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Potato Turnip Soup Loves Dark Days Collard Pesto

January 28, 2011 · by · 6 Comments

I love my greens and making up new ways to get my other half to eat them. Sometimes I’m successful and she even asks for more! This Collard Pesto was one of those successes. Mixed in with the soup it was a relationship that will definitely be celebrated in my house again soon.

You can serve it over pasta, on top of polenta, or swirl it in a soup. It adds a punch of citrus brightness and a beautiful green accent where ever you add it. It’s perfect to liven up your Dark Days dinners.

This pesto recipe calls for some specialty ingredients, but you can make it without them. I’ve suggested substitutions in the pesto directions.

Slow Cooker Potato Turnip Soup

  • 2 cups turnips, peeled and chopped
  • 6 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon vegan chick’n bouillon
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk

Add everything except salt, pepper, and almond milk to your slow cooker. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Remove rosemary sprig and discard. Puree using an immersion blender. Add almond milk and blend it in. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a swirl of Collard Citrus Pesto (recipe below) on top.

Serves 4

Dark Days Collard Citrus Pesto

  • 4 cups collards, stems removed and chopped
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon vegan chick’n bouillon
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (walnut also works well)
  • 1 tablespoon blood orange olive oil (or plain orange juice)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon balsamic (or plain lemon juice)

After you prep the greens add the water with chick’n bouillon mixed in to a saute pan. Add collards and cook on medium heat. Cook until collards are tender, but still bright green (about 10 minutes). The water will also be evaporated at this point. You can add extra water in cooking if needed.

Put all ingredients into a food processor and process until grainy or finely minced but not pureed. Add extra olive oil, water, or pumpkin puree if the mixture is too thick.

Makes 1 to 2 cups

Filed Under: Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Dark Days, Gluten-free, Slow cooker, Slow Food not Slow Cooker, Soups, Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

More Soup Love – Mushroom Barley Soup

January 24, 2011 · by · 9 Comments

I can’t get off my soup streak. Cheap, full of nutrition, warming – what more can you ask from a one pot meal? I’m working on using up things that I already have on hand. It’s economical and makes it easy to throw together

I’ve found a ton of yummy whole grains in the pantry, so I’m incorporating more in my meal planning. I really need to stick to my grocery budget, so this seems to be the way to go! I have declared 2011 the year of organizing at  my house. Wish me luck!

Slow Cooker Quick and Easy Mushroom Barley Soup

soy-free

  • 10 ounces mushrooms , chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup barley
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon Vegan Chick’n Bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon thyme (or 2 sprigs fresh thyme)
  • salt and pepper to taste

The night before: Cut up all the veggies and store together in a container in the fridge.

In the morning: Add all ingredients except salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Before serving: Taste and add salt and pepper, also add more thyme if needed. Add more water if the soup is thicker than you like.

Yields: 6 servings
Total Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 6 to 8 hours

Filed Under: Beyond Easy, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Main Course, Slow cooker, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Slow Cooker Veggie Soup with Turnips

January 12, 2011 · by · 2 Comments

This is a perfect soup to come home from on a chilly night. I served mine with a pea shoot salad – yum!  Turnips seem to get a bad rap, but they’re in season and full of vitamin C. If you’ve had a not-so-good turnip experience in the past try them again in 2011. Get baby turnips if you can get your hands on some. They are sweeter and have a milder flavor than the larger ones.

Veggie Soup with Turnips

soy-free, gluten-free

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 baby turnips (or 1 large)
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped small
  • 2 carrots, chopped small
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil (or fresh basil you froze from the summer)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can of diced tomatoes (or 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen)
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon not chicken bouillon
  • 1 large bay leaf  (or 2 small ones)

The night before: Mince the onion and garlic, then heat the oil in a saute pan. Cook the onions until transparent and then add the garlic and cook for 2 or 3 minutes more. Chop the rest of the veggies and peel the turnip if you are using a larger ones. You don’t need to peel them if they are baby ones. Store everything together in a container in the fridge overnight. Chop the greens and store separately in the fridge, because you’ll add them 1 hour before eating. If your family isn’t used to eating greens start with 1 cup and work up to 2.

In the morning: Add all ingredients except basil to the slow cooker. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Before serving: Add basil. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and herbs before serving. If you’re using frozen basil add it about 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve your soup so it can ‘melt’ into your stew.

Yields: 6 servings
Total Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 6 to 8 hours

Filed Under: Beyond Easy, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Gluten-free, Slow cooker, Soups, Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

Slow Cooker Chai Oatmeal

January 10, 2011 · by · 6 Comments

Since there seems to be no end for wintry weather this year here’s another oatmeal recipe to warm you up.

Chai Oatmeal

2 to 3 servings

**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker 1 1/2 to 2 quarts

  • 1/2 cup steel cut oats
  • 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/8 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla paste)
  • sweetener to taste (I used about 2 tablespoon agave nectar)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

The night before: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add everything except for the sweetener and fresh ginger. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).

In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well.  It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency.  Stir in sweetener and add spices to suit your tastes. Add more almond milk if your oatmeal is too thick. Put in bowls or a thermos.

Filed Under: Beyond Easy, Breakfast, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Overnight (8+ hours), Slow cooker, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , ,

Beyond Easy Slow Cooker Apple Pie Oatmeal

January 6, 2011 · by · 16 Comments

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I have fallen back into my winter obsession with oatmeal. It’s just too easy to make in a slow cooker and I can just throw it into a thermos and go to work. Though I love waking up on a Saturday morning to the ease of it too.  Not only does oatmeal taste yummy, but it’s even good for you!

There are a few things to keep in mind when you are cooking oatmeal in a slow cooker. The most important is to use steel cut oats and not rolled oats. Steal cut can hold up to an 8  hour plus cooking time much better than rolled oats. I’ve heard horror stories of waking up to burnt rolled oats.

If you are concerned about clean up, spray the crock with a little oil before adding the ingredients. But be aware that even if you spray your crock with oil some oatmeal will still stick to the sides. To clean it out simply fill it with water in the morning. It will come out easily that evening. I fill mine with water, then drain off the excess water and give my dog the oatmeal that was stuck to the sides. She loves it and it’s good for her coat.

You can add the spices the night before, but you will need to add extra in the morning. So if you’re on a tight budget I’d just add them in the morning. I like to wake up to a wonderful smelling house so I add them the night before.

Unfortunately slow cookers run at different temperatures depending on age and manufacturer. So there is some trial and error in getting everything just right for your slow cooker. I have one newer model that I add some extra water to and 2 others that use this recipes just fine as is. If you think you might sleep in go ahead and add a little extra water then too.

You can also use almond milk as your liquid. Just be mindful that if your applesauce has citric acid or lemon juice it will be a curdled mess. So make sure to check the ingredients before doing that. If you find yourself with no applesauce on hand you can add 1 apple that’s been peeled, cored, and cut into smallish chunks. You will be able to mash it with the back of a wooden spoon in the morning.

** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. I have almost 40 different flavors!

Apple Pie Oatmeal

2 to 3 servings

**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker 1 1/2 to 2 quarts

  • 1/2 cup steel cut oats
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 to 2 pinches allspice
  • 1 to 2 pinches cloves
  • sweetener to taste (I use about 1 tablespoon agave nectar)
  • Toppings for serving: granola, walnuts, raisins, or pecans

The night before: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add oats, water, and applesauce. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).

In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency.  Stir in sweetener and add spices to suit your tastes (the amounts are just guidelines). Put in bowls (or a thermos) and top with what you are in the mood for that day. Granola makes it seem more like a pie since it adds a little crunch.

Pear sauce, all fruit jam, and flavored applesauces can be used in place of the plain applesauce. It’s one if the easiest ways to get creative with your morning oatmeal routine!

Filed Under: Breakfast, Cooking Time 8 hours, Gluten-free, Overnight (8+ hours), Slow cooker, Slow Cooking Basics, Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , ,