Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking (18 page)

T
HICK AND ALMOST
reminiscent of dal, this soup has the natural sweetness of carrots enhanced by the roasting as well as by the spices and sweet additions in the main body of the soup. Not
too
sweet, and definitely a savory taste delight. You can even roast the carrots in advance and hold until required.

1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. In an 8-inch by 12-inch roasting pan, toss together the oil through the salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, or until tender and lightly caramelized.

2.
Deglaze the roasting pan with the wine.

3.
Transfer the contents to the slow cooker, add the onion through the stock, and stir to combine.

4.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 8 hours, or until the carrots are perfectly tender and the lentils are almost falling apart.

5.
Using an immersion blender, blend until the carrots are broken up but not completely smooth; add stock if desired.

6.
Taste and season with the salt and pepper as required.

“Ham” and Pea Soup

G
REEN AND TASTY
pea soup, just like Grandma would make if Grandma were vegan. The original nonvegan version got an infusion of flavor from a ham bone. This take on the quintessential favorite gets all its ham-like flavor from the addition of the tofu marinade toward the end of the cooking time. The smoky taste of the sautéed tofu adds a touch more authenticity, as well as texture. The tofu and peas can be marinated—soaked for up to 3 days in advance. Just change the soaking water daily. The soup is wonderful the next day, but will most likely need thinning as it will thicken as it stands.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes

1 cup green split peas, soaked overnight, drained and rinsed

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 shallots, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage

½ teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3¼ cups vegetable stock, store-bought or homemade (
page 43
)

1 tablespoon maple syrup

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

4 tablespoons water

4 ounces smoked tofu, cut into ¼-inch cubes, store-bought or homemade (
page 27
)

Additional stock

Salt and black pepper

*To ensure the dish is gluten free, if necessary, please check all packaged ingredients, as noted on
page 39
.

1.
Combine the split peas through the stock in the slow cooker.

2.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 6 hours, or until the peas are completely tender and almost falling apart.

3.
While the peas are cooking, mix the maple syrup through the water in a bowl. Add the smoked tofu and marinate in the fridge the entire time the peas cook.

4.
Drain the tofu, add the marinade to the slow cooker, and cook 2 hours.

5.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, dry sauté the tofu cubes, turning frequently until brown and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.

6.
When the soup is finished, remove the bay leaf and blend with an immersion blender until silky smooth, adding stock to reach your preferred consistency.

7.
Add ¾ of the reserved tofu cubes to the soup and stir in; taste and season with the salt and pepper as required. Thin with extra stock if it’s too thick for your tastes.

8.
Use the remaining tofu as a garnish.

Parsnip and Chickpea Soup

M
Y KIDS STILL
laugh about the one year when Santa brought me chickpeas for Christmas—but he was right to, as I do love them! I also love parsnips, a root vegetable I feel is often underappreciated and underloved. I’ve combined these sweet and earthy flavors with some equally sweet and earthy spices to really bring out the best of all the ingredients. The finished soup is definitely rustic in appearance but grounding and warming all the same. Because this is a long-cooking soup, it works well cooking overnight to be ready at lunchtime. Use the remainder of your rutabaga in Winter Vegetables and Quinoa (
page 202
).