Because of our schedules, my husband and I have a hard time coordinating dinner. We both work until 7 or 8:00 at night, and by that time nobody wants to cook, and dinner out just doesn’t sound good. We usually end up going out for a bowl of soup or sandwich.

I’ve really been struggling to find a way to make our evenings together low-key and enjoyable, especially since they’re only a couple of hours long. So I’ve been gathering up slow-cooker recipes. My theory is that I can spend a few extra minutes in the morning preparing the ingredients and tossing them in the slow-cooker. By the time Weldon and I can have dinner together, it’s ready and waiting. This week, we tested my theory and it worked pretty well! We’ve been able to enjoy healthy, inespensive dinners together with minimal clean up. Here’s one of the recipes I tried this week:

Greek Stew

2 C cubed butternut squash or potatoes, depending on your family’s tastes
2 C chopped carrotes
2 onions, chopped
1 C chopped zucchini
2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15 oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
14 oz. vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t cumin
1/2 t salt
1/2 t allspice
1/2 t pepper
1/2 t ground coriander

Combine all ingredients in a 3-4 quart slow-cooker and mix well to combine. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, or until all vegetables are tender. Service over couscous or rice and sprinkle with feta cheese if desired. Serves about 6.