Celebrate National Coffee Day with a Slow Cooker Gingerbread Latte

When Hilary from So Delicious reminded me National Coffee Day was coming up I started thinking of my favorite fall weather treats. I never tried to recreate a gingerbread latte before, so I thought that was a good place to start.

Just so you know, Hilary did send me some of their creamers to test out, as well as a great mug and a pound of Peets French Roast coffee! Even though I got those goodies for free, I was not paid for my opinion. I actually use So Delicious products on an almost daily basis already, so I already have a crush on them even without the cool swag.

I developed my love of coffee when I lived in New Orleans. That’s the first place I had cold brewed iced coffee and I was hooked after that. Cold brewed coffee is less acidic and much easier on your stomach. Plus, once you make the concentrate it can stay in the fridge all week. It’s perfect for a quick iced coffee and easy to heat up for a hot coffee too.

You can buy a special contraption called a Toddy Maker, or you can just make it in a French Press you already have. The ratio of coffee grounds to water varies. Since it’s a concentrate you use more or less depending on the strength. That way it’s always perfect. I have a link in the recipe that takes you to more detailed coffee-making instructions.

If you don’t want to fool with this new-fangled coffee method, then go ahead and use regular brewed coffee.

I typically use the plain creamer in a heavily spiced beverage like this one, but the So Delicious French Vanilla would work well also. You would need to use less sweetener or you might be able to leave it out completely.

In the next week I’ll be experimenting with the Hazelnut and French Vanilla flavors, so be on the look out for some more coffee recipes!

Slow Cooker Gingerbread Latte

*This recipe requires a small 1 – 1.5 quart slow cooker.* (You can double or triple the recipe and use a larger one if you like.)

Makes 2 servings (unless you drink a venti and then it’s just one serving)
soy-free, gluten-free

  • 1/4 cup (63ml) cold brewed coffee concentrate or 1 cup (250ml) regular brewed coffee
  • 1/4 cup (63ml) So Delicious Coconut creamer original flavor
  • 2 cup (500ml) Unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk
    (can use vanilla or plain just adjust sweetener)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch ground clove
  • pinch ground allspice
  • pinch nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon molasses (optional)
  • Sweetener to taste: brown sugar, stevia, agave nectar, or maple syrup, etc.
    (I used 1/2 packet Nu-Stevia) 

Put everything but sweetener in the slow cooker. Add molasses. Whisk until ingredients are well combined. Taste and add your choice of sweetener until it’s the way you like your latte.

Cook for 3 hours on low or 1 1⁄2 to 2 hours on high. You are just heating it, so you could also do this on the stove top if you are in a hurry.

I like to put drinks on in a slow cooker before a dinner party and then it’s piping hot and ready to serve with dessert.

Vegan Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chick’n Chowder

I’m so excited! My book, The Vegan Slow Cooker, was released early and many people who pre-ordered at Amazon will get theirs this week!

This soup was pretty much an accident. I had no intention of adding pumpkin to my new chick’n chowder. However, I freeze my puréed pumpkin in ice cubes just like I do my homemade bouillon. I do label the bags, but if you don’t actually read them bad (and good) things can happen.

Luckily this was a happy mistake – my favorite kind. Once I realized I had put pumpkin cubes in instead of bouillon ones, I changed my plan and added some more pumpkin. I didn’t notice that much difference in the flavor, but it does add more nutritional goodies.

I used a local vegan chick’n called Soy Delight, but your favorite chick’n should work just fine. If you are anti-fake-meat feel free to substitute cubes of pressed tofu, wheat gluten, or even white beans.

Also, if you avoid pre-packaged non-dairy sour cream, use pureed silken tofu or cashew cream instead. It’s your soup after all – so make it the way you like it.

Don’t forget that you can easily make your own pumpkin purée, in the slow cooker of course! Go ahead and get some of those pie pumpkins that are showing up at the farmers market. You can stock up for winter and spring!

Make sure to get in on the giveaway this week at Busy Vegan. Just go to this Busy Vegan link and add a comment to the post there. In the bag is a super cool OXO peppermill, some tasty peppercorns to fill it from My Spice Sage, and a postcard with my recipe for Slow Cooker Tempeh Braised with Figs and Port Wine.  I have coupons I’ll be adding and a few other bonuses too. There will be 2 winners!

Also please like the Healthy Slow Cooking Facebook page if you haven’t already and please spread the word to your friends!

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chick’n Chowder – serves 4

Cooking Time: 6 to 8  hours on low (or 3 to 4 on high)

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
  • 1 medium potato, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 1/2 cup vegan chick’n, cubed package (Gardein, Soy Delight, Smart Strips Chick’n, etc.)
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 bay leave
  • 1 tablespoon vegan chick’n bouillon, like Better than Bouillon (or 2 tablespoons of the one from my book if you have it)
  • 4 cups water
  • cayenne or chipotle powder to taste
  • 1/2 cup non-dairy Toffuti sour cream
  • 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious – it’s the thickest and great for soups.)
  • salt and pepper to taste (will vary greatly on the bouillon used)

The night before: Cut up the veggies and chick’n. Thaw pumpkin purée if you have it frozen. Store together in one bowl in the fridge.

In the morning: Add everything except the non-dairy milk, Toffuti sour cream, and the extra salt or pepper. Cook on low for 6 to 8 (or on high for 3 to 4 hours).

Remove bay leaf and thyme stems (if you used fresh thyme). Then add the non-dairy milk and sour cream. Make sure you thoroughly mix them in the soup. Then taste your soup, and add more salt, pepper, cayenne, or thyme if needed.

If you want a thicker soup you can take about 1/3 of the soup and purée it in a blender or food processor and then mix it into the rest of the soup. Personally I liked the thinner soup.

Serve topped with shredded vegan cheddar, extra vegan sour cream, and/or chopped chives if desired.