Layered Crock Pot Meatloaf

Meatloaf in the crock pot, plus all the sides at once? Yes, please!

Potatoes, sliced
organic frozen corn
and meatloaf:

1lb organic free range ground beef
1 cup milk
1 tbsp MSG free soy sauce such as San-J Tamari
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp pepper
1 clove garlic minced or 1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 free range egg
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
 3/4 cup rolled oats

Mix meatloaf together in large mixing bowl. Spray crock pot with grapeseed oil spray. Layer potatoes, then corn, then spread meat mixture over corn, and finish with a thin layer of organic ketchup. Cook on high for about 3 hours, or low for about 5. 

Crock Pot Italian Chicken

This is the easiest, most delicious Italian meal you will ever make!

1 package organic chicken thighs (6-8 thighs or 4 breasts)
1 can organic diced tomatoes (with juice)
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup Italian seasonings
2 tsps sea salt
1 tsp pepper
3 tablespoons oregano, basil, parsley, etc (all or just one)

Place all ingredients in your crock pot, cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Serve with warm pasta.

Vegetable Beef Soup

• 1 pound organic ground beef
• 4 cups organic beef broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 large carrots, sliced
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
• 1-1/2 cups fresh cauliflowerets
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 cup uncooked macaroni (optional)

Directions

• Cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink. Add the broth, water, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onions, potato, cauliflower, tarragon, garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. 
• You may also cook this in your slow cooker (ground beef pre-cooked)- on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Crock Pot BBQ Beef

We love this meal, and I always make extras for leftovers or for freezing.

• 2 pounds organic ground beef, browned
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup xylitol
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 4 tbsp. mustard
• 1 tbsp. Bragg's apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp. sea salt
•   2 cups organic ketchup
• 3 pieces chopped celery
•  2 medium grated carrots

Combine all ingredients into your crock pot and cook on low for 3-4 hours.  Or high for about 1. You can eat this over whole grain bread, tortillas, lettuce wraps, etc. Or scoop it up with organic corn chips.

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

2 lbs organic boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4-5 chicken breasts) or 2 packages organic chicken thighs (what I used)
1 onion, thinly sliced (I use red onion)
 2 red bell peppers, sliced in half-circle slices
1 green bell pepper, sliced in half-circle slices
 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
 1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup organic chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Add all ingredients to your crock pot and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low 4-5 hours. Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas and top with salsa, avocado, organic cheese, etc. 

Crock Pot Honey Mustard Chicken

Super easy. Very delicious. 

2 packages organic free range chicken thighs
1/2 cup raw honey
1/4 cup dijon mustard (Grey Poupon is a decent brand)
sea salt and pepper to taste
Mix the honey, mustard, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.  Put the chicken in the crockpot and pour the mixture over the top.  Cook on high for 6-8 hours. Yum! I love easy dinners!

Lasagna Soup

Ok- so, I have been dairy free for quite some time now, and let me tell you how much I MISS lasagna!!! I saw a recipe for this and I danced. And it was just as good as I expected it to be! I, obviously, did not use the cheese mixture garnish, but you can if you want to. :)

for the soup:
2 tsp. grapeseed oil
1-1/2 lbs. organic grass fed ground beef
1-2 chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 jar of your favorite tomato sauce (I used Muir Glen)
2 bay leaves
6 c. chicken stock
4 lasagna noodles (wheat. rice, etc.)
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
for the cheesy yum:
8 oz. organic ricotta
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. sea salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
2 c. shredded organic mozzarella cheese

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add beef, breaking up into bite sized pieces, and cook until brown. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and stir well to incorporate. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste turns a rusty brown color.

Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. Do not over cook or let soup simmer for a long period of time at this point, as the pasta will get mushy. Stir in basil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cheesy yum. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

To serve, place a dollop of the cheesy yum in each soup bowl, sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.

Servings:  8

**You can easily do this in your crock pot. Just brown the meat first and add the rest to your pot. Cook on low for several hours, adding the pasta for the last 1/2-1 hour. 

Gluten Free Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Here's an easy comfort-food recipe for you that you can do in your slow cooker or regular pot. I never thought I'd eat this again without using Bisquick! Ta da! I am happy and so is my tummy. :) My photo kind of stinks, by the way!

Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings (Crock Pot)

2 packages organic chicken thighs
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 onion, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
4 cups organic free range chicken broth
2 Tbsps tapioca starch mixed with 1/2 cup water
sea salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tsp each?)

Mix all ingredients in crock pot except tapioca starch. Let cook on low for about 4 hours or high for 1 or 2 (until chicken is cooked and veggies are tender). Add tapioca starch/water mixture to thicken it up a bit. Drop dumplings by the spoonful on top, and cook for a few more hours, until dumplings are done.


Gluten Free Dumplings

2 C gluten-free Flour (I use Bob's Red Mill GF flour mix)
1/3 C grapeseed oil
1 Tbs. Baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
3/4 - 1 C Milk (dairy or non dairy)

  Mix all dry ingredients until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Add milk and mix until dough is moist.

**You can also make this in a regular pot. Just cook the chicken/veggies until done, add tapioca, then cook until dumplings are done. :)

Chicken Chili Soup

Super easy and healthy. You could throw this soup together on your craziest day and still enjoy a (peaceful?) dinner amongst the chaos! (Coming from someone with two small kiddos...)

Chicken Chili Soup

1 package antibiotic and hormone free chicken drummies or thighs
1/2 bag cannellini beans, soaked overnight and boiled (OR use 2 cans)
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (organic is best)
12 cups free range chicken broth (learn to make homemade broth here)
Start with one teaspoon of each and go from there:
sea salt
black pepper
turmeric
cayenne pepper
paprika
cumin
and a sprinkle of chili powder
Throw all ingredients in a pot or crock pot, cooking until chicken is done. Remove meat from bones and stir back into your pot. Serve with chopped avocado.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is one of the soups I make with my homemade chicken stock I've been making. My freezer is stocked now that I've been making it, and the soups are awesome! (learn how to make it here)

12 cups free range chicken broth

1 onion, diced

1 hot pepper (don't forget to remove seeds!)
1 green pepper, diced

1 14.5 oz can diced organic tomatoes

1/2 bag black beans soaked and cooked (drain only half the liquid), or 2 14.5 oz can blk beans, rinsed

5 organic free range chicken drum sticks

1/2 bag of frozen organic corn

2 limes juiced

Salt and ground pepper

Chili powder- just add to your desired taste

Place all ingredients in your stock pot or crock pot and cook until done :) Once the chicken is cooked, remove meat from bones and place back in your pot.

Top with:
Avocado
Raw Cheddar
Organic sour cream
Organic blue corn chips, crushed

Christmas Eve Minestrone

I call this Christmas Eve Minestrone because I made it for our family to eat on Christmas Eve for lunch. It was warm and delicious, perfect for any winter day.

Ingredients

• 12 cups chicken stock, homemade or store bought (free range is best), plus water
• 1 (28-ounce) can organic diced tomatoes with their juices
• 2 (15-ounce) cans white (cannellini or navy) beans, drained, OR two cups raw cannellini beans and 2 cups raw garbanzo beans soaked and boiled
• 4 organic carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 organic celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 2 bay leaves
• Sea Salt and ground black pepper
• 1 medium zucchini chopped
• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen organic spinach, defrosted

Directions

In a slow cooker, combine broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, sage, bay leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.OR combine all in your stock pot and let cook for 30 minutes to several hours.

Coconut Curry With Chicken

Yesterday I came up with this recipe. It was SO yummy, it will be a new staple meal around here.

1 can organic coconut milk (I like Thai brand because it is so creamy)
1 package organic chicken breasts (cut up) or tenders (about 3-4 breasts, 8 or so tenders)
1 red bell pepper, 1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1/2 a bag of frozen peas and carrots
3 Tbsps Coconut Oil
2 Tbsps San J Tamari
3-6 Tbsps Curry powder- depending on how you like it
Sea Salt
Garlic Powder
Curry Powder
Quinoa or Brown Rice

In a large skillet, melt coconut oil. Add veggies and saute for a few minutes. Add chicken pieces. Sprinkle chicken with sea salt, curry powder and garlic powder. Cook for about 2-3 minutes then flip. Season again with spices and cook 2-3 minutes.
Pour coconut milk over chicken and veggies. Mix in Tamari and Curry powder and another teaspoon of sea salt. Simmer for a about 10 minutes and serve hot over Quinoa or Brown Rice.

Farmer's Market Soup

A detox my hubby is on plus a trip to the farmer's market equals this soup :)

3-4 cups navy beans soaked overnight in water
2 zucchini, chopped
1 onion, sliced
2 organic tomatoes, chopped
one bunch green onions, chopped
3 organic celery stalks, chopped
1/2 kohlrabi, skinned and chopped
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup organic tomato puree
sea salt
basil
garlic powder
onion powder

Mix everything together in your stock pot or crock pot and cook for several hours until the beans are cooked. :)

Chicken Soup For Your Soul!

10 free range organic chicken drumsticks
1 bag organic carrots, chopped
6 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, chopped
frozen peas and corn
4 cups organic free range chicken broth
3-4 cups water
sea salt
pepper
garlic and onion powder

Place everything in your crock pot and cook on low all day. Once cooked, remove chicken and remove meat. Place meat back into crock pot. Season and serve. :)
My husband requests this soup every time he is sick. :)

Baked Chicken

Don't have a lot of time to prep or make a meal? Try this chicken. It takes 5 minutes to prep.

Organic free range chicken leg quarters (I prefer to remove the skin)
drizzle with grapeseed oil
season generously with pepper, sea salt, paprika, garlic salt or powder and parsley.
Bake for about 30-45 minutes on 375 degrees. Easy and delish. My favorite combination. :)

Vegetarian Soup

Threw this together the other night with a few things I had on hand. Liked it. :)

1 cup raw organic kidney beans, soaked 24 hours in advance

2 cups vegetable broth

1 small can of organic tomato paste

Tomato paste can filled with water 4x

1 organic tomato, chopped

1 onion chopped

1 zucchini chopped

3-4 celery stalks chopped

crushed garlic (as much as you want)

one bunch organic kale, washed well and torn into pieces

sea salt

pepper

basil

garlic powder

(about a tsp or two of each)

Just throw everything in your pot except kale. Cover and simmer on a low boil for at least an hour so the beans will cook through. Add kale towards the end so it doesn't get soggy.

Great with some crusty bread or rolls. (Whole wheat bread recipe here)

Pulled Chicken and Sauteed Kale

Yummy! Serves about 4.

Pulled Chicken:

about 2-3 lbs organic free range chicken drumsticks

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup organic ketchup

1 cup organic bbq sauce

Place all ingredients in your crock pot. Cook on low for about 4 hours (my crock pot CRANKS so maybe you'll need more?) Once done, remove meat from bones using a fork. Mix in a bowl with additional sauce left in crock, and any extra bbq sauce to your taste. Serve on yummy whole grain rolls or bread, or just alone if you choose.

Sauteed Kale:

(Bobby Flay- with a few changes)

2 bunches organic kale, stemmed and cut into pieces and washed well

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup organic free range chicken broth

sea salt and pepper

Heat oil on medium heat and saute the garlic. Add chicken broth and kale and toss to combine. Cook covered for about 5 minutes, stirring until all the liquid is absorbed. Season with the salt and pepper and enjoy! Warning: you may get addicted!

This also works well with mustard greens, and I am assuming collard greens would be amazing as well!

Split Pea Soup

Want to know the easiest meal in the world? Split pea soup!

Take one bag of organic split peas, sorted and rinsed, and pour into crock pot.

Cover with organic free range

chicken broth (or vegetable).

Cook for 4-6 hours. Done! And very delicious.

Make it a stew:

Just add everything but the kitchen

sink. No, really. Anything you have, carrots, potatoes, onions, celery, scallions, whatever! Here's a couple photos of some I made recently- when it is done, of course it looks more like mush, so these pics are prettier. :) It's really healthy, easy, and delicious. Great with a crusty whole grain bread.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Kale is in season! Zuppa Toscana is it! We love this soup and pile in the kale... yum! My friend Ashley inspired me to make my own version of this well loved soup from the Olive Garden.

Enjoy!





1 package antibiotic free turkey or chicken sausage (mild, med or hot)
2 onions
5 garlic cloves minced or use garlic powder
2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sea salt (you can always add more later)
4-5 organic white potatoes with skins, chopped
6 cups free range chicken broth (learn to make your own here)
3 cups raw milk
1/2-1 bunch kale (organic if you can find it- kale is one of the 'dirty dozen')

In your stock pot cook onions, garlic and sausage in grapeseed oil (squeeze the sausage meat out of the casing). Add spices. Add broth and potatoes, cook until potatoes are tender. Add kale and cover, cooking for a few minutes until kale is soft. Mix in milk and serve hot.

(Almost) From Scratch Chili!

Friday I ventured to make chili completely from scratch. I almost met my goal, except for that one small stinky can of organic tomato paste I had to put in to thicken it. Oh well. Almost there!
I also had to season this as I went, tasting it to decide what it needed. Here is a recollection of what (I think) I did after it was done. The result was good so I will do it again!

3/4 cup each: (raw) garbanzo beans, black beans, red kidney beans and pinto beans, rinsed and soaked 24 hours in advance.
4-5 large organic tomatoes, diced
2-4 organic bell peppers of any color, diced
1-2 medium onions, white or red, diced
3 stalks celery chopped small
10 cloves fresh garlic, pressed
1 small can of organic tomato paste
About 4-6 cups of water
3 tbsps raw honey and organic cane sugar
3 tbsps sea salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp black and red pepper*
2 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp chili powder*
1 tsp turmeric, coriander and paprika
*If you do not like spicy chili, use less ground red pepper and chili powder. I will next time until this pregnancy is over! :)

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on high for eight hours. If done on stove, cook on medium-high for eight hours? Stir and taste occasionally to test! (Remember I said "I think" this is what I did!!) I'll proof it again soon just to be sure. Serve with whole wheat corn muffins (blog under muffins)! Enjoy!