Slow Cooker Lentil Chili

stock photo

INGREDIENTS:
1 small yellow onion, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
2 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can corn, drained
Chili spices: salt, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
1 ripe avocado
Sour cream
Shredded cheese

1. In a medium skillet saute onion and pepper for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt. Add garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add to slow cooker. Add all other ingredients to the slow cooker. Sprinkle to your liking with salt, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder. (I never measure...sorry.) Mix well. Turn setting to low. Cook for 7-8 hours on low. Serve with desired toppings.

NOTE: Sometimes instead of eating our chili with a spoon we scoop it with tortilla chips. Yum!

Spaghetti Squash Dinner

I'm calling this "spaghetti squash dinner" because there are so many variations on it that you can do. I originally pinned a recipe from "Gluten Free with L.B." titled Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash Boats with Chicken and it was really fantastic. Since I first made this recipe with spaghetti squash I began making variations of my own. Each has turned out great! I hope you try one of these or come with your own variations!

SPAGHETTI SQUASH COOKING 101:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Always wash your produce. A million hands have touched it, plus it was on that nasty conveyer belt with packaged meat. Yuck! On a cutting board, slice the squash lengthwise down the middle. Use a good, sharp knife and put some muscle into it. Scrape out the seeds and discard. Place each half in a 9x13 dish. Drizzle each squash half with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Place in oven for 30-35 min or until you can easy stick a fork into the squash. Remove from oven and began to shred with a fork. The squash should be stringy and resemble spaghetti.

INGREDIENTS:
1 spaghetti squash
2-3 Plum or a pint of cherry tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1-2 TBSP pesto
2 TBSP cream cheese
2 handfuls of fresh spinach
parmesan cheese
OPTIONAL MEATS:
Cooked chicken cut up OR Trader Joe's fully cooked chicken sausage (it comes in a variety of flavors) sliced and browned

SPAGHETTI SQUASH DINNER:
1. While your spaghetti squash is in the oven, slice a handful or two of tomatoes. Cut them in half or quarters, which ever you prefer. Drizzle some olive oil in a medium frying pan and add tomatoes. Sprinkle sort of generously with sea salt to enhance the flavor, maybe 1/2-3/4 of a tsp. Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic and spinach. Cook an addition 1-2 minutes, careful not to let the garlic brown. take off of the heat and spoon into a bowl.
2. In the same frying pan you cooked the tomatoes (no need to dirty another one or even wash this one...) add the pesto and cream cheese. Using a rubber spatula, stir mixture over medium heat while breaking up the cream cheese. Once the pesto and cream cheese are fully combined, remove from heat and set aside.
3. Remove squash from oven and shred using the skin as a bowl. Combine tomato and spinach mixture with the pesto and cream cheese. If you added a meat, incorporate it into this. Divide up the tomato and pesto mixture into each half of the squash. Mix with the squash to combine. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.