Tag: Slow Cooker

Slow Cooker Split Pea and Red Potato Soup with Garlic Crema

Slow Cooker Split Pea and Red Potato Soup with Garlic Crema

With the high winds, rain and chilly weather, Wednesday definitely seemed like a soup day. It was also a work day so I didn’t have time to fuss for hours over the stove. During my morning shower I went through my refrigerator and cupboards in my head taking an inventory of what I had and what I could possibly make. I remembered the red potatoes and carrots that were getting a little soft and the dried split peas I bought bulk at Lucky’s Market over the weekend. I think I have an onion. No – I know for sure I have an onion way in the back of the crisper! Decision made – split pea soup – and I’ll throw it all in the slow cooker and hope it turns out.

So this recipe is kind of like the way so many things go in my life – “make it up as I go along.” But truthfully, once you get into the swing of plant based cooking it’s pretty easy to throw this, that, and the other thing together and make something fantastic. Inventing new meals anymore is kind of my registered trademark.

Well I put all the ingredients in the slow cooker at 12 noon (during my lunch break) and by 3:00 the pleasant aroma started permeating throughout the house. By 5:30 the most magnificant pot of cream of split pea and red potato soup was ready for consumption. The added bonus was eating it during the drama of a full fledge lightening and thunder-boomer storm!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 1/2 cups dried split peas
  • 1 carrot cut in pieces
  • 1 large unpeeled red skinned potato cut in pieces
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 large garlic toes minced
  • 1 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. oregano
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

For the garlic crema garnish (optional)

  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp. corn starch
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
Vegetable broth, dried split peas, carrots, red skin potato, onion, garlic, bay leaves, black pepper, oregano, cayenne pepper, almond milk (not pictured)

Directions

  1. Rinse the dried peas. This is important to rinse off any dirt PLUS, because split peas are hollow, without rinsing they will not cook properly. Rinse ever so quickly to prevent loss of nutrients.
  2. Add the first 10 ingredients to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
  3. Remove bay leaves. Puree mixture in a high speed blender.
  4. Transfer to a pot, add 1 cup almond milk and simmer for a few minutes
  5. In a small saucepan add 1/2 almond milk, cornstarch and onion powder. Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens.
  6. Serve soup piping hot and garnish with the garlic crema.
Rinse ever so briefly to remove dirt
If you prefer a chunky style soup then omit the pureeing step (or just pulse 2 – 3 times)
The garlic crema adds a nice touch to the soup
Instead of croutons or bread, I served mine with pecan cranberry flax crisps. I will post this recipe soon.

Slow Cooker Hearty Vegan Beefless Stew

Imagine coming home from work on a frigid snowy December day to the smell of a delicious stew that’s been cooking all day. You pull off your boots, coat, hat and gloves, take a steamy shower and get into flannels. You build a roaring fire and now it’s time to fill up your bowl and stomach with hearty vegan stew.

I’ve been making this stew for decades and it continues to be a favorite winter meal request by my hubby. I can’t take complete credit for the recipe though. It is my father-in-law’s beef stew recipe (minus the beef).

Ingredients

  • 1 28oz. can whole tomatoes (including juice)
  • 2 cans low sodium Campbell’s tomato soup plus 1 can water
  • 1 package lipton onion soup mix
  • 2 stalks celery cut in pieces
  • 4 large carrots peeled and cut in 1/2″ rounds
  • 1 cup fresh green beans cut in pieces
  • 1 can whole mushrooms drained
  • 1 medium onion peeled and chopped
  • 2 large white potatoes peeled and cut into 3/4″ cubes
  • 1 tsp. Worchester sauce
  • 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tbsp corn starch

Directions

Add all the ingredients to the slower cooker and mix together. Cook on low for 8 hrs. or high for 4 hrs. Prior to serving add the cornstarch to thicken the stew a bit.

Note: There is sodium in the Lipton onion soup mix. Here is a recipe from thecountrycook.net to make a sodium free version

  • 1/4 cup dried onion flakes
  • 2 tbsps sodium free beef boulion granules
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp parlsey flakes
  • 1/8 tsp celery seed
  • 1/8 tsp paprika
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper