ROASTED VEGETABLES - SPICES

Have been making lots of roasted vegetables lately.  Usually I do potatoes, sweet potatoes, cauliflower and kale.  The kale is always ready first (make sure and take out middle part).  On the kale we like just salt (lightly sprinkled)

Here is one I tried on potatoes & cauliflowr

1 tsp oregano (did 1 drop essential oil)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Thyme (did 1 drop essential oil)
3/4 tsp sea salt (just did normal)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

SLOW COOKER/INSTANT POT WHITE BEAN SOUP

SLOW COOKER OR INSTANT POT WHITE BEAN SOUP
https://www.budgetbytes.com/slow-cooker-white-bean-soup/

We really liked this.  We had a 2# bag of navy beans so we doubled.  I like to presoak the beans and then cook for about 2 minutes in instant pot and then rerinse again.  Then make soup as usual. I think this helps with flactuation.  We didn't have quite enough of the carrots and celery so might be enough next time or it could have more. Made Easy Crusty Vegan Bread recipe.  Went really well with it.  Did in instant pot for 25 minutes and added less water because they were presoaked and cooked.  I just put enough until it covered the beans.  Did have some vegetable stock in the fridge so added as much as I had.  Forgot to add salt at the end, so we just put some in each individual serving.

2 Tbsp olive oil - didn’t add
4 cloves garlic - used minced 
1 yellow onion 
4 carrots (about 1/2 lb.) 
4 ribs celery 
1 lb. dry navy beans
1 bay leaf 
1 tsp dried rosemary - 1 drop essential oil
1/2 tsp dried thyme - 1 drop essential oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika 
Freshly cracked black pepper (15-20 cranks of a pepper mill) 
6 cups water 
2 tsp salt, or to taste 

INSTRUCTIONS
Mince the garlic, dice the onion, slice the celery, and peel and slice the carrots. Add the olive oil, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots to a large (5qt or larger) slow cooker.
Give the beans a quick rinse in a colander and then add them to the slow cooker, along with the bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, paprika, and some freshly cracked pepper.
Add six cups of water to the slow cooker and stir to combine the ingredients. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 8-9 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
After 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high, stir the soup and begin to mash the beans against the side of the slow cooker to thicken the soup. Once the soup is thickened to your liking, start adding salt to taste. Begin with 1/2 tsp and add more until the soup tastes flavorful to you. I used about 2 tsp total.  Serve the soup hot with crackers or crusty bread for dipping.

CHICKEN IN A POT - CROCKPOT OR OVEN OR INSTANT POT

CHICKEN IN A POT
We loved this recipe!  Used leftovers to make soup.  Found in crock pot cookbook pg. 168.

UPDATE: A co-worker (Cindy Crump) told me how she likes to do this.  I made it and YUM!  I need to make this more.  In roasting pan at 350 put a full size chicken some peeled cut up potatoes and carrots (cut carrots small).  Put oil on bird and top with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and paparika.  Cook for 2 hours.  It was so tasty the skin on top got crispy and the potatoes on top were roasted. Yum!  We had with blueberry biscuits.

2 carrots, sliced
2 onions, sliced
2 celery ribs, cut in 1" pieces
3 # chicken, whole or cut up
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup water or chicken broth

Place vegetables in bottom of slow cooker.  Place chicken on top of vegetables.  Add seasoning and water. 

Cover.  Cook on Low 8-10 hours or High 3 1/2-5 hours (use 1 cup liquid if cooking on High).

Note: To make this a full meal, add 2 medium-sized potatoes, quartered, to vegetables before cooking. 

ANOTHER RECIPE
Found this on Pinterest
We all really liked it.  Put it in the instant pot frozen. Just rubbed the mixture on it.  I used two drops of thyme essential oil.  Did pressure cooker 11 minutes but could have done 10.  Can save the juice for soup or any recipe that needs a broth.

1/2 tsp each salt, pepper, onion powder, thyme (or essential oil drops), basil, paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup water (or chicken broth) in bottom of instant pot 

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES AND BACON

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES AND BACON
Had this with fried eggs - made a fun dinner.  Would be a good side dish for fish.


Preheat oven to 400.  On a rimmed baking sheet, combine 2# sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2" pieces, 4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces, and 5 sprigs thyme (I am sure I just used the spice); season with coarse salt and pepper.  Roast until sweet potatoes are browned in spots and tender when pierced with a knife and bacon is crisp, about 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.