Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking (47 page)

I
DON’T REMOVE THE
gills of mushrooms. I know some people do, for aesthetic reasons, though I don’t really see the point. Either way these mushrooms are tender, sour, and sweet with a hint of barbecue smokiness. The sauce is almost over-poweringly flavorful, so be careful when serving. It does make a great dipping sauce, so the best thing to do is remove the mushrooms and serve the sauce on the side so people can add as much or as little as they like. Great served with a baked potato, on a bun, or just on the side. The serving size here is for a side dish; it’s rich and filling enough that you can’t eat loads of it.

Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

3 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons tamarind paste

1 teaspoon liquid smoke
 

5 portobello caps, halved, and cut into ½-inch-thick slices, or about 12 white or cremini mushrooms or a combination, equal to 5 cups
 

1½ tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch

1½ tablespoons water

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

1.
Combine the oil through the liquid smoke in the slow cooker and mix well.

2.
Add the mushroom slices and toss to coat.

3.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 5 hours.

4.
Make the arrowroot into a slurry with the water. Stir in to thicken, mix well, and toss to evenly coat the mushroom slices.

Sort-of-Succotash

H
ERE’S A SPIN
on succotash—it contains lima beans and corn, but I’ve added other vegetables to make it more substantial. Serve as a main course over pasta or rice, or alongside leftover chili. This dish will have you falling in love with the creamy delight of lima beans!

Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes

½ cup dry baby or large lima beans, soaked overnight, drained, and rinsed

2 small white potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice

½ small sweet potato, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice

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

½ cup canned creamed corn

½ onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf
 

2 corn cobs roughly stripped, or one 13-ounce can corn rinsed and drained, or 1½ cups frozen corn kernels

½ medium red pepper, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, regular or flat leaf
 

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 bay leaf in the slow cooker. The liquid will not quite cover the vegetables.

2.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 7 hours, or until the beans and potatoes are tender.

3.
Add the corn through the parsley and cook on
LOW
for a further 2 hours.

4.
Taste and season with the salt and pepper as required. Drain excess liquid, if desired.

Nutty Wild Rice

I
NCLUDE THIS ON
your Thanksgiving or Christmas table and really wow the relatives! Packed with goodness from North American native plants and seasonally appropriate items, this is one dish you won’t be able to get enough of. Chop and toast the nuts and seeds in advance and hold until required. Use the remaining squash to make Autumn Baked Macaroni (
page 179
) for another day.

Serves 6 to 8
Preparation time: 20 minutes

1 cup wild rice
 

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

2 garlic cloves, minced

4 cloves Poached Garlic (
page 54
)

½ medium onion, finely chopped

½ medium winter squash such as butternut, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes (about 1 pound)
 

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon poultry seasoning mix, store-bought or homemade (
page 52
)

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

Salt and black pepper

¼ cup hazelnuts, roughly chopped

¼ cup pecans, roughly chopped

¼ cup sunflower seeds

¼ cup pumpkin seeds

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

1.
Toast wild rice in a medium skillet over medium heat until golden and aromatic, 5 minutes. Place in the slow cooker.

2.
Heat the oil in the same skillet and sauté the garlic through the squash cubes until aromatic and the onion is soft, 5 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker and wipe the skillet.

3.
Add the bay leaf through stock to the slow cooker.
Do not stir
.

4.
Cover, set heat to LOW, and cook for 4½ hours, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

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

6.
Using the same skillet, toast the nuts and seeds until golden and aromatic, 5 minutes.

7.
Remove from the heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

8.
Stir the nuts and seeds into the slow cooker; fluff with a fork just prior to serving.

VARIATION:

For a sweet flavor accent, stir in
¹
/
₃
cup dried cranberries with the nuts when the dish has finished cooking.