Making dinner healthier, one slow cooker at a time.
My friend Gail Davis from So Delicious reminded me that today is oatmeal day. I can’t believe it almost past me by!
Since we’re so close to Halloween I selected 13 of my favorites for you to warm up with. So stay toasty and dry, and eat your oatmeal! [Read more...]
While some people avoid the “perfumy” flavors of rosewater, orange blossom water and lavender I just love them. In fact, I use them as much as I can.
At one of my favorite restaurants, La Shish in Cary, I get this amazing drink called Lebanese ice tea. It’s a mix of lemon juice, sugar, and black tea with a little something special. It can turn a bad day good with just a few sips. to recipe →
You guys know I tend to get on a tangent and now I can’t stop making frozen coffees. I guess it’s too warm to re-start my oatmeal obsession and they are so much better than you-know-who’s.
Since the CSA has been making veggies magically apear at my house so I haven’t gone to the farmers market every weekend. But I did go last Saturday and found a new coffee cart waiting for me, Cocoa and Cinnamon. Looking over their menu I saw my new favorite coffee combination – cardamom and rosewater. If you are in or near Durham you must try their coffee! to recipe →
Here’s another green tea variation, this time a little closer to you-know-who’s. The color of this one is a faint green, though it didn’t capture well in the photos. You could also throw in some Swiss Chard or Kale to get a darker (and healthier) green.
Here’s another inexpensive coffee house frozen drink. When I’m super busy and a little stressed out I tend to get a frap on my way to work. It’s an expensive and unhealthy habit. Once I catch up a little I always go back to making my own.
It takes about 10 minutes, has less sugar than the one from the chain and can even be made completely sugar-free by using unsweetened So Delicious Almond Plus Milk. to recipe →
It’s beautiful outside and I have all the windows and doors open. We’re decluttering and if all goes well I’ll even have the deck ready for a cocktail night next week. Spring is my favorite time of the year. It makes anything seem possible.
I like a nice frosty drink as a reward for all my hard work and this was perfect. Years ago, before I was a vegan, Starbuck’s had a blackberry green tea frapacinno that I loved. Of course, the blackberry syrup is long gone. to recipe →
Spring came months ago it seems. The bad part is there are already mosquitos trying to sneak into the house, in fact one is actually nibbling me now. But the best part if that some of my fresh herbs are ready to use again and that more than makes up for my blood loss. [Read more...]
Continuing on my fancy drink exploration – this cocktail combines fresh pear with vanilla vodka and amaretto all tied together with the slightly floral flavor of cardamom.
If you can’t find any vanilla liquor you can make your own. Check on Barnivore to make sure the base vodka you use is vegan and then you just need vanilla beans and vegan sugar. It does take 2 to 3 months to make a usable liqueur, but if you start it tonight you’ll be that much closer to trying it.
Vegan Creamy Pear Cardamom Cocktail
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Add all ingredients except sweetener into a blender and blend until pear is smooth. Taste and use the amount of sweetener needed. This will depend on how ripe the pear is. Blend again and serve over ice.
You can always add an additional cup of non-dairy milk if you like your drinks a little weaker.
I’m back on my oatmeal obsession just in time for Vegan Month of Food. I realized fall and winter will bring even more flavors into my oatmeal mix. Plus, is it really an obsession if it doesn’t raise its head every once in a while?
In case you didn’t already know this about me, I am in love with pumpkin and winter squash. They are good for you and can be used in everything from stews and casseroles to desserts and breakfast.
In the next few weeks you can look forward to some winter squash slow cooker recipes along with more delicious oatmeal flavors that are worth getting out of bed for! (There may even be pears and apples involved too.)
Happy Fall!
** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. I have over 40 different flavors!
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Coffeecake Oatmeal
soy-free and gluten-free
2 to 3 servings
**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker 1 1/2 to 2 quarts
The night before: Mix toppings in a small container and cover until the morning. Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later (optional). Add all the ingredients except the toppings. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency. Top with coffee cake topping.
For those of you who haven’t heard Jennie Perillo, creator of In Jennie’s Kitchen, lost her husband Mikey to a sudden heart attack. She had been meaning to make him his favorite peanut butter pie, but never got around to it. She asked other bloggers to make one last Friday. This is my belated version.
Most white chocolate is not vegan, but Peanut Butter and Co. White Chocolate Wonderful is.
Slow Cooker White Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Oatmeal
2 to 3 servings
**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker that’s 1 1/2 to 2 quarts
The night before: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add oats and milk. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should become a more uniform consistency. Mix in peanut butter and sweetener. Top with crushed graham crackers.
**See Page Link on Menu Bar to get to Slow Cooker Oatmeal FAQS
