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Review: The Vegan Slow Cooker: Revised and Expanded Edition by Kathy Hester

This posts contains my Amazon affiliate link which means if you buy the book using the link, I might get a small percentage.  You don't have to use the link to buy the book.  You could get it from Amazon directly, but I would appreciate it.

Welcome back to my blog, everyone!  It's certainly been a while.  I've been quite busy and haven't been writing as much as I'd like in this space.  I'll give you a quick summary of what's been up the last year or so:  kids in basketball, kids in soccer, parents in CrossFit, working at a local restaurant, kids in track, more work, becoming a CrossFit L1 trainer, coaching CrossFit classes, cooking, laundry, binge watching Ray Donovan, and that about sums it all up.

So now that we are caught up, let's talk about the reason for this post.  Kathy Hester's newest cookbook the Vegan Slow Cooker: Revised and Expanded Edition. 

The_Vegan_Slow_Cooker_hi-res_cover

If you have followed my blog, you probably already know that I am a cookbook junkie. I love learning new recipes and looking at beautiful pictures of different dishes.  I mostly love learning about new ways to cook old favorites.  For example, I'm not a vegan or even a vegetarian, but I do like to make meatless meals frequently.  For one, they tend to be healthier.  Secondly, they tend to be less expensive than meals that have meat.  In the case of the Vegan Slow Cooker cookbook, not only are these dishes healthy and inexpensive, they are also easy to make right in your slow cooker.  That's a triple threat of awesome in my book.

As with all of Kathy's cookbooks, the instructions are easy to read and understand.  Her pictures are amazing and really make me want to dig in to every recipe.  For example, just look at this Shiitake Congee :

Shiitake congee_image

Doesn't that just look so comforting?  Wouldn't it be delicious to tuck into on a cold winter day?  Aren't you just dying for the recipe?  You're in luck!  I'm able to share that recipe with you as a little teaser of what's available in the Vegan Slow Cooker.

Shiitake Congee (Rice Porridge)
 
The base for the congee gets most of its flavor from the mushrooms, but it’s actually a plain congee that’s dressed up by the toppings that you choose.
This is a great get-well-fast soup and is gentle on your stomach. I like mine with soy sauce, sesame oil, and cilantro*.
 
CONGEE INGREDIENTS
    • 8 cups (1880 ml) water or broth
    • 4 cups (280 g) thinly sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
    • 4 cups (280 g) thinly sliced button, baby bella, shiitake mushrooms or combination
    • 1 cup (185 g) brown rice (I used long grain)
    • 3 tablespoons (24 g) grated ginger
 
SERVING INGREDIENTS
(OPTIONAL)
    • Soy sauce
    • Scallions
    • Cilantro
    • Chopped hot peppers
    • Extra grated ginger
    • Leftover
    • cooked veggies
    • Tofu cubes
DIRECTIONS
The night before:
    Prepare the mushrooms and ginger, and store in the fridge.
In the morning:
    Add the water, mushrooms, rice, and ginger to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 9 hours.
    To serve, place your chosen toppings on the table and let everyone make it their favorite way.
 
Yield : 4–6 servings, Equipment: 4-quart slow cooker, Cooking Time: 7 to 9 hours on low

Recipe Reprinted from The Vegan Slow Cooker, Revised and Expanded By Kathy Hester, published by Fair Winds Press

 

*that cilantro part is DEFINITELY Kathy's preference and not mine.  You know my feelings about the vile weed.  

 
For more delicious vegan recipes for your slow cooker, check out Kathy Hester's The Vegan Slow Cooker on Amazon. 

 

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