slow cooker soups

Here's some good looking soups from pillsbury.com.  Will you be making soup?

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Cheesy Chorizo Chili

Two Bean Minestrone

Cheesy Potato Soup

Lentil Chili

Well, another 'Meatless Monday' has come and gone successfully.  I'm really starting to get the hang of this thing- and I'm happy to report that the boys are adjusting well!

Breakfast: Fruit smoothies
One part fruit, one part orange juice, one part vanilla yogurt (about a quarter cup each) and one banana blended until smooth.

Lunch:  Macaroni and Cheese
Cheap and easy- from the box.  Hey, sometimes you just need simple!

Dinner: Lentil Chili served over baked potatoes
This chili is vegan, unless you add cheese and sour cream as a garnish.  I adapted it from this recipe and served it over baked potatoes, although it would be a filling meal on its own.
Now, I am a big fan of beans.  My favorite by far though, is the lentil.  They are relatively simple to make.  They require little prep- you don't need to soak them like you have to with other dry beans which makes the cook time way faster (they cook in less than an hour).  And they provide a rich meaty texture and taste.  They'll fill you up because they are the second highest source of protein found in veggies, legumes, or nuts (behind only soy)!  They are also rich in fiber, vitamin B1, iron, and folate (source).  You can find them in the grocery store with other dried beans and often times in bulk sections. 

Lentil Chili

Ingredients...

1T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2T chili powder
1t dry oregano
1/8t cayenne (more or less depending on your spice level)
1 cup brown lentils, washed
1/4c red lentils, washed
56 ounces vegetable broth
8 ounces tomato sauce
1/2 cup sliced green onion (more or less depending on your taste)
6 ounces sliced black olives, drained
12 ounces roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
Optional garnishes: lime slices, shredded cheese, sour cream, more olives and sliced green onion

Directions: 

In a large Dutch oven or stew pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion and sautee until they start to soften.  Add garlic and sautee another minute.  Add chili powder, oregano, and cayenne stirring constantly for another minute or until the spices are fragrant.  Add broth, tomato sauce, and lentils.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until lentils are soft (over an hour).  When lentils are soft add green onion, chopped red pepper, and olives and simmer for another 20 minutes.   
Enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken

I found a neat article on Babble about 12 must try crock-pot chicken recipes.  I thought I'd give them a try and let you know how it goes.  Here's a preview of things to come:

Better Butter Chicken in the Crock Pot by The Family Kitchen

Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches by The Family Kitchen

Crock Pot Chicken Santa Fe by In Good Taste

Slow Cooker Chicken and Stuffing by Mommy Hates Cooking

Crock Pot Chicken a la Criolla by Skinny Taste

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken by Very Culinary

Chicken Gyros by Mommy Hates Cooking

Slow Cooker Island BBQ Chicken and Spicy Slaw by Aggie's Kitchen

Slow cooker Orange Chicken by The Meltaways

Black Bean, corn, and salsa chicken with cilantro-lime rice by Mommy's Kitchen

Thai Chicken Thighs by the family kitchen

Whole Chicken in a Slow Cooker by the little kitchen

I'll get at least one a week, so check back in and see what I've been up to!

True Friends

A friend is someone 

who knows the song in your heart,

and can sing it back to you 

when you have forgotten the words.

Pesto Stuffed Shells

Here's to another week of Meatless Mondays!  I'm sorry I missed last week.  Time has a way of slipping away from me.  So, I'll just pick up where I left off rather than back tracking~

Breakfast:
Peanut butter and banana sandwiches
Just like it sounds- whole wheat bread, a dollop of peanut butter topped with sliced banana. My favorite!

Lunch:
Black bean nachos
Pour one can of black beans (drained and rinsed) into a small sauce pan with 1/4 cup salsa and two tablespoons of water.  Cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until beans are heated through.  If desired, you can mash the beans with a fork or a potato masher to get a creamier texture (they'll start to resemble re-fried beans).  Top tortilla chips with shredded cheddar cheese and warm in the microwave for 20-30 seconds or until cheese starts to melt.  Top with bean mixture, chopped tomato, shredded lettuce, and a dollop of sour cream.
 
Dinner:
Pesto Stuffed Shells, Green salad , and Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread

Pesto Stuffed Shells by Budget Bytes!

I have to admit, this meal was a lot of work, but it did come together rather quickly.  The pesto really flavored the filling well and the meal was well liked by all.  I think that the filling itself would be really fantastic in lasagna (thinking that's going to have to happen), and I'm starting to think that pesto makes everything better.  I doubled the recipe to feed 6 and ended up with two lunch portions left over and a ton of empty shells (which I chopped up and will make into a pasta bake). 

Hope you give these recipes a try~ enjoy!