Slow Cooker Tomato, Roasted Garlic & Red Pepper Soup
Unaccustomed as I am to taking on any sort of eating regimen, I made an exception for the Whole30 as a discovery of how my body interacts with different foods. 
I had a couple of questions:
- Is eliminating gluten and / or dairy going to improve my gut health and digestion?
- What will be the effect of kicking out all refined sugars be?
So, in preparation for working through the Whole30, I joined a number of facebook groups in advance, for inspiration. There is a lot of helpful information out there, but I was so overwhelmed that I took a step back and decided to use our own Slow Cooker Spice blends to create a weekly menu plan and methodology, to funnel the ideas into something more manageable. To be clear, our Slow Cooker spice blends are not “Whole30 certified” but knowing that they are free of sugar and feature non-irradiated spices I decided it was easier to use our brand to make the next 30 days work. As always, we recommend alternatives you may already have in your pantry.
Week 1 – Flavors of the Mediterranean
Focusing on one flavor profile allowed me to be efficient in menu planning and selecting ingredients for the week ahead so I gathered garlic, tomatoes, peppers and fresh herbs. Since added sugar is a no-no I searched for new ways to add natural sweetness. I discovered new ways to impart flavor, where previously I might have added a teaspoon or so of sugar. For week 1 I roasted whole heads of garlic, to release the natural sugars and add depth of flavor.
Each Sunday for the duration of the Whole30 I prepped ahead and made a soup, a slow cooker or pressure cooker meat as a protein topper, and a salad dressing.
If I was hungry, there was always something filling to eat, although I did find myself eating a lot of whole almonds and pumpkin seeds to alleviate the texture boredom from no crusty bread, croutons or crackers!
Now for the answers to my 2 questions above. I can report that I enjoyed eating in a new way and exploring menu planning from an entirely new perspective. I felt lighter from removing bread and gluten products and it was eye opening to see how easy it is to consume added sugar if you’re not pay attention. But my “aha” moment was learning that my digestion improved after I re-introduced legumes, pulses and milk. Perhaps that was a re-set of sorts.
Author’s Note
I completed the Whole30 and documented my observations and insight during the month of May. Please reach out to me at jane@thezenofslowcooking.com, if you have any questions or want more help getting started.
- 1 medium red pepper
- 1 x 14oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 medium head garlic, roasted *
- 1 Marinara Slow Cooker Spice Blend OR 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 tbsp fresh, torn basil
- 2 cups water OR vegetable broth
- add all the ingredients to the slow cooker
- stir, cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3 hours
- add all the ingredients to the slow cooker
- secure the Instant Pot lid and pressure valve to Sealing
- press the Manual button and adjust the cook time to 6 minutes
- turn the dial to Venting and use Quick Pressure Release
- * rub the whole head of garlic with a little olive oil and wrap in aluminum foil
- roast in the oven for 1 hours at 375 degrees F
- remove and leave to cool, squeeze the garlic from the skin and use as per the recipe
- mix 1/2 cup of the cooled soup with 1 tbsp horseradish sauce and serve with cooked, cooled shrimp
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 Mediterranean Slow Cooker Spice Blend or 1 tbsp Greek Seasoning
- 2 tsp garlic, minced
- 2 lbs pork loin
- 1/2 cup water * 1 cup in the instant pot
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise, (Primal Kitchen Mayo or another)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- salt & pepper to season
- butter lettuce leaves
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 2 - 3 tomatoes, sliced
- in a small bowl mix the olive oil, mediterranean spice blend, garlic, and rub onto the pork loin
- place the pork into the slow cooker
- add the 1/2 cup of water
- cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours
- meanwhile, mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, cucumber, salt & pepper in a small bowl
- remove and shred the meat
- spoon onto butter lettuce leaves and top with the tzatziki dressing, onion and tomato
- in a small bowl mix the olive oil, mediterranean spice blend, garlic, and rub onto the pork loin
- place the pork into the slow cooker
- add the 1 cup of water
- secure the Instant Pot lid and pressure valve to Sealing
- press the Manual button and adjust the cook time to 25 minutes
- leave for 5 minutes on Natural Pressure Release and then turn the dial to Venting and use Quick Pressure Release
“The power of imagination makes us infinite”
-John Muir
