Slow Cooker Cheesy Ranch Chicken, Bacon & Potatoes

Slow Cooker Cheesy Ranch Chicken, Bacon and Potatoes
5 medium potatoes, in 1" cubes
1 large onion, chopped
3 oz. real bacon bit
1 1/2 lbs. chicken, cubed
1 T parsley
1 package dry ranch seasoning
2 C shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Spray inside of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray
• Combine all ingredients (except cheese) and toss inside the slow cooker
• Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.
• During the last 10 minutes stir in cheese and allow to melt
• Enjoy!

Dairy Free Creamy Spinach Chicken

Dairy Free Creamy Spinach Chicken

3/4 C light coconut milk, warmed
3 T nutritional yeast
1 T dried onion
1 T Wildtree Garlic Galore
4 oz fresh spinach
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
favorite seasonings


Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees
• Mix together coconut milk, nutritional yeast, onion and garlic seasonings,allow to rest for 5 minutes
• Place spinach in the bottom of a greased casserole dish
• Pour over the top of spinach
• Stir to coat spinach
• Place chicken on top
• Sprinkle favorite seasonings on top of the chicken (I used Stonemill Essentials Steak & Chop Seasoning Mix and Parsley Flakes)
• Bake for 30-35 minutes

Southwestern Chicken Stew

This time I am serving the stew on it's own, although you can also have Southwestern Chicken Stew over Rice. Plus, this recipe also makes a good freezer meal and I have included it in my post 10 Paleo Freezer Slow Cooker Meals.

Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Stew

2.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/2 C cilantro, minced
1 med red onion, chopped
1 jalepeno pepper, chopped
15 oz can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can corn, drained
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 C tomato juice
24 oz salsa

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on Low for 8 hours. Shred chicken with 2 forks before serving.Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chicken

School is back in session and it might be hard to get back in the routine of after school meals. Well, make them quicker by having chicken already cooked and waiting in the fridge to add to a salad for your lunch. Just place your frozen chicken in a slow cooker with a small amount of water for 6-8 hours on low.

Here is a full work week of dinner ideas to add pre-cooked chicken to is:

• Pinto de Gallo
• Chicken Fried Rice
• Quinoa, Black Bean & Avocado Salad (not in the recipe, but toss in some chicken)
• Reheat Chicken and serve alongside Cucumber Salad
• Egg Dumpling and Chicken Soup

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken

It's easy to get a whole dinner meal for your family ready in the morning and have it ready to eat that evening by using your slow cooker, even a whole chicken.

Slow Cooker Whole Chicken
1 large onion, sliced
1 whole chicken
1/2 C water
5 med-lrg carrots, sliced
seasonings to taste (I used 2 blends: lemon pepper seasoning and Wildtree Garlic Galore)

Directions:

• Slice onion and place on the bottom of the slow cooker
• Rinse a whole chicken and place on the bed of onion slices
• Pour water on top of the chicken
• Sprinkle your choice of seasonings or marinade over the top of the chicken
• Slice carrots and put along the sides of the chicken
• Cook on low for 8-9 hours
• Enjoy!

Easy 3-Ingredient Mini Meatloaf

I like meat loaf, but I don't like how long it takes. It always seem to take 25-50% longer to make a loaf than what the directions say. So, I decided it was time to start making mini meatloaves that bake up quickly and will take 30 minutes or less to make from prep time to table time. This make the perfect after school, but before sports activities supper for my kids.

Easy 3-Ingredient Mini Meatloaf  Serves 4
1 pound ground meat (chicken, turkey, pork or beef, whatever you like)
1 egg, beaten
1 small can of French's Fried Onions
(optional) ketchup

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees
• Process onions in food processor
• Mix meat, egg and onions in a bowl until well mixed
• Allow to sit for 5 minutes 
• Spray muffin cups well
• Divide mixture among 8 muffin cups
• Top with ketchup, if desired
• Bake for 20 minutes

Clean Eating Chicken Fried Rice

This is a great recipe to throw together if you pre-cook a bunch of chicken and rice to use for the week. You can also try making this Pinto de Gallo recipe to use pre-cooked chicken and rice in as well.

Clean Eating Chicken Fried Rice
2 C cooked rice or combination of rice (I used half brown rice & half quinoa)
3 C cooked mixed veggies
2 C cooked chicken, cubed
2 eggs, scrambled
2 scallions, chopped
1 T sesame oil
3 T soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T rice wine vinegar

Directions:

• Add sesame oil to a wok or frying pan with high sides and heat over medium-high heat. 
• Mix together soy sauce, garlic, and vinegar in a small dish and set aside.
• Once oil is hot, add rice, veggies, chicken and scallions and heat until warmed up, tossing everything a few time.
• Add soy sauce mixture over the top and toss a few more times.
• Stir in scrambled eggs and toss a few more time.
• Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Saturday: Southwestern Chicken Stew

This is a wonderfully delicious thick stew that you can eat on it's own or serve over the top of rice or quinoa. This recipe will easily fit in your Clean Eating or Paleo diet.

Slow Cooker Southwestern Chicken Stew
2.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, 1" cubed
1/2 C cilantro, minced
1 med red onion, chopped
1 jalepeno pepper, chopped
15 oz can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can corn, drained
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 C tomato juice
24 oz salsa

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on Low for 8 hours. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Make It Monday: Tender Baked Chicken Breast Tenderloins

I decided to let my slow cooker take a night off and use the oven instead and make a clean eating chicken recipe that you are sure to love.

Tender Baked Chicken Breast Tenderloins
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast tenderloins
1/2 C plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
3/4 C Kashi Crackers, made in to crumbs (I used the Roasted Garlic flavor)
1 T shredded parmesean, optional

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• Bring Greek yogurt to room temperature
• Mix yogurt and cracker crumbs together
• Place tenderloins in the bottom of a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray
• Spread yogurt-cracker mixture evenly over the top of the chicken
• Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top if desired
• Bake for 45 minutes
• Enjoy!

Make It Monday: Clean Eating Crock Pot Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff

If you loved my Clean Eating Beef Stroganoff Recipe, then you have to try my Chicken version. I like to serve this one over brown rice, but you could use noodles if you wanted. As with most of my recipes, they are designed to serve a family of four and have some leftovers. I have to laugh when I looked at my picture of the Clean Eating Beef Stroganoff because I served French-style green beans with both. I guess my brain pairs up stroganoff with green beans. Corn starch is technically not clean since it's processed, so you can choose to use it or thicken with flour.

Clean Eating Crock Pot Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff
2.5 pounds chicken breast, cut in to strips
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 med onion, thinly sliced
1 T basil
1 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp pepper
sea salt to taste
1 1/2 C chicken broth
6 oz plain Greek yogurt
2 T corn starch
1/4 cold water
brown rice, cooked

Directions:

• Slice chicken breasts and layer on the bottom of a crock pot
• Top with garlic, mushrooms, onion, basil, thyme salt and pepper
• Pour chicken broth over the top
• Cook on low for 8 hours
• Mix cornstarch in cold water
• Stir in greek yogurt and cornstarch mixture during last 10 minutes
• Serve over cooked brown rice
• Enjoy!

Thrifty Thursday: Make Homemade Soup (Plus Recipe!)

Homemade soup can be an very economical and healthy way to feed your family. Often you can use-up ingredients from your fridge so as not to waste. Soup is very filling and can help you eat from most of the food groups in just one bowl. Make a big batch and freeze some. Plus this is a great clean eat recipe too!

Crockpot Chicken Vegetable Barley Soup for a Crowd
Feed a crowd or save store some in the freezer

1/2 chicken, cooked, skin removed & cut in to chunks
4 carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 C frozen vegetables (your choice)
6 C chicken broth
pepper, to taste
3/4 C pearled barley

Directions: 
Combine all ingredients except the barley in a 6 QT crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours. 1-2 hours before serving, stir in barley.

Serve & Enjoy!