slowcooker

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!

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)

Easy Weeknight Meal – Crock Pot Chicken Santa Fe

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 1 Comment

Fall is definitely here in Cleveland. Cooler mornings, apple picking, the smell of crisp leaves falling – yup, it’s definitely here. AND with Fall comes one of my favorite things – CROCK POT MEALS! I got a crock pot for a wedding shower gift back in March last year and haven’t used it more than 2-3 times, mainly because B believes that soup, chili (and other crock pot goodness) should only be cooked in the fall/winter. So this past week, I plugged in the slow cooker, opened some canned goodness and spent ten minutes putting together what became a fantastic meal waiting for me that night!

Do you want to enjoy a delicious AND nutritious (each serving is about 200 calories and low fat) meal this week? Then I suggest you try this out:

Crock Pot Chicken Santa Fe

(Adapted from Skinny Taste)

  • 6 chicken tenderloins (or 3 chicken breast halves)
  • 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
  • 1 c canned corn
  • 15 oz can black beans
  • 14.4 oz can chicken broth
  • 1/2 c chopped onions
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely diced
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
  • jalapeño slices (optional)
  • shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions

Combine tomatoes, black beans, corn, tomatoes, chicken broth, onion, garlic powder, garlic, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper and place on top of the mixture.

Cook in your slow cooker on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in.

Serve topped with jalapeño slices, cheddar cheese and over rice. Sorry the picture looks so horrible! I’m no photographer, but a bad photo is better than none, right?

What’s your favorite crock pot recipe? I’m looking for more! Plus, check out a few more I’ve bookedmarked, here.

Kale is the new spinach (Subtitle: Healthy Crockpot Recipe: Tuscan Chicken Sausage, Kale and Vegetable Soup)

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / 8 Comments

I got  a crockpot! I got a crockpot! I got a crockpot! (can you sense my excitement?)

A few months ago, B and I registered for a slow cooker (correct term… but that’s the only time you’ll hear me use it) at Macy’s. Here’s the model in case you’re interested. Well, one of my best friends got it for me for my wedding shower gift and I was super pumped to try it out. The review? Awesome! It was easy to clean, easy to use, and everything turned out great!

For one of my first recipes, I wanted something truly no fuss and healthy. This meant no searing any meat before using it, not toooo much chopping (I haven’t gotten my Mini-Chop yet from my registry:)) — something I could truly throw together before work and return home 12 or so hours later to eat. So when I found the Tuscan Turkey Sausage, Kale and Vegetable Soup recipe I was really excited to try it out — and it didn’t disappoint! See below for a fabulous, easy and healthy crockpot soup.

Tuscan Turkey Sausage, Kale and Vegetable Soup

adopted from RecipeGirl.com

Ingredients

  • One (12-ounce) package of turkey or chicken sausage, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (I used Al Fresco Sweet Italian Style Chicken Sausage)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3 large celery stalks, chopped
  • 1/2 medium bunch kale, stems removed, & leaves chopped (about 4 cups)
  • 3 cups fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
  • One (15.5-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
  • One (15.5-ounce) can great Northern beans, rinsed & drained
  • One (14.5-ounce) can Italian seasoned diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine (or water)
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • shredded Parmesan cheese, optional (I’m a huge cheese fan … I ended up using Romano because that’s what I had on hand)

Directions (it really is as easy as 1-2-3)

  1. Chop all ingredients — chicken/turkey sausage, garlic, onion, carrots, celery and kale.
  2. In a slow cooker, combine all chopped ingredients except Parmesan. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover and cook on low until the vegetables are tender, 8-10 hours.

Yield: 6 servings (1 1/2 cups per serving)

* Nutritional Information (without Parmesan): calories 241, fat 5g (sat 5g & trans fat 0g), cholesterol 37mg, sodium 1,258mg, carbohydrates 31g, fiber 8g, protein 19g, calcium 158mg

* according to Recipe Girl

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

 

Here are a few of my other favorite soup-like recipes:

Slow Cooker Spicy Chicken and Black Bean Soup

Beef, Lentil and Spinach Stew

Sweet Potato Chicken Chili

If you liked this kale recipe, check out some more!

Shrimp and baby kale fajita salad i crashed the web

Shrimp and baby kale fajita salad