Warm Moroccan Nights

Nothing is more wonderful than returning home from a long day of work on a cold and blustery day to the wonderful aroma of dinner cooking away.  A slow cooker is an essential tool in any kitchen especially for those crazy busy days with no time to cook.  I got my slow cooker last Christmas and it's been one of most favorite presents (Thanks Mom)!  With a little planning and prep work, on those busy days you can avoid the "drive thru" and come home to a nutritious, delicious meal.  Even if you don't have a family to feed (I'm a single gal cooking for me, myself, and I), slow cooker leftovers can often be frozen and saved for an emergency lunch or dinner!  Plus nothing is more tasty than a yummy stew seasoned with the tastes of a warm foreign country so I introduce


Moroccan Squash and Spinach Stew.

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped carrots (about 3 medium)

1 medium butternut squash cubed (about 2.5 lbs)

5.5 cups shredded spinach

1 cup low sodium veggie broth

4 cloves chopped garlic

14.5 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes

1 tsp cumin ½ tsp cinnamon ½ tsp red pepper flakes

15 oz can no salt added garbanzo beans

Directions:
1. Peel and chop butternut squash into half inch cubes and place in slow cooker
2. Chop 3 medium carrots (about one cup) and place in slow cooker
3. Chop/shred about 10oz of spinach (equals about 5.5 cups shredded) and place in slow cooker
3. Chop garlic gloves and place in slow cooker
4. Add 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes UNDRAINED to slow cooker
5. Add 1 (or 1.5) cups low sodium vegetable broth to slow cooker
6. Add spices and mix all ingredients
7. Cook on low for 5-6 hours depending on your slow cooker (very difficult to over cook-I cooked mine for almost 8)
8. Add 15 oz can of garbanzo beans and cook on high for five minutes
9.  Season with salt and pepper (I used garlic salt...muwhahahaha-I love garlic)
10. DEVOUR :)

Makes approximately 6 generous 1 cup servings.

Nutritional Stats (from Spark People): 163 calories, 1.6 grams fat, 10 grams fiber, 6.8 grams protein

In the slow cooker (doesn't it look pretty):

Because I'm lazy in the mornings, I chopped everything up the night before and put the pot from my slow cooker in my fridge overnight.  So the next morning, I popped it into the slow cooker and let it cook away while I was at work all day :)  It was a wonderful aroma to come home too especially on a cold, yucky, rainy day.  I put individual servings in containers and tossed them in the freezer so the next time I need a last minute meal-I have yummy stew waiting.

Do you have any good slow cooker recipes that you rely on?