COOK SMARTER

NOT HARDER
a l
He mealst h y
c k p o
cro a busy t
for tyle
lifes
 Welcome!
I am so excited to share some of
my favorite recipes with you!

As a busy, working mom it can

be so difficult to put together
healthy and delicious meals for
my family. No matter what our
lives look like we are always
looking for ways to make life a
little easier, aren’t we? I know I
am, and I want to help you do the
same.

This cookbook is full of quick,

simple, healthy, and most
importantly delicious recipes
that you and your family will
love!

I can’t wait for you to try them...

let’s get cooking!
 I

A Typical Week
People often ask what a typical week of meals looks like for me and I always
kind of laugh because our schedule is pretty crazy and rarely regular.

We have basketball practice, gymnastics, hunting trips, and I travel for work.
There’s never really a typical week but this is the general structure that I aim
to follow and it really helps me stay on track with healthy eating.

Sunday
I like to cook meat in bulk and then use this meat in multiple meals
throughout the week. Some of my favorite “go to” meats are Shredded
Chicken, InstantPot Pulled Pork, Salsa Chicken, and BBQ Chicken. They are
all so versatile and can be used in multiple meals.

Often times this is also when I will cook my carbs in bulk. Items like Roasted
Rosemary Potatoes, Butternut Squash, etc can be used in meals throughout
the week as well.

I eat some of what I cook Sunday and save the rest for meals during the
week. This does mean that I eat “leftovers” quite a bit, but they’re not plain
“leftovers.” I dress up the leftover meat throughout the week and make other
meals with it.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

I will either use the remaining meat from Sunday’s prep or if the meat is gone
I will make a quick, easy meal. This could be one of the other crockpot meals
or just something really simple and easy.
 II
Thursday
I usually do another prep similar to what I did on Sunday. I typically don’t
care to eat meat much more than 3-4 days after it was cooked. This is why I do
a midweek prep as well.

If I go 3-4 days I you realize that I made too much or just didn’t eat it then
often times what I will do is portion it off into single servings and put it into
quart size freezer ziploc bags. Make sure to push all the air out of the bag and
then freeze it. This way you can quickly thaw it, heat it up in the microwave
and use it for meals later.

Breakfast
I really like to prepare my breakfast the night before and then set a timer so
that it’s ready in the morning.

Overnight oats are awesome to make on Sundays with the rest of your prep
and then you can eat them throughout the week.

Lunch
Anything I have listed as a dinner recipe can also be used as a lunch recipe.

A quick helpful tip:

There are crockpots that have warming features to keep your food warm
after the cook cycle has ended. If your crockpot doesn’t have this feature you
can find a lot of them on Amazon. It is such a life saver - if you have to work
all day but your meal only needs to cook for 4 hours you can set your cook
time and once the 4 hours is up it will automatically activate the warming
feature to keep your food warm until you are ready to eat!
 III
Freezer Meal Tips
• Use “freezer” gallon ziploc bags. It’s important to use the ziploc bags
specifically labeled as “freezer” to help prevent freezer burn. The freezer
bags are made of much thicker plastic than the traditional ziploc bags.

• Freeze in each bag the desired portions you’ll want for each meal. If
you have a family of 4 fill each bag with 4 portions. (Good rule of thumb:
4 portions is typically perfect when you’re giving a meal to a family.)
Depending on the size of your family, you may not use all of the bag; that’s
OK! It’s better to use less per bag than have to waste part of the meal by
thawing out more than you needed.

• Use quart bags for single serving soups. This can be so helpful for a quick
after school snack for the kids or a quick dinner option for those of you
who are on the go or have kids who are always on the go. The quart size
bags are also great if you’re single! Just make sure you’re still using the
“freezer” bags.

• Freeze your meals flat! Trust me on this one, I’m writing from experience.
I once made the mistake of freezing my meals any place and any way they
would fit in my freezer and they froze conformed to the place and objects
they were frozen near. I had to take the shelf in my freezer door apart
because the bag froze around the bar on the shelf and I couldn’t get it out!
I promise you will save so much space and be able to fit a lot more freezer
meals by freezing them flat. You’ll be surprised by how many meals you
can fit in even a small freezer.

• When you’re adding more meals, add the newest ones to the bottom so
that you’re always cycling through oldest to newest.

• Short on freezer space? Check craigslist for chest or upright freezers. I

found my chest freezer on Craigslist several years ago for about $20.00!
Sometimes you can find really great deals if you spend a little time looking.
Try looking around May when college students are leaving the dorms.
They are often looking to get rid of their miniature refrigerators and
freezers.
 IV
• Spruce up your chest freezer with a decorative sheet! I once lived in a
one bedroom apartment and used a decorative sheet to cover my chest
freezer and placed some picture frames on top. Now it looked like a piece of
furniture in the middle of my one bedroom apartment instead of a freezer!

• How long can you freeze your freezer meals? Generally you can keep
them 6-8 months. Much more than that and I have found that they begin
to develop freezer burn.

• Be cautious freezing potatoes. Some of my recipes call for potatoes and

they can be frozen, but I have found that they often have a strange
consistency after being frozen. If possible, it’s better to add the potatoes the
day of if you have the time. (Just make sure to leave a note to yourself on
the bag to remind yourself to add the potatoes.)

• Always use permanent marker to label your meals. Using a pen can
puncture the bag allowing air in, and then you’ve got freezer burn.

• Always write defrosting/cooking instructions on the outside of the bag.

This saves you time when you’re ready to cook it, but is also extremely
helpful when you want to give a meal to a family. All they have to do is
follow your instructions - they will be so thankful! This can also be a quick
and easy way to allow the kids to start helping prepare and cook dinner.

• Be sure to write the name of the meal, date it was prepared, and
instructions on each bag.

2 ways to Defrost:
• 2 days before you plan to eat the meal place it in a big bowl in the
refrigerator to thaw. (This is the best option if you can plan ahead.)

• Put the frozen meal straight into the crock pot. You may find that it fits
funny and the lid may not fit. If this happens just use a knife to cut the
frozen meal into pieces that can fit easily into the crockpot.

• Air creates freezer burn. Freezer burn is the worst! You worked hard on
these meals; you don’t want them ruined by something as silly as air. Do
your best to push all of the air out of the bag before sealing. You can use a
vacuum sealer, but it’s not necessary. I just use ziploc bags, seal it almost all
the way (leaving just a tiny corner unsealed), squeeze out as much air as I
can until the liquid contents are almost leaking out, then I finish sealing the
bag.
 Conversion Charts
V

Measurement Equivalents
tsp teaspoon
Tbsp Tablespoon
⅛ teaspoon .5 ml
¼ teaspoon 1 ml
½ teaspoon 2 ml
1 teaspoon 5 ml
1 Tablespoon 3 teaspoon ½ fluid ounce 15 ml
2 Tablespoons ⅓ cup 1 fluid ounce 30 ml
4 Tablespoons ¼ cup 2 fluid ounces 60 ml
5 ⅓ Tablespoons ⅓ cup 3 fluid ounces 80 ml
8 Tablespoons ½ cup 4 fluid ounces 120 ml
10 ⅔ Tablespoons ⅔ cup 5 fluid ounces 160 ml
12 Tablespoons ¾ cup 6 fluid ounces 180 ml
16 Tablespoons 1 cup 8 fluid ounces 240 ml

Oven Temperature Equivalents

250 F 120 °C
275 F 135 °C
300 F 150 °C
325 F 160 °C
350 F 180 °C
375 F 190 °C
400 F 200 °C
425 F 220 °C
450 F 230 °C
475 F 240 °C
500 F 260 °C
 1

Table
of
Contents Click on a
ny catego
below to n
through t
avigate
he book!
ry

2 || Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

11 || Freezer Meals
17 || Soups
23 || One Pan Dishes
28 || InstantPot Dishes
32 || Side Dishes
36 || Breakfast & Desserts
 2
Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

Crockpot
Click on a
ny recipe
below to n
avigate
through t

Lunches & Dinners

he book!

3 || Chicken Chili
4 || Crockpot Stuffed Peppers
5 || BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
6 || Easy Salsa Chicken
7 || Pepper Ring Rump Roast
8 || Shredded BBQ Chicken Crockpot
9 || Sundried Tomato Artichoke Chicken
Freezer Meal
10 || Whole Chicken in Crockpot
Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

This section is full of my go-to staple

meals. These are my favorite easy
crockpot meals that I have made time
after time and are kid approved!
All of the recipes in this section can
be used for lunch or dinner and are
so quick and easy to throw together.
If you work full time you will want to
use a crockpot with an automatic “keep
warm” feature.
 3
Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

Easy Chicken Chili Servings: 10

What you’ll need: Crockpot Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to your crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours
»» 2.5lbs chicken, trimmed and
or high for 3-4 hours.
cut into 1” cubes
»» 7oz can green chiles Directions:
»» Black beans 1. Spray a large pot with non-stick olive oil cooking spray. Add cubed
»» Light kidney beans chicken and sprinkle lightly with sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
»» Dark kidney beans Cook 8-10 minutes, flipping the chicken at about 5 minutes, until
»» 2 diced tomato cans chicken is no longer pink in the center.
»» 1 green pepper, diced 2. Stir in green chiles, beans, diced tomatoes, bell pepper and red onion.
»» 1 medium onion, diced 3. Add garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, treleafia, white vinegar and
»» 1/2 T garlic powder
sea salt.
»» 4 T chili powder
4. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes. If desired, add jalapeno for
»» 1 tsp cumin
additional spiciness.
»» 1 T. stevia
5. Garnish with chopped green onion and avocado if desired
»» 1.5 T white vinegar
»» 1/2 T salt Tips:
»» 1 T jalapeño (canned or frozen) It may be easier to cut the chicken in strips, and then dice it into
smaller pieces after cooked. Cutting raw chicken into small pieces can
use less for a mild chili sometimes be difficult.
»» Avocado for garnish Also, you can place single servings in Ziploc freezer bags and freeze
them to use later.
The chili will stay good up to 3 months frozen.

Serving Size: 1 cup | Calories: 218, Fat: 3g | Carbohydrate: 27g | Protein: 24g | Fiber: 10g
 n my
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Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

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Crockpot Stuffed Peppers Servings: 6

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 2 lbs extra lean ground turkey 1. Cook the rice according to directions on bag. While the rice is

»» 1 cup brown or wild rice cooking brown the ground turkey, seasoning it with a little salt,

(measured uncooked) pepper, and garlic powder (around 1 tsp of each)

»» 2 cup water 2. Cut off the very top of each of the peppers, and wash out the seeds

»» 6 bell peppers (appx 150g and anything inside the peppers. Place the peppers inside crockpot.
each) 3. In a bowl mix all the ingredients together (including the browned
»» 1 15oz can diced tomatoes meat and cooked rice). Spoon the meat/rice mixture evenly into each
»» 1 tablespoon worchestershire of the peppers. Heap any of the extra meat/rice mixture on top of the
»» ¼ tsp garlic powder peppers or in the bottom of the crockpot around the peppers. Place
»» ¼ tsp onion powder crockpot lid on and cook on high for 4-6 hours until peppers are soft.
»» ½ tsp dried basil Optional: Sprinkle some cheddar cheese on top of the bell pepper
»» -½ tsp dried or fresh rosemary before serving.
(if using fresh, chop the
rosemary into tiny pieces)
»» salt and pepper to taste Tips:
»» 1 can 14oz tomato paste If you wanted to make this recipe fast, you can place the peppers in
a casserole dish, cover with a piece of foil, and bake for 1 hour at 350
degrees F until peppers are soft.

Serving Size: One stuffed pepper | Calories: 333 | Fat: 2.7g | Carbs: 36g | Fiber: 6.5g | Sugar: 10g | Protein: 42g
 5
Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

Everybody loves drumsticks,

this is an awesome and easy
kid-friendly recipe!

BBQ Chicken Drumsticks Servings per recipe: 6

What you’ll need: I am going to include a homemade BBQ sauce here in case you want
to make your own from scratch….but I will be honest with you….most
»» 12 chicken drumsticks (skin times I just use a store-bought BBQ sauce because it’s so much easier.
peeled off)
You want to try to find a BBQ sauce that is low in sugar.

BBQ sauce: All BBQ sauce has some sugar because it has a tomato base, and
tomatoes have naturally occurring sugar in them.
»» 1 cup of low sugar ketchup (or
tomato paste) Directions:
»» 2 Tbsp coconut sugar 1. In a pot on medium heat combine all the ingredients for the BBQ
»» 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce sauce. Bring to a boil and turn off heat.

»» 1.5 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce 2. Pull the skin off the drumsticks and throw the skin away (kind of a

»» 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar gross job, but the drumsticks will taste better at the end this way).
Place drumsticks inside crockpot, it’s okay if some overlap. Cook on
»» 1 tsp hot sauce
low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
»» 2 tsp. garlic powder
3. If you like your drumsticks a little crispier, here is what you should
»» 1/2 tsp mustard powder do. Once drumsticks are done in the crockpot, turn on oven to broil.
»» 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan sea Line a baking sheet with foil and place drumsticks. Brush drumsticks
salt with sauce left from crockpot with a pastry brush. Broil for 4-5
minutes until lightly browned and crispy on the outside.

Serving Size: 2 Drumsticks | Calories: 315 | Protein: 28.5 g | Carbs: 19.3 g | Fat: 12.7 g
 6
Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

Easy Salsa Chicken Approx. 10 Servings

What you’ll need: Directions:
1. All you do is put the three ingredients in a crockpot and cook for
»» 2.5lbs chicken breast
3-4 hours on high or 5-6 hours on low.
»» 16oz jar salsa
2. That’s it! When the chicken is cooked you can shred it with two
»» one 14.5 oz can diced
forks and enjoy
tomatoes

This is truly one of the easiest recipes I make!

I make this recipe all the time in my house because it is so, so easy and versatile.
You can use salsa chicken in enchiladas, nachos, burrito wraps, taco salad, whole wheat wraps,
the list goes on and on.

Often times I will double or triple this recipe and then freeze portion sizes in freezer Ziploc bags.

You can mix up the flavors by using different kinds of salsa too! I love using mango salsa or
green salsa verde sometimes instead.

Serving Size: 4oz | Calories: 128 | Fat: 1.5g | Carbs: 3.6g | Sugar: 3.3g | Protein: 26.4g
 7
Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

Pepper Ring Rump Roast

What you’ll need: Directions:
1. Chop your potatoes, onion, and carrots into thirds or quarters.
»» 3 pound rump roast (or
You don’t want your veggies cut into too small of pieces, but about
whatever size fits comfortably apricot-plum sized pieces.
into your crockpot. If you’d 2. Place roast in crockpot on top of your veggies. Pour a jar of pepper
like to have more meat at rings on top, including the juices.
your meal you can increase 3. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or until meat starts to fall apart. You can
to the 4 lb. roast) this cut is cook this on high, but I found that roasts tend to get dry if you cook
also sometimes called “bottom them in the crockpot on high, so cooking on low is best if you have

round roast” time. You can even shred the meat and let the juices soak in more.

»» (1) 16 oz. jar of Pepper Rings, 4. Between the peppers and the meat you should have approximately

included the juice from the jar 7 cups. This roast tastes great reheated because of all the juices.

»» 4-5 potatoes (you can use This is a recipe I really like to make and then slice for sandwiches!
golden potatoes, red potatoes,
It’s awesome to serve with some Provolone cheese on a whole
or russet potatoes) wheat hoagie bun, or serve with potatoes and carrots!
»» 1 onion
»» 4-5 large carrots, peeled *Servings per Recipe: This will vary depending on the size of your roast. You
will have four servings per lb of roast, so if you get a 3lb roast you will have 12
servings.

Calories: 221 | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 14g | Protein: 27g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g

 8
Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

Crockpot Shredded BBQ Chicken Servings: 12

What you’ll need: Directions:
1. Place the ingredients in your crockpot.
»» 3 lbs. chicken breast (fresh or
2. Cook on high for 3 hrs or low for 5-6 hours.
frozen will work)
3. When chicken is done, place in a large bowl. Using 2 forks, pull
»» 1 16oz bottle of lower sugar
BBQ sauce (Stubb’s brand is
chicken apart, shredding against the grain.

great) 4. Save for up to a week in the refrigerator or freeze 1-2 cups worth in

»» ½ jalapeno, diced (optional) freezer ziploc bags for later use.

5. The jalapeno will make this dish a bit spicy, so only add it if you like
spicy food.

Serving size: 4oz | Calories: 160 | Fat: 1.5g | Carbs: 8g | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 5.3g | Protein: 26g
 9
Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

Freezer Meal
Sundried Tomato Artichoke Chicken
What you’ll need:
Crockpot Directions:
»» 6-8 large boneless, skinless chicken 1. Trim chicken of any extra fat or tendons. Add all three
breasts ingredients to the crockpot and cook for 3-4 hours on high
»» 1 Large 33 oz. Jar of Artichoke hearts or 5-6 hours on low. Shred chicken and enjoy!
with the juice 2. Serve with roasted potatoes, whole wheat pasta, in a whole
»» 16 oz of Sun-Dried Tomatoes with the juice wheat pita, etc.

Baking Directions: 4. Then open sun-dried tomatoes and again start

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. spooning them over the chicken and use about 1/2
2. Take thawed chicken and cut off the excess fat. of the large jar (or as much as you’d like) and again
Rinse the chicken and set in a 9 x13 inch baking a bit of the juices. You’ll want about 2 cups worth
pan. of juice at the bottom between both of the jars so
3. Once all pieces of chicken are in the pan get a large the chickens will be partially covered in the juices.
spoon and start scooping artichoke hearts out 5. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 30
and pouring them over the chicken. Use as much minutes. Then reduce the temperature down to
as you’d like of the artichokes but don’t let all the 325 degrees and you’ll need to cook for another
juices go in there. You’ll want to mostly just baste/ 10+ minutes (You can remove the foil if you’d like
cover the chickens with the juices so that’s why I so that the artichokes aren’t as slimy) or until the
said to use a spoon. chicken is fully cooked (cut it in the middle and
make sure it’s not pink in the middle).
Calories: 222 | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 36g | Protein: 28g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g
 the

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Crockpot Lunches & Dinners

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Whole Chicken in Crockpot Servings: 4-5

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 1 whole chicken, washed and patted 1. Spray the inside of your crockpot with nonstick cooking spray.
dry (appx 4-5 lbs - you don’t want 2. Set carrots and potatoes on the bottom of the crockpot. This will
much bigger than this or you will allow your chicken to lift off the bottom of the pot creating a
have a hard time fitting it in your ‘roasting’ effect while it’s cooking.
crockpot with the veggies) 3. Sprinkle vegetables with appx 2 Tbsp of your seasonings mixture.
»» 3 Tbsp All Purpose Seasoning Remove neck and giblets from your chicken.
(such as Lowry’s) 4. Take your hand and gently pull the skin of the chicken away from
»» 1 Tbsp garlic powder the breast meat, just enough to reach your hand between the skin
»» 1 Tbsp paprika and the meat while keeping the skin in tact.
»» 1.5 tsp sea salt 5. Sprinkle appx 1 Tbsp of the seasoning mixture in that area between
»» 3 medium potatoes, chopped into the skin and the breast meat.
large chunks 6. Sprinkle the remaining seasoning mixture over the outside of the
»» 4-5 carrots, unpeeled and chopped bird. You may need to pull some of the veggies out from under your
into thirds chicken so that the lid will fit snugly on the crockpot.
»» 1 medium onion, chopped into large 7. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
chunks
»» 1-2 fresh rosemary sprigs

Calories: 213 | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 1g | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g | Protein: 23g

 11
Freezer Meals

Freezer Meals
Click on a
ny catego
below to n ry
avigate
through t
he book!

12 || Shredded Buffalo Chicken

13 || Red Curry Crockpot Chicken
14 || Crockpot Beef & Broccoli
15 || Beef & Barley Soup
16 || Honey Lime Chicken
Freezer Meals

These meals are awesome for new moms

or sick friends!

When I was 38 weeks pregnant I stocked

up my freezer with these and they were
such a life saver after the baby arrived.
One afternoon of work will make your life
so much easier and can be a lot of fun if
you grab a friend and make a day of it.

Many of the “lunch and dinner” meals can

be made into freezer meals as well and visa
versa.
Freezer Meals

12

Freezer Meal
Shredded Buffalo Chicken Servings: 8
What you’ll need: Directions:
1. Put the chicken, garlic, and chicken broth in the crockpot.
»» 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken
2. Add water as needed until the chicken is fully immersed in liquid.
breast
3. Cook on high for 2.5-3.5 hours until chicken can shred easily with
»» 1 garlic cloves, minced
two forks.
»» 1 16oz can low sodium chicken
4. Shred chicken and discard of all the broth except for ½ cup. Add hot
broth
sauce and cook another 30 minutes or so.
»» water
»» ½ cup Franks Red Hot Sauce*

Tips:
You may find that this isn’t as spicy
as you want, so sometimes I will
add a little more Frank’s hot sauce
at the end.
I usually begin with these ratios
though because my kids don’t like
things super spicy, and then just
add more to my plate.

Serving Size: 4 oz | Calories: 115 | Fat: 2g | Carbs: 0g | Protein: 26g

Freezer Meals

13

Freezer Meal
Red Curry Crockpot Chicken Servings: 8-10
What you’ll need: Directions:
1. Add the red curry paste, coconut milk, chicken broth, PB2 (or peanut
»» (1) 4oz jar of red curry paste
butter), lime juice, and ginger powder to your crockpot and whisk all
»» (2) 14 oz cans of lite coconut milk
the ingredients together until no there are no clumps.
»» 48 oz (4 cups) chicken broth
2. Then add your fresh basil (if you can find thai basil that will taste
»» 4 Tbsp. PB2 (or you can use 2
even better, but it’s tough to find at most grocery stores), pepper,
Tbsp peanut butter, your dish will
carrots, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.
just have a slightly higher calorie
3. Do a taste test before you add the chicken to make sure you have the
count)
»» Juice of two limes flavor you want.
»» 2 tsp ground ginger powder 4. If you like your curry a little spicy then you can add a few red
»» 4 carrots, cut into thin strips pepper flakes, but a little goes a long way so don’t add too many.
»» 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 5. If you have some time you can let all these ingredients cook on high
»» 1/4 - 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil for a while before you add the chicken, or you can add your chicken
»» 1-1.5 lbs sliced mushrooms right now. The longer you let the flavors simmer the stronger they
»» (1) 8oz can bamboo shoots (drained) will be, the bamboo shoots especially soak in a lot of the flavor and
»» (1) 8oz can water chestnuts taste so good the longer they simmer.
(drained) 6. Once you add the chicken you will want to cook on high for 2-3
»» 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken hours or low for 4-5 hours. Your crockpot will probably be full
breasts (trimmed of any fat and cut to the brim like mine was! Serve over basmati rice or brown rice
into appx 1” chunks) (whichever you prefer) and garnish with fresh basil leaves and
»» Salt and pepper to taste additional lime wedges if you want.
»» 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Calories: 195 | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 9.5g | Protein: 18.5g

Freezer Meals

14

Freezer Meal

Crockpot Beef and Broccoli Servings: 6

What you’ll need:
Directions:
»» 1.5 lb lean round steak, cubed 1. Throw all ingredients in your crockpot and cook on high for 3

»» 1/2 onion, chopped hours or low for 5.

»» 1.5 cups broccoli, chopped 2. Serve over brown rice or in a whole wheat wrap.

»» 4 oz sliced mushrooms Tips:

»» 1/4 cup low sodium soy If you have time, I personally think that this recipe tastes better if you
steam the broccoli on the stove instead of cooking it in the crockpot. If
sauce you have time to do this right before you serve the meal, you may prefer

»» 5 cups low sodium beef broth

it that way. When you cook broccoli in a crockpot it kind of tends to get
a little soggy.
»» 2 tsp coconut oil
»» 2 Tbsp sriracha hot chili
sauce
»» 2 tsp ground ginger
»» 1 tsp pepper

Calories: 228 | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 6g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Protein: 29g

Freezer Meals

15

Freezer Meal
Clean Eating Beef and Barley Soup
What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 1.5 lbs Beef Stew Meat. Sometimes 1. All you do is throw all your ingredients in the crockpot and cook for
when you buy stew meat at the 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
grocery store you still need to cut
it into smaller pieces. I bought the Freezer Meal Directions:
meat in this picture at Costco and it 1. Put all the ingredients in the freezer bag except for the 5 cups of
was enough for a triple batch. water.
»» 1 large red onion, chopped 2. On the outside of the bag write the date, the name of the meal, and
»» Appx 8 medium sized carrots, “add 5 cups water”.
peeled and sliced 3. Make sure to push out any extra air in the bag to avoid freezer burn.
»» 3-4 stalks of celery, sliced 4. The day before you want to make this meal take it out of the freezer
»» 1.5 cups frozen corn (or you could
and allow to defrost in your fridge.
use a 14.5 ounce can of canned
5. The morning/afternoon you want to eat the meal for dinner just
corn)
put everything in your crockpot, add 5 cups water, and cook for 3-4
»» 1 tsp parsley flakes
hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. This will make extras - I just put
»» 1/4 tsp black pepper
my extras in a tupperware container and eat for lunch during the
»» 1.5 Tbsp “Better Than Bouillon”
rest of the week.
paste or 3 cubes of beef bouillon
(can add more to taste if you like) Tips:
»» 3 garlic cloves minced This soup has a tomato-base to it and the barley makes it nice and thick. If
»» 1 14.5 ounce can tomato sauce you prefer, you could use potatoes instead of barley. I have tried using sweet
potatoes before and those do not taste good in this recipe. Instead, stick with
»» ½ cup barley (pearled)
yukon gold or red potatoes cut into bite sized chunks.
»» 5 cups water
Calories: 269 | Fat: 14g | Carbs: 17g | Protein: 18g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g
Freezer Meals

16

Freezer Meal
Honey Lime Chicken Servings: 6
What you’ll need:
Directions:
»» 4 boneless skinless chicken
1. Put all ingredients in the crockpot. If you prefer your chicken diced,
breasts, fat trimmed
you can cut it into bite sized pieces before you put it in the crockpot.
»» 1.5 tsp garlic powder
I usually just put the chicken breasts in whole and then cut it when
»» 1 20 ounce can pineapple bites
done, or shred the chicken - mostly just because it’s easier for me
packed in juice not heavy syrup
than cutting up raw chicken.
(keep 1/2 c. of the juice)
2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Serve with brown
»» 1/4 cup honey (raw honey is best)
rice and fresh lime wedges to squeeze on top.
»» Juice of three limes or 3 Tbsp
lime juice (fresh will taste better but Freezer Meal Directions:
either will work) 1. Put all ingredients in a gallon-sized freezer ziploc bag.
»» 2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce 2. Make sure to push all the extra air out to avoid freezer burn. I had
»» 2 cups chicken broth a lot of extra space in my bag, so I pushed all the air out and then
folded the bag in half before I put it in my freezer.
This is a really simple recipe that I started
making last year, but is really tasty! When 3. The day before you want to make this meal for dinner, take it out
I am really trying to lean down, I am pretty of the freezer and allow to defrost in the fridge. The morning/
strict about how many grams of sugar I
afternoon of your meal, stick everything in the crockpot for 3-4
take in each day and might not eat a meal
that had honey and pineapple because hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
both are high in natural sugar. But, when 4. You can add your brown rice into the crockpot and cook it all
I am just maintaining my weight I am not
as strict about my daily grams of sugar,
together, or about 45 minutes before you are ready to eat, cook your
especially when it comes from natural brown rice on the stove.
sources like raw honey and pineapple. 5. Serve with fresh lime wedges to squeeze on top.

Calories: 192 | Fat: 2g | Carbs: 18g | Protein: 27g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g
 17
Soups

Soups Click on a
ny catego
below to n
through t
avigate
he book!
ry

18 || Chicken Tortilla Soup

19 || Taco Soup
20 || Spicy Kale and Sausage Soup
21 || Ham & Bean Soup
22 || Butternut Squash Soup
Soups

When it’s cold outside, nothing

sounds better and more comforting
than a bowl of hot soup! These are
so easy and so good. Many of these
soups can be made in a big pot on the
stove instead of a crockpot (if desired).
 18
Soups

Chicken Tortilla Soup Servings: 16

What you’ll need: »» 2 limes, juiced OR 2 Tbsp lime juice (fresh will taste better)
»» 4 chicken boneless skinless »» 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (dried will work if that’s all you
chicken breasts, not frozen have on hand)
(2.5lbs) »» 3 14.5 ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth (Note: this will make
»» 1 can diced tomatoes (not a relatively thick soup - if you want your soup to go a little further
drained), 14.5 ounce you can add an extra can of broth and make it slightly thinner but a
»» 1 can black beans (drained), larger batch)
14.5 ounce »» Salt/pepper to taste (I used about 1 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp sea
»» 1 small onion salt)
»» 2 Tbsp minced garlic (fresh »» Sriracha sauce to taste (optional)
tastes best)
Directions:
»» 1 can corn, 14.5 ounce
1. Place all ingredients except for fresh cilantro in crockpot and cook
»» 1 jalapeno, finely diced (vary
on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours. This is a great recipe to
to taste - this will be a little bit make as a freezer meal in advance!
spicy - about medium heat. If 2. You can cook this on your stovetop if you want a faster way to make
you like mild food start with this recipe.
1/2 jalepeno). You can also use 3. Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.
canned jalapenos if you don’t 4. Boil for 20-25 minutes until chicken is cooked all the way through.
have fresh on hand. 5. If desired, you can shred the chicken when done with two forks.

Calories: 163 | Fat: 2g | Carbohydrate: 9g | Protein: 29g

 19
Soups

s e I a lmost
c i p e becau ngredients so
t h is re h e se i and it is
v e l l t
I lo
a y s have a my pantry together.
alw nd or in t hrow
h a y t o
on
i c k a nd eas
qu

Taco Soup Servings: 6

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 1lb extra lean ground turkey 1. In a medium pan, season with ½ tsp each of salt, pepper, and garlic
»» ½ tsp sea salt powder and sautee your ground turkey until brown.
»» ½ tsp pepper 2. Add meat and all remaining ingredients except green onion to
»» ½ tsp garlic powder crockpot.
»» ½ onion, chopped 3. Stir and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
»» 1 can corn, drained 4. Garnish with sliced avocado and/or plain Greek yogurt mixed with
»» 1 can black beans, drained lime juice (a healthier alternative to sour cream).
»» 1 can diced green chiles
»» 1 can diced tomatoes, not drained
»» 3 Tbsp taco seasoning
»» 1 packet ranch dressing mix (or
you can make your own)
»» 5 cups chicken broth
»» 1 green onion, chopped (for
garnish)
»» Salt and pepper to taste
»» Optional: Sour cream, avocado,
or low-fat cheese for garnish (not
included in nutritional information)

Calories: 235 | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 26g | Protein: 24g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g

 20
Soups

Spicy Kale and Sausage Soup Servings: 8

What you’ll need:
Directions:
»» 1.5lbs spicy italian extra lean
1. Brown the sausage. If your sausage came in links, just remove the
chicken sausage, we like Iserno
meat from the casing before you cook it.
brand (you can also use venison
2. Add all ingredients to your crockpot and cook for 3-4 hours on high
sausage or regular pork sausage,
or 5-6 hours on low.
but chicken sausage is usually the
leanest, you can do either ground
sausage or sausage links, we
used both in this picture to show
you either options)
»» 2 cups of kale, stems removed
and chopped
»» 2 medium russet potatoes,
chopped
»» 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
»» 2 garlic cloves, minced
»» 1/2 tsp salt
»» 1/2 tsp pepper
»» ½ tsp red pepper flakes
»» ¼ tsp nutmeg
»» 4-5 cups chicken broth
Serving size: 2 cups | Calories: 219 | Fat: 4.5g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 2g | Protein: 25g
 21
Soups

a k e w hen you
a t r e c i p e to m Easter
I t ’s a g r e t m a s o r
l e f t o v e r Chris an easy
have t w a nt
, o r i f y ou jus
ham
i n n e r r ecipe!
d

Ham & Bean Soup Servings: 8

What you’ll need: Directions:
1. Soak beans overnight.
»» 1 pound dry Great Northern beans 2. Place your beans in a bowl and cover them completely with water
»» 1 large onion, chopped so that the water is about one inch over the beans.
»» 1 14oz can diced tomatoes (not 3. You can also use the quick method of soaking by putting your beans
drained) in a pot and bringing the water to a rapid boil, place a lid on the pot,
»» 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into remove from heat, and let sit for one hour.
bite size chunks 4. Drain and rinse beans.
»» 2 cloves minced garlic 5. Add all ingredients to crockpot.
»» 1 tsp each of rosemary, oregano, 6. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Season with sea salt
and thyme and pepper to taste, garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
»» 2 lbs cooked ham, chopped into
bite size pieces
»» 2-4 cups water
»» 6 cups chicken broth
»» Sea salt and pepper to taste

Serving Size: appx 1.5 cups | Calories: 213 | Fat: 12g | Carbs: 13g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Protein: 13g
 22
Soups

This bu
tternut
soup re sq
cipe is p uash & sweet
weathe er potato
r and is fect for this co
up you a ol
r health fun way to sw er
y carb s itch
ources.

Butternut Squash Soup Servings: 12

What you’ll need: Directions:
1. In a large pot, sautée the onion and oil until onion is translucent.
»» 1 large (appx 3lb) butternut Add chicken broth, sweet potato, squash, salt and pepper and bring
squash, peeled, seeded, and cut to boil.
into 1 inch chunks 2. Boil for 15 minutes until tender.
»» 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled 3. Then you need to add the apple and purée everything. I did this by
and cut into 1 inch chunks filling up my blender halfway full (I used a 1 cup measuring cup to
»» 1 Tbsp olive oil scoop everything from the pot to the blender) and blend without the
»» 1 medium onion center part of the lid on (so the heat can escape), and repeating 3-4
»» 4-5 cans chicken broth (8-10 times until all pieces were blended really well.
cups) 4. Put everything back in pot and add honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, and
»» 1.5 tsp sea salt clove. Allow to simmer on low heat until you have the consistency
»» .5 tsp black pepper you like.
»» 1 tart apple, sliced and peeled (I 5. This makes a TON of soup! You will have leftovers all week!
used a pink lady)
»» 3 Tbsp raw honey
»» 1 tsp cinnamon
»» 1/4 tsp nutmeg
»» 1/8 tsp clove

Serving Size: 1.5 cups | Calories: 129 | Fat: 2g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Protein: 3g
 23
One Pan Dishes

Click on a
ny catego
below to n ry
avigate

One Pan Dishes

through t
he book!

24 || One Pot Rosemary Artichoke

Chicken
25 || One Pan Roasted Cod & Veggies
26 || 30 Minute Homemade Spaghetti
with Spaghetti Squash
27 || Loaded Sweet Potato
One Pan Dishes

I’ve included this section because

although these aren’t crockpot
recipes, they are super easy to
make and only take one pot, so
are really easy to clean up. If you
hate doing dishes you will love this
section!
 24
One Pan Dishes

One Pot Rosemary Artichoke Chicken

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 2.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken 1. Line a large glass casserole pan with aluminum foil.

breast (trimmed of any extra 2. Cut the chicken breast into thirds (to allow for more even cooking).

tendons or fat) and cut into thirds Evenly distribute all the chicken breast chunks over the foil.

»» 1 14.5 ounce can of canned 3. Next, evenly distribute the artichoke hearts, onions, and

artichoke hearts mushrooms.

»» ½ medium red onion, sliced (appx 4. Sprinkle to taste with pepper and sea salt.

1.5 cups) 5. In a small bowl mix together the mustard, garlic, olive oil, balsamic

»» ½ lb baby portabella mushrooms, vinegar, white wine, basil, thyme, and rosemary.

halved or quartered (appx 1.5 6. Pour the liquid over the chicken/artichoke/onions.

cups) 7. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 75 minutes.

»» 2 Tbsp horseradish mustard or 8. Serve with brown rice or rosemary sweet potatoes.

brown mustard
»» 3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
»» ⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil
»» 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
»» 1/4 cup white wine
»» 1/2 teaspoon dried basil This is such a healthy dish that makes your chicken “melt-in-your-mouth”
»» 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme moist and bursting with flavor! Everything is made all in one pan so there
»» 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary is very minimal cleanup. This would be a great dish to serve if you were
having company. This recipe makes appx 8 servings, so you could cut the
»» sea salt and black pepper to taste servings in half to make a smaller amount.

Calories: 328 | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 10g | Fiber: 2g | Sugars: 3g | Protein: 51g

 25
One Pan Dishes

One Pan Roasted Cod & Veggies Servings: 2

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 3 medium red potatoes (550g) 1. Line a pan with tinfoil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Place chopped potatoes on pan and brush with olive oil. Sprinkle
»» 2 wild cod fillets (6oz each) with garlic powder, sea salt and pepper.
»» 3 large carrots, peeled and 3. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes.
4. Add cod filets and carrot slices to the pan.
quartered (225g)
5. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
»» 1 Tbsp olive oil 6. Top cod filets with lemon slices. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes.
»» ¼ tsp each of garlic powder,
sea salt, black pepper
»» 1 lemon, sliced

Calories per Servings: 436 | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 56g | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Protein: 36g
 26
One Pan Dishes

Homemade Spaghetti with Spaghetti Squash

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 1 medium spaghetti squash 1. Turn burner to medium/high heat.
»» 1 Tbsp olive oil 2. Add olive oil, garlic, and onions into a large pot.
»» 1 Tbsp minced garlic (4-5 cloves) 3. Sauté until onions are translucent.
»» 1 medium onion (yellow or red is 4. Add in the cans of tomato paste and diced tomatoes, as well as the
fine) mushrooms, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, honey, and pepper.
»» (3) 29oz cans petite diced
5. Stir. Bring to a slow boil.
tomatoes
6. In a different pan, cook your ground turkey meat, salt, garlic powder,
»» (3) 29oz cans tomato sauce
»» 24 oz baby portabella black pepper and red pepper flakes.
mushrooms (optional) 7. Remove excess fat and transfer the meat to your sauce.
»» 3 Tbsp dried basil 8. Simmer 10-60 minutes.
»» 3 Tbsp dried oregano
»» 3 Tbsp dried parsley Spaghetti Squash Directions:
»» 1 Tbsp black pepper 1. Preheat oven to 425. Line a cookie sheet with foil for easy cleanup
»» 1 Tbsp raw honey and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
»» 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional, 2. Cut spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place the
you can omit if you don’t want
squash flesh-side down onto foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Take
the sauce to have any kick to it)
squash out and allow it to cool for a minute.
»» 2 tsp salt
»» 1 tsp black pepper 3. Once you are able to touch it, use a spoon to ‘scoop’ out strands of the
»» 1 tsp garlic powder squash. They will be long and skinny like spaghetti noodles. You can
eat this plain, in stir frys, or in place of regular noodles for a lower-
»» 2.5lbs extra lean ground turkey
carb spaghetti dish.
Calories per serving: 150 | Fat: 1.4g | Carbs: 17g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Protein: 16g
 27
One Pan Dishes

Loaded Sweet Potato Servings: 4

What you’ll need: Directions:
1. This is one of my favorite “fast food” meals on nights when I don’t
»» 1 Rotisserie Chicken
want to cook.
»» 4 Sweet potatoes 2. It is seriously one of the easiest, most flavorful meals you can make!
»» 1 cup plain greek yogurt 3. Grab a rotisserie chicken from the store on your way home,
microwave a sweet potato (or yam) in the microwave for about 8
»» 1 lime
minutes, then load it up with spinach, rotisserie chicken pieces,
»» 2 cups spinach Greek yogurt with lime, guacamole, and sriracha.
»» 1 cup guacamole 4. This is one of those easy meals that never gets old to me and is
loaded with healthy ingredients.
»» Sriracha to taste

Calories: 429 | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 37g | Protein: 43g | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 12g
InstantPot Dishes

28

Click on a
ny catego
below to n ry
avigate
through t
he book!

InstantPot Dishes
29 || Pulled Pork
30 || Sloppy Joes
31 || Baby Back Ribs
InstantPot Dishes

I am fairly new to InstantPot cooking,

but I wanted to include a few of my
favorite recipes that my kids love. I’m
working on putting together more of
these recipes in the future, but a lot of
the recipes you see in this book can
also be made in an InstantPot. These
pressure cookers are awesome be-
cause you can cook your meal in a
fraction of the time it would take you
to cook on the stove or crockpot!
InstantPot Dishes

29

Pulled Pork Servings: 12

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 4-lb boneless pork shoulder, 1. Generously rub your seasonings over the meat.
cut into thirds 2. Turn your Instant Pot to saute and when it’s hot add
»» ¼ cup your favorite pork your olive oil.
rub seasoning (I like Stubb’s 3. Brown all sides of each piece of pork for about 2 minutes
brand) per side.
»» 2 tsp olive oil 4. Remove the pork from the pot and set aside.
»» ½ cup apple cider vinegar 5. Mix together 3 cups water, vinegar and tomato paste and
»» 3 Tablespoons tomato paste pour into the Instant Pot on top of the meat.
»» (optional) coleslaw to serve 6. Lock the lid and cook on high for one hour.
with 7. You can quick release the steam after 60 minutes.
8. Use two forks to pull/shred the pork apart and if desired,
add some of the remaining liquid onto the pulled pork.
9. Serve on salads, tacos or in a whole wheat bun. I love
serving this with a side of coleslaw too!

Calories: 416 | Fat: 29g | Carbs: 1g | Protein: 36g | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: <1g
InstantPot Dishes

30

Sloppy Joes Servings: 6

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 2 Tbsp olive oil 1. Press that “saute” button on your Instant Pot.

»» 1 onion, diced 2. Add oil, garlic, and onions and cook with the lid off for 4-5 minutes
until onions are translucent.
»» 8 garlic cloves, minced 3. Then add your ground beef and spices (you can substitute ground
»» 2 tsp cumin turkey or ground wild game meat for the beef if desired) and cook
until browned.
»» 1 tsp cayanne pepper
4. Add tomato sauce, vinegar, molasses, and mustard onto beef and stir
»» ½ tsp pepper to combine.
»» 1.5 Tbsp paprika 5. Place and lock lid on your pot and press the “bean/chili” button.
Cook for 30 minutes.
»» 2 tsp salt
6. Enjoy! Serve on whole wheat hamburger buns or on top of baked
»» 2lbs lean ground beef spaghetti squash. This is a recipe you will love and want to make

»» 2 cans tomato sauce (14.5 over, and over again!

ounce)
This is one of my MOST requested meals from my kids! It’s a
»» 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar really popular recipe in our house and is so fast to make.

»» 2 Tbsp yellow mustard These are spices I usually already have around my house, and it
really does taste a lot better than pre-bought sloppy joe mix.
»» 2 Tbsp molasses

Calories: 298 | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 19g | Protein: 35g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g
InstantPot Dishes

31

I T E i n s tant pot
OR
o n e o f my FAV not believe how
This is l i t e r
d
ally coul od these tasted.
s . I
recipe s a n d how go
w a about
easy it e m r ave s
w h o h a s tried th w the meat
e ho
Everyon er they are and
d
how ten ff the bone.
o
just falls

Baby Back Ribs Servings: 6

What you’ll need: Directions:
1. Mix together your ingredients for the spice rub….or if you are feeling
»» 4 lbs baby back ribs, cut into 3
lazy like I often am, just grab any premade store-bought beef rub.
sections
2. With a sharp knife, cut your rack of ribs into three sections.
»» 1 cup water 3. Rub your spices generously all over both sides of your ribs.
»» Stubb’s BBQ sauce 4. Place the metal rack into the bottom of your Instant Pot and add one
cup of water. This is where you want to set your ribs up like a teepee
around the metal rack.
Spice Rub:
5. Lock your lid into place and move valve to “sealing”. Set to “manual”
»» ½ tsp salt
setting and cook for 30 minutes.
»» ¼ tsp pepper 6. While ribs are cooking, line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil
»» 1 tsp garlic powder and preheat oven to Broil Hi.

»» ½ tsp chili powder 7. Quick release your pressure or let the pressure release naturally.
8. Remove the ribs and put them on your lined cookie sheet. Using a
»» ½ tsp onion powder
pastry brush, brush ribs with BBQ sauce on both sides. You want to
»» ¼ tsp cumin
aim for a low-sugar BBQ sauce (I like Stubb’s brand original flavor).
»» ½ tsp paprika 9. Broil for 4-5 minutes - make sure to watch the timer here, if you broil
»» **or use a pre-made beef or BBQ too long you can very easily burn them.

spice rub** [Link] into individual ribs and enjoy!

Calories: 857 | Fat: 69g | Carbs: 6g | Protein: 45g | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 4g

 32
Side Dishes

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ny catego
below to n ry
avigate
through t

Side Dishes
he book!

33 || Lazy Man Sweet Potatoes

34 || Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
35 || Roasted Butternut Squash
Side Dishes

I wanted to include a section

of what to serve alongside the
crockpot meals. These can be paired
with any of the meals found in the
cookbook. These are my family’s
favorite side dishes that I have been
making for 15+ years!
 33
Side Dishes

Lazy Man Sweet Potatoes

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 4-5 Sweet Potatoes Two steps:
1. Wash sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are an 2. Throw in crockpot
awesome carb source and Done!
have a ton of micronutrients
3. Cook on high for 4 hours until soft. You can use as many sweet
in them. You can find them
really inexpensive during the potatoes as you need as long as they fit in the crockpot!
fall too! This is my favorite 4. Enjoy!
‘lazy man’ (or woman) sweet
potato method.

PS - A lot of people have asked

if you need to add water.
Nope. Just the instructions
I wrote above. There will be
some water on the potatoes
from washing them and
they will ‘sweat’ as they cook
creating moisture. I promise,
it works great just using this
simple two-step method!
Calories: 114 | Sodium: | 73mg | Potassium: 448mg | Total Carbs: 27g | Fiber: 4g | Sugars: 6g |Protein: 2g
 34
Side Dishes

Roasted Rosemary Potatoes Servings: 6

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 6 red potatoes, washed (appx 2 1. Chop the potatoes into bite size chunks.

lbs) 2. Put a sheet of foil down on a cookie sheet for easy cleanup, then
drizzle a little olive oil on the potatoes (I use a pastry brush to help
»» 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus
use less oil and to help evenly coat each piece), sprinkle with sea salt,
more if needed garlic powder, pepper and fresh rosemary (chopped).
»» 1 tsp each of sea salt, garlic 3. Bake at 425 for 20-25 minutes until the edges begin to brown
powder, pepper, and fresh 4. Enjoy!

rosemary (chopped)
You can use the leftovers with eggs for breakfast, with chicken or
ground beef for lunch, or with any other meat for dinner. Oftentimes I
will make two or three trays on the weekend so we have an easy carb
source that is quick to heat up during the week. You can cook sweet
potatoes, red potatoes, yams, or russet potatoes this same way.

Potatoes are one of my favorite (and inexpensive) carb

sources. Roasting them is really easy, requires minimal
cleanup, and you can cook them in bulk and use them
throughout the week to add to your meals.

Calories: 161 | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 27.5g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2.2g | Protein: 3g

 35
Side Dishes

Roasted Butternut Squash Servings: 5

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 1 medium to large butternut 1. Please a piece of foil down on a cookie sheet (for easy cleanup).
2. Cut the squash in half long-ways.
squash
3. Scoop out the seeds and pulp with a spoon and discard. Spray foil
»» 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
with non stick cooking spray.
(or you could use coconut oil 4. Place squash halves face down on foil. Bake at 425 degrees for 35-45
depending on taste preference) minutes (less for smaller squash), you will know it is done when the
top of the squash starts to look a little brown.
Roasting the squash helps to 5. Pull tray out of oven and carefully flip the squash over.
bring out the sweetness, paired
6. Cut strips horizontally and vertically with a knife to create cube
with coconut oil, salt and pepper
makes a delicious healthy carb shapes.
source.
7. Use a spoon to scoop the cubes out, place in a separate dish and
Winter squash (butternut squash, drizzle coconut oil (or olive oil), salt and pepper evenly over the
spaghetti squash, acorn squash,
etc) are very high in antioxidants, squash.
vitamin c, and manganese.
Winter squash is also rich in NOTE:
anti-inflammatory omega-3s. One Baking time can vary depending on the size of your squash. If you
cup of baked winter squash will are using a smaller squash you can cook closer to 22-25 minutes and
provide you with approximately if you have a larger squash you may need to go closer to 50 minutes.
340 milligrams of omega-3 fats in If you cut the squash up in cubes before you roast it, it will cook
the form of alpha-linolenic acid faster but cutting into cubes is kind of hard when the squash isn’t
(ALA). cooked.

Calories: 135 | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Protein: 0g

 36
Breakfast & Desserts

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he book!

Breakfast & Desserts

37 || Strawberry Protein Overnight Oats
38 || Blueberry Banana & Apple Pie Protein Oats
39 || Crockpot Bananas Foster Dessert (dessert)
40 || Blackberry Peach Cobbler Crockpot (dessert)
41 || Banana Bread Crockpot Oatmeal
42 || Baked Apples (dessert)
43 || Cinnamon Pecans (dessert)
Breakfast & Desserts

It can be really fun to cook desserts in the

crockpot. When the desserts are cooking
often times my kids smell it during dinner
and it gets them to eat all of their dinner!
These dessert recipes are what I call “healthy-
ish.” They’re not perfectly healthy for you,
but they are on the healthier side of desserts.
When you’re making some of the breakfast
crockpot meals, you can set them the night
before, just make sure you have a timer
crockpot with an automatic “keep warm”
feature. Overnight oats are obviously not
crockpot meals, but are simple to make and a
delicious grab and go meal in the morning.
 37
Breakfast & Desserts

Overnight Strawberry Protein Oats Servings: 2

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 3/4 cup unsweetened almond 1. Mash up the strawberries and the banana together in a bowl (you
don’t taste the banana much it is more for texture).
milk
2. In a separate bowl mix the almond milk, pudding mix (or substitute)
»» 1/2 banana, sliced
and protein together.
»» 10 strawberries, sliced 3. Then combine it with the berry mixture and then add in all of the
»» 3/4 cup old fashioned oats, dry other ingredients. Stir all the ingredients together well.

(or gluten-free rolled oats) 4. Place the oats in a container (I use mason jars) to sit overnight in
fridge and soak up all the liquids.
»» 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein
5. Heat it for 20-30 seconds in the microwave in the morning (upon
»» 1 Tablespoon sugar-free
serving) or eat it cold.
cheesecake pudding mix Optional: Top with your favorite nuts or seeds and/or top with
additional berries of your choice.

Tip:
I often have a high carb breakfast like this on a day that I’m doing a
hard workout.

Because I’m eating it first thing in the morning my body has a long
time to burn it off and this keeps me very full until lunch when I
generally have something lower carb like a chicken salad.

Calories: 267 calories | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 46.5g | Fiber: 7,5g | Sugar: 10g | Protein: 11g
 38
Breakfast & Desserts

This is a quick and easy way to prepare breakfast in advance!

You can prep multiple batches based on your family size or
based on how many breakfasts you want prepared in advance
for the week ahead. My kids LOVE this!

Blueberry Banana & Apple Pie Protein Oats

What you’ll need: Blueberry Banana Directions:
Blueberry Banana Oats: 1. Mash up the blueberries and the banana together in a bowl.
»» 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 2. Then add in all of the other ingredients.
»» 1/2 banana, sliced 3. Stir all the ingredients together well.
»» 3/4 cup of blueberries
4. Place the oats in a container (I use mason jars) to sit overnight in
»» 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, dry (or
fridge and soak up all the liquids.
gluten-free rolled oats)
5. Eat it in the morning cold or microwave for 30-60 seconds to eat it
»» 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein
warm.
»» 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6. Optional: Top with your favorite nuts or seeds and/or top with
»» 1 Tbsp sugar free cheesecake flavored
instant pudding mix additional berries of your choice.

Apple Pie Oats: Apple Pie Directions:

»» ½ cup old fashioned oats 1. Add all ingredients into a mason jar (or bowl) and cover.
»» ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 2. Place in fridge for 6-8 hours (overnight) and eat in the morning.
(plus more if needed in the AM) 3. You can eat these cold or put in the microwave for 30-45 seconds to
»» ½ scoop vanilla whey protein powder warm up.
»» 3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
»» 1 Tbsp sugar free cheesecake flavored
instant pudding mix
»» Sprinkle of cinnamon (appx ¼ tsp)
»» Pinch of nutmeg and clove
Blueberry-Banana: Calories per Serving: 242 | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 45.5g | Fiber: 6.5g | Sugar: 10g | Protein: 10.5g
Apple Pie: Calories: 244 | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Protein: 19g
 39
Breakfast & Desserts

Crockpot Bananas Foster Servings: 7

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» ½ cup Splenda brown sugar 1. Spray your crockpot with nonstick cooking spray.

(packed) 2. Combine all ingredients except for pineapple, bananas and ice cream

»» 3 Tbsp butter in crockpot.

»» ¼ cup light coconut milk 3. Cover and cook on high for 60-90 minutes.

»» ⅛ cup dark rum 4. Add fruit to crockpot. Stir so that everything is coated well.

5. Cook on low for 15 minutes.

»» 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
6. Serve over ice cream!
»» ¼ tsp cinnamon
»» 4 bananas, cut into slices
»» Vanilla Bean ice cream

This is a fun and super easy

dessert recipe that is fun to
make when you have friends
over!
My kids don’t love the rum
flavor in this recipe, but it’s
a huge homerun around
adults.

Calories: 207 | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 33g | Protein: 1g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 24g

 40
Breakfast & Desserts

Crockpot Blackberry Peach Cobbler Servings: 12

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 2 cups old fashioned oats 1. Mix together the oats, flour, splenda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

»» 1.5 cups whole-wheat flour Add melted butter and stir everything together.
2. Set aside 2 cups of your mixture.
»» 1 cup Splenda brown sugar
3. Spray your crockpot with non-stick cooking spray.
(packed)
4. Add peaches, blackberries, and remaining oat mixture in your
»» 1.5 Tbsp cinnamon crockpot and mix together.
»» 1 tsp nutmeg 5. Place the 2 cups of mixture you set aside evenly on top of the peach
»» 1 tsp salt combo as a crumble topping.

»» 1 cup butter, melted 6. Cook on low for 3-4 hours until fruit is bubbly.

»» 3 lbs peaches, peeled and cut

This is a really fun dessert to make, and although I do
into slices
include some sweetener, most of the sweetness comes
»» 3 cups blackberries (about 1 lb) from the fruit.

Feel free to switch out the fruit you use with whatever
fruit is on sale.

I often will use frozen fruit instead of fresh because it is

more affordable that way, and that works too!

Calories: 332 | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 28g
 41
Breakfast & Desserts

Banana Bread Crockpot Oatmeal Servings: 4

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 1 cup steel cut oats (measured 1. Add all ingredients to crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or

uncooked) overnight.
2. Add extra almond milk if needed in the morning to reach the
»» 3 cups unsweetened vanilla
consistency you like, garnish with extra pecans and banana slices.
almond milk
»» 2 bananas, mashed
»» 6 Tbsp brown sugar xylitol (or
any other natural sweetener)
»» 1 tsp cinnamon
»» 1 tsp vanilla
»» pinch of nutmeg
»» pinch of salt
»» ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped

Calories: 215 | Fat: 12.5g | Carbs: 31g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Protein: 4g

 42
Breakfast & Desserts

Crockpot Baked Apples Servings: 6

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» ¼ cup chopped pecans 1. Use a small pairing knife or melon baller to cut the core out of your

»» ¼ cup brown sugar apple, leaving around ½ inch of apple at the bottom.
2. In a small bowl mix together the nuts, sugar, butter, and cinnamon.
»» 2 Tbsp butter
Stuff each apple evenly with the sugar mixture.
»» 1 teaspoon cinnamon
3. Place apples into crockpot and pour the apple cider and orange juice
»» pinch of nutmeg concentrate into the crockpot around the apples.
»» 6 Pink Lady or Gala apples, 4. Cook on high for 2.5-3 hours until the apples are soft.
cored
»» 2 Tbsp frozen orange juice
concentrate
»» ½ cup apple cider (or apple
juice)

Serving Size: 1 baked apple | Calories: 199 | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 35g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 29g | Protein: 1g
 43
Breakfast & Desserts

Cinnamon Pecans Servings: 14

What you’ll need: Directions:
»» 10 oz raw pecans (unsalted) 1. Coat your crockpot with nonstick cooking spray.

»» 1.5 Tbsp cocnut oil, melted 2. Add all ingredients in your crockpot and mix together.
3. Cook for two hours on high (try to stir after one hour if possible).
»» 1 Tbsp cinnamon
4. Then remove the lid, stir, and cook one hour on low with the lid off.
»» 2 tsp vanilla extract
5. Once done cooking, pour all ingredients onto a piece of parchment
»» ¼ cup pure maple syrup paper, or cookie sheet.
»» ¾ tsp salt 6. Allow to cool overnight, the mixture will harden up as the nuts cool.
Natalie Hodson is an Idaho native, CEO, public speaker, and mother
of two. After a 70 pound pregnancy weight gain with BOTH of her
ten pound babies she took initiative to learn how to to eat clean (on a
budget, no less!), and find workouts that were time efficient and gave
her the results she was looking for. Natalie started [Link]
to teach women of all ages how they can incorporate small inexpensive
diet changes, and a realistic exercise regimen into their daily lives.

She is a content writer and contributor for sites and publications such
as: [Link], Oxygen Magazine, Train for Her Magazine,
Strong Fitness Magazine, and is an ISSA certified personal trainer.
In total Natalie has published 8 cookbooks, and 6 different in-depth
training programs. She’s found that a healthy diet is the only way to see
the physical results from her exercise program, and wants to find a way
to teach others how to eat healthy, and sustainably, without spending
hours cooking each night

Running a business and a household has given Natalie some extra

incentive to find meals that are easy to plan, and easy to prepare. This
is the reason Natalie decided to incorporate a “crockpot” cookbook into
her rolodex of other self created cookbooks, and go-to recipes.
 More from Natalie...

[Link]