Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken

Crockpot recipes are the best. You can put your food in the slow cooker, leave, and come home to an amazing smelling house and a delicious meal. I especially love this recipe because it takes about 5 minutes to prepare and makes enough food for a few meals. My boyfriend and I like to enjoy this chicken straight out of the crockpot with mashed potatoes. I've also used the leftovers to make toppings for sandwiches, salads, and pizzas! This recipe has definitely made its way into our regular rotation because of its versatility and ease. I hope you love this chicken as much as I do!

Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, 4-6 lbs.

1 tbsp fresh minced garlic

1 tbsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp steak seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Remove chicken from packaging. Remove any innards from inside chicken. Rinse outside and cavity of bird, then pat dry.

2. Season chicken by spreading the spices evenly across the skin and inside with your hands.

3. Crumple up sheets of aluminum foil into four ping pong size balls and set in bottom of slow cooker. Place chicken on top of aluminum foil. 

4. Turn slow cooker on high and cook for 4-4 1/2 hours. Make sure chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Optional: Use juices at bottom of slow cooker to make gravy and enjoy!

Italian Simmered Eggs

My boyfriend and I are pretty obsessed with breakfast, usually at 2 in the afternoon. I'm especially partial to my breakfast sandwiches, but every once and awhile, I like to change it up a little bit. 

I made some home made marinara sauce about a week ago that needed to be used up, and this was my solution. The result is cheesy and delicious eggs baked in marinara sauce! Yummy!

Italian Simmered Eggs

Ingredients:

1 cup marinara sauce

4 eggs

1/4 cup skim milk

3 small fresh mozzarella balls, quartered

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Toasted bread for dipping 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425. Pour sauce in to oven-safe dish or pan. For individual portions, divide evenly in two ramekins. 

2. Top with eggs, milk, cheese, salt, pepper, and seasoning. Bake 10-15 minutes or until whites of eggs are cooked throughly. 

3. Serve with toasted bread and enjoy!

Ground Turkey Lasagna Rolls

Now that Chicago has decided to be extremely cold and stay frigid until spring, I find myself craving warm comfort food. Usually these dishes are super high calorie, so I like to find healthier substitutions. This recipe uses ground turkey instead of greasy pork or beef, skim milk ricotta, and fat free mozz. Each roll is only 260 calories each! Yum! 

Ground Turkey Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients:

32 oz. jar spaghetti sauce

1 lb. Jennie-O Italian Seasoned Lean Ground Turkey

12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 3/4 cup (1 bag) fat free shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. 

2. In large fry pan, cook turkey until browned, stirring occasionally. Once turkey is cooked, remove from heat.  Pour 1/2 container of spaghetti sauce in pan with cooked turkey. Stir until well combined. 

3. Cover bottom of lasagna pan with 1/4 jar of spaghetti sauce, spreading evenly. 

4. Place cooked noodles flat on wax paper. Spread a thin coating of ricotta cheese, covering each noodle. Spoon thin layer of meat mixture over ricotta. Sprinkle small amount of shredded mozzarella over meat mixture. Roll up noodles slowly and place seam sides down in baking dish. 

5. Ladle the remaining 1/4 jar of spaghetti sauce on top of lasagna rolls. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.

6. Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until cheese is melty. Enjoy!

Spicy Pepper & Corn Soup

It's almost sweet corn season here in the Midwest! I couldn't wait to share this recipe with you guys! I am obsessed with this soup! It's hearty, creamy and spicy all at the same time. Yummy!

Spicy Pepper & Corn Soup

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil

2 jalapeños, chopped (remove seeds for less heat)

1 red pepper, chopped

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

4 ears sweet corn (if in a pinch use 1/2 bag frozen corn)

2-3 cups veggie or chicken stock 

Juice of 1 lime 

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced 

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

For garnish: cilantro leaves, sliced avocado 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large pan. Add peppers and onions and sautée on medium for 4-5 minutes. 

2. Remove corn kernels from the cob and add to pan. Cook 2-3 minutes. 

3. Add broth, lime juice, salt, and cilantro and simmer on medium-low for 15-20 minutes. 

4. Remove from heat and transfer soup in to blender. Blend until smooth. 

5. Return to pan and add yogurt. Stir on low heat for about 2 minutes or until yogurt is all mixed in. 

6. Ladle in to bowls and top with sliced avocado and fresh cilantro. 

Jalapeño Turkey Burgers

There's something about a nice juicy burger that I crave so much in the summer! However, after giving up red meat a few years ago, I had to get creative when it came to grilling time. After many combinations, here is my all-time favorite recipe for spicy jalapeño turkey burgers. (If you can't take the heat, substitute bell peppers!) I like my turkey burgers on a whole wheat bun, topped with pepper jack cheese, spinach, pico, avocado and a little chipotle mayo. Mmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Jalapeño Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

4 jalapeños (more or less depending on spice tolerance), chopped

Half yellow onion, chopped

2 lbs ground turkey

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Burger buns and toppings

Directions:

1. Combine jalapeños and onions in food processor. Blend until vegetables form a paste-like consistency.

2. In large bowl, mix together ground turkey and jalapeño/onion mixture. Add spices and mix well. 

3. Form mixture in to round patties for cooking. (TIP: turkey shrinks when cooked, so make patties about 1/2 in larger in diameter than buns.)

IF COOKING IMMEDIATELY:

4. Cook on greased fry pan or on grill. Garnish with favorite toppings and enjoy!

IF FREEZING: 

5. Coat both sides of patty with cooking oil. Place in freezer safe container. Thaw and enjoy later! 

Skinny Monkey Cookies

[PHOTO COMING SOON!]

Love no-bake cookies but don't want all the added sugar? Here's a recipe for chocolatey, peanut buttery cookies that use bananas and applesauce as sweeteners instead of sugar! Every time someone tries these cookies they think I'm lying when I tell them they are healthy! 

Skinny Monkey Cookies

Ingredients:

4 very ripe bananas

3 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup peanut butter (salted)

1/2 cup cocoa almond butter

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. salt

Dash of cinnamon (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. 

2. Mash bananas in large bowl. 

3. In separate bowl, heat peanut butter and almond butter in microwave for 45 sec-1 min or until melted. Add to banana mixture. 

4. Stir in remaining ingredients. Let batter stand approximately 30 minutes.

5. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

6. Freeze, refrigerate or enjoy them all right away!