Veggie & Tofu Soup - Slow Cooker Special

I took my regular chicken soup recipe and had to change it when we went back to vegetarian.  This is a compilation of what we like in our soup, but obviously use what you love.

The first time I made this in the slow cooker, I made a rookie mistake: I added noodles when I started cooking.  DO NOT DO THIS unless you like a lot of mushiness.

VEGGIE & TOFU SOUP IN THE SLOW COOKER
*If feeding a toddler use tiny pasta shapes like the alphabet or stars. Also, chop all veggies in the food processor so they don't choke.

• 1/2 bag frozen lima beans (Dan loves lima beans)
• 3 large stalks of chopped celery
• 1 small chopped onion
• 4 large carrots chopped
• 1 block of extra firm tofu... or I used to clean a rotisserie chicken and chop it up
• 32 oz of broth AT LEAST - veggie or chicken broth
• 1 tsp oregano
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 bag of soup noodles or 1/2 box of small pasta shapes

I feel like all the ingredients and measurements are relative to your tastes so this is really a loose version of a soup recipe.  You may like your soup really runny or really chunky so adjust the amount of broth you use.

Put all ingredients into a slow cooker EXCEPT THE NOODLES/PASTA. Cook 1 hour on high and 5 hours on low. Add noodles or pasta in the last 15 mins of cooking. 

For my veggie friends - the tofu actually stays in firm chunks, so you don't have to worry about separation. 

To freeze:  Once cooled, fill gallon Ziploc bags and lay flat in freezer.

To reheat:  Thaw in fridge for at least 24 hours. Add to crock pot and heat on low for 3 hours or until heated through.

Bean & Spicey Sausage Soup

This recipe is only good if you aren't afraid of spice. The red pepper can be increased or decreased, but trust me, it's not as good unless you add it.

Bean & Sausage Soup
* To make this toddler friendly, add your red pepper to your own individual serving.  Also put all your veggies in the food processor (instead of chopping) so nothing is big enough to choke on.

• 4 oz sausage cooked (I use 3 vegetarian sausage pattys - cooked in microwave and then ground in food processor)
• 1 T butter or olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups onion
• 1 1/4 chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/3 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T tomato paste <- this is what the original recipe called for but I use the whole can
• 1/8 tsp ground red pepper (or use crushed red pepper flakes in your individual bowl)
• 3 cups chicken broth or veggie broth
• 2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained, divided
• 1/3 cup half & half
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp crushed dried rosemary

1. Cook the meat and set aside.
2. Heat pan on medium. Heat oil or butter and add veggies and 1/4 tsp salt.  Cook for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir frequently.
3. Stir in tomato paste and red pepper ; cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.
4. Place 1 cup veggie mixture, 1 can beans, and 1/2 cup broth into a food processor and process until smooth.
5. Return to pan. Add remaining broth and the other can of beans. Bring to a boil and simmer 20 mins. Return meat to pan to heat through in the last 5 mins.
6. Remove from heat, stir in remaining salt, half-and-half, rosemary and season with pepper.

To freeze:  Once cool, fill gallon Ziploc bags and lay flat to freeze.

To reheat:  Place in fridge 24 hours before cooking. Add to pot and bring to boil on medium heat. Reduce and let heat through. 

Chili

Fast, easy, and filling. Nothing says "Ugh, stinky dogs!" like a good pot o' chili.

CHILI

• 1 small red onion
• 1 bag ground crumbles or 1 lb ground meat
• 2 cans bushes mild chili beans
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 can petite diced tomato

Cook your red onion and crumbles or meat together in a large soup pot. Add beans, tomato sauce, and diced tomato. Bring to boil. Simmer for 20 mins.

To freeze: After it has cooled, add to gallon Ziploc bag and lay flat to freeze.

To reheat:  Leave in fridge to unthaw for 24 hours. Add to pot and heat until boil. Turn down to low and let heat through.

Garnish with cheese, sour cream, or crackers.

Crockpot Clam Chowder

This is NOT healthy but it is tasty and on a cold winters day really hits the spot.

CLAM CHOWDER
Easily feeds a large family or in our case, company during ski season.

• 2 cans cream of potato
• 2 cans new England clam chowder
• 1 can cream of celery
• 4 cans minced clams - 2 with liquid, 2 drained
• 1 pint fat free 1/2 & 1/2
• 1/2 pint whipping cream

Mix all ingredients into a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.  My slow cooker is newer so 6 hours works for me.

To freeze: put in a gallon Ziploc bag and lay flat to freeze.

To reheat:  Leave in fridge for 24 hours before cooking. Throw in crockpot on low... 3 hours will do if its already been cooked and is completely thawed. Or if uncooked 6 hours on low.

Lasagna

This recipe, like the others, is vegetarian but you would never know it. I baked 3 of these for Dan's work Christmas party this year and no one had a clue it was vegetarian.  You can feel free to add meat instead of the meatless crumbles.

LASAGNA

• 1 bag Morningstar farms meatless cumbles (or 1 lb meat)
• 1 onion chopped
• other additions include shaved carrot, mushrooms, zucchini, etc.
• 2 cans petite diced tomato
• 2 cans tomato paste
• 1 T basil
• 1/2 T oregano
• 12 lasagna noodles (I have never used the ones that you don't have to boil)
• 1 pint cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded or grated
• 2 eggs beaten
• 2 T parsley
• 1 lb mozzarella

Boil your lasagna noodles according to the package.  Sometimes I break my noodles in half if my big pot isn't available.  Once finished flood pot with cold water. When noodles are ok to touch lay flat to dry on either paper towels, parchment paper or wax paper. 

Cook your meat or meatless crumbles with the chopped onion.  If using a lot of veggies cook separately. Add diced tomato, tomato paste, basil, and oregano to meat/veggie mix. Simmer for 30 mins stirring occasionally.

While that's cooking mix your cottage cheese, parmesan, parsley and eggs together in a big bowl.

Spray your lasagna pan with non-stick spray.

Layer as follows:
On bottom -  1/3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese mix, 1/3 sauce, cover sauce with a layer of mozzarella.
Middle - 1/3 lasagna noodles, 1/2 cottage cheese mix, 1/3 sauce, cover sauce with a layer of mozzarella.
Top - 1/3 lasagna noodles, remaining sauce & mozzarella

 To cook immediately bake in preheated oven at 375 for 30-45 mins. (My bake time is more like 45 mins due to altitude.)

To freeze: cover with tin foil and put in freezer.

To bake after frozen:  thaw in fridge 2 days.  Bake in preheated oven at 400 with tin foil covering for 45 mins. Remove tin foil. Continue baking another 15 mins.  If your at altitude or have an old oven, you may need to bump up the timing to 60 mins and another 15 without the tin foil. 

Black Bean Tortilla Soup

This is my toddlers favorite. I add lots of avocado to hers and exclude the cheese and sour cream.

Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

• 1 T olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp chili powder (this is not spicy so don't be scared)
• 2 cans petite diced tomato
• 2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
• 2 cups chicken or veggie broth
• 1 10oz package of frozen corn
• salt and pepper
• crushed tortilla chips (optional)
• salsa (optional)
• avocado (optional)
• sour cream (optional)
• cheese (optional)

In a large sauce pan heat oil over medium heat, cook garlic and chili powder until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, beans, broth, corn and 1 cup water. Season with salt & pepper.

Bring to boil; reduce to simmer. Add tortilla chips and cook until soft; about 2 mins. Remove from heat and if eating now garnish with any optional ingredient.

If freezing, let cool completely in fridge over night.  Put in gallon size bags and lay flat to freeze.

To reheat:  Let thaw in the fridge for 24 hours. Add to sauce pan and heat on medium until starting to bubble. Turn down to low and let simmer until heated through.  Garnish before eating. 

Dan's toppings:  cheese, sour cream, extra tortilla chips
Amanda's toppings:  tortilla chips, avocado, black bean and corn salsa from Target... yum!

Mexican Burritos

I just made this yesterday and they were great!  As always you can adjust your fillings as needed. 

Mexican Burritos

• 1 box rice-a-roni [I used the one with red beans but any kind works]
• 1 small can sliced black olives
• 1 can corn
• 2 cups Mexican cheese blend
• 12 flour tortillas
• 1 can refried beans
• Salsa of any kind

Cook rice-a-roni according package. When its finished add in black olives and corn. Heat through.

Heat up your refried beans so they are easier to spread.

Heat up your tortillas:  Wet a dish towel but ring it out so its just damp. Wrap your stack of tortillas in it.  I recommend doing 6 at a time.  Heat in microwave on high 1 minute.  This will ensure that they are easy to fold.

While your tortillas are heating cut 12 tin foil squares to wrap your burritos.

On the stack of tin foil, put 1 tortilla, spread some refried beans, add your rice mixture, and top with cheese and salsa. Wrap it up.  Sides first then fold top over and then bottom. It may take a few until you get the hang of wrapping them.  Wrap the tin foil around it and let cool.  Continue until all are wrapped. 

Once cooled put in gallon Ziploc bags.

To reheat:  Take off tin foil, wrap in a paper towel. Cook on high in microwave 3 minutes.

For feeding a toddler, I just scoop out all the insides and feed with a spoon. 

Egg Muffin Cups

I love these and they are excellent for toddlers. Great size and veggie loaded.

Egg Muffin Cups

• 12 Eggs, beaten
• veggies
• meat
• cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray muffin trays (2) with non-stick spray.

Cook any meat you plan to use.

Layer your muffin tray cups as follows, MAKING SURE TO NOT FILL MORE THAN HALF FULL: uncooked veggies on bottom, then meat, uncooked egg, cheese.

Bake for 20 mins.  Cool completely and add to Ziploc bag and freeze.

To reheat: 1 cup = 1.5 mins on high in micro <- I am not positive here, I have frozen these but unthawed them over night in the fridge so adjust as needed.

Freezer Muffins

I am at over 9,000 feet altitude so baking from scratch is impossible.  I tried using muffin recipes from high altitude baking books and they were horrible! So feel free to improvise with your own home made muffin mix.

Freezer Muffins
1 box Betty Crocker muffin mix with blueberry can
I add another 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries, thawed to the batter

Bake as the box instructs. When cool put in gallon Ziploc bags.

To reheat:  Put muffin on plate and microwave on high 1.5 mins.

Breakfast Burritos

SO YUMMY and filling. You can add or remove any of these ingredients but this is my base recipe.  No one ever knows they are vegetarian.

Breakfast Burritos - makes 12
*If making a bigger batch cook eggs separately or else it takes forever.

• 12 flour tortillas - use the regular size not extra large burrito size
• 12 eggs
• 6 Morningstar farms faux sausage patties (or cooked meat of your choice)
• 1 can petite diced tomato
• 1 6oz jar of mushrooms
• 2 cups of sharp cheddar

Heat your sausage patties in the microwave in a single layer on high for 2.5 mins. Put in food processor to ground.  Set aside.

Beat eggs until blended, optional splash of milk here but it isn't necessary. Start cooking your eggs, when just beginning to firm add diced tomato & mushrooms, and any seasonings you want.  I usually use some salt, pepper and onion powder.

After eggs are firm mix in the sausage.

Heat up your tortillas:  Wet a dish towel but ring it out so its just damp. Wrap your stack of tortillas in it.  I recommend doing 6 at a time.  Heat in microwave on high 1 minute.  This will ensure that they are easy to fold.

While your tortillas are heating cut 12 tin foil squares to wrap your burritos.

On the stack of tin foil, put 1 tortilla, add 1/2 cup egg mixture, top with cheese and wrap it up.  Sides first then fold top over and then bottom. It may take a few until you get the hang of wrapping them.  Wrap the tin foil around it and let cool.  Continue until all are wrapped. 

Once cooled put in gallon Ziploc bags.

To reheat:  Take off tin foil, wrap in a paper towel. Cook on high in microwave 2.5 minutes.

For feeding a toddler, I just scoop out all the insides and feed with a spoon or let her eat the egg pieces herself.  Great way to give them some protein.

Blueberry Pancakes

I recommend doubling the batch if you are going to eat these for breakfast that day and freeze some.

BLUEBERRY PANCAKES TO FREEZE

• 2 cups bisquick Heart Smart mix
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• 1 egg
• 2 T sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 ½ cups frozen blueberries

1^st put frozen blueberries in bowl and put in microwave for 1 minute. Let set in microwave until you are ready to stir them in. Rinse before adding to mix.

Stir bisquick, milk, egg, sugar and vanilla until blended. Fold in blueberries gently.

 

Pour by slightly less than ¼ cupfuls onto hot, greased, frying pan.

Cook until bubbles break on surface, turn, cook until golden.

To freeze: lay wax or parchment paper in your freezer. In a single layer lay the pancakes flat after they have cooled.  Add another layer of wax or parchment paper if needed and lay more pancakes.  Let freeze at least 6 hours. Add to gallon Ziploc baggies.

To reheat:  Lay pancake flat on plate, microwave 45 seconds for 1 and add 30 seconds for each additional pancake.