SLOW COOKER BEAN SOUP WITH HAM

It that time of the year again.  It slowly gets cooler, the leaves start changing, the days get shorter, and we finally get the rain that we could of used all summer.  It can rain for days and some times a chill set in and yes theirs only one way to get rid of it.....Soup!

 

I came up with this great bean soup recipe that uses raw unsoaked beans.  Just throw everything into the slow cooker and at the end of the day you have the perfect bowl of warmth.

 

1/2 lb raw navy beans

12 cups of water 

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped small diced celery

1 tbsp dried basil

1 1/2 cups chopped ham

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

 

Sort beans and rinse well.  Dump beans into slow cooker and add the rest of the ingredient and mix well.  cook on low for 8 hours

 

SOFT PUMPKIN MINI CHIP COOKIE

One cup of pumpkin and what to do with it, was my dilemma today.  I'm not a waster of good food, especially pumpkin!  There wasn't enough for a batch of warm comforting creamy pumpkin soup...nor a pumpkin cake.  Then it hit me...my hubby's favorite cookie...pumpkin chocolate chip!

 

Every fall we go apple picking and stop by the pumpkin patch to pick up a few pumpkins for carving and eating.  These cookies are a seasonal treat for us.

 

1 1/2 cups Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free Flour

1 tsp baking power

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 cup pumpkin

1/2 cup white or brown sugar

1/2 cup almond milk

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

 

Whisk together all the dry ingredients until incorporated.  Add the pumpkin and the almond milk and mix well.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Drop on a greased sheet pan as big of a cookie as you want..these cookies do not spread.  Bake at 425 for 10 minutes

 

 

 



THE VERSITILE BEAN

Beans, beans, beans...gotta love them!  Who would of ever thought you could do so much with a bean.  I have found that substituting mashed beans in lasagna or stuffed shells can take the place of ricotta cheese and maintain its creamy consistency..and no one is the wiser.

 

We love lasagna, and the like, but not unfavorable.  If you take out all the ooey, gooey goodness of the cheese, whats left?  So I put my thinking cap on once again and figured out a yummy version that's creamy, healthy and filling.  Hope you enjoy it...our family sure does!

 

LASAGNA ROLL-UPS

 

1 can navy beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup lite ricotta

1/4 cup egg beaters egg substitute

1/2 package (9oz) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed 

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

 

8oz Jennie o ground turkey (I used 99/1 extra lean)

6 cooked whole wheat lasagna noodles

2 cups marinara sauce ( I made my own healthy version)

1/4 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brown ground turkey.  In a medium bowl, mash navy beans with a fork.  Add the next 7 ingredients and mix well.  Lay out the six cooked lasagna noodles and measure 1/3 cup of filling for each one and spread over the noodle. Roll up and put seam side down in a sprayed 8x8 pan.  Top with the ground turkey and  the marinara sauce.  Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.  Bake, for 35 minutes

 

 

 

 

Yummy Goodness!

       

 

 

 



BAKED OATMEAL

I love oatmeal.  Its my go to breakfast many mornings.  Its so healthy for alot of things that ail you, so why not eat it?  I have especially become really fond of steel cut oats but not fond of how long it takes to cook.  This recipe is made with old fashioned oats which bakes up nicely and has a little higher nutritional value then quick oats.  I also use fresh made applesauce but you can use jarred.  I bake up a pan for the week, cut it in squares and store it in the fridge.  Its easy to pop a few squares in the microwave, add almond milk or Greek yogurt and berry's for an awesome, healthy start to your day.

 

3 cups old fashioned oats (not quick cook oats)

1/2 cup honey or agave nectar

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup almond milk

1/2 cup egg beaters

3 tbsp melted butter

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce ( I made my own and left it chunky)

2 tsp vanilla

   Preheat oven to 350.  Mix all the dry ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another.  Pour the wet into the dry ingredients and mix well by hand.  pour into a sprayed 9 x 13 pan and bake for 35 minutes.  Cool and cut into squares.  Keep refrigerated.