Naturopath in Burnaby and Virtual Care Across BC | Dr. Mélanie DesChâtelets, ND

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Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip

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Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip

Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ½ c. chicken broth preferably organic*
  • 3 stalks celery very finely chopped
  • 2 8- oz. packages cream cheese
  • ¾ c. Frank’s hot sauce
  • 1 small jalapeno pepper finely minced
  • 6 oz. crumbled blue cheese divided
  • 1 c. Mozzarella cheese finely shredded
  • 3 green onions tops sliced (optional)
  • 1 small jalapeno sliced (optional)
  • To Serve:
  • Celery stalks
  • Carrot sticks

Instructions

  1. Season chicken breasts with salt and black pepper, to taste. Add chicken breasts, broth, celery, cream cheese, hot sauce, jalapeno pepper, and 4 oz. crumbled blue cheese to the crock of a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or 6-7 hours on low.
  2. 30 minutes before serving, remove lid and shred chicken using two forks. Add shredded Mozzarella cheese and stir to combine. Add cover and continue cooking until cheese is completely melted.
  3. Remove lid and garnish dip with remaining blue cheese, sliced green onions, or jalapeno, if desired. Keep warm and serve with celery stalks and carrot sticks.

Recipe Notes

*Tip: You may need to add additional chicken broth before serving to achieve desired consistency.

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Slow Cooker Beef Broccoli

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Slow Cooker Beef Broccoli

Course dinner, lunch
Cuisine Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1½ lbs. beef stew meat cut into chunks 1½ c. beef stock
  • 3-4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • ½ c. gluten-free soy sauce
  • 1 T. honey
  • 2 T. toasted sesame oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 T. arrowroot
  • 1 14- oz. bag frozen broccoli florets
  • 1 red bell pepper cut in short, thin strips
  • 3 c. brown rice cooked
  • 1 T. toasted sesame seeds optional

Instructions

  1. Add beef stew chunks to 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock.
  2. In a medium glass or other non-reactive bowl, whisk beef stock, garlic, soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil to combine. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Pour mixture on top of beef. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.
  3. To create a thicker sauce, create a slurry by combing 2 tablespoons of arrowroot with ¼ cup of liquid from the slow cooker. Set aside.
  4. 15-20 minutes before done cooking, remove lid and stir in the arrowroot slurry, then the frozen broccoli and red bell pepper. Cover and finish cooking.
  5. Serve immediately with cooked brown rice and a drizzle of sauce from the slow cooker. Garnish with some toasted sesame seeds before serving, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Tip: Adding the vegetables 15-20 minutes before done cooking will yield crisp-tender results. Cook longer for softer veggies.

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Tuscan Sausage & Potato Soup

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Tuscan Sausage & Potato Soup

Course Soup
Cuisine Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. pancetta cubed
  • 2 lbs. bulk mild sausage
  • 2 15- oz. cans cannellini beans*
  • 6-7 c. chicken stock divided
  • 1 T. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2-3 cloves fresh garlic finely minced
  • 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 lbs. Russet potatoes peeled and cut into small chunks
  • 3 ” hard Parmesan cheese rind
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ½ c. half and half tempered**
  • 3 c. fresh kale finely chopped
  • ½ c. Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions

  1. Brown pancetta in large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sausage to the same skillet and brown, breaking it up into small bite-sized chunks with a spatula while it cooks. Remove from heat and carefully drain excess fat from pan. Transfer pancetta and sausage to a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock. You could also use a rice cook slow cooker for this recipe.

  2. Puree one can of cannellini beans (undrained) in a blender or food processor. Drain and rinse the other can of cannellini beans and add the puree and whole beans to slow cooker crock.
  3. Add 6 cups chicken stock, red pepper flakes, chopped onion, potatoes, and Parmesan cheese rind to crock and stir to combine. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
  4. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7. Remove lid and add tempered half and half, kale, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and remaining chicken stock, if necessary, to achieve the desired consistency. Stir to combine and allow 5-10 minutes for kale to soften before serving.

Recipe Notes

Tips:

For less salt, drain and rinse both cans of cannellini beans before pureeing one can with a little water.

Temper the half and half by adding a little bit of the hot liquid to it before stirring it into the slow cooker crock.

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Mulled Apple Cider with a Twist

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Mulled Apple Cider with a Twist

Course Appetizer
Cuisine Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • ½ gallon fresh apple cider
  • 1 medium organic orange sliced
  • ½ c. fresh orange juice
  • 3 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 10-15 whole cloves
  • 2 t. ground cinnamon
  • 2 t. five-spice powder
  • Optional garnish:
  • Fresh orange slices
  • whole cinnamon sticks

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a slow cooker crock and stir to combine.
  2. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7. When finished, remove and discard cinnamon sticks and cooked orange slices.
  3. Ladle warm cider into large mugs and serve with additional orange slices and fresh cinnamon sticks, if desired.

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“Creamy” Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

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“Creamy” Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Course Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 c. multi-color wild rice blend uncooked*
  • 1 small white onion roughly chopped
  • 3 stalks celery roughly chopped
  • 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 12 oz. fresh mushrooms washed, divided
  • 1 15- oz. can cannellini beans undrained**
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • 2 t. garlic powder
  • 6-8 c. vegetable stock divided
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ½ c. half and half tempered
  • ¼ c. fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Rinse the wild rice under cold running water until water runs clear. Let drain and transfer to a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock.
  2. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until very finely minced and transfer to slow cooker crock.
  3. Add 8 oz. mushrooms to food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Thinly slice remaining mushrooms and add to slow cooker pot, along with the finely chopped mushrooms.
  4. Puree cannellini beans until smooth and pour into slow cooker crock with other ingredients. Add bay leaf, garlic powder, and 6 cups of vegetable stock. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients.
  5. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8. Actual cooking time will varying by individual slow cooker, so check for doneness after 2½ hours (or 5½ hours for low) and adjust cooking time accordingly. (The rice should be tender, but not mushy, when finished).
  6. When cooking time is complete, remove bay leaf and discard. Add tempered half and half, chopped parsley, and additional vegetable stock, if necessary, to achieve the desired consistency. Stir to combine thoroughly.
  7. Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Tips: For best results, use a multi-color wild rice blend. Black rice will turn purple when the cream is added. For less salt, rinse and drain the beans before pureeing them with a little water. To prevent curdling, avoid stirring cold dairy products directly into the hot soup. To temper the half and half, add a couple spoonfuls of the hot soup to it before stirring into the slow cooker crock.