Crockpot Blessings

by Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

One of my pet peeves is hearing people say, "I don’t have time to make dinner." I took a survey once and to my astonishment found out that a lot of people fend for themselves for dinner on days they’re not going through the drive-thru. There is no set time to sit down and eat and there is no plan.

I think this is sad. To have "no time to make dinner" is the same as not having the time to invest in your family’s health and well-being. Taking the time to make dinner is an opportunity to just stop for a moment and connect. I’m not trying to guilt trip anyone here. Nor am I so out of touch that I think we need to go back to the girdle wearing days of June Cleaver and have pot roast every night and fresh baked pie.

This is about being able to turn your stressors ("Mom, what’s for dinner?") into blessers (dinner’s in the crockpot!). I think about this in my own life when there is "no time" to connect and I’m rushing the kids from one activity to another. Those days when I’m overbooked, the kids are snapping at each other, I’m cranky and that’s when those horrid words leave my mouth, "I don’t have time for (fill in the blank)."

The truth is what we truly don’t have time for is allowing our relationships within our families to go by the wayside. I am dead serious when I say dinner is ministry. Those faces across the dinner table from you are God ordained to be there—why not invest your time wisely in them, give them something good and nutritious to eat for their bodies, time to connect with each other which is food for the soul. Try spending a half hour at the table silently blessing them and thanking God for them as you remind them to close their mouths when they chew.

The way we get to the dinner table is not tough. We get there by using the tools we have available. One of the most wonderful tools is the crock-pot.

I use mine once a week at least. It’s a tool I wouldn’t be without.

Think of it this way: 5 to 15 minutes of prep time in the morning, and a gorgeous aroma to entice you when you walk in the door in the evening because dinner is READY. Toss together a salad (buy the ready to go stuff at the market if you "don’t have time"; just make sure it’s not Iceberg—no nutrition there), heat some whole grain rolls and you have a marvelous dinner to go. Soups, casseroles, braised meats and stews…you can’t beat a crock-pot!

We all have the same amount of time available to us. No one is given an extra hour—it’s the same 24 hours each day we all share. So the question isn’t if you have the time, the question is will you INVEST the time in the most important people of your life? You can do it when you use your TOOLS. A crock-pot is my very favorite dinner saving tool that no home should be without! Here is my daughter’s favorite crockpot soup:

Caroline’s Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

Serves 4

2 cups chicken broth

2 (8-ounce) packages frozen cauliflower

1 medium stalk celery -- cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 medium carrot -- cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 small onion -- cut into eighths

1/2 teaspoon thyme

salt and pepper -- to taste

1 cup low-fat milk

1 1/2 cups low-fat cheddar cheese -- shredded

Throw all ingredients except milk and cheese into a crockpot and cook on low until vegetables are very tender, about 4-6 hours.

Carefully pour mixture into work bowl of food processor fitting with steel blade or into blender container. Cover and process until smooth. OR, if you like it a little lumpy and bumpy like I do, use a potato masher and have at it in the crockpot itself--mash to your heart's delight.

Place your cauliflower mixture into a saucepan; stir in milk and cheese.

Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until cheese is melted and mixture is hot.

Per serving: 235 Calories; 14g Total Fat; 15g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 46mg Cholesterol; 701mg Sodium Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: A big green salad and some whole grain rolls make for a nice supper.