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Slow Cooker Spicy Southern Chickpeas and Grits

January 20, 2012 · by · 7 Comments

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

  • 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped small
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (can use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder instead)
  • 1 1/2 cup cooked chickpeas (or 1 can rinsed)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes (or 1 can Muir Glen diced tomatoes)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipolte powder, to taste
  • A few dashes liquid smoke or smoked salt, to taste (Start small if you’re not a fan of smoky foods or leave it out altogether.)
  • Tabasco or other hot sauce, optional – use instead of chipolte powder or in addition to depending on your taste for heat
  • salt and pepper, to taste

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.

  • 1 cup grits, yellow or white (Bob’s Red Mill grits are labeled gluten-free)
  • 2 cup unsweetened So Delicious Coconut Milk (or other unsweetened non-dairy milk)
  • 2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vegan chick’n bouillon
  • salt and pepper to taste
In the morning: Add all the ingredients to an oiled slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Filed Under: Beyond Easy, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Gluten-free, Main Course, Overnight (8+ hours), Slow cooker, Soy-free, Stews, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegan Red Beans and Rice for 2

October 27, 2011 · by · 14 Comments

You’ve probably noticed that I’m trying to come up with more savory recipes for the 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cookers. I live in a two person household with a slew of wonderful (and demanding) companion animals.

I know I’m not the only one without a large family. By making a smaller amount for dinner, it lets me try something new every night. If you have a larger family, or prefer not to cook everyday, feel free to double the recipe and use a 4 quart slow cooker.

Once again, this recipe starts off with dried beans. You can use canned or pre-cooked ones, just put the ingredients together in the morning instead of the night before and adjust the water accordingly.

Vegan Red Beans and Rice for 2
soy-free, gluten-free
Makes 2 to 3 servings

**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

  • 1 cup dry red beans
  • 3 cups water
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt-free Cajun seasoning
  • A few drops liquid smoke or smoked salt
  • Tabasco, optional (to taste or serve on the side)
  • salt, to taste
  • cooked rice for serving
  • cooked vegan sausage links or grilled tofu, optional for serving (**will reverse the soy-free or gluten-free label!)

The night before: In your slow cooker add the dried beans, water, garlic, and bay leaves. Cook on low overnight. (If your 1 1/2 quart slow cooker does not have a low/high setting then it should run on low.)

In the morning: Add the Cajun seasoning, liquid smoke, and Tabasco if using and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water depending on how long you will be gone for the day or if they just look to dry to cook all day. You can cook these a very long time if you just add extra water, so they are good for days you know you are coming home late.

Before serving: Taste and adjust seasonings and add hot sauce, and add salt if needed.

Serve over brown rice with vegan sausage or grilled tofu if desired. A side salad helps balance out the meal.

Filed Under: Beyond Easy, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Gluten-free, Main Course, Mexican, Overnight (8+ hours), Side Dish, Slow cooker, Soy-free, Vegan, Vegetarian · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegan Autumn Lentil Soup

October 26, 2011 · by · 9 Comments

This soup started with the gorgeous lentils above. I found them in a bulk bin at Whole Foods and fell in love. I knew that the red lentils wouldn’t stay red, but I had decided that the mixture would still look like autumn leaves after being cooked. Wrong!

I also added these beautiful purple potatoes to add to the imagined colorful mix. And, well, I was wrong again.

The soup turned out tasty and perfect for a fall day, but it looks like any other lentil soup. The mixed lentils and purple potatoes cost more than the plain ones. So use plain ones in this recipe and you won’t be disappointed. You can use any lentil you have on hand.


Vegan Autumn Lentil Soup
soy-free, gluten-free
 Serves 4

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup lentils
  • 5 cups water
  • 2 cups potato, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, minced
  • 1 tablespoon bouillon
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1/4 teaspoon ground)
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • smoked salt (or plain salt) and pepper, to taste

The night before: Saute the onion in oil until it turns translucent, then add the garlic and cook one more minute. Store cooked mixture with other cut veggies in the fridge overnight.

In the morning: Add everything except salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Cook 7 – 9 hours on low.

Before serving: Taste, add salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Filed Under: Beyond Easy, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Gluten-free, Main Course, Mexican, Overnight (8+ hours), Slow cooker, Soups, Soy-free, Stews, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegan Sin-cinnati Chili for Your Halloween Dinner

October 25, 2011 · by · 7 Comments

Since I taunted you with Halloween yesterday I thought I’d give you something to make for your Halloween dinner party.

Cincinnati chili is similar to a regular meaty chili except it has unusual spices that you see more in pumpkin pie than an all-American stew. Traditionally it’s a meat chili that has kidney beans as an optional topping as well as shredded cheese and onions. Then oddly enough it’s served over pasta.

This one uses vegan ground and the lentils for the meaty texture. The unusual spices blend in more than you expect, but there are Cincinnati chili lovers and haters. Because of the extra spices the ingredient list may look intimidating, but most things on the list are a quick measure and you’re done!

This looks especially spooky over spinach pasta, but it would work well over black forbidden rice too. You can cut out ghost shapes out a slice of vegan cheese. Black sesame seeds or nigella seeds make great eyes!

Atmosphere is important in a Halloween gathering, but it doesn’t matter if you cut bats out of paper or buy the coolest decorations ever. No matter how much you do, you’ll be glad you put in the time!

Vegan Sin-cinnati Chili
Makes 2 to 3 cups (3 large servings or 4 small ones)

**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

  • 3/4 cup dry black beluga lentils (you can sub other lentils, the chili just won’t be as dark)
  • 1 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup Ground Beefless (use Trader Joe’s, frozen crumbles, or cook 1/2 cup Gimme Lean)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground hot pepper, like chipotle
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa
  • pinch allspice
  • pinch ground hot pepper of choice, optional and to taste
  • dash of freshly ground nutmeg
  • salt, to taste
  • shredded vegan cheese, for topping
  • chopped onions, for topping
  • cooked spinach pasta, for topping

In the morning: Add everything except nutmeg, salt and toppings to the slow cooker . Cook 7 – 9 hours on low.

Add nutmeg, taste, and add salt or adjust other seasonings as needed.

Serve over cooked pasta and top with your choice of onions and/or cheese.

Filed Under: Chili, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Fall, Main Course, Overnight (8+ hours), Pasta, Slow cooker, Stews, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Vegan ‘Meaty’ Chili You Make From Scratch, but Is as Easy as Opening a Can!

October 24, 2011 · by · 8 Comments

It’s getting close to my favorite holiday, Halloween. This weekend we started decorating the house for our annual Gothic dinner party. We have over 8 big plastic bins chock full of goodies, so it takes days to get everything in place. So far we are about 1/2 way there.

Of course, once the house is decorated then I’ll do the tablescape. (I’ve always wanted to use that word in a sentence!) There are 2 boxes full just for the table. I’ll post pictures next week of the table and our decorations.

I haven’t decided what I’m making for the main course yet, so if anyone has some spooky vegan gluten-free ideas let me know. (Yes, Cara, that is directed at you – possibly as a challenge!)

So, why all this talk of Halloween on a chili post? Well, it is near Halloween… But the real reason is we ate the chili – all of it before I remembered to take a picture of it. I promise to not do it again, but this recipe was too good to not post it because it’s picture-less.

This is a great recipe to get in your slow cooker tonight for tomorrow’s dinner. You could use tvp, crumbled tofu, even tempeh instead of the beefless if you’d like to. It’s yours to play with as you want!

Vegan Ground Beefless and Bean Chili
Makes 2 to 3 cups

**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

  • 1 cup dry black beans
  • 3 cup water
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • A few dashes liquid smoke
  • 1/2 cup Ground Beefless (use Trader Joe’s, frozen crumbles, or cook 1/2 cup Gimme Lean)
  • 1/2 cup diced tomato (Use the ones with chipotle if you can find it)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • pinch ground hot pepper of choice, optional and to taste
  • salt, to taste (Smoked salt would work great too.)
  • vegan sour cream, for serving, optional
  • baked sweet potato, for serving

The night before: In your slow cooker add the dried beans, water, garlic, and liquid smoke. Cook on low overnight. (If your 1 1/2 quart slow cooker does not have a low/high setting then it should run on low.)

In the morning: Add everything else to the slow cooker (except for salt). Cook 8 – 9 hours on low.

Before serving: Taste, add salt if needed,  and adjust seasonings and add hot sauce, salt, or other add-ins now.

Serve over a baked sweet potato and top with optional sour cream if you’re in the mood for it. You can cook them an additional slow cooker while you are gone all day. This also works great over rice, quinoa, or with Daiya mixed in for a dip-for-dinner meal with some baked blue corn tortilla chips. The dip idea would work great at your Halloween party.

Filed Under: Beyond Easy, Chili, Cooking Time 8 hours, crockpot, Gluten-free, Main Course, Mexican, Overnight (8+ hours), Slow cooker, Soy-free, Stews, Vegan, Vegetarian, Winter · Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,