Guest Blog: Susan Harrell
The summer grilling season has come to an end and the cooler weather is ushering in the season of roasting and braising. Instead of braising dishes for hours on the stovetop or in the oven, I like to use the slow cooker. This way, I am not a slave to the kitchen, which is one of the many benefits of using a slow cooker.
Tagines are not necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of a fall slow cooking recipe, but it definitely should be! The bold spices in Moroccan food allow you to add a lot of flavor to a dish without adding any unnecessary fat and calories.
Ingredients
- 1 15 ounce can of chickpeas
- 1 15 ounce can of pureed tomatoes
- 8 ounces vegetable stock
- 1 small butternut squash, 1.5 cups of fresh pre-chopped or frozen
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 cup of dried apricots cut in half
- 1 small red onion
- 1 Serrano pepper
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon curry
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 small spoonful of coconut oil a tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Optional: fresh chopped cilantro
Directions
- Heat your slow cooker to the sauté option or high with the oil.
- Chop the red onion and start sautéing in the slow cooker. Season with a pinch of salt and some of the other spices.
- While the onion is sautéing, start dicing the other vegetables and place them in the slow cooker too. Start with the sweet potato and then the butternut squash. Season again with some spices and salt so that you are layering the flavors.
- Dice the Serrano pepper and the garlic cloves. Sauté for a few minutes.
- Add in the tomatoes, chickpeas, apricots and vegetable stock. Season with the rest of the spices, a large pinch of kosher salt and the cinnamon stick.
- Set the slow cooker on low and cook for 4 hours.
- Serve with some couscous or Naan bread.
Chef Tip: The smaller you dice the vegetables; the quicker the tagine will cook.
Nutrition with ½ Cup Couscous
High Fiber, Low Fat, Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Soy Free, Fish Free, Shellfish Free, Alcohol Free, No Sugar Added, Kosher
Calories 434, Fat 7g, Carbs 84g, Fiber 15g, Sugars 28g, Protein 14g
Susan Harrell’s Bio and Website Info
