Welcome to Healthy Slow Cooking!
All the recipes are vegan and most even offer soy-free, gluten-free and no oil added options. HSC is a PR friendly blog, but please note that I only write about vegan products.
There’s way more here than just slow cooking recipes. You’ll also find stove-top and oven recipes in addition to the occasional smoothie or cocktail. This is a great place to grab a quick and easy meatless recipe for dinner or start some slow cooker oatmeal for tomorrow morning. You can also see some sneak peeks inside my books and you can ask me questions through the comments or the contact form.
What Books?
In case you don’t know, I’m Kathy Hester and in addition to running my blogs, HealthySlowCooking.com and PlantBasedInstantPot.com, I have published 10 vegan cookbooks.
I’m most known for my vegan slow cooker and Instant Pot books, though I have some mad skills with beans and oatmeal too. I love thinking outside the box and believe that no matter what your dietary limitation is that you deserve to eat amazing food!
I’ve also self-published, The Ghoulish Gourmet: A Bewitching Collection of Vegan Halloween Recipes. Who doesn’t love Halloween? I know I do!
Photo by Jeremy M. Lange
How long have you been meatless?
I’ve been meatless since 1983 when requests for tofu or tempeh were met with blank stares at grocery stores. I have been eating vegan for a few years now and it’s so much easier to find foods for a special diet.
I did grow up an omnivore, but the writing was on the wall pretty early. I used to pick the meat out of my noodles when I was 8 and never cared for the taste.
Want to work with me?
I wear a lot of hats. I really love to learn new things, so that keeps my skill list fresh and always growing.
I’m a blogger and freelance writer. I have written articles for websites and magazines with a focus on healthy eating and vegan food. If you’re looking for a writer to do one post/article or a regular column I’d love to hear from you.
I love to work with both small and large companies. I’ve worked with many brands on projects and recipe development. My vegan recipes are easy and accessible to home cooks of all levels.
A few of the brands I’ve worked with:
Watch me on Facebook during my weekly live, follow me on Instagram, or join my free private Facebook group.
I teach online cooking classes and I’m available to teach in person as well. In fact you can see all my online classes here.
I’ve presented at various events like the Boston Veg Fest, Triangle Veg Fest, many libraries and bookstores. I can tailor a class/demo/talk to fit your group’s needs.
I love speaking gigs and have spoken at several blogger/cooking events like Blog Her Food, IACP, Blog Life University, and Blog Stamina.
After doing most of the heavy lifting on my books, I started working with other cookbook authors on promoting their books. I do online pr for new cookbooks and existing titles. Services I have available are organizing blog tours, securing online ads, promoting through social media, coaching, and tons of little tricks to get your book noticed. Please note that I do not do traditional pr.
Please contact me if you would like to discuss working with me. You are welcome to email me directly at kathyhester@gmail.com.
Susieqtpie says
awwww!
Wendy says
Hi!
I like your blog, especially your gluten free recipes! Please keep those coming! I love adding vegetarian meals to my menu as often as I can without my husband kicking and screaming too much. : )
You sound like a fun person! I too live in Durham! And shop at the Farmer’s Market as much as I can. I’d love to have my own garden, but I had to have my hip operated on twice this past year and just couldn’t handle a garden. Don’t know when I will be able to again…makes me sad.
Can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
wendy
Judy says
Wendy if you can find someone to make raised-standing or siting height (whatever your situation is) planters you can do some gardening. Hope for a complete and speedy recovery.
Tashena Lynette Gonzales says
Thanks for directing me to your blog! I look forward to trying some recipes.
Diane says
Thanks for the recipes they will make a good adjunct to my more carnivore orientated ones
Nikki says
Hi, thanks for your comment on my blog. I’d love to have you as a guest poster on Vegan Chickie if you’re interested in sharing one of your vegan recipes? email me on nikkidynamo@gmail.com if you’d like to submit something.
Cheryl says
I am SO excited to find your blog. I just bought a slow cooker and was having difficulty finding vegetarian recipes for it. Many thanks!
Geminisky says
I just put your website link on sparkpeople. You may get a bunch of lookers shortly. Great site and info…Thx a bunch…
Ruth Zaugg says
Hi Kathy, I just got your vegan crockpot yahoo group email about your upcoming cookbook. 3 months to come up with 150 recipes must be incredibly daunting. I am vegan and have a crock pot that is totally underused as I have no cookbook yet. I’ve just made the green jackfruit “mock pulled pork” recipe I found on other blogs this weekend and it was awesome. I also cook my whole grain cereal in the crockpot every week, and sometimes stewed peas. Helping you out with testing and ramping up my crockpot use would be awesome. On a side note, I live in Canada, near Toronto, so unless you use very hard-to-get ingredients, I should be okay.
Looking forward to (perhaps) hearing back from you.
Bob Essner says
Forgot to mention that my daughter has 3 cats.
Chilliwitch says
Ohmigod…. I’m going to sound ditsy here…. have just found your website and have already found a billion things I want to cook… I’m in Aus and often find overseas sites have products that we can’t get over here, but all your recipes are accessible and sound amazing…
thank you sooooo much
Chilli
katshealthcorner says
Just found your website and I LOVE IT!!
xoxox
Kathleen
Tami says
Hi, I just found your site…..I am so excited because my sixteen yr old daughter is a vegetarian and I am thrilled to have found a site with crock pot recipes because i am not much of a cook but I love my crockpot!!!!!!!! Hopefully she will enjoy a lot of these recipes. Thanks so much, please keep up the great work. Thank you Tami
bonehedz says
I just received your Vegan Slow Cooker cookbook yesterday. I HAVE TO make almost every single recipe! I’m sooo excited to get started! I’m not sure what to try first as they all look and sound soooo wonderful!
Jody Arnold says
I am so excited to learn of you through our newspaper. I live in Creedmoor, NC I am just starting to read Forks over Knives and love it. I recently had breast cancer and I am trying to learn all that I can about eating healthy. So, I am glad that I stumbled across you so to speak. I want to buy your book but I am trying to decide what kind of tablet I want so I can buy your ebook if I chose to go that way instead of a book. I would be interested in one of your cooking classes if you will be having any in the triangle….look forward to meeting you one day.. Jody
Carrie says
I came across your book this week on a lunch break trip to the bookstore, and my first thought was, “Oh my god, I have been wishing this existed!” I always see the slow cooker books, but don’t really have the time or knowledge to adapt them to a vegan diet, even if I was so inclined. But your book– I couldn’t believe my luck.
My husband and I are both vegan; I work full time and go to grad school, and he works two jobs, one of which requires him to get up at 2 am and thus go to bed around 7pm0– not long after I get home from work. I end up cooking dinner at 6 am, so we can eat together in the evenings.
Thus, I have the feeling that your book is going to, just possibly, change my culinary life. I have started with the bouillon and seitan, and I am pretty sure, I will be making EVERYTHING in your book in the coming months.
betsy shipley says
Love your slow cooker cookbook. Also came across another one of your blogs today and would love to keep in touch. We produced Betsy’s Tempeh in Mich. for 9 1/2 years back in the mid 80’s and continue making tempeh at home for friends and family. So if you are ever in the area of Ventura county, north of LA, stop by for a tempeh panini.
We recently filed for a patent for a tempeh incubator that would be used in restaurants and small shops making artisan tempeh for the local community. Our invention was introduced at the natural food show in Anaheim in March of 2014. For more information about the people that are bringing this to market, check out: TempehSure.com.
Happy eating
betsy shipley
Catherine says
Greetings from Kenilworth, Warwickshire, UK!
I’ve just purchased Vegan Slow Cooking for Two and am looking forward to trying lots of recipes. With a small family, it’s great to find recipes for a small crockpot. Fingers crossed my pear rose cardamom oatmeal does not burn; my first attempt with rolled oats was rust coloured!
Catherine
Sophie says
Hello Kathy, I am a foodie from Belgium & cook, bake & eat vegan 5x/week with my husband.
I have 1 cookbook from you that i bought a while avon in Waterstones in Brussels. I also blog about it.
I love your bean book a lot! Cool & very tasty recipes! So thanks again!
You will find many vegan recipes on my blog too: 312 vegan recipes! Come on over!
Greetings! x
Kathy Hester says
So glad you stopped by the blog!
Lily says
I recently received your book The Vegan Slow Cooker and I am so excited to find that you have a blog as well! Vegan slow cooker recipes were so hard to find until now, so thanks so much for making these available.
Howard Crossman says
MY BIRTHDAY IS 3/12/27!
I AM TRYING TO USE DR. ESSELSTYNES DIET FOR HEART PATIENTS.
WOULD LIKE TO TRY YOUR SLOW COOKING RECIPES, BUT AT THE
PRESENT TIME I DO NOT HAVE A SLOW COOKER. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
THANK YOU ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME.
Kathy Hester says
You can try cooking it on the stove-top instead, but it is easier if you have a slow cooker. Also you can see my favorite slow cookers here:
Jess says
My wife and I recently decided to start working toward vegan living from vegetarian status. It’s been tough, but I ran across your blog from the article you wrote for Whole Foods about nutritional yeast and now I can’t wait to try your recipes.
We have a 9 month old baby and are trying to prepare ourselves mentally to raise him vegan. I haven’t had a chance to look through everything you’ve posted, but do you have any thoughts/advice or perhaps simple recipes for infants/toddlers?
Keep up the great work. Thanks for the tips and added motivation!
Kathy Hester says
Thank you! I do have a ton of kid-friendly recipes throughout the blog. I don’t have children myself, but I do live with a pick eater!
lily says
Do you have any recipes that do not call for soy or is there mainly soy? I am allergic and got all excited about a few recipes I found thru FaceBook but was bummed about soy. (It is kind of hard to be a vegan and not do soy, but I would have done it earlier if I knew one doesn’t have to eat soy 🙂 Yay!
Kathy Hester says
I have a variety of recipes and many can be made without soy. You can find some listed here:
LC says
Your seitan in the slowcooker is amazing!
I made ‘log shapes’ wrapped in cheesecloth – weird but it works – then stuck them in the freezer once they cooled
(as one would), tonight I used some in my ‘fake chicken soup’ – might have to rename that -anyway the fussy eaters kids (veg all their little lives) – now teens – were amazed and amused (not sure why it was funny) with their meal- it (the seitan) is however, the latest and greatest thanks to you – and the ‘the vegan slowcooker’ book (just freaking fantastic!) – ooh we made a couple of sandwiches out of it as well – great texture!
happy and full! thanks!
Haynes says
Hi Kathy,
I read an article this morning in the Burlington NC Times News about Instapots. I’ve been thinking of buying one. You were mentioned in the article. I’m vegan and enjoyed looking at some of your recipe her on your blog. Having some recipes to refer to will definitely push me to purchase the Instapot!
Kathy Hester says
Awesome – you’ll love it!
Blair Seibert says
Heard you on Plant Yourself Podcast originally and am very excited about all the great stuff you do to help us vegans.
I made your All The Beans Soup this weekend in the Instant Pot and my carnivore boyfriend loved it. He complained about the gas that followed. I know his body is not use to beans but I had some problems too. I’m thinking I will soak the beans the night before and rinse the beans next time I make it. How will this change the amount of time needed to cook the beans? Thank you Kathy.
Kathy Hester says
The beans will cook in less time, I’d start with 1/2 the amount of time as the unsoaked ones.
Michelle says
I have your slow cooker book and an instant pot. Do you have any tips on how to use these recipes in a multicooker? It doesn’t seem to get hot enough on the equivalent slow cook settings.
Kathy Hester says
I’ve been doing some testing on slow cooking in the IP for my revised edition of The Vegan Slow Cooker. I would not do any slow cooker baking in it, or cook recipes that contain dry beans on the slow cooker setting. I think most of the soups and stews would work.
I have cooked dry beans in high slow cooker setting but they are done in under 8 hours. Also the pressure cooker function does dry beans great imho.
Antonetta says
Hi Kathy,
I wanted to take a moment and say THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I received the miracle that is the Instant Pot along with your Vegan Instant Pot cookbook for Christmas this year, and it has literally changed my life. When I made the decision to go vegan about a year and half ago, the overwhelm set in pretty quickly when I realized that I had to relearn how to do everything (I’m also gluten free). I didn’t have a template or anyone to show me the basics so that coupled with not having a passion around cooking, it basically turned into the same few dishes, salads, canned staples, going to my favorite vegan restaurants very frequently, and tons of Amy’s frozen meals – ALL of that changed 3 weeks ago.
I’ve cooked something new and DELICIOUS literally every. single. day. and it has been MAGIC! I’ve found some of my new favorite recipes EVER in your instant pot cookbook, and for the first time ever I’ve thought, “You know? I could make that! I don’t need to buy it.” My busy executive schedule is no longer a convenient excuse and that missing piece I was looking for has been found. I am so eternally thankful for you, and putting your recipes out there. It is so exciting to wake up everyday and try something new – it’s the best! So much gratitude and love to you from Austin, Texas!!!!
Kathy Hester says
Thank you so much for letting me know. Helping people is the main reason I write my books, so I’m thrilled for you!!
Heidi Pafford says
I think that you and Chef AJ are simply the best in vegan cooking!! I love how creative your recipes are! I ordered your book, “Vegan Cooking in the Air Fryer,” a few months ago and love it and I just ordered, “The Great Vegan Bean Book” after reading the 5 star reviews. I was wondering if you have a recipe for making your own nutritional yeast or if you could give a nice substitute for it. Some people have trouble finding it in stores. Thank you, Heidi P.
Kathy Hester says
I think it would be very hard to make nutritional yeast, but it’s easy to order on Amazon.
Virginia Davis says
Hello Kathy,
I would like to purchase: Vegan Cooking in Your Air Fryer for my new wife of my nephew. But I can’t find it in spiral bound except on amazon, and I no longer shop on amazon. Can you direct me to another store that would have the spiral bound edition.
Thank you very much,
Virginia Davis
Kathy Hester says
There is someone who does spiral bound on Amazon that’s no affiliated with the publisher. I think the only other way to do it, is to buy a regular copy and have it done at a copy shop.
Ruth Collins says
I’ve had your Great Vegan Bean Book for a while, but just got around to trying the Double-Chocolate Devil’s Food Cookies. OMG! They are out of this world. I have so many food allergies it’s unreal (but not chocolate, thank god) and these are perfect. I used cacao powder instead of cocoa powder, soy milk, and Costco’s 51% cacao chocolate chips which have no dairy in them. (But only 1 cup instead of 1 1/2 cups). perfecto! Going to try the fudgesicles next. Thank you so much.