Crockpot Recipes to the Rescue

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Still going strong after 8 years of cooking
Still going strong after 8 years of cooking

I must admit, I never even heard of a crockpot until I was in my twenties. Once we met however, it was love at first meal. My crockpot is one of my most valued kitchen appliances.  It’s nothing fancy, but man does it get the job done! (You can buy one for as little as $25.) I love how it does all the work for me.  Coming home to a warm meal after a full day of work feels like my fairy godmother came by and left me dinner.  On that note, I decided to share my top 5 crockpot recipes for those of you who are looking for new recipes or thinking about getting a crockpot.  Trust me, it’s worth it!

Crock-Pot-Buffalo-Chicken

#1) Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Holy cow!  This recipe rocks!!!  My nonveggie-crockpot hating husband even loves it.  (In all honestly, however, he eats his in a whole wheat wrap, not a lettuce wrap.) I love using it to entertain; it’s always a hit.  We enjoy this recipe in the early spring, but it also makes a great picnic item since it doesn’t really need to be warm in temperature to enjoy. The leftovers, if you ever have any, are excellent, and I like to make it into a salad.  I basically cook the recipe as is, and add carrot sticks as a side. BONUS: For those of us on Weight Watchers, a serving (1/2 a cup) is only 3PPV. #winning

crock-pot-kid-friendly-turkey-chili#2) Kid Friendly Turkey Chili: Full disclosure on this recipe, my cousin told me her toddler loved it, so I decided to try it out with my son.  Sadly, no dice. #Pickyeater I, on the other hand, LOVED IT!  I am a big chili fan and am always looking for a new variation on the timeless recipe. The only real work for this recipe is having to brown the ground turkey, but the added depth of flavor is well worth it. I especially like to make this meal on a snowy day or if we are going to tailgate for a football game, as it travels well.  A bowl of this and some chips, BAM, that’s what’s for dinner! BONUS: Another Weight Watchers recipe, worth 6PPV for a 1 cup serving.

#3) Slow Cooker Roasted Turkey: This was  a recipe I made last February after multiple days home thanks to snow storm after snow storm, and I was cleaning out my freezer. I knew I was going to be shoveling a lot, but I just didn’t feel like soup. This recipe is so easy! It’s literally 2 ingredients. The dry soup gives the turkey great flavoring, and I added salad on the side to round off the meal.

#4) Stupid Easy Paleo Spaghetti Squash and MeatballsThis recipe is great for when I’m eating clean. It’s a little more work, and since I’m not a huge sausage fan, I do half squashpot1 sausage, half turkey; it’s still super tasty. My husband will even eat the meatballs! I use our family homemade tomato sauce instead of the canned tomatoes, and it tastes just like mom used to make.

#5) Vegan Black Bean Soup: I add carrots to my soup to make it a little sweet, and I definitely bust out my hand emersion blender to puree it to a thick soup texture. This recipe is a staple in my house, especially during Lent. It goes well for Meatless Monday dinners, and is super helpful for a fast and easy Lenten Friday lunch at work.

Well, have I convinced you to break out your crockpot (or run out to get one)? Do you have a favorite recipe to share?

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Maria Sette
Maria is a full-time mom, teacher, wife, daughter, and sister, who feels pulled in too many directions! Her older son Michael took over 24 hours to be born, and at six-months-old was diagnosed with allergies to dairy, eggs, nuts, soy, shrimp, and wheat…all after exclusively nursing because she was SO SURE that would help him be a healthy kid. Luckily at age 1, he began to outgrow some of his allergies. Fingers crossed the others will soon follow because that plus a husband who doesn’t eat any veggies and Maria always battling her weight makes for three meals to prepare every night. Luckily, Christopher, her younger son, is a cooperative eater! As someone who has always been committed to making positive change, Maria uses her privilege and position as an educator and mom to work toward a most anti-racisit, equitibile, and inclusive world. Recently, Maria has even started getting up at 5am to workout in her basement. (Thank you pandemic living!) She is addicted to reading chicklit on her Kindle app in the dark, most Trader Joe’s products, and watching TikToks.

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