Slow Cooker Wild and Brown Rice Soup

Yep, we like ours so thick it looks like oatmeal!

I have been back in school since January, but this semester is the first time I have had a class actually on campus as opposed to online. Even with that class meeting only twice a week (for 2 1/2 hours a pop), it zaps my ambition, and even though I am a firm believer in not using time as an excuse for not serving my family healthful meals, I am having a hard time feeling like getting in the kitchen after class some days. I got a great new slow cooker several months ago and had been using it quite a bit (check out the Slow Cooker Recipes link over on the right hand side of the page), but it's time to get it out again. Now I swear I am in no hurry for winter, but I do enjoy fall very much, and I love breaking out the stews, soups and chili recipes when the weather turns cooler, and I especially love using my slow cooker for them.

Here is my reasoning behind leaving the brown rice uncooked but using cooked wild rice in the recipe: wild rice is not really a rice, it is the grain of an aquatic plant/grass. When it's cooking, it most definitely smells like grass, and I would not want that flavor in my soup. I did find a quick cooking variety at my grocery store that has already had some of that rawness cooked out of it, and you can also buy it canned (yes, really!). I love wild rice in soups and side dishes, so I often cook up a large batch and freeze some in 1 or 2 cup portions, saving me time when I need it another day. I leave the brown rice uncooked in this recipe so that as it cooks, the starch it releases helps thicken the soup and gives it a creamy texture. I like to keep this fairly light (I have a traditional chicken and wild rice soup recipe that calls for a stick of butter, 3/4 cup flour and 2 cups of half and half--my arteries clogged just typing that out!), and since it gets a nice, creamy consistency during the cooking process, I just use milk, though half and half or even fat free half and half could be used too. Today I used unsweetened almond milk.

There are opportunities for variation in this recipe. It's really easy to divide or multiply amounts if you need more or less. I love mine really thick, but if it's too thick for you, add more stock as needed. You'll find that if you keep it in the slow cooker for awhile, such as during a gathering, you might have to periodically add a bit more liquid. If you aren't a wild rice fan or can't find it, skip it and add a bit more brown rice. We don't eat pork, but you could substitute cooked ham for the chicken (a popular addition to many wild rice soup recipes), and if you are not a meat-eater, the soup is still wonderfully filling without either!


Slow Cooker Wild and Brown Rice Soup

2 cups cooked chicken, chopped/shredded
2 cups wild rice, cooked and rinsed
2/3 cup brown rice, uncooked
3 carrots, sliced (abut 1 1/2 cups)
2 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
6 + cups homemade vegetable stock (or any vegetable or chicken stock)
1 cup milk or half and half
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped (or 1 tsp dried) 
1/2 tsp dry mustard (if you don't have dry, just skip it--do not use prepared mustard!)
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: sliced/slivered almonds for garnishing

Directions: Place all ingredients except milk/half and half in slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Ten minutes before turning slow cooker off, add milk/half and half and stir well, replace lid and heat for remaining ten minutes. Check for seasoning and serve, garnishing each bowl with sliced/slivered almonds if desired.

Cost:

Brown rice (organic): $3.29/2 lb package, used 1/6 = $.55

Wild rice: $3.99/12 oz package uncooked, used 1/4 =$1.00

Chicken (no antibiotics, veg-fed): On sale for $4.99/lb boneless/skinless thighs, used 1/2 = $2.50

Celery (organic): $.99 after sale and coupon, used 1/4 = $.25

Carrots (organic): $1.98/2 lb pkg, used 1/5 = $.40

Onion (farmers market): $.50 each large onion, used 1/2 = $.25

Almonds: $3.99/10 oz bag, used 1/6 of bag = $.67
Almond milk: $3.29/half gallon, used 1/8 = $.41
Vegetable stock: Homemade Freebie

Total Cost: $6.03

Six Servings: $1.00 per serving

Spinach and Tomato Alfredo Pizza

I used red grape tomatoes and little yellow tomatoes shaped like pears--I love all of the bright pops of color against the white alfredo sauce!

Once in awhile I like a pizza that is a little less traditional, as in a red tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, and this one fits the bill perfectly. Instead of a tomato sauce, I make a homemade alfredo sauce, and instead of gooping the top with mozzarella, I use the alfredo sauce as sort of a thin layer of cement for the spinach and tomatoes and just garnish with a bit of grated parmesan after it comes out of the oven. I like keeping this vegetarian, but it tastes great with shredded/diced chicken added as well.


Spinach and Tomato Alfredo Pizza

1 12-14" prepared pizza crust (try my 100% whole wheat pizza crust)
4 oz neufchatel or cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (or larger tomato/es, diced)
1 cup baby spinach, torn into bite-sized pieces if necessary
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup homemade vegetable stock, milk or any vegetable/chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1: Place stock/milk and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat for 5 minutes, being careful not to let it boil or even simmer. Stir in neufchatel/cream cheese, 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until cheeses are melted smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Step 2: Spread cheese mixture on crust. Top with tomatoes and then spinach, pressing them down into the cheese mixture. If using my crust, after the crust is pre-baked, bake at 450 degrees for 7-10 minutes. If using another crust, bake according to package directions. When pizza is removed from oven, sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.


Cost:

Cream cheese (organic): $1.99 per 8 oz pkg, used 1/2 =$1.00

Parmesan cheese: $2.99/5 oz, used 2/5 = $1.20

Vegetable stock: Homemade Freebie
Crust (homemade): $1.04
Tomatoes: Garden Freebie
Baby spinach (organic): $1.50/pkg after sale and coupon, used 1/4 = $.38

Total Cost: $3.62
Eight Slices: $.45 per slice

100% Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

I wish I had taken a picture that didn't look so greasy! I swear I only used 3 oz of organic mozzarella on a 14" pizza, but there was turkey pepperoni too!

Like many other things in life, pizza crust is something many people seem to really be passionate about as far as the type they prefer. I'm not a huge fan of the thick, bread-like pizza crusts--I like a thinner, crispier crust, but still chewy on the inside. It's probably no surprise I also like to make my crust with 100% whole wheat flour. I use only the basic ingredients you will find in most traditional Italian brick oven-style crusts--flour, water, yeast and salt. No sugar, no oil. You might find the flavor a bit basic as well if you are used to crusts made with white flour, sugar/honey and oil/lard, so rely on high quality, flavorful toppings to really make it pop. If you do make this with a non-whole wheat flour, use the same proportions of flour, yeast and salt, but you may need to cut back on the water a bit.

I wrote this recipe with convenience in mind--it makes more than one crust (the exact number depending on the size you want them), one to use the day I make it and one or two to freeze for a quick meal another day. And like my 100% whole wheat buns recipe, you can choose to let the dough rise in the refrigerator overnight or even up to two or three days and work with it when you need it (I actually found the crust a bit tastier when I used dough that had risen in the fridge for a couple days). If you want to get even more convenience-minded and have the room in your freezer, make a couple batches up through the point of pre-baking, wrap well and freeze.

For me, this will make two 12"-15" crusts or three 9"-12" crusts, depending on how thick/thin I make them. If I feel like a cracker-thin super crispy crust, I will divide it into three parts and make them about 10", if I am doing our usual 14" crust that's crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, somewhere between cracker-thin and original/hand-tossed, I will divide it into two parts. You could also make three or four personal-sized pizzas with a bit thicker crusts or even more with thinner crusts. You are probably tiring of me telling you to experiment/play around with recipes, but this is another basic recipe that has many options for you depending on your needs/likes.

100% Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp active dry yeast (about 1/2 of a .25 oz pkg)
1 3/4 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt and make a well in the middle. Add water, sprinkle in yeast and mix until dough is smooth and comes together in a ball. It's okay if it's a little tacky, you want a well-hydrated dough.

Step 2A: Cover bowl and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

OR

Step 2B: Cover bowl and let dough rise in refrigerator overnight or up to 2 or 3 days.

Step 3: Punch dough down well and form into 2-3 smooth, tight balls. If you are going to freeze some, wrap it well (I use plastic wrap and then place it in a heavy duty freezer bag) and freeze at this point. Dust remaining ball/s very lightly with flour on the outside, cover with damp towel, plastic wrap, etc. and let rest for one hour. If it's going to be longer than an hour before you will cook the crust/pizza, let it rest in the fridge and then let it come to room temp before rolling it out.

Step 4: Punch dough down well and roll, press or pull ball/s into desired shape, using flour where necessary to prevent sticking. Poke holes in crust with a fork. Depending on how thin you get it and what you cook it on, you may wish to bake it before adding sauce and toppings. A preheated pizza stone will probably not require pre-baking, but I always do if I am using a baking sheet or pizza pan. I pre-bake it at 450 degrees for about 5-7 minutes. I also bake my topped crust at the same temperature.

To use frozen dough: Remove dough from plastic wrap and cover lightly with flour. Let thaw and rest under plastic wrap, a damp towel, etc. for about two to three hours. You can also thaw it slower in the fridge, letting it come to room temp before rolling out whichever thawing method you use.

This was after pre-baking. It's about 14", and I made the outer rim a bit thicker than the inside.

Cost:

Whole wheat flour (organic): $2.84/2 lb bag, used 4/7 = $1.62

Yeast: $1.39/3 pk, used one = $.46

Total Cost: $2.08
Two Crusts: $1.04 per crust 
Three Crusts: $.69 per crust
Four Crusts: $.52 per crust

Coupon Alerts!

Van's Natural Foods: Visit their Facebook page and click on the Breakfast with Benefits tab to print a $1 off coupon for one of their frozen breakfast products--waffles, pancakes, french toast sticks and muffin crowns. Hurry, this is a rare one!  Note: secure browsing must be turned off in order for coupon to print.

MamboSprouts.com: They still have some coupons I have alerted you to before such as $.75 off Organic Valley original or vanilla soy creamer and a few brands of of teas. New are $1 off one Arrowhead Mills breakfast product and $1 off one Country Choice Organic product.

Kashi: Swagbucks and coupons.com have three different Kashi coupons available to print: $1 off any TLC crackers, $1 off any 3 GOLEAN bars (singles or multipacks) and $1.50 off any two boxes of TLC bars. If you do Swagbucks, remember to print your limit from there first so you get your Swagbucks after redeeming the coupon.

Cooked Salsa

I am more of a fresh salsa girl because I love the crunch of fresh veggies, but my husband likes both fresh and cooked. I got a great deal on some roma tomatoes at the farmers market this morning, and since there were some in there that were really, really ripe and not great for a fresh salsa, I am also doing a cooked one today. I also got some long green chilies, strong onion and a jalapeno at the market since I only had one from my garden to use and used it on the fresh salsa I made earlier.

Note: this is NOT formulated for canning safely!

As with the fresh salsa, you can use any variety of tomato you like. I prefer roma, as they are firmer and create a less watery salsa, decreasing the cooking time a bit. Since the tomatoes will cook down, you'll need to start with more tomatoes than you think you'll need, so don't worry if it looks like a lot. You will want to peel your tomatoes for a cooked salsa, and you will find instructions for that at the end of this post. Whether or not you seed your tomatoes is totally up to you. I usually don't seed mine beyond what falls out on its own, but some prefer their salsa without the random tomato seeds.

The tomato paste really is an important part of the recipe, in case you were wondering if you could get by without. When you cook the salsa, you draw out a lot of water and deplete a lot of that fresh, ripe flavor--the tomato paste tightens the salsa up a bit and adds necessary flavor.

Cooked Salsa

3 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped (I used about 12 roma tomatoes)
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
2 large long green chilis (mild) or two medium bell peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste (about 1/2 6 oz can)
Salt to taste
Optional: chopped jalapeno or other hot chili to taste
Optional: juice of 1/2 a lime, or to taste

Directions: Place tomatoes, onion, chilis/peppers, garlic and salt in a saucepan over medium high heat. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add tomato paste, parsley/cilantro and lime juice if using, simmer for another 5 minutes and remove from heat. When cooled, serve or chill in fridge.

Cost:

Tomatoes (farmers market): $3/large crate, used about 1/5 = $.60

Long green chilies (farmers market): $.25 each, used 2 = $.50

Onion (farmers market): $.50/each large onion, used 3/4 = $.38

Jalapeno (farmers market): $.25 each = $.25

Tomato paste (organic): $4.99/6 oz can, used 1/2 = $.50

Lime: On sale for $.69, used 1/2 = $.35

Parsley/Garlic = Garden Freebies

Total Cost: $2.58



Peeling Your Tomatoes

Step 1: Bring a pot of water to boiling and fill a large bowl with cold water.

Step 2: Score the bottom of the tomato with an X using a paring knife. Some varieties will peel without being dipped in water if they are ripe/soft enough. If you are pulling of small pieces or pulling too much flesh off with the skin, they will need to be dipped in the boiling water.

Step 3: Place the tomatoes in  the boiling water for 30 seconds to a minute. Remove and place in bowl of cold water. Most of the skins will split, but don't fret if some don't.

Step 4: When cool enough to handle, peel the skins off.

Step 5: I find coring much easier and handling the tomato much easier as well when I cut the peeled tomato in half and then cut a notch/wedge to remove the core.

Step 6: Seed the tomatoes if you wish and chop.

Fresh Salsa

I love fresh salsa, and it's even better when I use fresh-picked ingredients from my own garden or from local growers at the farmers market. I picked tomatoes from my garden this morning, but since my onions are so small still, I picked up some nice strong white ones at the market along with some big ol' long green chilies. The long green chilies are mild, but thy do have a bit more "zip" than a bell pepper, according to the lady I bought them from.

This is really less of a recipe and more of a guide. If there are certain flavors you like, add more, if there's something you don't care for, add less or omit it. We like our salsa really onion-y, so the recipe as written may be a little onion-heavy for some people. My husband reminded me to add a lot of onion before I started in on this recipe, as we are always fighting to fish out the few and very elusive onions in the salsa at our favorite Mexican restaurant! If you aren't a lime fan, leave it out or add just a little. It's not rocket science--you can mix it up however you like!

As far as the "heat" of the salsa, it's written as mild with the optional addition of hot chilies if desired. If the kids are eating the salsa, I stick to one jalapeno. If it's just me and/or my husband, I would probably add two jalapenos, one cayenne or even a bit of a habanero (as I did to some salsa I canned a couple days ago).


Fresh Salsa

2 cups tomato, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1 large long green chili (mild) or medium bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Optional: Chopped jalapeno or any hot chili to taste
Salt to taste

Directions: Place all ingredients in a bowl and gently stir until combined. Serve immediately or chill before serving.

Cost:

Tomatoes/Garlic/Parsley/Jalapeno: Garden Freebies

Onion (farmers market): $.50 each for large onions, used 1/2 =$.25

Green chili: $.25 each large chili = $.25

Lime: On sale $.69 each, used 1/2 = $.35

Total Cost: $.85

"You Can Do It Better Yourself" Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

This is the first recipe in my "You Can Do It Better Yourself" series (check out the linked post for information on the series as well as a couple tips to make them even quicker). Not only is this made with real, simple ingredients and fresh vegetables (as opposed to the three dehydrated  flecks of vegetables you find in the prepackaged meals), but it is a great substitute for a traditional alfredo pasta, which although delicious, is a little too heavy on the cream, cheese and butter for me! Omit the chicken, and you have an easy and economical vegetarian dish as well.

Served with a kale and tomato salad from the garden and five of my 100% whole wheat buns (at $.16 each), we had quite a filling meal that's not too terribly bad on the "healthfulness scale" for only $5.89, and it took me no longer than 20 minutes to prepare!

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

6 oz dry pasta or 3 cups cooked
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken, diced
2 cups broccoli florets (be generous if you like broccoli)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup homemade vegetable stock (or any vegetable or chicken stock)
4 oz neufchatel cheese/light cream cheese, cut into cubes
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
Reserved pasta water
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: If pasta is uncooked, begin preparing according to package directions, stopping cooking a few minutes before the recommended time so it doesn't overcook later. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add garlic, chicken, salt and pepper and cook just until chicken is no longer pink on the outside, 5-7 minutes.

Add stock, broccoli and cooked pasta, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes. Slowly stir in neufchatel/cream cheese and parmesan until melted smooth and all other ingredients are evenly coated. If you need a little more liquid to help cheese melt smooth, add pasta water a tablespoon or two at a time. It will thicken after it's removed from heat, but if there is too much liquid, let simmer for a few more minutes, until it reaches desired thickness. Add additional salt and pepper if desired.

Note: If you are using precooked chicken, add it to the pan with the broccoli, stock, pasta and garlic and follow directions from that point.

Cost:

Chicken (veg-fed/no antibiotics): On sale $4/lb, 1/2 lb = $2.00

Broccoli (organic): $1.88/bunch after sale (Hy-vee) and coupon (Recyclebank), used 1/2 bunch = $.94

Pasta (whole wheat): $1.22/13.25 oz box, used just under half = $.55

Cream cheese (organic): $1.99 per 8 oz pkg, used 1/2 =$1.00

Parmesan cheese: $2.99/5 oz, used 1/5 = $.60

Vegetable stock: Homemade Freebie

Total Cost: $5.09

Four Servings: $1.27 per serving

Six Servings: $.85 per serving

You Can Do It Better Yourself!

I am working on a series of "You Can Do It Better Yourself..." recipes in response to those boxed meals that......offer assistance in preparing dinner--you know, the ones with the little packets of "cheese", and seasonings in powder form and tiny pouches of pasta or rice to which you add browned meat. I'm not going to preach to you regarding what I believe are the evils of such meals, which believe me, are many in my opinion, I will however try to sell you on making similar dishes with simple, fresh ingredients (that you can pronounce) that are just as quick and easy. They may not be the most healthful recipes in my repertoire, but I do my best to make them as healthful as possible, and they are nice to enjoy every once in awhile when I need something for supper I don't have to think too much about. It also keeps my family happily eating my healthful meals when they feel like they get a taste of familiar dishes. Served with fresh veggies and fruit, they really are meals I still feel good about eating and serving to my family!

One thing that baffles me about those boxed meals is the large amount of meat they call for in comparison to the small pouches of pasta/rice. I prefer mine with equal parts of meat and pasta, and it's a bonus that cutting down on the meat happens to keep the cost a bit lower as well. Whole wheat pasta and brown rice are good sources of protein on their own, and any of the recipes in this series could easily be made with no meat at all. And if you have gluten/wheat issues, you can of course substitute the gluten free pasta of your choice in the pasta dishes.

I prepare the pasta/rice, brown the meat and prepare the rest of the ingredients for these recipes all at the same time, and that is a huge time saver. When you really need to prepare dinner in record time, here are a couple time saving tips that can make these meals even quicker:

-Cook a large amount of pasta and/or rice to within a few minutes of the recommended cooking time, cool, place in zip-top freezer bags and freeze in stacks. To thaw, either throw a bag in the fridge, remove pasta/rice from bag and defrost in a glass bowl in the microwave for a minute or two or place the bag in a bowl of hot water.

-Brown batches of meats such as ground beef/chicken/turkey or diced chicken breast and follow directions for freezing and thawing pasta above.

Look for tomorrow's recipe, "You Can Do It Better Yourself" Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo!

Super Chunky Guacamole (Revisited)

Since I can now get everything but the avocado and lime from my garden, I have been making super chunky guacamole up a storm, and I am reposting the recipe from back in May! My favorite meal to eat it for is still breakfast, though I certainly don't have to be convinced to eat it an time of day! ;) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love guacamole. LOVE IT! I love it so much that when I was doing Weight Watchers, I ate homemade guacamole and organic tortilla chips for breakfast every day for several months. I also love my food CHUNKY, and guacamole is no exception. This recipe ends up working well for really stretching out the avocado, which can really be expensive at times, with some less expensive veggies. I don't know about where you are at, but the price of avocados (Haas) really fluctuates around here. I passed them over for a couple of weeks when they were a whopping $2.50 each, but I snatched a bunch up a few days ago, when to my utter amazement, they were only $1 a piece! Thanks to that deal, I am splurging and using two avocados in this recipe, but it can be easily adjusted to make with just one avocado or 70, if you are so inclined. If  I use one avocado in the recipe, I get four servings out of it, if I use two avocados, I stretch it to six servings. I can't stretch it past six servings since I am the only one in the house that eats it--and if you are mindlessly dipping tortilla chips in it, you're not going to get more than six servings anyway! ;) You already know I like it with my organic tortilla chips, but I also use it to top salads and chili, spread it on sandwiches and of course put it on tacos and the like. I may or may not be known to eat it by the spoonful on occasion.

I normally use and much prefer red bell peppers but only had a green one left today. They happened to be on sale for $.59 at the grocery store, and since the organic ones were way too insanely priced to even consider, I snatched some up, brought them home and washed them really well. I cannot wait until bell peppers start popping up at our farmers market or in my garden, whichever comes first!

So money talk is out of the way, let's talk nutrition. Avocados are packed with good stuff! Yes, they do have a fair amount of fat, but much of it is the good monounsaturated stuff. They also have pretty close to a little of everything when it comes to vitamins and minerals. A perfect food?! The monounsaturated fatty acids they contain are supposed to be good for busting belly fat...I will let you know how that works out for me.

Super Chunky Guacamole

2 Haas avocados
1 Roma tomato
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice from 1/2 lime
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
optional: diced jalapeno or red pepper flakes to taste

Directions: Prepare your avocados using your preferred method (see bellow for my suggestion). I like to leave mine cubed/diced, but you can mash yours if you so desire. Add all other ingredients and stir well.

COST:

Haas avocado: $1 each x 2 = $2

Green bell pepper: $.59 each, used half = $.30

Lime: $.35 each, used 1/2 = $.18

Garlic: One head was $.25, used two cloves, which is 1/6 of the head = $.04

Onion: One small red onion (8 oz) was $.75/lb ($.38 total), used 1/2 = $.19
Roma Tomato: One small one (4 oz) was $1.18/lb = $.30

Total Cost: $3.01

Four servings: $.75 per serving
Six Servings: $.50 per serving 

Handling Your Avocado

I call this the "score and scoop" method. It's easy to do and works really well.

Slice the avocados in half lengthwise, working carefully around the pit. I forgo the traditional knife removal method and remove the pit by softly squeezing the half in which it's embedded--it pops right out.

I then score each half of the avocado in a criss-cross pattern with a paring knife. Work carefully and do not go through the skin. Now it's ready to scoop out with a spoon!

Super Stalker Sunday!

Trying something new today, Super Stalker Sunday!