Making dinner healthier, one slow cooker at a time.
Yesterday I posted Quinoa Jambalaya with Tempeh and today we have a Mexican variation.
You can add in extra veggies, tempeh, seitan, tofu, or something yummy from Gardein if you want. Think of this as a base and see where your creativity takes you. to recipe→
Some of you let me know you’d like to have a formula for making variations of meals. Today I’m posting a Quinoa Jambalaya with Tempeh and tomorrow I’ll be posting a Mexican Quinoa with Black Beans to illustrate that.
Both use the same amount of liquid and quinoa but the spices, protein, and veggies change. You can use this quinoa stew as a base for what’s at the farmers market right now and what spices you have on hand. to recipe→
I originally made this as a Valentine cocoa, but romance shouldn’t be limited to just one day. Surprise your someone special with the yummy dessert cocoa. The lavender and rose flavors blend together to form its own taste that’s not as floral as you think.
I used lavender extract which I got at Savory Spice Shop, but if you can’t find any you could fill a muslin tea bag or tea ball with 1 to 2 teaspoons of culinary lavender and add this at the beginning of cooking. This will infuse the milk with a great lavender flavor too.
I do use real sugar in this recipe, because it helps to thicken it up. The longer you cook it the thicker it will be. You can substitute stevia or agave, but the hot chocolate will be thinner.
Slow Cooker Lavender Rose Cocoa
soy-free, gluten-free
Serves 2 to 3
**Uses a 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cooker**
Add all the ingredients and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours or on high for 1 to 1 1/2 hour.
Stir once or twice during this time with a whisk to help the chocolate mix in well. Whisk a final time and serve.
This Tempeh Mushroom Stroganoff is amazingly easy and full of great flavors. It has few ingredients, but the mushrooms combined with the bouillon create an amazing broth that becomes the base of the sauce.
I don’t use tempeh as much as I should. It’s a fermented soy product that’s originally from Indonesia. Most people agree that fermented soy products are better for you and easier to digest.
Tempeh has a reputation for having a bitter taste, but if you steam it for 10 minutes before adding to your dish it will take most of that away.
If you are lucky, like I am, you might have an artisanal tempeh maker in your neck of the woods. The triangle area has Tempeh Girl and I think there is one in Asheville, NC and Gainesville, Fl. (If there’s one in your area please share the info in the comments.)
I’ll be talking more about Tempeh Girl, but she uses a different culture than the mass producers do and her tempeh is not bitter at all. And it’s ready to use right out of the package, so no steaming needed!
(I don’t usually do before pictures, but I wanted you to see the new tempeh I’m using. See how pretty it looks?)
Slow Cooker Tempeh Mushroom Stroganoff
gluten-free (with plain soy tempeh and gluten-free pasta)
serves 2 to 3
I used my 3 1/2 quart, but think this would be better suited for a 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cooker. If you are using a 4 quart or more you can double the recipe or add even more extra water.
The night before: Chop tempeh and mushrooms. Steam tempeh for about 10 minutes unless you have a locally made tempeh and then follow their recommendations. (For Tempeh Girl tempeh no steaming is needed!) Store in fridge until the morning.
In the morning: Add tempeh, mushrooms, garlic, water, bouillon, and paprika. Cook on low 7 to 9 hours.
20 minutes before serving: Add vegan sour cream and mix. Taste and add more paprika if needed, as well as salt and pepper. Serve over pasta (or mashed cauliflower, rice, quinoa, etc.) and top with dill if desired.
Roasted root veggies are my latest obsession. Well, one of my obsessions, but at least my craziness keeps me occupied. Things like this tend to happen when you get more than one turnip that’s as big as your head! (Thanks winter csa for making me more turnip friendly!)
You can roast veggies in the slow cooker or in the oven depending on your preference. It’s been really cold here the past few days and I have enjoyed turning on the oven as much as possible for a little extra heat in the house. One thing is that you have more wiggle room time-wise in the slow cooker and it’s much harder to burn them.
In The Oven:
I tried roasting in the oven 2 different ways, one covered with aluminum foil and one not covered. I cooked both on a 375 degree oven for about 40 minutes. I stirred them half way.
I found the one that I covered (until the last 10 or 15 minutes of cooking) to be juicy and lush. I liked the uncovered ones but the texture was a little tougher and they took a little longer to cook. It just depends on what you like the best.
In The Slow Cooker:
Roasting in the slow cooker is easy too. You can cook them on high for about 2 hours on high or low for about 4. Just oil the crock and place a layer or two of chopped or diced root veggies. You want to fill it less than 1/2 way if possible. I use one of my 6 quart ovals just so the veggies aren’t crowded.
Just how long you’ll cook the veggies depend on how big you cut them. I’d recommend cutting them smaller for the slow cooker and stirring every 30 to 45 minutes so they cook evenly. They are ready to eat when a fork pierces the veggies easily.
My first batch contained turnip, rutebaga, purple potatoes, carrots and radishes. I’ve been saving up radishes from my csa because I just didn’t know what to do with them. The answer is roast them. They lost that spicy edge and became sweet and juicy. It was a revelation for me.
I would suggest you don’t add sweet potatoes into the mix though. They will break down before the other veggies are done. You’ll end up with chunks of roasted veggies in what is basically mashed sweet potato.
The first recipe I made with these yummy veggies was a pizza. It’s not really an exact recipe but it’s super easy. All you need is some pizza dough, a pizza shell, or something else to build your pizza on.
I used a vegan cashew spread from The Vegan Holiday Kitchen by Nava Atlas as my base. Then I topped it with the roasted veggies and sprinkled arugula pesto over the whole pizza. I cooked it in a 375 degree oven until the crust was cooked since I used raw pizza dough. If you used a pre-cooked pizza shell you will cook it about 7 to 10 minutes or until the center is hot.
I had The Market‘s Mint White Russian the other night. (It was one of two creamy vegan drinks on their menu!) They used homemade Kahlua and mint infused vodka. If you live in the triangle you must give them a try.
I was hesitant about the coffee mint combo but I was won over. It was so good that I wanted one again. I didn’t have any mint vodka ready to go, but I decided this warm minty drink would fill in just fine.
If you don’t have mint extract you can add a mint herbal tea bag in the beginning. You could also use semi-sweet chocolate instead unsweetened, just adjust the sweetener.
Hate coffee flavors? Try substituting Grand Mariner for an orange mint twist.
Slow Cooker Tipsy Mint-Coffee Cocoa
**Uses a 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cooker**
Serves 2 to 3
Add the coconut milk, baking chocolate, and mint extract and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Whisk then add Kahlua and sweetener. Whisk again and serve.
Photo by Bill Bettencourt, Property of Fair Winds Press
I grew up with sweet tea and grilled pimento cheese sandwiches. Now I sweeten my tea with stevia a touch of agave and I still make pimento cheese only now it’s vegan!
This a traditional Southern favorite and it’s also soy-free and gluten-free when you use Daiya cheese! For about 1/4 cup of the fondue it’s under 100 calories, which is plenty to dip and/or spread on veggies, chips, or toast points. (Or serve over whole pieces of toast and call it dinner.)
This is a healthier way to enjoy cheesy goodness flecked with sweet, diced pimento and great for those transitioning to a vegan diet. It’s also a great way to prove that you can live without dairy and enjoy tasty treats too.
My favorite part is making grilled pimento cheese sandwiches the next day with the leftovers – yum!
Vegan Pimento Cheese Fondue
From The Vegan Slow Cooker, written by me and published by Fair Winds Press
Note: This recipe uses a 1 1/2 to 2-quart (1.4 to 1.9 L) slow cooker. You can double or triple the recipe and use a larger slow cooker if you like.
Add the beans and the water to a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. Oil the crock of the slow cooker. Add the purée and the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the cheese is fully melted.
You will need to stir it a few times (about every 20 minutes) during cooking to fully incorporate the cheese as it melts. If you prefer a thinner fondue, just add more water until it is the consistency that you desire.
Yield: about 16 appetizer sized servings
As promised, here is the ridiculously easy and tasty stew I mentioned over the weekend. I seem to be on a streak of ugly but packed-full of flavor recipes this month.
I guess the veggies that are available in January aren’t quite as flashy as some of the summer ones. That, and well, stews aren’t always pretty – but you can’t beat a one dish meal for an easy dinner.
In my its next incarnation I think I’ll add a handful or two of chopped greens to shake things up a bit.
You can really add any veggies you have on hand too. I’m all about options and using what you have on hand. Yellow lentils instead of red, potato in place of turnip and even carrot would all work just as good as the listed ingredients.
Slow Cooker Indian Spiced Chickpea Quinoa Stew
gluten-free, soy-free
serves 4 to 6
The night before: Chop veggies and store in the fridge.
In the morning: Put everything in the slow cooker and cook on low 6 to 9 hours. Taste, re-season if needed (you may not even need the salt if your bouillon is salty.)
This is a good one to make if you are going to be away from the house a little longer than usual. If your slow cooker runs hot add a little extra water if it will be cooking longer than 9 hours.
Sometimes you need a treat. A soothing, winter treat that can warm you up. That would be me last night. It’s finally feeling like winter and it’s all too easy to get the blahs. I’m making a warm slow cooker drink or dessert every night to keep my spirits up. Feel free to use natural flavored extracts, zest, or juice in this recipe if you don’t imbibe.
This modified toddy has a Sugar Cookie tea base that has roasted barley and vanilla. The barley makes it not gluten-free. Almond Sunset would be my next choice, but they don’t make it anymore.
You could also use a vanilla or almond tea as your base instead. I like that Celestial Seasonings Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride Tea is caffeine free which is a requirement of mine for a night drink.
Just throw this together right before you serve dinner, and your “dessert” will be ready when you are. This is great to make for a dinner party, just tripe the recipe and use a 4 to 5 quart slow cooker.
Slow Cooker Sugar Cookie Hot Toddy for 2
**Uses a 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cooker**
Serves 2 (double or triple as needed)
Place the teabags, water, and non-dairy milk in the slow cooker. Cook on high for about 1 to 2 hours or until hot. (You could also cook on low for about 3 hours.)
Just before serving add liquors and sweetener.
If you prefer a stronger drink you can double the amount of alcohol called for or add a shot of vanilla vodka.
For those of you not familiar with Southern food this is my (vegan) version of Shrimp and Grits. Traditionally it’s base is a spicy tomato based sauce with bell peppers. I’ve used chickpeas because they don’t break down as much as pinto beans or the like.
Of course there’s bacon in the original version, and doubly of course I have liquid smoke in my version. Big shock, right?
The spiciness often comes from Tabasco, but I like to add chipotle for its smoky notes as well as its heat. You can use either or both depending on your favorite taste.
I serve this over a big portion of grits. It’s a very filling dish and perfect for cold, winter nights. Feel free to add a heaping serving of veggies on the side to make it a well-rounded meal.
Originally I used Muir Glen diced tomatoes with chipotles already added in. Since then, it looks like they have been discontinued. But if you have a can or two of them in your pantry this is a great way to use them up.
Make sure to check out the Wellness Weekend over at Diet, Dessert and Dogs. This recipe is linked there and many more.
Slow Cooker Spicy Southern Chickpeas and Grits
soy-free, gluten-free (make sure the grits are labeled gluten-free!)
Makes 3 to 4 servings (when served over a pile of grits)
**This recipe uses a smaller slow cooker 1 1/2 to 2 quarts – you can double the recipe and use a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker
The night before: Chop bell pepper, minced garlic and store in fridge.
In the morning: Add all ingredients, except for the salt and pepper, to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 9 hours.
Before serving: Taste, add salt and pepper, then re-season to your liking. You may need to add more liquid smoke or chipotle.
Serve over slow cooker grits – recipe below:
I make a double batch of grits in a larger slow cooker. The first time I made this I had more beans than grits and that didn’t work as well. Also this way you can add in a few people if someone happens to drop by around dinner time.
Slow Cooker Grits
Use a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker for the grits.
The Virtual Vegan Potluck is over, but the virtual feast lives on!