Slow Cooker Pearl Couscous Soup

Wow, life has been so insane lately.  And not in a good way.  I sometimes feel like I am about to literally explode with all the craziness going on in both my personal and professional lives.  Cooking and baking usually helps me relax at times like these, except for the fact that I've been too busy, not to mention that the kitchen is out of commission while Alex rips our floor out and tiles it.  So mostly I've just been not really eating (I guess it's a new type of wedding workout? I've lost 4 pounds...).  Luckily for you, I do have a small backlog of recipes to share, so that will get us through the next week.  After that, the floor will be done, I will be on April vacation, and maybe at least some aspects of my house will calm down!?

Anyway... let's talk about soup.  What better comfort food is there?  And when you can get it done in a slow cooker on a cold, busy March day, what more can you ask for?  This soup has pearl couscous, which I haven't used before, but I definitely love it.  It's kind of like a little round noodle.  Then there's kidney beans for protein, and lots of veggies like onions, carrots, bell peppers, and tomatoes.  It's flavored with oregano, salt and pepper - so nothing too crazy, but it all comes together in the slow cooker to make a really delicious soup.  I brought the leftovers for my lunch for days until it was gone.  My family liked it too; they always appreciate when my soups have beans to help fill them up, and it always helps when it tastes delicious :)  I'm wishing I could whip up a batch of this right now!

Recipe:

slow cooker pearl couscous soup
from Vegan in the Freezer
yield 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup pearl couscous, not cooked
2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can (14.5 - 15 ounce) diced tomatoes
1 cup spaghetti sauce
4 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:

1) Heat the butter in a skillet.  Add the onions, bell pepper and carrots.  Sauté until the onions become translucent, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2) Add the sautéed vegetables to the crockpot.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.

3) Cover and cook on low 2 - 3 hours.  Check the couscous at 2 hours for tenderness.