Chicken / Edamame / Peach Salsa Crock Pot Soup

The edamame adds a nice crunch and visual appeal to this dish...as well as protein and soluble fiber, too.

6 oz. Chopped chicken breasts

2 Cups Cherry tomatoes

2 Cups Roasted Tomato Sauce

1 Cup Chopped Onion

1 Cup Chopped Yellow or Green Pepper

26 oz. Low sodium vegetable broth

14 oz. Mrs. Renfro's Peach Salsa

15 oz. Kernel corn - no salt added

10 oz. Edamame

2 Tsp garlic powder
2 Tsp  cumin

2 Tsp Mrs. Dash 

2 Tsp Black Pepper

 

Before Serving, add:

1 tsp garlic powder (to taste)

1 tsp cumin (to taste)

Combine all the ingredients with the exception of the single teaspoons of garlic powder and cumin. In slow cooker, set on high for one hour.  Then, cook on low setting for 3-4 hours. Stir in the teaspoons of the cumin and garlic powder to taste. Makes eight servings.

Salmon Asparagus Farro Bowl

Crock Pot Tortellini-Roasted Tomatoes-Winter Vegs

9 oz package three cheese or spinach tortellini
16 oz roasted tomatoes
16 oz tomato pasta sauce
10-16 oz of chopped frozen mixed winter vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc.)
3 TBS basil
2 TBS Garlic & Herb seasoning
2 TBS pepper seasoning or Italian seasoning

• In a slow cooker, pour 8 oz of tomato pasta sauce into the bottom
• Sprinkle on one-third of the basil and seasonings
• Add tortellini, spread evenly over pasta sauce
• Add 16 oz roasted tomatoes
• Sprinkle on one-third of the basil and seasoning
• Add mixed vegetables
• Pour 8 oz of tomato pasta sauce over the vegetables
• Sprinkle on top the remaining basil and seasoning.

• Cover and cook on the high setting, about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
• Serve with grated parmesan cheese (optional)
• Makes four servings.

Roasted Tomatoes

Roasted tomatoes add so much more tomato flavor to any recipe you prepare that calls for tomatoes (such as pasta sauce, whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes). And it's an easy way to preserve the harvest for use throughout the year, either canned or frozen.

To preserve the most flavor, roast them at a low temperature for a long period of time. Convection ovens, which distribute the heat more equally, are great for this. If you don't have a convection oven, be sure to turn the tomatoes once at the midpoint of the roasting process.

Our recipe:
• Cut fresh tomatoes into equally thick slices, about a quarter-inch to a half-inch thick (no peeling necessary!). Cherry tomatoes can be cut in half.
• Place cut tomatoes in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 
• Drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake for 90 minutes to two hours at 300 degrees (250 if your convection oven goes that low). If roasting on two trays simultaneously on upper and lower racks, switch them half way through. Check for doneness at 90 minutes; go longer if necessary.
• The tomatoes will shrink, but should still look somewhat meaty.
• Freeze in small batches or can them (hot water processing) in pint or quart jars.

Four Bean Chili

Nutritious. Warming. Low in calories, salt, carbs, fat and sugar. High in fiber. Colorful. Vegan (minus the grated cheese). Mild. Easy!
 
4 oz. red beans
4 oz. black turtle beans
4 oz. great northern white beans
4 oz. pinto beans
32 oz. chopped tomatoes (we combine cherry tomatoes and roasted tomatoes)
10 oz. diced sweet red and green peppers (hot peppers optional)
5 oz. chopped onions
3 cloves garlic
1 TBS dried basil leaves
1 TBS chili powder
1 TBS ground cumin
1 TBS Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime
2 C hot water

For best results, soak dried beans overnight. If using canned beans, rinse thoroughly.

Mix all ingredients into a four-quart slow cooker. Low heat for approximately 8 hours.

Optional: top serving with grated cheese. To increase the spicy heat, add a chopped jalapeno pepper.

Serves 8.

Corn & Black Bean Quinoa Salad

From Eating Well, Aug. 2013

(h^f = high fiber )

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili. Low Salt, Low Sugar

5 tomatoes (chopped)
4 sweet peppers (chopped)
1 jalapeno-style pepper, chopped, seeds removed (optional)
1.5 Cups carrots (chopped)
4 stalks celery (chopped)
2 onions (chopped)
15 oz. canned kernel corn no salt added
15 oz pinto beans no salt added
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
15 oz. mild chunky salsa
6 bay leaves

Mix together all ingredients into a slow cooker. 
Cover and cook on low heat, about 8 hours.

Top with grated cheese (optional).
Makes 6 servings.