot.
2. Cook on low for 6 hours.
3. Serve over egg noodles.

Zesty Chicken BBQ in the Slow Cooker

Original recipe found on Crockpot Tuesday's Blog: http://crockpottuesdays.wordpress.com/2009/08/18/zesty-chicken-bbq/

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts
• 3/4 of a 12 ounce bottle BBQ sauce
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• Garlic powder, to taste

Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts in crockpot.
2. In a bowl, mix bbq sauce, Italian dressing, brown sugar, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce until combined. Pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Perfect for a cold and snowy winter day :)

Good to serve w/ corn bread.

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 lb ground turkey
• 1 can of pinto beans
• 1 can of Great Northern beans
• 1 24oz jar of chunky salsa (I use mild)
• 5 medium tomatoes, diced
• garlic, oregano, cumin seed to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown the meat, drain excess juices
2. Rinse the beans and wash/dice the tomatoes
3. Put all ingredients in slow cooker and mix well.
4. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
5. Serve with corn bread and enjoy!

Easy Crock pot Chicken

Decided to cook tonight... with a 3 week old and a busy 21 month old, it's best to prep everything while they're both napping! Haha :) So crock pot cooking tonight it is :)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 frozen chicken breasts
• 1 bunch of carrots; washed, peeled and sliced
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Place ingredients in crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours.
Serve with rice.