Our Favorite Lentil Soup, in the Crock Pot and now the Instant Pot

I'm going to try this in the Instant Pot tonight 15 minutes on high pressure should do it! I know it will turn out great.....I will let you know if there should be any adjustments.

I love that this soup is so simple to make and that more often then not I have all the ingredients to make it. Super nutritious and full of fiber and.....BIG BONUS the whole family likes it!  Go good on chilly nights.  I hope you will like it too!

Our Favorite Lentil Soup

4 Tablespoons extra–virgin olive oil
1 Large onion, chopped
4 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
2 cups chopped carrots
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups water
3 cups dry green lentils
2 Heaping Tablespoons Vegetable Broth Powder
2 (14½–oz.) cans diced tomatoes
Balsamic vinegar to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste


Turn large 5 quart crock pot on high. Place oil and chopped veggies and garlic in, stir. Add the water and lentils. Place lid on and let cook on high for about 3 hours until lentils are soft. After lentils are cooked stir in Vegetable broth powder and diced tomatoes, turn crock pot to low and let warm until time to eat. Just before serving add 1-2 Tablespoons, or to taste, of Balsamic vinegar. Can optionally mash some of the lentils with a potato masher or blend with a hand blender for a thicker consistency or just eat it like it is. Add salt and pepper to taste!

Slow Cooker Vanilla Peach Jam

I have decided that I love using a crock pot for things like Jam, Apple Sauce and Apple Butter. I wonder what other things I can use my crock pot for when it comes to canning.

Maybe for our favorite Salsa or Spaghetti sauce.....not sure the crock pot is big enough for those though I like to make A LOT at a time. But if you were just doing a single or double batch it would probably work great!

I developed this recipe last year during peach season. It was so simple to make and if you are brave like me you may not even worry about water bathing them. Do this at your own risk!

But this is what I do and I find it works well..... I make sure my jars are good and hot either put in a 250 degree oven, sterilized and fresh out of heat dry in the dishwasher or in boiling water on the stove.

Then I make sure the jam is still very hot. I put the hot jam in a hot jar and then put a sterilized lid on tight and leave them to cool. More often then not they all seal all on their own. If one happens to not that one goes in the fridge and we eat it right away. They usually all seal though.

I only will do this with things that I know preserve well and have a high sugar/acid content like jams and apples sauces etc.

It isn't "recommended" as a safe way to bottle but I'm just saying I have done it and never had a problem. I learned it from Mom who learned it from her Mom......and well you know how it goes.

We have been enjoying this jam all year long and we like it so much that if I can get my hands on some more peaches this fall I will make some more.

Slow Cooker Vanilla Peach Jam

12 cups coarsely chopped peaches that were pitted and peeled
3 Tablespoons Calcium Water (from Pamona's Pectin - read insert inside box)
4 Tablespoons Pamona's Pectin
3 cups Sucanat or Turbinado Sugar
1/2 Tablespoon scrapings inside of Vanilla Bean (4-5 vanilla beans)
Zest and Juice of 2 Lemons

Place peaches and calcium water in large crock pot and stir to combine. In separate bowl mix Sucanat and Pectin together. In crock pot add vanilla seeds and pods if you want (just be sure to remove pods before bottling). Stir in Lemon zest and juice and cook on high until it is good and hot then add the Sucanat/Pectin mixture and stir well. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6.

At this point you can place in jars and water bath can for 10 minutes to seal or look above to see what I usually do. Or you can just put it in the fridge but you will need to eat it within a couple of weeks or less. I'm sure it would also freeze well if you wanted to do that.

Our sourdough bread is super tasty with peach jam.....learned most all I know about sourdough from this awesome class!

Crock Pot Ratatouille

This recipe is perfect when your garden is giving you more vegetables than you know what to do with!  I have had this recipe written on a piece of paper for months thinking I would post it next fall.  But I have lost and found the paper one too many times.  I think the recipe will be safer here!  Be sure to remember it early next fall.  I know I'll be making it then!  

Crock Pot Ratatouille

1 Tablespoon Olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 eggplant, diced
1 onion, diced
1 bell pepper
2 medium sized zucchinis, sliced or cut into chunks
6-8 fresh mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon No-Salt Seasoning 
1 teaspoon Real Salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
a pinch of rosemary and crushed fennel

Saute these ingredients in a pan for just a few minutes.  You may skip this step and just put it all in the crock pot but it does help bring out the flavors.

Sauce:
1 quart bottled tomatoes
6oz. tomato paste
1 teaspoon oregano
1-2 teaspoons Real Salt
1 teaspoon No-Salt Seasoning
a pinch of crushed fennel 

Place Veggies in Crock Pot.  Mix together sauce ingredients in a bowl then pour over veggies.  Cook on high, stirring once or twice, for 3-5 hours.  Then top with:

1 can olives, sliced
1/2 cup fresh chopped basil

Super Yummy Flavors!  Great over Brown Rice or Quinoa.

Minestrone Soup

With all this cold weather we have been loving this recipe!  Ryan has always liked a good minestrone soup and I have tried making them a few times but we were never super excited about them.  They almost tasted more from a can then homemade.  Anyway this one is full of yummy homemade flavor but is so easy to make!  I think the slow cooking is the trick. ;)  Or maybe I'm getting better at this recipe creation thing. ;)  Enjoy and stay warm!

Minestrone Soup

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 small zucchini or summer squash, chopped
3 large carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes or 1 quart bottled
1 can Kidney beans, drained
1 can Cannellini beans, drained
1 can cut green beans, drained
4 leaves kale, sliced into thin ribbons
6 cups water
2 Heaping Tablespoons Veggie Broth Powder
2 teaspoons Real Salt
pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Basil
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
dash of Cayenne
2 cups whole grain macaroni

In large (5 quart) crock pot place oil and cut veggies stir add tomatoes and beans.  Stir the water and both powder together add that and the rest of the seasonings to crock pot.  Turn crock pot on high and cook for 4-5 hours (longer if you like softer veggies).  Add macaroni about 10 to 20 minutes before time to eat soup otherwise they will be way overcooked. 

Spiced Crock Pot Apple Sauce Gourmet Style

I really enjoyed coming up with this recipe.  It's fun to take basic applesauce and make it into something just a bit more fun!  I thought having specks of real vanilla bean in it was a really simple way to make it seem gourmet.  The kids loved it!

Spiced Crock Pot Apple Sauce Gourmet Style

Apples, Peeled, Cored and Sliced
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 cups water
2-4 vanilla beans cut in half the long way leaving about a inch together at the end
1 cup Sucanat (or to desired sweetness depending on the apples)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cinnamon sticks and/or 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 drop of Lavender essential oil (optional) 

In 5 quart Crock Pot, put enough apples to fill really full mixed with the Lemon Juice.  Then add the rest of the ingredients and cook on high until apples are nice and soft (at least 4 hours) stirring as often as you would like.  Once apples are cooked remove vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks then blend with a stick blender until smooth.  Place into quart jars and water bath can for 25-30 minutes.  Makes about 2-3 quarts.  If you use the Lavender essential oil be sure to use ONLY ONE DROP a little goes a long way.  You get just a hint of Lavender tastes even more gourmet.  Totally optional though!

To use a full bushel of apples it takes about 3 crock pots full!  So I borrow my Mother-in-Law's crock pot and I have two of my own.  I get 6-8 quarts this way.  You can also use a great big pot on the stove and cook them that way.  It should only take about and hour to cook up on the stove. More or less depending on how much you do.

Tam's Almost Makes Itself Apple Butter

Tam's Almost Makes Itself Apple Butter

20 medium to small or 10 large Apples peeled sliced and cored

3 cups apple cider

1 teaspoon lemon zest

juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon cloves

2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil

1 drop butter flavor (optional)

1/2 cup Sucanat

Put all ingredients in crock pot on high for 6 to 8 hours. You can stir as much or as little as you want I like to do it about every time I go in the Kitchen just cause I love to lift the lid and smell it;) I also start mashing it up with a potato masher as the apples start to get soft. After it is well cooked and thicker I turn off the crock pot and let it sit for a bit then I blend it all in the blender till smooth. At this point you can put it in a container in the fridge and use like jam or just eat plain (my kids think it's great by the spoonful) or put them in jars to bottle. I tripled the recipe to bottle it and it made about 10 pints.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

This is a excellent super easy Sloppy Joe recipe that is made with Lentils so it is Vegetarian, Vegan, Healthy, or whatever you call it! ;)  Lentils are a great source of protein and iron, high in fiber but low in fat!  We love Lentils at our house!

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes made with Lentils

4 cups water
2 cups Green/Brown Lentils
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper and/or 2 jalapenos, chopped

Place the ingredients above all in a crock pot and cook on high for about 3 hours or until Lentils are done.

Then Add:
1-2 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons mustard powder
2 Tablespoons Molasses
4 Tablespoons Sucanat
3 teaspoons Real Salt
3 teaspoons Vegetable Broth Powder
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can (6oz.) tomato paste
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Cook for at least one more hour, may uncover crock pot while cooking the last hour to help thicken more.  Spoon onto whole grain buns or bread.  It's also good with some Cheezy Sauce.

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Crock Pot Sloppy Joes made with Lentils

by Tammie Nelson 

This is an excellent super easy Sloppy Joe recipe that is made with Lentils so it is Vegetarian, Vegan, Healthy, or whatever you call it! ;) Lentils are a great source of protein and iron, high in fiber and low in fat! We love Lentils at our house!

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 2 cups Green/Brown Lentils
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapenos, chopped
• 1-2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons mustard powder
• 4 Tablespoons Sucanat
• 2 Tablespoons Molasses
• 3 teaspoons Real Salt
• 3 teaspoons Vegetable Broth Powder
• 1 can (14.5oz.) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (6oz.) tomato paste
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Place first five ingredients above all in a crock pot and cook on high for about 3 hours or until Lentils are done.

Then add the rest of the ingredients and cook for at least one more hour, may uncover crock pot while cooking the last hour to help thicken more. Spoon onto whole grain buns or bread. It's also good with some Cheezy Sauce.

Details
Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 4 hour Total time: 4 hour 15 mins Yield: 8-10 servings

Crock Pot Lasagna and how to use up all that Zucchini

Do you have more Zucchini then you know what to do with?!!  I do not like to see things go to waste ESPECIALLY healthy, can be made into tasty really good food, type things!  I have heard lots of people like to use it in place of pasta just raw, cut like noodles, with sauce on top.  I don't have a cool cutter that does that.   Anyone have one that they really like?  Just steamed then topping coconut oil and salt and pepper can be tasty but you can only eat so much of that.  If you haven't tried my Zucchini Casserole recipe and you have lots of Zucchini you really, really should!  It's so good!  And of course this is a super tasty way to use that Zucchini.  If you have lots of squash too especially the Summer Squash I think you could use that easily instead of or with the Zucchini in these recipes.  Also Summer Squash Patties is a favorite around here I'm thinking they would even be good for breakfast kind of like hash brown patties!  Also just try searching "Zucchini" on my blog you will see I use it in lots and lots of my recipes!!!!

 Now for my newest super Tasty way to use up lots of that Zucchini.  I slice it really thin with a vegetable peeler and layer it with the noodles in a super easy crock pot Lasagna.  For those who are Gluten Free you could just use more Zucchini this way and leave out the noodles entirely.  It would be really good.

 I just go around it and slice up lots of little slices until I'm left with mainly just seeds in the middle.

I start with the sauce.  Then I put whole wheat Lasagna noodles in.  More then likely you will have to break them up to have them fit.  Unless of course you have a rectangle shaped crock pot I don't know if they even make those.

Depending on how much sauce I have I will usually put some on top of the noodles too so they will be sure to cook well. (notice I didn't pre-cook them, so SIMPLE) Then I just layer a bunch of Zucchini slices.

Then I add frozen mixed veggies some frozen corn and a little chopped onion.  You could be creative and use what you have and what you like!

I just rotate layering in that way Sauce, noodles with a little more sauce, Zucchini, veggies, and then start over ending with noodles and sauce on top.  Then I let it cook on High for THREE hours.  It's done by then and you don't really want it to go longer then that because then the noodles will get too soft.  Just before it's done I top it with some type of cheese type sauce our favorite is this one.  But I have also been know to be to lazy to make it and just used the Cheezy Sauce I already had made in the fridge diluted with a little rice milk.  It works great too!  Or if you want to keep it super super simple you can leave it off entirely.  Sometimes when Ryan is helping me cook he likes to put sliced olives on the very top I usually don't bother.  It's good either way.

Crock-Pot Veggie Lasagna

1 quart or more of favorite pasta sauce mixed with

1/4 cup of Louisiana Hot Sauce (gives it a little kick but not too hot)

Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles (I think I use like 9-12, less then a box)

Zucchini and/or Summer Squash sliced thin with vegetable peeler

Frozen Mixed Veggies

Frozen Corn

1/2 onion chopped

1 recipe of Mozzarella Cheese, or sauce of choice or just leave out

 (can layer some inside in you want not just on top)

Layer in Crock-Pot like shown above.  Cook with Crock pot on High for 3 hours.  Note that not all crock pots are the same adjust time and temperature according to your crock pot.

Roasted Veggies

My hubby instantly fell in love with this dish!  He said it reminded him so much of his typical Family Sunday dinner of Roast and Veggies but without the roast of course! ;)  I can't take credit for it the recipe is based on Traci Sellers "Sunday Roast Potatoes" (I guess Ry's not the only one who had Roast for Sunday dinner;) recipe!  I bought this book a while back and it came with her recipes on CD and I can't say enough good about it.  The book is EXCELLENT full of great info and EVERY one of her recipes that we have tried has also been EXCELLENT not to mention healthy!  Thanks Traci!  I hope you don't mind me posting my version of YOUR recipe! 

Roasted Veggies

3-4 onions, quartered

8-9 large carrots, don't bother peeling

(can use less carrots but we really thought they were really good)

1 package button mushrooms, quartered (can leave out if you don't like, I really like them)

Potatoes cut into large chunks, enough to almost fill your crock pot

1-2 teaspoons Rosemary

Minced Onion (optional)

Sauce Ingredients:

1 cup Nama Shoyu

1 cup water

1/2 cup Nutritional Yeast

4 Tablespoons onion powder

1 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon sage

2 bay leaves (remove when done cooking)

4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

In a 5 quart crock pot cut up all veggies into large chunks and put in crock pot.  In separate bowl mix sauce ingredients.  Pour over veggies in crock pot.  Stir to coat veggies.  Sprinkle with Rosemary and Minced onion.  Put lid on crock pot and cook for about 3 hours on high.  Remove lid and cook oh high for 20 minutes to a hour so gravy will thicken a bit.  If you want it to cook slower cook on low.  (Traci's Recipe actually had you bake it in the oven.) Stir  every so often.

To make in a Dutch Oven:
Follow the recipe as above only put everything into a Dutch Oven.  Cover with lid and cook with hot coals on bottom and top, until the veggies are cooked (about an hour) stir a few times while cooking.  Then remove lid and let cook until gravy has thickened a bit (20-30 min.) Be careful not to kick dirt in. ;)

Restaurant Style Black Beans

We love beans at our house because they are affordable, filling, healthy, and oh so good! This recipe is our favorite way of making black beans. Be sure to note that they need to soak overnight so you DO need to think ahead! I will often cook up a batch in the crock pot at that point I can either season them restaurant style like the recipe below or I drain them and put them in Tupperware or baggies and freeze for later use. They are also really good mashed up like refried beans. For that I season leave the liquid on and mash with a potato masher.

Restaurant Style Black Beans

7 cups black beans (I have a 5 quart crock pot if yours is smaller you will need to use less beans and adjust seasoning accordingly)
Soak Water
Cooking Water
1-2 heaping teaspoons vegetable bullion (I like Rapunzel)
3 teaspoons sea salt
1 Tablespoon Minced Onion
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
3 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon oregano or Italian seasoning (I know beans are more Mexican but trust me this is the secret ingredient)

Place beans in crock pot and cover with water by about 3-5 inches. Let soak OVERNIGHT. Do NOT turn crock pot on! In the morning drain and rinse beans place back in the crock pot and cover with water by about ONE inch. Turn crock pot on high. Let cook all day you may want to stir a few time once they start cooking good depending on your crock pot you may find medium is a better setting I usually use high because I don't seem to get my cooking until at least 10 am! If you need to add a little more water that is fine but remember with this recipe we won't be draining them so you don't want too much water. After they are done and about an hour before serving stir in the other ingredients.

We love this recipe on a Cafe Rio type taco salad. We take a whole wheat tortilla put it in a bowl and add Lime Rice , these Restaurant Style Black Beans, Cheezy Sauce, I saute some onion and mushrooms in a little coconut oil and Sucanat to make sweet onions, corn, tomatoes, salsa, mango salsa, lots of greens, Ranch Dressing, Guacamole, and some lime and cilantro!MMMMmmmmmmm!

Split Pea Soup

My Sister gave me this recipe a while back it's pretty tasty and I decided I like it best cooked in a crock pot. It is so simple that way!

Split Pea Soup

2 cups dried green split peas
1/2 cup Barley (can use brown rice)
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
7 1/2 cups water
3 chopped carrots
3 stalks chopped celery
3 diced potatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon coconut or olive oil
1 bay leaf
3 cloves minced Garlic

Put everything into the crock pot at let cook for 6-8 hours. Add a little more water if needed.

Join the Crock Pot Carnival at Passionate Homemaking!

Our Very Favorite Refried Beans

Our Very Favorite Refried Beans

4 - 5 cups pinto beans (depending on how big your crock pot is)

3 teaspoons Sea Salt

3 Tablespoon minced onion

2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon oregano

(Any herbs and spices you like, I use basil sometimes too)

Place beans in crock pot to soak overnight. Cover with water 1 - 2 inches over beans, soak all night. In the morning drain and rinse beans and cover again with about 6 cups water. Turn on your crock pot and cook until dinner time. Check during the day to see if the beans on top are dry and need a little more water. Be sure not to use to much water. Before dinner time mash the beans with a potato masher some whole beans left in it is good, they will seem runny but they thicken a lot as they cool. Add your spices and enjoy with chips and salsa, in a taco salad or burrito or any way you want. Left overs freeze well or will keep in the fridge for about a week.

Also goes great with this Spanish Rice recipe!