In West Virginia, February is a fickle month, one day it is 45 degrees and the next it is only 8. Raining one day and snowing the next, I wish it would make up its mind and pick one or the other. Momma Said, “I would just settle on sunny and dry and get it over with.”
It also seems to me that February is the month that everyone gets geared up to get into shape for the coming sunny weather. New diets, working out and all the other things that people only tend to do a couple times a year. Everyone always trying to diet after the holidays and getting ready for spring.
I am glad to see the robins are still hanging around. I first saw them last week and they are fat. They are in the neighbor’s yard right now eating holly berries. I know the groundhog saw his shadow and we will still have six weeks of bad weather, but at least the longest and darkest part is behind us.
Momma Said, “I guess I will jump on the band wagon and leave you this week with a recipe that will help start your health kickoff for 2018. I hope you enjoy.
Slow Cooker Cabbage Patch Detox Soup
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions, sliced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 3 cups cut string beans (frozen is fine)
- ½ head of cabbage, cored and chopped
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 1 lb. extra lean ground beef), cooked and drained OR an additional can of kidney beans for a vegetarian option
- 1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans), rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (optional)
- 1 tablespoon curry powder (optional)
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth or vegetable broth
- 4 cups water (OMIT the water if you like a thicker soup that’s more like a stew)
Instructions
- Place onions, carrots, string beans, cabbage, and celery at the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Top with cooked beef and drained beans. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic, bay leaf, and optional turmeric and curry powder, if desired. Pour crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and water into the pot.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf. Serve immediately, store in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze for up to 3 months.