The Crockpot

Never, under any circumstances, underestimate the crock pot. If you're unfamiliar with the crock pot, get familiar. It's your new best friend.

 

The possibilities are endless. Get excited, people! It's my go-to device for making soups, chili, lasagna, casseroles...the list goes on and on.

Sounds pretty flippin' awesome, right? What's the best thing about the crock pot, you ask? Simply this, it does it practically all the work, and the reward is a meal that lasts for days.

Most of the recipes that I use require very little upfront effort. Chopping some veggies or browning some meat [if you're into that] is basically all you have to do to create a wonderful meal. Sound too good to be true? Well, it's not.

On Wednesday while I was working, my crock pot made Tim and I some Barley and Lentil Soup. I've made this recipe several times in the past because there is nothing better than some hot soup on a chilly day [obviously]. The original recipe's base is beef broth, but for my vegan purpose, I used organic vegetable broth. I also chopped some carrots, onion, and celery; added herbes de Provence, dried basil, minced garlic and uncooked barley and lentils. [You'll find the specifics here]. I like this recipe because you can tweak it to your preference. For example, herbes de Provence is not in the original recipe but it's my favorite combination of dried herbs to add to soups. I don't know what it is, perhaps the Frenchiness of it all, but it adds another taste profile. [My goodness, I am fancy].

Clearly, Brisby was out of her mind with excitement... 

If you're new to homemade soups, this recipe is for you! It's super easy and twice as delish.