Walk a Greener Path

Fall is the perfect time to start cooking again. The kitchen isn’t as stuffy and you won’t break out in a sweat just thinking about turning on the stove. Plus you can easily cook with no oil and less salt in a slow cooker.

Tip: It’s also a great way to cook dried beans. Just store them in the freezer for later. It’s much cheaper than buying canned beans and there’s no added salt!

In the past women cooked food over low fires all day long so they could get other household tasks done at the same time they were cooking dinner. You can still get a Le Creuset Round French Oven like the one pictured, and keep that tradition. It’s certainly on my wish list, but out of my budget’s reach for the moment. Still, it would be great for a big pot of red beans and rice.

But I’m more of a slow cooker/crock pot kind of gal. It costs less and you can go to work and leave it on all day. If you are on a strict budget you can pick one up at a yard sale or thrift store. You can usually find one for under 25.00. At Amazon you can get a slow cooker for anywhere from 15.00 to 150.00. Make sure to read some reviews on their site before buying one. Some work better than others.

One of the easiest meals to make is soup. Simply throw some veggies, broth (or water), and herbs in the slow cooker before you go to work. If you want a ‘creamy’ soup save some calories and fat and throw a potato into the pot. Once it’s cooked and you blend the soup it will have the consistency and color that you’re expecting with none of the fat or cholesterol that real cream soups have! Try ‘cream-less’ of cauliflower or broccoli. It makes a great meal with a slice of whole grain toast.

A nice fall apple or pear is a great addition to a squash soup. It adds sweetness and some body. Here’s my latest variation:

Slow Cooker Pear Delicata Squash Soup

• 1 delicata squash, peeled and cubed (you can use butternut squash if you can’t find a delicata)
• 2 pears, peeled and cored then cubed
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups vegetable stock (or filtered water with Vegetarian Better Than Bouillon no-chicken, or another vegetarian chicken-like bouillon cube)
• 1 tbsp Port (or red wine)
• sprig of fresh thyme
• salt and pepper

Throw everything into the slow cooker and cook on low 6 - 10 hours. Remove the thyme spring and use a hand blender to puree everything together. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste.