Slow Cooker Carnitas are tender, juicy, and packed with huge flavor. These make some of the best tacos or burrito bowls that your family will absolutely love. Try serving with Tex-Mex Black Beans for a totally satisfying dinner.
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Slow cooker
Vegetarian Chili with Lentils and Butternut Squash
Vegetarian Chili with Lentils and Butternut Squash has all the flavor and texture of a traditional chili, just without the meat. Would it be bragging too much for me to say that I am a huge fan girl of the seasonings in this chili? Just do yourself a favor, and give it a try. Russ, and many coworkers, even loved the texture and flavor.
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Simply Fantastic Slow Cooker Chili
This Slow Cooker Chili is simple to make and packed full of flavor. That’s what makes it simply fantastic. In fact, even with only two of us, the first time I made this chili, none of it made it into the freezer. We just ate it all up over the course of two days.
Simply Fantastic Slow Cooker Chili is also a great party food, and since it’s made in the slow cooker, it is easy to keep warm for people to serve themselves as they get hungry throughout the party. I would definitely put this chili on the menu for a Super Bowl party! I’m all about being able to enjoy my guests and not being stuck in the kitchen any more than I need to.…
7 Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes
With Cinco de Mayo on a Saturday this year, chances are you’re either hosting a party or attending one. I have you covered with seven easy crowd pleasing recipes. All of these are recipes that you can make ahead so that you have time to sip margaritas with your friends and enjoy the food together.
There are even three Whole30 friendly dishes, and all of these recipes are also gluten-free. Just make sure your corn tortillas don’t contain any wheat. Set up your table buffet style, and let your guests enjoy the dips and create their own tacos or fajitas. I like to include lots of veggies for dipping and always include butter leaf or romaine leaves as alternative wraps.
PARTY DIPS
Not only is this hummus incredibly yummy, it’s so easy to prepare in your food processor or blender. I used a blend of black beans and garbanzo beans, but I think it would be just as good using all black beans. Serve it with your favorite veggies, crackers, tortilla chips, or pita.
Yum! I love guacamole, and I love hummus. Avocado Hummus marries those two favorites into an amazing dip for chips, pita, or veggies–-pretty much whatever your heart desires. Plus, it couldn’t be any easier to make. Simply place all your ingredients in the food processor, and turn it on until the hummus is blended smooth. Yep, that simple. It only takes about eight minutes to throw together and makes a perfect party appetizer.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like guacamole, and this variation has been one of my most requested side dishes to bring to friends’ gatherings.The stars in this recipe are fresh avocados, tomatoes, onion, and cilantro.I love serving Guacamole Style Dip with organic blue corn tortilla chips and strips of sweet peppers.
WHOLE30 FRIENDLY
I love this Easy Taco Meat recipe because it is so versatile. You can use it for taco night with your favorite wraps and toppings, make a taco salad (which is what I usually do), or even double the recipe and freeze the leftovers as part of your meal prep. Who doesn’t love tacos?
You definitely want to try these Easy Steak Fajitas. Whether you serve them over greens or wrap them in a warm tortilla, you are going to love the flavor. I love to add fresh tomato, avocado, and shredded cheese to mine, but you could also use additional toppings such as black beans or sour cream.
I just love it when recipes that are so simple turn out like you spent hours working on them. Slow Cooker Carnitas is one of those. Prep time is only ten to fifteen minutes, depending on how fast your are at slicing veggies. Put this in the slow cooker Friday night before bed, and it will be ready for Saturday’s festivities.
RUSS’S PERSONAL FAVORITE
This recipe is so easy, even with the homemade enchilada sauce. In fact, it’s one that I make about once a month, so no, you don’t have to wait for Cinco de Mayo to enjoy this dish. This can also be assembled the night before or in the morning, then cooked when ready to serve.
No matter your plans for Cinco de Mayo, enjoy your friends and family, and be safe. As always, if you try any of these 7 Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes, let me know how they turned out for you, or rate the recipe.
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Top 10 Guy Approved Recipes from 2017
I hope the new year is finding you happy and healthy. Russ and I spent a relaxing New Year’s Eve at home together after a round of golf in the morning. Is it just me, or does anyone else have a hard time staying up to watch the ball drop these days?
Although we’ve both been crazy busy with work for the last month, I did get Russ to sit down and select his top ten guy approved recipes from 2017 for you. These are recipes that I make for him frequently. First of all, most of them are easy weeknight meals or slow cooker creations that make dinner a snap on those late nights. Second of all, all ten recipes are gluten-free depending on how you serve them (not that he cares), and most of them are Whole30 friendly. Third of all, I did ask him to rank them, so they are listed from his most favorite to his tenth most favorite.
Thank you all for your support and encouragement this year. It really does mean the world to me. Your comments about recipes you’ve tried is what keeps me motivated to keep Inspired Fresh Life going. Cooking really is a passion of mine, and making (mostly) healthy whole foods that taste amazing is a plus. And a really special thanks to Russ for being my constant guinea pig and giving me honest feedback about the dishes I prepare.
Read on for Russ’s guy approved recipe picks for 2017:
Veggie and Sausage Breakfast Casserole
This is a great recipe for using up veggies from the fridge. You can mix and match nearly anything you like. The meat you use is also versatile. I’ve made Veggie and Sausage Breakfast Casserole with turkey sausage, bacon, and prosciutto. Of course, you don’t even need to include the meat if you want a vegetarian or more cholesterol friendly dish. If you don’t include the meat, just add an extra cup of veggies.
Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
If you’re like me, you’ve tried a number of different recipes that promise crispy chicken from the oven. Either they weren’t crispy, or they used ingredients that weren’t very healthy. Well, despair no more. These Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Thighs really are crispy, and use only tapioca flour, a blend of spices, and an egg. You can also mix up your spices for different flavor combinations.
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
No, you don’t have to wait for St. Patrick’s Day to come around again to enjoy Corned Beef and Cabbage. This is such an easy recipe to prepare with a huge flavor pay off. It’s not quite a “fix it and forget it” slow cooker dish, but the extra steps make a difference and are really quite simple.
Smoked Rosemary Wings
Deliciously smoky, and fall-off-the-bone tender, Smoked Rosemary Wings deliver on flavor, and are so much healthier for you than restaurant fried wings.
Easy Steak Fajitas
You definitely want to try these Easy Steak Fajitas. Whether you serve them over greens or wrap them in a warm tortilla, you are going to love the flavor. I love to add fresh tomato, avocado, and shredded cheese to mine, but you could use additional toppings such as black beans or sour cream.
Easy Taco Meat
I love this Easy Taco Meat recipe because it is so versatile. You can use it for taco night with your favorite wraps and toppings, make a taco salad (which is what I did), or even double the recipe and freeze the leftovers as part of your meal prep. However you decide to serve it, you will love the seasonings that give this meat so much flavor.
Slow Cooker Carnitas
I make Slow Cooker Carnitas about once a month. It’s such an easy dish to prepare, and it gives us a ton of leftovers for lunches, another dinner later in the week, or the freezer. You can serve the carnitas in a tortilla with your favorite toppings, over rice, or in lettuce wraps (which is what I did for myself).
Creamy Veggie and Chicken Sausage Gnocchi
Yum! Creamy Veggie and Chicken Sausage Gnocchi is so easy to make and full of fresh flavors. For me, this is pure comfort food, and I was excited to find Delallo Gluten Free Gnocchi. Of course, you can use any gnocchi you like, or even a pasta for that matter.
Veggie Loaded Meatballs
I used ground chuck, zucchini, spinach, and cauliflower rice in these Whole30 compliant Veggie Loaded Meatballs, and I really don’t think he realized how many veggies were packed into each serving. I served mine over wilted spinach and served his over linguine with a little pasta sauce. He always loves it when I make different variations of meatballs, and these were no exception.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
This Chicken Enchilada Casserole is an easy weeknight dinner. Russ is not always a Mexican food fan, but he loves this casserole. Depending on your family size, you should end up with some yummy leftovers for lunch during the week.
Vegetarian Lentil Farro Stew
Yes, another slow cooker recipe. Lentil Farro Stew is a hearty, warming meal that you will enjoy for either dinner or lunch. You can serve it with a side salad or some crusty bread if you like, but it stands alone just fine. It is filling, tasty, and full of good nutrients. It’s low in fat and high in fiber and protein. Did I mention that it is oh so easy to make? Simply toss everything in your slow cooker, turn on low for eight hours, and wait for the magic to happen.
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Loaded Vegetable Bean Soup
I know I’ve been posting a lot of slow cooker recipes lately, but it’s that time of year when I work more late shifts. The slow cooker makes having a nutritious dinner, like Loaded Vegetable Bean Soup, when I get home possible. It also limits the amount of nights when we resort to take out. I don’t know about you, but this time of the year just becomes incredibly hectic no matter how well I try to plan.
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Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
It’s definitely that time of year. Although I use my slow cooker frequently all year long for food prep, there’s just something about coming home to a pot full of chili when it gets a little colder outside. I know you’re thinking, “She lives in south Florida. How cold can it possibly be?” Well, once the temp dips below 68ºF, it’s time to put on a pot of Slow Cooker Turkey Chili. You will definitely love the smoky flavor of this chili.
I also love how easy this dish is to prepare. Prep everything the night before in your slow cooker insert, keep it in the fridge, then plug it in and turn on for eight hours before you go to work. I used ground turkey in this recipe, but you could also use shredded turkey to use up some of those Thanksgiving leftovers.
PREPARE SLOW COOKER TURKEY CHILI:
Begin by drizzling about a tablespoon of avocado oil in a large skillet. Heat over medium high heat, and add the ground turkey. Use the tip of your spatula to break apart the meat into small pieces as it cooks. (Omit this step if you are using shredded turkey.)
While the meat is cooking, dice one medium onion, and mince the garlic cloves. When the meat is nearly finished, add the onion and garlic, stirring frequently. Once the onion and garlic are fragrant (about five minutes) remove the skillet from the heat, and drain any excess liquid. (Again, if using leftover turkey, simply sauté the onion until soft, then add the garlic and sauté about thirty more seconds.)
Add the ground turkey mixture to the slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients. I used two cans of red kidney beans (drained and rinsed), a half cup dry lentils, two cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes, two cups chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and chipotle powder. Give all the ingredients a good stir, set the slow cooker to low for eight hours, and enjoy a hearty meal when you arrive home from work. Yes, it really is that easy.
Add any favorite toppings to individual bowls such as shredded cheese or cilantro, if you like. Serve with a side salad and cornbread muffins for a hearty dinner.
We ate this Slow Cooker Turkey Chili for dinner with plenty left over for lunches during the week. It also freezes well for when you need those last minute dinners during busy weeks.
You might also like this Whole30 approved Slow Cooker Chili.
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
I just love the smoky flavor of this Slow Cooker Turkey Chili. It is definitely an easy "fix it and forget it" slow cooker recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry lentils
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
Instructions
- Begin by drizzling about a tablespoon of avocado oil in a large skillet. Heat over medium high heat, and add the ground turkey. Use the tip of your spatula to break apart the meat into small pieces as it cooks.
- While the meat is cooking, dice one medium onion, and mince the garlic cloves. When the meat is nearly finished, add the onion and garlic, stirring frequently. Once the onion and garlic are fragrant (about five minutes) remove the skillet from the heat, and drain any excess liquid.
- Add the ground turkey mixture to the slow cooker along with the remaining the ingredients. Give all the ingredients a good stir, set the slow cooker to eight hours, and enjoy a hearty, comfort food meal.
Notes
- You can substitute one pound of leftover shredded turkey for the ground turkey in this recipe. Just skip the browning meat step, and sauté the onion until tender, adding the garlic during the last thirty seconds to one minute. Add the shredded turkey, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker in the thrid step.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 319Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 61mgSodium 577mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 8gSugar 5gProtein 24g
Note: Nutritional information is an approximation. Different brands and/or quantities will change the nutrition profile.
Slow Cooker Carne Asada
Yum! Russ loved this Slow Cooker Carne Asada and asked for it to be put in the dinner rotation. I’m sure I will be making it again soon. It is the perfect dish for me to put in the slow cooker before I go to work, and it is ready for him to slice the meat, then eat whenever he is hungry.
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Easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
No, you don’t have to wait for St. Patrick’s Day to come around again to enjoy Corned Beef and Cabbage. It’s actually one of Russ’s favorite meals, so I decided to surprise him with it on a random Tuesday off from work. This is such an easy recipe to prepare with a huge flavor pay off. It’s not quite a “fix it and forget it” slow cooker dish, but the extra steps make a difference and are really quite simple.
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