Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking (37 page)

Serves 6 to 8
Preparation time: 30 minutes

½ medium onion, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, peeled and grated

1 tablespoon seeded Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoon Marmite

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage

1 cup cooked millet, packed (see Note)

1 pound seitan, preferably dark, store-bought or homemade (
page 46
, 1 recipe), grated, or commercial soy crumbles (about 4 cups)

¾ cup vegetable stock, store-bought or homemade (
page 43
)

¾ cup Simple Tomato Sauce (
page 55
), or canned

Salt and black pepper
 

½ cup vital wheat gluten

1.
Line the slow cooker insert with 2 sheets of foil placed in opposite directions, leaving enough foil at both ends to serve as handles. Spray with nonstick spray.

2.
Combine the onion through the tomato sauce in a large bowl. Taste and season with the salt and pepper as required.

3.
Stir in the wheat gluten. The mixture will look damp but will not feel wet and will hold together when pressed.

4.
Transfer to the slow cooker and press in the mixture evenly, smoothing the top.

5.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 8 hours, or until firm and browned.

6.
Uncover, cool for 10 minutes, remove using the foil handles, and let stand 10 minutes prior to serving.

NOTE
: If you are cooking millet specifically for this dish, start with
¹
/
₃
cup dry; it will triple in volume when cooked.

VARIATIONS:

MEXICAN-INSPIRED “NOT-MEAT” LOAF

Substitute ketchup for the Dijon mustard, reduce the soy sauce to 1 tablespoon, and add 1 tablespoon hot sauce (as hot as you like). Reduce the carrot by half and add ½ cup corn kernels when you mix everything together. Substitute equal amounts of cumin and coriander for the thyme and sage.

ASIAN-INSPIRED “NOT-MEAT” LOAF

Add 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro with the onion. Instead of the thyme and sage, substitute ½ teaspoon each of coriander, ground ginger, and cardamom, plus a pinch of turmeric.

ITALIAN-INSPIRED “NOT-MEAT” LOAF

Substitute ketchup for the Dijon mustard, reduce the soy sauce to 1 tablespoon, and add a tablespoon of homemade or store-bought pesto. Reduce the carrot by half and add ½ cup finely chopped black olives, capers, or both when you mix everything together. Instead of the thyme and sage, substitute equal amounts dried basil and oregano.

Nut Roast

T
HIS IS A
mildly seasoned loaf with the nut flavors really shining through, so be sure to use nuts you like. It is impressive warm with Garlic and Onion Mashed Potatoes (
page 215
), Peppered Kale (
page 225
), and Mushroom Gravy (
page 238
). You can even pair it with cranberry chutney for a Thanksgiving centerpiece that is sure to delight. Leftovers are great cold in sandwiches, or sliced and pan fried in a little oil to reheat and crisp the outsides; serve with ketchup. Toast nuts in advance and hold until required, or chop and have them toasting while you chop the vegetables for best time management. Use the largest bowl you have; if you have a bread-rising bowl try that one because there is a lot to mix.

Serves 8 to 10
Preparation time: 30 minutes

3 cups roughly chopped mixed nuts of your choice, such as almonds, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, and even peanuts (see Note)
 

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning mix, store-bought or homemade (
page 52
)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ cup ground chia seeds

1 cup ground almonds

1 cup ground pecans

1 cup chickpea flour, sifted if lumpy

¼ cup cornstarch
 

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

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

1.
Line the slow cooker insert with 2 sheets of foil placed in opposite directions, leaving enough foil at both ends to serve as handles. Spray with nonstick spray.

2.
Toast the nuts in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until aromatic and golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.

3.
While the nuts are toasting, combine the onions through the cornstarch in a large bowl; mix well. Add the nuts and stir. Mix in the stock, ensuring that all the mix is evenly dampened.

4.
Transfer to the slow cooker and smooth the top. The mix will reach about 2 inches up the sides.

5.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 6 hours, or until the sides are dark brown and the center is just firm and a lighter brown.

6.
Uncover, let stand for 10 minutes, and remove from the slow cooker using the foil handles.

7.
Let stand another 10 minutes, slice with a serrated knife, and serve. Take care to warn diners there are 2 bay leaves somewhere!

NOTE
: Use a food processor or a knife to chop the nuts. They should be in random yet small pieces, no large chunks but not so small as to appear like a nut meal. Take care not to process too long or you could end up with nut butter.

Stuffed and Rolled Seitan Roast

O
KAY, SO THIS
isn’t all that quick, but I promise it’s easier than it seems! This is a pork loin–style roast, sans the pork, of course. This cruelty-free roast is a fancy-looking dish, with moist and tender seitan enclosing a sweet and savory soft stuffing, but is actually very simple to make. The texture is perfectly tender and less firm than other baked seitan dishes, and the flavors are those usually associated with nonvegan roasts, including sage, apple, and apricots in the stuffing. Please don’t leave this recipe cooking much longer than the stipulated time, or you may be in for an explosion in your slow cooker! You can also freeze slices of the roast, thawing it overnight in the fridge and then reheating on a small sheet pan at 300°F for 40 minutes, covering it loosely in foil and turning it halfway through. Prior to shaping the seitan dough, measure the widest part of your slow cooker to ensure that when it is rolled and stuffed it will fit. A little extra work, but worth it for the cursing it will save later on if you’ve rolled your roast and then realize it doesn’t fit.

Serves 4 to 6
Preparation time: 45 minutes

STUFFING

6 slices fresh bread, crusts removed, cut into ½-inch cubes

½ medium dessert apple such as Gala, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup dried apricots, finely chopped
 

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

1 teaspoon lemon juice
 

Salt and black pepper

SEITAN

1½ cups vital wheat gluten

½ cup nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon powdered sage

½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup dry bread crumbs

6 ounces vacuum-packed firm silken tofu

8 ounces regular water-packed firm tofu

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

1½ teaspoons prepared yellow mustard

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable stock, store-bought or homemade (
page 43
)
 

1 cup water

BASTING SAUCE

¼ cup vegetable stock

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

1.
For the stuffing, in a large bowl mix the bread through the apricots until well combined.

2.
Add the stock and lemon juice; mix until the stuffing is a uniform dampness.

3.
Taste and season with the salt and pepper as required.

4.
Have ready two 16-inch pieces of foil.

5.
For the seitan, in a large bowl whisk together the gluten through the bread crumbs.

6.
Using a blender or immersion blender and the cup that comes with it, combine the tofu through the stock, pulsing to ensure the mixture is very smooth with no lumps. Scrape down the sides as required.