Natural Family Recipes Blog

What You Need:

2 1/2 lbs fresh broccoli, chopped

1 T unsalted margarine

Water

2 C fat free milk

1/2 C light processed cheese, cubed

How to Make It:

Remove any tough stalks from the broccoli and discard.

Place the chopped broccoli into the crock pot.

Dot the margarine over the broccoli.

Fill the crock pot with just enough water to cover the broccoli pieces.

Cover and cook on the high temperature setting for 2 hours.

Pour in the milk, recover and continue cooking 30 minutes.

Stir in the cheese, recover and continue cooking 20 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted into the soup.

Serving Size:  6

There’s very little fat in this soup.  If you want a little meat with your soup chop some cooked ham and add it to crock pot at the same time you add the broccoli. 

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What You Need:

1 lb turkey breast cut in cubes

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce

1 C pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed

1 onion, chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 C frozen corn

1/2 C chicken broth

1 T chili powder

1 (4 oz) pkg. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

How to Make It:

Place the turkey into the crock pot.

Pour the tomatoes and juice on top of the turkey.

Add in the black beans.

Pour the tomato sauce into the mixture and stir to combine.

Add the pumpkin, onion, garlic and corn.

Stir in the chicken broth.

Sprinkle in the chili powder and mix the ingredients together well.

Cover and cook on the low temperature setting for 10 hours.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top just before serving.

Serving Size: 6

The individual flavors stand out in this chili.  Add a 1/2 C of dried cranberries to the mix for a slightly different taste. If your chili is too thick add more chicken broth during the cooking time. 

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What You Need:

1 large head of cauliflower broken into florets

2 C chicken broth

2 T chicken bouillon granules

2 C half and half

2 C milk

1 carrot, shredded

1 bay leaf

1/4 t garlic powder

1/2 C instant mashed potato flakes

1 (8 oz) pkg. cheddar cheese, shredded

How to Make It:

Place the cauliflower, broth and bouillon granules into a large soup pot over high heat.

Bring the mixture to a brisk boil.

Place the heat on low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender.

Remove the cauliflower from the pot and mash with a potato masher.

Pour the broth mixture into the crock pot and then add the mashed cauliflower.

Pour the cream and milk into the crock pot.

Add the shredded carrots, bay leaf and garlic powder.

Stir to combine the ingredients together well.

Cover the crock pot and cook on low for 3 hours.

Stir the potato flakes into the crock pot, cover and continue cooking on low for 40 minutes or until the soup is a thick as you like.

Remove the bay leaf.

Place the soup, in batches, into the blender and blend until very smooth.

Return the blended soup to the crock pot.

Sprinkle in the cheese and stir to incorporate.

Recover and continue cooking 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted into the soup.

Serving Size:  8

When winter cold hits there is nothing better than a warm cup of soup.  This soup not only warms you up but gives you that cozy feeling all the way through.  Other types of cheese can be used in this recipe.  If you like chunky soups, forego the blender, add the cheese and enjoy.

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What You Need:

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 (4.5 oz) jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth

1/4 t salt

1 large zucchini, sliced

1 small red bell pepper cut into strips

1 small yellow bell pepper cut into strips

1 t Italian seasoning

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs

How to Make It:

Place the onion, garlic and mushrooms into the crock pot.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the salt.

Stir to incorporate the ingredients together.

Cover and cook on the low setting for 10 hours.

Stir in the zucchini and bell pepper strips.

Sprinkle the Italian seasoning into the mixture.

Pour the diced tomatoes including the juice into the crock pot.

Stir to incorporate the ingredients together well.

Adjust the temperature to the high setting, cover and continue cooking 30 minutes or until the zucchini is fork tender.

Serving Size:  6

Want to make this soup vegetarian.  Use a vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.  Dried garbanzo beans may also be added to this recipe.  They must be soaked in water for 8 hours to soften them enough for crock pot cooking.

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What You Need:

2 C onions, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped fine

5 cloves of garlic, mined

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (8 oz) bottle clam juice

1/2 C water

1 T red wine vinegar

1 T olive oil

2 1/2 t dried Italian seasoning

1/4 t sugar

1/4 t red pepper flakes, crushed

1 bay leaf

1 lb. white fish, cut into 1 in pieces

3/4 lb uncooked medium shrimp, shelled, deveined and tails removed

1 (6 1/2 oz) can chopped clams with juice

1 (6 oz) can crabmeat, drained

1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped

How to Make It:

Place the onion, celery, garlic and tomatoes into the crock pot.

Pour in the clam juice, water, vinegar and oil. 

Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, sugar and pepper flakes.

Stir the mixture to combine all the ingredients together well.

Add the bay leaf and stir again.

Cover the crock pot and cook on high 4 hours.

Add the fish, shrimp, clams with the juice and crabmeat to the crock pot.

Lower the heat to the low setting, cover and continue cooking 45 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Remove the bay leaf before serving and sprinkle the top with the parsley. 

Serving Size:  8

A dry white wine can be used in place of the water if you like. If you use a wine choose a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or a Chardonnay.  

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What You Need:

1 lb Italian sausage

1/2 C onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (4 oz) pkg. pepperoni slices

1 (16 oz) can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (16 oz) can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5 oz) can died tomatoes

1 (4 oz) can green chilies, chopped

4 t chili powder

1/2 t salt

1/8 t pepper

1 (15 oz) can pizza sauce

How to Make It:

Place the sausage, onion and garlic into a skillet over medium heat.

Brown the sausage until not longer pink about 8 minutes.

Drain well in a colander and pat off excess grease with paper towel.

Place into the crock pot.

Add the pepperoni into the mixture.

Place both cans of kidney beans into the crock pot.

Add in the tomatoes and the green chilies.

Sprinkle in the chili powder, salt and pepper.

Pour the pizza sauce over the top and stir to make sure all the ingredients are combined together.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Serving Size:  8

This recipe is great for teenage parties.  The kids go crazy over the pizza taste in the soup.  Chop the pepperoni into small pieces if you prefer. Serve with an Italian blend shredded cheese sprinkled on top.

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What You Need:

3 C cooked ham cut into cubes

2 C water

1 C dried navy beans

1 C celery, sliced

1 small onion, chopped

2 carrots, sliced

1/4 t dried thyme

1/4 t liquid smoke

1/4 C parsley, chopped

How to Make It:

Place the ham into the crock pot and pour the water over the top.

Add in the beans, celery, onion and carrots.

Sprinkle the thyme into the crock pot.

Pour in the liquid smoke and stir the ingredients to combine well.

Cover and cook on the low temperature setting for 10 hours.

Sprinkle the parsley over the top just before serving.

Serving Size:  4

Any type of dry bean will work with this recipe.  Liquid smoke gives foods a great hickory smoked taste.  It can be found in the condiment section of your local grocery store.

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What You Need:

1/2 lb Italian pork sausage

1 C fresh carrots, sliced

1 large baking potato, peeled and cubed

1 garlic clove, minced

2 (14 oz) cans beef broth

1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained

1 (14.5 oz) can tomatoes

1 1/2 C water

1/2 t Italian seasoning

1 bay leaf

1 C zucchini cut julienne style

1/2 C Parmesan cheese, grated

How to Make It:

Place the sausage in a skillet over medium heat.

Brown the sausage about 7 minutes or until no longer pink stirring often for even browning.

Drain the sausage well in a colander and pat excess grease off with a paper towel.

Place the drained sausage into the bottom of the crock pot.

Add in the carrots, potatoes and garlic.

Pour the beef broth into the crock pot and stir to mix with the meat and vegetables.

Add in the chickpeas, tomatoes with the juice and the water.

Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and add the bay leaf.

Stir again to be sure all the ingredients are combined together well.

Cover and cook on low heat for 8 1/2 hours.

Remove the bay leaf and stir in the zucchini.

Cover and continue cooking 25 minutes or until the zucchini is tender.

Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan cheese just before serving.

Serving Size:  6

Baking potatoes have low moister and high starch content.  Due to this they work well when cooking for longer periods of time. 

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What You Need:

1 T canola oil

1 (1 1/2 lb) pork shoulder roast, boneless and cut into pieces

1/8 t salt

1/8 t+ 1/4 t pepper, divided

8 small red potatoes, unpeeled and quartered

2 C baby carrots cut in half

1 (12 oz) jar pork gravy

2 T ketchup

1/2 t dried rosemary

1/8 t ground sage

1 1/2 C frozen cut green beans, thawed

How to Make It:

Place the oil in a skillet over high heat.

Heat the oil until hot but not smoking.

Sprinkle the pork pieces with the salt and 1/8 t of pepper and place them in the hot oil.

Cook 7 minutes or until brown on both side and no longer pink in the middle, being sure to stir them often to ensure even browning.

Place the pork into a crock pot.

Add the quartered potatoes and the carrots.

Pour in the gravy mix and the ketchup.

Sprinkle in the rosemary, sage and the remaining pepper.

Stir until all the ingredients are incorporated together well.

Cover and cook on low 7 hours.

Add the green beans to the soup and stir to combine.

Cover and place the heat on high.

Continue cooking 20 to 30 minutes or until the green beans are fork tender.

Serving Size: 6

The ketchup in this soup gives it not only a rich color but a slightly sweet taste.  In a hurry and don’t have time to brown the pork you don’t have too.  Just put it in the crock pot as is and allow it to brown on its own.  It will give you a little less flavor and color but will save you time with both cooking and clean up. 

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What You Need:

4 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled

1 lb cooked ground beef, crumbled

1 onion, chopped

3 white potatoes, cubed

4 C cabbage shredded

3 C vegetable broth

1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

How to Make It:

Place the cooked bacon and ground beef into the crock pot and stir slightly to incorporate the ingredients together.

Add the onion, potatoes and cabbage.

Stir in the vegetable broth until all the ingredients are completely combined.

Gently stir in the diced tomatoes.

Sprinkle in the salt and pepper and stir to incorporate.

Cover and cook on the low temperature setting 8 hours.

Serving Size:  8

Beef or chicken broth can be used in place of the vegetable broth.  Adjust the amount of salt to 1/2 t if you use a meat based broth.  These types of broth can sometimes be a little salty.

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