Posted by Janet Harriett on Jan.15, 2010

©iStockphoto.com - Fertnig

All of these hearty soups cook for 8 hours on the low setting in a 4-quart slow cooker. Throw them together in the morning, and dinner will be done when you get home.

Simply add the ingredients to the slow cooker in the order listed. Ingredient amounts are for a 4-quart crock pot. For the vegetable amounts, simply fill the pot, on top of the protein source, until the pot is 3/4 full then pour the liquid over everything. You can use fresh, frozen or dehydrated vegetables. If using dehydrated veggies, add extra liquid.

Black Bean

1 cup black beans
4 ounces chopped smoked sausage (use turkey sausage for lower fat)
Onion
Carrot
Celery
Cumin
4 cups water
Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream and shredded pepperjack cheese

Unstuffed Cabbage

1 pound browned ground turkey or ground beef
Shredded green cabbage (1/2 head for a 4-quart pot)
Bell peppers
Onion
2 cans diced tomatoes, with liquid, or 3 cups chopped fresh or frozen tomato
1/2 cup long grain rice
3 cups water or broth

Beef Barley

1 pound stew beef, cut in bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup barley
Onion
Carrot
Celery
Salt, pepper to taste
6 cups broth

Beef Stew

1/2 pound stew beef
Carrot
Onion
Celery
Potato
Parsnip
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained, or a spoonful of tomato paste
1 cup water

Vegetarian

Stirfry Soup

1 block tofu, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
Onion,
Bell pepper
Carrot
Celery
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce and ginger to taste
3 cups vegetable broth
About a half hour before serving, stir in 1-2 cups frozen or fresh snow pea pods.

Vegetarian Split Pea

1 cup split peas (green or yellow)
Shredded vegetables (anything you can shred, such as carrot, zucchini or parsnips, will taste fine)
Include shredded potato or add some instant potato flakes to thicken the soup
4 cups vegetable broth

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Posted under Food, Nutrition & Recipes, Healthy Recipes, Main Dishes.