Earthy Mushroom Crockpot Stew

"This crock pot recipe is easy to assemble and needs no attention while it cooks. The flavors blend nicely to give it a wholesome earthy flavor."

INGREDIENTS:
2 quarts beef broth (or veggie broth)
2 cups sliced fresh Cremini mushrooms
1 ounce dried Shiitake mushrooms, torn into pieces
2 cups sliced Portabella mushrooms
2 cups dry green lentils
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & cut in chunks
3 medium turnips, peeled and cut in chunks
1 cup caramelized onion (I do these ahead and freeze)
4 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a slow cooker, combine all of the above.
2. Cover, and cook 4 to 6 hours on High or 10 to 12 hours on Low. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Serve over RINSED & cooked quinoa

Roasted Veggie Wrap

Ingredients:
1 cup Diced Fresh Tomatoes
1 cup Eggplant Cubes (salted & drained)
3/4 cup Diced Turnips (1 medium)
1/2 cup Diced Fresh Onions
1 cup Sliced Red & Yellow Pepper
1/3 cup Fresh Zucchini Cubes
1 cup sliced Portabello mushrooms
1 Tbs Dried Oregano Leaves
1 Tbs Dried Basil Leaves
2/3 tsp Dried Rosemary Leaves
1 tsp Dried Thyme Leaves
1 Tbs Celtic Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked black pepper
1 cup Northern Beans, canned
1 cup Chickpeas, canned
Virgin Coconut Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
4 oz Sundried tomato/basil feta, crumbled
4 Tortillas (spinach is best)

Grease large stoneware bar pan with VCO. Toss veggies in VCO. Spread veggies evenly on pan. Sprinkle with seasonings.

Roast vegetables at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse beans. Add beans to roasted vegetables and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender and browned. Remove from oven.

Sprinkle lightly with balsamic vinegar. Spoon 1-cup vegetables and 1 oz. cheese on each tortilla. Fold and serve hot.

Serve with salsa, sour cream or avocado dip

Sauteed Green Beans & Mushrooms

Ingredients:
1 lb green beans, fresh
2 Tbs Sea Salt, celtic
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbs butter, unsalted
1 Tbs EVOO


Snap both ends off the beans and pull off any strings.

Fill a mixing bowl or medium pot with 4 cups cold water and add 1
tray of ice cubes. Set aside.

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil over high heat and add the beans.
Blanch beans until bright green, tender but still crisp. This will 3 to 5 min.

Remember this is only a preliminary preparation so do not overcook the beans.

Drain the beans and place them immediately into the ice water bath. Stir until cool, then drain. Spread the beans on towels and pat dry.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, add mushrooms.
Cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add green beans and toss to coat. Cook until beans are hot, about 3 minutes longer. Sprinkle with more sea salt. Serve immediately.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
8 oz. mushrooms, minced (use your fav...I love cremini)
1/4 c. onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. parsley
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. whole wheat flour or GF thickener
2 c. chicken stock
1 c. milk, yogurt or cream (raw grass-fed of course)

Heat butter in 2 quart saucepan. Add mushrooms, onions, garlic, parsley, nutmeg and pepper. Sauté until mushrooms soften and lose their liquid. Sprinkle flour over mixture and continue cooking for several minutes.

Add stock gradually, stirring constantly. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Puree mixture in blender or food processor, then return to the saucepan. Stir in milk and heat through.

I'm not sure how big a can of soup is, so you'd need to cut this recipe, or freeze the excess for later.

I make this in LARGE batches and freeze in pint jars...which equal a can of soup.

Chicken Divan

The original recipe came from the Juicy Miss Lucy cookbook. My FIRST cookbook ever. I have been making this recipe since I was 12...it has evolved to a healthier version over the years.

Ingredients:
2 pkg 10 oz frozen broccoli spears, cooked & drained (my family prefers broccoli florets)
3 whole chicken breast cut in half & skinless
10oz can condensed cream of chicken soup (I make homemade Cream of Mushroom)
2/3 cup mayo (healthy mayo from WFN)
1/2 cup evaporated milk (I use raw heavy cream)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar (raw is avail)
1 Tbs Lemon Juice
1/2 cup sherry
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sautéed in 1/2 stick butter
Croutons (homemade sourdough)

1. Place Broccoli in a greased casserole
2. Pouch chicken breasts, 45 minutes, drain & layer on top of broccoli
3. Combine sauce ingredients, and pour over broccoli and chicken. Sprinkle w/croutons and bake 45 min in 325 oven.

This freezes really well.

Coconut Beef Stew

I made the YUMMIEST meal tonight. I got the basic recipe from a friend online. Of course I added my own flair. Here is what I came up with. My family LOVED it. They had 2nd & 3rds and asked for me to make it again soon.



Ingredients:
2 lbs Stew Beef
1 medium Onion or several shallots, diced
Coconut oil
Pamela's Baking Mix
1 red pepper, cut into bite size chunks
1 - 32 oz can Fire Roasted diced tomatoes
1/2 lbs of Cremini Mushrooms, chopped bite size
1 can coconut milk
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbs. Thai Chili Sauce
Reisling Wine

Cut beef into large chunks. Season the baking mix and toss the beef to coat. Heat coconut oil in the cast iron dutch oven. Add onions/shallots start to caramelize. Add the beef to sear the outsides a few pieces at a time. When done add them to the crockpot. When all done de-glaze the pot with wine and dump juices/scrapings into the crockpot.

Add red pepper, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, coconut milk and chili sauce to the crockpot. Cover, lower heat, simmer for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

Serve over cooked short grain brown rice with butter.

Braised Beef w/Rich Gravy

Ingredients:
2lbs stew beef, round steak, or sirloin tip roast (my fav), CUT into 1 inch cubes
Salt & Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 TBs olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced into thin wedges
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups beef broth plus 1 cup, if needed for gravy
4 Tbs flour
3/4 cup ice water

Sprinkle the beef cubes with salt & pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skilled. Add the meat and sauté until well browned, remove to a bowl, and keep warm. In the same skillet, sauté the onions & mushrooms, and garlic until the onions are translucent

Add 3 cups of the broth, and bring to a simmer, stirring the mixture often and scraping up any browned bits. Return the beef to the skillet, cover tightly and simmer for 1 hour or more until beef is tender. IF the liquid starts to boil over, turn the heat down slightly.

Periodically check the stew to make sure there is ample liquid for cooking the meat and for making gravy afterward. If too much has boiled doff, add the fourth cup of broth. Once ready whisk flou/corn starch/arrowroot into the ice water until smooth. Gradually stir this thickener into the simmering beef & broth Bring to a slow boil ad cook for a few seconds, stirring, until the gravy thickens.

Serve over rice or egg noodles.

I have frozen just the meat and gravy after cooking and it comes out yummy later.

You can also stir in a container of sour cream at the end to have something more like stroganoff.

Zucchini Beef Bake

Zucchini-Beef Bake

3 medium zucchini, sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 tbs. oil
1 pound ground beef
1 can soup beans
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. basil
Celtic Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste.
2 cups shredded cheese, your choice (Monterey Jack, Raw)

Saute garlic in oil until brown. Add zucchini, mushrooms and spices until tender. Cook ground beef and onion until browned in separate pan; drain. Stir in tomato sauce and soup beans.
Layer half of zucchini mixture in a lightly greased 13x9 pan. Spoon half of ground beef mixture over vegetables.

Sprinkle with half of cheese. Repeat leayers of vegetables and ground beef. Top with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 30 minutes.

This freezes great and is even better leftover. A wonderful new baby meal