Luscious, Meatless and Fun! Veggie Soup with Cornbread

Crockpot Veggie Soup and Cornbread

This time of year, the slow cooker makes me happy. Not only is it cold and yucky outside, but squeezing in a walk before it gets dark makes getting dinner on the table at a decent hour is tough.

Crockpot to the rescue! I can prep my veggies the night before, and allow about 30 minutes in the morning to make a super soup that will be ready for us in the evening. And not just any dinner! This is a delicious, hearty soup and a quick cornbread that will make us happy tonight. And tomorrow, for a yummy lunch filled with lots of luscious healthy veggies and a slice of cornbread on the side.

And speaking of the cornbread… its gluten free! Made with white beans, its especially moist and flavorful. And the beans give the cornbread more fiber and protein. Not bad, huh?

Crockpot Veggie Soup

1 Large Red Onion, Chopped

1 TB Turmeric

½ Tsp Black Pepper

2 TB Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, Chopped

6 Cups, Chopped Veggies, your choice of broccoli, cauliflower, parsnips, carrots, turnips, potatoes, sweet potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, etc.

1 Tsp Sea Salt

6 – 8 Cups Veggie Stock, divided

1 Can Rotel Tomatoes

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

Step One

Saute the onion, turmeric and pepper in a large skillet with the olive oil for about 6 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook and stir until fragrant, about a minute. Add in the chopped veggies and sauté until soft about another 5 minutes.

Step Two

Add the veggies to the crockpot. Add the sea salt,  5 cups of the stock, and both cans of the tomatoes. Turn the crockpot to low. Add the remaining 1 cup stock to the pan and cook over low heat to get all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cup of stock with all the brown bits to the crockpot and stir. Put the top on the crockpot. The soup can cook for 8 to 9 hours – no problem!

Gluten Free but Delicious! Cornbread

2 Cups Stone-Ground Yellow or White Cornmeal

1 Tsp Baking Soda

2 ½ Tsp Baking Powder

1 TB Sugar

½ Tsp Sea Salt

1 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Cup of Mashed White or Cannellini Beans

3 Large Eggs, lightly beaten

2 Cups Light Buttermilk 

Step One

Preheat the oven to 400F. Combine the cornmeal, soda, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl and whisk together with a fork. 

Step Two

In another bowl, combine the oil and mashed beans.  Thoroughly stir in eggs and buttermilk, then add the cornmeal mixture and stir until JUST blended.

Step Three

Spoon the batter into a non-stick spray coated skillet or muffin tin and bake in the middle of a preheated 400F oven for 30 – 35 minutes. (20 -25 minutes for muffins.)  Test for doneness with a toothpick, when just a few crumbs cling to the toothpick, the cornbread is done. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then cut into slices.