Cooking On Pennies XV: Five Slow Cookers From "Vegan On The Cheap" 🌞 [View all]

Black Bean Soup with Kale and Rice

Makes 4 to 6 servings

The only thing better than a pot of black bean soup is black bean soup
that also contains greens and rice for a hearty one-dish meal.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄2 cup long-grain brown rice
4 cups cooked or 3 (15.5-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups chopped kale
5 cups vegetable stock

1 Pour the oil into a 4-quart slow cooker and turn it on Low. Add the onion,
carrot, garlic, and rice.

2 Add the beans, tomatoes with their juice, cumin, thyme, paprika, salt, and
pepper. Add the kale, pour in the stock, and stir to combine. Place the lid
on the slow cooker and cook until the rice is cooked and the vegetables
are tender, 6 to 8 hours. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary.

Serve hot.

Variation

For added fl avor (though it means an extra pot to wash), instead of
placing all the ingredients directly in the slow cooker, heat the oil in a large
skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and garlic. Cover and
cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then add to the cooker and proceed with the recipe.

Splurge a Little

Add 1⁄4 cup dry sherry to the pot; add 1 pureed chipotle in
adobo; garnish with chopped vegan pepperoni or sausage.

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Lentil Soup

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Lentils are enjoyed throughout the world as a delicious and inexpensive
protein source. This thick and rich soup is inspired by the fragrant
flavors of Morocco. If you enjoy a little heat, accompany the soup with
a small bowl of harissa sauce, a spicy Moroccan condiment, to add to
taste. Optional: Add cooked chickpeas, rice, or couscous to your soup
bowls, then ladle the soup on top.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground coriander
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1⁄4 teaspoon turmeric
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup brown lentils, picked over, rinsed, and drained
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup apple juice
1⁄2 cup mixed dried fruit, chopped
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 Pour the oil into a 4-quart slow cooker.

2 Add the onion, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger. Add the cumin,
coriander, cinnamon, cayenne, and turmeric, then stir in the tomatoes
with their juice and lentils.

3 Pour in the vegetable stock and apple juice, then add the dried fruit.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The amount of salt needed will
depend on the saltiness of your stock.) Place the lid on the slow cooker
and turn the heat to Low. Cook until the lentils and vegetables are tender,
about 8 hours. When ready to serve, stir in the parsley and lemon juice.

Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Serve hot.


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Curried Yellow Split Pea Soup

Makes 4 to 6 servings

This thick and flavorful soup is very much like an Indian dal and a great
way to enjoy split peas. I use yellow peas to enhance the golden color of
the curry powder. As an addition, you could stir in some chopped fresh
spinach or chard during the last few minutes of cooking time. For even
more substance, serve in shallow bowls over cooked rice.

1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 pound yellow split peas, picked
over, rinsed, and drained
1 tablespoon hot or mild curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cayenne
6 cups vegetable stock
Salt and black pepper
Minced fresh cilantro or parsley

1 Pour the oil into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the onion, carrot, peas, curry
powder, coriander, cumin, and cayenne. Stir in the stock and season with
salt and pepper to taste. (The amount of salt needed will depend on the
saltiness of your stock.)

2 Put the lid on the cooker and turn the heat to Low. Cook until the peas
are tender, stirring once if possible, about 8 hours. Stir in the cilantro.
Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Serve hot garnished with
cilantro.

Splurge a Little

Garnish with vegan yogurt.


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Three Spicy Sisters Stew

Makes 4 to 6 servings

If you’ve heard the Iroquois legend of the Three Sisters, then you know
that they considered corn, beans, and squash inseparable “sisters” that
needed to be grown together in the same mounds to maximize their
growth and sustainability. Not only do these charming sisters grow well
together, but they are also complementary when cooked together in
recipes such as this delicious stew. If you prefer the sisters without the
spice, omit the chiles and cayenne.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green or red bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 1⁄2 pounds butternut squash,
peeled, halved, seeded, and
cut into 1⁄2-inch chunks
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 or 2 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
3 cups cooked or 2 (15.5-ounce) cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable stock
2 cups thawed frozen corn
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley or cilantro

1 Pour the oil into a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker and turn it on Low. Add the
onion, bell pepper, garlic, cumin, coriander, and marjoram. Put the lid on
while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

2 Add the squash, salt, cayenne, tomatoes with their juice, chipotle chiles,
beans, and stock. Put the lid back on the slow cooker and cook until the
vegetables are tender, about 8 hours.

3 About 15 minutes before serving time, stir in the corn and parsley. Taste
and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Serve hot.



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Barley Vegetable Stew

Makes 6 servings

Barley is an inexpensive and delicious grain that is especially good in
stews, soups, and salads. It takes well to the slow cooker, too, as evidenced
in this hearty and comforting stew made with white beans, potatoes, and
mushrooms and seasoned with dill and thyme.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 celery rib, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound red-skinned potatoes,
cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
1 1⁄2 cups sliced white mushrooms
3⁄4 cup pearl barley
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
1 1⁄2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons fresh minced dill weed or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
2 cups vegetable stock
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1 large bay leaf
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

1 Pour the oil into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the onion, carrots, celery,
garlic, potatoes, mushrooms, and barley. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice,
tomato paste, if using, white beans, dill weed, thyme, paprika, stock, and
wine. Add the bay leaf, salt, and pepper. (The amount of salt needed will
depend on the saltiness of your stock.)

2 Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on Low until the vegetables and
barley are tender, about 8 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaf before
serving. Serve hot.

Variation

For added flavor (though it means an extra pot to wash), instead of placing
all the ingredients directly in the slow cooker, heat the oil in a large
skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Cover and
cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then add to the cooker and proceed with the recipe.


All the above from "Vegan On The Cheap" by Robin Robertson

Robin Robertson

An experienced chef and consultant, Robin Robertson worked for many years in restaurants and catering in northeastern Pennsylvania and Charleston, South Carolina before she began writing cookbooks. In 1988, she left the restaurant business and became vegan for ethical reasons. She then rededicated her life to writing and teaching gourmet vegan cooking.

Over the years, she has fine-tuned her plant-based diet into an eclectic and healthful cooking style which she thinks of as a creative adventure with an emphasis on the vibrant flavors of global cuisines and fresh ingredients.

The author of more than 20 cookbooks, including the bestselling Vegan Planet, 1,000 Vegan Recipes, Vegan Fire and Spice, Vegan on the Cheap, and Quick-Fix Vegan, Robin also writes “The Global Vegan” column for VegNews Magazine and was a contributing editor and columnist for Vegetarian Times. She has also written for Cooking Light, Natural Health, Better Nutrition, Restaurant Business, and other magazines.


Enjoy Vegans!! (Omnivores too!)