Crock Pot "Indian" Curry Chicken

 CROCK POT CURRY CHICKEN

Ingredients:

-1 pack chicken breast, cutlets or thighs.

-2 bell peppers

-2-3 carrots

-1 bag of frozen peas

-1/2 cup chicken broth

-1 can of coconut milk

-1 tbsp curry

-1 tsp cumin

-1 tsp coriander

-1 tsp cardamom

-1 tsp minced garlic 

-1 tsp salt

-1 tsp pepper

-1 tsp paprika

Steps:

1) Melt 1 tbsp butter or oil and brown the chicken on medium-high heat. For extra spice, rub a little curry and paprika on the chicken first.

2) Chop the bell peppers and carrots into small pieces, add to crock pot.

3) Mix all of the spices in a small bowl, then pour them over the chopped vegetables and blend. 

4) set the browned chicken on top of the vegetable mix in the crock pot

5) Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, turn on low heat for 8 hours

6) at the end of the day, turn off crock pot or to "warm" setting, and add can of coconut milk and bag of peas. Mix well. If the chicken had any bones in it, take them out. It will be easy after 8 hours in the slow cooker. 

FUN FACT!

This meal can be prepped ahead and kept in the freezer, for a busy day or week that the budget is low.

Simply cut up the vegetables and put them in a gallon ziplock bag with the RAW chicken. (This method won't allow for browning first.) And dump in the spices. Freeze for up to three months. You can brown the chicken at the time that it is thawed out, just before tossing into the crock pot.

 

Easy Zucchini Casserole

 EASY ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

Ingredients: 

-1 Pack of 4 large zucchini

-4 eggs 

-1 pack of shredded mozzarella 

-salt and pepper

Steps:

1) Preheat oven to 375* 

2) chop zucchini into bite-sized pieces. An easy way is to cut off the ends of the zucchinis, then slice longways down the zucchini two times, making it four long pieces. Then chop the long strips into little pieces. Arrange zucchini into glass baking pan.

3) Whisk the four eggs with salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour over the zucchini.

4) Top with the mozzarella cheese.

5) Bake for 35-40 minutes, then cover with foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

ASIAN CHICKEN SHEET PAN DINNER

ASIAN CHICKEN SHEET PAN DINNER 

-chicken breast meat cut into cubes 

-3-4 zucchini 

-1 red bell pepper 

-1 bag green beans, ends cut off 

-optional: 1/2 onion

-ready-to-eat soft rice or lo mein noodles 

Asian marinade 

-1 cup low sodium soy sauce OR coconut aminos

-1 tbsp minced garlic 

-6 tbsp honey 

-2 tbsp packed brown sugar 

-4 tbsp olive or sesame oil 

-2 tbsp rice vinegar 

-1 tbsp ginger 

-2 tbsp Cornstarch or rice starch 

Combine marinade ingredients EXCEPT for cornstarch in medium bowl. Add in raw chicken cubes and mix well. 

Chop the vegetables, arrange on the sheet pan leaving a space in the middle for chicken.

Spoon the marinaded chicken into the center of the pan using a slotted spoon to drain the excess sauce off of it back into the bowl. 

Add remaining marinade from bowl to small sauce pan and bring to a boil, turn down heat. stir in 1 tbsp corn starch, stir repeatedly until sauce congeals some. Use a 1 cup measuring cup to scoop 1 cup of sauce and slowly pour over the veggies and chicken.

Bake chicken and vegetables on sheet pan with this marinade 425* 25-30 minutes. 

In a skillet, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil to medium high and add the soft noodles. cook for one minute, lower heat then pour the remaining sauce over the noodles. Mix thoroughly and fry the noodles for 4 more minutes. Turn off heat. 

Serve the sheet pan chicken and veggies over the noodles, top with sesame seeds. 

6 EASY Sheet Pan Meals

 Sheet Pan Pork tenderloin

-1 lb Red and golden potatoes

-1 package Asparagus

-1 lb Brussels sprouts *

-1 Pre-seasoned pork loin

1) chop veggies, mix together in large bowl

2) Add 4 tbsp olive oil, juice from 1/2 lemon, salt + pepper, tsp garlic powder, tsp paprika, stir well

3) Spray sheet pan with non-stick spray, dump vegetables on pan, leave space in middle

4) place pork in middle

5) bake 425* for 40-45mins (145* internally)

Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

-1 onion

-1 orange bell pepper

-1 red bell pepper

-1 large package chicken tenderloins

1) Chop veggies into thin slices, mix in large bowl

2) Add salt, pepper, 3 tsp chili, 1/2 tsp garlic, 1/2 tsp onion, 1/2 tsp paprika, juice from 1/2 lime, MIX 

3) Add in chicken, mix

4) Dump on sheet pan lined with parchment paper, spread evenly

5) Bake 425* for 20 minutes

6) Serve in a tortilla with cheese and sour cream, cilantro and guacamole.

*Shrimp can be used instead of chicken

Sausage and Potatoes Sheet Pan Meal

-1 lb golden potatoes

1) Chop potatoes, add to large bowl

2) add 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp italian seasoning and salt + pepper, mix well

3) Bake potatoes in sheet pan at 425* for 15 minutes

-1 orange bell pepper

-1 lb brocoli, brussels sprouts, green beans or asparagus

-1 large package smoked sausages

1) cut up all vegetables and sausage, mix in large bowl

2) add 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, mix well

3) dump onto sheet pan with potatoes, continues baking for 20-25 minutes

Ranch Chicken Drumsticks with Carrots and Potatoes Sheet Pan Meal

-1/3 cup melted butter (sub with vegetable oil)

-3 tbsp ranch seasoning mix

-1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp salt

1) combine the marinade ingredients, mix well, set aside.

-4 carrots

-1 lb red potatoes

-1 large pack chicken drumsticks

1) cut up vegetables, arrange on sheet pan 

2) add chicken to sheet pan

3) pour on marinade and rub into chicken and vegetable.

4) Bake at 425* for 20 minutes, remove from oven, flip chicken and vegetables

5) Bake an additional 25 minutes

Mini Meatloaf Sheet Pan Meal

-1 lb ground beef

-1/2 onion

-1/4 cup milk

-1 egg

-3 tbsp ketchup

-3 tsp minced garlic

-1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

-salt and pepper

-1/2 tsp paprika

-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning.

1) add all ingredients to bowl, mash and mix well

-1 lb yellow potatoes

-1 lb green beans

-1 tbsp olive oil

-pepper, garlic powder, salt

1) Chop potatoes, mix in bowl with green beans

2) add oil and spices, mix well

3) Dump onto sheet pan, leave space in middle

4) form meatloaf mixture into 4 mini loafs

5) bake at 425* for 25 minutes

-1/3 cup Ketchup

-1 tbsp brown sugar

-1/2 tsp garlic

-1/2 tsp onion powder

-1/2 white vinegar

-salt and pepper

1) mix well

2) Take sheet pan out of oven, brush ketchup mixture on meatloaves

3) bake for an additional 15-20 minutes

Sheet Pan Cod with Tomatoes and Brussels Sprouts

-3 tbsp olive oil

-3 tsp minced garlic

-1 tsp cumin

-1 tsp paprika

-1 tsp coriander

-1 tsp onion powder

-juice from 1/2 lemon

-3 cod filets (or other fish filet)

-1 lb Brussels sprouts

-1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes

1) mix the spices in a bowl

2) place the cod on a sheet pan, coat in the marinade as evenly as possible

3) cut the brussels sprouts in half

4) spread the brussels sprouts and tomatoes evenly on the sheet pan around the cod

5) sprinkle 1 tbsp olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper on the vegetables

6) Bake at 400* for 20 minutes or until fish is cooked

vegan queso

 

🌱🧀Vegan queso 🧀🌱

Slow Cooker Curried Lentil Soup

 

Broccoli Cheese Soup with Bone Broth

Broccoli Cheese Soup with Bone Broth:

Ingredients:

·      1-2 heads of fresh broccoli

·      1 medium onion, diced

·      3 cups low fat milk (or unsweetened milk alternative)

·      2 cups heavy cream (or unsweetened coconut milk in the can)

·      3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese alternative)

·      1 stick butter (or 1 cup of vegetable oil)

·      2 cups bone broth

·      ½ cup flour (or gluten free flour)

·      1 tsp black pepper

·      1 tsp nutmeg

·      ½ tsp salt

Making the soup:

1.    Heat your dutch oven (or skillet) to medium and melt butter. Sautee onion until it begins to turn golden.

2.    Add flour and stir, cooking until flour begins to turn golden

3.    If using dutch oven, pour in milk, cream and bone broth. If using skillet, transfer onions to stock pot first before adding liquids. Bring to a boil.

4.    Turn the pot down to medium-low and mix in spices.

5.    Chop broccoli into bite-sized pieces, add to pot. Stir in thoroughly, cover and allow to cook for 20 minutes.

6.    Remove pot from heat and spoon the chunky broccoli soup into a blender, blend long enough to make it more of a puree.

7.    Return the puree to the pot, bring to a boil. Mix in the 3 cups of shredded cheese and return to medium-low heat for another 20 minutes, mostly covered. (fully covered might boil over)

8.    Serve in a bread-bowl, or with salad and garlic bread.

I went the extra mile and picked the bones out of the strained contents of my bone broth batch, leaving behind the soft carrots, celery and onions. I boiled the soft vegetables with the broccoli and pureed it all together in the blende