Slow Cooker Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sandwiches from Elly Says Opa

Pulled Chicken with from-scratch Chipotle barbecue sauce for a perfect summer dinner from the slow cooker.  (Photo from Elly Says Opa.)

I promised I was going to focus on enticing you to use your slow cooker more when the weather starts to heat up, and this recipe for Slow Cooker  Barbecue Pulled Chicken Sandwiches from Elly Says Opa seems perfect to add to the collection of Slow Cooker Summer Dinners.  I especially love that this recipe includes from-scratch barbecue sauce flavored with just enough Chipotle pepper to make it interesting.  There's a big holiday weekend coming up in the U.S. and if you're looking for something easy that you can eat outside, these sandwiches would be perfect.

Slow Cooker Vegan Barbecue Lentils from The Healthy Beehive

Crockpot BBQ Lentils make a delicious meatless meal!  (Photo from The Healthy Beehive.)

For everyone who's a fan of baked beans, Crockpot Vegan Barbecue Lentils from The Healthy Beehive uses the same idea of pairing beans with tomatoes, mustard, ketchup, vinegar, molasses, and spices for a delicious side dish, or do like Jane does and eat them for a meatless lunch.  This recipe starts with a pound of lentils, so there will be plenty of leftovers.  I love lentils and I've never thought of seasoning them this way, so I think this sounds like a wonderful option for Meatless Monday!

Skinny Slow Cooker Spicy Barbecue Chicken from Skinny Ms.

Skinny Slow Cooker Spicy Barbecue Chicken!  (Photo from Skinny Ms.)

I promised I'd be sharing recipes for Slow Cooker Summer Dinners, and I think this Skinny Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken from Skinny Ms. looks like a delicious summer dinner with nothing more than a side of coleslaw.  You'll need to use the stove for just a little to simmer the delicious-sounding homemade barbecue sauce, but I'd do that early in the morning while the house is still cool.  You could also double or triple the barbecue sauce recipe so you have some in the freezer for later in the summer.  The chicken can be cooked on low or high, just time it depending on how your day is going.