A few weeks ago, my friend Catherine McCord sent me a copy of her new cookbook, Weelicious. I met Catherine at the BlogHer Conference in Seattle this past summer. I immediately knew she was destined for great things. She is passionate about her blog, and she’s really dedicated herself to creating healthy food options for busy families on the go. Catherine’s site Weelicious is super successful, and I’m sure her new cookbook will be, too. It’s full of quick, healthy, kid-friendly recipes and cooking tips. It’s not a kosher cookbook, but it does have lots of options for those who keep kosher. Busy families will love this book, it’s full of fun and easy ideas to nourish your family.
When the weather begins cooling down and the skies are overcast, there’s nothing quite like a slow cooker meal to warm the tummy and comfort the spirit. I adapted the following recipe from Catherine’s “Slow-Cooker Lentil Veggie Stew” in the Weelicious cookbook. The original recipe is a great base to work from. I decided to spice it up a bit– which little kid mouths might not appreciate, but in our family everything gets the spicy treatment! I added cumin, black pepper, and cayenne to the mix. I also threw in some cauliflower to add some texture and bulk to the soup, while keeping things low cal. Catherine suggests topping the stew with plain yogurt, herbed goat cheese, feta, crème fraîche, or grated Parmesan. We stirred in some Greek yogurt and lowfat sour cream because it’s what we had on hand. Both were terrific, they added a nice creamy touch to the broth. Obviously you can leave the dairy products out to keep the stew vegan or pareve. I also threw in a few seasoned breadcrumbs, they sopped up the soup and tasted awesome. On its own, the stew is simple, natural comfort food– gluten free, low fat, low calorie, and vegan. Good for the body, good for the soul. What could be better?
I have two Weelicious cookbooks to give away this week! Enter to win your own copy by leaving a comment below, along with a valid email address, letting me know the answer to this question:
What was your favorite meal when you were a kid?
All entrants will be subscribed to my weekly newsletter (unless you are already subscribed). Two winners will be chosen at random and notified via email. Contest ends at 5:00pm PST on Friday, October 12, 2012.
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CONTEST ENDED. Congrats to Toni and Mary Ann!
New giveaway posting soon.
Learn more about the Weelicious cookbook, and buy your own copy – click here.
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Slow Cooker Lentil Cauliflower Stew
Ingredients
- 16 ounces dried lentils
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups of onion)
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 pound cauliflower, chopped into very small florets
- 2 leeks, white and green parts only, halved, washed carefully, and chopped)
- 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (very spicy-- add 1/4 tsp or less for a milder flavor)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 32 ounces diced tomatoes with juice (1 large can)
- 2 cups chopped kale or Swiss chard
Optional Toppings
- Plain yogurt, herbed goat cheese, feta, crème fraîche, grated Parmesan, Greek yogurt or lowfat sour cream
NOTES
Instructions
- Sort the lentils, discarding any stones or impurities. Rinse the lentils in a wire mesh strainer.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion for about 4 minutes, till softened. Add the chopped garlic and saute for another minute.
- Pour the softened onions and garlic into the slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients (minus toppings).Cover the slow cooker and turn heat to high. Set timer to 6 hours on high, or 8 hours on low, until the lentils are tender.
- Serve hot with your choice of toppings.
Shannon says
Looks super yummy and I’ve been dying for a lentil soup recipe! My favorite recipe when I was a kid is hard to narrow down because my mom and both of my grandmothers are/were great cooks! I’d have to say though, that I adored my mom’s homemade lasagna. We’re talking homemade sauce, lots of cheese, and for me, no meat- amazing!!!! Serve it up with some salad and bread and it’s what’s for dinner!
Wendy says
Looks like the perfect fall meal! My favorite meal as a child was a soup my mom made with egg noodles, garbanzos and broth.
Sarah says
My favorite meal as a kid was French fries for lunch or dinner.
Sherry says
As strange as it sounds, I LOVED to go to the local restaurant and order sweet and sour stuffed cabbage to share with my Bubby. There were always two pieces of stuffed cabbage so we each had one and she always let me have the mashed potatoes and she ate the side dish of veggies that I didn’t like.
malka says
Favorite meal as a kid wasmoms spaghetti and meatballs, still is!
Ilana says
My favorite childhood meal was pizza. I still love New Jersey/New York style pizza.
Ellyn says
Definitely my mom’s sinker matzo balls in her chicken soup, medium rare romanian steak with very creamy, almost soupy mashed potatoes.
Francine Novakoff says
Loved my mom’s matzo ball soup and her sweet noodle kugels. I guess it was at Passover Seders that I always had my favorite meals.
Nina says
Lasagne. My mother had the best recipe! We loved it fresh, leftover, hot, cold — our favorite!
Helen says
My mother made the best spaghetti sauce. Maybe Brunswick stew or beef stew. Those are still favs of mine.
Marian Johnson says
When I was a child my favorite meal was Chicken a la King in pastry cups! I was so excited to see those pastry cups prepared by my dad!
Diana Blum says
My mom wasn’t that great in the kitchen, but I did love her hot dogs. Who says home cooking hasn’t improved in 40 years?
Sarah L says
I really liked spaghetti with my mom’s homemade sauce.
Katie Ellis says
My favorite meal as a child…Cream chicken on biscuits.
Nancy says
My father insisted on meat, potatoes, bread and butter with every evening meal. We didn’t eat out. So when my mother made her chicken chow mein with “oriental” vegetables, rice and crunchy noodles, it felt like we were having an “exotic” meal. It’s not just about the food, it’s about the memories that go with it.
Mary Ann says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! My favorite meal as a kid was the same as Craig’s: grilled cheese, tomato soup, with a dill pickle. I always ate it on our aluminum TV trays while watching Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood!
Pilar says
Rice with sunny up eggs.
Tulip says
I love Catherine’s blog and I’m so glad she posted the link to yours on facebook too!!! Thanks for this adaptation it looks great!
My favorite meal as a kid was my grandmothers fried potatoes with some good bread. She always made a huge batch when we visited.
Lisa says
Great recipe for this weather! My favorite childhood food was my mom’s lasagna. Yum…
Stellie says
My favourite meal was the meal my mum made us when we had been sick.
Farex ( farina) in one bowl and grated apples in the other.
hardly glamour food but definatley comforting.In fact 40 years on I made it tonight for my sickee 5 year old for the first time and he loved it!
Ps love your site and the recipes