SOY-FREE GLUTEN-FREEPasta and grains are the staples of any diet, but they seem to play an even bigger part in the life of a vegan. In this chapter you’ll get a few pasta sauces, too. Sauces are another great addition to a weekend cooking rotation. They freeze well and can be used in other recipes.
Pasta can be dressed up in lasagna, which is a perfect dish for introducing nonvegans to vegan food. And people who say they can’t be a vegan because they’ll miss cheese too much can be introduced to vegan cheesy options in the Smoky Mac and Cheese (page 115) or Cheesy Broccoli Rice (page 113).
You saw in chapter 2 that you can make plain rice in the slow cooker, and it’s in this chapter that you can really appreciate it. Jambalaya is my favorite dish to bring to a potluck. You cook everything but the rice all day, then add the rice an hour before you want to eat. Quinoa is a perfect grain to cook in the slow cooker as well, and if you haven’t tried it before, Spanish Quinoa (page 107) will introduce you to this nutritious and versatile grain.
With all the grain dishes and non-lasagna pastas you will need to stir more frequently, which helps the dish cook more evenly, plus it just feels good to break the old don’t-lift-your-slow-cooker-lid rule.
1. Make-Your-Own Marinara Sauce
2. Meatless Sausage and Mushroom Ragu
3. Pumpkin and White Bean Lasagna
4. Mushroom Lasagna with Garlic-Tofu Sauce
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Sooner or later you’ll find yourself wishing you had some marinara sauce on hand. Why not make a big pot of it now and freeze some for later? You can add your favorite veggies, wine, or sun-dried tomatoes and make it just the way you like it.
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (28 ounces, or 784 g each) crushed or diced tomatoes or 6 cups (1360 g) Preserve-the-Harvest Diced Tomatoes (page 25)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) agave nectar or (13 g) sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
THE NIGHT BEFORE:
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes longer. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
IN THE MORNING:
Combine all the ingredients in your slow cooker. Be sure to adjust the salt if you are using canned tomatoes, because they may already contain salt. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. About 10 to 15 minutes before serving, add water if needed. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Freeze the extra in ice cube trays, resealable plastic bags, or freezer containers.
YIELD: 8 servings
TOTAL PREP TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 6 to 8 hours
MEATLESS SAUSAGE AND MUSHROOM RAGU
This is definitely not the ragu from your supermarket shelves! It’s a great way to transition hard-core meat eaters to a meatless meal and makes the perfect topping for grilled polenta. You can just buy a premade tube of polenta and slice it, then crisp it in the oven or on a grill.
INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium-size onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 package (14 ounces, or 392 g) vegan sausage, store-bought or homemade (page 23), sliced into rounds
2 cans (28 ounces, or 784 g each) crushed tomatoes
1 pound (454 g) crimini or button mushrooms, chopped
2 large portobello mushrooms, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) red or port wine
2 tablespoons (5 g) chopped fresh basil
THE NIGHT BEFORE:
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Transfer to a large airtight container. In the same skillet that you cooked the onions, cook the sausage until brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Break the patties apart with the spatula to make crumbles. Transfer to the same bowl as the onions and store in the fridge.
IN THE MORNING:
Combine the sautéed onion, sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms, pepper, vinegar, and wine in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. About 10 minutes before serving, add water if needed, extra seasoning, and the basil.
YIELD: 12 servings
TOTAL PREP TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 6 to 8 hours
PUMPKIN AND WHITE BEAN LASAGNA
This is a perfect dish for introducing nonvegans to vegan food and is much healthier than the traditional, fat-laden lasagna. It’s easy to make and hearty. Add a nice spinach salad with a balsamic vinaigrette, and you’re all ready to have friends over for dinner.
FOR THE PUMPKIN TOFU RICOTTA:
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
3 sun-dried tomatoes, rehydrated (pour boiling water over them and let them sit for 5 minutes)
1 package (15 ounces, or 420 g) silken, soft, or firm tofu
1 can (15 ounces, or 420 g) cooked pumpkin or 1 1/2 cups (368 g) pureéd cooked fresh
1/4 cup (24 g) nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon (3 g) Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt and pepper, to taste
FOR THE LASAGNA:
1 jar (24 ounces, or 672 g) marinara sauce, store-bought or homemade (page 101)
About 3/4 package (10 ounces, or 280 g) whole wheat lasagne noodles (the regular kind, not the no-boil noodles)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces, or 406 g) white beans, drained and rinsed, or 1 1/2 cups (340 g) homemade (page 17)
THE NIGHT BEFORE:
To make the pumpkin–tofu ricotta: In a food processor, blend the olive oil and the rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes until a paste forms. There may still be some lumps. Add the remaining ricotta ingredients and blend until creamy. Add a little water if the mixture is too thick. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
IN THE MORNING:
To make the lasagna: Spray the crock with olive oil so you won’t have a nightmare cleanup on your hands later on.
Spread a thin layer of sauce over the bottom of the slow cooker. Break off the corners on one side of each noodle so they fit snugly in the slow cooker. You can add the corners in as well. Place a single layer of noodles over the sauce. Spread one-third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Spread another thin layer of sauce over the ricotta and sprinkle one-third of the white beans on top of that. Repeat the layers two more times, ending with a last layer of lasagne noodles, and then top that with more sauce.
Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until a fork will easily go through the middle and the pasta is al dente. Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) extra sauce or water if you need to leave it an hour or two longer.
YIELD: 6 servings
TOTAL PREP TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 3 to 4 hours on low or 1 1/2 to 2 hours on high
MUSHROOM LASAGNA WITH GARLIC-TOFU SAUCE
This is a quick and easy dish that is elegant and perfect for last-minute company. For a special treat add a layer of chantrelle or lobster mushrooms and use one-third less of the regular mushrooms that are called for in the recipe.
FOR THE BECHAMEL SAUCE:
1 package (15 ounces, or 420 g) silken or soft tofu
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup (235 ml) water
3 cloves garlic or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons (9 g) vegan chicken-flavored bouillon or 3 tablespoons (18 g) Chickeny Bouillon (page 19)
1/4 cup (24 g) nutritional yeast
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
20 ounces (560 g) mushrooms, sliced
2 sprigs rosemary
1/2 to 3/4 package (10 ounces, or 280 g) whole wheat lasagne noodles (the regular kind, not the no boil noodles)
THE NIGHT BEFORE:
To make the bechamel sauce: Pureé all the sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms with the rosemary until they give off their water and begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs. Store the sauce and mushrooms in separate airtight containers in the fridge.
IN THE MORNING:
Oil the crock of the slow cooker and spread one-fifth of the sauce on the bottom, then top with a layer of lasagne noodles. Break off the corners on one side of each noodle so they fit snugly in the slow cooker. You can add the corners in as well. Place a layer of noodles over the sauce. Add a layer of one-third of the mushrooms and top with another one-fifth of the sauce. Repeat the layers two more times, ending with a last layer of lasagne noodles, and then top that with the remaining sauce.
Cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, until a fork will easily go through the middle and the pasta is al dente.
YIELD: 4 servings
TOTAL PREP TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours
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Spanish rice was one of my favorite side dishes growing up. This recipe uses quinoa instead of rice. It’s a nice change of pace and just as tasty.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, cored and chopped
3 cups (705 g) water
1 1/2 cups (260 g) quinoa
2 tablespoons (12 g) vegan chicken-flavored bouillon or 4 tablespoons (24 g) Chickeny Bouillon (page 19)
2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
DIRECTIONS:
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper and sauté until the pepper is soft, 3 to 5 minutes.
Combine the sautéed veggies, water, quinoa, bouillon, tomato paste, salt, and chili powder in the slow cooker. Stir until the tomato paste and bouillon are mixed in the liquid. Cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the quinoa has unfurled. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
YIELD: 8 servings
TOTAL PREP TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 1 1/2 to 2 hours
Vegans and meat eaters alike love jambalaya. It’s an easy dish to make for a dinner party, and it’s filling to boot. You can mix and match the proteins to your preference or to use what you have on hand. I like to use Italian sausage and chicken-flavored seitan, but you can use tempeh, tofu, or even red beans as the center attraction if you want. I usually use white jasmine rice, but any rice will work. Brown rice will require a little more cooking time, but it adds tons of nutrients.
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
1 medium-size onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 or 3 large vegan Italian sausage links, cut into half-moons, or steamed tempeh cubes
1 to 2 cups (225 to 450 g) cubed chicken-flavored seitan, store-bought or homemade (page 21), or cubed firm tofu marinated in 2 tablespoons (12 g) vegan chicken-flavored bouillon, or 4 tablespoons (24 g) Chickeny Bouillon (page 19) and 1 cup (235 ml) water
1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 red or orange bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 can (14 1/2 ounces, or 406 g) diced tomatoes or 1 1/2 cups (340 g) Preserve-the-Harvest Diced Tomatoes (page 25)
1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (to taste)
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke or smoked paprika
1/4 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or chipotle chile powder (to taste)
3 cups (705 ml) water, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons (12 g) vegan chicken-flavored bouillon or 4 tablespoons (24 g) Chickeny Bouillon (page 19)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups (293 g) uncooked rice
THE NIGHT BEFORE:
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Combine the sautéed onion and cut-up sausage, tofu, and bell peppers in a large airtight container and store in the refrigerator.
IN THE MORNING:
Combine the sautéed onion, sausage, seitan or tofu, bell peppers, tomatoes, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, paprika, red pepper flakes, water, bouillon, and salt and pepper in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
About 1 hour before serving, add the rice. If the mixture looks dry, add 1 to 2 cups (235 to 470 ml) extra water. Turn up the slow cooker to high and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour longer. Check occasionally to make sure it doesn’t overcook. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
YIELD: 8 servings
TOTAL PREP TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 7 to 9 hours
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Risotto can be used as a base to show off fresh, sautéed, or steamed seasonal herbs and veggies. This is a dish that you can make on a weeknight after you come home from work because it only takes 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours to cook in the slow cooker. There’s almost no stirring compared to the stove-top version, so you can even relax while it’s cooking!
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups (705 ml) water
1 1/2 cups (280 g) Arborio rice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons (12 g) vegan chicken-flavored bouillon or 4 tablespoons (24 g) Chickeny Bouillon (page 19)
Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Add the water, rice, garlic, and bouillon to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the rice is cooked through but still al dente. Stir every 30 minutes and add extra water if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve topped with assorted seasonal sautéed or steamed veggies.
YIELD: 6 servings
TOTAL PREP TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours
For a stunning dish, steam some purple and orange cauliflower florets. Serve on top of the rissoto for a burst of color. You can also add some rainbow chard. Cut the colorful stems small and sauté them.
CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO
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Butternut squash makes the perfect fall risotto. I like to use a combination of herbs in this dish, but you can always just use one if you’d prefer. You can switch out any winter squash for the butternut depending on what you happen to have on hand.
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups (588 ml) water
1 1/2 cups (280 g) Arborio rice
1 can (15 ounces, or 420 g) cooked butternut squash or 1 1/2 cups (368) pureéd cooked fresh
1/2 cup (48 g) nutritional yeast (*use gluten-free)
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Add the water, rice, squash, nutritional yeast, thyme, sage, and rosemary to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the rice is cooked through but still al dente. Stir every 20 to 30 minutes, adding extra water if needed. Season with salt and pepper and taste and adjust the herbs.
YIELD: 6 servings
TOTAL PREP TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours
You can precook the squash in your slow cooker following the directions in Perfect Pumpkin Purée (page 34).
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Cheesy rice was one of my favorite things to eat when I was a kid. Later on, broccoli became a favorite addition.
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups (705 ml) water
1 1/2 cups (280 g) long-grain brown rice
3 tablespoons (18 g) vegan chicken-flavored bouillon or 6 tablespoons (36 g) Chickeny Bouillon (page 19)
1/2 cup (48 g) nutritional yeast (*use gluten-free)
1 pound (454 g) fresh or frozen broccoli
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup (115 g) shredded vegan cheddar cheese (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
Add the water, rice, bouillon, and nutritional yeast to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 1 1/2 hours. Stir in the broccoli. Check every 10 to 15 minutes, adding more water if needed, and stir the mixture until the rice and broccoli are tender when pierced with a fork, 15 to 40 minutes, depending on whether you use fresh or frozen broccoli. If you know you will be in a hurry you can defrost the broccoli in the fridge the night before.
Once the rice is ready, add the salt and pepper to taste and stir in the cheese.
YIELD: 6 servings
TOTAL PREP TIME: 5 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 2 1/2 to 3 hours
This is a great side dish or a light main course if you add some tofu or seitan.
Veganized comfort food is a beautiful thing. The liquid smoke and Cajun seasoning dress this dish up a little, but go ahead and leave them out if you’re craving the kind of mac and cheese that you grew up on. This one is extra creamy, and leftovers reheat well.
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups (940 ml) nondairy milk
2 tablespoons (12 g) vegan chicken-flavored bouillon or 4 tablespoons (24 g) Chickeny Bouillon (page 19)
8 ounces (225 g) dried whole wheat macaroni
2 cups (230 g) shredded vegan cheddar cheese
1 cup (115 g) shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Oil the crock of your slow cooker. Toss all the ingredients into the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cook on high for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the pasta is al dente. You will get better results if you stir the mixture every 20 to 30 minutes. If you don’t use whole wheat pasta it will cook faster, so check it around 45 minutes. It’s important to check this one frequently or you will end up with mushy pasta.
YIELD: 4 servings
TOTAL PREP TIME: 10 minutes
TOTAL COOKING TIME: 1 to 1 1/2 hours
