Crockpot -- delicious vegetable soup

For me, having a crockpot is an amazing time saving way to make meals. And because of what we cook in the crockpot, it's incredibly economical. We purchase the vegetables that are readily available, and use dried split chickpeas and lentils. Delicious with freshly baked bread, it's the perfect meal for a winter evening.

equipment needed:

crockpot
knife
cutting board
kettle


ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 1/2 cups diced onion

1 cup green cabbage, finely chopped


2 cups split chickpeas, dried
1 cup green lentils, dried


2 cups diced celery hearts
2 cups diced carrots

4 dried shiitake mushrooms

2 cups sliced sweet potato

5 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp herbe de provence




12 cups boiling water


directions:

1. turn on the crockpot and set it for 5 hours on high
2. add the coconut oil
3. layer in the onion and green cabbage
4. layer in the split chickpeas and green lentils, rinsing them first.
5. layer in the celery hearts and diced carrots
6. toss in some dried shiitake mushrooms
7. throw a couple cups of thickly sliced sweet potato on top
8. sprinkle the whole thing with sea salt and herbe de provence
9. pour on the boiling water
10. cook for 5 hours or until the chickpeas and lentils are tender
11. taste
12. add seasoning if needed

Warming Winter Vegetable and Lentil Crockpot

I was going to be at work all day, and Papa and Nana were coming to play. So, knowing that Papa is a huge lentil fan, I loaded up my crockpot with a bunch of goodies. The resulting concoction is so flavourful and sweet and sour and savoury and spicy. The flavour is not overwhelming, but rather symbiotic. Everything about it is comforting and delicious. Try it. You'll like. The sweetness of sweet potato with the brightness of lime and sundried tomato, and the warmth of ginger. I kinda, you know, love it already. My husband made garlic toast out of our almond flour/coconut flour bread to go with this and it was fab beyond all reckoning.

ingredients:

1 cup finely chopped shallots
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
2 cups very finely chopped green cabbage
1/4 cup finely chopped sundried tomatoes

2 cups massoor lentils

2 cups frozen green peas

1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup coconut butter

1 cup diced celery hearts
2 cups diced carrots


4 cups diced sweet potatoes


4 tsp sea salt
2 tbps oregano
black pepper
1 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground ginger

9 cups water (I add boiling)

2 tbsp lime juice


directions:

1. layer the ingredients in the order listed. I combine the almond butter, coconut butter, lime juice, and seasonings with 1 cup of boiling water and pour it on, then pour on the rest of the water.
2. cook (I did it on High for 6 hours)
3. turn off and after stirring thoroughly, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and add water if needed
4. serve or let the flavour mature and serve the next day
5. Today we are serving this with garlic toasts made from our 'almond flour and coconut flour bread'.

Vegetable soup with 4 kinds of sweet potatoes

Yummy. I love a wonderful clear broth soup so full of flavour and goodness. Good for what ails you.

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil
2 medium onion, finely diced
4 cups green cabbage, finely chopped
2 cups dry lentils -- (I used black caviar lentils, but any whole lentils will be fine. Dupuy, masoor etc. Don't used split or they will reduce to complete disintegration)
2 cup frozen green peas

1  cups celery, stalks and leaves, finely diced
2 cups carrots, diced

3 cups sweet potatoes, diced -- I used 4 kinds -- 3 different asian (murasaki, kyushu, and some white ones), and also the iconic orange beauregard variety

3 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ginger
8 cups water


directions:

1. layer up the crockpot with the ingredients in the order listed -- do not stir
2. cook for 6 hours on high
3. enjoy with green noodles, or alone

Lentil and Vegetable Crackers

I have a fondness for savoury crisp crackers like this -- full of good stuff for your body. You could just eat a bowl of vegetables and lentils. Or you could eat these. Yum.

ingredients:

1 1/2 cup urad dal well cooked into porridge
1 1/2 cups urad dal, squash, and cabbage well cooked into porridge (any vegetable and lentil or bean stew will do)
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes


1/4 cup coconut oil

1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp marjoram

2 tbsp mesquite
2 tbsp sweet potato flour

1/4 cup ground chia seeds
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 cup hemp hearts

1 cup shredded coconut



directions:
1. combine the lentils, lentils and vegetables, coconut oil and sundried tomatoes and puree with a stick blender
2. add the rest of the ingredients and stir into dough
2. roll out in 4 parts onto  line baking sheets -- make the crackers as thin as possible -- underneath a sheet of parchment
3. score into squares before baking
4. bake at 345 for 14 minutes
5. dehydrate at 200 for 3 hours or until crisp

Flavourful Vegetable Soup

Weary travellers arriving need simple and delicious fare that won't keep them up. This definitely fit the bill with a fresh loaf of spelt bread fresh from the oven.

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 onion finely diced
1 cup  purple cabbage finely chopped
1/4 cup dried mushrooms, finely crumbled

3 cups split chickpeas, soaked but not cooked
3 cups green peas

1/4 cup amaranth
1/4 cup buckwheat groats
1/4 cup milllet

1 kohlrabi, peeled and diced (approx 2 cups)

1 large carrot finely diced (approx 1 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup celery finely  diced

2 cups zucchini diced
4 cups sweet potato diced

4 tsp sea salt
8 cups boiling water


directions:

1. layer all the ingredients in the crockpot and let it cook. Pour the water on after you've added the sea salt btw.
2. stir, and season to taste

Delicious served with fresh baked bread ...

Split Chickpeas

I live just down the street from Little India, and enjoy going into my local tiny supermarket. This week I  found both split moong dal (split mung beans) and split channa dal (split chickpeas). Always  fun to try new things. I cooked a pot of split moong dal seasoned with just avocado oil, dehydrated vegetables, and sea salt. It produced a thick creamy dish. Today I'm playing with the split chickpeas. I did a quick soak on them this morning, and will now see what fun I can have.

ingredients:

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 finely diced onion
4 cups finely chopped cabbage

3 cups split chickpeas -- soaked but not cooked

1/4 cup crumbled dried mushrooms

1 1/2  cup diced celery

3 cups diced sweet potato

4 cups diced zucchini

1 cup water

3 cups chopped broccoli florets -- lightly steamed, stirred in when the crockpot is finished cooking.

Vegetable Soup with Chickpeas

ingredients:

2 tbsp butter
4 cups finely diced green cabbage
1/4 cup finely shredded dried mushrooms
4 cups cooked chickpeas
3 cups green peas
2 cups diced sweet potatoes
3 cups diced celery
2 cups diced carrots

4 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp marjoram



8 cups  water


directions:

1. layer the ingredients in the order listed and cook in the crockpot until done.

Crockpot Stew -- giant lima beans in the pink

You are probably sick of me going on about the goings on in my crockpot. But let me tell you that this one is too good to miss. Imagine the satisfying toothsome texture of giant limas simmered in a stew of veggies, tomato sauce, and coconut milk. The coconut milk mellows the bite of the tomato sauce, and the veggies all add sweetness and texture. Truly a delicious combination. Yo, vegans!!

ingredients:

3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

3 cloves of garlic, very finely minced

1 large onion, very finely chopped

500 g frozen green peas

4 cups giant lima beans soaked but not cooked (bring to a boil in plenty of water for 2 minutes then turn off heat and soak for 1 hour. Rinse well)


2 cups diced celery
1 cup diced carrot
3 cups diced sweet potato

3 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp herbe de provence

4 cups tomato sauce (either make it using tomatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, or take some out of your freezer)

400 ml coconut milk


1. layer the ingredients in the order listed
2. cook for 4-6 hours on high in your crockpot

Simple Vegetable Soup -- a pleasing autumn crockpot

I had a hankering for a very simple vegetable soup -- the kind with diced vegetables, and a clear broth. This fits the bill! It's delicious and satisfying, and is a perfect autumn meal. I like to put a little chili powder in mine, but you can skip it if  you want. The vegetables make the broth very sweet and savoury at the same time. Naturally vegan, and gluten free.

ingredients:

3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
2 cloves garlic, minced -- approx 2 tbsp
2 small-medium onions, finely chopped -- approx 1 1/2 cups

4 cups cooked chickpeas
2 cups green peas
3 cups diced sweet potatoes
3 cups diced celery
2 cups diced carrots

4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
black pepper
2 tbsp marjoram


8 cups vegetable broth or water (I used leek and mushroom broth from my freezer -- I made extra back in October, then froze it in mason jars)


directions:

1. layer the ingredients in the order listed and cook in the crockpot until done.
2. or if using a pot on the stove, saute the onion and garlic in coconut oil, then add the rest of the ingredients, and cook until the vegetables are of desired consistency.