Natural Family Recipes Blog

A complete and healthy way to start daily
 
Old country style Muesli is considered one of the world’s favorite cereals but it was first developed at the end of 19th century by a Swiss nutritionist and remains the preferred one among many till today. This cereal is not only tasty and liked by many people but is very high in nutritional value also. Muesli is in fact a blend of wheat, barley, rolled oats, rye, sunflower seeds, triticale, date crumbles, almonds, walnuts and raisins. This cereal can be eaten hot or served chilled, can be mixed with yogurt or with other cereals for a change or used in baking snacks and eat as a nutritious snack too. The creamy and crunchy texture of the cereal is incomparable and it takes only 15 minutes time to get cooked. Such a fast to cook and good to eat tasty cereal with so many nutritious values is just great for breakfast and that keeps my family and me full for a long time.
 
I like this cereal cold and prepare it after soaking for 10-15 minutes but my husband likes it hot. My son prefers to have it with yogurt and banana slices, which is perfect for his growing age. This cereal has no saturated and trans fat and ‘Bob’s red mill old country style Muesli’ is just great in flavor and texture. It comes in a case of four 40-ounce packages and is an excellent source of protein and fiber because ¾ cup of cooked serving of this organic cereal gives you 4 g of fiber and 6 g of protein. It is a perfect, delicious and healthy way to begin your day. It will become all the more delicious if you soak ¼ cup of cereal in ½ cup of yogurt for 5 to 10 minutes and then eat it or try it with milk or fruit juice. You can even make hot serving by boiling equal amount of water or milk and cereal and simmer it for 3 to 5 minutes.
 
Besides so many nutritional values, it is good for heart and above all the ingredients are all natural and no artificial flavors is being added in the Bob’s Red Mill old country Muesli. Bob’ Red Mill is in fact Oregon based company and manufactures all natural products in natural way. The bran, endosperm and nutritious germ oil are grinded with the help of slow turning millstones that convert them into flour in a natural way and that helps in good assimilation of food. The mills are 100-years-old and all the different types of flours are made here under strict supervision keeping in the natural ingredients to its maximum. 
 

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What You Need:

1 lb beef chuck, boneless and cut into cubes

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano

2 (14 oz) can beef broth

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

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

1 C carrots, sliced thin

1 small onion chopped

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 C bow tie pasta, uncooked

How to Make It:

Place the cubed beef into the crock pot.

Add the tomatoes, with the juice, to the crock pot.

Pour both cans of broth into the crock pot.

Stir in both types of beans.

Add in the sliced carrots and chopped onions.

Sprinkle in the salt and pepper and stir to incorporate the ingredients together.

Cover and cook on the low temperature setting 8 hours.

Stir in the uncooked pasta.

Recover, set the heat to high and continue cooking 40 minutes or until the pasta is tender.

Serving Size:  8

In a hurry then cook this soup on the high setting for 4 hours.  Remember the additional time for the pasta cook.  When ready to serve sprinkle the top of each bowl with a little grated Parmesan cheese. 

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What You Need:

1 T olive oil

1 1/2 lb beef flank steak cut into cubes

1 onion, chopped

5 small carrots, sliced thin

4 C cabbage, shredded

4 red potatoes, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

2 (14.5 oz) cans tomatoes, diced

2 (14.5 oz) cans beef broth

1 (10 3/4 oz) can tomato soup

1 T sugar

2 t Italian seasoning

1 t parsley flakes

How to Make It:

Place the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and allow it to heat to hot but not smoking.

Place the steak cubes and onion into the hot oil.

Brown the steak 8 minutes or until no longer pink in the middle being sure to stir occasionally.

Drain the steak and onions well.

Transfer to the crock pot.

Add the carrots, cabbage, potatoes and celery to the crock pot.

Stir the tomatoes along with juice into the crock pot.

Pour the beef broth and the tomato soup into the crock pot.

Sprinkle in the sugar, Italian seasoning and parsley flakes.

Stir until all the ingredients are combined together well.

Cover and cook on the low setting for 8 to 9 hours making sure the meat and vegetables are tender before serving.

Serving Size:  8

Any steak can work in this wonderful soup.  Leftover roast will also work well.  Canned or frozen vegetables can be used in place of fresh vegetables if you prefer. 

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What You Need:

1 pkg. fresh baby carrots

1 lb small red potatoes, quartered

1 (4.5 oz) jar sliced mushrooms, drained

1 onion, cut into wedges

1 (18 oz) pkg. frozen cooked meatballs

1 (12 oz) jar beef gravy

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

1/4 t pepper

How to Make It:

Lay the carrots into the crock pot.

Place the potatoes on top of the carrots.

Add the mushrooms over the top of the carrots.

Layer the onion wedges over the mushrooms.

Add the meatballs.

Pour the jar of gravy over the top.

Add in the tomatoes including the juice.

Sprinkle in the pepper.

Be sure not to stir the soup and disturb the ingredients.

Cover the crock pot and cook on the low heat setting for 9 hours being sure the carrots are tender.

Stir to combine the ingredients just before serving.

Serving Size: 8

It is important to layer the ingredients as indicated in the recipe and to not stir until you are ready to serve the soup.  By doing this the vegetables remain at the bottom of the crock pot where they can heat quickly and cook completely in the allotted amount of time.

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We all know the nutritional value of oats and in recent years steel cut oats are becoming quite popular as they are good in taste and fast to cook too. Oatmeal is full of good stuffs like protein, iron, vitamin E, copper, magnesium, zinc, selenium and may be some more to add. They are not only good for kids but adults also benefit from them if they have oatmeal in their daily breakfast. It helps reduce cholesterol and helps fend off cancer too. Here we are talking about organic steel cut oats that are completely free of any harmful chemicals and undoubtedly they are natural and healthy. Surprisingly the steel cut oats are delicious and your kids would love to have them daily.
McCANN’S Steel Cut Oatmeal comes with a set of 4 packs of 28-ounce tins and they are Irish oatmeal grown under strict supervision of quality assurance department and are harvested specifically for McCANN’S. This Oatmeal is high in fiber and include all B-vitamins, protein, calcium and other necessary elements for growth and development of kids. You can add a little bit of sugar and cinnamon, which will make it yummy or sometime some berries to get a change. They are very easy to cook too and take quite less time. Steel cut Oatmeal has one extra benefit that nothing is taken out from it while processing and nothing is added and so it is completely natural.

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What You Need:

1 1/2 lb beef stew meat

1 (16 oz) pkg. frozen stew vegetables

2 (10 3/4 oz) cans beefy mushroom soup

1/2 C sweet and sour sauce

1/2 C water

How to Make It:

Trim the stew meat and cut into 1 1/2 in pieces.

Place the meat into the bottom of the crock pot.

Place the vegetables in the crock pot with the meat.

Stir in the soup and sweet and sour sauce.

Pour in the water and mix together to combine.

Cover and cook on low 10 hours or high 5 hours.

Serving Size:  6

Use 1 can of golden mushroom soup in place of 1 can of the beefy mushroom soup.  If you like your soup with a little more liquid add 1/2 C of beef broth with the water.

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What You Need:

1 turkey carcass, broken up

8 C water

4 chicken bouillon cubes

1 (10 oz) can of diced tomatoes

1 celery stalk, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 turnip, peeled and diced

1 onion, diced

4 t dried parsley, divided

1 bay leaf

11/2 C flour

2 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

1/2 t dried rosemary

3 T solid shortening

3/4 C milk

How to Make It:

Place the turkey carcass into the crock pot.

Pour the water into the crock pot over the turkey.

Add the bouillon cubes.

Place the diced tomatoes, celery, carrot, turnip and onion into the crock pot.

Sprinkle in 2 t of the dried parsley.

Place the bay leaf into the mixture.

Cover and cook on the low temperature setting 7 hours.

Remove the cover and take the turkey carcass out of the soup.

Remove the meat from the bones and return the meat to the crock pot.

Place the four, baking powder, salt rosemary and remaining parsley into a bowl.

Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until the mixture becomes coarse.

Add enough of the milk to the flour mixture to moisten it but leaving the mixture thick enough to make mounds on the end of a spoon.

Drop the mixture by spoonfuls into the crock pot.

Cover, place the temperature setting on high and cook for 20 without lifting the lid.

Serving Size:  8

When adding the milk to the flour mixtures just add a little bit at a time.  This will help in making sure the dry ingredients are moistened but still remain thick.

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What You Need:

1/2 lb pearl barley

1 small stewing chicken

2 carrots, chunked

2 stalks celery, sliced

2 T parsley, chopped

Water

How to Make It:

Place the barley in the crock pot.

Add the stewing chicken.

Place the carrots and celery on top of the chicken.

Sprinkle the parsley over the top of the other ingredients.

Cover just over the top of the ingredients with water.

Cover the crock pot and cook on low 5 hours,

Remove the chicken from the crock pot.

Use forks to remove the chicken meat from the bones. 

Discard the bones and any skin.

Return to the chicken meat to the crock pot.

Recover and continue cooking on low 1 hour or until the barley is soft.

Serving Size:  6

Pearl barley is processed by removing the hull and bran.  This type of barley is used more often in cooking because it cooks much faster than regular barley.  This type of barley can be found in most supermarkets. 

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What You Need:

3 C butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1 (8 oz) pkg. fresh mushroom slices

1 C celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

6 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, halved

1 C wild rice

4 C chicken broth

1 t thyme

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

½ C whipping cream

3 T cornstarch

How to Make It:

Place the squash, mushroom slices, celery, onion and garlic into the crock pot.

Lay the chicken thighs on top.

Next add in the uncooked rice.

Pour in the broth.

Add the thyme, salt and pepper being sure to stir well to incorporate all the ingredients together.

Cover and cook on low 6 hours.

Pour the whipping cream into a small bowl.

Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.

Stir the cornstarch mixture into the crock pot.

Place the heat on high, cover and continue cooking an additional 30 minutes.

Serving Size: 6

Boneless chicken thighs can be hard to find in some areas.  If you are having trouble finding them you can use thighs with the bone in.  Be sure to remove the skin before placing them into the crock pot.  Before adding the whipping cream mixture remove the thighs and shred the meat off the bone using 2 forks. 

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What You Need:

1 lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless

1 (16 oz) pkg. baby carrots cut in half

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 (8 oz) can bamboo shoots, sliced and drained

1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, sliced and drained

1 (3 oz) pkg. oriental flavored noodle soup mix

1 (32 oz) can chicken broth

1 C frozen sugar snap peas, thawed

2 green onions, chopped

How to Make It:

Place the chicken thighs into the bottom of a crock pot.

Layer the carrots, celery, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts in that order.

Sprinkle the oriental seasoning packet from the noodle soup. 

Pour in the broth but do not stir.

Cover and cook on low temperature for 7 to 8 hours.

Remove the chicken from the crock pot and carefully shred it with two forks.

Return the chicken to the crock pot and stir to combine.

Break the noodles from the soup mix into the mixture.

Add the snap peas, cover and continue cooking an additional 15 minutes or until the noodles are tender.

Sprinkle in the green onion just before serving.

Serving Size:  6

3/4 C of regular sweet peas can be used in place the sugar snap peas.  Using chicken thighs is important when it comes to crock pot cooking.  They keep their shape better and remain moist during the long cooking time.  They also enhance the flavor of the soup better than chicken breasts. 

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