Low Sodium Slow Cooker Steak and Black Bean Chili

I'm sorry for not having a picture of this delicious low sodium version of steak and black bean chili. It was consumed before I had a chance to take a pic. I will update this post with a picture when I make this again.

Ingredients: 

• 2 lb beef top round steak (I used a New York Strip Steak) 
• 1 tbsp dried minced onion
• 1 cup low sodium beef broth
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 3 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 lb dried black beans, reconstituted (prepared to package directions) 
• 1 can (28 oz) no salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans (8 oz) no salt added tomato sauce
• 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, undrained
• 16 oz frozen corn
• 1 sweet onion, diced

Directions:

1. Prepare dried black beans to package directions.
2. Cut steak into 1 inch cubes, trimming off excess fat.
3. Mix all ingredients in crock pot.
4. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hrs.
5. Top with cheese and/our cream as desired.

Inspired from: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/slow-cooker-steak-and-black-bean-chili/

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Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

Homemade Chicken Stock Pin It

  
• 9 cups chicken stock
• 2 chicken breasts - skinless, cooked and shredded
• 1 cup frozen yellow corn (or 1 can drained)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can petite diced tomato
• 1 can Original Rotel Tomatos with Lime & Cilantro
• 1/2 yellow/sweet onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional depending on how spicy you like it)
  
• 1-2 limes, juiced
• 1 cup rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• salt (if desired) and pepper to taste
• Garnish:
• Avocado
• Mexican cheese
• Tortilla chips

Directions:

1.  Make Chicken stock



Simmering on stove

• You can either make this from scratch if you have the time (see my recipe for Chicken Stock Here) or buy pre-made stock. 
2. Cook Chicken, cool, then shred with forks.
• If you are buying raw chicken, boil chicken covered in water for 30-60 minutes until done.  If you are going to do this, you may as well make your own stock. See above.
• To save time, you can use either canned chicken or precooked chicken found in the deli case, or pick up a rotisserie chicken (tastes the best) from the deli at your grocery store.
3. In a large stock pot, combine stock, chicken, corn, black beans, tomato, Rotel, onion, garlic, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, cayenne (optional), salt & pepper. 
4. Bring to a boil then let simmer for 30-45 minutes (until the onions are almost tender).
5. Add cilantro, rice and water (the rice will absorb water/broth) and continue to cook for another 20-30 minutes, until rice is done. 
6. Serve garnished with avocado, cheese and tortilla chips. Enjoy! 

Finished product!

Inspired from Chicken Tortilla Soup II on Allrecipes.com and Six Can Tortilla Soup on Allrecipes.com
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Homemade Chicken Stock

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So easy, and so much more healthy than store bought! The only thing it takes is time!
 
Ingredients:

• 2 bone-in, skins on, "fryer" chicken breasts
• stock pot full of Water (I use a 7 QT pot)
• 1/2 large onion
• 3 stalks celery
• 3 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, halved
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp whole peppercorns 
• salt to taste (the less you use, the lower the sodium!)

Stock strained through a coffee filter Pin It 

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients into large stock pot.
2. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer for at least 2 hours or longer if you have the time. 
3. Remove from heat.
4. Retrieve the meat with large fork/spoon and reserve to use for soups, chicken salad, etc.
5. Obtain another large stock pot/container and fine strainer/colander. Place strainer/colander into the 2nd stock pot/container. Slowly pour stock through colander( you may want to use a large measuring cup to scoop stock out of original pot) to strain the vegetables/spices out. Careful! It will be hot!
6. To separate the fat:
1. Either store the stock in refrigerator and let the fat separate out naturally. Skim the fat off the top once cooled OR
2. Place coffee filter in strainer and slowly pour stock through, leaving the majority of fat in the coffee filter. I had to change the filter for every 2 cups that I poured through.  
7. Keep refrigerated to use within the next day or two or freeze what you don't need immediately. I placed mine in 1 cup intervals into containers for the freezer. The next day, I removed from the stock from the containers and placed in vacuum bags for future use. Saves space in the freezer by placing into bags.
8. My batch yielded 14 cups of stock.

Recipe adapted from Chicken Stock by Margaret Price at Allrecipes
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Cream of "Something" Soup - MSG-Free

10 reasons why this is one of the best substitutions ever:

1. ore ECONOMICAL - lower cost per serving than store bought
2. LESS WASTE - only need 1/2 a can of condensed soup for a recipe? Reconstitute what you need!
3. YOU are controlling what goes into your soup - fewer preservatives/stuff you don't know what it is on the label.
4. It's GLUTEN-FREE.
5. It can be MSG-FREE depending on what bouillon you choose.
6. It can be LOW SODIUM if you replace the bouillon AND water with low-sodium chicken/beef/vegetable broth - your choice. 
7. It's LOW-FAT.
8. FLAVOR how you like it: 
1. Cream of Chicken equivalent: use Chicken Bouillon
2. Cream of Celery equivalent: 1 stalk finely chopped (or throw it in the food processor) sauteed celery or 1/8 tsp celery salt per 2 cups dry milk
3. Cream of Mushroom: Add ~1/4 cup finely chopped (or food processed) sauteed mushrooms 
4. Cream of Potato: Add 1/2 cups mashed potato flakes per 2 cups dry milk
• ** The celery, mushroom and potato equivalent's I have not personally experimented with yet. I have found these suggestions on other websites (Taste of Cooking - Homeade Cream Style Soup Mix).
9. If you are a CANNER: I've read on other websites where people prep this ahead of time, then can it to save on prep per meal time.
10. If you like to FREEZE ahead of time: To save space, use 1/2 the amount of liquid, cook until thickens to the consistency of a typical condensed soup, then freeze. (I would freeze, then vacuum-pack and return to freezer for longer term/fresher storage.) Add the remaining liquid when you are ready to use. 

Ingredients:

To Make 1 Can Equivalent of Condensed Soup:

• 2/3 cup non-fat dried milk
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 tsp bouillon - you choose the flavor
• 4 tsp freeze dried minced onions
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp dried basil (to equal 1/3 tsp)
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp dried thyme or parsley (to equal 1/3 tsp)
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp pepper (to equal 1/3 tsp)

• Mix with 1 1/4 cup hot water (almost boiling) when ready to reconstitute 

 To Make the Original Recipe - makes 3 Cans of Condensed Soup:

• 2 cup non-fat dried milk
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup bouillon
• 4 Tablespoons freeze dried minced onions
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon pepper

•  Mix with 3 3/4 cups hot water (almost boiling) when ready to reconstitute

Directions to Mix:

1. Combine Dry Ingredients into an airtight container. Either store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.

Directions for Use:

1. Mix in a small sauce pan dry mix with appropriate amount of water, depending on which serving size you choose above.
2. Cook on low/medium heat until sauce thickens. When you first reconstitute the mixture, the herbs float to the top of the liquid. As the soup thickens, the herbs will start to distribute more evenly in the soup.  Keep in mind to constantly stir, especially if you have the heat closer to medium. The cornstarch will thicken faster and will form "globs" in the bottom if you aren't careful. 
3. Use in whatever recipe calls for condensed soup!
4. Enjoy! 

Nutritional Info

Inspired from One Orange Giraffe

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