Slow cooker black bean chicken

So I've fallen behind again but I just figured out an easier way to post from my phone so hopefully I'll be less lazy about it. I take pictures of almost everything I make, planning to write about it later but then I get too lazy to upload the photos or write about it and a few days go by and I forget what I even made!

This is my first attempt at a mobile post so forgive the 2 megapixel pictures.

For whatever reason we've been craving mexican food so today I'm doing a really easy slow cooker recipe.

You will need:
•1 cup black beans
•1 cup brown or wild rice
•1 lb chicken breast
•1 cup salsa
•seasonings of choice (taco seasoning, garlic, etc.)
Optional: cheese, avocados, eggplant

What to do:

1. Place the chicken, rice, and beans in the crock pot or dutch oven. Add enough water for the beans and rice as described on their labels.
2. Pour the salsa and seasonings of choice on top of the chicken.
3. Cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high.
4. When serving, dish out hot contents and top with additional salsa, avocado slices, or cheese.
5. For an all-veggie option, use eggplant instead of chicken. The beans are a good source of protein.
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Vegetarian Beef Stew

Is that an oxymoron? Why yes it is! After the vegetarian experiment, I decided to continue with it and my husband decided he couldn't give up all meat all the time. So what happens now? A lot of creative recipes.

Beef stew was a favorite of mine growing up bust mostly because I LOVE cooked carrots and despised anything with ground beef. This week, hubby requested beef stew because he had picked up some nice meat at the farmer's market - free range, grass fed, hormone and antibiotic free - and we needed to use it even if it was 100 degrees outside.

What does a new vegetarian who loves beef stew do?? She finds a replacement!

What You Need:

• Packaged stew meat or chuck roast cut into pieces
• Vegetables of choice (carrots, peas, potatoes, radishes, eggplant, etc.)
• Edamame (soybeans)
• Low-sodium broth
• Package beef stew seasoning

What You Do:

1. Place all the ingredients in a slow cooker or crock pot with 1-2 cups low sodium broth
2. Mix the packet of beef stew seasoning with water according to package directions and add to crock pot, saving about 1/4 cup for edamame, if desired
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours.
4. Heat a small amount of stew seasoning mix (or broth) in a separate pan and add shelled edamame. Cook on low for about 20 minutes to heat through and infuse flavor. 
5. When serving: for regular beef stew, dish up from the slow cooker. When serving for non-beef stew, avoid the meat and add 1/4 cup cooked edamame instead. 

Note: You could use any veggie-friendly protein in lieu of meat but the edamame worked well with the vegetable medley we already had going. The beef stew seasoning mix we used also contained beef fat but I was OK with it since it tasted like the stew I loved growing up.