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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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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.