Three Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes and Tips

Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes and Tips

When you think of slow cookers, you may think they are only good for meat. While it’s true that slow cookers are wonderful at cooking meats, they are actually great for vegetarian dishes. In fact, if you eat a lot of whole grains and legumes, the slow cooker is ideal.

Here are some vegetarian slow cooker recipes and tips.

 

1. Baked Beans

Many traditional baked bean dishes call for pork of some sort. Here is a recipe that is completely meatless. Serves 6 to 10.

Overnight, soak 1 pound of dried navy beans in water. Drain and cook beans in water on stovetop until soft, about 90 minutes (you can use a pressure cooker if you have one, or cook the beans in your slow cooker on High for 6 to 8 hours). Drain once again, and place cooked beans in slow cooker with:

* 1 small onion, diced
* 3/4 cup ketchup
* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 3/4 cup water
* 1 teaspoon dry mustard
* 1/4 cup dark molasses
* 1 teaspoon salt

Cover and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours.

 

2. Spiced Glazed Carrots

This dish serves 6, and would be perfect to take to a potluck. You can leave out the cinnamon and nutmeg to make plain glazed carrots.

In your slow cooker, combine:

* 2 pounds baby carrots
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 cup orange juice
* 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Cover and cook on Low for 3 or 4 hours (carrots will be crisp-tender at this point; if you like them softer, double the cooking time or cook on High for 3 to 4 hours). Remove cooked carrots with a slotted spoon into a serving dish; pour juices from the slow cooker into a saucepan and bring to a boil. In a small bowl, whisk together:

* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1/4 cup water

Pour this slurry into the boiling carrot cooking juices and boil for a minute or so, stirring constantly. Pour over carrots and serve (you could also put the carrots and sauce back in the slow cooker and serve from there).

 

3. Curried Vegetables

Serve this tasty medley over cooked brown rice. This makes 8 to 10 servings.

In slow cooker, combine:

* 16 ounces baby carrots
* 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch cubes
* 1 pound fresh or frozen green beans, cut in pieces about 2 inches long (you can use cut canned green beans, but you’ll need to put off adding those until the last hour of cooking time)
* 1 chopped green bell pepper
* 1 chopped onion
* 2 cloves minced garlic
* 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
* 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

Stir in:

* 1 tablespoon curry powder
* 2 teaspoons salt

In a microwave-safe measuring cup, boil 1 3/4 cups water. Stir in 2 vegetarian bouillon cubes until dissolved. Pour this over the vegetables and mix well. Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours.

 

Featured Product: The Cuisinart Cook Central 3-in-1 Multicooker

The MSC-600 Cuisinart Multicooker

Create one-pot meals your family will love with the Cuisinart Cook Central 3-in-1 Multicooker. Three fully programmable cooking functions let you sauté vegetables, brown meats and slow cook your favorite comfort foods right in the unit. Skip the stovetop with combination cooking — brown your ingredients in the unit and then simply switch to the slow cook function. Use the Cook Central to prep any aspect of your favorite dish. Select the steam function to prepare stuffed artichokes to start a gourmet meal or to create a healthful vegetable medley side dish. The Cook Central can even do dessert. With numerous recipes to choose from in the included booklet, the opportunities are endless