Slow Cooker Recipes

It's the new year! And you know what that means...healthy living, healthy recipes and getting more active seem to be the top resolutions for this time of year. I (Sarah) am not a resolution type of person, however I do try to make healthy choices. Perusing Weight Watchers recipes I discovered the following: 

Slow Cooker Lentil Soup

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Ingredients:
2 medium uncooked carrot(s), peeled, cut into large chunks   
2 rib(s) (medium) uncooked celery, cut into large chunks  
1 medium uncooked onion(s), cut into large chunks 
2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced 
2 cup(s) dry lentils, picked over   
3 leaf/leaves bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed  
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste  
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste 
8 cup(s) canned chicken broth   
4 oz uncooked Canadian-style bacon, diced (4 or 5 slices)   

Instructions:
Place ingredients in a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker in the following order: carrots, celery, onion, garlic, lentils, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper and broth. Cover slow cooker; cook on low setting for 6 hours. Uncover, stir in bacon and heat for 30 minutes more; remove bay leaves. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Notes:
To thicken soup, remove 1 cup of cooked lentils and puree in food processor; stir back into soup. 
For a lighter flavor, replace 4 cups of chicken broth with 4 cups of water.


This soup was quite delish! The fact that it is inexpensive is definitely a plus. (Beans are a daily staple around here.) Another great thing about this recipe, other than it being inexpensive and easy, is that almost all of these ingredients can be found at the seminary food co op! 

Slow Cooker Pulled Barbeque Chicken Sandwiches

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This recipe was easy, too (do you see a theme? ;-)). It filled our home with a mouth watering aroma of barbeque! This Texan loves that smell. Recipegirl.com is a fun website to click through and easy to navigate. Her delicious recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup barbecue sauce (a flavor you like)
1/3 cup Italian dressing (reduced-fat or fat-free okay)
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons chicken broth
additional barbecue sauce, if desired
rolls, for serving as sandwiches
bread and butter pickles, optional

Directions:

1. Place chicken in the slow cooker. In a medium bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce, Italian dressing, sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 1/2 to 5 hours.

2. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and chicken broth. Stir it into the sauce in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until the sauce is thickened and heated through (10 to 15 minutes). Meanwhile, use two forks to shred the chicken. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir. Add additional barbecue sauce if more sauce is needed or desired. Cover and continue cooking on low for 45 minutes. Serve chicken piled onto rolls. Add pickles, if desired.

Tips:

*The brand of barbecue sauce that you use can make a big difference in the flavor of the chicken. I like Sweet Baby Ray's!

The sides I chose to serve with this main course were yummy, too. I made acorn squash like this. Then some sweet potatoes like this. I also had a cold pasta salad left over from the day before, which is similar to this recipe.