Meal Plan Monday - A Special Week of Gluten-Free Crockpot Meals

My goal is to please. When my girlfriend asked me for a meal plan that could work with her dietary restrictions and her busy schedule, I jumped on the challenge. Her needs: a working mom with 3 young children. She wanted meals that could be prepared in the crockpot to easily be able to feed her family when she got home from work. And they had to be gluten-free.

Many people with Celiac disease can't just run through the drive-thru when they are in a rush for dinner. Gluten, even in the smallest amounts (say, a brief cross-contamination with gluten-containing ingredients) can cause distress. Thankfully, there are some amazing gluten-free food blogs in internet land! Between recipes from blogging friends and searching through Pinterest, I was able to come up with a plan that would suit both my girlfriend's needs, and follow my food philosophy.

When I think about cooking in the crockpot, I want more than just soups and stews. I want variety in colors, textures and flavors. I went in search of recipes that the whole family could enjoy, with just a little prep, including flipping the switch on the crockpot to "on". These recipes are so good, even people without dietary restrictions will love them!

Meal Plan Monday- How is it June already?

I hope you had a great weekend! I spent the weekend running errands and catching up on housework. I picked up my produce for this week's Farmer's Market Friday at the Brentwood Farmer's Market on Saturday. If you haven't linked up to Farmer's Market Friday yet, there is still time! Party closes at 5 PM PST on Wednesday.

We have one more week of school for my teenage son, but it involves mostly 8th grade activities (field trips and the typical last week of school fun). I am so ready to have my daughter fly back to California for the summer, she lives with her mom in Louisiana most of the time. This week we have a visit to the dentist for our bi-annual cleaning, lets hope for zero cavities!

This week I'm cleaning out the fridge, utilizing leftovers from the weekend and the produce that I just picked up. My grocery list is already written, and I can get away with checking out through the express lane this week!

Monday
We're off to the dentist after school. that means we will be having Crock-Pot BBQ Chicken from Oatmeal Smiles. I will be serving this with a corn-nectarine salsa and steamed green beans.

Tuesday
I need to pick up eggs from the farmer's market, and then I will be making my Swiss chard and sweet potato frittata. Since I will miss Meatless Monday, we will be having Meatless Tuesday instead.

Wednesday
Using up leftover carnitas for Carnitas Quesadillas. If you need an easy crock-pot carnitas recipes, check out Jonesin' For Taste's Pineapple Pork Carnitas. Will be rounding out the meal with a green salad and fruit.

Thursday
More leftovers! This time I will be making Broccoli Beef using leftover tri-tip. I have to figure out how to make it without the oyster sauce (or with a vegetarian oyster sauce).

Friday
Sometime during the week I need to make chicken stock to utilize the chicken bones that are piling up in my freezer. I will be making some kind of corn soup for Friday, to utilize all this corn I bought. I'm thinking a spicy corn bisque served chilled with shrimp and avocado sounds really tempting, especially since the weather is supposed to be up in the 90s!

Saturday
Pizza night or eat out!

Sunday
If the weather is nice, we will probably invite some friends over and grill out and chill. Chicken and kielbasa, probably, with veggies and potatoes.

What do you plans look like for dinner this week? Kids out of school yet, or still stuck for another week?

Citrus Chipotle Braised Beef in the Crockpot

Rich, fall-apart-in-your-mouth beef with a sauce that has notes of citrus and spice is not your everyday slow-cooker meal. It is a beauty, with a rust-red sauce that asks to be paired with a vessel, whether that be a corn tortilla or a bun. Move over pulled pork! Try this to fill your next batch of enchiladas, or add it as an option to your next taco bar, and you will have a true winner. It's so easy, you can put the ingredients in the Crockpot in the morning, and have a fabulous meal waiting at dinnertime. This recipe makes enough for a family of four to have leftovers, because you're going to want them!

Notes:

• This dish is as delicious with a chuck roast as it is with more decadent cuts of beef such as brisket or short ribs-making it budget-friendly for everyone.
• Chipotle in adobo are smoked jalapeno peppers in a vinegar-based sauce and can be found canned in the Hispanic foods section of most grocery stores. I use 2 peppers plus about a teaspoon of the adobo sauce in my recipe, then freeze the rest of the peppers and sauce in small zip-top bags. I can typically get 4-5 uses out of one can. If you can't find chipotle in adobo, you can substitute smoked chipotle powder or dried chilies.

Ingredients:

3 pounds beef suitable for braising (see notes)
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Juice and zest of 1 orange, plus juice of a second orange
1-2 chipotle chilies in adobo (3 if you like it super spicy), plus a teaspoon of adobo sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
Kosher salt, to taste

Method:
Season beef with kosher salt, on all sides. Sear on all sides over medium-high heat, deep brown is what you are going for. Add to Crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients to Crockpot, set for 10-12 hours on low, or 6-8 hours on high. Check and stir halfway through. Before serving, shred the beef slightly and add the juice of the second orange.

Click here for a printable recipe.

I hope you try this recipe soon!