Slow Cooked Sausages with Sauerkraut and Potatoes

Click here to print the recipe

I was being lazy yesterday.

It was a hot late summer day and the thought of spending a lot of time in the kitchen made me cringe a little.

But I did have a bag of organic raw sauerkraut I picked up last Sunday, a few potatoes and some Kielbasa. Rinse-rinse, chop-chop, all went into a slow cooker. 

8 hours later, I was rewarded with simple, hearty, and delicious dinner to enjoy with my family. So simple, I will need to do this more often.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cups raw sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
• 2 pounds red new potatoes, rinsed and halved
• 2 pounds Kielbasa (or Bratwurst if you prefer), sliced
• 1/2 cup pale lager
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley for garnish

Directions:

• Place onion, sauerkraut, potatoes, sausage, beer, chicken stock, caraway seeds, bay leaves, peppercorn and salt in a slow cooker. Mix all of the ingredients to combine.
• Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or 4-5 hours on high, until the potatoes are tender.
• Sprinkle with parsley. Serve warm with bread and mustard.

Brown Rice Apple Slaw

Click here to print the recipe

One of the things I learned about food blogging: it takes a lot of time.

I have been doing a terrible job in posting new things lately, but life doesn't always allow me to take my sweet moments with my blog.

My days pass in a blink of an eye. I'm running from one appointment to another, constantly looking at my cellphone to check the boys' schedules, drop them off, pick them up, then brief stops at the grocery store to prepare something quick for dinner.

Taking food pictures? That is not happening very often lately.

But I'm trying.

Taking my time to cook something new and tasty, posing the end results for nice pictures, and sitting in front of the computer to display them, for me, it's therapeutic.

So, kudos to all of food blogger moms out there, who seem to always manage to juggle it all. I don't know how you do it, but I envy you.

What I managed to prepare for dinner (well, side dish is more appropriate, but if you're counting calories, this works great as main dish, too), is brown rice apple slaw with almonds and crispy onion.

And without mayo-based dressing, it means you can enjoy this as much as you want.

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion
• Oil for frying onion
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 2 fuji apples, julienned
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 1 cup microgreens (any kind you like)
• 1/4 cup sliced roasted almonds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons honey

Directions:

• Peel and slice the onion thinly, fry in the hot oil until brown and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Cool down completely. If you are not using it immediately, store in the airtight container.
• Combine olive oil, mustard, vinegar, and honey in a bowl. Whisk until well combined. Set aside.
• Mix rice, cabbage, apple, and microgreens in a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss. Store in the refrigerator to chill. Sprinkle with almonds and crispy onion before serving.