Using a Spiralizer and Garden Basil Pesto

 

I tried another new crockpot recipe, and we loved it.   The only thing I discovered, is my crockpot "low" setting is pretty hot, and I can lower the cook time on this, and it lacks "color" due to the homemade basil pesto.  We think adding some red bell pepper next time would be nice.  

Also, it did not make a lot.  It's about a 3-4 serving dish, but it ended up a 3 serving for us, ha ha.  I would double this for leftovers.

What is it?

Chicken with Zucchini Noodles and Basil Pesto

Where is the recipe from?

                         

I prefer to cook my raw chicken separately, and not with other vegetables, when it comes to crockpot cooking.  It's just me.  I cooked the chicken the day before (in the crockpot), shredded it and cooled it (recipe called for chicken breast sliced).

I simply added the chicken at the end of cooking, as well as grated parmesan cheese, because I froze our homemade basil pesto without the cheese this last time.

We thought it was so filling too, and wow, so healthy.

I bought a new hand crank spiralizer about a year ago, and I (gulp) finally used it.  Wow, it is so much easier than the little gizmo I used to use.

Advice:  Grow an herb garden.  Even if you have to grow it in pots.  You will have so many options for your meals, medicinal options, and you will have so much fun in the process.  I'm considering teaching classes for herb gardening, but the actual classes to be "certified" in any way, per say, are expensive.

Using a Spiralizer and Garden Basil Pesto ©  November 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Easy Crockpot Recipes

 

What is was supposed to be?  A new recipe - flank steak tacos (recipe is in the first cookbook below).  what it ended up as?  Round steak fajitas.  First, I've only cooked a flank steak once in my lifetime (no kidding there), and two, we couldn't find flank steak, so we used a round steak.  

The seasonings were exactly as the recipe called for however, and it shredded up very nicely.  Although, I would cut back on the seasoning, it was very good, and mostly very, very easy to prepare for the crockpot.

We got 4 servings (2 meals for 2 people), plus we had more leftover after that. Super easy, many possibilities, and a good bang for the buck.

The above cookbook was probably my favorite of all the cookbooks I have borrowed this month.  You don't have to be diabetic to enjoy any of these either.  They are very healthy recipes.  I have many more to try yet.

I found this one to have a lot of recipes with very little ingredients, but most of the recipes ask for a can of this or than, a package of this or that - processed food ingredients.  If you are like me, many of the recipes can be adapted to your homemade ingredients, home canned, or if it's summer your your home grown ingredients.

A soup recipe I converted from a stove top recipe to crockpot.  We have made it twice, and each time with different broth (based on what needed used up first), and we have never had to freeze any of it.  We like it that much.  Odd for a meatless soup too, but we really do like the parsnips in place of potatoes in this recipe (no pasta, no corn, no rice etc).

It's free online with CleanFoodCrush.  Recipe is called Hearty 3 Bean Soup.

My slight changes:

-I don't sauté any of the veggies, so no oil

-I don't use sun dried tomatoes, I use one can of diced tomatoes (or home canned or fire roasted diced)

I toss everything in the crock pot and add additional broth if needed, and cook all day long.  I try to add my seasonings at  the end of cooking, but if I'm going to have a busy day, it all goes in first time in the morning.

Easy Crockpot Recipes  ©  November 2025 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart