crockpot

Crockpot Chicken, Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Curry

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 4 Comments

I love easy slow cooker meals that can be prepped ahead of time, are healthy, delicious and don’t take a lot of preparation. Slow cooker meals that require no cooking ahead of time (what’s the point of that?!) or browning of meat. Kid-friendly slow cooker meals. And, slow cooker meals that are just as good in the summer as they are in the winter.

That is why I love this dish. My husband, baby girl and I all love it. (Confession my picky toddler won’t eat any of it but the sweet potatoes) I can make it ahead of time AND it tastes good 1-2 days later! If you’re looking for an easy, healthy weeknight crockpot meal, here it is.

Crockpot Chicken, Sweet Potato and Cauliflower Curry

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 15 oz can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth low sodium
  • 3 tablespoons curry powder
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 whole cauliflower, chopped (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups)
  • 1 medium onion thinly sliced
  • 15 oz can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, diced
  • 15 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen green peas
  • Optional; for serving: Rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa

Here’s what you do:

  • Combine coconut milk, chicken broth and curry powder and add to the bottom of your slow cooker.
  • Add chicken breasts, cauliflower, onion, chickpeas, canned tomatoes and sweet potatoes. Gently toss together to make sure everything is coated with coconut milk/broth/curry.
  • Cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours or High for 4 hours.
  • OPTIONAL: Depending how much broth/juice you have after cooking, you can take out 1-2 cups of broth mixed with cauliflower and sweet potato and blend until mushy (yes that’s the technical term) before putting back in. I love doing this as it adds a nice thick sauce.
  • Stir in peas 5 minutes before serving. I like to serve mine over cauliflower rice for even more cauliflower goodness. But, you may enjoy it over regular rice, quinoa or even just with a side of naan.

Some questions:

  • What’s your go-to slow cooker meal?
  • Do you like curry?

Mediterranean Crockpot Chicken For 2

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments

I’m not a seasonal eater. What do I mean by that? I love soups year round. Chili? In July? Why not?! Ice cream in the winter? Of course! B, on the other hand, is very seasonal. We can’t eat soup in the summer. Crockpot? Stash that away from May-Aug (and sometimes September). BUT sometimes I can sneak in a slow cooker recipe in the summer and convince B it’s still seasonal. I didn’t quite do that with this one (there was no sneaking) BUT he did enjoy it. And would eat it again:) At last! A  crock pot meal that even B enjoys in the summer.

Mediterranean Crockpot Chicken

Mediterranean Crockpot Chicken For 2 (with leftover for lunch)

Makes 2 large dinner servings, with a leftover lunch portion

Slightly modified from Family Food on the Table

Ingredients

  • 2 large, skinless chicken breasts (mine weighed a little more than 1/2 lb)
  • 1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, mostly drained and chopped a bit
  • 1 14-oz. cans artichoke hearts, drained
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp red curry powder
  • 1 Tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa

Instructions

  1. Combine everything BUT the fresh basil and quinoa in your slow cooker (chicken breasts through dried Italian seasoning).
  2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
  3. Once finished, use two forks to shred the chicken into large chunks.
  4. Serve warm, with fresh basil and over quinoa. NOTE: There will be a decent amount of liquid left – I liked mine almost soupy and used much of it. If you don’t, use a slotted spoon for removing the meal from the crockpot.
Mediterranean Crockpot Chicken

Sittin in the slow cooker …

Mediterranean Crockpot Chicken

Ready to eat!

Alright, your turn. A few questions for you:

  • Any favorite summery slow cooker recipes? Let me know!
  • What’s the best slow cooker meal or snack you’ve ever had?
  • Are you a seasonal eater?

Crock Pot Lentils and Kale

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

Some nights for dinner I just want something healthy, easy, filling AND tasty – is that so much to ask for?

Most nights I can get 3 of the 4. Pasta with meatballs – tasty, easy, filling, but not super healthy (especially when served with a chunk of crusty bread and fresh mozzarella .. OMG I can taste that goodness now).  Homemade black bean burgers with sweet potato fries and braised kale – tasty, filling, healthy but not really super easy (well it’s easy .. just takes time to prepare). So last week when I was “cleaning” out my fridge and found some leftover kale from our CSA and an onion – and then of course found lentils and canned tomatoes in our pantry – a light bulb went off. I realized that combining all those ingredients would most definitely satisfy all of the above! Healthy? Obviously! Easy? Yes – I’d be using my crock pot. Filling? Of course – 1 cup of this dish has about 15 g. of protein (and more if you pair it with chicken). Tasty? Um, anything with lentils and kale in my opinion is tasty (I understand if you disagree).

Enjoy the following “recipe.” I literally just threw everything in my crock pot, googled “lentil crock pot cooking times” and hoped for the best. And it worked! Serve as is, or with chicken, which B had. He actually looked at me like I was crazy when I asked if he wanted anything with the lentils for dinner. “You mean, do I just want lentils and kale for dinner? Am I a rabbit?” – may or may not be exactly what he said. I also sprinkled Penzeys vindaloo seasoning on my leftovers which made for an awesome Indian-type dish. 

crock pot lentils and kale - i crashed the web

Crock Pot Lentils and Kale

Here’s what you need:

  • 2 cups lentils, rinsed
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 3 cups chopped kale (don’t forget to remove the stems)
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1-2 tablespoons cumin
  • 2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken, if you don’t mind if it’s not vegetarian)
  • 1 cup water
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Here’s what you do:

  1. Rinse lentils. Add to crock pot with onion, garlic, canned tomatoes and kale.
  2. Add spices — ginger, onion powder, garlic powder and cumin. Mix all ingredients within crock pot. Pour broth and water over mixture.
  3. Cover and cook on Low for 5-6 hours.
  4. Enjoy! Serve alone, or as a side dish with chicken if your husband gasps at the thought of just eating lentils and kale alone.

Enjoy! As you can see, it’s not the prettiest dish, but it’s healthy, filling and SUPER EASY.

slow cooker lentils and kale - i crashed the web

PS – Here are some more of my favorite crock pot dishes. You MUST try the jambalaya!

More Crock Pot Deliciousness: Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken and Black Bean Soup {recipe}

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 1 Comment

Have I told you how much I LOVE my crock pot? I know I have. I’m sure I have. Well, if I haven’t – let me tell you now: I LOVE MY CROCK POT.

lovemyvcrockpot

check out my skills. i made this.

I came across this recipe when we had a pot luck for work a few months ago. When I saw the list of stuff people had planned to bring to our crock pot luck (get it?) and saw it was buffalo chicken dip, chicken paprikash, some desserts, and so on, I knew I had to bring something healthy. So naturally I scrolled through one of my favorite blogs, Skinnytaste, and decided on this recipe. I made it and REALLY enjoyed it. I enjoyed it again and again actually – because there were tons of leftovers! Why’s that? Apparently “spicy” and “black beans” are scary at potluck. Yup, scary. A few of my coworkers shied away from it when they heard it was “spicy” (it’s not really) or it had “Black beans” in it. Which meant – more for me! (and it also meant that when half the office got sick from the potluck the next day everyone agreed it WASN’T my bean soup that got them sick … because none of the sickos tried it. It feels good to be cleared of the food poisoning charge) And more for B, who really liked it as well. So this week when I noticed my crock pot was looking kinda lonely (as tends to happen when its 80+ degrees out) I decided to make some of it again. Not only does cooking in the crock pot mean I’m not cooking on a hot day (it cooks for me while I’m at work!) but it also means that I can stay outside and enjoy the sunshine a little longer knowing that dinner is ready when I get home 🙂 Oh, and did I tell you that it’s low fat? (Yup, one large bowl that’s 1.5 c has less than 6 grams of fat and 300 something calories) crock pot chicken and black bean soup spicy Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken and Black Bean Soup (modified from Skinnytaste, very slightly. but look at her recipe because her pictures are way better!) Here’s what you need:

  • 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3.5 c low sodium chicken broth
  • About 20-30 oz canned tomatoes with green chilies (I found 10 oz cans and 15 oz cans and used 2  of the 10 oz this time, last time I used 2 of the 15 oz cans)
  • 1 red bell pepper, minced
  • 2 jalapenos, minced
  • 4 oz can diced green chiles
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ancho chile powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 skinless chicken breast

Here’s what you do:

  1. Using a food processor, combine one can of beans with 1.5 cups of the chicken broth. Puree them together and add to your slow cooker.
  2. Add the other can of beans and the remaining 2 c of chicken broth to the slow cooker.
  3. Add canned tomatoes, bell pepper, jalapenos, diced green chiles, cumin, chile powder, garlic powder, onion powder and chicken breasts.
  4. Set your crock pot to High for four hours, or Low for 6-8 hours (mine took 6).
  5. Before serving, remove the chicken and shred. Place back in the slow cooker. Serve!
  6. Original recipe suggests serving with avocado, cilantro, sour cream, etc. I just had mine plain and enjoyed it tremendously! B added more hot sauce to his.
spicy black bean and chicken soup in your crock pot

Again, Skinnytaste’s pictures are much better…look at hers.

A Recipe Remake – Crock Pot (Slow Cooker) Jambalaya!

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments

It’s been a while since I last made my crock pot jambalaya, one of the most popular recipes on this blog for some reason. Last time it was good – but it wasn’t perfect. The shrimp wasn’t cooked right, and it was too soup-like for me. Well, this time, it was perfect! Seriously. I loved this recipe, as did B. So maybe it’s not real jambalaya like you’d get down south, but I’ve never been south so I’ll settle for this recipe. I served it over lentils for a quick, easy and healthy dinner (one heaping bowl is 300ish calories with nearly 40 g of protein!). Enjoy!

slow cooker - crock pot - jambalaya ~ I crashed the web

Healthyish Crock Pot Jambalaya

Serving: 3 heaping bowls – about 6 cups (but I didn’t really measure)

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 package of smoked chicken sausage, sliced (I used the whole package of Bilinski Cajun Andouille Sausage (5 links in the package)
  • 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
  • 1 (6 oz) can of tomato paste
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ½ large onion, chopped
  • 1 large red pepper, chopped
  • 5 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 c. chicken broth (I use a low-sodium version)
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 2 tsp cayenne powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ lb. pre-cooked shrimp

Here’s what you do:

  1. In your crockpot, combine the chicken sausage, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped garlic, chopped vegetables (pepper, celery and onion), and broth. Add seasonings – oregano, parsley, onion powder, thyme, garlic powder, paprika, basil and cayenne pepper. Do NOT add the shrimp yet!
  2. Cover, and cook in your slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High. Add the shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
  3. Enjoy! I served mine with some lentils  – but feel free to serve over rice if that’s your thing.
slow cooker - crock pot - jambalaya ~ I crashed the web

Put everything but the shrimp in the crock pot .. and wait!

serve over rice ... or lentils if you're like me!

serve over rice … or lentils if you’re like me!

Crock Pot Veggie Casserole

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

I love my crock pot, and I’m always looking for new recipes other than stews, soups and heavy beef/chicken dishes. Well – I definitely found one, and it’s a keeper! When perusing the Internet a few months ago, I came across this recipe for a Vegetable Casserole in the slow cooker. Since B has what he likes to call a “meat tooth,” I hardly ever make vegetarian recipes and had put it aside. So, this week when I was home in NY, when my mom told me she had never used her crock pot and was looking for a recipe to try, I knew exactly what to suggest!

We made this recipe. It was delicious and filling – and my whole family (mom, dad and brother) really enjoyed it. Although my dad did end up grilling some chicken to eat with it, but it’d definitely be filling enough (in my opinion) on its own.

slow cooker vegetarian casserole
Crock Pot Veggie Casserole
(slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens)
Here’s what you need:
  • 2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans
  • 2 15.5-ounce cans chickpeas
  • 1/4
    c basil pesto (I used homemade, but you can certainly buy it at the store)
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4
    cloves garlic, diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1
    16-ounce package refrigerated cooked plain polenta cut in 1/2-inch-thick slices – we used this Sundried Tomato Garlic Polenta and only used 2 cloves of garlic, above
  • 1 l
    arge tomato, thinly sliced
  • 1
    8-ounce package finely shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (2 cups)
  • 2
    cups fresh spinach
  • 1
    cup torn radicchio

Here’s what you do:

  1. Rinse and drain chickpeas and beans. In large bowl combine beans, 2 tablespoons of the pesto, diced onion, garlic, oregano and basil.
  2. In your large crock pot, layer half of bean mixture, half of the sliced polenta, and half of cheese. Add remaining beans and polenta.
  3. Cover; cook on low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or on high heat setting 2 to 2-1/2 hours.
  4. Add tomato, remaining cheese, spinach, and radicchio. Combine remaining pesto with 1 tablespoon water. Drizzle pesto mixture on casserole.
  5. Enjoy! Serve alone, or as a side dish to a meat item (such as grilled chicken) if you prefer.

vegetarian crockpot casserole

labeled 2 bean mixture

labeled 3 first layer

vegetarian crock pot casserole

labeled 5 final layer
slow cooker veggie casserole

A SOUP-er Roundup!

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 3 Comments

The weather has definitely been getting colder in Cleveland, which means that I’ve not only been baking up a storm, but B and I have also been in the kitchen more to cook. Baked ziti? Homemade sauce? Spaghetti squash? Homemade pasta with home baked bread? You name it – if I can turn the oven on, I’m happy.

Still, what about those days when all you want is a hearty helping of soup and crusty bread? Lately I’ve been just frequenting the Souper Market – but I plan to attempt to make at least one soup on my own as the days get cooler. Here are some of the soups I’m dying to cook:

Slow Cooker Taco Stew (from Mommy Hates Cooking)

Fall Harvest Stew (from The Daily Balance – another Clevelander!)

Tuscan Chicken Sausage, Kale and Vegetable Soup (from me!)

Spicy Pumpkin Soup (from My Recipes)

Buffalo Chicken Soup (from Bake Your Day)

Chicken Tortilla Soup (from The Pioneer Woman)

AND for those days that I don’t feel like turning on the crockpot or waiting for some soup to cook?

I “indulge” in the best light soup: I recently got to try some of Progresso’s new light creamy soups! I was sent the Chicken Pot Pie and Creamy Potato with Bacon & Cheese. The best part about the soups? They’re 100 calories per serving.

So if you’re me – you have two 100 calorie lunches to play around with (I usually also bring a side salad or a sandwich on an English muffin to round out the meal) – or if you’re B, you have one 200 calorie (yes, he eats the whole can) soup on your hand. The other cool thing? I was sent this really cute gift set – it included two cans of soups, a gift bag, a water bottle and a soup mug (yes, I ate mine out of my mug)!

I definitely recommend you check these soups out if you’re looking for something creamy, but light, to enjoy this winter or fall. Do they taste exactly like the originals and non-light soups? No … but I still really enjoyed them!

Creamy Potato with Bacon and Cheese Soup in real life

Disclosure:  The coupons, information, and gift packs have been provided by Progresso® through MyBlogSpark

Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken & Beans – For Two!

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 2 Comments
Even though it’s summer, I’ve been dying to use my crock pot. After all – what’s a better feeling than coming home from work and knowing that a healthy, easy dinner is already ready? That’s why I decided to find an easy recipe, with flavors good for summer, for two. That’s right – a crock pot recipe for TWO people (or one person – with a nice-sized lunch for the next day)!

 

So often whatever I make in my crock pot serves 6, or even more, and I’m eating leftovers for a week. After seeking a few recipes, I decided to just come up with my own – and here it is! Enjoy. If you are cooking for more than two, I have on doubt you could double, triple or quadruple this recipe to feed more hungry bellies.

 

slow cooker cheesy black beans and chicken
Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken & Beans for Two
Here’s what you need:
  • 4 chicken tenderloins or 1 whole chicken breast
  • 1 (15.5 oz) can of black beans, drained
  • 1/2 (15.5 oz) jar of salsa  (I used Tostitos Chunky Hot Salsa for a kick)
  • 1/2 c. water
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbs chili powder
  • 1 tbs cumin
  • 1 tbs garlic powder
  • 1/2 c Mexican cheese blend
Here’s what you do:
  • Place the chicken on the bottom of your crock pot.
  • Mix the can of black beans, half jar of salsa, and spices (cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder) together. Pour on top of chicken.
  • Pour water on top.
  • Set your crock pot or slow cooker to low. Cook for 8 hours.
  • After 8 hours, mix chicken/bean mixture and serve in two bowls. Top with Mexican cheese.
  • Enjoy!

Note: I also made some Uncle Ben’s 90 second whole grain rice and topped with the chicken and beans. I also cut up some avocado, and B added hot sauce. For cilantro lovers, the recipe would also be delicious with some fresh herb sprinkled on top.

If you liked this recipe, or want more slow cooker recipes, check out the ones I’ve tried and shared, here.

Crock Pot Jambalaya

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 8 Comments

[please note that I’ve REMADE this recipe with some modifications – feel free to look at both and see which looks better for you]

Click here for the new recipe!

Click here for the new recipe!

Last week I had to take a day trip to our Columbus office. I knew it was going to be a somewhat late evening and that by the time I got home I would NOT be in the mood to make dinner, but still be craving something substantial and not an english muffin and peanut butter (which is what I ate last night) or eggbeaters and hamsteak (which is actually what I’m eating while writing this). So I found a recipe I had pinned a few weeks ago, Slow Cooker Jambalaya, put it in the crock pot, and there it was  – dinner, ready when I got home!

I’m sharing the recipe, below, with slight modifications from here.

One note: This comes up pretty soupy. The broth is delicious and I used it when making leftovers as the water to make quinoa (instead of water, I used the broth and then I topped the quinoa with leftover jambalaya) but just be aware, the recipe could be called Jambalaya Soup!


Crock Pot Jambalaya:

Here’s what you need:

  • 3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced (next time I may even try turkey sausage)
  • 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1 spanish onion, chopped
  • 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
  • 4 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1/2 a bouillon cube
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (I happened to have some homemade Cajun seasoning on hand from a former colleague whose wife is a chef … but I know they sell it at the store! OR you could make Emeril’s recipe, here)
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2  lb frozen pre-cooked shrimp.

Here’s what you do:

  1. In crock pot, mix the chicken, sausage, tomatoes with juice, onion, green bell pepper and celery.
  2. Season with oregano, parsley, Cajun seasoning, cayenne pepper, and thyme. Place bouillon on top.
  3. Cover and cook 7 to 8 hours on Low, or 3 to 4 hours on High.
  4. Stir in shrimp during the last 30 minutes of cook time.

Enjoy! It made 3 dinner portions and 2 lunches for me. Serve on rice… or quinoa!

Looking for some other crock pot or slow cooker recipes? Might I also suggest:

Vegetarian Crock Pot Casserole

Slow cooker spicy chicken & black bean soup

Tuscan Turkey Sausage, Kale and Vegetable Soup

light spinach artichoke dip

Crock Pot Recipe for 2 – Cheesy Black Beans and Chicken

If you liked this recipe, or want more slow cooker recipes, check out the ones I’ve tried and shared, here.

Italian Crock Pot Chicken (a.k.a Slow Cooker Chicken, Tomatoes and Olives)

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

One of my favorite blogs for browsing healthy slow cooker recipes is Skinnytaste.com. I’ve already pinned a bunch of recipes and even tried a few. So when I saw the photo of her Crock Pot Chicken a la Criolla, I was excited! Cilantro, chicken, tomatoes and olives? Yum! So when B went to the store, I sent him off with the grocery list, and was excited to enjoy what was sure to be a delish dish.

BUT of course B forgot a few things. Like tomato sauce. And cilantro. Though the cilantro was probably on purpose because he hates it. Determined to still have a crock pot meal, I adapted the recipe somewhat and turned it into an Italian dish – served on top of orzo, instead of rice! It was yummy and I’ll definitely be making it again, especially since B and I finished it the first night. What can I say – he’s training for a marathon and was hungry!

Italian Crock Pot Chicken (a.k.a Slow Cooker Chicken, Tomatoes and Olives)

(Adapted from Skinnytastes.com’s Crock Pot Chicken a la Criolla)

Here’s what you need:

  • 4-5 skinless boneless chicken thighs (about 1 lb)
  • 1 medium sized white onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, either finely diced or crushed with garlic press
  • 1bell pepper, finely sliced
  • 4 plum tomatoes, chopped into cubes
  • 6 – 8 small pitted Spanish olives + 2 tbs olive juice
  • 1 c tomato sauce (I used homemade sauce that we had on hand … B or I make it at least once a month for pasta, etc. but you probably could use a can)
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Handful of fresh basil (if on hand)

Here’s what you’ll do:

  1. Put chicken, onion, garlic, pepper and tomatoes in the crock pot.
  2. Add salt, cumin, basil, oregano. Stir it all up so everything is well-seasoned.
  3. Add tomato sauce, olives, 2 tbsp of the olive juice, 1/2 cup water, and bay leaves. Mix well.
  4. Set crock pot on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
  5. When done, add fresh basil and adjust spices as needed.

Serve over orzo or with a big chunk of Italian bread for dunking in the broth. Or both!

Everything in the crock pot, ready to go!

Italian Crock Pot Chicken (I need to work on my food photography skills)