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Slow cooker detox lentil soup

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This one came recommended strongly from my mom and sister. I always take their word when it comes to recipes as I have never been disappointed. They know what they are talking about, especially when it comes to good food, and they were spot on with this one.

With the weather finally settling in around spring it’s not exactly soup season per se but I love to keep a solid few recipes that work in the warmer months. Lighter soups are great for this. And this slow cooker detox lentil soup is just that recipe.

There are so many veggies in this one! Potatoes, butternut squash, garlic, onion, celery, carrots, kale. Not to mention heart healthy lentils which is just a solid staple in our home. All of this just gets thrown in the slow cooker (no need to sauté first!) and it just slow cooks away all day. Towards the end of the cooking time you can opt to puree a few cups of the soup and then blend back in, which I did. In the end is also when you stir in some fresh greens: kale and parsley. Serve everything up in a deep bowl with a swirl of olive oil and of course a sprinkling of parmesan. 

A hunk of bread on the side for dipping never hurt anyone. 

SLOW COOKER DETOX LENTIL SOUP
Recipe from a Pinch of Yum

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups butternut squash (peeled and cubed, I bought mine already like this at the store)
2 cups carrots (peeled and sliced)
2 cups potatoes (chopped)
2 cups celery (chopped)
1 and 3/4 cup green lentils
1 onion (chopped)
5 cloves garlic (minced)
8-10 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 teaspoons herbs de provence
1 teaspoon salt (more to taste)
2-3 cups kale (stems removed, chopped)
1 cup parsley (chopped)
olive oil and parmesan, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Place all ingredients in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

Near the end, lace about 4 cups of soup in a blender with the olive oil. Pulse gently until semi-smooth and creamy-looking. Add back to the pot and stir to combine. Stir in the kale and parsley. Turn the heat off and just let everything hang out for a bit before serving. This is one of those soups that tastes better with a little time.

Season to taste (add the sherry, vinegar, and/or lemon juice at this point) and serve in a deep bowl with a sprinkling of parmesan on top.

Slow cooker garlic citrus chicken

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Oh my goodness you guys.

You know if I start a recipe with that it’s gonna be good.

There are times were I sort of feel like just begging you to make a recipe. And these would be one of those times. Can you pretty pretty please make this one? Just for me? 

Mike and I were dying over this one. The flavors of all the garlic, fresh orange juice, lime juice, spices, and jalapenos. Hold me. Don’t worry, if you are sensitive to spice it doesn’t get spicy. Mike can barely handle mild salsa and he was just fine with this recipe.

Actually, more than fine.

We finished the entire dish. Lesson learned, double up this baby. And maybe throw in some potatoes to get your carbs if you need it, although we served ours over brown rice which was lovely as well. Because heaven forbid we eat a meal without carbs.

Slow cooker Wednesday, let’s get it going friends!

SLOW COOKER GARLIC CITRUS CHICKEN
Recipe adapted from Fit Slow Cooker Queen

INGREDIENTS:

4 bone in skin on chicken thighs
7 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, sliced thin
red potatoes,
1 jalapeno, sliced (seeds removed)
1 lemon, sliced
¼ cup lime juice
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp evoo
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp oregano
1⁄4 tsp cumin

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a skillet over medium high heat with a little olive oil. Season the thighs with salt and pepper and brown a few minutes per side. (You can certainly skip this step if you’d like).

In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, lime juice, orange juice, evoo, salt, oregano, and cumin.

Add sliced onion to bottom of slow cooker. And potatoes, if using. Place chicken on top.

Pour marinade on top of all the ingredients in the slow cooker.

Top with the sliced lemon and jalapeno. Cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 5-6.

Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup

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Isn’t it so funny when us moms get sick?

And by funny I mean awful.

It’s like, no one cares.

I mean, people care. But none of who live with you.

Mike was traveling last week and I wanted to die. It felt like tiny elves were hammering my face, with hammers. I finally broke down one day and asked my mom to handle picking up the boys from school (something I very rarely ask). And I made sure to include instructions to feed them. Because it is a full time job to keep them fed after school and I literally did not have the energy. Or, let’s be honest, the desire to care if they were hungry.  

When I picked them up from my mom and was getting Beckett into the car to go home he told me he was hungry.

And I started to cry.

Look, I know both my boys are in full time school but they get out so painfully early. It’s like basically lunch time and it’s a reeeeeeeeeally long time to take care of them from 2:40-8:00 when you are sick. It’s so long man.

Beckett kept asking me me two things. 1. Can I have a snack? and 2. Are you going to throw up?

NO. For the 1,379th time my stomach is fine. I am not going to throw up. But if you keep asking me these things I might drink enough so that I will.

I was in lovely form.

Finally, finally, after a painfully long week and crazy weekend Sunday arrived. Hallelujah. I still wasn’t 100% and didn’t have the energy to sort of really stand over a stove and babysit a soup so my trusty slow cooker came to the rescue. I basically dumped a bunch of ingredients and spices in, turned it on, and went to bed for the afternoon. I didn’t even know where my kids were. Julie? Roberta? Anyone?

That was the turning point. Finally, some true rest. And a huge bowl of some of the best chicken noodle soup I ever had.

Stay well friends, and if you’re sick give this one a go. It’s painfully easy. Or just call me, and I would love to make you some.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Recipe adapted from Cooking Classy

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (I used breasts)
5 medium carrots , peeled and chopped
1 medium yellow onion , finely chopped
4 stalks celery , chopped
4 cloves garlic , minced
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced (you can use dried)
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced (you can use dried)
1 tsp fresh sage (you can used dried)
1/2 tsp celery seed , finely crushed
2 bay leaves (I used fresh)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
1/4 cup chopped freshly chopped parsley
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Crackers for serving, optional

DIRECTIONS:

To your slow cooker, add chicken, diced carrots, onion, celery, and garlic.

Add in olive oil, chicken broth, thyme, rosemary, celery seed, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and cook on low heat 6 – 7 hours.

Remove cooked chicken, allow to cool, shred up and then put back in. Meanwhile, add egg noodles and parsley to slow cooker. Increase temperature to high, cover and cook 10 minutes longer (or until noodles are tender).

Stir in lemon juice right before serving. Serve in deep bowls and top with crackers. Be well.

Basil coconut curry chicken

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Yippee for new slow cooker ideas! Love finding new recipes that essentially cook themselves all day and is ready for dinner when you are. Like this slow cooker basil coconut curry chicken. As promised to all my oh so lovely Instagram followers, I am sharing this week. 

This one is legit, my friends. Full of different flavors it yields the most delicious, tender, sweet yet spicy, chicken. You can use chicken thighs or breasts. I leaned thighs and browned mine up first but this is a step you most definitely can skip if you want to save time (and dirtying a dish) and everything will still be great. Promise.

For the coconut milk, I used lite. Plenty of dried basil, chili powder, and curry seasonings to mix in. And then at the end up thicken everything up with some corn starch while adding a little pop with the fresh ginger. Oh my yum. This recipe works great served over rice or cauliflower rice (because, spring break) and be sure to include the freshly chopped cilantro on top. Game changer.

All in all a great weeknight dinner that, hopefully, most of your family can get on board with. Try it out soon! 

SLOW COOKER BASIL COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN
Recipe adapted from the Food Charlatan

INGREDIENTS:

6 chicken thighs
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon oil
2 cans coconut milk (I used lite)
2 tablespoons dried basil leaves
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 and 1/2 tablespoons yellow curry powder
1/2 or 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 large red onion, chopped up
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Salt and pepper each chicken thigh and brown up in a skillet (a few minutes per side on medium high heat). This step is optional but adds a bit more depth of flavor.

Meanwhile, in a crock pot combine coconut milk, basil, 2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper, yellow curry, and chili powder (to taste). Stir to combine.

Add the chopped red onions, garlic, and jalapenos. The add in the browned chicken and stir to combine. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and transfer to a plate or cutting board. Shred with a fork.
Add the ginger to the slow cooker.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and 1 tablespoon COLD water. Whisk together and add this to the crock pot and stir.

Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir. Return the lid and cook for another 10 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the cilantro. Serve with rice and more cilantro on top.

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