Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking (40 page)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper
 

Salt and black pepper
 

3 cups uncooked fusilli pasta

¼ cup sliced green or black olives, or a combination

½ red pepper, finely chopped

1½ tablespoons capers
 

Vegan cheese, panko or bread crumbs, thinly sliced vegetables such as tomato or red pepper, optional

1.
In a blender or food processor, blend the artichoke hearts through the pepper until thick, creamy, and smooth. Taste and season with the salt and pepper as required. Place in the slow cooker.

2.
Add the pasta through the capers to the slow cooker. The sauce will look runny, but the pasta will absorb liquid as it cooks.

3.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 3 hours, or until the pasta is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid.

4.
If desired and if the insert is broiler safe, top with vegan cheese, bread crumbs, and/or thinly sliced vegetables and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until brown and crisp. Alternatively, transfer individual servings to broiler-safe plates, top, and broil as desired.

Creamy Leek and Almond Pasta

Y
OU’RE GETTING BOTH
vegetables and a little protein in this dish, so you
could
pretend it is healthy. After one bite you’ll more likely be thinking about how incredibly good and satisfying this creamy and filling super comfort food is. Very quick and easy to prepare, and just right for a cool autumn evening.

Serves 4 to 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes

2 tablespoons slivered almonds or chopped skinned almonds
 

1 tablespoon olive oil
 

4 large leeks, washed and trimmed, halved lengthwise and finely sliced
 

2 cups almond milk

½ cup vegan mayonnaise

½ cup vegan unsweetened plain yogurt

¼ cup ground almonds

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

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried dill
 

3 cups uncooked small shell-shaped pasta
 

Salt and black pepper

1.
Toast the almonds in a large, dry skillet over medium heat until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and place in a small bowl.

2.
In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add the leeks, and sauté until they are soft and bright green, 5 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.

3.
Add the almond milk through the dill; stir until well combined. Stir in the pasta.

4.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 2½ to 3 hours, until the pasta is tender.

5.
Garnish with the toasted almonds.

VARIATION:

SPICED LEEK AND ALMOND PASTA

Add a pinch of nutmeg as a slight flavor variation. Taste and season as required.

“GREENED” LEEK AND ALMOND PASTA

Add cooked green peas or asparagus to the final dish for a springtime lift.

Autumn Baked Macaroni

in the Dry Chees-y Mix

A
WONDERFULLY WARMING DISH
that screams “harvest time.” Perfect for a fall evening after a day jumping in piles of leaves! Don’t be frightened of the cranberries in the ingredients list: They add a burst of flavor and a splash of color that is very welcome in this autumnal pasta bake. The hint of sweetness they provide really lifts the natural sweetness in the squash and provides an intense contrast to the herbs and savory base. This dish has been called “Fall in a Bowl” and is nice served with a dollop of vegan sour cream on top to really make it more delicious. If you don’t have access to fresh sage, that is fine; it just adds a further depth of sage flavor to the finished dish.

Serves 4 to 6
Preparation time: 30 minutes, including roasting the squash

½ medium butternut squash cut into ¼-inch pieces

1 tablespoon Garlic Infused Oil (
page 54
) or olive oil

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon powdered dried sage

Fresh sage leaves, optional
 

Salt and black pepper
 

1 shallot, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 cloves Poached Garlic (
page 54
), mincing optional

2 tablespoons Dry Chees-y Mix (
page 51
)

1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

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

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

¼ cup dried cranberries, sweetened or unsweetened

3 cups uncooked macaroni elbows
 

Salt and black pepper
 

Vegan cheese, optional

1.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. In a 9 × 13-inch baking pan, toss together the squash through the sage leaves, if using. Season with the salt and pepper to taste.

2.
Roast the squash for 20 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time, until soft and just a little caramelized. Remove the sage leaves. Transfer squash to the slow cooker, scraping in any cooked-on bits.

3.
Add the shallot through the macaroni to the slow cooker. Stir well to combine.

4.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 3 hours, or until the pasta is tender and the sauce is very thick.

5.
Taste and season with the salt and pepper as required.

6.
If the insert is broiler safe and if desired, sprinkle with a little cheese and melt under the broiler just prior to serving. Alternatively, transfer individual servings to broilersafe plates, top, and broil as desired.

“Not-Meat” Balls and Spaghetti

if using the Dry Chees-y Mix

S
ING WITH ME
:
“On top of Spaghetti, all covered with Teese, I lost my ‘Not-Meat’ Ball, when somebody sneezed.” Or just eat these luscious balls on your spaghetti instead! A hint of the chipotle remains in the finished balls, enough for your tongue to be trying to figure out what the delicious back note is. If you are cooking millet specifically for this dish, start with
¹
/
₃
cup dry millet; it will triple in volume when cooked. This dish is inclined to stick a little, so be prepared to soak the insert in some hot soapy water for ease of cleanup.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes

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

1½ cups tomato juice

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

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon dried basil
 

¾ cup (½ recipe) Chipotle Lentil Pâté (
page 50
)

1 cup cooked millet

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried marjoram

¹
/
₈
teaspoon ground fennel seeds

¼ teaspoon salt
 

¾ cup vital wheat gluten
 

Olive oil
 

Uncooked spaghetti for 4 servings
 

Dry Chees-y Mix (
page 51
), optional

Vegan Parmesan

1.
Combine the tomato sauce through the basil in the slow cooker.

2.
In a large bowl, with a fork, mix the pâté through the salt.

3.
Add the gluten and mix well with the fork. With your hand knead in the bowl for 3 to 4 minutes to activate the gluten. Shape into 16 equal-sized balls and allow to rest. Discard any millet that is not incorporated in the balls.

4.
Heat a little oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the balls to brown the outsides and form a crust, 4 to 5 minutes total, turning as required. The millet may spit a little, so keep out of the way.

5.
Transfer the balls to the sauce mix in the slow cooker. The balls should form a single layer with some gaps (they will expand as they cook) and be completely submerged in the liquid.

6.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 4 hours. The balls will have expanded and will be firm yet moist and cooked all the way through. The liquid will have been absorbed and reduced until thick and coating the balls.