Soup Season!

Now that the weather is finally leaning toward the colder months ahead, it’s time to break out the crock pot. Soups, sauces, chili and stew are some fantastic choices. Plus it’s super easy to crock pot a big batch at once and have leftovers for easy, healthy lunches.

Here’s how to make a ton of healthy creative soups that you and your family will love:

Pick your protein
I put beans in almost all of my soups. They are incredibly healthy and full of fiber, which makes them filling too. You can go with almost any beans, or buy soup mix bags that have a variety all in one bag. Also pick a meat to go along with it if you like. I usually ether go with chicken breast, beef stew meat or bison pieces. They tend to make really good soups.
*Check your beans. Most of them have to soak anywhere from a couple of hours to overnight. Be sure to do this ahead of time, then put them in your crock pot.

Veg-Out
Go crazy adding vegetables! Seriously, you can add such a wide variety of different veggies. I usually go through my fridge and see what’s lying around — the white end of your green onions? Slice ’em up and throw them in! Peppers of every color, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots or raw spinach? Sure thing, chop them up and toss in the pot. This is one of the things that helps every soup be a little different. Plus, the more you add, the more flavor and nutrients your soup gains. Pile them in right on top of the beans.

Seasoning
It is generally safe to say that you can season your soup according to your meat. Just be sure to add a bit extra to get through the whole pot and taste test along the way. It’s easier to add to it than take away, though if it does end up too strong, you can drain some of your broth and add plain water back in.

Broth
You can get a pre-made vegetable or meat flavored broth if you like. A lot of people prefer them because it adds a bit of flavor. However, you can also mix your own if you feel creative (or just don’t want to go to the store). This past weekend I used spicy diced tomatoes (in a blender for a few seconds to eliminate some of the chunks), crystal hot sauce and bar-b-que sauce for flavor. Then just added water until my veggies were covered.

Cooking
This is the easiest part of all! Once your ingredients are in and covered with broth, turn it on low and walk away. Most soups will take about 8 hours, so you have plenty of time to do your running around or just take a nap on the couch.

Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients

2 pounds beef stew meat
1 cup chopped onion
1 can condensed cream of golden mushroom soup
1 can condensed cream of onion soup
1 jar (6 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
6 cups hot cooked noodles or rice

1. In 3 1/2- to 4 1/2-quart slow cooker, mix beef, onion, soups, mushrooms and pepper.
2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until beef is very tender.
3. Stir cream cheese into beef mixture until melted. Stir sour cream into beef mixture.
4. Serve over noodles.

Nutrition Per Serving Calories 400 (Calories from Fat 280), Total Fat 31g Saturated Fat 15g, Trans Fat ncg), Cholesterol 115mg; Sodium 810mg; Total Carbohydrate 12g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars ncg), Protein 24g

 

Tips:

• Try making this recipe with Grass-Fed Beef Stew Meat for a healthier, more tender option
• If you use my tips for Prepping Your Veggies, you can easily add a bag of frozen mushrooms and onions instead of having to chop up new ones, or buying a jar. This is especially healthy if you use organic produce 

Happy Cooking, Everyone!

Please feel free to post any questions or your own suggestions in the comments below. Also, be sure to share this page with anyone that you think would benefit from it. I want to help put cooking, and fresh foods back into our daily routines.

Curried Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew

Ingredients:

3 cups pieces (1 inch) peeled dark-orange sweet potatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups ready-to-eat baby carrots
3/4 cup dried lentils, sorted, rinsed
2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger root
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth or 1 3/4 cups chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1 1/2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt

1. In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix sweet potatoes, onion, carrots and lentils.
2. In 8-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add curry powder, cumin, salt, pepper, ginger root and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Stir in broth. Pour mixture into slow cooker; stir.
4. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 5 to 6 hours.
5. Increase heat setting to High. Stir in green beans. Cover; cook about 15 minutes longer or until green beans are crisp-tender.
6. Serve topped with yogurt.

*Cooking the spices together before they are added to the wonderful ingredients gives this curry its wonderful flavor.

*Lentil stew keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

*Place the green beans in the refrigerator when beginning the recipe, and they will be thawed just in time to stir into the stew.

 

Nutrition Per Serving (1/8th recipe): Calories 190 (Calories from Fat 20), Total Fat 2g (Saturated Fat 0g,Trans Fat 0g), Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 540mg; Total Carbohydrate 34g (Dietary Fiber 8g,Sugars 8g), Protein 9g

 

Happy Cooking, Everyone!

 

Please feel free to post any questions or your own suggestions in the comments below. Also, be sure to share this page with anyone that you think would benefit from it. I want to help put cooking, and fresh foods back into our daily routines.