Slow cooked lentil soup: from Good Morning America and Emeril's Slow Cooker Challenge

From the kitchen of Mary Sperling

Cook Time: Over 120 min

"GMA" put out the call and hundreds of viewers e-mailed us their super slow-cooker recipes. After thousands of votes, Mary Sperling's Lentil Soup was one of the five finalists in Emeril's Slow-Cooker Challenge.

Ingredients

3 carrots, chopped

3 ribs of celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, pressed

8 cups water (or vegetable broth)

2 cups lentils, rinsed

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground pepper

1 bunch kale, washed and chopped

Cooking Directions

Put all of these ingredients in the slow cooker. Set it on low if you are leaving it all day, high if you are starting it around lunchtime.
About 10 minutes before you are ready to serve the soup, add the last four ingredients.
You can add potatoes if you want more bulk. Add cubed potatoes at the beginning of cooking if you do.
Tomatoes are also good in this dish. Add one 14 1/2 ounce can of diced tomatoes at the beginning of cooking if you like. I don't use the tomatoes because my husband is allergic to them.
This lentil soup is everything people want now. It's loaded with nutrition, easy to make, inexpensive, delicious, low fat and vegetarian. As a mother of three and a graduate student, this soup is very handy.
The leftovers (even better the second day!) are a healthy hot meal I send in Thermos to school for lunch. My boys especially like the kale.
I once had a party at my home, and being concerned about having enough food, I threw this soup together in my slow cooker then finished the rest of my party prep. Surprisingly, this afterthought was the favorite food of the day!

Recipe Summary

Main Ingredients: lentils, carrots, garlic

Course: Appetizer/Starter, Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Slow cooked lentil soup: from Good Morning America and Emeril's Slow Cooker Challenge

Roasted Kale Chips

Roasted Kale Chips

Countless other food bloggers have started out their post on kale chips saying "Why did it take me so long to make kale chips?" so I'll spare you that lament and just say that now that I've finally made roasted kale chips myself, I certainly see what all the fuss is about. Not only are they full of nutritious goodness, but roasted kale chips are delicious. If you don't believe these roasted crispy kale leaves can be that special, just check my list after the recipe to see how many other bloggers have raved about them...--Kalyn's Kitchen

Roasted Kale Chips

Detox Side Dishes

Mashed Mock Potatoes (Weeks One, Two & Three)

• 6c chopped cauliflower
• ¼ c flax oil or extra virgin olive oil
• All Purpose Seasoning to taste

Process cauliflower with S blade, or use a blender if no processor available. Chop until grainy.
In a large pot on low add oil, spices, and cauliflower, stirring and tossing until coated and warmed to 10 degrees. Make sure not to heat over 110 if using flax seed oil. You may heat higher with olive oil

Feisty Kicked-Up Guacamole (Weeks One, Two & Three)

• 6-8 ripe avocados (depending upon the size)
• 3 tomatillos, chopped
• 2-3 ripe red tomatoes, seeded, chopped
• 1 small red or sweet onion, diced fine
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded, diced fine
• 1 big bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• Sea salt, to taste
• 2-4 fresh juicy limes

Peel and pit the avocados; cut the avocado into chunks and toss into a large bowl. Add the chopped tomatillos, tomatoes, onion, garlic, jalapeños, and cilantro. Toss with your bare hands. Season with sea salt to taste. Squeeze fresh lime juice all over the guac and mix again. Taste test. Add more salt or lime, to taste. Taste test! Great as a side to a salad or mixed with Brown Rice and Homemade tomato salsa…or just by the spoonful.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Weeks One, Two & Three)
4 to 5 servings (limit to one a day)

• 5 Medium Sweet potatoes, Peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 sweet onions cut into one-inch pieces
• 1 ½ TBS extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ garlic pepper blend or ½ t garlic granules and ¼ t ground pepper
• ½ tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 425
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss thoroughly
Spread onto 9x13 baking dish and bake for 30 35 minutes or until tender

Stir Fried Tomatoes and Eggplant (Weeks One, Two & Three)

• 1 Tbs EVOO
• 1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk thinly sliced
• 1 28 oz can of Organic diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 tbs organic red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• 2 finely sliced basil leaves or 1.4 tsp dried basil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a wok, heat the olive oil and stir fry the eggplant, celery and onion for 8-10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes while stirring occasionally. Serve immediately.

Garlic-Chili Roasted Broccoli (Weeks one, two & Three)

• ¼ C EVOO
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tbs chili powder
• 1 Tbs grill seasoning blend or grill creations
• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into thin long spears

Preheat oven to 425
Place olive oil, garlic, chili powder and grill seasoning in the bottom of a large bowl and add the broccoli spears. Coat broccoli evenly and place on a large nonstick baking sheet. Roast broccoli until ends are crisp and brown and stalk s are just tender, appx 15 minutes.

Roasted Cauliflower and Brussel Sprouts (Weeks One, Two & Three)

• 1 medium cauliflower, quartered, cored and cut into 1 inch florets
• 2 cups Brussel Sprouts, halved lengthwise
• 3 Tbs. Olive Oil
• 3 large cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 1 ½ tsp. Chopped fresh rosemary or ½ tsp dried, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 3/4 tsp. coarse salt

In large bowl, combine cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Drizzle oil on top. Add garlic, rosemary and pepper and toss well. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Spread vegetables in single layer on large baking sheet with sides. Sprinkle with salt. Roast until vegetables are crisp-tender and beginning to brown at edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Spinach Sauté (Weeks one, two & three)
This is a side dish that can be added to just about any meal. I love my veggies so much I cut the recipe in half and make a simple meal of this alone… I just love it!
• 2 red peppers, cut into strips
• 2-3 large spring onions chopped to include the green top
• 1 small package of grape or cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 1 lemon, zested & juiced
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons of coarsely ground mustard
• 1 lb of fresh spinach or more
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & pepper
In a sauté pan add peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic, zest, salt , pepper & red pepper flakes and sauté for about 4-5 minutes until the peppers start to soften. Add the mustard & lemon juice and stir for about a minute. Fold in the spinach & continue folding until it wilts. That’s all folks!

Sweet Potato Fries (Weeks One, two & three)
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. USE IN MODERATION. Maximum intake (1 small sweet potato a day)
• 1 cup sea salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
• Olive Oil, for tossing
• 5 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch long slices, then 1/4-wide inch strips, using a crinkle cut knife
• 1 tablespoon seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. In a large bowl toss sweet potatoes with just enough oil to coat. Sprinkle with House Seasoning and paprika. Spread sweet potatoes in single layer on prepared baking sheet, being sure not to overcrowd. Bake until sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Detox Side Dishes