Healthy & Nourishing Slow Cooked Soups

Although we are heading into Summer where I live, over the Winter break both my darling and I suffered with coughs and colds – no not COVID thank goodness, although we are both veterans now at having COVID tests! In pre-COVID days we would have said ‘It’s just a cold’ but now it’s ‘Is it COVID?’ ‘Should I get a COVID test?’. Also you can’t get a doctor’s appointment if you have COVID-like symptoms unless you’ve had the test and it is negative.

Okay so I’ve set the scene – Winter/Coughs & Colds. The perfect time to enjoy some nourishing and tasty soups. I love my slow cooker and have previously shared both of these recipes on the blog. A slow cooker is set and forget!

I’m joining the lovely Leslie from Once Upon A Time Happily Ever After for a Soup-Chili-Stew Recipe Swap Blog Hop. Participants post their recipe for Soup, Chilli or Stew and we share them around. You don’t even have to be a blogger to participate. Here’s the link to Leslie’s last Recipe Swap.

If you are visiting from Robin at Hello I’m 50ish welcome and I hope you enjoy joining me in the kitchen!

Nourishing Slow Cooked Vegetable Soup

I added Tumeric, Garlic and Ginger for flavour and also their health benefits.

Ingredients: (you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand)

2 carrots
2 zuchinni
1 large onion
2 spring onions
2 sticks celery
1 tin diced tomatoes
1/2 cup red lentils
1 cup small pasta such as macaroni, or shells
1 tin of cannellini beans
1 teaspoon each tumeric, garlic, chilli and ginger – or according to your taste
2 cups of water or enough cover vegetables

Directions:

Dice vegetables, I like mine chunky but you can finely dice them if you wish.
Add to slow cooker or heavy based pot if using the stove
Add lentils and spices
Add tinned tomatoes
Cover with water
Turn slow cook to LOW and cook for 5-6 hours until vegetables are soft but not soggy. About 1 – 1.5 hours before completion add the pasta. I added mine a little too early so it was softer than the usual ‘al dente’ that I make.

If using the stove top. Bring to boil and then simmer gently until vegetables are soft but not soggy.

Note: Overcooking vegetables depletes them of their nutritional value so make sure you check them earlier rather than later.

Slow Cooked Moroccan Style Sweet Potato & Red Lentil Soup

Serves 2 – 4

Ingredients

1/2 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 onion finely diced
3 small carrots diced
1 large sweet potato peeled and diced
1 cup dried red lentils
2 cups water
Greek yogurt to serve

Method

• The recipe called for frying the spices and onions until softened although I didn’t do this.
• I put all the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 – 8 hours until vegetables are tender.
• Blend until smooth and add more water if too thick.

Blog Swap

Now you have my recipes, pop over and visit Leslie at Once Upon A Time, Happily Ever After to see what she has been cooking.

If you have a favourite Chili, Soup or Stew recipe join the link and share with us:

You might like to see what recipes are being posted by the other contributors

• Penny from Penny’s Passion
• Jo from And Anyways
• Lisa from Musings of a Middle-Aged Mom
• Kellyann from This Blonde’s Shopping Bag
• Kirstin from Loving Life
• Dani from Family.Love.Inspiration
• Michael Ann from Out and Back
• Bettye from Fashion Schlub
• Gale from All the Little Bits
• Liz from Closet Play Image
• Robin from Hello I’m 50ish
• Sue (me) from Women over 50 Living Well 
• Leslie from Once Upon a Time and Happily Ever After
• Gina: Facebook Page
• Mary: Will post to Leslies FB page: Once Upon A Time