Vegan Slow Cooker Picky Eater’s Soup

You know the drill, and I’m sure you’ve all heard the protests of “what’s that in my food?!” Picky little ones often grow up to be picky adults. And while I’m kid-less, I still hear about texture issues and fight the good veggie fight all the time. This one worked really good, she even asked to have it again.

This soup has green peppers, chickpeas, and butternut squash, but pureed it looks like plain old tomato soup – only with tons more flavor and nutrition. My picky eater loved it, but she didn’t see it before it was pureed. I would suggest not letting your picky eater see it either. Sometimes it’s better if they just don’t know.

Slow Cooker Picky Eater’s Soup

• 2 cups butternut squash, can be precooked, frozen, or raw (peeled and seeded of course)
• 1 14 oz can chickpeas
• 1 14 oz can organic crushed tomatoes (diced or stewed works fine too)
• 1 cups bell pepper strips
• 1 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbl. Better than Bouillon
• 5 cups filtered water (or use veg broth and leave out the bouillon)
• 1 Tbl. port wine (optional)
• 1/2 cup sauteed mushrooms (optional – use any little bits of leftover veggies you have)
• 1 tsp. marjoram
• 1 Tbl. Trader Joe’s Pasta Seasoning Blend (it’s a mix of Onion, Garlic, Basil, Lemon Peel, Paprika, Fennel, Oregano, Black Pepper, Ginger, Thyme and Lemon Oil)
  or Italian seasoning blend

Throw everything in the slow cooker and cook on low 6 – 10 hours.  Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor before serving. You may need to add more filtered water to get it to the consistency that you like. Serve with oyster crackers.

I keep little baggies of leftover veggies in the freezer. This soup is perfect to add those to, or the little bits in the fridge that aren’t enough for a proper side dish. Yummy and frugal – my dream has come true!

It’s slow cooker Thursday!
See other great recipes at Diary of a SAHM

Quick and Easy Menu Monday

Ok, last week we joined the Y so we can do more than complain about how big our butts have gotten. I’ll have less time to make dinner until I get used to time-shifting all my chores around.

I still want us to eat healthy, have leftovers for lunch, so a weekly plan is even more needed this week. Next week I’ll do more slow cooker meals, so maybe it won’t feel like I’m cooking at all!

Monday: Veg Enchiladas with Cuban black beans on the side, and arugula salad

Tuesday: Trader Joe’s chicken-less bbq on whole wheat buns with butternut apple soup and baked beans

Wednesday: Slow cooker veggie stew with corn bread and salad

Thursday: Chicken-less and rice Spanish style with salad

Friday: go out or pasta in

Saturday: Leftover chicken-less and rice and veggie soup

Sunday: Samosa Baked potatoes with soup and salad

Other Veg Menus (leave a link in the comments if I missed you):

• Not Another Omnivore
• Practicing Thrift
• Life is a Journey
• Min/min
• Mulberry Spot
• Organize This
• Book of Yum

Easy Vegan Vegetable Soup

I can feel another soup kick coming on. In fact, I ate 2 large bowls of this one just last night. Who knew that something so low calorie could make me so full, and taste this good?

Easy Vegan Vegetable Soup – about 10 servings

• 1 Tbl. olive oil (or broth for sauteing)
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup bell pepper, chopped
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 parsnip, diced
• 2 – 3 cups cabbage, diced (I used 1/2 small head)
• 14 oz can Muir Glenn fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 heaping Tbl Better than Bouillon, vegetable flavor
• 6 -8 cups filtered water
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
• dash or 2 of garlic Tabasco
• 1 tsp. marjoram
• 1 tsp. basil
• 2 tsp. Cajun spices
• black pepper to taste

Heat oil in soup pot, add onions and sautee until transparent over medium heat. Add garlic, bell pepper, carrot, and parsnip and saute a minute more.

Add water, bouillon, tomatoes, cabbage and then add all the seasonings. Cook over low heat until the cabbage and parsnip are tender, at least 30 minutes.

You could also make this in a slow cooker by throwing everything in and cooking for 8 – 10 hours. Adjust spices before serving, slow cooking always seems to need a seasoning boost at the end.

Getting Healthier Menu Planning Monday

I promise to have a more creative menu next week. I’m planning on joining the Y this week, so I want to have easy to make food to keep  me from going out after classes.

Monday: Quinoa Vegetable Soup (made from stray veggies in the fridge) and leftover fondue in a casserole (steamed veggies and fondue mixed together and topped with leftover bread crumbs)

Tuesday:  Mushroom goat cheese quesadilla with Spanish rice (vegan goat cheese recipe)

Wednesday: Pop’s (eat out)

Thursday: Slow Cooker Lentil Spinach Soup with Cornbread

Friday: Soup, veggie bbq burgers with sweet potato fries

Saturday:  Veggie lo mein

Sunday:  Indian

Other Veg Menus (leave a link in the comments if I missed you):

• Not Another Omnivore
• Say Yes to Salad
• My Journey to Health and Happiness
• Margaret’s Musings
• Money Funk
• Practicing Thrift
• The Thrifty Soaper
• Organize This
• Book of Yum

BBQ Tofu Veggie Pizza

I’m not much of a super bowl person. In fact I can’t think of any sports that I want to sit down and watch. Don’t be mad though, I’m fine with the rest of the world hanging at super bowl parties while I’m shopping, or dining in peace and quiet.

I’ve recommitted myself to eating healthy and losing some weight, so pizza out isn’t on my plan, but making it at home is. A thin whole wheat crust from Whole Foods, low fat cheese (if any), and tons of veggies makes a pizza that is actually good for you.

BBQ Tofu Veggie Pizza

• 1 Whole Wheat pre-cooked pizza crust
• 1/2 recipe slow cooker bbq tofu (recipe below)
• 1/4 red onion, sliced
• 1/3 cup pineapple, chopped
• 1 cup bell peppers, sliced
• 1/4 bbq sauce
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (sub soy cheese or leave off)

Preheat oven to 350. Spread bbq sauce on crust and pile on the veggies, tofu and top with a sprinkling of cheese if you’d like. Cook on oven rack until cheese is melted. Veggies will still be a little crunchy and full of vitamins.

Slow Cooker BBQ Tofu

Press the tofu to get it firmer. To do this slice into fourths and wrap it in a towel (paper or dish towel) and sit a heavy pan on it for 15 – 20 minutes to press out the water. Unwrap and dice tofu. Put 1 cup of bbq sauce (I used Whole Foods citrus chipolte bbq sauce.) in slow cooker and mix in tofu. Cook on low 4 – 8 hours.

Use  on pizza, in subs, or add to chili for extra protein.