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...]
First an announcement: my black forest oatmeal is entered into the So Delicious recipe contest. To vote in the contest you have to like them on your Facebook page. (My oatmeal is the one on the bottom right corner.) Please take a minute to vote for it! You can vote once a day and I’d love to see you vote a few times before the end of the week. Now back to the blog post…
Strawberry season seems to sneak up and that’s one surprise I never mind. I love the complexity of berries. When picked perfectly ripe they are juicy and sweet, yet they still retain a tartness to them – even if it’s only a hint at the end. to recipe →
Happy Tuesday (that feels like Monday)! I don’t know about you but I’ve been in deep vacation mode. That means I’m trying to catch up on all that I might have missed. I’ll be posting some of my finds on Facebook, but I felt that these vegan magazines are important enough to post here too.
I remember when there wasn’t as much variety in vegetarian or vegan magazines. I gave up meat long before there was Gardein or even tofu in every grocery store. It’s easy to get spoiled when I can get my So Delicious ice cream sandwiches at Target and even get tempeh at major grocery stores. Also there are so many amazing vegan cookbooks out there that it would be hard to own them all.
Even with all the great vegan info out there we shouldn’t overlook the new issues of these online vegan magazines that were released this week. (I also happen to have recipes in each one, so that’s double the excitement for me!)
Make sure to let your friends know about these too!
Chickpea magazine can be read online free at issuu. Or you can pre-order a hard copy before 1/10/2011 at their Etsy store. I have an article about oatmeal that starts on page 74 if you happen to be interested in taking a look.
T.O.F.U. magazine is an instant digital download that you name your price. You can go as low as getting it for free, but give more if you can. My Thai iced tea recipe is inside this one.
Sorry I missed posting the last 2 days. I have a confession to make. I spent those 2 days oatmeal-less. I cheated on my oatmeal with vegan sausage biscuits and I have to admit it was pretty darn tasty!
Of course, what really made it special was that I ate them on Halloween biscuits. I made 2 dozen Halloween biscuits for a mini Halloween shoot. It was the perfect excuse to decorate the dinner table early.
And now back to our regularly scheduled Friday oatmeal:
Slow Cooker Coconut Banana Pecan Coffee Cake 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, milk, coconut, vanilla and coconut extract. 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. Stir in mashed banana and sweetener. Top with chopped pecans
**(See Page Link on Menu Bar to get to Slow Cooker Oatmeal FAQS)
I love orange flower water and once I got my hands on a bottle I was hooked. It has a very delicate, sweet, floral fragrance and a delicious taste when used sparingly. If you use too much you’ll feel like you’re eating perfume.
If you can get to a Middle Eastern Store it’s surprisingly cheap, so get yours there if you can. You can always order it online if you don’t live in the city. You can make your own if you have orange trees that aren’t sprayed. I live in North Carolina, so no orange trees for me.
** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. I have over 50 different flavors!
Slow Cooker Orange Fig Pecan 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: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add the oats, milk, figs, and orange extract. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well and add orange flower water and sweetener. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency. Top with the chopped pecans.
This is a Monday that I’m just not prepared for. I’ve been taking things out of cabinets, cleaning and re-organizing the kitchen all weekend. That sounds great right? I’m probably just tired but should think of that feeling of accomplishment. Except – I’m still not done and my kitchen is a little wreaked.
I hate not completing things. I hope I will get back to it this weekend, but during the week I have too many deadlines to meet.
So, I declare this oatmeal the one that will make me forget about that. The one that will soothe my soul with sweet pears and lure my senses away from my obsessiveness with the fragrances of rosewater and cardamom. The slight almond flavor will ground me so that I can start my week off just right.
Have an amazing Monday everyone!
** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. I have over 50 different flavors!
Slow Cooker Pear Rose Cardamom Cake 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: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add all the ingredients except the sweetener. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well and add sweetener. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency.
This oatmeal reminds me off walking into one of those fudge shops on vacation where you are surrounded by those dipped apples on sticks.
They are covered with red candy coating, caramel, chocolate, white chocolate, even flavored coatings that look vaguely like chocolate but taste like peanut butter.
Some of them are even double dipped and this one is what I think a white chocolate peanut butter apple would taste like. Only not on a stick, and well, in oatmeal.
Most white chocolate is not vegan, but Peanut Butter and Co. White Chocolate Wonderful is and is my favorite way to eat it.
** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. There is no reason to get bored with your oatmeal this year!
Slow Cooker White Chocolate Peanut Butter Apple 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 everything to the crock. 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. Top with extra chopped apple and/or peanuts if desired.
**See Page Link on Menu Bar to get to Slow Cooker Oatmeal FAQS
I think there’s something about the cooler, rainy weather, as well as the orange and red leaves that makes me crave the butterscotch-y flavor of blondies.
There’s nothing wrong with brownies, but there’s so much more you can do with blondies. They are the blank check of the dessert world in my opinion. You can go with fruits, nuts, chocolate chips and even add in oatmeal.
Of course, oatmeal that tastes like blondies is just as good in my book. The maple extract with the pecans gives it the unexpected flavor combination that allows you to fool your brain into thinking you’re having a blondie for breakfast. Yum!
Please vote for me in the Aetna Healthy Food Fight, so I can go to Atlanta and make my vegan jambalaya for the preliminary contest. It would be great to have a vegan showing there!
** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. I have over 40 different flavors!
Slow Cooker Apple Pecan Blondie 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: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add all the ingredients except the sweetener and nuts. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well and add sweetener. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency. Top with chopped pecans.
So for the first time in my brief, but intense, oatmeal career I am asking you to do something different from the picture. My vanilla Greek yogurt has met a sad demise and I didn’t know until this morning. (Feel free to leave your sympathy posts here.)
So I used what I had on hand – Pina Colada regular So Delicious yogurt. It’s not horrible with the carrots and orange, but it does clash some with the cinnamon. It would be so much better with vanilla yogurt, and the Greek yogurt would make it taste just like cream cheese icing.
So, please do as I say and not as I do in this case. You’ll be really glad you did.
This oatmeal is flecked with carrots and tangy from the orange juice. You need the tart from the yogurt and a little vanilla to finish it off. Carrot cake for breakfast? I think so!
** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. I have over 40 different flavors!
Slow Cooker Orange Carrot Cake with So Delicious “Icing”
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: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add all the ingredients except the sweetener and toppings. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well and add sweetener. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency. Top with a large dollop of vegan yogurt and walnuts.
**See Page Link on Menu Bar to get to Slow Cooker Oatmeal FAQS)
A big, warm welcome to all the new visitors from the Crock-Pot Facebook page!
This one is a comforting bowl of fall all in one bowl. If you don’t have maple extract just use maple syrup as your sweetener to add that maple flavor. The maple really makes you think of the autumn leaves, the pear adds a little tart and a little sweet, and the walnuts add just the right amount of crunch.
Don’t forget my Crock-Pot Confessional Video is featured today on Crock-Pot’s Facebook page. Go take a peek, get the recipe for Golden Borscht, and see my fuzzy zebra slippers as a bonus!
The video takes a while to load, but you do get to see a goofy face I’m making right off the bat. I think I may be the only vegan they asked to participate, so make sure to stop by and tell them you were excited to see a vegan recipe. See it here.
** Make sure to check out my other oatmeal recipes. I have over 40 different flavors!
Slow Cooker Maple Pear Walnut Cake 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: Spray your crock with some oil to help with clean up later. Add all the ingredients except the sweetener and toppings. Cook on low over night (7 to 9 hours).
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well and add sweetener. It may seem watery at the top but if stirred it should be a more uniform consistency. Top with walnuts and a sprinkle of fresh grated nutmeg.
The Virtual Vegan Potluck is over, but the virtual feast lives on!