Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup

 

This is a great new recipe for slow-cooker minestrone soup.  I adapted this from a great recipe from EatingWell.  It is fairly low in calories and has a good deal of protein from the beans that you are using in this vegetarian dish (if you do not use chicken broth).  However, it makes a ton of soup, so you might either want to cut the recipe in half, or use a large slow cooker.  I wished I used my larger one (as opposed to my standard size one), but it all fit.  I also used dried beans that soaked overnight to reduce sodium.  I let this cook a long time and it just was fantastic.  This was a perfect dinner on a cold day in Michigan.

Ingredients (serves 8-10 portions)

1 1/4 cup Mixed Dried Beans (light red kidney and small red work well)

4-5 large Carrots, peeled and chopped (or around 14-16 baby carrots)

2 stalks Celery, chopped

1 small Red onion, chopped 

3 tsp (or cloves) garlic, chopped

2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 15 ounce can Petite diced tomatoes, undrained

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

8 cups Vegetable or chicken broth (low or no sodium works well)

1/2 tsp Kosher salt (adjust to taste)

1/2 tsp Black pepper (adjust to taste)

4 ounces Pasta (rotini, elbows or any small shape) - about 1 cup

Directions

1. Place the mixed dried beans in a bowl and soak with around 6 cups of water overnight. 
2. Combine carrots, celery, red onion, garlic, green beans, diced tomatoes (with liquid) and Italian seasoning in the slow cooker.  
3. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the slow cooker with broth.  Add Kosher salt and black pepper to taste.  
4. Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 9 hours (it can go longer if needed).
5. 30 minutes before you want to eat, add dried pasta to the soup and cover.

Enjoy!

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

 

There are a great number of ways to make fries in the air fryer.  We found a great recipe (from Yumna Jawad's Feel Good Foodie) to serve as a base and started mixing in different spices until we found a great taste.  These are a quick and easy way to add a great side to your meal (if you have an air fryer).  Since sweet potatoes are a super food - it is a nice way to get them into your diet more.  The trick here is to be patient and not overload the sweet potatoes in the air fryer.  Working in batches might be in order if you are cooking for a crowd.  They need a bit of room to cook!

Ingredients (2 servings)

2 medium or 1 large Sweet potato
1 tsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Onion powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
Pinch of Black Pepper (adjust to taste)

Directions

1. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. 
2. Peel the sweet potatoes, then slice each potato into 1/3 inch thick sticks.  
3. Place the sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl, and toss with olive oil, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder paprika and black pepper.
4. Cook without overcrowding the pan.  This will be between 13-14 minutes.  Half way through, shake the basket to get all sides cooking.  

Enjoy!

Air Fryer Crab Cakes

 

We love crab cakes at our house and are always looking for a recipe that is easy and delicious.  I have been enjoying the air fryer a great deal lately and we found this recipe on EatingWell.  This came out fantastic.  They looked a bit well done, but they were nice a moist inside.  We served them with a caesar salad.  This is going to be a regular in our house.  

Ingredients (makes 4 crab cakes)

• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp Butter (unsalted if available), melted 
• 1/2 tsp Basil, dried
• 1/2 tsp Tarragon, dried
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 
• 1/2 tsp Lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp Onion powder
• 2 tbsp Sour cream
• 8 oz. Lump crabmeat (fresh if possible), drained
• 1/2 Red bell pepper, finely chopped.
• 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat a larger air fryer to 390°F. 
2. Whisk eggs, butter, basil, tarragon, Worcestershire, lemon juice, paprika, garlic salt, onion powder,  and sour cream together in a large bowl. Add crabmeat, bell pepper, and panko and stir gently.
3. With clean hands, shape the mixture evenly into 3 or 4 crab cakes (around 1/3 cup each). Generously coat the fry basket with cooking spray. Add 3 crab cakes to the basket; coat the top of the crab cakes with cooking spray. Cook until deeply browned and crispy on both sides, 14 to 16 minutes.  

Enjoy with Salad or shredded lettuce.

Long-Life Noodles with Chicken and Broccoli

 

I wanted to start mixing up my dishes for the new year.  We love a Chinese noodle dish and I found this late last year.  What a great way to start the new year with Long-Life Noodles, a recipe I found on the EatingWell site.  We changed the protein to chicken and tweaked a few things and loved the way it came out.  We think this is going to be a regular!

Ingredients (3-4 servings)

• 6-8 oz Thin spaghetti
• 1 tsp Sesame oil
• 3 tbsp Oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp Cooking sherry
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 ½ tsp Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 10-12 oz Broccolini, stalks trimmed with larger pieces cut in half.  
• 12 oz Mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 2 Chicken breasts, trimmed and thinly sliced.  
• 2 tsp Garlic, chopped (or cloves)
• 1-2 tsp Sesame seeds

Directions

1. Cook thin spaghetti according to package directions. Rinse and drain well. Toss with sesame oil. Set aside.
2. Whisk together oyster sauce, cooking sherry, soy sauce, and cornstarch in a small bowl.
3. Heat a large flat-bottom wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Add broccoli and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add chicken and garlic.  Saute for 4 minutes, stirring continually.
4. Add the sauce and bring to a boil; cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add the noodles to the pan and toss to coat. 
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  

Enjoy!