Crock Pot Curried Sweet Potato/Split Pea Soup

* I have contacted bloggerspot.com, and still no ability to upload pics from my computer. I hope it will be resolved soon! Sorry, no pics today.

It is 6 degrees today... Talk about a bitter cold day! We are in a couple day cold snap here in the Milwaukee area. YIKES! What's a girl to do? I have a fire going, and am making a cozy, comfort food soup. 

Today I am making a sweet potato/split pea soup. I decided to make it curried. I love me some curry. Curry has different spices, which have proven to be VERY healthful. Turmeric, which gives curry the yellow color, is a well known, scientifically proven, POWERHOUSE.

Pea soup, will always be a comfort food for me, as it reminds me of my grandma Kridler. She was an awesome cook, and had many specialties. Split pea soup was one of them! Although, this is a departure from how she made it (I don't know how she did, but I have tried to recreate it), it still reminds me of her. I adored my little grandma:)

I love sweet potatoes at every level, and in many ways. So why not add to pea soup? Why not?
I chose yellow split pea soup, for no other reason, but aesthetics, to look really lovely with the sweet potatoes, and curry. So sue me;)

All year round, I love the CROCK POT. Such an underused kitchen appliance.... But, not at my house. I love the chop and dump, all day cooked flavor, and ease of the crock pot! Besides, it is economical, as it uses so little energy, and cooks at a lower temp., so keeps more nutrients in tact. Win/win.

Crock pot curried sweet potato/split pea soup

2- 32oz. boxes of stock (vegetable or chicken)
16 oz bag of split peas ( or 2 1/4 cups of split peas)
1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 Tbl jarred ginger, or grated fresh
1 Tbl mild curry powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbl olive oil, or coconut oil



You can put all ingredients into the crock pot, on low for 8-9 hours... and that's it!

*Today, I sauteed the onion in the olive oil, for several minutes on a medium heat. Then I added the garlic, and sauteed another couple minutes. Lastly, I added the ginger, and the curry powder, and sauteed another few mintues. This step in optional, but lends a richer flavor to the soup.

*An excellent add-in, is kale. As much, or little as you like! Add in the last hour or so. Just adds many more nutrients, easy way to get the greens, and it is so pretty in the yellow/orange soup.

This is truly one of my favorite soups.

Yours in health,
 Natalie

Crock Pot Red Curry Potatoes and Vegetables

Happy Halloween!  This is a great Autumnal dish, with it's rich orangey color!

I absolutely LOVE coconut curry dishes!  I love Indian inspired, Thai inspired, or simply yellow curry style dishes!!  I've made curry many different ways- and they are ALL so good!  I think it's close to impossible to make a bad dish mixing coconut milk, and curry!

Today I made a substantial crock pot curry dish, using potatoes, and other veggies I just had on hand.  That's the beauty, you can use what you have, you can use what you love!  This is the chop and dump recipe I made today. Here is another EASY CROCK POT RECIPE!

Crock Pot Red Curry Potatoes and Vegetables

1- 14oz. can of coconut milk

5 small potatoes, cubed

1 medium onion chopped

2 carrots, cubed

1 lg. tomato, chopped

1 red pepper chopped

1/4 cabbage, chopped

5 garlic cloves minced

1/2 Tbl ginger paste (or grated fresh ginger)

2 Tbl red curry paste (or more to taste)

2 Tbl palm sugar (or brown sugar)

2 tsp soy sauce



Put coconut milk, garlic, ginger, red curry paste, and palm sugar in bottom of 5 quart crock pot, and whisk until ingredients are incorporated.  Then add potato, carrot, tomato and onion in the crock and mix gently.  Next add the red pepper, and cabbage,(do not mix in, but leave on top) and gently press down to allow the liquid to rise as far as it will go.
Cook on high for 4-6 hours, or on low for 8-10.  The times do vary, because crock pots unfortunately cook at different temps.  My crock cooks high, so I do the lesser times.
Mix towards the end of cooking time.  You can add a Tbl cornstarch, potato starch or tapioca starch, in a little water, and mix into the crock during the last 1/2 hour if you like a thicker sauce. 

- If you like it much saucier, add an extra can of coconut milk, and double the last 5 ingredients.
- If you'd like to make this a soup, add a quart of vegetable stock, or chicken stock if you'd like, and double the last 5 ingredients.
- If you'd like to make this a chicken dish, do so, by adding 4 boneless chicken thighs- whole or cubed.
- I used Thai Kitchen organic coconut milk, as it has the most coconut cream compared to other brands!
- I used Thai Kitchen Red Curry Paste
- You can use a  1/2 can of chopped tomatoes if you don't have fresh.
- This dish is excellent with sweet potato in addition to the regular potato. ( I just didn't have any today.)
- If you use softer vegetables like zucchini, or eggplant, add in the last hour of cooking time. If you won't be home until after the entire cooking time, put those softer vegetables on the top of everything else and do not submerse in liquid.

This can be served as is, in a bowl, or you can serve this with brown rice, soba noodles, or even quinoa pasta.  I like to serve curry dishes with black rice!  I found black rice at a local Vietnamese store.  I had never heard of black rice, and was excited to try it.  It is purple after cooking, and is super nutritious!!  If you find it, try it!

This dish is excellent topped with cilantro and cashew nuts!

Thai inspired heaven in a bowl- and I seriously could eat this every, single day!

Yours in health,
Natalie

Easy Lentil Crock Pot Soup

This recipe could certainly be made stove top- but I LOVE the chop and dump ease of the crock pot!  If you are looking for an easy, substantial soup recipe, look no further.  As with any soup the variations are endless!  This is just one way to make an easy, nutritious, slow-cooked-all-day, super delicious soup!

Easy Lentil Crock Pot Soup!

4 C water
4 C vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
2 C lentils
1 chopped onion
3 chopped garlic cloves
2 coarsely chopped carrots
2 coarsely chopped stalks of celery
1 lg. potato cubed

1/4 head of chopped cabbage (or use kale here)

1 14oz.can of chopped tomatoes

1 tsp. cumin

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. salt

ground pepper

1/8 tsp. cayenne (or more)

1 Tbl balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 piece Kombu (optional)

Rinse lentils well.  Put all ingredients into the crock pot, except the salt and balsamic vinegar.  Salt will make the lentils harder, so wait to salt at the very end of cooking!  Stir well, and that's it! Walk away!  Cook on high for 4-6 hours, cook and low 8-10 hours.

For best results, soak lentils for hours, to overnight if you are going for the high 4-6 hours.  I never do, but they will be more tender if you do!

 I know these times sound very different, but I find crock pots cook at different temps.  My crock cooks hot/fast.  So, I go the lesser times stated.

If you use kale instead of the cabbage, put in at the end of cooking time.  On the low temp, put in the last 30 mins., on high put in the last 15 mins. or so.

I used some delicious "porchini mushroom salt" I bought on an afternoon out with my friend Jeanne.  It was a fun day thanks to St. Anthony... but my husband added much Tabasco sauce, subscribing  to the " I put that sh*t on everything", as did Madeline, and Julia and I added literally drops/drips of Shriracha sauce...

The options are endless!
Yours in health,
Natalie

Mexican Inspired Soup

Maddy loves it spicy y'all!

Mexican Inspired Soup!




4 cups of water (or use chicken or vegetable stock)

1 28 oz. can of chopped tomatoes

1 lg onion chopped

3 garlic cloves chopped

2 peppers chopped

1 C frozen corn

1 C jarred salsa

1/4 tequila (or omit)

1/4 tsp.chili powder

1/4 tsp. cumin

1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Vegetable base ( or veg bouillon cube, or omit)

2 Tbl olive oil

Heat 2 Tbl olive oil in a dutch oven. (Which is just a large pot.) Saute onion until there is color on the onions. Next add the garlic, and saute a few more minutes.  Add the chopped pepper, saute a few more minutes.  Next, add the frozen corn.  Saute close to five minutes or so.  Next add the spices: 1/4 tsp. chili powder, and the 1/4 tsp. cumin.  I like to add the spices during the sauteing, to cook the spices a little while, getting in contact with the oil, and the pan.  Next, carefully add the 1/4 cup tequila.  (I recommend taking it off the heat, because of the alcohol.) This is called by Chefs: deglazing.  Using a cooking liquid helps to pick up the brown at the bottom of the pan.  As we've all heard, brown= flavor.

Then, add the water, tsp bouillon base, salsa and canned tomatoes.

Bring to the boil, then down to a slow/low simmer for 45 minutes to an hour.



Sauteing all, including spices!



You certainly could, do all the sauteing, then throw into a crock pot for 7-8 hours on low, or 3-4 hours on high!  I've even skipped the sauteing all together, and just dumped into the crock pot... if it's just on of those days.  The sauteing just lends a richer, perhaps roasted flavor, that I love.

Any salsa will do.  I used 1/4 cup of green salsa, and 3/4 of my very favorite salsa- Newman's Own Pineapple Salsa !  It is the BOMB.  For the green salsa, I used Mrs.Renfro's Green Salsa.  Which by the way, is no joke HOT.  It is delish, but HOT.  So omit, if you aren't a fan of heat.

I've added beans to this soup in the past.  Black beans, navy beans, or my favorite, pinto beans.  I've also used refried beans, which makes it a 'creamier' consistency.  But, I didn't have any prepared beans on hand, just dried.  So, no beans today:(  I've even added left over baked potato- just cube, and put into bowl before ladling on the hot soup.  Or add the potato a few minutes at the end of cooking time.  Brown rice is a nice addition too.  Whatever you like!

I will add shredded chicken (from last night's dinner) to my family's bowls before ladling on the hot soup.  How you garnish the soup- is up to you!

I will be using cashew cream, crushed tortilla chips, and slices of avocado on mine!  The cashew cream I use like sour cream, and it will cut the heat, and lend creaminess.  The girls will probably use some rice cheese shreds, and some Tofutti (faux) sour cream.  Make sure if you buy the Tofutti Sour Cream , make certain is the one without partially hydrogenated oil.  Boo- Tofutti for making one with partially hydrogenated oils!!

I hope you enjoy this spicy, easy, Mexican inspired soup!

Yours in health,

Natalie

Crock Pot Creamy Gingered Carrot Soup

It's that time of year again... it's almost fall, the cooler weather inspired me to make a crock pot soup!  Who doesn't love the crock pot?  It's my favorite kitchen appliance bar none!  I love easy, quick prep, with the slow, all day  cooked flavor of the crock pot!  I was craving a warm, Autumnal type soup, but had to wing it with what I had on hand... starting with a bag of carrots.
It turned out fantastic!   I love the sweet of the carrots and honey, with the salty, spicy, and bit of heat.  I did use measurements, because I usually wing it- but thought I would share, as Mrs. H requested I do so, after posting on Facebook, that I was making it!  This is for you Mrs. H:)

Crock Pot Creamy Gingered Carrot Soup

1- 2lbs bag of baby carrots (or 2lbs of carrots, washed and cut in chunks)


5 C water (or vegetable stock, or even organic chicken stock)

5 tsp. of organic vegetable base* ( I like Organic Better Than Boullion)

 *use only if using water as your base



2 lg onions coursely chopped

2 garlic cloves chopped or pressed

1 Tbl crushed ginger (fresh or* jarred)

All dumped right into the crock! EASY!



(*I like The Ginger People Organic)



1 tsp sea salt



1 tsp pepper (I used peppercorns)



1 bay leaf

1- 3 tsp hot sauce (I used Siracha sauce)


1- 3 tsp raw honey


1 C cashew cream (or soy cream, or coconut milk)


Put the the first 9 ingredients into the crock. (The honey and cream will be added later.)  Put on low, and cook for approx. 8 hours on low.  After cooking time remove the bay leaf and blend.  I used an immersion blender, which is really a must have for blended soups.  If you don't have one, blend in batches in your blender. (Be careful when blending hot foods in a blender- keep the top slightly ajar, and top with a towel.) Once blended, add the cream and the honey, and put on high for about 10 minutes, just to heat through.  Taste- add more honey of you like it sweeter, or add more hot sauce if you like a bit more heat!  As with any soups, you really can adjust ingredients to your tastes. You could add curry powder, use the coconut milk, and use soy sauce in lieu of salt, and have something more Thai/Indian.  You could omit the garlic, and use pumpkin spice for a more Autumn flavor.  Whatever you enjoy!

This certainly can be made anytime of the year... and makes a delicious cold soup in the summer!

I hope you make this simple, and nutritious soup!
Yours in health,
Natalie

Brown Rice Crockpot Breakfast

I love my crockpot!  The uses are endless... The most underused purpose for this wonderful cooking tool, is breakfast.  Here is an easy and delicious, whole grain, gluten-free, vegan breakfast that will be waiting for you when you wake up!

Brown Rice Crockpot Breakfast:

1 C short grain brown rice

1 C rice, soy, or almond milk

1 C coconut milk (SO DELICIOUS vanilla)

1/2 C pumpkin (you could use applesauce, chopped apple, apple butter, pumpkin butter, etc.)

1/2 C walnuts (any nut you choose)

1/4 C raisins ( or any dried fruit, i.e. cranberries, dates, etc.)

1/4 C agave syrup ( or 100% maple syrup, or honey)

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice ( or apple pie spice, or cinnamon)

1 tsp. sea salt

oil

Grease the inside of the crockpot with a bit of olive oil, or earth balance spread, or coconut oil.  Put all ingredients into the crock, mix well with a fork to incorporate the pumpkin.  Cook on low for 8 - 9 hours.

(My crock cooks fast/hot, so I cook this no more than 8 hours, and add an extra 1 C of water, and in the a.m. I need to add another 1 C of water.)

When you wake up, your house is perfumed with what smells like pumpkin pie ( or apple pie)!  AND no need to cook, your breakfast is ready!  Enjoy!

Yours in health,
Natalie