Healthy Hearty and Yummy Recipes for a Cool Fall Day

It is almost fall and that means that cooler weather will be arriving soon. On those cool and cloudy fall days it seems that everyone is looking for something hearty and filling yet good for them to eat. Here are a few recipes that may make it to the dinner table and bring a lot of smiles and fully bellies. And all of these recipes but one (the cornbread) go right into a crock pot so they are ready to serve when you get home from a hard day of work (or shopping).

Hearty Crock Pot Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

Package of frozen mixed soup vegetables (you can also cut up your own vegetables of your choice but never ever use canned)

About 5 skinless boneless chicken breast fillets cut into chunks (leave them kind of large so as to get those big chunks of chicken in your bowls of soup)

1 large can or box of chicken broth

Preparation and cooking:

Cut up the chicken

Layer the vegetables on the bottom of the crock pot first

Place the chicken on top of the vegetables

Pour the entire can or box of broth over the chicken and vegetables

Cook on low for at least 6 to 8 hours

Enjoy with a thick slice of Italian bread drizzled with olive oil. Yummy and filling and nice and warm on a cool fall day!

Crock Pot Pork with Kraut and Apples

Ingredients:

1 bag (please do not use canned) of Kraut (chopped or shredded is up to you)

5 Granny Smith or other tart apples cut into chunks or sliced

4 to 6 pork chops or 1 pork roast or any other pork of your choice

1 thinly sliced red onion (optional)

Preparation and cooking:

Place the Kraut in the bottom of the crock pot

Layer the apples on top of the Kraut

Layer the onion on top of the apples

Place the pork on top of the onions

This is exceptionally good with a big slice of cornbread. (Recipe below)

Navy Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 small bag of Navy beans

1 can or box of beef broth

1 fairly large yellow or white onion (do not use sweet onions)

4 carrots peeled and sliced

4 stalks of celery cut into pieces

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

Some kind of seasoning meat (ham hocks are the best just make sure it has a bone in it)

Preparation and cooking:

Wash and drain the beans (no need to let them soak)

Slice all the vegetables

Add the vegetables to the bottom of the crock pot

Add the beans on top of the vegetables

Put the seasoning meat in about three different places through out the beans

Pour the beef broth over the other ingredients

Also wonderful served with a big slice of cornbread

Okay, I know that most of you think that cornbread is not that good for you. Well, all I have to say it is all in the way you prepare it. If you use lard and other high fat oils, yes, it sure is. But here is a way you can still have cornbread (in moderation).

Here is one recipe that I have never had specific measurements for. This is just a guess and add recipe.

Hearty Cornbread with a Twist

Ingredients:

Self rising cornmeal (approximately about 2 to 3 cups)

Medium egg (or egg substitute equivalent to 1 medium egg)

Approximately 2.5 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil

Milk

½ small chopped (as small as possible pieces) onion

1 small chopped red bell pepper

1 small chopped green bell pepper

1 small (1 serving) can of cream style corn (optional...you can use the corn to replace the oil if you like)

Preparation and cooking:

Spray a cast iron skillet with cooking spray

Mix the cornmeal, egg, and oil and milk (add enough milk to make the cornbread to about a medium consistency and do not worry about some small lumps...this is not gravy)

Add the other ingredients to the cornmeal mixture and stir them in well; you may need to add some more milk if the vegetables make it thick

Put the mixture into the sprayed skillet (if you do not have a cast iron skillet try to use a pan that has seen a lot of use and is not too shiny)

Bake in a 400 degree oven until a toothpick comes out clean or if your finger does not leave an indention (if the cornbread is thick you will need to bake it at 350 degrees so as not to burn the top and not get the inside done)

So there you have them, some simple yet hearty and filling and wonderful recipes for a cool fall day. Enjoy!

Source:

Personal experience and recipes