Well, it’s only taken me to February 18th to get back into the swing of Meal Planning.  And it’s taken me until Wednesday to get this post out to you (mostly because yesterday’s post was all about marathon registration stress).  But, better late than never…right?!  The BOY has jumped on board the 2013 get healthy bandwagon.  He has always been a big help with meal planning, but we have some noticeable differences in our taste preferences.  To help me out and give me some suggestions for meals, he went through a few of my favorite cookbooks and ear marked some recipes to try.

 

Which is exactly where I started.  Although the BOY and I eat a variety of cuisines, I don’t always know how to cook ethnic foods at home. 

But this week, I spiced things up a bit…

 

Monday: Curried Veggie Burgers from Pinch of Yum

 

Tuesday: Veggie Rich Asian Chicken Stew (recipe below)

 

Wednesday: Chicken Tacos (made by the BOY)

 

Thursday: Sleeping at Mom and Dad’s

 

 

The Game Plan…

Make Tuesday’s dinner Monday in the crockpot. 

Then whip up the veggie burgers for Monday’s dinner hoping for leftovers for lunch this week (which I got).

 

 

Isn’t this a colorful looking stew???

 

 

The veggies, seasoning, and broth go into the crockpot first.

 

 

With a half our to go, you add the chicken (or tofu if you prefer).  Could this be any easier?!

 

 

The BOY was upset with how watery our dinner was.  Once I explained that it was a soup, he seemed a little more on board…ha ha!

 

 

Per the title, this soup is definitely veggie rich and I LOVED the flavor and texture of the cabbage.

 

 

Although it doesn’t have a super strong flavor, so you could possibly add some soy sauce to taste.  I really enjoyed the mild flavored soup with a touch of sea salt.  It is the perfect heart warming dinner for these frozen nights!

 

 

Veggie Rich Asian Chicken Stew

From The 150 Healthiest Slow Cooker Recipes on Earth

 

Ingredients

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced on a diagonal

2 ribs celery, sliced on the diagonal

1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and julienned

1 1/2 ups thinly sliced Napa cabbage

1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained

1 can (8 ounces) bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained

6 cups chicken broth

2 tbsp minced fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbsp low sodium tamari

1 tbsp mirin

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

scallions and black sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

 

Directions

Combine the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, cabbage, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, broth, ginger, garlic, tamari, and mirin in the slow cooker. 

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until all of the the vegetables are tender. 

Add the chicken (and tofu if using) for the last half hour of cooking time.  Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.