Clean Eating Salsa Barbeque Chicken Tacos (Crockpot)

Makes 8 servings, about 2/3 cup each
My husband loves anything involving salsa and tortillas and I love anything involving minimal effort and not having to remember to defrost the chicken. That means this recipe is a win-win for our family :) This is a great dump-and-go recipe that makes a whole bunch of really tender, juicy shredded chicken with a very interesting barbeque-y flavor. We serve it as taco meat but you could use it as a sandwich topper, in a salad, on rice, whatever. Go crazy!

We eat ours as a taco salad in homemade tortilla bowls

Ingredients:

• 6 chicken breast halves (about 1.5 lbs, frozen solid is just fine!)
• 16 oz jar salsa
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 2 tsp ground (dry) mustard
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3 Tbsp honey

ONE: Dump everything into the crockpot and stir. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

TWO: Remove the chicken from the sauce and shred it using two forks. Stir the shredded chicken back into the sauce and let it cook 30 minutes more with the lid off to thicken the sauce. 

Scoop servings out with a fork to let the extra liquid drip out. Freeze leftovers in 2/3 cup servings using the medium/large portions method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 2/3 cup serving- 244 Calories (28 Calories from Fat), 3g Total Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 72mg Cholesterol, 584mg Sodium, 24g Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 18g Sugars, 28g Protein, 10% DV Vitamin A, 6% DV Vitamin C, 3% DV Calcium, 11% DV Iron 

:)

Clean Eating Red Beans and Rice with Sausage (Crockpot)

Makes about 8 servings, 1 cup each
This smells like a little bit of heaven while it’s cooking :) I’m a real wimp when it comes to spicy food but this has just enough kick that the kids and I can eat it without complaint while having that slightly spicy New Orleans feel. My nephew, Chase, can sometimes be a picky eater and is VERY resistant to trying new foods, but even he ate this. In fact he fed it to himself without any coercion and said, “I never tried this and I like it.” A very big compliment coming from him.

You may have been shocked to see that there are no veggies in this dish. A rarity coming from me because you know I'm all about the one dish meals that include veggies so I don't have to cook any sides :) I almost always stir in some finely chopped cooked broccoli or brussel sprouts before serving. You could also add 1 1/2 to 2 cups of finely chopped raw sweet potato or carrots in at the beginning of cooking or stir cooked pieces in before serving like with the broccoli. Or I've sometimes thrown 2 cups of very finely chopped raw kale in during the last 1/2 hour of cooking but DON'T STIR it in until you're ready to serve (see Tip below).

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 lb lean turkey or chicken sausage, sliced into medallions
• Small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped (I've made it without this in a pinch but I think it adds a little something in the moisture and texture department)
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp salt
• Optional: ½ tsp Tabasco (I didn’t add this but if you like spicy things have at it!)

ONE: Toss everything into the crockpot and cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 6-8 hours.

TIP: Stir it all together when you first put it in but DON’T stir again until you’re serving. The rice in this dish is meant to be a little more mushy and sticky than plain brown rice but stirring while it’s cooking will make the outside layer break down and let the gummy part out. Picture Cajun rice pudding.

OR:
Dump everything into a gallon-sized freezer bag and freeze. Toss the whole frozen chunk into a crockpot/slowcooker and cook on high 5-6 hours or low 7-8 hours. Make sure you freeze it in such a way that the frozen lump will fit in your crockpot. I set my bag inside a big circular tupper so that it freezes into a narrower cylinder.

Freeze leftovers in 1-cup portions using the medium/large portions method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 1-cup Serving - 354 Calories (65 Calories from Fat), 7g Total Fat, 1.5g Saturated Fat, 35mg Cholesterol, 943mg Sodium, 51g Total Carbohydrates, 7g Fiber, 1.5g Sugar, 22g Protein, 1% DV Vitamin A, 6% DV Vitamin C, 7% DV Calcium, 20% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Crockpot Salmon with Pineapple-Mango-Strawberry Salsa and Orange Lentils

Makes 6 servings
This recipe was modified from a recipe that I tested for Clean Eating Magazine. I’m not a huge fan of fish that tastes like fish but I really love salmon. Go figure! And I love it even more when my crockpot cooks it for me :) This method yields delicious, moist salmon every time. The slightly sweet, citrus flavor of the lentils goes particularly well with the fruit salsa and gives the whole dish an island vacation feel. Plus any time dinner involves fruit my boys are very happy. I recommend using a larger crockpot (like 5 to 7 quarts) for this meal and purchasing salmon fillets that are about the same thickness to ensure even cooking. If you only have a smaller crockpot, you can either do fewer salmon fillets or layer them on top of each other using additional pieces of parchment. If you layer, you will need to extend the cooking time of the fish a bit.

Ingredients:

• 1¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup orange juice
• ¾ cup lentils (I use green)
• ½ cup carrot, finely diced
• ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
• ¼ cup celery, finely diced
• 1 tbsp honey
• 6 4- to 5-oz salmon fillets, scaled and pin bones removed
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Salsa:

• 3/4 cup finely diced pineapple
• 3/4 cup finely diced mango
• 1/2 cup finely diced strawberries
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint (2 tsp dried)
• 2 Tbsp orange juice
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

ONE: Combine everything except the salmon and lemon juice together in the crockpot and stir. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 to 5½ hours or until lentils are tender.

TWO: Place 1 sheet of parchment paper over the lentils in the crockpot. Season salmon lightly with salt and pepper and place it on the parchment (skin-side down if you have not removed the skin). Replace the lid and continue to cook on low for 25 minutes or until salmon is opaque in centre.

THREE: While the salmon is cooking, combine all of the salsa ingredients and set aside to give the flavors a chance to combine.

FOUR: Once the salmon is done, remove it by lifting out parchment. Stir the lemon juice into the lentils and season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, place about ½ a cup of lentils on a plate and top with a salmon fillet and 1/3 cup of salsa.

Freeze leftover lentils and salsa using the medium/large portions method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving (1/2 cup lentils, 1/3 cup salsa, 1 salmon fillet) - 419 Calories (146 Calories from Fat),16g Fat, 3g Saturated Fat, 80mg Cholesterol, 203mg Sodium, 32g Total Carbohydrates, 9g Dietary Fiber, 14g Sugars, 36g Protein, 39% DV Vitamin A, 90% DV Vitamin C, 6% DV Calcium, 16% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Sweet and Savory Turkey Cheddar Meatballs in the Crockpot (OAMC)

Makes approx 35 meatballs
My mouth is watering right now just thinking about these. They are my personal favorite. They are so good that I want to make them and go door to door to share them with everyone in a ten mile radius, LOL :) Not only are they delicious but they combine a lean protein with a green veggie AND an orange veggie. What more could a mother want?! Plus my kids get really excited because they have raisins in them and they feel like dinner involving raisins is just the coolest thing ever. I got the idea for these meatballs from THIS totally awesome crockpot blog.


These are one of my top go-to items for a quick and easy dinner. I serve them crumbled into a bowl of brown rice and they are so moist and tender that you don’t need any type of sauce. I scoop a cup of rice from my freezer stash, plop 3 or 4 meatballs on top, microwave for a minute and a half and presto, a complete meal :)

Ingredients: (Can be doubled... which I do every time because otherwise I am immediately bummed that we've eaten half of them. I like seeing a big bag of meatballs in the freezer.)

• 1 ½ pounds 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 tsp kosher salt OR ½ tsp sea salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
• 1 ½ cups pureed broccoli *
• ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• ½ cup raisins

*If you are making a small batch of pureed broccoli for this recipe and you are using a blender instead of a food processor (especially if your blender isn’t very good…Mom), you can add one or two egg whites to the broccoli for easier pureeing. Broccoli is sometimes hard to puree without adding liquid but adding water will make the meatball mixture very sloppy. The egg whites will make for a slightly wetter and stickier “batter” but will not negatively affect the firmness and cohesiveness of the finished meatballs. It will work best if you put the egg whites into the blender first and then add the broccoli in a little at a time, pureeing as you go.

ONE: In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Mix VERY well (I use my hands… which I HATE doing but it really does do the best job).

TWO: Scoop out a level 1/8 cup and use your hands to roll it into a ball.

CROCKPOT: Place formed meatballs into your crockpot, stacking them gently on top of each other once the bottom is covered (like a bucket of golf balls). Cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 6-7 hours.

OVEN: Place formed meatballs in rows on a cooking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until cooked through. (I’ve cooked a batch in the crockpot but kept just enough out for dinner and baked them in the toaster oven before. They came out great!)

Remove from the crockpot or baking tray and cool on a wire rack over a double layer of paper towels (to catch the drips). Freeze using the flash freeze method.

TIP: When cooking them in the crockpot, don’t worry that they don’t look brown at first. I promise you that they will eventually brown and you will be able to gently separate them when they’re cooked. The bottom ones will be slightly moister and mushier than the top ones but we mash them into brown rice anyway so that doesn’t bother us. If you want them firmer you can use a turkey baster to remove the juices from the bottom of the crock halfway through cooking. You may need to increase the cooking time if you do this due to heat loss from uncovering the crock.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving (4 meatballs) -  236 Calories (88 Calories from Fat), 10g Total Fat, 4g Saturated Fat, 75mg Cholesterol, 348mg Sodium, 17g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 8g Sugars, 21g Protein, 107% Vitamin A, 51% Vitamin C, 18% Calcium, 10% Iron.

:)

Clean Eating Healthy Chicken Pot Pie

Makes 18 servings (3 pies with 6 slices each)

This is definitely one of my signature dishes. I usually have one or two slices stashed away in the freezer to pull out if a friend comes over and is having a rough day :) I'm not going to lie, this dish is a labor of love. I promise you it's COMPLETELY worth it, though. My sister, Anthea, is probably the pickiest eater on the planet and doesn't really like any vegetables. But for her birthday this year, she asked me to make her these chicken pot pies for her freezer instead of getting her a present, LOL. Plus this yields 3 pies so, even though it takes a little extra time and effort on the front end, you'll be able to enjoy the results for weeks to come. I usually omit the wine when I’m cooking but it really adds something special to this dish. UPDATE: Check out the new instructions on how to make the filling in the slowcooker to speed up the overall cooking time!!

If it looks this good, imagine how great it tastes and smells :)

Ingredients:

Pie Crust (for each pie plate) -

• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (total of 3 cups)
• 1 tsp sucanat (can use turbinado/brown sugar but it won't be "clean") (total of 3 tsp)
• ¾ tsp salt (total of 2 1/4 tsp)
• 1/4 cup olive oil (total of 3/4 cups)
• 2 Tbsp milk (total of 6 Tbsp)

Pie Filling -

• 6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
• 2 small celery ribs, sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 1 bunch asparagus, sliced ¼-inch thick
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup red wine
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 5 medium)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup frozen beans (butter beans work well)

Biscuits -

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2/3 cup milk

Prepare 3 9-inch pie plates with crust:
ONE: Into the pie plate stir together flour, sucanat, and salt.

TWO: With a fork, whip together oil and milk; pour over flour mixture. Mix with fork until all flour is dampened.

THREE: Press dough evenly against bottom and sides of plate.

FOUR: Preheat oven to 400. Line the unpricked pastry shell with a double thickness of foil. Bake in oven for 8 minutes. Remove foil, bake for 4-5 minutes more until pastry is set and dry.

I only had two pie plates so I used a cake pan. It worked :)

  Pie Filling and Biscuit Topping:
ONE: Combine carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, asparagus, oil, and ½ tsp salt in a large pot. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until veggies have softened, about 8-10 minutes.

TWO: Sprinkle flour over the veggies, stir well, and let cook 3 minutes. Stir in broth and wine and bring to a simmer.

THREE: Nestle chicken breasts into sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 10-12 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.

FOUR: Return sauce to simmer. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Off the heat stir in beans and season with salt and pepper.

FIVE: Shred chicken or cut into bite-sized pieces, stir into sauce. Pour 1/3 of the mixture into each pie plate.

CROCKPOT INSTRUCTIONS: Throw all of the filling ingredients except for the beans into the crockpot and cook on high 4 hours or low for 6 hours. Remove the lid and continue cooking while you assemble the pie crusts (this gives the filling a chance to thicken). While the pie crusts are baking, use a slotted spoon to scoop the chicken out of the sauce into a bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken and then add it back to the pot. Finally add the frozen beans and season with salt and pepper. Pour 1/3 of the mixture into each pie plate. Do a little happy dance because you saved so much time assembling this dish and the chicken was so tender and easy to shred. Kiss your crockpot.

SIX: Whisk together dry biscuit ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt) in a large bowl. Whisk the oil and milk together and stir into flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined and no pockets of flour remain.

SEVEN: Pinch off small pieces of biscuit dough and sprinkle over pies.

EIGHT: Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until biscuits are golden and the filling is bubbly, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving.





Let cool completely in the fridge over night. Cut into slices and freeze using the flash freeze method to feed your freezer stash. Reheat in the microwave or thaw and reheat in the oven.



NUTRITION INFO:



Per serving - 290 Calories (119 Calories from Fat), 13g Total Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 5mg Cholesterol, 544mg Sodium, 35g Total Carbohydrates, 6g Dietary Fiber, 3g Sugar, 10g Protein, 75% Vitamin A, 8% Vitamin C, 10% Calcium, 15% Iron

:)

Clean Eating Crockpot Chicken and Apple Toss

Makes 8 servings, 1 cup each
This recipe is a spin off of my Crockpot Rosemary Balsamic Glazed Chicken (which you should also try because it is totally awesome and delicious if I say so myself). I was visiting my in-laws and I wanted to throw something into the crock so that we could all eat dinner together without anyone having to take any time away from their visiting to cook. My Mother-In-Law didn't have all of the ingredients for the Rosemary Chicken recipe so I improvised (this is BIG for me, I never cook anything without a recipe, LOL) and this dish was the result. We all liked it so much I thought it was post-worthy. So here you go :)

Just like the other recipe, this is especially fast if you already have diced veggies from your freezer stash. Plus, the chicken doesn't have to be defrosted. You can throw it right in frozen solid and it will still be perfect come dinner time. This is great for me because, even though I always have a meal plan for the week, I never seem to remember to take the meat out to defrost the night before.

Ingredients:

• 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into big chunks (about 1 1/2 lbs, can use thighs)
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
• 1 medium onion, cut into chunks
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and separated into cloves
• 3-4 cups of roughly chopped veggies (I used one bag of frozen Italian mixed veggies [red and green pepper, zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms] and about 1 1/2 cups of chopped broccoli, baby carrots, and grape tomatoes that I picked out of a salad my MIL had made for the previous night's dinner, LOL)
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 cups finely chopped leafy green veggie like spinach (or kale)

ONE: Spray crockpot with cooking spray and place chicken pieces on the bottom.

TWO: Dump veggies (except for spinach), onion, garlic, and apple into the crockpot on top of the meat.

THREE: In a medium bowl whisk together vinegar, cinnamon, soy sauce, and honey. Pour over the veggie chicken mixture.

FOUR: Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5. Thirty minutes before serving, stir in the spinach and replace the cover (do this one hour before if using kale). Serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Freeze leftovers in 1-cup portions using the medium/large portions method.

NUTRITION INFO:
Per Serving: 68 Calories (4 Calories from Fat), 0g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 8mg Cholesterol, 74mg Sodium, 12g Total Carbohydrates, 2g Dietary Fiber, 7g Sugars, 5g Protein, 63% DV Vitamin A, 86% DV Vitamin C, 4% DV Calcium, 5% DV Iron

Crockpot Pineapple Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Red Potatoes and Pepper Strips

Makes 4 – 6 servings
Pineapple and pork just seem to go so nicely together :) I got the idea for this dish from THIS recipe and have made it several times with rave reviews. One thing I really like about it is that the pork gets very tender but doesn't totally fall apart. I use pork tenderloin but you could easily use a pork roast instead. It might be cheaper and will still be moist and tender thanks to the magic of the crockpot. Tender meat is big in our house because I have two toddlers and they have difficulty chewing meat sometimes. When that happens it makes dinner take FOREVER. Not the case with this dish.

The first time I made this I didn't have pepper strips or potatoes so I used chunks of buttercup squash instead and the next day I turned the leftover veggies into cookies. Is that weird? My point is that you can mix and match whatever veggies you want and it will probably still be great.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 lbs pork tenderloin
• 1 cup diced onion
• 20 oz can pineapple chunks packed in juice
• 2 Tbsp sucanat or honey
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 4 medium sized red potatoes, scrubbed and sliced thin 

ONE: Sprinkle the diced onions into the bottom of a crockpot. Place the tenderloin on top.

TWO: Drain the pineapple and reserve ½ cup of the juice. Whisk the sucanat/honey, ginger, salt, flour, and soy sauce into the juice; pour over the tenderloin.

THREE: Place the pineapple, pepper slices, and potatoes in the center of a sheet of tin foil and wrap them up to form a pouch.

FOUR: Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Remove the tenderloin and let it rest for 5 minutes or so before slicing. Open the foil packet and drain any juices into the sauce in the bottom of the crockpot; stir well. I serve this over brown rice drizzled with the sauce but it would also go well with pasta.

NUTRITION INFO -

Per Serving - 356 Calories (33 Calories from Fat), 4g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 69mg Cholesterol, 459mg Sodium, 51g Carbohydrates, 5g Dietary Fiber, 23g Sugar, 29g Protein, 25% DV Vitamin A, 164% DV Vitamin C, 3% DV Calcium, 17% DV Iron

:)

Clean Eating Healthy Crockpot Pork Chops and Fruit Salsa over Citrus Quinoa

Makes 4 - 6 Servings
We LOVE quinoa in our house. It cooks fast, is fun to eat, and it’s a complete protein all by itself so it’s very filling. This is a very versatile recipe that takes full advantage of fresh summer produce and pairs well with a variety of different proteins, meat or otherwise. This can easily be made into a vegetarian recipe.

My kids love this dish because they are getting to eat fruit for dinner and I love it because I can throw it in the crockpot and forget about it and it doesn’t heat up my whole kitchen. You can even prepare a bunch of it ahead of time and freeze it to make what I call a dump-n-go meal; dump the frozen raw ingredients into the crock in the morning and cook on low all day. This is especially good for me when I’m teaching 40 lessons a day in the middle of the summer and I don’t have any time for prep work.

Ingredients:
Pork Chops and Salsa

• 1 lb boneless pork loin chops (or boneless skinless chicken breast, turkey cutlets, or cubed firm tofu)
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 mangos, chopped
• 2 peaches, chopped
• ½ cup diced red onion
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup coarsely chopped/torn cilantro
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 small can chopped green chiles, drained (optional; this makes it pretty spicy so I of course don't put it in. You know I'm wimpy about spicy)

Citrus Quinoa

• 1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed until water runs clear
• 2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 1 cup orange juice
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ c fresh parsley, minced (or 2 Tbsp dried)
• ¼ cup fresh mint, minced (or 1 Tbsp dried)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ c chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots or sweet potatoes
• Generous handful of fresh spinach, chopped (optional at end)
• 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed (optional at end)

ONE: Spray a large sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Lay the pork chops on the foil. In a small bowl, combine the salsa ingredients and pour evenly over meat. Seal the foil into a pouch (instructions HERE).

TWO: Combine all of the Citrus Quinoa ingredients except the spinach and beans in the crockpot. Lay the foil pouch on top.

THREE: Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours or on high for 2-4. The quinoa is done when most of the water is absorbed and the grains (or actually seeds, did you know that?) have started to uncurl like ribbons. If the quinoa is uncurled and tender but there’s still too much liquid in the pot, vent the lid of the crockpot for the last 15 minutes of cook time with a chop stick or the handle of a wooden spoon.

FOUR: Fluff the quinoa with a fork and add the spinach and garbanzo beans (if using). Replace the lid and cook on high for 20 minutes until the spinach is wilted. Stir to distribute. If the pork chops aren’t fully cooked when the quinoa is done, you can reseal the foil pouch and pop it in the oven at 375 for 10 or 15 minutes.

DUMP-N-GO INSTRUCTIONS: Combine all of the quinoa ingredients and dump into a gallon freezer bag. Assemble the foil pouch of meat and salsa as directed above. Put the sealed pouch in another freezer bag (or you could try freezing it resting on top of the quinoa ingredients. It might require some finesse as your putting it into the freezer. Or you could freeze them separately and then throw the foil packet on top of the quinoa stuff after it’s frozen).

On cooking day, dump the frozen solid quinoa mixture into the crockpot and place the frozen solid foil packet on top. Cover and cook on low 5-7 hours or on high 3-5 hours. Just make sure that when you freeze the quinoa ingredients, you are freezing it into a shape that will fit into your crockpot. Otherwise you’ll have to chisel away the sides to jam it in there… not that I speak from experience or anything ;)

NUTRITION INFO:

Per Serving (pork chops and salsa) - 212 Calories (67 Calories from Fat) 7g Total Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 41mg Cholesterol, 173mg Sodium, 20g Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 16g Sugar, 18g Protein, 22% DV Vitamin A, 48% DV Vitamin C, 4% DV Calcium, 6% DV Iron

Per Serving Citrus Quinoa (1/6 of recipe without spinach or beans) - 259 Calories (72 Calories from Fat), 8g Total Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 237mg Sodium, 39g Carbohydrates, 5g Dietary Fiber, 10g Sugar, 8g Protein, 70% DV Vitamin A, 51% DV Vitamin C, 5% DV Calcium, 16% DV Iron

:)

:)

Clean Eating Crockpot Overnight Oatmeal

Makes 4 servings, 1 cup each
This will seem kind of silly written out as a recipe because it’s so simple but this oatmeal has changed my life. I felt like I was running around all day and never having enough time for anything. My Mom suggested I take a day to write down what I was doing every 10 minutes to see where I was really spending (and possibly wasting) most of my time.

I found out that it took me 55 minutes to microwave oatmeal for the boys and I for breakfast! It only takes 2 or 3 minutes to make each bowl but, with the 700 interruptions from the baby and toddler, it actually took that long from when I took the bowls out of the cupboard to when we were actually sitting at the table eating. With overnight oatmeal we all wake up to a delicious smell and it’s like someone’s gotten up early and made me breakfast.

Now it only takes me 4 minutes from cupboard to eating. Very cool. Especially if you consider the fact that we have oatmeal for breakfast at least 4 times a week year round. That's 173 1/3 hours or 7 days of work that I'm saving myself!

Made with Chocolate Soy Milk
(otherwise known as the morning I won Mom of the Year)

 Ingredients:

• 1 cup steel cut oats (or other whole grains like brown rice, millet, or quinoa)
• 1 cup almond milk (or whatever kind of milk you like)
• 3 ¼ cups water
• 1 tsp almond extract (optional)

ONE: Place a small baking dish into the center of your crockpot (I use a 1 ½ quart round corningware). This decreases the cooking area and stops the oatmeal from drying out. (If you have a 2 qt crockpot... like the one I got for Valentine's day specifically for making oatmeal hehehe... you can omit this step).

TWO: Dump the oats into the baking dish and add the almond milk and water (you can use any type of milk you like or replace the milk with an extra cup of water but the milk certainly makes it creamier).

THREE: Pour about a cup of water into the larger crock outside of the baking dish to make a water bath (this also helps to prevent the oatmeal from drying out). Cover the crock and cook on low overnight, about 8 hours.

Porridge with Dried Peaches added the night before
(taken BEFORE it was stirred... kinda gross looking, right?)

After it was stirred...yum :)
(and much more appetizing looking)

This makes a very thick oatmeal (or porridge as we call it in our house). I’m talking your-spoon-can-stand-up-in-it thick and it gets even thicker as it cools. The oatmeal will stick to the spoon, which is excellent if it’s being eaten by a toddler who insists on feeding themself. However, If you like your oatmeal more liquidy, I recommend stirring some extra milk or water into it while it’s still hot in the baking dish.

Look, Mom, no mess!!

And I’m not going to lie, it looks kind of gross in the morning because the very top dries out and makes a little bit of a crust. Once you stir it all together, though, all you’ll see is warm, creamy goodness. You can eat it as is or add your own favorite mix-ins. In our house we usually mix in 2 frozen banana cubes (from the freezer stash made using the small portions method) but we’ve also done berries, honey, agave nectar, and even peanut butter. You could also add 1 cup of dried fruit, such as raisins, to the raw steel cut oats and it will be plump and moist in the morning. Make it your own :)

You could certainly freeze this in 1-cup servings using the medium/large portions method but it is so easy to throw in the night before it would probably take less time to make it fresh than it would take to defrost it.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 1-cup Serving - 160 Calories (34 Calories from Fat), 3g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 45mg Sodium, 27g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 0g Sugars, 4g Protein, 2% DV Vitamin A, 0% DV Vitamin C, 9% DV Calcium, 9% DV Iron
 AYV45HUF37NN

Clean Eating Crockpot African Peanut Soup

Makes 12 servings, 1 cup each
I got the idea for this soup HERE and made a few modifications (you know I can never just follow a recipe LOL). The first time I made this it was for my friend, Martha. I made a double batch and canned it all using my pressure canner to bring to her as a Congrats-On-Your-New-Baby Present (yes I canned it even though it has peanuts in it and no they didn’t die of botulism). I was so focused on packing up meals for her that I totally forgot to save some for us and had to make a whole other batch the next day because it smelled like HEAVEN while it was cooking.

You could easily make this a vegetarian recipe by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. It tastes even better the next day after it’s had more of a chance for the flavors to blend. My family is wimpy when it comes to heat so I used barely any chili powder. Adjust the heat according to your own family’s tolerance.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 2 large red bell peppers, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and shredded
• 2 medium carrots, shredded or diced small
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tsp)
• 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes, with liquid
• 8 cups chicken broth (can use veggie broth)
• 1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (optional, I used 1/8 tsp)
• 2/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus extra for garnish
• Chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)
• Plain non-fat yogurt for garnish (optional)

ONE: Swirl the olive oil around the bottom of the crockpot. Dump in all of the veggies, garlic, tomatoes with juice, broth, brown rice, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and chili powder. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours (high for 4 hours) or until veggies are tender.

TWO: Stir in peanut butter and fresh cilantro and cook on high an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve sprinkled with extra cilantro, chopped peanuts, and a dollop of yogurt.

THREE: To thicken the broth before serving, use an immersion blender (seriously the coolest tool ever!) and blend everything right in the crock for about a minute or until it’s how you like it. If you don’t have an immersion blender, scoop out 2 cups of the soup and CAREFULLY (because it will be really hot) puree it in a regular blender and then add it back to the soup.

STOVETOP DIRECTIONS: Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Add veggies and cook until lightly browned and tender. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth, brown rice, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, and chili powder. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir in peanut butter and fresh cilantro, cover, and simmer another 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Serve sprinkled with extra cilantro, chopped peanuts, and a dollop of yogurt. If desired, thicken according to instructions in step three above.

Look at all those brightly colored veggies :)

Freeze leftovers in 1 cup portions using the medium/large portion method to feed your freezer stash.

NUTRITION INFO:

Per 1-cup serving (without garnishes) - 218 Calories (98 Calories from Fat), 11g Fat, 2g Saturated Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, 153mg Sodium, 23g Total Carbohydrates, 4g Dietary Fiber, 4g Sugars, 10g Protein, 92% DV Vitamin A, 73% DV Vitamin C, 5% DV Calcium, 11% DV Iron

Clean Eating Homemade Yogurt in the Crockpot (and Frozen Yogurt!!)

Makes 17 servings, 1/2 cup each
I got the original idea for making yogurt in the crockpot HERE. The first time I made it it was totally awesome... and I was FURIOUS. My kids have yogurt every single day for lunch which means I've been buying copious amounts of yogurt every week for 3 years now. When I first started feeding Colwynn solids, I saw several recipes to make homemade yogurt in my Super Baby Food book but they all seemed like so much work. I shudder at the thought of how much money I would have saved if I had known about the crockpot method sooner. Grrrr.


This is seriously the easiest thing in the world to do. It takes a while to make but 99% of the time is spent doing nothing so there’s almost no hands-on time. I’ve found that the best time to start it is 4:30 in the afternoon so that I’m doing the last hands-on step at 10PM before I go to bed. Then it makes itself while I’m sleeping. I’ve made the mistake of starting it too late before and have had to set my alarm clock to get up and add the starter at 1:00 AM. It was still totally worth it in the morning, though :)


UPDATE: Since posting this original recipe, I have played around with the measurements and I have actually gotten the best results using 2/3 cup milk powder and no gelatin. This gives me a thicker yogurt right out of the pot without the jello-like texture that the gelatin tends to make. This is just our family's preference so play around with it yourself and see what you like best :) Also, when you scoop it out of the crockpot into containers DO NOT STIR it first. The more you stir, the more liquidy it gets and it will not thicken up again unless you strain it.

UPDATE 2: Seriously, this is the easiest thing ever!! Don't be scared, just do it. I have changed the original post to have super simple instructions for all of my friends that say they need me to hold their hand through yogurt making (you know who you are). You can do it!! Then read the more detailed instructions if you want to get fancy with it. Now you have no excuse :)

Topped with nuts, drizzled with Agave nectar, and served with Homemade Granola Bars.
Can you say YUM?

Ingredients:

• Half gallon of milk (whole, 2%, 1%, whatever)
• ½ cup plain yogurt (I don't suggest using strained or Greek yogurt b/c when I've used them in the past, the resulting yogurt was kind of watery.)
• 1/3 - 2/3 cup nonfat dry milk (optional but really helps to thicken it, I use 2/3 cup)

Simple Instructions:

1. Dump milk into crockpot. Whisk in 2/3 cup milk powder (if using).

2. Turn crockpot on low, cover, set timer for 2 1/2 hours.

3. Turn crockpot off, keep covered, set timer for 3 hours.

4. Scoop out about 2 cups of the warm milk into a clean container. Gently stir in 1/2 cup plain yogurt. 

5. Dump the yogurt-milk mixture back into the crockpot, gently stir it once or twice.

6. Replace crockpot lid, wrap the whole crockpot in a thick bath towel, let it sit for about 8 hours.

7. Unwrap crockpot, take lid off, gently scoop yogurt into clean containers, store in fridge.

8. Do happy dance that you have an entire crockpot full of yogurt and it was the easiest thing you have ever made. (This step is optional but you know you'll do it anyway hehehe)

Fancy more detailed instructions: 

• For thicker yogurt, add 1 packet unflavored gelatin (details below)
• For sweetened yogurt, add in 4 Tbsp Agave nectar or honey (again, details below) 
• For Greek style yogurt, use the same recipe as regular yogurt and then strain it using the instructions below

ONE: Pour the entire half gallon of milk into the crockpot. Whisk in the nonfat milk powder and Agave/honey if using. Sprinkle the packet of gelatin on top. Let it sit 5 minutes to soften and then whisk it in.

Sprinkle the gelatin on top first so that it can soften

TWO: Cover and cook on low for 2 ½ hours (set a timer so you don’t forget about it).

THREE: Unplug the crockpot but don’t uncover it. Let it sit for 3 hours (again, set a timer... or your alarm clock hehehe)

FOUR: Scoop out about 2 cups of the milk into a bowl and whisk in the 1/2 cup of plain yogurt. Add the mixture back into the crockpot and stir well. Wrap the whole crockpot in a thick bath towel and let it sit for 8 hours or overnight.

I like to think of it as the crockpot being swaddled, hehehe :)

In the morning the milk will have miraculously become yogurt. It is the coolest thing ever. I promise you that you’ll get a little rush of excitement when you go to dip the spoon in and it’s thickened. Scoop it out of the container WITHOUT STIRRING IT FIRST and store it in plastic container(s) in the fridge. I use cleaned out 32oz yogurt containers… you know, from back when I actually paid for yogurt (again, grrrrr). I’ll admit I get a smug little grin every time I scoop my way cheaper homemade yogurt out of it. Save 1/2 cup as a starter to make a new batch.

The first scrape with the spoon the next morning...
It's probably a little weird how excited I get at this moment, LOL

Breakfast :)

Straining instructions for Greek style yogurt:
The milk powder (and gelatin if you used it) will help to make the yogurt thicker but, if you would prefer Greek style yogurt, place several coffee filters into a colander and place it in a bowl. Spoon some of the yogurt into the coffee filters and let it drain overnight. Scrape the newly thickened yogurt off the coffee filters and back into a container. Enjoy :)

TO FREEZE: You can DEFINITELY freeze this and make frozen yogurt with it. We have an ice cream maker so I usually add a particularly sweet fruit, like pureed peaches or pears, in with the yogurt and follow the instructions for my model. However, Clean Eating has a great frozen yogurt recipe that doesn't use an ice cream maker HERE. (Update: this link is no longer working. I'll post the instructions soon.)

NUTRITION INFO:

Per serving using 1% (low fat) milk (unsweetened but made with gelatin and milk powder) - 59 Calories (11 Calories from Fat), 1g Total Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 6mg Cholesterol, 64mg Sodium, 7g Total Carbohydrates, 0d Dietary Fiber, 7g Sugars, 5g Protein, 5% Vitamin A, 0% Vitamin C, 17% Calcium, 0% Iron

Clean Eating Healthy Crockpot Black Bean Salsa Soup

Makes 10 servings, 1 cup each
This is one of Matt's favorite things that I make. He'll come home from work and sniff the air as he comes in the door. Then he'll get all excited and ask, "What's in the crockpot?" He's been known to squeal with glee when he finds out that it's this soup :) You know I'm all about sneaking veggies into everything and this soup is no exception. The first time I made this it was too hot for the boys to eat and I didn't want to wait for it to cool. I had two chunks of frozen pureed broccoli in the freezer so I tossed them in. Everyone ate it happily and the secret was all mine.


A few times later I didn't have any broccoli (it only happens once in a blue moon in our house) so I had to leave it out. Matt was in the middle of his bowl and he said, "Did you do something different this time? Not to be mean but it doesn't taste as good as usual." I told him the only difference was that I left out the broccoli. Then it happened. My husband, who thinks that the epitome of epicurean cuisine is white Wonder Bread and claims to hate most veggies, actually said, and I quote, "Don't leave the broccoli out again. It tastes much better when it's in there." Be still my beating heart :)

This soup is quick to throw together and you don't even have to defrost the meet first. Always a plus in my book. It's also really low in calories (only 122 per serving) but high in dietary fiber (6g) and protein (10g). This means that it's very filling so you get more bang for your caloric buck.

Garnished with a dollop of Homemade Yogurt :)

Ingredients

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts chopped into big chunks (can be frozen)
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 32oz carton all natural low sodium reduced fat chicken broth (4 cups)
• 2 12oz packages of frozen broccoli
• 1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with juices
• 2 tsp cumin
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• Shredded cheddar, plain non-fat yogurt or sour cream, sliced avocado, and chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

ONE: Cook the broccoli according to the package directions. Pour 2 cups of the broth into a blender or food processor. Add cooked broccoli and puree (if you don’t have a very good blender…Mom…you may want to add the broccoli a cup at a time and puree as you go).

TWO: Throw the broccoli mixture and everything else (except the garnishes) into the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5.

THREE: To thicken the broth before serving, use an immersion blender (seriously the coolest tool ever!) and blend everything right in the crock for about a minute or until it’s how you like it. If you don’t have an immersion blender, scoop out 2 cups of the soup and CAREFULLY (because it will be really hot) puree it in a regular blender and then add it back to the soup. You might also want to use two forks to shred up the chunks of chicken a bit.

Serve with the garnishes. We like to eat ours with whole grain tortilla chips or cheese quesadillas for dipping. Sometimes I stir ¼ cup of cooked brown rice into each serving. My Mom likes to add a little lime juice to hers while the boys are all about having a dollop of yogurt in theirs. Make it your own :)
 

Col likes his with extra cilantro



Toddler approved :)


Freeze 1 cup portions without the garnishes using the medium/large portions method.

NUTRITION INFO:
Per serving (before garnishes) – 122 Calories (10 Calories from Fat), 1g Fat, 0g Saturated Fat, 4mg Cholesterol, 41mg Sodium, 20g Total Carbohydrates, 6g Dietary Fiber, 2g Sugars, 10g Protein, 1% DV Vitamin A, 9% DV Vitamin C, 4% DV Calcium, 13% DV Iron

Clean Eating Crockpot Rosemary Balsamic Glazed Chicken with Squash and Roasted Garlic

Makes 8 servings, 1 cup each
This is a very easy dish that you can throw into the crockpot and forget about for the rest of the day. It's especially fast if you already have diced veggies from your freezer stash. Plus, the chicken thighs don't even have to be defrosted. You can throw them right in frozen solid and they will still be perfect come dinner time. This is great for me because, even though I always have a meal plan for the week, I never seem to remember to take the meat out to defrost the night before.

Look at all those veggies!!

Yum!! :)

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sucanat
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced
• 2 medium yellow squash, sliced
• 6 oz sliced white mushrooms
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 1 red onion, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 head of garlic, peeled and separated into cloves
• 2 cups finely chopped kale

ONE: Spray crockpot with cooking spray and place chicken thighs in the bottom.

TWO: In a medium bowl whisk together vinegar, rosemary, soy sauce, and sucanat. Add veggies and stir well to coat.

THREE: Dump veggies and remaining sauce into the crockpot on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5. An hour before serving, stir in the kale and replace the cover. Serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Freeze leftovers in 1-cup portions using the medium/large portions method.

NUTRITION INFO:
Per Serving: 144 Calories (41 Calories from Fat), 5g Fat, 1g Saturated Fat, 37mg Cholesterol, 93mg Sodium, 13g Total Carbohydrates, 3g Dietary Fiber, 4g Sugars, 14g Protein, 66% DV Vitamin A, 162% DV Vitamin C, 7% DV Calcium, 10% DV Iron