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Tortilla Soup – Soup for the soul, spice for life

Tortilla Soup – Soup for the soul, spice for life
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The smell of this cooking all day makes it hard to concentrate. When I first made Tortilla Soup, all 3 kids came in at separate times asking what I was making. It was like in the old cartoons where they came floating in on the smell. The same thing also happened the last several times I made it.

The simple ingredients don’t seem to offer much. Sure, chili flakes, but why Maple Syrup. Sometimes you just have to try it out though. This one was sitting around for quite a while but it kept on coming up. Should we or shouldn’t we? That is the question.

Then I decided to pull a Nike and Just Do It! Without a second though I tossed everything in the slow cooker, even the maple syrup, and waited to see what would come out. Since then we have been having it about once a week. The kids can’t get enough and neither can I!

When I make it for the family, my kids add a mild mustard based hot sauce on it. I put a hotter curry based hot sauce. My husband, however, adds a hot hot sauce and some chilis from our yard. This base makes it easy for everyone to spice it to the levels that they want. Even if you don’t kick up the intensity this Tortilla Soup is still delicious, though!

As always, let me know what you think of the recipe. To do that you can either rate it, leave a comment, or do both! I really appreciate the feedback and can’t wait to hear from you!

Enjoy!

Tortilla Soup – Soup for the soul, spice for life
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Tortilla Soup

Doesn't matter if you are eating it as a soup, using it as a dip, or drinking it from a cup, this Mexican inspired soup will become a main stay on your dinner table.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time6 hrs
Total Time6 hrs 20 mins
CourseSoup
CuisineMexican
KeywordVegan
Servings: 8 people
Author: Mom Adkins

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Onion
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Red Pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp Cumin
  • 1 tsp Chili Flakes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 1 can Kidney Beans
  • 1 can Corn

Salsa

  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2 Onion
  • 3 Cloves Garlic
  • 140 g Carrots
  • 1 dash Salt
  • 1 dash Pepper
  • 500 g Tomato Sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Chili Flakes
  • 1 Chili
  • 80 ml Vegetable Broth
  • 1 tbsp Maple Syrup
  • 1/2 tsp Cumin

Instructions

  • Fry the onion, garlic, and red pepper in a pan with oil.
  • Make the Salsa (see below)
  • Put all ingredients in the slow cooker.
  • Cook for 6 hours on low heat.
  • Top with Avocado, tortilla chips, creme fraiche (vegan creme fraiche works as well), and cumin. Serve & Enjoy!

Salsa

  • Fry the onion, garlic, and carrots in a pan with oil.
  • Add the rest of the Salsa ingredients.
  • Cook until the carrots are soft.
  • Puree.
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Cauliflower Curry – Delicious and Vegan

Cauliflower Curry – Delicious and Vegan
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Normally we make curry with ground beef, or possibly chicken. Cauliflower Curry is a great vegan alternative, however, and is something the entire family can get on board with.

There are a lot of spices going into this dish. Each family, and even each person, has their own personal preference when it comes to how much to use. I would recommend starting with this recipe as is and seeing how it tastes. The more you make Cauliflower Curry the more you will get the spices adjusted to exactly how you like them.

We add a bit more curry powder than what it says and also add in some fresh ground chili. We also eat a bit spicier than some people do.

Another thing that can sometimes use a bit of mom touch is onions. Some like them glassy, some like the lightly browned, some like the caramelized, and some like them borderline burned. Since you won’t be pureeing this you can make them however you and your family enjoy them.

Other than that, you just mix everything in your slow cooker and wait for it to be done. These slow cooker meals are really a lifesaver on busy days. 20 minutes in the morning and by the time everyone gets home you have a meal hot and waiting for you. I don’t think it gets much better than that!

A great dessert to go with Cauliflower Curry, and keep with the vegan theme of the meal, is my Vegan Banana Cookies recipe. You might notice that you are eating vegan, but I don’t think you will care too much.

As always, let me know what you think of the recipe. To do that you can either rate it, leave a comment, or do both! I really appreciate the feedback and can’t wait to hear from you!

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Curry – Delicious and Vegan
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Cauliflower Curry

A great supper to warm you up with a touch of spice to keep Cauliflower from being too boring.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time8 hrs
Total Time8 hrs 20 mins
CourseMain Course
CuisineIndian
KeywordVegan
Servings: 8 people
Author: Mom Adkins

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Frozen Cauliflower thawed and diced
  • 1 can Green Beans
  • 1 can Corn
  • 4 Carrots
  • 1 cup Frozen Peas
  • 1 Onion
  • 4 Cloves Garlic
  • 2 cans coconut cream
  • 1 splash almond milk
  • 2 tbsp curry powder
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp Garam Marsala
  • 1 tbsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp ground almond

Instructions

  • Brown the onions and garlic in olive oil in a sauce pan.
  • Put the cauliflower, corn, carrots, and peas in the slow cooker. Add the onion and garlic on top.
  • Add all the spices and the almonds.
  • Add coconut cream and almond milk and mix well.
  • Cook for 8 hours on low heat or for 5 hours on high heat.
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Ratatouille – Straight from the Slow Cooker

Ratatouille - Straight from the Slow Cooker
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The movie worked wonders for this versatile dish. A mix of vegetables in a savory sauce makes Ratatouille an appealing dish for people of all ages.

We’ve made it as a casserole, as a sauce over noodles, and now we are having it straight from the slow cooker. The ingredients stay the same, but the way you put them together changes, and each one has it’s own unique flavor to it.

There is no getting around chopping those vegetables. If you have the time it is great to have the kids help out. They have fun cooking and you have less to chop. That’s a win-win! You can even use all that time that you’ve saved to make a Key Lime Pie for dessert!

We try to get the kids involved in cooking as much as possible. Being able to prepare something other than delivery or frozen pizza will come in handy one day. You don’t need to have a class for the kids each time you teach them something. Just having them cook along with you will have them learning more than you think. They usually ask questions on their own to fill in any holes that they might have. Slow Cooker Ratatouille is a great recipe to ease them in since it is “just” mixing up the vegetables and adding in the sauce at the end.

If you struggle to get your kids to eat their vegetables, or to try new vegetables, use this delicious recipe, and that little french rat, to show your kids that healthy can also be delicious!

As always, let me know what you think of the recipe. To do that you can either rate it, leave a comment, or do both! I really appreciate the feedback and can’t wait to hear from you!

Enjoy!

Ratatouille - Straight from the Slow Cooker
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Slow Cooker Ratatouille

Whether serving as the main course or as a helathy appetizer, this version of Ratatouille is going to have the whole family finishing their vegetables and going back for seconds.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time4 hrs
Total Time4 hrs 20 mins
CourseAppetizer
CuisineItalian
KeywordVegan
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 61kcal
Author: Mom Adkins

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 28 ounces diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 eggplant cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 zucchini cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 yellow squash cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 red pepper seeded and diced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley or chives chopped

Instructions

  • In a slow cooker, stir together tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, squash, red pepper, onion, garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper and black pepper. 
  • Cook on HIGH for 3 1/2 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours
    Ratatouille - Straight from the Slow Cooker
  • Add tomato paste and parsley and cook uncovered for an additional 30 minutes. 
  • If desired, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh parsley or chives before serving.
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Enchilada Stack – A Slow Cooker must try!

Enchilada Stack
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The slow cooker can be used for so much more than just making chili or oatmeal. This Enchilada Stack can be whipped up in the morning and left to it’s own devices all day giving your family a healthy (-ish) dinner when everyone gets home!

The thing that I really love about using the slow cooker is that you can just toss everything into it in the morning and forget about it until supper time. Enchilada Stack are no different. Aside from grounding the beef (or beef alternative) you just need to mix things together. Before heading to work, or just starting your busy day, you will need 15 minutes to get this in and cook.

As the kids come home from school they immediately recognize the smell and ask when they can eat. Since each kids, and every other person, has an individual taste, we set up a little buffet of various toppings so that everyone can make it their own. This includes avocados, sour cream, chips, jalapeños, shredded cheese, or anything else you can think of! We also have assortment of hot sauces that everyone can use.

What I am planning to try in the near future is to have some lettuce and tomatoes on top to make it more like a taco dish. Another idea would be to use this as an alternative on Chili Cheese Fries. The options seem almost endless!

There is nothing tricky about this recipe to watch out for. Read through the instructions before starting and you are good to go. Don’t forget to let your imagination run wild!

As always, let me know what you think of the recipe. To do that you can either rate it, leave a comment, or do both! I really appreciate the feedback and can’t wait to hear from you!

Enjoy!

Enchilada Stack
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Slow Cooker Enchilada Stack

A great mexican inspired dish to eat like a stew or use as a dip. Great for supper, snack, or just because!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time4 hrs
Total Time4 hrs 15 mins
CourseMain Course
CuisineMexican
KeywordVegan
Servings: 4 Personen
Author: Mom Adkins

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 Package Vegan Ground Beef
  • 1 Medium Onion
  • 2 Cloves Garlic
  • 1 Can Kidney Beans
  • 1 Can Corn
  • 1 Jar Salsa
  • 1 Chili
  • 2 tsp Taco Spice
  • 500 g Tomato Sauce
  • 2 9 inch Tortillas Whole Grain works as well
  • Vegan Shredded Cheese

Instructions

  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Brown the onion and garlic. Add the "ground beef" and cook until brown. Remove from heat.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients except for the tortillas and cheese and mix well.
  • Cover the inside of the slow cooker with vegetable oil. Tear one of the tortillas into pieces and cover the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with about a third of the sauce. Sprinkle some cheese. Repeat two more times.
  • Cook for about 4 hours on low heat or 2 hours on high heat
  • Top with avocado, creme fraiche, and chips. Enjoy!

Notes

You can adjust the spiciness of the dish by adjusting what salsa you are using and what chili you decide to add. The kids really like it with Fireball chilis, but I enjoyed it when we put in a small Carolina Reaper.