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Health & Fitness

Easy Yummy "Slow-Cooker" Recipes: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal & Split Pea Lentil Soup

Never underestimate the value of a “Crockpot” or slow cooker! Since I’ve been craving hearty soups and stews all winter, I finally decided to start using the slow cooker I purchased at Costco a few months ago. I had never used one before, but now it’s a major staple in my kitchen despite the fact that it’s yet another appliance sitting on my kitchen counter. Although people often associate a slow cooker or “Crockpot” with meat soups and stews, it’s actually a fabulous option for vegan cooking too. It’s great for cooking dry beans from scratch, and you can even use it in place of a rice cooker. Contrary to popular belief, a slow cooker is quite useful year round, not just during the winter months. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of using a slow cooker for vegan meals.

BENEFITS OF USING A SLOW COOKER FOR VEGAN COOKING:

-Nutritious natural juices from fresh vegetables are retained as a result of cooking the vegetables at a low temperature for a long period of time.

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-Minimal work is needed to prepare a slow-cooked meal. A small amount of initial preparation may be required, including chopping vegetables and sauteeing onions; however, these steps are not always necessary for slow-cooked meals. I often buy pre-chopped vegetables such as Trader Joe’s Mirepoix to make the process that much easier.

-Vegan no-oil dishes such as soups and bean stews can be made in a slow cooker.

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-Preparing food in a slow-cooker or “Crockpot” gives you more room to prepare other dishes on your stovetop.

-In the summer, preparing food in the slow cooker eliminates heating up the house unnecessarily by cooking in an oven.

-Slow cookers use less energy than a conventional electric oven.

-Using a slow cooker results in an easy clean-up of one pot (except perhaps kitchen items which may be used in the initial preparation such as a pan, knife and cutting board).

There several more advantages to using a slow-cooker for plant-based recipes! Read the rest and get 2 delicious and easy crock-pot recipes for:

• Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
• Split Pea & Lentil Soup

http://veganamericanprincess.com/all-about-vegan-slow-cooking-with-2-simple-recipes/

Ellen Francis

Vegan American Princess

Voted #2 in Skinny Scoop's Top 25 Vegan Blogs of 2013

Finalist in Best Vegan Blogs of 2103 by Ethical Deals

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