CROCK-POT MUSHROOM STROGANOFF

• 600g mushrooms, diced (I left any very small ones whole, and halved or quartered larger ones)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, halved then thinly sliced
• 250ml (~1 cup) vegetable stock
• 2tsp smoked paprika
• 1tbsp (heaped) sour cream
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 4tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Add the first five ingredients to a slow cooker, and mix well. Cook on high for 4 hours.
2. After 4 hours, stir in the sour cream, and season to taste. Serve with a carb of your choice, topped with plenty of fresh parsley.

Read more at http://www.amuse-your-bouche.com/crock-pot-mushroom-stroganoff/#w0j42ZfbQTdUlGHu.99

CROCK POT QUINOA WITH VEGETABLES

• 1½ cups Quinoa
• 3 Cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 1 Cup Fresh Green Beans chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh cilantro or basil (depending on your taste)
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse Quinoa
2. Dump it into the crock pot. (I used 6 quart)
3. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat.
4. Stir in broth, veggies, pepper and garlic. Reserve cilantro for before serving.
5. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-4.
6. The quinoa is done when you can fluff it with a fork and it is tender. Liquid should be absorbed into quinoa.
7. Top with fresh cilantro and serve.
8. You can mix in garbanzo beans or black beans to add protein to this dish and turn it into a meal

Make this Crock Pot Side Dish into a meal by mixing in beans or even grilled chicken to make this a more substantial dish. Either way it is easy and delicious.

Crock Pot Vegetable Soup

• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 4 cups tomato juice
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup sliced celery
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups uncooked rotini pasta
• shredded Parmesan cheese for topping if desired

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients except the uncooked pasta and cheese to a 6 quart crock pot.
2. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours.
3. Add pasta and stir. Turn heat setting to high and cook for 20-30 minutes or until pasta is done.
4. Serve with each bowl topped with a sprinkling of cheese.

SLOW-COOKER BARLEY AND CHICKPEA RISOTTO

• 1-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 1/2 small yellow onion, minced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1-1/4 cups pearl barley, rinsed
• 1 can (15.5 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 2-1/2 cups less-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1-1/4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:

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1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrots, garlic, cauliflower and onion. Cook until vegetables being to soften, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in thyme and barley; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Transfer mixture to slow-cooker bowl. Stir in garbanzo beans, broth, water, salt and pepper. Cook on high 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until barley is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
4. Remove and discard thyme sprigs; stir in lemon juice. Serve in warm bowls garnished with cheese and parsley.

QUINOA BLACK BEAN CROCKPOT STUFFED PEPPERS

• 6 bell peppers
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 1 14 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14 ounce can refried beans
• 1½ cups red enchilada sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• 1½ cups shredded Pepperjack cheese
• toppings! cilantro, avocado, sour cream, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the tops off of the peppers and scrape out the ribs and seeds.
2. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, beans, enchilada sauce, spices, and 1 cup of the cheese. Fill each pepper with the quinoa mixture.
3. Pour ½ cup water into the bottom of a crockpot. Place the peppers in the crockpot so they're sitting in the water. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Remove lid, distribute remaining cheese over the tops of the peppers, and cover again for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
4. Serve topped with anything you like! These are also great with chips and guacamole, believe it or not.

Curried Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 medium red or yellow potatoes, diced
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
2 cups vegetable broth
2 (15.5-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (10-ounce) bag baby spinach
1 cup coconut milk

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion with one teaspoon of salt until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and another teaspoon of salt, and sauté until just translucent around the edges.

Stir in the curry, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in 1/4 cup of broth and scrape up any toasty bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer this onion-potato mixture into the bowl of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. (Halve this recipe for a smaller slow cooker.)

To the slow cooker, add the rest of the broth, chickpeas, bell pepper, cauliflower, tomatoes with their juices, pepper, and final teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the bowl; add more broth as necessary. Cover and cook for 4 hours on HIGH.

Stir in the spinach and coconut milk. Cover with lid for a few more minutes to allow the spinach to wilt. Taste and correct the salt and other seasonings as needed.

Serve on its own or over couscous, Israeli couscous, or orzo pasta.

Recipe Notes:

• Smaller slow cookers: Cut this recipe in half for a smaller slow cooker.
• Dutch-oven version: Instead of cooking in a slow cooker, simmer the stew in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over low heat on the stovetop or in a 350°F oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Add the spinach and coconut milk and stir until the spinach has wilted. Taste and add more seasonings if needed.

Slow Cooker Vegan White Bean Stew

• 2 lbs. white beans
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 large celery stalks, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. each: dried rosemary, thyme, oregano
• 10-12 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. salt (according to taste, can start with 1 Tablespoon and add more at end if needed)
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes (I like Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted)
• 5-6 cups (or more) roughly chopped leafy greens (spinach, chard, kale)
• Rice, polenta, or bread for serving

1. Sort through and rinse beans several times in cool water. Add to the slow cooker along with the diced carrots, celery, onions, garlic, bay leaf and dried herbs. Add the water. (Use less for a thicker stew, more for more of a soup.) Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 6 hours. Remove lid from slow cooker and add the salt and pepper, and diced tomatoes. Let cook for another 1-1½ hours, or until beans are very soft. (If they are already soft after the initial cooking time, different kinds of beans may vary in cooking time, then add the tomatoes and greens and serve immediately.) Before serving, stir in the chopped greens.
2. Serve over hot cooked rice, polenta, or with bread.
3. Makes a lot--enough for at least 10-12 servings. Freeze half for later or invite friends over.

easy springtime crockpot minestrone.

1 sweet onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
2 (15 ounce) cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
3 cups water
8 ounces of uncooked ditalini pasta
12 thin asparagus spears, stems removed and cut into thirds
1 cup of frozen sweet peas
1 (6 ounce) bag of fresh spinach
1/3 cup freshly grated romano cheese + more for topping
salt and pepper to taste

Add diced onions, garlic, carrots, the whole can of diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, stock and water to your crockpot. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, stirring once or twice if you can.

About 10-15 minutes before serving, add in asparagus (I like mine with some crunch, add it earlier if you want it softer), spinach, peas and pasta. Cook on low for another 10-15 minutes then stir in grated cheese. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. I used about a 1/2 teaspoon of each, but it will depend on the sodium levels in your stock, tomatoes, etc. Serve immediately with additional cheese on top!

Perfect Pesto

What You Need

Ingredients

5 to 6 ounces (2 healthy bunches or about 6 cups gently packed) basil leaves, or any other green
1/2 cup pine nuts, or any other nut
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or any other hard cheese
1 to 2 garlic cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Equipment

Blender or food processor

Instructions

1. Blend half the basil with the nuts, cheese, and garlic: Combine half of the basil with the nuts, cheese, cloves, and salt in a blender or food processor. Blend continuously until the ingredients are finely chopped.
2. Blend in the rest of the basil: Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the rest of the basil. Blend until a uniform paste has formed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Stream in the olive oil: With the blender running, stream in the olive oil. Less olive oil will make a paste good for spreading on sandwiches and pizzas; more will make a sauce better for pastas and stirring into soup. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue blending as needed until the olive oil is emulsified into the basil and the pesto looks uniform.
4. Taste and adjust: Taste the pesto and add more salt, garlic, nuts, or cheese as needed to taste.
5. Store your pesto: Pesto will darken and brown very quickly, but will still be tasty and fresh for several days. For best appearance, use it right away. If storing, store it in the smallest container possible and thoroughly press the pesto to eliminate air pockets. Pour a little olive oil over the surface, cover, and refrigerate for up to a week. Pesto can also be frozen for several months.