Slow Cooker “Dang Hippie” Vegetable Soup

I have been making this soup for years. My brother used to call it “damn hippie food” and the name kind of stuck. No meat, lots of veggies… Hippie food I guess! It’s vegan after all (when made in vegetable stock) and we love it at our house as hippie soup. It’s definitely one of my favorites and always a hit during the cold, dreary days of fall and winter. This slow cooker version is an easy favorite, and we actually prefer the extra softness of the vegetables that come with the slow cooker. You can also make a quick and easy dinner on the stovetop.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 3 to 4 hours on high, 6 to 8 hours on low

raw material

4 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tsp paprika
2 teaspoons mustard powder
1 teaspoon basil
1 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3 celery stalks, sliced
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 tons willow
1 bay leaf
4 roma tomatoes, diced
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

instruct

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté 5 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, paprika, mustard powder, basil, salt, cinnamon and cayenne. Bake for 1-2 minutes.

3. Scrape the entire contents of the skillet into slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and stir quickly to combine.

4. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Remove the bay leaves before serving.

**NOTE: You can skip steps 1 and 2 in this recipe and just put all ingredients in the slow cooker at once. I love the extra touch of sautéing the onion and roasting the spices before hand as it enhances the flavor.