It was a stormy snowy day in Prince Edward Island, with over 20 cm of snow falling.  Most local businesses closed down for the day and Islanders were told to stay indoors.  Cold weather automatically makes me think of indulging in a hearty bowl of soup, and today was no exception. So I took out my slow cooker this morning to try a new healthy weight loss recipe. 

I'm a cookbook fanatic and was recently given a new slow cooker one, “ A Potful of Recipes”, by JoAnna Lund.  It contains many healthy recipes for any ingredient under the sun with an index. The first 80 pages contain slow cooker  tips for creating healthier meals. It even has a short chapter on how to create low fat meals.  This cookbook is fantastic   (thanks mom), and is available to buy online.

With so many delicious recipes to choose from- I decided on Taco Cabbage Soup. Sounds interesting enough, I love Mexican seasoning and cabbage is a weight loss super food. I was sold. Here's my interpretation of the recipe.

Slow cooker Cabbage Taco Soup

1 pound of lean ground turkey

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 

2 cans low sodium diced tomatoes

2/3 cup hot water

1 TBSP low sodium taco seasoning 

1 tsp dried parsley  

1 large can red kidney beans, rinsed  

5 cups of shredded cabbage 

1 small onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

freshly ground pepper  

In a large skillet heat oil on medium heat.  Add ground turkey and cook till browned. In slow cooker combine ( in order) tomatoes, water, and spices. Next add kidney beans, cabbage, onion and celery. Mix well, then add cooked turkey. Mix well, cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Mix well before serving and enjoy! 

Depending on how small you grate the cabbage, the cooking time may change. My soup took 10 hours to cook thoroughly. Nutritionists agree that eating soup is a great way to maximize your nutrition and water intake. Enjoy often! Even my roommate (who's not a health nut like me) raved about this recipe and requested I make it again.