Category Archives: crockpot

Pot Pie Makeover

by crockpot, gluten free

The comfort of pot pie

One of my favorite meals is pot pie.  When the weather gets cold and wintry, there is nothing more warming and delicious than a pot pie.  It's also a wonderful convenience dish. Filled with meat and vegetables, it's a meal in one dish.

What's in the box?

For many people pot pie is something that comes in a box from the freezer section at the grocery store. While certainly convenient, these tend to come with a variety of ingredients that are not a great choice. Here, for example, is the ingredient list from

Stouffer's White Meat Chicken Pot Pie:
Water, Chicken Meat White Cooked, Flavor(s) Chicken, Chicken Powder, Chicken Broth Dehydrated,
Food Starch Modified, Carrageenan, Cellulose Gum, Dextrose, Flavor(s), Salt, Whey Protein
Concentrate, Mono and Diglycerides, Cream Whipping, Apple(s), Flour Bleached Enriched, Wheat
Flour Bleached Enriched, Carrot(s), Celery, Chicken Fat, Egg(s) Yolks Dried, Niacin, Milk Non-Fat
Dry, Onion(s), Peas, Polysorbate 80, Iron Reduced, Salt, Sodium Citrate, Chicken Base, Contains BHA,
Contains BHT, Canola Oil, Caramel, Corn Syrup Solids, Lard, Maltodextrin, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2),
Soy Lecithin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Corn Starch Modified

44 ingredients! Going through this list one by one would be a rather long endeavor so I'll skip to the chase and point out that there are GMO's, lots of chemicals, known carcinogens, possible MSG, probably pesticides, and potentially heavy metals in this box.  There's also a nasty ingredient called carrageenan which can cause intestinal distress and has some other unpleasant side effects. Not very tasty in my book.

So what's the answer?  

For me it's making my own pot pie.  14 simple real food ingredients (15 if you include the seasoning on the meat).

Before when making pot pies I used to cook a chicken or a turkey and then dice up the leftover meat to use in a pot pie.  Certainly a convenient way to make use of the leftover meat, but rather time consuming.  Recently I had an epiphany.  Why not shred the meat instead.  I theorized that the shredded meat would be just as nice in the pot pie, but could potentially be made much easier than having to roast a bird, carve off the meat and then cut it up.

Using my crockpot, one of my favorite kitchen appliances, I made shredded meat overnight.  I actually wanted to try making pot pie and chili with shredded meat so I cooked enough meat for both dishes.  Using two turkey breasts and six chicken thighs (to get a good mix of white and dark meat), I put them in the crockpot with seasonings (I used Kirkland's No Salt Seasoning and some fresh ground pepper) and 1/4 cup of nourishing broth.  I let it cook on low all night.  In the morning when I got up the meat was fully cooked and so tender that it shredded without any difficulty simply using two forks.  

Sidenote:  I use my crockpot overnight on a fairly regular basis.  I figure just because I'm asleep doesn't mean my crockpot can't be working for me.  Nourishing broth, soaking beans, overnight cereal, marinara sauce, all kinds of things work well in the crockpot overnight to be ready to use when you wake up in the morning.

Updating your pot pie

As much as I like pot pie, over the years I've become less and less enamored of the idea of eating my meals encased in a crust of dough, especially a gluten based dough.  Although it's possible to make gluten-free pie crust, I'm not very good at it (and not particularly interested in spending the time on it these days).  So I've come up with an alternative.  I make dumplings and serve that as the top “crust.”  It's delicious without being overwhelming in the way of simple carbs. It also requires a little less labor.  The dumplings are great because they provide just the right amount of toothsomeness to the pot pie; the right balance to top off the delicious filling.

Here's my basic-ish recipe for a pot pie.  This recipe is for mushrooms and peas because that's what I had on hand when I made it last.  Usually the vegetable part of a pot pie is somewhat flexible which is one of the things that makes it such a wonderful dish to have in your repertoire. The recipe does include bone broth which makes it tastier and more nourishing.  Enjoy!

GF Dumpling Pot Pie
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. Gluten Free Dumpling Crusted Pot Pie
  2. 10-12 baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  3. 2 T. organic butter
  4. 1/4 C. gluten free flour (these days I'm using Namaste and really like it)
  5. 1 C. nourishing broth
  6. 2 C. whole fat organic milk
  7. 1 heaping t. dried onion
  8. 1/2 t. dried thyme
  9. 1 t. sea salt
  10. 3 C. shredded chicken
  11. 2 C. peas, frozen or fresh
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F
  2. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish
  3. Melt butter in a large sauce pan
  4. Add mushrooms and stir gently until mushroom soften
  5. Add flour and toss gently, coating mushrooms
  6. Add broth and milk, stirring well to incorporate fully and bring to a boil
  7. Reduce heat and add onions, salt, and thyme, cook 5-7 minutes until sauce begins to thicken
  8. Add meat and peas
  9. Top with dumpling crust
  10. Bake 30-35 minutes
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/
GF Dumpling
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup gluten free flour
  2. 2 t. baking powder
  3. 1 t. dried parsley
  4. 1/2 t. dried dill
  5. 1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper
  6. generous pinch sea salt
  7. 1/4 cup organic butter
  8. 1/2 cup whole fat organic milk
Instructions
  1. Combine flour, baking soda, and seasonings mixing well
  2. Slice butter into thin pats and then blend into flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal
  3. Add in milk and combine fully until it forms a dough
  4. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto top of filling
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/

The Giving Season

by crockpot, holidays, recipes
hot chocolate | photo: Itizdacuriz

Every year around the holiday season I always find that I need a few small gifts.  Not willing to brave the shopping frenzy at this time of year I turn to the idea of making gifts at home.  I find many people truly enjoy receiving these more personal gifts.

Confession time.  I'm a fairly decent knitter but rather slow at it so whipping out a bunch of hand knitted gifts just isn't going to happen.  (I'm still working on a gift for someone that was supposed to be last year's present.)  I have visions of all of the fabulous crafty gifts that abound on the internet that look so easy.  Following directions closely my version comes out “nice” but certainly not as full of wow factor as the originals; so that's not gonna happen either.

But…food…I love food.  And I love giving food.  And most people I know like getting food.  That makes it a perfect gift in my book.  The best part is that you still have time to put it all together, wrap it up in a pretty ribbon and gift it to that someone special without braving the crowds. the carols, and the olfactory assault that is commercialized holiday shopping.

  1. Chocolate Granola – This recipe is from my friend Christine and is always a huge hit.  Made in the crockpot it's super easy; set it to cook all day (stirring when you remember) while you are doing other things.
  2. Crockpot Snack Mix – There are four recipes on this post Tropical, Tex-Mex, Asian, and Curried; they're all delicious.  Another fabulous use for your crockpot.
  3. Crockpot Nuts – Okay, by now you've figured out that I love my crockpot.  These snack nuts are so tasty that I always have to make extras because they're just that good.
  4. Vanilla Sugar – This is a fabulous gift to give, especially to someone who is a baker.  One vanilla bean pod split and shoved, seeds and all, into a wide mouth pint jar full of evaporated cane juice crystals.  Tie a pretty ribbon on it and you're good to go.  It does need to sit for 2-3 weeks to allow the aroma to infuse so stick a note on it if necessary.
  5. Hot Cocoa Mix – This is based on a recipe from a major food manufacturer.  I've changed it by substituting better ingredient options and removing the requirement for name brand products. 
  • 1/4 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1/3 Cup evaporated cane juice crystals (optional – made into vanilla sugar. yum)
  • 1 1/2 Cups organic milk powder 
  • 1/2 Cup chopped good quality chocolate (I prefer Belgian chocolate)
  • Layer ingredients in order given into a wide mouth pint jar, close and decorate with ribbon
  • Instructions for preparation:  Gently heat 4 cups of organic milk to just below boiling, add contents of the jar, whisking well until fully combined.  note:  if not using vanilla sugar include instructions to use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.  
  • Garnish with organic whipped cream and shaved chocolate.  Makes 4 servings  
Whatever your holiday of choice, I hope it's a happy and healthy one.

Energy Bars

by crockpot, grains, recipes, snacks, vegetarian

Energy bars are a great snack to have in your pantry.  They are handy and healthy for after school, wonderful if you need a little something in the afternoon to tide you over until dinner, great for after a workout, and easily portable for on the road.  Unfortunately many of the commercial bars are loaded with chemicals and preservatives (which should be avoided as much as possible).


You can bypass the chemicals and preservatives in commercial energy bars if you make them yourself.  My favorite way to do this is to start with a batch of my own Great Granola.  It's easy to make in your slow cooker, delicious, healthy, and very reasonably priced.  The overall cost of these homemade energy bars is typically less than purchasing them in the store.


To boost the nutrition of my energy bars I add sesame seeds, which are high in copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc.  They also add fiber and a great nutty flavor.  Another addition is almond butter.  Almonds are an alkalizing nut with heart healthy monounsaturated fat.  Studies have shown they can limit the rise in blood sugar which normally happens after you eat; they also provide antioxidants.  Almond butter can be purchased in a number of grocery stores from the grind-your-own machine, you can make it very easily in a food processor, or you can purchase commercial varieties.  If you purchase commercial almond butter look for one with no added oil, sugar, or preservatives.


After making the bars I wrap them individually in wax paper and store them in an airtight container.  They keep well although given their popularity I have yet to figure out exactly how long they will last.


Great Granola Energy Bars
makes 16


3 C. granola
3/4 C. sesame seeds
1 C. almond butter
1/2 C. raw honey


Toast sesame seeds lightly in a pan until golden
In a double boiler combine almond butter and honey
Stir together as it begins to soften and melt
When very warm and liquid add in sesame seeds
In a large bowl thoroughly combine granola and honey, almond butter, sesame seeds
Oil a baking pan (I use either grapeseed or walnut oil)
Pour mixture onto pan
Lightly oil your hands and press mixture onto the pan
Allow mixture to cool completely before cutting into bars

Crockpot Snack Mix

by crockpot, recipes, snacks

I recently made a batch of Christine's Crockpot Granola.  I really like making it as it's very easy and it tastes great.  While my overnight crockpot cereal is a huge hit you can only make enough for a couple of days.  With the granola I can make enough for a week or more (depending on how fast we eat it).  I posted the fact that I was making a batch of granola on FaceBook and got a comment from Sandy who didn't know that you could make that in a crockpot.  Well folks, yes you can.  You can actually make a lot of things in a crockpot, one of the reasons I love mine so much.

My crockpot history

I own two.  A small 2 quart and a larger 5 quart.  I've considered getting a 6 quart but have no idea where I would store it in my rather small kitchen.  First things first, let's clear up the terminology.  A crockpot is the same thing as a slow cooker.  Crockpot is simply a brand name from the Rival Corporation.  Slow cooker is what everyone else calls it because crockpot is trademarked.  I call mine a crockpot because I happen to own a Rival brand and that's what I've been calling it for 30 years.

I got my first crockpot, which is my 5 quart when I was in college  (and yes, I'm still using it all these years later, that sucker works like a charm).  I went to a college where you needed to feed yourself on the weekends because the kitchen closed down. After a couple of weeks as a freshman I called my Mom and told her that I needed a hotpot and would she please buy me one.  She asked me what I wanted it for.  I said to make soup, sauces and things like that.  I came home a few weeks later and there was a crockpot sitting on my bed.  I was, needless to say, thrilled.  She asked if that was what I wanted.  I replied that I had been looking for a hotpot which cost about $6.  She offered to return the crockpot and buy me a hotpot (better deal for her). I hugged the box to my chest and announced that I would definitely be able to use this.  And indeed I did.  For four years I was very popular on the weekend as several of us would pool our food and make soups or a huge pot of spaghetti sauce and eat together.  It was great.

After I got married I learned that a crockpot is a lifesaver when you have two working professionals. You come home and dinner is ready.  It became one of our most used kitchen appliances.  Then we started having kids and it became even more important to plan meals that would be simple, easy and fit into our increasingly busy schedule. Now we're empty nesters but our crockpots still get used regularly and are one of my favorite time saving tools. 

Dry cooking in a crockpot

Dry cooking in a crockpot can be tricky. That's because the point of a crockpot is to seal in moisture. This reduces the amount of moisture you need to cook with and creates a slow braising effect. You need to adjust for dry/low moisture recipes; one trick is to leave a wooden spoon in the crock propping the lid open.  You also need to make things that won't burn or stick.  Snack mixes are a good choice.  You get a tasty, crunchy treat where you control the salt, sugar, fat and flavor content without all of the chemicals, preservatives and artificial colors of store bought snack mixes.  Although I use cereals as the base for these mixes I tend to buy only cereals that do not have any objectionable ingredients.  I also use raw or soaked nuts and add sea salt as needed for flavor.  I prefer not to use roasted nuts because they are not as healthy for you.

Here are our favorites:

Crockpot Tropical Snack Mix
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 3 C. rice squares cereal
  2. 2 C. oat squares cereal (look for gluten free)
  3. 1 C. dried banana chips, unsulfured
  4. 1 C. dried pineapple, unsulfured
  5. 1 C. macadamia nuts, raw and unsalted
  6. 1 C. shredded coconut, unsulfured and unsweeteend
  7. 1/2 C. coconut oil, organic, melted
  8. 1 T. honey, raw and local preferred
  9. 1 t. cinnamon
  10. 1 T. sucanat
  11. 1/2 t. sea salt
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients into the crockpot
  2. Turn it on low for 3-4 hours, propping the lid open with a wooden spoon
  3. Stir every 30-40 minutes
  4. When it is done (the mixture seems very dry), turn off the crockpot, uncover and let the mixture cool completely in the crockpot
  5. Store in an airtight container
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/
Crockpot Tex Mex Snack Mix
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 3 C. corn squares (organic and low sugar)
  2. 2 C. rice squares
  3. 2 C. corn chips (organic)
  4. 1 C. pecans or walnuts, raw
  5. 1 stick melted butter (organic)
  6. 1/2 t. hot sauce
  7. 1 T. Penzey's Taco seasoning
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients into the crockpot
  2. Turn on low for 3-4 hours, propping the lid open with a wooden spoon
  3. Stir every 30-40 minutes
  4. When done (the mixture seems dry), turn off, uncover, and let cool completely in the crockpot
  5. Store in an airtight container.
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/
Crockpot Asian Snack Mix
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 4 cups rice squares cereal
  2. 1½ cups sesame crackers
  3. 1 C. cashews
  4. 1 C. dried peas with no artificial color (these are hard to find)
  5. 1 stick melted organic unsalted butter
  6. 1 T. Tamari sauce
  7. 1 t. Chinese five spice
  8. 1/2 t. sea salt
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients into the crockpot
  2. Turn it on low for 3-4 hours, propping the lid open with a wooden spoon
  3. Stir every 30-40 minutes
  4. When it is done (the mix seems dry) turn off the crockpot, uncover and let the mix cool completely in the crockpot
  5. Store in an airtight container
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/
Crockpot Curried Snack Mix
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 4 C. rice squares cereal
  2. 1 C. cashews, raw and unsalted
  3. 1/2 C. chopped walnuts, raw and unsalted
  4. 1/4 C. candied ginger, diced finely
  5. 1 C. shredded coconut, unsulfured and unsweetened
  6. 1 t. curry powder
  7. 1/2 C. ghee
  8. 2 t. Tamari sauce
  9. 1/2 t. sea salt
Instructions
  1. Mix all ingredients into the crockpot
  2. Turn it on low for 3-4 hours, propping the lid open with a wooden spoon
  3. Stir every 30-40 minutes
  4. When it is done (the mix seems dry) turn off the crockpot, uncover and let the mix cool completely in the crockpot
  5. Store in an airtight container
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/

It’s Not Just Soup

by baking, crockpot, gluten free, grains, oats, recipes

My recent post about substituting barley for oats has generated a number of inquiries about barley itself so I thought I would address them here.

Barley is a very versatile cereal grain that we get from grass, Hordem vulgare. It is cultivated all around the world and has a wide variety of uses, from animal fodder to cereal to alcohol to malt and more.   Barley contains all eight essential amino acids and is a very rich source of both soluble and insoluble fiber.  It is also a good source of selenium, a trace mineral that is helpful to the immune system and with helping to regulate the thyroid.


Before I go any further I should also mention that barley is one of “those” grains; it contains gluten.  Many more people are being diagnosed with Celiac Disease or are gluten sensitive.  If you have gluten issues of any kind it is best to avoid all forms of gluten; I encourage you to speak with a healthcare practitioner to determine if you think you have any gluten issues.  

Barley comes in several forms.  The most common is pearled which is frequently used for soups or as a substitution for rice in pilafs and stuffings.  Pearled barley is not considered a whole grain because all of the bran coating has been polished off.  Scotch, or pot, barley is the next step up the ladder with minimal polishing but is also not considered a whole grain because although some of the hull remains too much of it has been removed.

Next is hulled barley, sometimes called barley groats, which is considered a whole grain because of the fiber contained in the hull, left after the outer, inedible layer has been stripped away.  Hulled barley requires soaking due to the added fiber, but it gives a lovely texture, or bite, to stews, soups, cereals, puddings, and other dishes.  One of my favorite breakfast dishes is a crockpot cereal made with oat groats, hulled barley groats and brown rice.  

Dry pearled, scotch, and hulled barley can be ground into flour and used in baking.  Barley flour is light and delicate in flavor however you need to be aware that barley is a low gluten grain. Therefore it may need to be combined with other higher gluten grains when using the flour in baking.  Used by itself barley flour makes a wonderful, delicate cookie.

Barley can also be flaked, similar to oats, and used as a cereal or added to baked goods for texture and flavor.  Due to the flaking process this is not a considered a whole grain so the amount of beneficial fiber is not very high.  Flaked barley can also be ground into flour; this is best done in a food processor or blender rather than a grain mill to prevent any clogging.  As with corn, barley can be toasted, ground, turned into grits and eaten as a cereal or side dish or, similar to wheat, it can be turned into a bulgur-type texture.


Last, but certainly not least, are the benefits of barley greens.  Many people like to juice and drink barley grass, similar to wheatgrass, or to use barley greens powders made from dehydrated barley grass.  Because barley grass is made from the leaves, or shoots, of the barley it does not contain gluten however the risk of contamination with the kernel or the risk of not harvesting at the right time is a possibility so barley grass and barley greens should not be consumed by people with gluten issues.

Because of the varieties of textures and it's use in so many dishes I encourage you to try adding barley to your diet, it makes a great change from rice or pasta.

Crockpot Breakfast Cereal
makes 4 servings

place in crockpot:

1/3 C. each oat groats, hulled barley and brown rice
Three cups of water 
1/2 C. dried fruit

Set crockpot on low overnight

In the morning add:
2 T. ground flax
1 T. ground cinnamon
the sweetner of choice (we tend to use either honey or maple syrup)

Enjoy!

photo courtesy of de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:MarkusHagenlocher

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley, 
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/selenium.asp, 
http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/barley-nutrition.html, 
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=127#nutritionalprofile
http://homecooking.about.com/cs/vegetables/a/barley.htm,
http://www.barleyfoods.org/nutrition.html
Beans and grains for amino acids

What You Need To Know About Amino Acids

by crockpot, grains, health, legumes, protein, recipes, vegetarian

Amino Acids Are The Building Blocks

We don't often think about the amino acids in our food and their impact on our health. But they play a really crucial part to health. This post addresses the important thing that we need to know about amino acids and shares on of my favorite recipes.
 
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and there are twenty altogether. Eight of the twenty are considered “essential amino acids” because we require them but our body cannot manufacture them so we must get them from our food. These eight are phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, leucine, and lysine.
 
Animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs, contain all eight. But different foods such as legumes, seeds, and grains do not.  Therefore they must be combined to create a complete protein. Legumes are high in the essential amino acid lysine, but they are low in methionine grains have both methionine and cysteine but are low in lysine.  Combining them allows you to get a high-quality protein with all of the essential amino acids. 

Going meatless

There's a lot of media attention to the idea of reducing how much meat we're eating. Including a suggestion for ditching the meat at least one day a week and switching to Meatless Mondays. 

If you are a meat eater who is simply trying to eat less meat, incorporating a vegetarian plan one day a week can be a great way to get started. But it's important that you don't become a carbotarian and simply add lots of pasta or simple carbohydrates for your meatless meals. While getting proper nutrition from vegetarian meals requires a little more thought and effort, it is not difficult.

Amino Acid Food Combinations 

In many cultures there are a lot of recipes that call for a mixture of legumes and grains that then create a complete protein. 
  • a Korean dish called Kong bap is a mixture of seven grains and four beans.  Because this dish contains beans (adzuki beans and green peas) and grains (barley, rice, Job's tears, sorghum, and corn) it provides all of the essential amino acids.  This dish also has soybeans which are considered to be a complete protein by themselves. 
  • South and Central America have many dishes that call for a combination of beans with corn
  • In the Middle East, there is hummus or falafel (made from chickpeas) and whole wheat pita as a common option
  • India brings us dal (lentils) and rice 
Grains and legumes are not the only combinations that make a complete protein.  Nuts and seeds can also be combined with either grains or legumes as a good source of protein.  
 
The idea is to ensure that if you are not eating meat that you are not simply adding legumes to your diet but that you are adding them with whole grains and/or seeds to get proper nutrition.

Delicious lentils for dinner

One of our favorite dinners is a curried crockpot lentil and rice dish.  This recipe originally came from a Lebanese friend of mine and is called M'judra, I've modified it a little over the years and it's one of our regular choices. Especially because the crockpot makes this an easy option.
 
This pairs really well with an Indian spinach dish called Palak and a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers with a spice called Chat Masala.  It's a tasty, healthy and satisfying meal.  I make it with a fair amount of curry powder because that's how we like it, if you need to reduce the curry powder it will still be delicious.
 
Curried Crockpot Lentils and Rice
Save Recipe
Print
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 C. rinsed lentils
  2. 1 C. rinsed red rice (can use brown rice if you prefer)
  3. 1 green pepper, diced
  4. 1 onion, diced
  5. 2 T. curry powder
  6. 1 T. nutritional yeast
  7. 1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper
  8. 3 1/2 C. vegetable broth
  9. 1 T. olive oil
Instructions
  1. Saute the pepper and onions in the olive oil until just starting to soften
  2. Place all dry ingredients into the crockpot
  3. Add broth and stir well
  4. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours (check at 4.5 hours to see if you need a little more water)
  5. Add salt to taste after done cooking
Notes
  1. Note:  Don't add the salt while cooking because it will delay the lentils from softening
The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/
Check out my other recipes using lentils:

 

Image by carlo sardena from Pixabay 

Ratatouille

by crockpot, recipes, tomatoes, ,

Not the movie, the food.  Even though we are slated to have a high of 75 F today it's a great day to make ratatouille.  In part because I have a lot of running around to do and my crock pot makes it very easy to get dinner on the table in spite of that.  The other reason is that eggplants were particularly beautiful at the grocery store yesterday so I bought one.  Glossy, firm, no wrinkles, that's the way to pick a good eggplant.  

 
Eggplants are related to the nightshade family (along with potatoes, tomatoes, and sweet peppers, so those who are sensitive to nightshades should avoid them) and are actually fruits because their seeds are on the inside.  They have many wonderful health benefits including a fair amount of fiber (if eaten with the skin), lots of potassium and vitamin B1, also known as thiamin.  
 
To be honest, in our house making ratatouille is an inexact science.  The base ingredients are: eggplant, onion, tomatoes, sweet peppers, garlic, olive oil, pitted olives, basil, salt, pepper, and parsley.
 
How much of which ingredient depends on what we have available.  I know that's not really helpful so here are the proportions I used today.  
 

Ratatouille

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium size eggplant diced
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 zucchini cut into 1/2" rounds
  • 2 peppers (one red one green) chopped medium
  • 2 large tomatoes diced
  • 1 t. dried basil
  • 1 t. dried parsley
  • salt and pepper

Instructions
 

  • Layer it all in the crockpot
  • Pour a 14.5 ounce can of diced organic tomatoes over the batch
  • Let it cook on low for 7-9 hours until it is done

Notes

I plan to serve this ladled over freshly made polenta with a generous shaving of fresh parmesan on top for a delicious, filling meal.

Polenta

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 C. fresh ground cornmeal
  • 1 t. salt
  • 3 C. water

Instructions
 

  • Bring water and salt to a boil
  • Reduce water to a simmer
  • Very slowly add cornmeal (this is important to avoid lumps)
  • Cook approximately 20 minutes until mixture thickens
  • Remove from heat and pour into a pie plate (for triangles) or a cake pan (for squares)
  • Let polenta set for 10-15 minutes
  • Cut and serve
  • Enjoy and be well.