Chicken and Bean Burrito Casserole

Ingredients

1.5 Tbsp olive oil

1 white onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans (15 oz each) no-salt-added dice tomatoes

1 can (4 oz) diced roasted green chiles

3 cans (16 oz each) no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 tsp chili powder

pinch ground cumin

8 - 12 flour tortillas (6")

2 cups finely shredded poached chicken

3 cups shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese (I used the Mexican cheese blend)

Place oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and bell pepper.  Saute until soft.  Add garlic and saute 30 more seconds.  Add tomatoes (with juice - see bottom for a tweek), chiles, beans, chili powder, and cumin.  Mash beans with fork (not really important, as long as you mash the ones that end up on your child's plate to avoid choking toddlers).

Coat bottom and sides of slow cooker with cooking spray or oil.  Place 2 or 3 tortillas on bottom (overlap to cover).  Layer ingredients from bottom to top:

tortillas

veggie-bean

chicken

cheese

tortillas

veggie-bean

chicken

cheesetortillas

veggie-bean

chicken

cheese

End with cheese.

Cover and cook on low 6 to 7 hours.  Cut into rectangles.  Garnish with favorite toppings (sour cream, guacamole, pico de gallo, cilantro, salsa, etc).

Tip:

Make the veggie-bean mixture and poached chicken the night before and store in fridge.  The recipe also call for leaving the juice of both cans of tomatoes in the recipe.  When I did this, my casserole was a little soupy so I recommend only using the juice of one can and strain out the other.  This may help.

Herbed Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 egg whites
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 small onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 jar marinara sauce
1 cup water

Mix wheat germ, egg whites, half garlic, half onions, and basil in large bowl.  Add turkey, season with salt and black pepper to taste, and mix well.  Cover and place in freezer for 20 minutes for easier handling.  Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat.  Saute remaining garlic and onion until translucent.  Add bell pepper and cook 5 - 6 more minutes.  Put thyme, oregano, marinara, and water in slow cooker.  Stir in vegetable mixture.  Turn on high.  Roll turkey mixture into 2" meatballs (should be about 20).  Add to slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high 4 to 6 hours or on low 6 to 8 hours.  Spoon meatballs over cooked pasta, if desired.

Tip:
All of the prep on the veggies and rolling of the meatballs can be done the night before and stored in the refrigerator.  Then just add the spices, sauce, water, and meatballs to the slow cooker in the morning for all day cooking or at lunch time for cooking on high.

Chili Mac & Cheese

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 pound ground turkey
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (16 oz) kidney beans
1-2 tsp chili powder
Pinch of cumin
Pinch salt
2 cups elbow macaroni
1.5 cup shredded mild cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend

Coat 4 quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray or olive oil.  Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Saute until soft.  Add turkey and cook, stirring until no longer pink.  Transfer to cooker.  Stir in tomatoes (drained), beans (with liquid), chili powder, cumin, and salt.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Fill pot with water and bring to a boil.  Parcook macaroni 5 minutes or until flexible.  Drain and stir into cooker.  Cook on low for 1 to 1.5 more hours.  Stir in cheese.  Let stand so cheese can melt and serve.

Tips
You can cook the meat mixture and macaroni the night before and refrigerate in separate containers so that all you have to do the day of is pour the ingredients into the slow cooker when it calls for them.

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli

Ingredients:
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
2 tsp low sodium chicken bouillon
1 can (10.75 oz) low sodium cream of mushroom soup
1 cup long-grain rice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 bag (10 oz) frozen chopped broccoli

Directions
Combine all ingredients except broccoli in 4 qt or larger slow cooker.  Stir in 3 cups of water.  Cook on low for 4 - 5 hours or high 1 - 2 hours.  Stir in broccoli and cook 1 more hour.

Tips
I started this recipe at 1:00 pm when my son when down for a nap.  I chose the 1 - 2 hours on high for the setting.  I used Tyson's oven roasted diced chicken from the freezer section.  I put two cups on a plate and heated in the microwave for 3 minutes and then straight into the slow cooker.  You will have to cut or shred these pieces on your child's plate but it was certainly easier than cooking the chicken breast and then chopping it up.  I also used one cube of chicken bouillon instead of the 2 tsp of liquid (fast and easy).  I used brown rice and the cooking time was sufficient.  The original recipes calls for the broccoli to be thawed, but I chose to put it in straight from the freezer and it worked out fine.

Recipe from Prevention Magazine's Slow Cooker Recipes