Crockpot Organic Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is such an easy recipe, yet so yummy!  Enjoy!

Ingredients
4 tb organic olive oil
4 large cloves organic garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 organic onion chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
6 cups organic chicken broth
2 organic bay leaves
1 tb organic chili powder
4 tb organic cumin
1 ts organic garlic powder.
1 1/2 ts good salt
4 shakes cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked organic chicken, I used 3 thighs, diced or shredded


Toppings
chopped green onions
dollop organic sour cream
tortilla strips (a couple corn or wheat tortillas cut into strips, brush with oil and bake for 10-15 min)

Optional: Before starting to put everything in the crockpot, you could saute the garlic, cilantro, onions and tomatoes first. I personally don't like dirtying pans when I'm using the crockpot, but it would give it a deeper flavor...I think, I don't know though, since I don't do it =) Otherwise:
Heat your crockpot to high and add oil. Chop garlic, cilantro, onions, and tomatoes and stir into oil. Let these heat up for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.

French Onion Soup

I could eat french onion soup every single day. Seriously. I could. But sadly I don't. But when I make this recipe there is enough for me to eat a bowl everyday for about a week. That makes me super happy =) This can be made in the crock pot or stove. I prefer the crockpot, but that means I have to start it in the morning. I only forgot to once, so I made it on the stove. Tastes great either way, but I think with the crockpot the taste is bolder because it's cooked for so long. Try it, you'll love it!

Ingredients:
4 TB organic butter
3 large sweet onions
2 cartons organic beef broth (I use Pacific, unless I have homemade broth in the freezer, I use that. You need about 50-60 oz)
1 TB sugar, organic
1/2 cup cooking sherry
1 ts sea salt
1 ts Worcestershire sauce, organic if you can find it
1 slice of bread for each bowl (I just use plain 'ol sandwich bread because it's easy and I always have it, but feel free to french bread)
1 slice of provolone, preferably organic, for each bowl.


Directions:
Whether using the stove or crockpot the directions are the same, just cooking time will be different. Melt the butter in the bottom of crockpot (on high) or pot on medium. Slice onions into rings or half rings (I prefer half rings for some reason). Throw the onions in the pot with the butter and toss. Add the broth, sugar, sherry, salt, and worcestershire. For the crockpot, cook on low 10-12 hours, or on high 6-8 hours. On the stove you'll want to cook for atleast an hour (bring to boil and then simmer). If you can let it simmer longer than an hour please do. You'll know it's done when the onions are translucent.

Toast bread until hard but not burnt. Place bowls on a cookie sheet. Ladle soup into bowls. Lay a piece of bread in each bowl and top with a piece of cheese. Put under broiler for a few minutes. Stay close and keep an eye on it. You want it melted and bubbly....a little brown is good but don't let it burn. Very carefully remove from broiler and use potholders to serve. This recipe makes a lot of soup, I'm talking maybe 12 servings. So it'll feed a crowd, or you'll have tons of leftovers (smile). But you can also pretty easily cut the recipe in half. Make sure to taste every few hours in case it needs more flavor. Make this a staple, you'll love it!

Three bean vegetarian chili

3 Bean Chili

couple tb oil, I use coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 (or more) jalapeno chopped (6 makes a spicy chili)
Drain all beans if using canned:
2 cups or 2 cans black beans
2 cups or 2 cans pinto beans
2 cups or 2 cans kidney beans
1 large can fire roasted diced tomatoes, or 4-5 fresh tomatoes diced
2 tb chili powder
2 tb cumin
2 ts salt, or to taste
1/2 cup veggie broth, beer, or liquid of choice (I use beer if we have it, otherwise I use veggie broth)
a couple dashes of hot sauce (I use Cholula)
Optional: If I add too much liquid I will add a can of refried beans to thicken it back up

Directions:
Heat oil in a big soup pot and then cook onion, bell pepper, jalapeno's, and garlic, until softened. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for atleast 15 minutes. Also works great in the crock pot....just throw in all the ingredients and cook until veggies are soft, maybe 4 hours. If you must, you can also add meat....but it doesn't need it. If serving chili to kids, I leave the jalapenos out, and add chopped fresh jalapenos as a topping option for adults.
Top with any of the following: Shredded cheese, chopped green or yellow onions, cilantro, sour cream, chopped jalapenos etc.

Thai Curry Chicken

This recipe isn't completely from scratch since the curry sauce is actually from a can. You could by all means make your own curry paste. If you do, please feel free to comment and share your recipe! I've just  never done it...I will someday...but I have four kids....sometimes someday is very far off =) I use the brand Maesri, Red Curry Paste. I've tried others and the thought of them makes me want to gag, ha, I really really like this one. I didn't even LIKE curry until I tried this one. It has all natural ingredients and spices...but it's not organic =( This recipe can be made the day ahead for an even bigger explosion of flavor.

Thai Curry Chicken

1 large onion, diced small
1 red bell pepper, diced small
2 lbs organic chicken, diced into one inch cubes
2 tbs oil (I use coconut oil)
1 can red curry paste
1 can organic coconut milk
Sea salt to taste
1-2 cups rice, brown

If making this the day you plan to eat it, cook rice. Heat oil in a pan. Add chicken and cook for about 5 minutes. Add peppers and onions. Cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Add the can of curry paste, stir it all up. Add the can of coconut milk and mix up well. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes, atleast. At this point you can put it in the fridge and save it for tomorrow. When tomorrow comes, throw it in the crockpot a few hours on high, or 4-6 hours on low. The flavors will have melded nicely and you will drool over the aroma until dinner =) If desired, add another can of coconut milk for a very sweet/savory dish. Plan accordingly and start the rice at the appropriate time. Serve the chicken and sauce over the rice. Pair with a nice salad or veggie rolls. Enjoy. You're welcome =)

Chicken noodle soup

Tis the season for Chicken Noodle Soup! And there's nothing better than making it with organic ingredients!

Chicken Noodle Soup

4 quarts chicken broth (I used Pacific's organic free range chicken broth)
1 lb of chicken (I used thighs)
5 carrots peeled and sliced
5 stalks celery, chopped (reserve leaves)
2 onions, diced
1/2 ts ground pepper (more or less to taste)
1/2 ts salt (more or less to taste)
pinch of thyme
1 ts lemongrass paste
3 bay leaves
1/2 ts garlic powder
1 pkg of organic egg noodles

Boil chicken in chicken broth until cooked through. I boiled them for an hour because I walked away and went and did something else. It by all means doesn't need that long, but it was pretty tender. Pull out the chicken and shred or dice, and throw back in the pot. Add the rest of the ingredients except the pasta and celery leaves. Simmer for an hour, or low boil for 30 minutes until carrots are tender. Meanwhile cook pasta in another pot, drain, and set aside. Once the carrots are tender, throw in the celery leaves and cook for a few minutes. Fish out the bay leaves. Dish out the pasta into the bowls and pour soup on top. For an added kick, sprinkle in some cayenne for a sinus clearing! This made approximately 6 big bowls. It could easily be doubled, tripled, or halved as needed. This is a very forgiving recipe! Enjoy!

This by all means could be made in the crock pot too. Boil the chicken first or use precooked left over chicken. Cook on low for 8 hours.