Slow Cooker Browned Ground Beef

This is so easy and convenient you are going to wonder why you haven't been doing this all your life. Browning ground beef is something I typically find very tedious when I have to do it standing over the stove. But not any longer. Just tossed in your desired amount of ground beef Frozen from the freezer into a slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

Then using a potato masher or a meat matter if you have one of those and mash your meat. It will crumble easily. Be sure to put off any grease in the bottom of your pan that you do not want before mashing the meat. See how simple that is.

Then if I am making taco meat I will put it in the frying pan and cook the ground beef with the seasoning packet and water as per the instructions. I have also done with this method with ground turkey and it works well for that too.

Slow Cooker Creamy Potato Soup

Creamy Potato Soup

3 C diced yukon gold potatoes (rinsed with peels on)
2 C milk or coconut milk
2 C chicken or vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C yellow onion, diced
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 T cornstarch

2-3 pcs. bacon, crumbled

2 T fresh chives, minced

Directions:

• Saute onion and garlic in oil on the stovetop until onions are translucent
• Place potatoes, milk and broth in a 4 Qt slow cooker
• Stir in onions and garlic
• Add spices (except fresh chives) and stir
• Cook on low for 7-8 hours
• Puree the soup using a hand blender
• Mix cornstarch in cold water with a whisk
• Pour cornstarch mixture in soup and stir.
• Stir in bacon crumbles
• Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes longer as it thickens
• Sprimkle top with fresh chives ans serve.
• Emjoy!

Slow Cooker Dill Potatoes and Sausages

This is super easy to make in the slow cooker before you go to bed or if you are having breakfast for dinner get it started before you leave the house in the morning.

All you need is 3 ingredients: potatoes, sausages, and dill dip mix.

Cut up about 4 cups of cubed potatoes. Place in a small slow cooker. I used a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker. Por 1 quarter cup of water over the top of the potatoes. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of dill dip mix over the top of your potatoes and mix to evenly coat. Stir in your skin on sausages. Cook in a slow cooker for 7 to 8 hours on low.

Enjoy!

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!

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

Make It Monday: Slow Cooker Cowboy Roast Beef

Slow Cooker Cowboy Roast Beef
3 lb. beef roast
1 large onion, chopped
2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 C frozen corn

Directions:
Place roast in the bottom of your slow cooker. Place all other ingredients on top. Cook on low for 8-9 hours or high for 5 hours. Enjoy!

Make It Monday: Clean Eating Sloppy Joes

Today I will share you a recipe for clean eating sloppy joes. You do need to make sure you read the label on your worcestershire sauce because some do contains HFCS and/or hydrogenated oils. 

Come back next week and I will be sharing the recipe for the Coconut Flour Drop Biscuits I made to serve my sloppy joes on, or you can serve them on big leaves of lettuce too!


Clean Eating Sloppy Joes

2 pounds ground beef
1 med onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 6oz cans of tomato paste
2 T water
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T worcestershire sauce (be sure to get organic, as traditional as HFCS in it)
2 tsp. mustard
1/4 tsp. cloves
4-6 packets of stevia (depending upon the level of sweetness you like)
salt and pepper, to taste (optional)

Directions: 

• Brown hamburger with onion and garlic on the stovetop
• Mix together tomato paste, water, vinegar, sauce, mustard and stevia in a 3 qt. pot
• Stir browned beef mixture in to the tomato mixture inside the pot
• Cook at med heat for 30 minutes.
• Enjoy!

Make It Monday: Slow Cooker Strawberry Rhurbarb Compote

This is so tasty served on top of pancakes and waffles or ice cream. Do some food preservation and can your compote so that you can enjoy it year round.

Slow Cooker Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
4 C strawberries
4 C rhubarb, chopped
1 pkg strawberry jello
1/2 C sugar
1 C orange juice

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a 6Qt. slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours. Using a potato masker or hand blender, puree the ingredients to your desired compote consistency. Freeze or can any compote you will not use within a week. Enjoy!

My Top 10 Slow Cooker Posts

In case you have missed them when they originally posted, I decided to go through and see what my Top 10 Slow Cooker Posts, measured by the number of page views it has had. It's quite interesting to see what my readers are enjoying! Hope this helps give you some ideas of other meals to make for your family.

1. Clean Eating Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
2. Slow Cooker Pad Thai
3. Crockpot Apple Sauce Recipe
4. Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
5. Southwestern Chicken Stew
6. Lentil Spinach Soup
7. Making 12 Clean Eating Slow Cooker Recipes
8. Minestrone Soup
9. Slow Cooker Lasagna
10. Barley and Edamame Risotto

Be sure to also follow my Slow Cooker / Crock Pot Recipes Pinterest Board to see all my recipes and get other ideas that I want to make!

Slow Cooker Saturday: Pork and Pea Curry

This recipe was a bit of an experiment because I was trying to see if I could achieve the desired flavors I wanted without using coconut milk, since so often curry recipes only call for half of the can. What am I going to do with the other half a can? I suppose I could make Pina Coladas! :) I had great success in achieving the flavors I desired by using coconut oil and greek yogurt instead. I hope you enjoy this recipe too!


Slow Cooker Pork and Pea Curry
2 lb pork, cubed
1 can garbanzo beans
1 med onion, thinly sliced
1 16 oz. bag frozen peas
3 C tomato sauce
3 T curry powder
2 T coconut oil, melted
3/4 C plain greek yogurt
1 C chicken broth

Directions:

• Lightly brown cubed pork on the stovetop.
• Mix together browned pork, garbanzo beans, onion, and peas in the slow cooker.
• Whisk together broth and yogurt, then mix in tomato sauce, curry powder and melted coconut oil.
• Pour sauce over the contents of the slow cooker and stir together.
• Cook on low for 8-9 hours
• Serve over brown rice.
• Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Saturday: Beef and Broccoli

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli Recipe

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ginger, grated

2 med onions, sliced thinly

1 - 1/2 lb flank or skirt steak or stew meat, browned

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 T lime juice

3 tsp low sodium soy sauce

3/4 C water

2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 C cold water

4 C broccoli, cut into florets

Directions:

• Brown steak or stew meat lightly before putting in the slow cooker
• Add all ingredients through the 1/2 C water to the slow cooker
• Cook on low for 7-8 hours
• 10 minutes before serving, whisk cornstarch and cold water together, mix in to slow cooker 
• Steam broccoli and stir in to slow cooker and mix sauce over the top
• Serve over brown rice or quinoa
• Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Saturday: Chicken Corn Chowder

I came up with this recipe when I noticed I had an abundance of creamed corn in my pantry. I don't typically buy creamed corn, and I know I had bought 2 can for 1 recipe I wanted to try, but I must have forgotten I bought some and bought 2 more cans. My soup-loving daughter just gobbled this up.

Slow Cooker Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe
6-8 oz of cooked chicken, diced
1 - 15oz can of creamed corn
1 large potato, peeled and cubed or 1 C uncooked hashbrowns
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
2 C chicken broth
1 C milk
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions: 
Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 5 hours.
Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Saturday: "Baked" Ziti Casserole

Sure, it isn't baked because it is make in the slow cooker, but when have you ever heard ziti in the title of a recipe without baked in front of it?

With a little bit of prep time ( you do need to allow time to brown meat and onions) you can serve your family a casserole for dinner as soon as you get home.

Slow Cooker "Baked" Ziti Casserole
8 oz. uncooked ziti
24 oz cottage cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 egg, scrambled
1 lb. ground turkey, browned
1 med. onion
4 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 oz. shredded cheese (reserve for the end)

Directions:

1. Brown turkey and onion together
2. Combine all ingredients (except shredded cheese) in a 3 qt. or larger slow cooker
3. Stir to combine thoroughly.
4. Cook on low for 4 hours.
5. Top with shredded cheese the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.
6. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Saturday: Pork Chops with Potatoes and Kraut

This is a favorite go-to recipe that is quick to assemble and doesn't require much time or ingredients to prepare and packs in a lot of flavor. A nod to the German part of my heritage with this kraut recipe.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops with Potatoes and Kraut
2 pounds pork chops
4 med. potatoes, cubed
1 can of kraut

Directions: I layer first the pork chops, then the potatoes and then the kraut. The kraut is on top so all the juices can cook down over the potatoes and kraut. Cook on low for 8 hours. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Saturday: Easy Pork and Mushroom Gravy

What could be more simple that 3 ingredients and no measuring? That's it! And you will be amazed at how tender your pork is. You choose what kind of cut of pork you want to use, chops, steaks, roast.

Easy Pork and Gravy
2 pounds of pork (your choice of cut: steaks, chops, roast, tenderloin)
1 can of a cola product (doesn't matter if it's a name brand or generic or diet or regular)
1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup

Directions:
Cook pork with can of cola poured over the top of it in a slow cooker for 7-8 hours
Before serving, remove pork from the slow cooker and whisk in cream of mushroom to the cola and drippings mixture. Use this as a gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes , pasta or rice. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Saturday: Thick and Chunky Broccoli Cheese Soup

This soup was a huge hit with our family. We all had seconds and my daughter even asked if there was any leftovers when she got home from school the day after (sorry, there wasn't). Definitely a keeper!


Slow Cooker Thick and Chunky Broccoli Cheese Soup
6 C chopped broccoli
2 1/2 C frozen hashbrowns
2 med onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
7 C chicken broth
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1 C half and half

Directions: 

• Combine broccoli, hasbrowns, onion, garlic and broth in a slow cooker.
• Cook on low for 6 hours.
• Before serving stir in cheese, 1/4 cup at a time.
• When cheese is blended in, stir in half and half.
• Serve and Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Saturday: Making 12 Clean Eating Slow Cooker Freezer Meals

My friend Caitlin and I decided we were going to stock our freezer with health freezer meals. The pictures here are of our actual freezer meals and supplies. We made them at her house, so I utilized a laundry basket to over many of my supplies. We took inventory of what items we already had in our homes (don't be buying extras if you don't need to!) and shared spices and condiments.

All of the recipes and shopping list came from Graciously Saved "12 Easy Paleo-ish Crockpot Meals" and I encourage you to go check out that post and make everything listed there like we did.

Here is the list of what you will be making:

1. Taco Chili
2. Thai Chicken Wings and Peanut Sauce
3. Crock Pot Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions
4. White Chicken Chili
5. Honey Sesame Chicken
6. Teriyaki Chicken
7. Crock Pot Beef Stew
8. Southwest Chicken
9. Crock Pot Cheeseburger Soup
10. Low Fat Mexican Fiesta Chicken
11. Spinach and Salsa Chicken
12. Crock Pot Southwest Flank Steak

We have had 5 or 6 of them already and they have just been wonderful. No complaints. Although I did add some vegetables to the Honey Sesame Chicken before freezing, a bag of sweet peas, because I felt it was missing veggies.

If you are looking for some more awesome recipes that are clean eating or slow cooker, please check out my pinterest board and starting re-pinning! Be sure to follow them too!

Clean Eating Pinterest Board

Slow Cooker / Crock Pot Recipes Pinterest Board

Slow Cooker Saturday: Ham and Bean Soup

I find that this is a great soup to make with leftover ham. This past Christmas I cubed all the leftover ham we didn't eat sandwiches with so that it would be ready to use in Ham and Bean Soup and Split Pea Soup (coming later!) You won't actually be reading this post until much later because of my post scheduling. Think ahead for your Easter Ham or maybe just a Sunday Ham that you might have leftovers from. Great recipe for clean eating too!

Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup Recipe

 1 1/2 C ham, cubed (add ham bone too if you have one and have room)
2 - 15.5 oz cans of Great Northern Beans
1/2 med. onion, chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped *use only 1 tsp if using dried
1 tsp dried basil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 C carrots, sliced or chopped
1 med potato, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
4 C broth
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Saturday: Clean Eating Potato and Bacon Soup

Why just make potato soup when you can make it BACON and potato soup! Although,t he soup becomes more about the bacon than the potato, but I think that's the whole point when you add bacon to anything. :)

Slow Cooker Clean Eating Potato and Bacon Soup
5 med potatoes, peeled and diced and rinsed
4 scallions, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
8 C chicken broth
2.5-3 oz cooked bacon crumbles
pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Peel and dice 5 medium russet potatoes, rise before putting in the slow cooker
• Add scallions and garlic to the pot
• Pour broth over the top and add pepper to taste
• Cook on low for 6 hours
• With an immersion blender, puree the soup
• Stir in bacon crumbles
• Cook for 2 additional hours
• Enjoy!