Slow Cooker Late Summer Provencal Stew

Date: August 24, 2009 (morning, put in the slow cooker for that day's meals)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dried small white beans, soaked overnight (got them on markdown at Target...)
4 1/2 cups water

2 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic (or more as you like), minced
1 1/2 T organic extra virgin olive oil
2 medium eggplants (Farmer's market buy on Sat), peeled and cubed (1/2 inch cubes)
2 medium summer zucchini (Farmer's market score), cubed (1/2 inch cubes)
1 very large heirloom tomato (again, Farmer's market score), diced
2 T herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cube Rapunzel vegan vegetable bouillon with sea salt

Directions

1. Remember to soak the bean overnight! Rinse them, then add beans and water to cast iron pot on stove. Cook for for approximately one hour over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the veggies - chopping, dicing, etc.
   
3. Place all vegetable and spices into the slow cooker.
4. Add the beans and their cooking water.
5. Put slow cooker on high and allow to cook for 2-3 hours. Add more water as needed.
6. Serve over or with brown rice.
   

Recipe Analysis
I estimate that this recipe will make eight servings of yummy soup. Nutritional analysis (excluding bouillon) from caloriecounter.com -- they give it an A.
Serving Size: 388.9 g
Calories per serving: 201, Calories from fat: 30
Details: 11.2 g protein, 34.8 g carbs (12%), 11.0 g fiber (44%), 6.1 g sugars, 137 mg sodium (6%), 0 mg cholesterol, 3.3 g total fat (5%), 0.5 g saturated fat (3%), 6% DV Vitamin A, 27% DV Vitamin C, 12% DV Calcium, 25% DV Iron.
Highlights: Low in saturated fat; No cholesterol; Very high in dietary fiber; High in iron; High in manganese; High in magnesium; High in potassium; High in vitamin C.

Notes

1. I wanted to also include a 28 oz can of diced tomatoes in this recipe, but everything wouldn't fit in my slow cooker. Need to buy a larger slow cooker...
2. J loved this soup according to D. She ate a bowl and a half for dinner that night with me. Pretty cool.
3. This recipe is based on various recipes for ratatouille that I found online when I decided I wanted to buy eggplant.