Naturopath in Burnaby and Virtual Care Across BC | Dr. Mélanie DesChâtelets, ND

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Tuscan Sausage & Potato Soup

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Tuscan Sausage & Potato Soup

Course Soup
Cuisine Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 4 oz. pancetta cubed
  • 2 lbs. bulk mild sausage
  • 2 15- oz. cans cannellini beans*
  • 6-7 c. chicken stock divided
  • 1 T. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2-3 cloves fresh garlic finely minced
  • 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 lbs. Russet potatoes peeled and cut into small chunks
  • 3 ” hard Parmesan cheese rind
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ½ c. half and half tempered**
  • 3 c. fresh kale finely chopped
  • ½ c. Parmesan cheese freshly grated

Instructions

  1. Brown pancetta in large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sausage to the same skillet and brown, breaking it up into small bite-sized chunks with a spatula while it cooks. Remove from heat and carefully drain excess fat from pan. Transfer pancetta and sausage to a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock. You could also use a rice cook slow cooker for this recipe.

  2. Puree one can of cannellini beans (undrained) in a blender or food processor. Drain and rinse the other can of cannellini beans and add the puree and whole beans to slow cooker crock.
  3. Add 6 cups chicken stock, red pepper flakes, chopped onion, potatoes, and Parmesan cheese rind to crock and stir to combine. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
  4. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7. Remove lid and add tempered half and half, kale, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and remaining chicken stock, if necessary, to achieve the desired consistency. Stir to combine and allow 5-10 minutes for kale to soften before serving.

Recipe Notes

Tips:

For less salt, drain and rinse both cans of cannellini beans before pureeing one can with a little water.

Temper the half and half by adding a little bit of the hot liquid to it before stirring it into the slow cooker crock.

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Mulled Apple Cider with a Twist

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Mulled Apple Cider with a Twist

Course Appetizer
Cuisine Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • ½ gallon fresh apple cider
  • 1 medium organic orange sliced
  • ½ c. fresh orange juice
  • 3 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 10-15 whole cloves
  • 2 t. ground cinnamon
  • 2 t. five-spice powder
  • Optional garnish:
  • Fresh orange slices
  • whole cinnamon sticks

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a slow cooker crock and stir to combine.
  2. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-7. When finished, remove and discard cinnamon sticks and cooked orange slices.
  3. Ladle warm cider into large mugs and serve with additional orange slices and fresh cinnamon sticks, if desired.

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“Creamy” Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

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“Creamy” Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

Course Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 c. multi-color wild rice blend uncooked*
  • 1 small white onion roughly chopped
  • 3 stalks celery roughly chopped
  • 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 12 oz. fresh mushrooms washed, divided
  • 1 15- oz. can cannellini beans undrained**
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • 2 t. garlic powder
  • 6-8 c. vegetable stock divided
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ½ c. half and half tempered
  • ¼ c. fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Rinse the wild rice under cold running water until water runs clear. Let drain and transfer to a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock.
  2. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until very finely minced and transfer to slow cooker crock.
  3. Add 8 oz. mushrooms to food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Thinly slice remaining mushrooms and add to slow cooker pot, along with the finely chopped mushrooms.
  4. Puree cannellini beans until smooth and pour into slow cooker crock with other ingredients. Add bay leaf, garlic powder, and 6 cups of vegetable stock. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients.
  5. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8. Actual cooking time will varying by individual slow cooker, so check for doneness after 2½ hours (or 5½ hours for low) and adjust cooking time accordingly. (The rice should be tender, but not mushy, when finished).
  6. When cooking time is complete, remove bay leaf and discard. Add tempered half and half, chopped parsley, and additional vegetable stock, if necessary, to achieve the desired consistency. Stir to combine thoroughly.
  7. Season with additional salt and black pepper, to taste, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Tips: For best results, use a multi-color wild rice blend. Black rice will turn purple when the cream is added. For less salt, rinse and drain the beans before pureeing them with a little water. To prevent curdling, avoid stirring cold dairy products directly into the hot soup. To temper the half and half, add a couple spoonfuls of the hot soup to it before stirring into the slow cooker crock.

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Spicy Pineapple Pork Butt Roast

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Spicy Pineapple Pork Butt Roast

Course lunch
Cuisine Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 16- oz. fresh pineapple cut into 1” chunks
  • ¼ c. gluten-free soy sauce*
  • 2 t. rice wine vinegar
  • 1 T. honey
  • 1 T. sesame oil
  • 2-3 cloves fresh garlic minced
  • 2 t. five-spice powder
  • 1 medium red bell pepper cut into 1” chunks
  • 1 medium jalapeno pepper finely diced
  • 2 T. natural creamy peanut butter
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 4-5 lb. pork shoulder butt roast trimmed
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • ¼ c. fresh pineapple juice
  • 3 T. fresh cilantro chopped
  • Optional: 2 T. arrowroot

Instructions

  1. Add onion, fresh pineapple chunks, soy sauce (*can substitute coconut aminos), rice wine vinegar, honey, sesame oil, garlic, five-spice powder, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and peanut butter to a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker crock. Stir to combine thoroughly.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season trimmed pork roast on all sides with salt and pepper, to taste. Add to hot skillet and sear on all sides, approximately 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer seared pork to slow cooker crock.
  3. Reduce heat to medium and deglaze skillet with fresh pineapple juice. Use a spatula to scrape up flavorful brown bits from bottom of pan. Remove from heat and pour pan juices into the slow cooker.
  4. Cover and cook over high heat for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8. When finished, stir in fresh cilantro and transfer pork and pineapple mixture to a serving platter with a slotted spoon. Cover and keep warm.
  5. Optional: If desired, create a slurry by combining 2 tablespoons arrowroot and ¼ cup of juices from the slow cooker. Transfer remaining juices from the slow cooker to a large skillet over medium-high heat and whisk in the arrowroot slurry until well combined. Cook for several minutes or until sauce is reduced and thickened.
  6. To serve, spoon warm pork and pineapple mixture over a bed of cooked brown or cilantro-lime rice. Top with the juices or thickened sauce, if desired, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note to publisher: Bonus cilantro-lime rice recipe is included in this package.

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Slow Cooker Apple-Cinnamon Oats

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Slow Cooker Apple-Cinnamon Oats

Course Salad, Snack
Cuisine Slow Cooker

Ingredients

  • 1 c. steel cut oats
  • 3 c. water
  • 1 c. fresh apple cider
  • 2 medium apples cored and diced
  • 1½ T. honey preferably local
  • 1 t. ground cinnamon
  • ½ t. ground nutmeg
  • ½ t. ground allspice
  • ½ t. salt to taste

To serve:

  • 1 medium apple cored and diced
  • ½ c. pecans chopped
  • Real maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Add oats, water, cider, apples, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt to greased or lined slow cooker crock and stir to combine.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Actual cooking time will vary depending on your slow cooker, so check for doneness after 5 hours and adjust cooking time accordingly.
  3. To serve, allow to cool slightly before spooning into bowls and topping with fresh chopped apples, pecans, and some real maple syrup, if desired.