Crockpot Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red, green or orange pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon corriander
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/4 cup no sugar added apple butter (see recipe here)
• 2 cans no salt pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans diced no salt fire roasted tomatoes or regular diced tomatoes if you prefer
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional topping)

Preparation:

Put all the ingredients into the crock pot.
Stir to mix all the ingredients together.

3. Set on high for 4-5 hours depending on your crock pot.
4. Check after 4 hours to see if the rice is tender and the sauce is the desired consistancy.
5. Spoon onto Clean Eating Hamburger Buns (see recipe here) and top with shredded cheddar cheese if desired.

Nutritional Info:

Makes 10 servings.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 140.5, Cal. from Fat: 6, Total Fat: .5g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 28g, Fiber: 4g, Sugars: 4g, Protein: 4.5g, Sodium: 40mg, Chol: 0mg

Notes:

These sloppy joes do reheat well the next day but may need a little more vegetable stock added since the rice tends to absorb all the moisture.

I use no salt or low sodium because I prefer to control the type and amount of salt in my recipes. You can use regular beans or tomatoes but remember they do have added salt so check the nutrition information to see how much has been added.

• 8-10 apples of your choice, cored, peeled and chopped ( I wouldn’t use delicious or granny smith though)
• 3 cups unsweetened apple juice or apple cider
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation:

1. In the base of your slow cooker, add the apples followed by the spices, lemon juice, and apple juice. The juice should just cover the apples, but they shouldn’t be swimming in it. If you need a little more than 3 cups, add it.



2. Set the slow cooker to “low” for 15 – 18 hours. No peeking during cooking. A slow cooker can take as long as twenty minutes to regain the heat lost when the cover is removed.
3. Once the apples have softened, darkened, and much of the liquid has reduced, use a standard or immersion blender to process until smooth.
4. If the apple butter is still a bit wet after the end of cooking time (due to the size of apples or the range of your slow cooker) transfer the apple butter to a large pot and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has reduced and the apple butter has thickened.
5. Let the apple butter cool completely before pouring into jars or an air-tight container. This will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks or can be frozen for several months.

Nutritional Info:

Makes approximately 4-5 cups.

Serving size 2 tablespoons.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 27, Cal. from Fat: .5, Total Fat: 0g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 7g, Fiber: .5g, Sugars: 5.5g, Protein: 0g, Sodium: .5mg, Chol: 0mg