Meatless Soup Recipes Suitable For Diabetics

As we quickly approach the fall season, it will be time to get out the soup recipes for those cool~how I look forward to them~fall days. Following are a couple of soup recipes that do not use meat or meat broth. If you are looking for a different soup recipe, try one of these.

Note: This is a soup my 15-year-old grandson came up with. He likes to make it about once a week. He hopes you will enjoy his soup recipe.

DUSTIN'S SPICY EGG SOUP

1 1/2 qt water
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp bacon bits (or crisply fried crumbled bacon)
1 tbsp chopped onion flakes
1/2 tbsp garlic pepper salt
8 large eggs, lightly mixed but not beaten
1 ~ 1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, according to your taste

Put water into a 3-quart saucepan. Add onion flakes, garlic pepper salt and bring to a gentle boil. Add eggs, bacon, vanilla, and red pepper. Continue to cook over medium heat until eggs are cooked. Stir often while cooking.

TOMATO CARROT SOUP

2 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
6 cups chopped tomatoes that have been seeded and peeled
1/4 tsp pepper
1 can (14.5 oz) vegetable broth
6 tbsp plain fat-free yogurt
1 tbsp minced fresh tarragon

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and saute 5 minutes until tender. Add tomato and cook for 10 minutes. Pour mixture into food processor or blender (may have to do half at a time) and process until smooth. Ladle 1 cup soup onto 6 serving bowls and top each with 1 tbsp yogurt and 1/2 tsp tarragon.

Enjoy!

Green Eggs and Ham, PT 1

The first part of the Chicken Noodle Soup Remix



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCnmA7ZoFmI&hl=en

I'm A Vegetarian Now

My semi-autobiographical greatest "hit" about becoming a vegetarian. Recorded back in 1991 in my dorm room at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH This is a copy of a video I uploaded 3+ years ago on youtube at www.youtube.com For some reason the audio got yanked for that one so I re-encoded and re-uploaded it so it wont get flagged as a duplicate. Hopefully that one can be repaired someday. ------- Lyrics: I'm A Vegetarian Now Written and performed by Matthew Baya January 1991 Now I was raised an all-american kid, I enjoyed all four food groups an after school snack was a raw hotdog and Chunky Sirloin Burger soup Ham and cheese sandwich for lunch, steak and potatoes at night scrambled eggs and sausage and bacon, pepperoni on my pizza slice and Burger King was a big night out, and steak was the meal of the week I don't think there was a day of my youth that went by without eating meat But then it was off to college, just fresh out of high school and I was surprised to find out that eating meat wasn't cool When people saw meat on my plate, well they just stared and walked away and no one else ate chicken noodle soup, not even on the rainy days and no matter what I offered my friends they'd always state out loud.. "I'm sorry Matt, but I can't eat that, 'cause I'm vegetarian now!" and I will have no part of, a pig or a chicken or cow Sorry Matt but I can't eat that 'cause I'm a vegetarian now! So I became a vegetarian, and my friends thought that was neat how hard could it ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDl4TQnTwQQ&hl=en

Freezing Cakes + Ham Bone Soup

Recorded on December 6, 2009 using a Flip Video camcorder.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJaukAKX7no&hl=en

Soup & Egg Recipes : Recipe for Potato Ham Soup

Potato ham soup is made just like your regular potato soup except you add cooked ham last. Make this tasty potato ham soup recipe from a head chef in this free video on potato soups. Expert: Susan Walker Bio: Sue Walker owns her own freelance cooking business. She worked as a pastry chef and a full-time head cook for more than 10 years before deciding to start her own company. Filmmaker: Luke Neumann



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYzQBCrMx_k&hl=en

After Gastric-Bypass: Convenient, Healthy Meatball Soups

This time of year we need to enjoy warm comforting food that is quick and convenient to prepare, while being nutritious and delicious. Meatball soups are a great way for weight loss surgery (WLS) patients to enjoy a nutritious tasty meal with easily digested protein. Here are two very good quick soup recipes that take advantage of pantry staples and ready-made fully cooked chicken meatballs from the freezer. Enjoy!

Chicken-Meatball Mexican Soup

Ingredients:

1 package fully cooked chicken meatballs (from the freezer case)

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 (4-ounce) can green chilies, chopped

2 (15-ounce) cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes, chopped, reserving the juice

8 cups chicken stock

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon hot sauce or to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

Chopped cilantro

low-carb tortilla strips

Avocado cubes

Sour cream

Pickled Jalapeno

Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Arrange meatballs in single layer on a cooking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes.

While meatballs bake heat olive oil in a 4-6 quart stockpot. Brown onion and garlic. To the onions add the green chilies, stewed tomatoes, chicken stock, chili powder, cumin, hot sauce.

Simmer the soup for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the cooked meatballs and bring soup back to a simmer. Serve soup with garnishes.

WLS patients should eat 3-5 meatballs topped with a modest serving of liquid.

5 meatballs contain 13g protein, 11g fat (3 saturated), 6 grams carbs.

Chicken Meatball and Ravioli Soup

Ingredients:

1 package fully cooked chicken meatballs (from the freezer case)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove minced

1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes (undrained)

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 (32 ounce) container Swanson chicken broth

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon each dried thyme and oregano

8 ounces mini cheese-filled ravioli

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Arrange frozen meatballs in single layer on a cooking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes.

While meatballs bake heat olive oil in a 4-6 quart stockpot. Brown onion and garlic.

Add tomatoes and liquid, tomato paste, broth, water, sugar, basil, thyme and oregano. Bring mixture to a simmer, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add ravioli and cook, covered at a gentle boil according to package directions (approximately 10 to 15 minutes), until they are just tender and no longer have a starchy taste. Stir in meatballs and return to simmer. Stir in parsley and sprinkle with cheese.

Serve warm.

WLS patients should eat 3-5 meatballs topped with a modest serving of ravioli and liquid.

5 meatballs contain 13g protein, 11g fat (3 saturated), 6 grams carb

Mouthwatering Potato Soup Recipes - Discover Your Own With These 3 Tips!

Learning to make your own homemade potato soup recipes can be exciting, satisfying and very full-filling. When you create a soup (that everyone loves) for family or a friend and they ask where you got such a wonderful recipe, what would you rather tell them?

"I just got it from some website or cookbook..." OR would you rather tell them "I made the recipe up myself and it's the newest edition to my own cookbook!"

If these are the words of gratification that you want to hear, then here are 3 tips to help you create the delicious recipes that you desire.

Tip #1 - What Type of Base?

The base of a soup has the greatest effect over all others.

There are 3 main bases to start with that you can use for your potato soups, cream base, clear base, and puree based.

Creamy Bases - Creamy potato soups are usually smooth and comforting with a subtle taste. There are many ways to make a creamy potato soup but we are just going to go over 3 popular ways to get a creamy base.



Cream Base 1 - The easiest and most used is just by adding enough heavy cream until the desired consistency and tastes are met. Another similar method would be using milk but this would be a lot thinner and a lot less creamy.


Cream Base 2 - A bit more complicated but most likely not to difficult for you is using a light roux and milk. Just add 2 teaspoons of roux for every cup of milk to the soup, stir well, until the desired consistency is reached. Be careful, roux can make your soup extremely thick.


Cream Base 3 - The least used of the 3 but second easiest would be using cornstarch and powdered milk. Dissolve 1 1/4 tablespoons cornstarch to every 2 cups of soup broth you have in a small bowl of cold water. Add 5 tablespoons powdered milk to every 2 cups of soup broth you have and the cornstarch/water mixture to the soup at the end of cooking and stir well for 1 1/2 minutes.


Clear Base - A clear base, the easiest of the 3, normally has a rich and bold flavor with no extra additions like heavy cream to the stock, the base IS the stock.

Puree Base - A puree base is loaded with rich flavors and is exactly what it sounds like. All the solids are pureed with the stock of your choice after the soup is cooked. This is best achieved with an immersion blender which you can dip right into the soup and blend with. Another way would be to strain the solids out of your soup and add them to a blender then add a few cups of broth and puree. Then add the puree to the broth, mix well and voila!

Tip #2 - What Type of Stock / Broth?

The best way to a great base is your stock and creating your own homemade stock can have an amazing effect on your soup. Though it's slightly time consuming, it is also very easy and rewarding.

3 basic stocks are used for potato soup recipes. Chicken stock, vegetable stock and beef stock.

Chicken Stock - Chicken stock is the second most popular stock used for potato soup and has a strong and very rich flavor adding a bit of bite to your soup. A basic chicken stock is usually made by slowly simmering chicken bones, skin, meat, celery, carrots, garlic, onion, parsley, salt and pepper in a pot of water.

Vegetable Stock - The most popular of the 3 stocks used in potato soup is vegetable stock. It has more of a natural and relaxed flavor compared to chicken stock. It is full of natural vitamins and nutrients to keep your body healthy. A very basic vegetable stock is achieved by slowly simmering carrots, garlic, parsley, onion, celery, leek, bay leaf, mushroom, salt, pepper and sometimes parsnips, thyme and potatoes.

Beef Stock - Much different from the 2 above and often not used in potato soup, beef stock has a very rich and bold flavor and great in some soups with potatoes. Beef stock is made with beef bones, fat, meat, onions, celery, carrots, bay leaf, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, thyme and sometimes tomato.

Tip #3 - What kind of ingredients do you want to use? Now that you know what kind of base texture and stock you want, we need to figure out the ingredients that go well with each. This is only a guideline to help you choose your ingredients.

Ingredients for a creamy base. - Bacon and cheddar are the most popular ingredients in creamy potato soups. Some other great ideas would be carrots, green beans, onions, garlic, celery, green onions, chives, chicken, ham, shallots, thyme, peas, dill, salt, black and white pepper. Good stocks with a creamy soup are vegetable and chicken stock.

Ingredients for a clear base - With beef stock would be tomatoes, green beans, onions, garlic, celery, parsley, chunks of beef, bay leaf, barley, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, ground beef, salt, mozzarella and black pepper. With vegetable or chicken stock would be chicken, ham, carrots, white beans, green beans, celery, garlic, thyme, squash, onion, zucchini, shallots, white wine, dill, salt and black pepper.


Ingredients for a puree base - Carrots and tomatoes are great for a puree based soup along with these healthy additions. Onion, garlic, zucchini, squash, bell pepper, kidney beans, shallots, celery, green onions, sweet potatoes, peas, dill, salt and various peppers. The most popular stock with puree based potato soup recipes is vegetable stock although chicken stock is used sometimes but rarely. There are many more tips for you to create a great potato soup recipe but these 3 are the most important basics to get you started.

How To Make Cuban Black Bean Soup : Using A Food Processor To Make Cuban Black Bean Soup

How to use a food processor to make Cuban black bean soup; learn more about traditional Cuban and Latin American food in this free cooking video. Expert: Lizbeth Muller Bio: Liz Muller is the owner of Liz's Hair Design in Hollywood, Florida. She has been a professional Hair Designer and Color Specialist for over 23 years. Filmmaker: Paul Muller



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1OdEWHSl20&hl=en

Cooking With a Crockpot - How to Convert Recipes to the Crockpot

How many times have you been planning meals and came up disappointed when you discovered you didn't have time to make the meal you wanted? Most people will not even think of putting a recipe in the crockpot unless it is written expressly for the crockpot. Did you know that many standard recipes could be converted to crockpot recipes?

The low setting of most crockpots is around 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The high setting is about 300 degrees Fahrenheit. An hour of cooking on the high setting is about the same as 2 to 2.5 hours of cooling on the low setting. You will find that most recipes for crockpots recommend cooking the food for around 8 to 10 hours on low.

Advice for Converting Recipes to Use in a Crockpot

When you convert a recipe to the crockpot, there are a few tips you will want to keep in mind. You will want to reduce the amount of liquid the recipe calls for. In the crockpot, liquid does not evaporate. You normally wind up with quite a bit of liquid at the end of cooking time. Reduce the amount of liquid you add to the dish by half, unless you are also using rice or pasta.

The spices you use may need to be adjusted. Ground spices may lose some flavor over many hours of cooking, so do not add them until the last hour of cooking. Whole spices will have their flavors intensified by long cooking times, so you may want to reduce them by half.

If you plan to make chicken soup or other liquid-based meals, only add enough liquid to cover the other ingredients. You can add more liquid towards the end of cooking time if needed. If you are making a cream soup, do not add the dairy products until close to the end to prevent curdling and separating.

You can make dried beans in the crockpot. Cook them overnight on low instead of spending the time soaking them. Add your beans and then cover them with water. Add a teaspoon of baking soda. In the morning, drain the beans before combining them with your other ingredients. Bean soup, chili, and other tasty meals can then proceed in the crockpot as usual.

Not All Foods Love Crockpots

Be aware that some foods do not fare well when cooking for 8 to 10 hours. Rice, pasta, seafood, some vegetables, and dairy products are all too delicate for such long cooking times. When making a dish that contains these ingredients, do not add them until the last couple of hours before serving when your pot is set on low. If you are cooking on high, hold off until the last hour before adding these delicate ingredients. If you really must have milk added to a recipe early on, try evaporated milk.

Browning your meat can be done before adding it to the crockpot to add that lovely coloring. Browning may also reduce the fat content a little bit on some kinds of meat. Browning is optional, however. Roasts can turn out very flavorful in the crockpot with or without it

Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

A truly great soup for every occasion, beef barley vegetable soup is packed with protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Aside from being really good for you, this is an amazing tasting soup that can be served at any time during the day. This soup is a meal by itself, perfect served with bread and salad, or as a side to a sandwich or dinner offering.

Despite the long list of ingredients, this is a fairly easy dish to prepare. The beef roast and barley are slow cooked in a crock pot to bring out the flavors and tenderize the tougher cut of beef. For convenience, the recipe calls for frozen mixed vegetables. These can be swapped out for your favorite fresh vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, corn, and green beans. Most supermarkets sell great beef broth in 4-cup packages. Substitute one of these fine store bought products or homemade beef stock for the cold water and beef bouillon cubes and take this soup to a whole new level.

Cooks Notes: Substitute real beef stock for the water and beef bouillon, and 1 pound of your favorite fresh vegetables for the frozen mixed vegetables, if desired.

Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:
1 (3 pound) Beef Chuck Roast
1/2 cup Barley
1 Bay Leaf
2 tablespoons Canola or Vegetable Oil
3 Carrots, chopped
3 stalks Celery, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
1 (16 ounces) package Frozen Mixed Vegetables
4 cups Cold Water
4 cubes Beef Bouillon Cube
1 tablespoon White Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1 (28 ounces) can chopped Stewed Tomatoes
Coarse Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Preparation:

1. Add beef chuck roast to crockpot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.

2. Add barley and bay leaf to crockpot. Continue cooking 1 hour.

3. Remove the beef roast, cool for 15 minutes. Cut roast into small bite-size pieces.

4. Discard bay leaf.

5. Set the beef pieces, beef broth, and barley aside.

6. Add canola oil to large stock pot. Heat over medium-high heat.

7. Sauté chopped carrots, chopped celery, chopped onion, and mixed vegetables until crisp tender.

8. Add cold water, beef bouillon cubes, white sugar, fresh ground black pepper, chopped stewed tomatoes, and beef, broth, and barley mixture

9. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich - Roast Beef, Blue Cheese and Red Onion Jam

To view the next video in this series click: www.monkeysee.com This video will show how to make a grilled cheese sandiwich with roast beef, blue cheese and red onion jam.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuX7SqrPs80&hl=en

Green Pea & Ham Soup

Simple, nutritious meals for small budgets and large families. Visit Rebel_Cook on Live Journal for more wholesome recipes.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv1lnkUPTDQ&hl=en

Quick Healthy Dinner Recipes - 5 Exciting 15-Minute Dinner Ideas

On some days, our schedule is so hectic that no matter how hard we try there is absolutely no way that we could make dinner. Yes, there are meals you can prepare quickly, but even quick meals still take some time, unless it's a ready-made meal that goes into the microwave or 2-minute-noodles. But that's not what you want, right? You want your family to eat healthy.

The solution is very simple: You need to come up with some ideas that are healthy, filling and quick to make. Really quick. Dinner does not always need to be a huge meal. Sometimes, a light simple dish can be just as satisfying. Cooking takes time. So you need something that doesn't need to cook.

Have you ever thought about transforming a boring sandwich into an exciting dinner? Try this:

1. Baked Egg And Tomato Sandwich

Take a slice of whole grain bread. Put a slice of lean ham on, a few slices of tomato and a baked egg. Sprinkle some paprika or cayenne pepper on top and voilà, dinner is ready within 15 minutes. You can easily prepare the sandwiches whilst the eggs are baking, and trusting that you have a large pan, maybe even two, you can bake the eggs in one go.

2. Salmon Sandwich With Salad

Put a few leaves green salad on a whole grain sandwich and a slice of smoked salmon, top it up with a few onion rings and season with freshly ground black pepper and dill.

3. Grilled Hamburger Sandwich

Prepare the meatballs in advance with lean minced meat. You can make several portions, keep them in the deep freezer and defrost them the day you need them. Use whole grain bread, put some lettuce on, then your meatballs and a slice of tomato. Top it with a slice of low-fat cheese and put it under the grill for a few minutes until the cheese has melted.

4. Salad Sandwich With Feta And Thyme

Put thin slices of cucumber, low-fat feta cheese and tomato on your whole grain sandwich. Top it with onion rings and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and thyme.

5. Hawaiian Sandwich

Put a slice of lean ham, a ring of canned pineapple and a slice of low-fat cheese on a slice of brown toast and place it under the grill for about 5 minutes until the cheese has melted and is golden. Sprinkle a bit of yellow curry powder over the cheese and decorate it with a pitted cherry.

By now you will have noticed the pattern I'm following: whole grain bread, fruit or vegetables, a protein rich food (meat, ham or fish), and low-fat dairy products.  Spices can add an extra flavor to your sandwich. With this pattern in mind, you can create a great number of tasty, filing and healthy sandwich recipes that allow you to serve dinner in as little as 15 minutes.

3-Ingredient Crockpot Recipes

Need to throw together a meal, but don't have much in the house? Here's a few recipes which require only 3 ingredients or less! Be sure to see our website for more crockpot recipes.

BARBECUE PORK SANDWICHES

1 pork roast

1 bottle bar-b-cue sauce

About 1/2 to 1 cup water

Just throw in crockpot on high for about 6 hrs. or low for about 10 hrs. When it's done, just remove meat from bone and serve on hamburger buns or rolls with more bar-b-que sauce or ketchup, etc.

CHEESY CROCKPOT CHICKEN I

3 whole boneless chicken breasts

2 cans cream chicken soup

1 can chedder cheese soup

Remove all fat and skin from chicken; rinse and pat dry, sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Put in crockpot and add the three soups straight from the cans. Cook on low all day (at least 8 hrs) do not lift the lid. Serve over rice or noodles.

CROCKPOT AZTEC BLACK BEANS

1 lb. dried black beans (or turtle beans)

16 oz. jar of salsa (your favorite kind)

-Rinse black beans, removing any stones or foreign objects. Cover with water, soak all night.
-Drain beans and place in cp with salsa. Add enough water to just
cover beans. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours.

These crockpot recipes only include three ingredients, but you can always add more to them if you'd like. Since they are basic, you can use other items you have on hand to give them a different flavor, or even create different dishes. For more crockpot recipes, be sure to visit our site!

White Bean Soup Recipe With Ham Hocks : Baking Tips for Cornbread Recipe

Learn how to bake cornbread for a ham hocks and white bean soup recipe in this free Southern food cooking video. Expert: David Postada Bio: David Postada is Chef and owner of the Big Easy Catering company in Santa Barbara, California. Filmmaker: Diana Bacon



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riZ5t75YO28&hl=en

2 Yummy Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes, Plus Hot Tips

Here are a few lip-smacking vegetarian slow cooker recipes that not only save your time, but also serve your entire family for a lovely family dinner.

The Chilli Beans Recipe

YOU NEED:

black bean soup can (19oz), rinsed and drained garbanzo beans can and kidney beans can (both 15 oz), baked beans can (16oz), can of tomato puree (141/2 oz), a can of drained whole kernel corn (15oz), one onion, one green bell pepper, 2 garlic cloves, 2 celery stalks - all these should be chopped, one tablespoon each of dried parsley, basil, and oregano, and chilli powder.

DO THIS:

Take your crockpot. Put the black bean soup, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, baked beans, tomato puree, onion, corn, celery stalks, and bell pepper in the pot. Season the mixture with parsley, garlic, oregano, basil, and chilli powder. Let it cook for a couple of hours on high heat.

Slow Cooking Apple Delight

Here is another one of the series of healthy slow cooker recipes that will tickle your tastebuds and make you a fan of crockpots.

YOU NEED:

5 apples (half pound each), peel, core, and chop them finely; ground cinnamon and cloves, 2 tsps and ¼ tsps, respectively; ¼ tsp salt; white sugar, 4 cups.

DO THIS:

Put the apples in the crockpot. Take a bowl and mix cinnamon, cloves, sugar, and salt. Add this mixture in the crockpot containing apples. Mix everything well. Cover the crockpot and let it cook on high heat for 60 minutes. After that, bring the heat to low and let it cook for 9-11 hours. Stir the mixture once in a while. You will find the mixture turning dark brown and thick.

Remove the lid of the crockpot and continue to cook on low heat for another hour. If you wish to make the mixture smoother, use a whisk for stirring.

Take small containers and fill the mixture in them. Cover and refrigerate. You can also freeze.

Hot Tip On Easy Slow Cooker Recipes:

Prepare all the ingredients of your recipe as well as the crockpot the night before. Refrigerate the ingredients. When you wake up the next morning, simply toss the ingredients into your ready crockpot and plug it in. Your recipe will cook the whole day. When you return home after a hard day, you get a savory and piping hot meal to relish.

More Tips On Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes...

You must allow 8 hours cooking time when on low heat and 4 hours when on high heat in a slow cooking pot.
When not sure about the cooking time of a recipe, leave the pot on low the whole day or overnight.
A good adjustment for slow cooker demands that you cut the quantity of all liquids to half.

It's time to try one of the above vegetarian slow cooker recipes. You can make a great dish even if you have never cooked before.

Potato Soup Recipes : Ingredients for Country Potato Soup

Basic ingredients for Country Potato Souprecipe; find them all in this free online cooking video. Expert: Josiah Owen Bio: Josiah Owen has worked in the food service industry for the past 9 years. Josiahs cooking experience spans from Fast Food, Fine Dining, working as a Camp Chef to being a Kitchen Manager. Filmmaker: josiah owen



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8DcK3OntDk&hl=en

This song needs a name!!

Just a little piano song I made in GarageBand when I got a laptop from school for my 5th year. I still can't think of a name.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L7xeJB7y5Y&hl=en

Crock Pot Recipes Your Kids Can Make

One of the best things about crock pots is that you do not have to worry about open flames. Cooking with a crock pot is so much safer than cooking on the stove, which is great news for kids who love to get into the thick of things when it comes to cooking.

With that said, here is a recipe your kids can make and the entire family can enjoy. This recipe is for larger families. If your family is smaller, you may want to halve the recipe before your kids make them. Always keep in mind that all cooking should be done with adult supervision only.

Crock Pot Sloppy Joes

Crumble two pounds of ground beef into the bottom of the Crock Pot.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately after touching the raw meat.

Pour in:
One- 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1/8 of a cup of brown sugar
Dash of salt
Dash of pepper

Put the lid on and turn the heat to "low".

Let simmer for four hours, remove the lid and stir. Place the lid back on and continue to cook for one more hour (for a total of 5 hours).

To Finish:
1 to 2 packages of hamburger or barbecue buns
Pickles
Potato chips

Place the buns on plates and put the meat mixture on between each slice.

Add a pickle or two and a handful of potato chips beside the Sloppy Joes.

Getting your kids to assist with cooking meals helps them to take on responsibilities and teach them important life skills. Because of the simplicity of crock pot cooking it can be the perfect way for children to begin to learn how to cook.

Hearty Fall Soup Recipes

Cream of Lima Bean Chowder

1/2 cup diced bacon
1 small minced onion
1 pint fresh lima beans
3 cups water
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups scalded milk
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley

Croutons

Put bacon in saucepan and cook until crisp. Remove bacon and cook onion in the fat. Add lima beans and water and cook until beans are tender. Thicken with flour which has been rubbed smooth with just enough water to moisten it.

Cook 3 minutes, add milk and bring to the boiling point. Season with salt and paprika. Sprinkle parsley over the chowder just before serving.

Thick Pea Soup with Homemade Croutons

1 1/2 cups split peas
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried mint, optional
3 pints ham broth (or any other flavor you prefer)
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Wash the peas thoroughly. Soak overnight in cold water. Bring to the boiling point in the water in which they were soaked.

Add the mint and broth. Cook peas till tender, then rub through a sieve. Moisten the flour with a little cold water, stir into the boiling soup and boil 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper if needed and serve with croutons.

Homemade Croutons

Cut a slice of bread into small dice. Bake in a slow oven till golden brown. Or if preferred, melt a tablespoon of butter or shortening and cook the diced bread in it until crisp and golden brown.

Corn Chowder

2 cups cooked corn
1 cup chopped bacon
1 cup potatoes, cut in cubes
1/2 onion, sliced
3 cups water
2 cups scalded milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
2/3 cup cracker crumbs

Salt, pepper

Fry bacon in skillet, and onion and saute. Pare and cut potatoes in one-half inch cubes, parboil five minutes. Add to onion, with corn and water. Cover and cook 20 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.

Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour, stir to a smooth paste, pour some of the milk on slowly, stirring constantly. Combine with first mixture. Add crumbs and seasonings.

Video Recipe: Split Pea Soup with Ham

Chef Keith Snow from www.harvesteating.com creates a delicious and healthy split pea soup - a great use for leftover ham.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OePae7rvWOA&hl=en

Famous Russian Soup Recipes

Russian soups are very popular and they are usually served in the afternoon. Borscht is very famous and this is a beet soup. Mixed meat soup and vegetable soup are also well loved and these soups are often topped with a dollop of sour cream.

Meat, potatoes, and cabbage are amongst the most common ingredients in Russian soup recipes. Fish is also used. Chicken soup recipes are popular in Russia and "kuryniy soup" is a delicious Russian chicken soup, which is served with rye bread. This chicken soup recipe is made with vegetable broth and contains chicken meat as well as vegetables and fresh herbs.

Mushroom soup is also a Russian favorite and this is made with fresh mushrooms. The water in which the mushrooms are cooked is changed several times during the cooking process. There is a tasty chilled soup called "okroshka" which is great when the weather is hot. It is garnished with dill and sour cream and is usually made from sausages or some type of meat.

Borscht - The Most Famous Russian Soup

Borscht is perhaps the most famous soup from the Soviet Union and it is bright red in color. It contains beets, potatoes, onion, garlic, cabbage, carrots, dill and more. This soup might not soup particularly appetizing but it has an incredible flavor. Like most Russian soups, it is traditionally adorned with a dollop of sour cream before serving.

Recipe for Mixed Meat Soup

This Russian soup recipe makes two quarts of soup. Beef, kidney, ham, and hot dogs are used for the meat content and onions, olives, tomatoes, capers and more are added for texture and flavor. Serve this soup with a dollop of sour cream, in the typical Russian style.

If you want to substitute any of the meats, that is fine. Perhaps you are a fan of chicken soup recipes, in which case you can use chicken instead of the hot dogs or kidney.

Like a lot of other Russian soup recipes, this one is best when you make it a day in advance, chill it overnight in the refrigerator and then warm it up and serve it the following day, because this lets the flavors combine better and the soup will have a superior taste.

You will need:

2 1/2 lbs beef chuck on the bone
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 lbs hotdogs, in 1/4 inch slices
1 veal kidney
1 tablespoon capers
2 chopped onions
1/4 lb ham, in 1/2 inch cubes
6 cups water
4 oz pickled mushrooms
6 tablespoons flour
2 bay leaves
2 julienned dill pickles
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped, pitted black olives
2 peeled, chopped fresh tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 sliced lemon

How to make it:

Boil the beef chuck in the water for an hour and a half to make a juicy, rich broth. Remove and discard the beef bones. Slice the kidney and dredge it in the flour. Saute it in the butter with the onions. Stir the hot dogs, ham, onions, and kidney into the beef broth. Cook for twenty minutes, then add the other ingredients and cook for fifteen minutes more. Serve hot.

Creative Lunch Ideas

Are you caught in a peanut butter and jelly rut? It is amazing how that sandwich of yummy goo can stunt lunch-time creativity! Today I hope to inspire some creativity and help you reclaim your lunch time menu.

French Bread

This seemingly plain loaf of bread makes some delicious creations that are perfect for lunches. Slice in half to make:

French Bread Pizza- spaghetti sauce, pepperoni and cheddar or mozzarella cheese.

Olive Bread- This is can be a side for spaghetti. I wouldn't recommend eating by itself as you need more protein that just the small amounts of cheese on it.

Instead of Fast Food:

A favorite meal we have stemmed from when we lived in Germany. Eating out was very expensive and we tried to reserve it for fun, planned days or events. Sometimes, we would be out to late to get dinner going, but I did not want to take the family to eat out. I would stop by the E-Mart and bought Brotchen (hard rolls), freshly sliced salami, Gouda cheese slices, onions, lettuce, tomatoes and seasoned cream cheese. We also would get chocolate milk as a special treat.

This yummy dinner cost me a fraction of the cost of eating out at a restaurant. We took this home and sliced the vegetables and put the sandwiches together in less than five minutes.

Since then, I do the same thing instead of eating out for dinner. I find German bakeries here in the States if I can, and if not, I just get rolls. Sometimes we'll grab a bag of lettuce for a side salad.

Boboli Pizza Crusts

Mexican pizza- ground beef, jar salsa, top with cheddar cheese

Regular pizza

Soups & Salads

Soups and salads contain digestive enzymes that help our bodies break down the heavier meals better. This is a reason why restaurants serve these first. It's something to remember the next time you dine out and help your body a little more by eating a soup or salad before the main course.

My family and I are on a gluten free diet and I am on a very strict diet that restricts a lot of different foods. Some of these salads are our tried and true favorites.

Chicken Doritos Salad

My favorite salad: canned chicken, goat cheese, lemon juice, olive oil and oregano sprinkles.

Southwest Salad

Soups:

Brunswick Stew (See the recipe in the free sample ebook on our website.)

Chicken noodle with grilled cheese

Taco soup

Spicy Chicken

Ham and Potato Soup

Tortillas:

Slice of American cheese and heat in the microwave

Peanut butter and honey

Fry them up and sprinkle cinnamon and sugar or honey (eat with protein!)

Make a "wrap"- chicken nuggets, coleslaw or lettuce, mayo...serve with fries!

Make a "Big city Burrito"- Large wraps (spinach or tomato) beans, rice, shredded chicken (crock-pot), white American cheese, salsa verde (green)

Tortilla Roll-ups: cream cheese, 1 sm can green chilis, chopped, ½ small can chopped jalapenos, 1 can chicken breast, roll em up!

English Muffins

Pizza (again)

Egg McMuffin- butter on both sides...large packages of Canadian bacon at Sam's Club, fried egg, all American cheese

Bagels

1 whole wheat bagel

cream cheese

2 slices ham or favorite lunch meat

lettuce

Tomato

alfalfa sprouts

In Germany, these were part of McDonald's breakfasts and were my FAVORITES!

Double Duty Meals:

Just like Rachel Ray has double duty meals in her cookbook, I like to do these once a week too. Some ideas she had were to make this Mexican bean and rice dish for dinner. The next meal you use the leftover mixture to fill green or chili peppers. She has many other ideas as well. Here are some of mine:

Put a whole chicken the crock-pot the night before and eat the chicken for lunch, leaving the bones and extras to finish cooking in water during the rest of the day. Take the bones out and use the chicken broth for cooking rice or a soup for dinner.

Bake potatoes for lunch...potato salad for dinner!

Thinking outside of the "BOX"- OR INSIDE Rather

We love new and creative ways to eat mac and cheese! Here are some that we have tried or heard of:

Tuna- add a can of drained tuna fish.

Peas- Cook the peas in the extra water macaroni water and then add to the pasta when cooked.

Ketchup- sometimes I add some ketchup in my bowl of mac and cheese- mmm!

Chicken and salsa- add a can of drained chicken breast and 1 cup of salsa--ole!

Chili Mac- mix a can of chili in with the finished mac and cheese

Topping: Top with crushed Ritz crackers

Serve With:

Deep fried tator tots! Dip them in BBQ sauce.

Salad

Salmon or chicken

Or Octopus (boiled hot dogs with sliced "legs")

Other Ideas:

Rice and refried beans (rice cooker- best invention ever!)

Spaghetti- are you getting tired of the same old thing? Make it green olives instead of mushrooms- Superb! Salt and tastes better than mushrooms

Cold Chicken Salad with crescent rolls

Sides:

I always have a large container of cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is great with:

Peaches

Pie filling

Mandarin oranges

Sunflower seeds

Others:

Raw vegetables

Olives

Dessert

Graham crackers with icing (strawberry)

Homemade popsicles

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Spread

And finally, if you are having a bad day and your cupboards are getting bare, go to the web- type in ingredients and see some ideas of meals to make.

Keep a list of lunch menu ideas (30 days worth) printed on paper and put inside a sheet protector and tape it to the inside of your cupboard, just in case.

No Such Thing as Leftover Chicken for a Week

I like to crock pot meat on Monday and then serve it several different ways throughout the week. Even the leftover hater in your family will embrace this crock pot chicken that transforms itself into white bean chili, Caesar salad, broccoli casserole, pesto pasta and tortilla soup and you'll love the 10 minute or less prep time each. For the chicken, just place 10 frozen chicken breasts in crock pot and cover with chicken broth (one large can or three small – add extra water if needed to cover) and heat on high 6-8 hours or low 8-10 hours*. Chicken will be so tender that it will be easy to cut with a butter knife or shred it with two forks. (*3-4 on low or 5-6 on high if fully thawed)

Monday’s Chicken Broccoli Rice – great separate or as a casserole

Cook Time: 30 minutes, Prep time: 15 minutes (just to cook the flavored rice), Serves 4

A. 1 pkg. Rice-a-Roni chicken flavor or long grain wild rice prepared according to instruction

B. 2 large chicken breasts, 1 pkg. frozen chopped broccoli pieces cooked

C. 1 can cream of chicken soup and 1 cup grated sharp cheese

If cooking as a casserole, combine A, B and C with the cheese as the ingredient on top. Bake in casserole dish at 350 until heated through – about 30 minutes. If not eating as a casserole, just combine A and B, add salt and pepper to taste, and microwave as needed.

Tuesday’s Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe – So Easy and So Good

Cook Time: 5 minutes Prep Time: 10 minutes Serves: 4

2 chicken breasts cooked

1 can chicken broth

1 can V8 juice

1 can cheddar cheese soup

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1/3 pack taco seasoning mix

chopped up tortilla chips (to sprinkle on top once cooked)

optional: roasted red pepper to taste, cooked rice

Since the chicken is cooked, the instructions are as simple as:

1. Open cans

2. Heat on stove over medium heat

3. Serve with chopped up tortilla chips on top

I like the 90 second microwavable rice from Uncle Bens because my husband can add it to his but I prefer it without.

Wednesday Chicken Basil Pasta – best with fresh herbs and tomatoes from the garden

Cook Time 10 minutes, Prep Time 10 minutes Serves 4

2 large chicken breasts cooked

3 cups bow tie pasta (8 oz.)

1 jar alfredo sauce (approx. 1 lb)

milk (optional)

4 medium fresh tomatoes (when tomatoes aren't in season, I substitute roasted red peppers for the tomatoes)

6 leaves fresh basil

Add the pasta to boiling water (10 minutes)

Heat the alfredo sauce in the microwave (5 minutes on medium heat - although microwaves differ)

Add milk to sauce if you prefer thinner sauce (I do!)

Chop the chicken, basil and the tomatoes

Drain the pasta

Combine all ingredients

Thursday’s White Bean Chili – a Tasty Variation to Standard Chili

Cook Time: 10 minutes, Prep time: 10 minutes Serves 4

2 large chicken breasts – cooked and shredded or chopped

1 (16 oz.) can white beans

1 (16 oz.) can corn

1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 small cans chopped green chilis, drained

1 clove garlic

1 medium onion, chopped

1 T vegetable oil

1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix

1 envelope taco seasoning mix

In saucepan, saute onion in vegetable oil until browned. Combine all remaining ingredients until heated through. Serve with crusty bread or tortilla chips.

Friday’s Chicken Caesar Salad – it’s the weekend!

Cook time: 0 minutes, Prep Time: 2 Minutes, Serves 4

1-2 Chicken Breasts – chopped

2 bags Caesar salad mix includes shredded parmesan, croutons, dressing

Salt and pepper to taste

Add salt and pepper to taste on chicken. Combine remaining ingredients. Serve with crusty bread and leftover chili from Thursday, or with a good take-out pizza!

For more of my simple versatile recipes and cooking tips, go to [http://www.pams-hams.com]. An inviting place for sugar and honey glazed baked ham, dinners, gifts and clever conversation.

Croatian Recipes and Cuisine

Croatian cuisine is sometimes known as "the cuisine of regions", since each part of Croatia has its own distinct culinary traditions, and influences from its neighbors. The cookery of coastal regions shows influences from Roman, Illyrian and Greek cuisine, Italian cuisine, and even French cuisine, whereas inland areas get their influences from Viennese and Austrian cuisine, Hungarian cuisine and Turkish cuisine.

Some popular Croatian dishes include:

- Juha od Mahuna - A vegetable soup made from green beans, as well as carrots, lentils, onions and peas.

- Brudet - Fish stew, served with polenta (boiled cornmeal)

- Gulas - A spicy beef stew, similar to Hungarian cuisine's gulyás (goulash).

- Slavonski Cobanac - Lamb stew originally from Slavonia.

- Istrian stew (Croatian: Istarska jota) - A stew made with bacon, spare ribs, beans, potatoes and sauerkraut, seasoned with garlic.

- Pasticada - A stewed beef dish, originally from Dalmatia (and sometimes known as "Dalmatinska pasticada"). Served with gnocchi (dumplings) or wide noodles.

- Sataras - Minced and roasted vegetables, especially bell peppers.

- Sarma - Sauerkraut rolls with ground (minced) pork and rice.

- Zagrebacki odrezak - Originally from Croatia's capital, Zagreb, this dish consists of thin slices of chicken or veal stuffed with ham and cheese and then sautéed.

- Ðuvec - Stewed vegetables, similar to ratatouille.

- Kulen - Spicy pork sausage, originally from Slavonia.

- Cesnovka - Another variety of spicy pork sausage. Cesnovka has a garlic taste, and originates from the Turopolje region.

- Strukli - A type of ravioli, originally from Zagreb. Strukli normally contains either cheese or apple. In northern parts of the country, they are usually eaten during the Christmas period, with compotes of dried fruits (apples, pears, prunes, etc.).

- Palacinke - Crêpes with sweet fillings.

- Krafne - A type of doughnut (without a hole though). Krafne are usually filled with chocolate, cream, custard or jelly (jam).

- Rozata - A custard pudding, similar to flan.

- Cupavci - A biscuit-like cake which is cut into squares, and then covered with chocolate and dessicated coconut.

- Strudel (Croatian: Savijaca, Strudla) - - The Croatian version of strudel, filled with apple or cheese.

Chef RC affable breach pea and ham soup

here is a great soup all made from scratch. i bioled the ham bone for 12 hours the day before to make the stock



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkZ8NY8R89o&hl=en

Bulgarian Recipes and Cuisine

Bulgaria's cuisine contains a unique blend of flavors reflecting the country's position in Southeast Europe. Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern influences combine with the country's native Slavic traditions.Furthermore, many people say that they can detect influences from further afield too: Hungarian cuisine, a taste of Italy, and just a hint of the Mediterranean.

The first thing that visitors will notice is that Bulgaria has its own distinctive ingredients. These include kiselo mlyako (literally "sour milk") which is a yoghurt, and sirene (a white brine cheese that can be made from cow's, goat's or sheep's milk).

Some popular traditional Bulgarian dishes include:

- Shkembe chorba - Some Bulgarians proudly claim this unique tripe soup as a national historic tradition, whereas see it as uncouth and just a little vulgar. The soup is made from the stomach lining of cows, mixed with milk, and then seasoned using vinegar, garlic and chili peppers. According to legend, if drank in the morning, the soup can act as a hangover cure.

- Tarator - A cold soup, often eaten in the warm Black Sea regions of the country. Tarator is made using yoghurt, cucumbers, nuts, vegetable oil and water, and flavored with garlic and dill. It is often served chilled, sometimes even with ice.

- Shopska salad - A traditional Bulgarian salad made from dice vegetables: raw or roasted peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and onions. The salad is served covered with grated or diced sirene.

- Lyutika - A type of salad relish made from a mixture of roasted peppers, tomatoes and onions, finely crushed using a pestle and mortar. Lyutika is flavored using garlic and parlsey, and is sometimes mixed with yoghurt, sirene, hard-boiled eggs or even pieces of cooked chicken.

- Lukanka - Spicy sausage made from pork or beef (veal). The sausage is prepared in a dried cow's intestine and hung to dry for up to 3 months. Once dried it is pressed, and a white fungus is often allowed to grow on it (the fungus is removed before eating). When Lukana is eaten, it is cut into fine slices and served cold.

- Soujouk - Another type of dry-cured spicy sausage. Soujouk is made from minced beef, and can not be eaten cold, but must be cooked before eating. Due to its high fat content, it can be cooked in its own juices without oil.

- Elenski but - Dry-cured ham, traditionally from Elena in northern Bulgaria.

- Banitsa - A light baked savory pastry made with eggs and sirene.

- Sarma - A rolled leaf, filled with a spiced mixture of minced meat, rice and finely chopped onions.

- Popara - A meal made from dry, perhaps slightly stale bread. The bread is cooked with milk, tea or water, a small amount of butter and sugar, and either kajmak (a type of clotted cream) or sirene.

- Gyuvetch - A casserole made using diced beef, peppers, onions, tomatoes, eggplant, and okra.

- Tsarska turshiya - Pickled vegetables; cauliflower with carrots, celery and red peppers.

- Selska turshiya - Pickled vegetables; cauliflower with green onions, geen tomatoes, cabbage, carrots and celery.

As well as savory dishes, Bulgaria is also home to many excellent desserts. These include:

- Garash - A walnut cake, frosted with cream and bitter chocolate, then covered with chocolate icing.

- Halva - A sweet made using sesame-seed or sunflower-seed tahini. There is also a variant made using semolina, and another variety (known as "white halva") made from sugar which is traditionally eaten just before Lent.

- Kozunak - Sweet bread with milk, butter, sugar, eggs, raisins and lemon zest.

How to accomplish hungarian blooming beans soup (recipe) - paszuly leves recept - supa de fasole

In my family we used to have a soup every week. This one is one of my favorites and as such was one of the first ones that I ever prepared. It's really easy to put together, doesn't need fancy ingredients... If you want to spice it up, feel free! I used sweet paprika powder, but you could add hot also. You could fry some mustard seed in the oil before saute-ing the onions. We also have a smoked ham concentrate in Romania as well as in Hungary, if you can get your hands on it, or want to put real smokes ham in it... that would give it an amazing flavor... Music: Hungarian Dances in D flat major, Composer: Brahms; Pianists: Christian Kohn & Silke-Thora Matthies



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W467s3xvF6U&hl=en

Official Boston Baked Bean Recipe

Throughout its history, Boston has been linked to beans. Surely the lowly legume is not the sort of association city forefathers would have sought when striving to cast their city's mark in the New World. But find each other they did -- as evidenced by the names Beantown, Boston baked beans, Beanpot Hockey Tourney and the Boston bean pot, among others.

It hasn't been until the 1900s, however, with its emphasis on healthy eating, that the homey image of a bubbling pot of beans has gained cache. Beans are of the moment, the very definition of what our food should be about -- carbohydrate and fiber rich.

As anyone who's ever done the cooking for a Boston ham-and-bean church supper will tell you: the ideal method for cooking beans is in a bean pot in the oven - to make Boston Baked Beans in the authentic old fashioned way. For that deliciously slow, sweetly fragrant baking, you want traditional pots and sturdy stoneware protecting your beans from burning or overcooking, while keeping them moist and tasty. This recipe embraces the traditional way of cooking authentic Boston baked beans.

OFFICIAL RECIPE for BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Serves 8

2-1/2 Quart Bean Pot Version

1 package (1 pound) navy or pea beans
1/4 pound salt pork, cut in 2 pieces
1 small whole onion, peeled
1 teaspoon dry mustard
8 cups water
1/3 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper

1) Soak beans overnight in a large sauce pan in 6 cups of water. Add baking soda. Heat to boiling and simmer 10 minutes. Drain in colander over a large bowl. Save liquid.

2) Place beans, salt pork and onion in the bean pot. Add molasses, salt, sugar, dry mustard, pepper and a cup of water. Stir thoroughly. Add enough water to cover the beans. Cover the bean pot.

3) Bake 2 hours at 300 degrees. Add the rest of the water and stir again. Bake additional 1-1/2 hours (or until beans are tender). Uncover last 1/2 hour.

Lentil Tomato Soup Recipe - Ingredients and Directions on How to Make the Perfect Lentil Tomato Soup

Lentil Tomato Soup is delicious and filling and very easy to make. Green vegetables make this soup a powerhouse of nutrition. Be sure not to overcook the lentils, as they can get rather mushy.

After you stir in the tomatoes, let the soup simmer for 20 minutes if you have time in order to allow the flavors to blend a little more. And feel free to double the recipe and keep some in the fridge for a day or two, as the soup will get even better over this time.

This lentil tomato soup recipe makes 3-4 servings, depending on how much of a hunger you've got going...

Lentil Tomato Soup Recipe Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine (or apple juice instead)
1 Tbsp each of dried basil, dried oregano, and dried marjoram or 2 Tbsp each of fresh basil, fresh oregano, and fresh marjoram
4 cups water
1 cup lentils
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup spinach OR kale OR chard OR another green
sea salt
Lentil Tomato Soup Recipe Directions

Heat a large soup pan on medium heat. Add the olive oil and saute the onions and garlic until translucent (not browned).
Pour in the wine and allow it to bubble to deglaze the pot and burn off the alcohol.
If using dried herbs, stir them in now, followed by the lentils. Pour in the water and boil for 30 minutes or until the lentils are softened.
Stir in the tomatoes and sea salt and leave for 10 or preferably 20 minutes.
Stir in the greens a few minutes before serving so they wilt. If using fresh herbs, stir them in now.
Optionally garnish this lentil tomato soup recipe with fresh herbs or a roasted nut or seed and enjoy.