Chicken, Mushroom & Potato Tear Apart Meal - Crockpot (C2)

Simmie Sinow

This is listed as a C2 meal, but could easily be converted to a C1 meal by replacing the potatoes with another hearty C1 vegetable.

So What Is a Tear Apart Meal Anyway?

A Tear Apart meal is one that is cooked/baked/made all together but which can be torn apart and made into several different types of other meals.  Tear Apart meals do not always stay together as a unit for future meals.  i.e., in this case, only using the chicken and not the mushrooms or potatoes, or the chicken and mushrooms and not the potatoes, etc. in the future.

In the photo above, I cooked in a crockpot the following:
12 chicken thighs (skinless, boneless--but it doesn't really matter about the skin and bone)
1 large package of mushrooms
A smattering of small potatoes (the size I use, 3 fit in the palm of my hand)--I used about 6 or 7
28 oz can marinara sauce (I use Trader Joe's brand and added some vegetable stock to it)
14 oz can marinara sauce (you may or may not need this--this is to assure all items are covered)

Place just enough marinara sauce on the bottom of your crockpot to cover the bottom.

Put half of your chicken thighs on the bottom of the crockpot, followed by a little more marinara sauce on top, then the potatoes.

The final (top) layer should be the rest of the chicken thighs, and enough marinara sauce to completely cover them.

Set the crockpot on HIGH for 2 hours, then on LOW for about another 2 hours. After the 2 hours on low, dump your mushrooms on top and push down so they are soaking up the marinara sauce; if need be, add more marinara sauce, cover and cook for 1 more hour.

What Other Meals Can Be Made From This?

Just for some ideas:

• Spaghetti squash with the leftover marinara and cut up chicken (C3 due to Zucchini)
• Zoodles with the leftover marinara, cut up chicken, mushrooms, and potatoes on the side (C3)

Cheesy Salmon Casserole - Crockpot (C3)

Simmie Sinow

Serves 6

14 1/2 oz can salmon (do not drain)
4 oz can mushrooms, drained
1/3 cup eggbeaters
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp minced onion
1 diced bell pepper
1 cup grated fat-free cheese
1 1/2 cups whole wheat Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Flake fish into a bowl and stir in remaining ingredients.

Pour into a lightly greased crockpot; cover, cook on low 2 -4 hours.

Notes: If you want more mushrooms than just one tiny 4 ounce can:

• Use an 8 ounce can of mushrooms
• Increase the eggbeaters to just under 1/2 cup
• Add 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp additional Panko

BBQ Turkey Cutlets - Crockpot (C1)

Serves 6-8

1 lb turkey cutlets
Dark Agave equivalent to 1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup no sugar added or low carb ketchup
1 Tbsp chopped onion
2 artificial sweetener equivalent to 2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients and place in your crockpot. Cook for 2-3 hours.

Shredded Crockpot Salsa Chicken (C1)

Recipe Author: Jennifer Borruso

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups salsa (watch for compliance)
1 packet taco seasoning (I usually make my own)
1/4 cup water

Put it in at 9 am, set to low for 6 -7 hours, shred and turn on warm.

Simmie's Super Stewy Chicken Vegetable Soup (C1)

Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

This is yet another modification for my thick Chicken Vegetable Soup (the first recipe on this blog is called Simmie's Stewy Chicken Vegetable Soup).  This is a family recipe passed down from my great grandmother to my grandmother, to my mother--and finally to me.  Each time I make it, I change something else!!! Great Gram used to make it in a soup pot on the stovetop, but mom and I have always liked making this in a crockpot.

Combine the following in a large crockpot:

28 oz can crushed tomatoes
4 cups chopped (small) cabbage (I got the shredded and diced the heck out of it)
1/2 of a 12 oz pkg broccoli slaw, chopped
4  7-oz cans of mushrooms, liquid included
4 carrots, cut up
1 large sweet onion, diced, then run through your food processor (I have a Ninja)
2 large bell peppers, diced (I use orange)
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth

I use the oregano/basil crushed tomatoes, so taste the broth before adding too many other spices! I use an all-purpose spice like Cavender's Greek Seasoning or some other italian seasonings.

Cook on high in your crockpot for about 2 hours before adding the chicken -- the carrots need that amount of time to soften up.

Then add:
3 chicken breasts, diced (I do not cook them before putting them in the soup--no need to)

Once the carrots have started to soften, add the chopped/diced chicken and cook on medium or low for another 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

This soup is REALLY thick, so for those of you that enjoy stewy soups, this one's for you!!!

I was going to add diced celery and some eggplant, but well, I ran out of room.  This would be a good vegetable soup without the chicken, for snacks and such as well.

The recipe I've used for a long time calls for 14 oz of broth and 2 cups of water, but with vegetable stock, it's not as strong, so I just used 4 cups of vegetable broth and no water.

For Vegetarians: Just omit the chicken and make sure to use vegetable stock. You can also put some cubed tofu into it for some protein.

This soup freezes really well and this recipe makes a lot.  It makes approximately 16 to 20 1-cup servings.

Pork and Beef Chow Mein (C3)

Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

This is a great crockpot recipe!

Serves 8

3/4 lb round steak, cubed
6 pork chops, cubed
6 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs diced celery
1 can bean sprouts, drained
4 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Brown pork and steak. Remove and add to crockpot with other ingredients and mix well.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6 hours.

Add soy sauce and thicken with cornstarch or arrowroot, if desired.

Serve over:

• broccoli slaw that has been sauteed until soft
• whole wheat chow mein noodles
• whole wheat rice

Butternut Squash-Lentil Soup (C2)

Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

This is probably the best soup I have had in a long time, if not ever! It's real easy to make and has a sweet flavor to it from both the butternut squash, the carrots, and the sweet onions.  It's a definite repeat recipe for me!

5-6 cups vegetable broth or stock, divided
3 cups cubed butternut squash (I just buy the packages, I don't like fighting with hard-shelled squash!)
1 cup lentils (pick out the "stones" and toss!) - I used red/orange lentils, but any will do
1 cup diced small celery
1 cup chopped or sliced thin carrots (no need to peel)
1 Tbsp Cavender's Greek seasoning -- or seasoning of your choice
1/2 Tbsp granulated garlic (or 2 crushed garlic cloves)

If you enjoy more garlic than "just a little," increase the amount of garlic. I put the garlic in after the stock has been added and put a layer of it so that it covers the mixture in the crockpot (a lot more than 1/2 Tbsp!!).

Combine all ingredients except the broth in your crockpot, then pour 4 of the 4-6 cups of stock over it, mix together well, then cover and "let 'er rip!"

After about 2 1/2 hours in the crockpot on the high setting, I check it and use a potato masher to mash the ingredients down (or use your immersion blender!) and add more stock if needed.

Then turn the heat down to low for another 3-4 hours.  Total time should be 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

Check periodically (as the mood strikes for me!) and continue to mash the ingredients with your potato masher or immersion blender (this probably isn't necessary, but the wonderful smell throughout the house gets me back into the kitchen to check on it!).

If you like your soup a little thinner than I do (I like mine pretty thick), just add more vegetable stock to it.

If you'd like it a bit creamier, you can add some fat free cream cheese or sour cream to it -- about 1/4 cup should be plenty!

ENJOY!!!

This soup is a great soup to freeze in portions.  This can also be done using yams or sweet potatoes.

Crockpot Balsamic Chicken (C1)

Recipe Submitted by: Lianne Clark Stevens

1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tsps dried minced onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
24 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley

Combine the first five dry spices in a small bowl and spread over chicken on both sides. Set aside.
Pour olive oil and garlic on the bottom of the crock pot. Place chicken on top. Pour balsamic vinegar over the chicken.

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Sprinkle with fresh parsley on top to serve.

Tangy Crockpot Chicken (C1)

Recipe Adaptation by Simmie Sinow

1/2 cup no sugar added BBQ sauce
1/2 cup Lowfat/No Sugar Added Italian Dressing (See note below)
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast

Mix the BBQ sauce and dressing together and pour over the chicken in your crockpot.  Slow cook for about 5-6 hours on low.

NOTE:
Instead of store bought italian dressing, make your own with 1 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp granulated garlic, 1 tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp italian seasoning and a little bit of salt.


Thanks to EatAtHomeCooks website!

Turkey Hash - Crockpot (C2)

Author: Simmie Sinow

6 servings

1 lb ground turkey (as lean as possible)
6 oz brown rice
2 tsp chili powder
1 cup onions, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes (with the juice)
2 cups low sodium tomato sauce
1/4 tsp black pepper

Brown ground turkey in a skillet.

Transfer to your crockpot and add all the other ingredients and mix well.

Cook on high for 3 hours.

This is good to store for later use! You can add more tomato sauce to it to make it more like sloppy Joe's or whatever other ingredients you want to add.

Italian Chicken Tenders - Crockpot (C2)

Recipe Author: Simmie Sinow

Serves 8

3 lbs chicken tenders
15 oz bottle low fat Italian dressing **
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp celery powder or salt
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Dice into 1" pieces and place into a 9x13 pan.

Pour the italian dressing over the chicken and marinate for 3-4 hours.  You can turn the pieces over halfway if you want, but it is not necessary.

Place flour and seasonings in a sturdy ziploc bag, mix well.

Add 1/4 of the chicken at a time and toss until all pieces are well coated. Remove the chicken and brown in the olive oil in a skillet.

Remove chicken and place in your crockpot; cover, and cook on low 2-3 hours.

Aunt Ruth's Friday Night Crab Fest - Crockpot (C3)

Author: Ruth Brusin

1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 lb mushrooms, diced
1 12 oz can tomato sauce
1 12 oz can diced or crushed tomatoes
6 oz can tomato paste
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb crabmeat
16 oz whole wheat pasta (angel hair, spaghetti, etc.)

To make this C2 compliant, replace the whole wheat spaghetti with spaghetti squash or sauteed broccoli slaw.

Saute onions and mushrooms in a pan over low heat.  When done, transfer to your crockpot.

Add everything else except the pasta and stir together well.  Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours.

Serve over your favorite pasta or spaghetti squash.

Stuffed Peppers - Crockpot (C1)

Recipe Author: Beverly Bates Johnson

4-5 bell peppers, seeded and halved
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 Tbsp olive oil
Mushrooms (1-2 cups, chopped, or as much as you like)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of chopped garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
8 oz can tomato sauce (or more, if desired)
Salsa
Fat Free mozzarella cheese

Brown the turkey with the olive oil, onion and garlic. Add mushrooms and cook until they are soft. Add diced tomatoes and ½ cup of salsa. Heat through.

Coat slow cooker with cooking spray. Stuff peppers and place in cooker. Top with tomato sauce and more salsa. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, or until peppers reach the consistency you prefer. Serve topped with cheese.

This can also be baked in the oven: Bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Remove from oven and top with fat free mozzarella. Bake 10 more minutes until cheese melts.

Notes:
Get creative with your vegetables when stuffing this! You can use carrots, or other variations.

Chicken Verde (C3)

For those that love Chicken Verde, this is the best! Thank you Cooking Light!

This recipe only requires 2 modifications:

1. Do not use the sugar called for; use an alternative sweetener such as Stevia or Agave instead.
2. Use chicken breasts instead of the chicken thighs called for.

Cooking Light:   Chicken Verde

Chicken Chili (C3)

Tagged as a C1 recipe as well: see the note at the bottom on converting.

4-5 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
5-6 scallions, chopped
4 ribs of celery - diced fine
1 bell pepper, diced
1 clove of garlic -chopped
4-5 Tbsp olive oil
1 10-oz can Rotel diced tomatos with chilis
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoom cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder (more if you want more "pop" to the taste)
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

6 Servings


Sauté the scallions, celery, and bell pepper in the butter. Add the chicken and cook just until the color begins to turn. Combine the chicken stock, canned tomatoes, water, garlic, cumin and chili powder in the warm slow cooker and add the chicken and vegetables. Stir once to blend.

Cover and cook on high for one hour, then turn the heat to low for 4-5 hours. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese.

TO MAKE THIS A C1 RECIPE:
If you use a different type of canned tomatoes that does not have jalapenos in it, this would then be a C1 recipe!

Crockpot Overnight Oatmeal (C3)

Recipe Author: Brittany Simpson

Don't like the refrigerator overnight oatmeal? Try crock pot overnight oatmeal!

1 cups of whole oats
2 cups of vanilla unsweetened almond milk
1/2 diced apple
1/4 cup apple sauce
2 Tbsp of truvia
Lots of sprinkled cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a crockpot that has a liner or has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.

This recipe contains 4 starch servings. If you want to get rid of all your starches in one meal, as some do, then 1/2 of this recipe would suffice.

Crockpot Chili (C3)

Recipe Author: Erica Schlisky Herbert

1 package ground turkey
1 onion chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1-2 carrots chopped
1-2 teaspoons chipotle sauce
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 small can pinto beans drained
1 small can black beans drained
1 can red kidney beans drained
1 1/2 cup water
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Put all the ingredients in your crockpot and stir well.  Cook on low for 8 hours.

You can sauté the vegetables before and brown the meat before putting into the crockpot, but it is not necessary.

Breakfast Berry Bread Pudding - Crockpot (C3)

Makes 12 servings

6 cups bread, dense, cut into 3/4" to 1" cubes.
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup raisins
6 large eggs, beaten
1 3/4 cups lowfat milk
1 tsp vanilla
Dark Agave equivalent to 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 cups fresh blueberries

Coat crockpot with nonstick cooking spray. Add bread, almonds, and rains; toss to combine.

Whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, agave, and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Pour mixture over bread mixture and toss to blend.

Cover and cook on low 4 hours.

Remove pot from crockpot base and allow bread pudding to cool and set before serving.

Serve with berries.

Cinnamon Latte - Crockpot (C3)

Makes 8 servings

6 cups double-strength brewed coffee
2 cups lowfat half and half
Artificial sweetener equivalent to 1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Blend coffee, half and half, sugar replacement and vanilla in a 3-4 quart crockpot. Add cinnamon, cover, and cook on high 3 hours.

Serve in tall coffee mugs.

Whoa Crockpot Breakfast! (C3)

This makes 6 servings.

1 1/2 cups steel-cut or old-fashioned oats
3 cups water
2 cups chopped peeled apples
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Combine oats, water, apples, almonds and cinnamon in crockpot and cover.

Cook on low for 8 hours.