Crustless Chicken Pot Pie

Tina Thomas

A big thanks to Tina for this one! This really hits the spot!

Small onion, chopped
2-3 lbs. boneless chicken breasts
Minced Garlic (optional)
Bag of frozen vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots--or any combination you enjoy)
Red Potatoes
Seasoning: salt, pepper, garlic salt, red pepper flakes (optional)
1 can Coconut milk or equivalent amount of unsweetened almond milk

Grease the bottom of your crockpot with olive oil or avocado oil.  Add all the ingredients except the coconut milk and cook on low for 6-7 hours.

After 6-7 hours, add the can of coconut milk and cook for another hour.

Shred the chicken and enjoy!

Sweet Pulled Pork

Simmie Sinow

1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp crumbled dried oregano
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 apples, chopped/diced small
4 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth

Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture.

Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture. Put the diced apples alongside the pork as well.

Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours.

When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

NOTES:
Cooking time will vary depending on how hot your crockpot cooks. My primary crockpot takes about 5-6 hours total; I have another one that takes about 8-10 hours.


The pork in this recipe really does fall off the bones of the pork roast. You can eat this with tortillas or not – it’s so good that I’ve just generally had the pork which is more like shredded and some vegetables or potatoes on the side.

Beef & Butternut Stew - Crockpot

Stacy Cunningham Schott

1 lb. beef cubes for stewing
1 butternut squash, diced
1 med onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 carrots, diced
6 oz mushrooms, sliced
6 oz spinach, chopped
1 cup chicken stock
14 oz diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano

Quickly sear stew meat on medium-high heat in the skillet; transfer to crockpot.

Add all remaining ingredients except the spinach and mushrooms.

Stir and cook on low for 6 hours.

Add mushrooms 30 minutes before stew is done.  Add spinach just before serving.


ENJOY!

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Balancing Paleo

Yes, completely Whole30 compliant!  Thanks to Balancing Paleo for this gem!

2 lbs. beef stew meat
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. onion powder
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 onion, sliced
1/3 c. coconut cream (scooped from the top of a refrigerated can of coconut milk)
2 tsp. red wine vinegar

For the details on how to make this, go here for the "scoop!"

Crockpot French Onion Soup

3 large sweet onions, sliced thin
3 Tbsp Ghee or coconut oil
2 cups water
3 cups beef broth/stock
3 cups chicken broth/stock
1/2 Tbsp thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your crockpot on high for about 10 minutes to get the bottom hot!

Then add the onions and oil.  Cover the crockpot and cook on high for about 15-20 minutes.

Turn the heat to low, then add the rest of the ingredients, making sure to stir enough to thoroughly combine them.

Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours.

Serve hot!

Chicken, Mushroom & Potato Tear Apart Meal - Crockpot

Simmie Sinow

So What Is a Tear Apart Meal Anyway?

A Tear Apart meal is one that is cooked/baked/made all together but which can be torn apart and made into several different types of other meals.  Tear Apart meals do not always stay together as a unit for future meals.  i.e., in this case, only using the chicken and not the mushrooms or potatoes, or the chicken and mushrooms and not the potatoes, etc. in the future.

In the photo above, I cooked in a crockpot the following:
12 chicken thighs (skinless, boneless--but it doesn't really matter about the skin and bone)
1 large package of mushrooms
A smattering of small potatoes (the size I use, 3 fit in the palm of my hand)--I used about 6 or 7
28 oz can marinara sauce (I use Trader Joe's brand and added some vegetable stock to it)
14 oz can marinara sauce (you may or may not need this--this is to assure all items are covered)

Place just enough marinara sauce on the bottom of your crockpot to cover the bottom.

Put half of your chicken thighs on the bottom of the crockpot, followed by a little more marinara sauce on top, then the potatoes.

The final (top) layer should be the rest of the chicken thighs, and enough marinara sauce to completely cover them.

Set the crockpot on HIGH for 2 hours, then on LOW for about another 2 hours. After the 2 hours on low, dump your mushrooms on top and push down so they are soaking up the marinara sauce; if need be, add more marinara sauce, cover and cook for 1 more hour.

What Other Meals Can Be Made From This?

Just for some ideas:

• Spaghetti squash with the leftover marinara and cut up chicken
• Zoodles with the leftover marinara, cut up chicken, mushrooms, and potatoes on the side

Stuffed Peppers - Crockpot

Recipe Author: Beverly Bates Johnson

4-5 bell peppers, seeded and halved
1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 Tbsp olive oil
Mushrooms (1-2 cups, chopped, or as much as you like)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of chopped garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
8 oz can tomato sauce (or more, if desired)
Salsa

Brown the turkey with the olive oil, onion and garlic. Add mushrooms and cook until they are soft. Add diced tomatoes and ½ cup of salsa. Heat through.

Coat slow cooker with cooking spray. Stuff peppers and place in cooker. Top with tomato sauce and more salsa. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, or until peppers reach the consistency you prefer.

This can also be baked in the oven: Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.

Notes:
Get creative with your vegetables when stuffing this! You can use carrots, or other variations.

Fresh Tomato Soup

Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

5 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (you decide whether to peel 'em)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 carrot, grated
1 onion, minced
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
Pepper to taste


This recipe is for a slow cooker (6-8 hours), but I imagine it can also be done stove-top -- 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally to break up the diced tomatoes!

Tangy Crockpot Chicken

Recipe Adaptation by Simmie Sinow

1/2 cup no sugar added BBQ sauce (or homemade BBQ sauce)
1/2 cup Italian Salad Dressing (see recipe for homemade below)
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast

Mix the BBQ sauce and dressing together and pour over the chicken in your crockpot.  Slow cook for about 5-6 hours on low.

Homemade Italian Dressing:
1 cup olive oil
Scant 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 Tbsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp italian seasoning

Thanks to Eat At Home Cooks' website for inspiring this adaptation!

Tomato Soup Florentine

Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

Serves 8

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cans (28 oz each) diced tomatoes
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 cup sliced green onions
4 cups frozen chopped spinach
1 cup shredded cabbage
1 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 bay leaf

In a large soup pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30-45 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Discard bay leaf.

NOTE:
You could also do this in a crockpot.

Aunt Ruth's Friday Night Crockpot Crab Fest

Recipe Author: Ruth Brusin

1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms, diced
1 12 oz can tomato sauce
1 12 oz can diced or crushed tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb crabmeat
Spaghetti Squash (cooked and shredded)

Saute onions and mushrooms in a pan over low heat.  When done, transfer to your crockpot.

Add everything else except the spaghetti squash and stir together well.  Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours.

Serve over spaghetti squash.

Super Stewy Chicken Vegetable Soup

Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

This is a family recipe passed down from my great grandmother to my grandmother, 

to my mother--and finally to me.  Each time I make it, I change something else!!! 

Great Gram used to make it in a soup pot on the stovetop, but mom and I 

always liked making this in a crockpot.

Combine the following in a large crockpot:
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
4 cups chopped (small) cabbage (I got the shredded and diced the heck out of it)
1/2 of a 12 oz pkg broccoli slaw, chopped
4  7-oz cans of mushrooms, liquid included
4 carrots, cut up
1 large sweet onion, diced, then run through your food processor (I have a Ninja)
2 large bell peppers, diced (I use orange)
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

I use the oregano/basil crushed tomatoes, so taste the broth before adding too many other spices! I use an all-purpose spice like Cavender's Greek Seasoning (which I make at home instead of buying due to added sugar in the store-bought version) or some other italian seasonings.

Cook on high in your crockpot for about 2 hours before adding the chicken -- the carrots need that amount of time to soften up.

Then add:
3 chicken breasts, diced (I do not cook them before putting them in the soup--no need to)

Once the carrots have started to soften, add the chopped/diced chicken and cook on medium or low for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

This soup is REALLY thick, so for those of you that enjoy stewy soups, this one's for you!!!

I was going to add diced celery and some eggplant, but well, I ran out of room.  This would be a good vegetable soup without the chicken, for snacks and such as well.

The recipe I've used for a long time calls for 14 oz of broth and 2 cups of water, but with vegetable stock, it's not as strong, so I just used 4 cups of vegetable broth and no water.

For Vegetarians: Just omit the chicken and make sure to use vegetable stock. You can also put some cubed tofu into it for some protein.

This soup freezes really well and this recipe makes a lot.  It makes approximately 16 to 20 1-cup servings.