#MeatlessMonday - #Vegetarian Cauliflower-Cheese Soup

I'm all about spending less time in the kitchen, so here's a recipe you can set up in the crockpot and off you go. You can substitute chicken stock (if you wish), low-fat milk, or different vegetables for a change in flavor. Experiment and enjoy!

Vegetarian Cauliflower-Cheese Soup

Photo courtesy of Lower Columbia Collage via Flickr

1 chopped onion
1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
4 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley.

Add everything into a crock pot (or soup pot) and cook until veggies are soft.

Add:

2 cups light cream or milk
1 cup grated cheddar cheese.

Blend until smooth.
Add some salt/pepper.
Serve!

#MeatlessMonday - Pumpkin & Green Chili Pepper Soup #vegetarian #crockpot

Our local grocery store has exploded in pumpkin-spice. Pumpkin-spice cookies, cupcakes, coffees, and chocolates. I even saw pumpkin-spice kale chips. *sigh*  I like my veggies as much as any vegetarian, but just...no.

This pumpkin-spice blend is a bit different, not sweet but the spicy warm flavors of cumin and chili. It's super-easy and takes a few minutes to set up in the crockpot. Perfect for a busy day.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin-Green Chili Pepper Soup

1 onion, diced
1T olive oil
4 ozs diced green chilies
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, diced
1 tsp ground red pepper
1-15 oz. can pumpkin purée
2-1/2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup sour cream

Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent and transfer into crockpot. Add pumpkin purée, vegetable broth, green chilies, chopped parsley, cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt, and ground red pepper.
Cook in a crockpot on low/med for about an hour. Blend until smooth.
Stir in sour cream before serving.

#MeatlessMonday- Crockpot Gumbo #vegetarian #vegan

This is a hearty dinner that is very versatile. If you like okra, feel free to add. (I'm not a fan of it, personally). I love spicy food but my kiddos don't--hence, this isn't a spicy recipe either. If you aren't vegetarian, switching out the vegetarian sausage for shrimp or regular sausage works too. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Crockpot Gumbo

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 stalks celery, sliced
2 large carrots, sliced
1 large red pepper, diced

1/2 cup packed spinach, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced

Roux:

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups vegetable stock

14 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 zucchini, diced
2 vegetarian sausages, cut into thin slices (Tofurky Italian sausage is a good choice)

Cooked rice, 1/2 cup per serving

Instructions:

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. 

In a small pot, make roux: Over medium heat, melt butter and gradually add flour, whisking to form a smooth paste. Add spices. Add slowly to heated vegetable stock, whisking until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 5-8 minutes.

Transfer vegetables and roux mixture to slow cooker. Add tomatoes with juice and lemon juice and stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours 

Add zucchini for last 30 minutes of cooking time
Pan fry/brown sliced vegetarian sausages on low heat (they burn easily). Add last 10 minutes of cooking time 

To serve. Place cooked rice in bottom of each bowl. Ladle gumbo over top.

#MeatlessMonday-Urad Daal #vegetarian #vegan

Photo courtesy of foodrecipe360 via Photobucket

To be cooked in the crockpot

1 cup urad beans
1 onion, chopped
Handful of fresh spinach, chopped
1/4 c chopped carrots
1-14 oz. can chopped tomatoes
2-1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. ginger, chopped fresh is best
1/2-tsp. tumeric
1/4-tsp. garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-T chopped green chilies
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cups water


Set on high for 6 hours. Add water as needed.
When urad are soft, add 4T butter and 1 cup of yoghurt. Heat through and serve with naan or flatbread.