Crock Pot Southwestern Stew

Submitted by NormCooks

"Sweet, Tasty, and Delicious! Variations on this soup are easy. Substitute cooked boneless chicken or Fajita sliced beef instead of ground turkey, then serve over white or yellow rice or angel hair pasta.."

 

• Ready In: 8hrs 30mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 20

ingredients

• 2 cups vegetable broth, sodium free homemade if available
• 1 lb ground turkey or 1 lb lean ground beef, browned
• 2 lbs roma tomatoes, pureed
• 30 ounces corn kernels, 2 cans
• 2 cups cilantro, freshly chopped
• 2 cups onions, sliced into rings
• 1 cup bell pepper, large slices
• 2 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons spring onions, chopped for garnish
• 24 ounces tomato paste, low sodium if available
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 8 ounces fajita marinade, fat free low sodium if available
• 1 cup celery leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons ground ancho chili pepper
• 1⁄2 cup mushroom pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, minced

directions

1. Plan ahead. Make your own sodium free vegetable broth by saving the seasoned water anytime you boil or steam veggies. It will keep in your freezer for several months. Prepared broths available for purchase at the grocery store are not usually sodium free.
2. Puree 2 lbs of roma tomatoes in food processor. Slice onions into rings. Chop bell peppers into large slices.
3. Chop cilantro, then add all vegetables (except spring onions) to 5 quart crock pot with 24 ounces tomato paste. Sprinkle Fajita sauce, Chile powder, and Ancho Chile Pepper over vegetables. Add 2 cups sodium-free vegetable broth.
4. If you wish to reduce sodium content further, substitute 2 additional pounds of pureed roma tomatoes instead of using tomato paste. Soup will still have great flavor but be a bit less sweet with less sodium.
5. Cook in crock pot on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Add browned turkey or lean ground beef anytime after 6 hours.
6. Top off with a few bell pepper rings and spring onions during last hour of cooking.