Kathy Hester's Blog, page 40

A Vegan Valentine: Lavender Rose Baked Donuts

 

It’s getting close to Valentine’s Day – are you ready? If you or someone you want to give a treat to is avoiding sugar, this recipe for Lavender Rose Baked Donuts is for you. You can also substitute sugar to make this without stevia, or use the sweetener of your choice.

These donuts are the perfect Valentine’s breakfast, afternoon snack, or even a cute dessert. The best part is, you won’t feel deprived at all. Each mini-donut only has 47 calories and 1.4 grams of sugar.

I used cornstarch...

Vegan Instant Pot Lentil Vegetable Soup with Slow Cooker Variation

How many of got a new Instant Pot? I admit I’m up to four now. I have two 6-quart, one 3-quart, and a Fagor brand 4-quart multi-cooker.

Don’t worry if you didn’t take the Instant Pot plunge yet, I added slow cooker instructions to the recipe so everyone can make it.

I used a lentil blend that’s often called autumn blend because of the multi-colors of the different type of lentils. You can use your own combination of lentils depending on what you have on hand. I like the blend because the yel...

Vegan Slow Cooker Curry Pot Pie

This Vegan Slow Cooker Curry Pot Pie Topped with Whole Wheat Biscuits is a variation of my original Veggie Pot Pie from The Vegan Slow Cooker. Today’s version has different veggies and is lightly spiced with curry flavors.

In the old version, I cooked the biscuits in the slow cooker, and some people didn’t care for their biscuits being more dumpling-like. In this one, we still put the uncooked dough on top of the stew in the slow cooker. But then we put the crock in the oven to cook the bisc...

Make Your Life Easier: Vegan Instant Pot Menu Plan

It’s cold again where I am and it probably is where you are too. To make this week a little easier you can follow this week’s menu plan. It’s all made in your new (or old) Instant Pot and will give you some time to relax and be warm in your own home!

Just in case you haven’t seen my article on Instant Pot Accessories, be sure to take a look and see how you can extend the use of your Instant Pot even more!

Breakfast: Make a batch of my Instant Pot Pumpkin Coffeecake Steel-cut Oatmeal at the...

Indian-Style Cumin Idaho® Potatoes (Vegan Aloo Jeera)

This Indian potato dish is perfect for when the month lasts longer than your grocery budget does. Aloo jeera just means cumin seed potatoes. It’s simple and requires just a few spices. If you don’t have them on hand, you can get a lot cheap at the Indian market or just exactly the small amounts you need from your local co-op’s bulk bins.

If you always have potatoes, rice, and spices on hand you can make this flavorful Indian meal anytime. It’s perfect on its own, but even better with a dal o...

4 Winter Warming Recipes from The Great Vegan Bean Book

Vaquero Bean Tempeh Chili taken by Renée Comet

This week it was so cold where I live, and from the looks of it, almost everywhere else on the east coast too. It’s been under 20 degrees most nights and we even woke up to 8 degrees this weekend. That’s crazy in Durham , NC.

Here are a few recipes that will warm you up if you come in from the cold or just stay in if you’re like me. They are all from my book,  The Great Vegan Bean Book.

First up is a hearty chili made with Vaquero beans and tem...

Start 2018 Off Right with This Vegan Instant Pot Menu Plan!

I want to help you start your new year off right. I have breakfast and 7 dinners that are all made in your Instant Pot. Don’t have an Instant Pot? Click here to go to a free slow cooker vegan menu plan.

Breakfast: Vegan Earl Grey Oatmeal w/ Rosewater, cooked in your Slow Cooker or Instant Pot, is a perfect breakfast for cold, snowy mornings.

Monday: Warm up Monday night with these Vegan Creamy Black-Eyed Peas. They are healthy and delicious!

Tuesday: This Creamy Tomato Soup Recipe is a gr...

Your New Fav Snack: Air Fryer Bow Tie Pasta Chips

My newest book, Vegan Cooking for Your Air Fryer, was released this week and I’m thrilled. If you don’t have an air fryer yet check out my post about different air fryers and their accessories here.

These bow tie chips are so crunchy and remind me of a cheese-cracker. But don’t worry it’s 100% vegan. No air fryer? Try baking them in the oven at 375 degrees until crisp.

Just cook the pasta half way, drain, and toss with the seasoning, then cook for about 10 minutes in your air fryer. Easy pea...

Vegan Slow Cooker Black-eyed Peas

I posted a recipe for Instant Pot Creamy Black-Eyed Peas and I wanted to give you a slow cooker recipe too. It’s been black-eyed pea week here on HSC because in the Southern US we eat black-eyed peas for luck on New Year’s Day.

Even if it’s not your tradition, it’s still an easy and healthy way to start off the new year.

You can use the slow cooker to cook plain black-eyed peas by only using the water and beans. Then they’ll be ready for you favorite recipes.

Vegan Instant Pot Black-Eyed Pea Curry with Spinach

TodayI have another black-eyed pea recipe for you and it’s from Indian Instant Pot Cookbook by Urvashi Pitre. This simple, healthy recipe for Black-Eyed Pea Curry with Spinach is made in your Instant Pot and is delightful!

I really love Urvashi’s book, especially that she gives you spice blend recipes and recommendation. Spices are so important in Indian cooking.

Below you can watch me make the recipe and see just how easy it is!

The Indian Instant Pot Cookbook is not vegan, but it does have tons of vegetarian recipes that can be easily veganized with nondairy yogurt, vegan milk, and vegan butter or oil. It also has some accidentally vegan ones like this black-eyed pea curry too.

I’m going to try  veganizing some of the chicken recipes with soy curls or chickpeas. And don’t forget that tofu is a great substitute for paneer.

Black-Eyed Pea Curry with Spinach from Indian Instant Pot® Cookbook print shopping list Prep Time 10 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Serves 4     adjust servings

Printed from Indian Instant Pot® Cookbook by Urvashi Pitre (with permission)
"Whenever I was feeling particularly lazy, I would make Punjabi lobia. I would use canned beans, and the taste would be okay. Then I realized that you could make perfectly cooked black-eyed peas in 10 minutes in a pressure cooker. Now we have this much more often, and it is so much better. Chop one tomato, and everything else is pour and cook. The end result is a creamy, full-bodied bean and spinach dish that makes an excellent weeknight supper. As always, adjust the cayenne to your heat preference. - Urvashi Pitre"

Ingredients 1 tablespoon peanut oil 1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/8 teaspoon black mustard seeds (or omit and double up on the cumin seeds) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 tablespoon minced ginger 1 cup diced tomato 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin 1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup dried black-eyed peas 2 cups water 4 cups raw spinach Instructions

Preheat the Instant Pot® by selecting Sauté and adjusting to More for high heat. When the inner cooking pot is hot, add the ghee and heat until it is shimmering and add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds (if using). They will begin to sputter like popcorn popping. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30 seconds.

Add the tomato and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the tomato is softened.

Add the turmeric, cayenne, cumin, coriander, and salt, and mix well.

Add the black-eyed peas and water, and mix. Place the spinach on top.

Lock the lid into place. Select Manual and adjust the pressure to High. Cook for 10 minutes. Allow 10 minutes of natural pressure release, then quick release any remaining pressure.

When the cooking is complete, unlock and remove the lid. Stir and taste, adding more salt or cayenne if necessary. Serve with rice, chapattis, or naan.

by Kathy Hester

 

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