Kathy Hester's Blog, page 84
January 24, 2015
Homemade Chai Concentrate
I love chai tea and lately I’ve been drinking it every morning. For some unknown reason, I alternate between craving it and an iced coffee. I like having it at home and it’s so much cheaper to make your own. You also get to choose the sweetener you want to use and the kind of tea you’d like to use.
This week my batch is made with green tea and I left it unsweetened since I’m using a sweetened vanilla creamer. Last week it was regular tea sweetened with stevia and monk fruit. Today I have a cha...
January 22, 2015
Terry Walter’s Peppermint Slice (Gluten-free)
Happy “it’s almost Friday”! If you need a little motivation to get in the kitchen and make a treat these Peppermint Slices from should do the trick. The recipe is fromTerry Walter’s new cookbook, Eat Clean Live Well.
Peppermint Slice isn’t a term I’ve heard before, but these seem to be popular in Australia. If you grew up on them please tell me a little more about them in the comments and what flavors they usually come in.
I would describe them more as a lightened up brownie. The bottom is a li...
January 20, 2015
Slow Cooker Navratan Korma
Photo by Kate Lewis
I hope you all had a wonderful (and long) weekend. Unfortunately, I’ve been sick all week. The upside is I’ve been on soup and smoothies and finally am starting to feel like a real person again. That leaves me craving something comforting and flavorful like this Slow Cooker Navratan Korma.
Before I went vegan this was my favorite Indian dish. It’s creamy, slightly sweet and full of veggies, nuts and raisins. The traditional recipe use yogurt, cream, and ghee, which makes it...
January 17, 2015
Lentil Quinoa Bolognese Sauce
I wanted to re-introduce you toThe Great Vegan Bean Book which is one of my favorite books. I loved writing it because I got to play around with dozens of kinds of beans. But each recipe starts with a common bean, like the humble lentil in this Lentil Quinoa Bolognese.
If you try out my favorite one, Beluga lentils, it will cook up a little faster. I also like the way the smaller lentil looks in the sauce. It’s the kind used in these beautiful photos by Renee Comet.
Not only does this hearty pa...
January 15, 2015
Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Macaroni
Photos by Kate Lewis, Copyrighted by Fair Winds Press
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine macaroni covered with a silky butternut squash sauce. Now open your eyes, toss afew things in your slow cooker and get cooking!
It’s a healthier version of traditional mac and cheese and it makes just enough for two or three servings. Please note that it’s made in a 1 1/2 or 2 quart small slow cooker.
In the morning you add the butternut squash, tomatoes, water, garlic and spices so that it can cook do...
January 12, 2015
7 Simple Vegan Slow Cooker Soups
The slow cooker was made for soups. I cook these 7 Vegan Slow Cooker Soups all winter and I think you’ll enjoy them too.
If you just got a new slow cooker for the holidays a soup is one of the best recipes to use in your test run, because you’ll have less problems if it does run hot because of the amount of liquid that’s already in the recipes.
Super EasySlow Cooker White Bean Veggie Soup uses 4 or 5 quart slow cooker, but should work in a 6 quart too. It also uses dried beans making it budget-...
January 10, 2015
4 Warming Winter Slow Cooker Oatmeals
While the cold weather is at all time lows I want to make sure you’re making some slow cooker oatmeal to keep you warm.
These all use steel-cut oatmeal and cook in a 1 1/2 to 2 quart slow cooker. If yours runs hot add an addition 1/4 cup liquid or . Enjoy your happy oatmeal mornings!
Slow Cooker Coconut Banana Pecan Coffee Cake Oatmeal
Wake up to the smell of coffee cake, but eating a healthy bowl of banana pecan steel-cut oats that taste like a yummy treat and is good for you too!
Slow Cooker Ma...
January 5, 2015
Book Review: The Vegetarian Flavor Bible
Happy New Year!
Some of you may be new here and just beginningcooking plant-based. Just know that I’m thrilled thatyou’re here. You’ll findtons of easy and inexpensive recipes that you can make in your slow cooker while you’re at work. No slow cooker? Don’t worry there are recipes that use the stove and oven too.
Today I’m talking about a really different kind of book.The Vegetarian Flavor Bibleisn’t a cookbook full of recipes, but rather a huge book of ideas and inspiration. I think it’s great...
January 3, 2015
HSC’s Top 4 Vegan Recipes on Pinterest
It’s always intriguing to look at blog stats. No really! I promise to not go into too many details on the mumbo jumbo. These4vegan recipes onPinterest are worth taking another look at.
I’m always surprised at people’s favorites and promise I’ll be making more like them in 2015 in addition to the other recipes I already have in store for you.
It’s interesting that 3of them are slow cooker recipes. The banana pudding, which is cooked on the stove-top, was super popular and has even been re-pinned...
December 29, 2014
Black-Eyed Peas and Greens for New Year’s Day
I can hardly believe that the New Yearis almost here. It’s been a long and productive year, but I’m even more excited about the year coming up. Of course you have to have someblack-eyed peas and greens for New Year’s Day to make sure to have luck and money do 2015.
In SeptemberI have a new book coming out, The Easy Vegan Cookbook, and I’m lucky to have Ann Olivero from An Unrefined Vegan taking photos for it. I have lots of otherthings in the works including a redesign for the blog.
What goals...
