Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking (33 page)

T
HIS DISH EVOLVED
from an orange pumpkin BBQ marinade I like to make for tofu. This dish is both sweet and savory, very orange-y, and not too spicy, but you can adjust it to taste. Be warned, if you’re not a big fan of orange in savory dishes, this one may not be for you. Use the other half of the squash in a soup such as Butternut Squash and Pear Soup (
page 68
).

Serves 4 to 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup maple syrup

½ cup canned pumpkin puree

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons orange zest

½ teaspoon chile flakes

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

1 pound butternut squash, other winter squash, or pumpkin, cut into ½-inch pieces

¾ cup red lentils

¾ cup brown lentils

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

1½ cups orange juice
 

Salt, black pepper, and hot sauce

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

1.
In the slow cooker combine the garlic through the orange juice and stir well.

2.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 8 hours, or until the lentils are soft and thick.

3.
Taste and season with the salt, pepper, and hot sauce as required.

Baked Beans

N
AMED SUCH ONLY
because
Baked
Beans sounds better than “Cooked Overnight for 12 Hours Beans” (which is exactly what I did to make them). I also thought about “Better than the Store-Bought Beans” because that is what I—and my husband—think they are! These beans are not as sweet as commercial baked beans, but if you like your beans really sweet, adjust to taste at the end of the cooking time. To score the ginger and onion, use a paring knife to cut some marks just deep enough to allow the flavor to escape. If you poke the cloves into the scored onion, you won’t have to search for them later.

Serves 6 to 8
Preparation time: 10 minutes

1½ cups dry navy beans, soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed

1 cup vegetable stock, store-bought or homemade (
page 43
)

1½ cups Simple Tomato Sauce (
page 55
), or one 15-ounce can

1 bay leaf

½ onion, peeled and scored

3 whole cloves

One 3-inch cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

One 1-inch piece peeled whole ginger, scored

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

1 tablespoon agave

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 tablespoon blackstrap molasses
 

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 beans through the molasses in the slow cooker.

2.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 12 hours, or until the beans are very tender and the sauce is thickened.

3.
Remove the bay leaf, onion, cloves (if you can find them—otherwise warn the diners), and cinnamon stick.

4.
Taste and season with the salt and pepper as required.

Franks’n’Beans

I
F YOU HAVE
children, you may be familiar with the cartoon
Timothy Goes to School,
based on the books by Rosemary Wells. Timothy (a raccoon) is in kindergarten; two of his classmates are Frank and Frank (bulldogs) who live with their dad (Big Frank). Big Frank is always making franks’n’beans for the Franks, and it seems to be all they eat. I made this recipe originally to try to get my children to eat franks’n’beans, associating it with the cartoon, but I had no luck: “It’s got beans in it, Mum. I never knew franks’n’beans meant beans.” If you aren’t bean-phobic yourself, I’m sure you’ll love this one!

Although you can make the whole recipe ahead of time, the contrast in textures is better served if you make only the stew and refrigerate, without the hot dogs added. Sauté the hot dogs while the stew reheats and add just prior to serving.

Serves 4 to 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes

½ cup dry navy beans, soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed

½ medium onion, finely chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

½ cup red lentils

One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

1½ cups tomato juice

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1½ teaspoons blackstrap molasses

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

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

6 veggie dogs, chopped into ½-inch chunks
 

Salt and black pepper

1.
Combine the beans through the stock in the slow cooker.

2.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 8 hours, or until the beans and lentils are tender. The stew will be quite thick.

3.
Remove the bay leaf.

4.
Heat a little oil in a skillet and fry the veggie dog pieces until browned, 5 minutes. Add to the stew, mix through, and serve immediately.

VARIATION:

BANGERS’N’BEANS

Replace the veggie dogs with homemade sausages for a totally homemade variation.

Chipotle’d Black-Eyed Pea Stew

Y
OU CAN MAKE
this smoky, spicy, tomato-laden, hearty stew with any bean you care to substitute, but keep in mind it won’t be as lucky on New Year’s Day! Not that I am superstitious, mind. Serve it with potatoes, rice, pasta, cornbread, tortilla chips, in tacos—whatever you want, though make sure you’ve some greens on the side if you really want to be lucky! If you want greens
in
the stew, see the variation.

Serves 4 to 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes, divided

¾ cup dry black-eyed peas, soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed

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

½ onion, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 celery stalk, finely chopped
 

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1½ tablespoons soy sauce

1½ teaspoons liquid smoke

1 or 2 chipotles in adobo, seeded and minced (see Notes)

¾ teaspoon dried thyme

¾ teaspoon dried oregano

¾ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon paprika, preferably smoked

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1½ cups Simple Tomato Sauce (
page 55
), or one 15-ounce can

1½ cups frozen mixed vegetables (see Notes)
 

Salt, black pepper, and hot sauce

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

1.
Combine the black-eyed peas through the celery in the slow cooker.

2.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 7 hours, or until the peas are tender and the liquid is reduced.

3.
Add the tomato paste through the mixed vegetables, cover, and cook on LOW for 2 hours, or until the peas and vegetables are very tender and the flavors are well melded.

4.
Taste and season with the salt, pepper, and hot sauce as required.

NOTES
:

If you are heat averse and can’t even handle a chipotle, reduce the amount by half or even leave it out. The stew won’t be chipotle’d anymore, but it will still be tasty.

Use frozen mixed vegetables, green peas, or cooked leftovers. Adjust cooking times if needed; precooked leftovers will require less time than frozen vegetables.

VARIATION:

QUICK GREEN’D AND CHIPOTLE’D BLACK-EYED PEA STEW

Add 1 cup finely shredded kale when you add the vegetables.

Red Wine Refried Beans

R
EFRIED BEAN PURISTS
will be chasing me down the street and throwing things at me, but I like my refried beans with more stuff in them. I find standard refried beans (although perfectly nice and edible) a little simplistic, so I add to them to bring more flavors into play and enhance the depth of flavor in the beans. Use these beans any way you would “normal” refried beans—over tortilla chips covered with vegan cheese as simple nachos; as a warm dip; with rice and a vegetable side; on toast, burgers, or hot dogs; or layered into tacos or burritos. For a change of pace, leave them a little saucy and serve over pasta. You can cook the beans in advance and make the refried beans later.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 5 minutes

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced