Revolution GrayYou might have heard that going vegetarian is healthier. And it can be, but there are many other reasons to consider cutting meat out of your diet too! Maybe you want to help the environment by eating less livestock. Or maybe you’re just looking for a way to save money on food. No matter what your motivation may be, here are a few easy vegetarian recipes for successfully transitioning into being a full-time vegetarian.
All of these recipes use a Crockpot. Cooking in a crockpot (slow cooker) is one of the easiest ways to prepare meals for yourself and your family. It’s easy, it’s convenient, and because you cook your meal over several hours, you’ll save money on energy costs. If you are an empty nester and have retired from cooking, Crockpots make cooking super easy.
A few tips for when purchasing a crockpot:
Choose the size of your crockpot based on how often you cook. If you like to cook large quantities of food, the larger 6 or 7 quart models is recommended.
Select a programmable cooker when you need to set the cooking time for longer than 7 hours.
Select a nonstick crockpot when you plan to cook high fat foods, like cheese or bacon, or foods that are high in sugar, like jam.
Select a glass lid when you need to watch your cooking progress without lifting the lid.
I hope this was helpful! We have compiled a list of three delicious vegetarian dishes you can prepare in your slow cooker.
The Vegetarian Crockpot Southwestern Soup
A hearty soup made mostly of corn and beans that gets spiced up with tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, and chipotle.
Ingredients:
1 package of dry black beans (soak overnight)
50oz canned whole kernel corn
14oz tomato sauce
2 cups vegetable broth or water
8oz diced green chilies
4 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 teaspoon of chipotle pepper
Directions:
Drain and rinse the black beans, then place into a crockpot.
Add in all other ingredients except for the green chilies and cornstarch; cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 hours or high heat setting for 4 hours.
After the set time, add in the green chilies and cornstarch (mixed together). Stir until well blended then let cook for another 15 minutes or so to thicken. Serve hot with tortilla chips!
Vegetarian Crockpot Cabbage Rolls
This yummy dish is made of cabbage leaves stuffed with rice, veggies, and raisins.
Ingredients:
2 cabbage leaves chopped into 4-5 pieces per leaf
1 can of tomato soup
1 cup of water
1 pkg brown rice with seasoning packet mixed in or same amount of cooked brown rice seasoned to taste
16 oz frozen veggie medley (with corn, broccoli, cauliflower)–thawed and excess liquid squeezed out as much as possible)
Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix together the soup and water until smooth then add in the rice and veggies; stir well. 2. Transfer this mixture with a spoon onto the cabbage leaves. Fold sides over filling then roll up carefully making sure it stays tightly rolled up as you transfer it to your crockpot with the folded side down (see picture below).
3. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 7 hours or until done. Serve warm!
Vegetarian Crockpot Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
A tasty soup made of sweet potatoes, lentils, tomatoes, and spices. This soup gets its creaminess from coconut milk so if you are vegan or dairy-free be sure to use the vegan version of coconut milk (which is available at most grocery stores) instead of just regular coconut milk!
Ingredients:
2 chopped medium carrots
1 chopped medium onion
4 small diced peeled sweet potatoes (about 3 cups)
1 cup green lentils rinsed then stirred with 2 cups water before cooking
1 can diced tomatoes (14oz)
2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
salt to taste
Directions
1. Place all ingredients into a crockpot over high heat and cook for 4.5 hours or until veggies and lentils are done; stir once halfway through cooking time. Taste and add seasoning as desired before serving warm!
Enjoy these dishes!