Tag Archives: omni-friendly

Recipe: Slow Cooker Vegetarian Irish Stew

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Vegetarian Irish Stew

I can’t believe how busy I’ve been lately. A huge work project came to fruition–finally!–so I’m hoping the craziness will calm down a bit.

One of the things I hate about being so busy–aside from the lack of blogging time–is that I tend to get lazy in the kitchen. Hubby and I dined out a lot last week which isn’t ideal but it helped me to stock up on fodder for the “He eats, she eats” posts! ;)

My favorite method for being lazy in the kitchen is to cook with my crock pot. I’ll happily trade a few moments of preparation the night before to have a hot vegetarian dinner waiting for me when I come home the next evening.

With the first day of Fall on the horizon, this recipe for a meatless Irish stew is one of those vegetarian recipes that is perfect for warming you up on a cool Autumn day. Want to really win an omnivore over with this recipe? Serve with a chunk of homemade bread. One of my favorite homemade bread recipes: No-Knead Bread.

! Tip ! Use a vegan meat substitute for a completely animal-free stew!

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Irish Stew

1 – pkg favorite brand of “crumbles,” or your favorite meat substitute, up to two pounds.

2 cups onion, chopped

2 cups potatos, chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

2 cups carrots, chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp sugar

3 cups tomato juice/sauce

2 cups canned or frozen peas

Cut up all the veggies (except for the peas) into 2-inch chunks and add to crock pot. Open “crumbles” package and pour on top of veggies in slow cooker. Add the salt, pepper, sugar and tomato sauce. Cook on low for 6-9 hours (I let it go for the full 9 hours because I usually cook this while I’m at work). About 15-30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, add the peas into the slow cooker and let cook for those last 15-30 minutes. Although I always make this in my crock pot, it also can be cooked it in a 250 degree oven for 6 hours.

Recipe: Easy vegetarian layered enchilada bake

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easy vegetarian layered enchilada bake

Hubby and I *love* Mexican food, both for its taste and its versatility. I can make a vegetarian taco using beans yet he can add meat to his. As much as we love our tacos, enchiladas and burritos, it’s nice to mix it up every now and then.

This easy vegetarian recipe for a layered enchilada bake does the trick and pleases both our palettes. It comes together quickly and is made in a slow cooker so your dinner will be ready and waiting for you after work.

Because this meatless dish uses a “crumbled” ground beef-like meat substitute, it’s a great meal for those who may be new or transitioning to vegetarianism and are looking for a meal that tastes a little more “familiar” than tofu or tempeh.

If you’re a “sauce” person, you may want to add a little more enchilada sauce between layers, or top your serving with your favorite salsa for an extra kick.

Question to my vegan readers: anyone know of a good way to make vegan condensed mushroom soup? I used Amy’s Kitchen Semi-Condensed, which worked great but it’s not vegan.  This recipe could easily be made vegan aside from that one ingredient. Would love to hear your ideas!

Easy Vegetarian Layered Enchilada Bake – Approx. 6 Servings

1 pound “crumbles” ground beef meat substitute

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 – 10.75 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I used Amy’s Kitchen)

1 – 4.5 ounce can chopped green chiles

1 – 10 ounce can enchilada sauce (more if you are a sauce person)

10 – 6 inch corn tortillas

12 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used Vegan Gourmet)

paprika

Using a large skillet, stir together “crumbles,” onion and garlic over medium heat, heating thoroughly until well-cooked. Fold in the soup and chiles. Spray your slow cooker/crock pot with nonstick spray and spread approximately 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce all along the bottom. Arrange four corn tortillas in crock over the sauce to layer. You make need to break or overlap the tortillas to fit your crock. Pour 1/3 cup of the “crumbles” mixture on top of the tortillas, spreading it out evenly. Pour another 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle about 1 cup of cheese over. Repeat the layering two more times. For the remaining layers,  use 3 corn tortillas, half of the remaining “crumbles” mixture, enchilada sauce and cheese each time. Top the entire thing off with a sprinkle of paprika. Cover your slow cooker and cook on low setting for about 4.5 to 5.5 hours before serving.

Recipe: Vegan Barley Crockpot Casserole

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Barley Casserole

Crockpot Barley Casserole (vegan)

Is anyone else tired of the heat in some parts of the states? This week has been a steamy one in my area, and while I prefer the warmth over snow, these hot and humid days sure leave me unmotivated as far as cooking is concerned. Who loves turning on an oven when the heat index is 100 degrees F?  Or standing over a stove of sizzling and steaming pots and pans?  Not me! I’m a terrible and lazy cook when the temperature rises.

But one trick I’ve learned for enjoying a hot meal in the summer heat is to use my trusty crockpot!  Anyone who’s been following me knows I love my crockpot… I’ve cooked Cannelloni with Tomato Eggplant Sauce and Vegetarian Succotash, to name a couple of slow cooked meals I’ve liked.  A crockpot is an invaluable appliance during the summer months, in my opinion, because it can cook meals without heating up the house!

The recipe was simple enough; I made it easier by using a package of pre-cut mixed celery/onion I purchased at the grocery store, adding in a little bit more onion (again, pre-chopped but from the freezer section!). Also, I didn’t use fresh garlic, but the pre-minced kind in a jar. The only real prep work I had to do was chop a green bell pepper. Everything else was open and pour. :)

Overall this meal was pretty good, palatable to my hubby, too. It was kind of like a real thick tomato-based soup. We ate it with some rosemary olive oil bread. However, we both agreed the dish needs… je ne sais quoi. Something needs to be added to take this dish from “pretty good” to “wow.” It definitely has potential and has that stick-to-your-ribs thickness that so many omnivores (and veggies, too!) crave.

Vegan Barley Crockpot Casserole

Prep Time: 20 minutes. Cook Time: 8 hours.

1 cup uncooked pearl barley

1-1/2 cups tomato sauce

1/8 tsp. white pepper

1 cup chopped celery

1 green or red bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz. can ready-to-serve vegetable broth

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or chopped walnuts

Keep the pine nuts/walnuts aside, but place all other ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on low for up to 8 hours or until the barley and veggies are tender. Top with the pine nuts/walnuts before serving.

A few of my personal cooking notes about this meal: The estimated prep time was 20 minutes, which I found to be about right. Cook time was stated as 8 hours, though I thought the casserole looked done around 5-6 hours. It got really thick so I thinned it out with more veggie broth as well as some water. I should’ve kept track of how much additional broth I used; I’ll be more careful about that next time. If you chose to make this, you may want to do it on a day when you’ll be around to check on it and add in some extra broth here and there.

If you try this recipe, please let me know how it turns out! :)