As you are daydreaming about all the wonderful Thanksgiving food you will be cooking and eating over the next few days, I wanted to share a few quick and easy recipes you could try before or after the holidays. These healthy recipes you can put in the crock pot in the morning and forget for the day so you can concentrate on family and friends! The delicious meals will store well for busy week ahead.
They are sure to be new family favorites!
Slow Cooker Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup
Yields: 6 Servings
2 pounds cut up chicken, skinless and boneless, cut into 2" pieces (raw chicken)
4 cups low sodium organic chicken broth
4 cups water
1 cup sliced celery
4 large carrots, sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh, chopped, Italian parsley
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Kosher or sea salt to taste
8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti (or whole wheat egg noodles), broken into small pieces
Instructions:
Add all ingredients, except the noodles, in the slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours on low, or until carrots are tender. The last hour of cooking time, add the broken pasta and continue cooking one additional hour or until pasta is fully cooked. Enjoy!
Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Serves 8
2 lbs Pork tenderloin
1 TBSP ground Sage
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 clove garlic crushed
2 cups water
½ cup brown sugar
1 TBSP cornstarch
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
1 & ½ cup water
2 TBSP low sodium soy sauce
Instructions:
Mix together seasonings: sage, salt pepper, and garlic. Rub over tenderloin. Place 1 cup water in slow cooker; place tenderloin in slow cooker. Cook on high 6-8 hours. One hour before roast is finished, mix together the glaze in small sauce pan: brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, ½ cup water, soy sauce. Heat over medium heat and still until the mixture thickens (4 min) brush roast with glaze the last hour of cooking. Serve any remaining glaze on the side!
Enjoy! This dish would pair beautifully with baked sweet potatoes or with roasted vegetables!
Have a blessed week!!! Caroline