Tag Archives: Crock Pot

8 Easy Cauldron Dinners for Halloween Night

crockpot-dinners

OK, OK, we’re talking about a Crock Pot, but for Halloween a cauldron just sounds so much cooler! With the hustle and bustle that Halloween night can be, make one thing super easy on yourself — dinner. Load up your cauldron — or slow cooker — in the morning and by evening you’ve got a ready-to-eat meal that will fuel your trick-or-treaters for the candy trek ahead.

Chilis, soups, stews, maybe even some ghoul-ash, they all make hearty, satisfying dinners on one of falls most exciting nights.

roasted tomato soup

ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP

This one is admittedly a little more laborious than the others, but if you make it in advance, you can let simmer on warm all day. Serve with a grilled cheese sandwich; trim the crusts by using a pumpkin or ghost cookie cutter! Or, try these mummy quesadillas! (more…)

Spice Up Fall with a Chicken Taco Soup Recipe That’s Simple and Satisfying

It is the crunchy season, aka fall, and that means it’s soup and stew season, too. Woohoo!

I love fall. Like lovvvve fall.

Not such a fan of the soups though. I’m more of a stew and chili kind of girl, if I have to be. But a few years ago, I found a compromise in my Crock Pot and it has become my family’s single most favorite meal of fall and winter.

I used simple, healthy Mexican ingredients — a food genre I swear I could eat every single day — stirred them up, and started filling bowls with Taco Soup.

chicken tortilla soup

It’s one of those slow cooker meals that fills the house with intoxicating smells for hours until you’re so hungry you’ll risk third degree burns on your tongue just to get that first taste! (more…)

We Love U-Relish Farm Crock Pot Meals

U-Relish Farm crock pot meals have become an integral part of my meal planning. Cara Dafforn, formerly the Director of Development for the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at IUPUI which has a department of Nutrition and Dietetics, created the company to provide nutrient dense, preservative free, delicious meals in minutes to assist busy families avoid fast food and convenience food options. The ingredients are all regionally sourced and much is grown on Cara’s own farm near Indianapolis. It is all prepared in a kitchen free of gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, and shellfish. My favorite story was the young boy that approached Cara to tell her that he loved one of her meals as much as he loves his Wii! Any time we can get children excited about healthy eating, especially if they have not been before, it is a success!

U-Relish Farm crock pot meals come in savory, spicy, or sweet. There is a pea product line, a bean product line, and a lentil product line. The Chipolte Corn Chili was really spicy in my opinion! Each eight ounce package is labeled with cooking instructions, serving notes, protein suggestions, and ingredients. The packages say that they serve three, but we easily got 4-6 servings from a package by adding protein and serving with rice. I also used the leftover (too spicy for me) Chipolte Corn Chili to top eggs and spice up breakfast.

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5 Tips to Stick to Your Diet While Shopping

From Panda Express to Cinnabon and the ever-alluring Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, shopping malls are full of diet saboteurs. Black Friday until Christmas Eve the store aisles are full of shoppers, the streets are packed with cars, schedules are crammed with holiday events, checkbooks are overflowing with receipts, ears are ringing with holiday bells, and menus are expanded with seasonal specialties. The stress of the holiday season makes us more susceptible to temptation, not just at holiday parties but even during tasks like shopping. Try these five tips to help you stay on track while shopping.

1. Eat before you shop – You will be better able to manage the stressors of the season and less tempted if your blood sugar is stable. Even what is supposed to be a quick stop can stretch out with long lines and full parking lots. By the time you make it out of the store, your stomach may be growling with nothing but fast food in sight. (more…)

Eating Healthy on a Budget: Steel Cut Oats

When you are having trouble getting out the door in the morning it can be tough to think about a healthy and wholesome breakfast. I recommend you plan ahead it will save you time and money! Watch now to see why I use steel cut oats, and how I prepare them.

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