This was an on-the-fly concoction, a little bit of this, a little bit of that, thrown together on a busy Saturday morning following a busy week of work. It's adapted from Mom's Minestrone, but it is legume-free. This could easily be done on the stove top and would be ready to eat in 30-45 minutes. I opted for the crock pot, as I was having friends over in the evening but had a number of things that were going to keep me out and busy during the day. I prefer with most of my crock pot recipes to throw everything in uncooked, as I figure that's kind of the whole point of using the crock pot. This time, though, I decided to saute the onions and garlic before adding them. I'm sure it would have been okay had I thrown them in raw, but this came out really nicely, so I would recommend cooking them ahead as I did. As with so many things in cooking, chopping the veggies into smaller, bite-sized pieces makes this soup even more delicious. 2 large onions Olive oil - lots (1/4 cup or so) 4-6 tsp minced garlic 1 large can diced tomatoes, or equivalent of chopped fresh tomatoes 4 Tbsp tomato paste 1 package frozen chopped spinach 2 cups cut green beans 2 cups diced butternut squash 2 medium potatoes, diced 4 large carrots, chopped 2 cups fresh green beans, cut into bite-sized lengths 2 tsp salt black pepper 2 Tbsp Italian seasoning (oregano/basil/thyme blend) Water or broth 1. Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Chop the onions into small pieces and add to the skillet. Add garlic, as well. Allow to saute over for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid over-browning. 2. Add onions/garlic to crock pot. Then add everything else. Stir. Add water or broth to bring the level to 3/4 up the side of the crock pot, or until soup is the desired consistency. If you don't use broth, I would recommend adding some extra salt. 3. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
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I've talked in previous posts about the benefits of slow cooking meat on the bone whenever possible in order to get the most nutrients from the meat. I try to use long, slow cooking at lower temperatures (250 degrees F at the highest) whenever possible. I also purchase meat on the bone when available - it actually tends to be cheaper because people typically prefer the nice, neat pink blobs of boneless, Dolly Parton-esque chicken breasts. Leg meat is cheaper, but more nutrient-rich than breast meat. On the bone, with some skin and sinew, slow-cooked meat is superior in every way from a nutritional perspective. (Buy pastured, non-grain-fed meat whenever possible, and definitely try to avoid meats from animals treated with antibiotics/hormones.) Soups, stews, and roasts lend themselves well to these methods. The slow cooker makes it easy on busy days (or not so busy days) to cook meat well, in a way that maximizes nutrient content.
Today I have some business to take care of in regards to our home purchase, a job interview, groceries to buy, and other errands to run. This morning I took 5 minutes - literally - to throw some ingredients into our trusty crock pot. Tonight I will steam some rice and saute or oven roast some veggies, and dinner will be ready. Knowing that a nourishing, yummy dinner is pretty much in the bag frees my mind up to focus on work, home insurance, completing my personal trainer certification, and, of course, blogging. The only caveat is to ALWAYS make sure that the crock pot is actually on before you leave for the day. I can speak from experience and say that it's terribly disappointing to come home to a room-temperature pot of raw meat and other ingredients. One downside to slow cooking is that many of the recipes can seem very similar. Today I threw together something a little different. I found this recipe on the Food Network, but adapted it to the preferences of my kids and to lower the carb content. This could also be made on the stove top - allow about 2 hours for complete cooking. To do that, you would saute the onions in some oil, add the chicken and brown it, then add the rest of the ingredients and allow it to stew at a low simmer. 2-3 lbs chicken, any cut you prefer, on the bone or off 1 onion, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic 16 oz tomato puree/sauce 8 oz water or chicken broth 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp cayenne (can be omitted if you don't like spicy) 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 can or 16 oz garbanzo beans (can be omitted if you are legume-free) Put all ingredients in the crock pot. Set to low and cook for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or steamed/roasted vegetables. Oven roasted cauliflower is amazing as a rice substitute. I got this recipe from a colleague while living overseas, and it's amazing. This dish has become a family favorite - both of the boys love it, which is fantastic as it's full of good stuff. I have adapted it to make it a little more "primal" than the original recipe - replaced cream with coconut milk, took the flour (used as a thickener in the original recipe) out, and I eat it over broccoli or cauliflower rather than rice. Although, if you are going to have rice, basmati rice is tasty and has a lower glycemic index than regular white rice...good news for those who are sensitive to carbs.
Making it in the crock pot allows the slow, moist cooking of the meat, yielding a tastier dish with less protein damage. The original recipe is done on the stove and can be completed in about 45 minutes. Crock pot directions are below, but I will explain how to prepare it on the stove, as well. Put the following list of ingredients into the crock pot. Stir. Set to low and cook for 6 hours. Chicken - I use boneless thighs and boneless breasts, about 2 lbs total. Leave pieces whole, or cut into bite-sized chunks. 3 Tbsp butter 3 Tbsp olive or coconut oil 2-3 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated 2-3 Tbsp fresh garlic 2 Tbsp garam masala (available in spice section at grocery stores) 2-3 Tbsp cayenne pepper (for a spicy curry) OR sweet paprika for a kid-friendly curry 3 tsp cumin 1 1/2 tsp coriander 1 1/2 tsp turmeric 2 bay leaves 1 can coconut milk 2 Tbsp lemon juice 4 Tbsp tomato paste 1 cup water 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper Serve with rice, steamed vegetables, or make another veggie curry for the side. Great with chutney and plain yogurt, as well. Diced tomatoes and cucumbers drenched in yogurt make a tasty side salad. Can garnish with fresh cilantro and slivered almonds. To do on stove: 1. Cook onions in butter until soft and brown. Remove from pan. 2. Increase the heat and brown the chicken pieces. All all of the spices, ginger, and garlic and cook until aromatic. 3. Add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze pan. Add tomato sauce and bay leaves. Put onions back in. Simmer 20-30 minutes. 4. Add lemon juice. Add a few tablespoons of warm sauce into the coconut milk, stir well, then pour it all back into the pot. Bring back to simmering, then serve. Mole (pronounced mol-ay) is a generic term for a sauce used in Mexican cuisine. There are many variations, but a common theme seems to be the use of chili peppers. Different mole variations involve different combinations of seasonings and ingredients - chocolate even shows up once in a while. Traditionally, the spices and peppers are roasted together and ground into a fine powder or paste, then added to water or broth and simmered until it is thick and rich. The resulting sauce is then served over meats, such as turkey, chicken, or pork. It can also be used in the preparation of dishes such as enchiladas.
The recipe below is a "quick and dirty" mole, not at all traditional. It contains cocoa powder and cinnamon, as well as other seasonings, to create a complex and rich flavor. It is quick to put together (15 minutes at the most) and well loved by everyone around here. I let it cook on low for a few hours in the crock pot, then shred the meat thoroughly, remove bones as necessary, add back into the crock pot, mix with the sauce, and let it cook a little longer. This could also be prepared in a Dutch oven. The key is in the long simmering time. Enjoy. Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 1 Tbsp chili powder OR sweet paprika 2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp salt ~ 28 ounces of tomato products - can be sauce/puree, crushed, diced, or a combination 1/2 cup water or chicken broth 1/2 cup or can of chopped green chilis (make sure they're not spicy if you have kids) ~1 1/2 pounds chicken parts, whatever parts you prefer, on or off the bone 1. Add the onion, garlic, cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and salt to the crock pot. Stir together. 2. Add tomatoes and water/broth to the crock pot. Combine well. 3. Add chicken pieces and green chilis. Stir together so chicken is well-coated in sauce. 4. Cover. Set on low. Cook for 6-8 hours, shredding and/or removing from bone near the end of cooking time. Add meat back in to sauce, set to warm, and leave until ready to eat. Serve with steamed rice, cultured sour cream or yogurt, and fresh cilantro to garnish, if you're lucky enough to have some. Great with a nice green salad on the side. For strict primal adherents, skip the rice and eat in a bowl like a stew. Or serve it over cauliflower or other cooked vegetables. This is another recipe that I have discovered works really well in the crock pot. Throw it together in the morning, set on low, or even warm, and leave for the day. By evening, you have a rich sauce, in which the flavors of onion, garlic, basil, and the juices of the meat have mingled all day long. This method for making meatballs uses slow, moist cooking to minimize damage to the proteins and nutrients in the meat. You can do it on the stove top, as well. Allow about 2 hours for the sauce to simmer if you do it that way. It is a gluten-free recipe, as is everything I post on my blog.
For the kids, brown rice pasta replaces wheat pasta. I have found the brand Tinkyada to be a great substitute. For me, to keep the carbohydrate grams down, spaghetti squash replaces the pasta. Spaghetti squash is delicious with a number of toppings on it - even just butter and grated parmesan cheese. When I can't find it at the store, I buy a few zucchinis and cut them into very thin strips, saute or steam the strips, and use it as, what I have aptly named, "fettu-chinni". There are several options for the sauce, depending on your interest in cooking and how much time you have. If you have a favorite recipe, use that. Any tomato-based sauce will do. A splash of red wine added at the beginning of the cooking time will make any of the following options a little bit richer. Fastest: Buy 2 jars of your favorite sauce and empty into the crock pot. Next fastest: This is my personal default sauce. Add the following ingredients into the crock pot: 2 cans (28 oz) crushed tomatoes 1 can (15 oz) tomato puree 2 Tbsp tomato paste 4 cloves garlic 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp salt black pepper 1 tsp basil 1 tsp oregano Mix together. Labor Intensive: Put the following into a food processor: 12 medium tomatoes or 2 cans whole tomatoes 1 small onion, peeled and chopped 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped 4 Tbsp tomato paste 2-4 garlic cloves 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp salt Puree in the food processor, then pour into crock pot. Meatballs: Put the following into a mixing bowl: 1 pound ground beef and/or lamb 1 tsp salt black pepper 2 Tbsp rice crumbs, GF bread crumbs, or rice flour (can leave these out if you want to be strictly grain free) 2 eggs Mix (using your hands to knead the gooey mess works best, if you can stand it...) until well combined. Form into balls about 1.5 inch in diameter. Place into prepared sauce in the crock pot. Cover the crock pot and set on warm or low, whichever temperature yields a very gentle bubbling. Leave simmering for the day. Serve over squash or zucchini, adorned with some high quality grated parmesan cheese. I cook gluten-free rice pasta for the boys. I have found Tinkyada Pasta Joy brown rice elbows and penne pasta to be the best tolerated. Spaghetti Squash Prep: Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Place skin side up on a baking sheet. Place in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until you can pierce the flesh with a fork. Allow to cool, then scrape out the flesh with a fork. This will yield strands about the size of angel hair pasta. This can be done ahead and reheated in the microwave or on the stove right before serving. The crock pot, as it turns out, is one of the better methods out there for cooking meats. In terms of offering plenty of moisture and nice, low temperatures, it can't be beat. (It has to do with how the bonds between the amino acids are broken, minimizing damage to the protein chains, which means healthier and yummier.) It's convenient, and can be left to cook in the morning on a busy day. The crock pot is the best way to give the appearance of slaving over a stove all day, when in fact you were doing other (hopefully) much more interesting things.
The key is long cooking times, low temperatures, and plenty of moisture. I recommend 10-12 hours at the warm setting for any recipe. You should just barely see little bubbles as the meat is cooking. I will be posting bunches of crock pot recipes. I use the crock pot for all meats, and have employed it in making a variety of ethnic dishes. It's particularly great for Indian and Mexican dishes. Tonight's meal is a nice, hearty beef stew. Simple but delicious. Throw the following ingredients into the crock pot: Stew meat (1 1/2 pounds is usually enough for 6 of us, including 2 growing boys) - grass fed, local when possible. Beef, bison, venison can all work in this recipe. Ken has suggested squirrel as an option, but I haven't tried it yet. 1 yellow onion, chopped into small bits. 2-4 cloves garlic 1 cup crushed tomatoes 1/2 cup water 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 2 bay leaves *Optional: 1/4 cup red wine *Optional: 1 marrow bone - just toss it in and make sure it's covered with all the juices. (more on the magic of bone broths later) Put the cover on and turn to warm or low, depending on your crock pot. Go away. After about 6 hours, you can remove the bone if you added one, and then throw in some: Chopped carrots Green beans (I use frozen organic in winter) Any other veggies you like in beef stew. Let cook for another 4-6 hours. Sometimes I throw some potatoes into the stew, but more often I make mashed on the stove for the boys. Whipped cauliflower would go very well with this, too. I usually make this a one-bowl dinner - no plates, less dishes. This is a recipe that I took from an international cookbook while we were living in Turkey. It's actually one that my oldest son picked out to try, on a whim. Having never been to Senegal, I cannot vouch for the Senegalese-ness of this dish. I imagine it's not authentic, but it is a favorite in our house. I have altered it a bit to make it quicker to put together. The original recipe has you broil the chicken legs before stewing them. I used to make it that way, then tried just lightly browning them in the pot I would cook the whole stew in, and found that the taste wasn't any different. Less work for the same taste? That's a no-brainer.
Why do I like this recipe? I like it because the boys like it (that's huge) and also because it uses the lowly chicken leg, as opposed to the breasts that Americans seem to prefer. Chicken legs are higher in nutrients than breast meat, less expensive, and are also often sold on the bone which means you incidentally create a quasi-bone broth while this dish stews. It's also cooked over low heat, using moisture, which means gentle hydrolytic cleavage of the proteins in the meat, which is good news in both the health and taste realms. Marinating the chicken as described below is strongly recommended, for at least 2 hours, though I often leave it overnight. Allow at least 2 hours to gently cook this dish on your stove top. Alternatively, throw all of the ingredients in a crock pot and cook for 6-8 hours on low. Serve over rice, with sauteed garlic and broccoli on the side. Ingredients 2 cups of onions, thinly sliced about 1/2 cup of lemon juice salt and pepper 6-8 chicken pieces (I often use thighs on the bone, but any leg/breast will do, bone in or boneless, according to your preferences) a few tablespoons of your favorite oil and/or butter 2 cloves garlic 1 Tbsp mustard 1 cup water 3-4 carrots, sliced 1. Mix together onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken pieces and let marinate for 2 to 24 hours. 2. Heat oil/butter in a large pot. Strain onions out of the marinade and gently cook over medium heat until translucent. Add chicken pieces and cook for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. 3. Pour in remaining marinade and water. Add garlic, carrots, and mustard. Cover and let simmer over medium-low heat for about 2 hours. The secret to amazing tortilla soup? The right seasonings, and lots of fresh, chopped cilantro as a garnish. Everything else is secondary. You can leave out the beans and corn if you are strictly primal. I keep them in. You could easily substitute other chopped vegetables (zucchini? carrots?) and keep the carb count lower. But in general, the carb content on this recipe is still low if you leave them in.
I like to top my bowl of soup with, in addition to fresh cilantro, a generous slab of avocado and a blob of sour cream or whole fat plain yogurt. This is easily made on the stove (allow 1-2 hours) but I chose the crock pot today. Yesterday I bought a rotisserie chicken for lunch. I removed the leftover meat and saved in the refrigerator, then made a stock overnight in the crock pot. This morning, I strained the broth and threw the rest of the ingredients in. Ingredients: 6-8 cups chicken broth or water 2 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or cubed 1 cup frozen corn 1 can black beans 1 can diced tomatoes or 2 cups fresh diced/chopped tomatoes 1 tsp salt 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp minced garlic 1 tsp chili powder, or sweet paprika black pepper 1 bay leaf Mix everything together. Let simmer on stove top for at least 1 hour, or leave on low setting in crock pot. If you tolerate corn, serve with corn chips crunched over the top (I like Xochitl brand - no gluten, no GMOs), shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado slices, salsa, jalapenos, etc. Goes great with a big salad topped with a creamy Mexican ranch (1 cup plain yogurt, 1/4 cup milk, and 1/2 tsp of each of the following: salt, pepper, dill, basil, cumin). Nachos or cheese chips make a great side dish with this soup, as well. Mexican food seems to be one of my favorite ethnic foods category to massacre. I know that most of what I make is nowhere near authentic, but it's so fun to experiment. It seems to be a family of food that no one in our family tires of, and it lends itself so nicely to using fresh ingredients. I developed this recipe after eating at a Mexican restaurant and noticing how much everyone enjoyed the shredded chicken tacos. The key is long, slow cooking to get the chicken to the point of shred-ability. During the longer cooking period, there is ample time for the chicken to absorb the taste of the spices and herbs. I might try in the future with a splash of lime juice and some fresh cilantro added to the mix.
I also tried to make refried beans that tasted a little more like the restaurant version. I have found that the secret to this is using a food processor (or a VitaMix in my case) to make a nice, fine puree. That recipe is also below. The shredded chicken could easily be prepared in a crock pot using the recipe below. I would just put everything directly into the crock pot raw, cook at a low setting for 6-8 hours or a high setting for 3-4 hours. Shredded Chicken Tacos Ingredients: 1/2 onion, chopped 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp paprika or chili powder black pepper 1/4 cup chopped green chilies, if desired 2-4 Tbsp olive oil 4 chicken breast halves 1 can diced tomatoes with juice OR 2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes 3/4 cup water or chicken broth 1. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 5-10 minutes. 2. Add all spices and cook until aromatic. 3. Add chicken breasts, whole. Cook until slightly browned on both sides. 4. Add tomatoes, green chilies, and water. Turn down heat. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1-2 hours. 5. Shred the chicken with a fork and knife. It should fall apart very easily at this point. Serve on a bed of fresh greens with all of the normal taco fixin's - sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, guacamole - whatever you like. Also delicious ladled over rice. I served this with crunchy corn tortillas for the family. Restaurant-Style Refried Beans 2 cans of beans - I like to use a combination of 1 can of pinto and a 2nd can of either black or kidney 2 Tbsp olive oil 1/4 cup water 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp garlic, minced or powder 1. Put all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Run until smooth. If needed, add another 1/4 cup of water. The beans will look runny at this point, but you will cook off the extra moisture in the next step, at which point they will thicken up. 2. Put in a sauce pan and heat over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring often, until hot. This is one of those dinner creations born out of digging around in the freezer and the pantry and asking What can I make that won't require a trip to the grocery store? I found a few things and threw them in the crock pot this morning on low. It smells great. Like most crock pot recipes, this could be done on the stove over higher heat in less time, but I would still allow 2 hours or so for simmering.
Ingredients 4 chicken breasts, on the bone 1 large can diced tomatoes 2 tsp crushed garlic 1 tsp basil 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp salt black pepper 1 bay leaf Optional: Mushrooms, green peppers, chopped onions... Put it all in the crock pot. Stir. Turn heat to low and cook for 8-10 hours. Serve over rice or steamed vegetables. |
AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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