Kathy Hester's Blog, page 43

Budget Friendly Spiced Instant Pot Lentils and Rice

We all need to have a few budget-friendly recipes in our repertoire, and this Spiced Instant Pot Lentils and Rice is also quick and easy too!

Note: This post is sponsored by Harris Teeter. All the opinions and the recipe are mine and I hope you enjoy it.

When Harris Teeter asked me to make a meal for 4 under $20, I jumped at the chance. I already use their private label products and love that they’ve expanded their line to include many low priced HT organic choices as well.

Many people seem...

Vegan Earl Grey Oatmeal w/ Rosewater from Your Slow Cooker or Instant Pot

I am crazy about my Earl Grey tea. I have it almost every chilly morning. Add in some vanilla nondairy milk, and I’m in London Fog heaven. It also makes the best iced tea too! Today, I’m having my tea in my oatmeal and let me tell you it’s delicious there too.

If you were a fan of the old slow cooker recipe, don’t panic, it’s in this post right below the new Instant Pot version below. If yo...

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Slow Cooker Fall Harvest Butter

It seems like summer is hanging on with a vengeance.  In spite of that, I’m cooking soups, stews and pumpkin everything! I keep hoping if it smells like fall in my kitchen then it will bring the temperatures down and make the leaves change a little faster.

This butter is from The Vegan Slow Cooker and is a combo of pear, apple and pumpkin butter all cooked down in the slow cooker (with spices) to make a thick autumn spread. I use brown sugar and agave to sweeten mine, but you can use your fa...

A Vegan Slow Cooker Menu Plan That Makes Autumn Easy!

I just can’t wait for autumn any longer so I’m cooking butternut squash, pumpkin, lentil soup this week. I don’t care if I still need to have the a/c on for part of the day. And this week all the main dish recipes this week are made right in your crockpot!

Please let me know if you’re using the free weekly vegan menu plans that I’ve been posting and feel free to make suggestions in the comments. I have a menu plan for 2-quart slow cookers, plus a menu of Instant Pot recipes, but I’d love to...

Curry Cashew Savory Granola From OATrageous Oatmeals

Photo by Kate Lewis

Granola is one of my favorite things to have on hand for a quick breakfast or snack. I really enjoy creating granola recipes – I made some tasty ones for my new book including chocolate hazelnut and bourbon pecan. I also branched out into some savory granolas – and have fallen in love with those too.

I’m sharing the recipe for Curry Cashew Savory Granola and it’s amazing on plain coconut or soy yogurt. I like savory granolas as a salad topping,  sprinkled on pasta or as a...

Root Veggie Barley Risotto from Vegan Slow Cooking for Two

Photo by Kate Lewis

I’ve been in love with the humble turnip and rutabaga ever since my first winter CSA.   The wonderful thing about them is that they are inexpensive, keep for a long period of time and how they mellow out with cooking. If you have some left over from the risotto, try roasting them and serving them on salads and pizzas.

This recipe uses a 1 1/2 or 2 quart slow cooker and is in my book, Vegan Slow Cooking for Two.

Using barley allows this risotto to cook all day. Do not sub...

A Vegan Menu Plan Including Lots of Slow Cooker and Labor Day Recipes!

It’s a long weekend, and you can thank Labor Day for that. This week I’ve got a great vegan menu plan for you, and it includes lots of slow cooker recipes.

This week’s menu also includes a full Labor Day Celebration with homemade bean burgers, baked beans, potato salad, pineapple agua fresca, and gluten-free vegan brownies for dessert.

Breakfast:  This Orange Flower, Pistachio, and Date Oatmeal will brighten up your week with it’s middle eastern flavors. It’s made with rolled oats on the st...

Orange-Cranberry Spiced Granola with Almonds From Orange Appeal

photo by Ilva Beretta

You all know that I’m always looking for inspiration for new recipes and Jamie Schler’s first book, Orange Appeal, has my head swimming in orange ideas. The gorgeous photos, by Ilva Beretta will make you swoon too. Note: all of the photos in this post are by her and from the book.

photo by Ilva Beretta

While the book is not vegan, many of the recipes can be easily veganized and there are a few that are already vegan like the orange olive focaccia and a lovely fennel oran...

Vegan Slow Cooker White Bean Pumpkin Lasagna

If you’ve been neglecting your slow cooker, fall is just around the corner and yours needs to get put back on your kitchen counter.

This Vegan Slow Cooker White Bean Pumpkin Lasagna is from my very first book, The Vegan Slow Cooker. It cooks in 1 1/2 to 2 hours, so it’s not a recipe that you can start in the morning. If you are looking for something that does cook all day try my Vegan Slow Cooker Creamy Indian Lentils and Kidney Beans or Italian Slow Cooker Cranberry Bean Soup with Greens.

I...

Vegan Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom Curry and Pilaf

You already know I love my Instant Pot and you can always get to all my Instant Pot recipes here. In this post I’m sharing a recipe from Vegan Cookbook for Your Instant Pot, for one of my favorite quick and easy meals – Vegan Instant Pot Creamy Mushroom Curry and Pilaf.

For this recipe you’ll need a pyrex or stainless steel dish that will fit inside your Instant Pot. In my older 6-quart, I use 3-cup rectangle Pyrex dishes, but that doesn’t work in all newer models. I suggest trying one that...