Vegetarians and Slow Cookers

grimelda

Having read a lot about the virtues of slow cookers on this board, I am considering getting one. From what I have read, though, they seem to primarily suit meat-based meals which benefit from being cooked for a long time. My experience with slow cookers is nil but it seems to me that cooking beans or vegetables overnight would leave them a slushy mess.

Are there any vegetarians (or meat-eaters who cook meatless meals) with slow cookers? What do you think of them? And if they work well, does anyone have tried and tested vegetarian recipes to share?

kiwichick

Hiya,

I'm a vegie too and love my SC. I do soups, vege stew, curry etc and its great. Not had s lushy one yet. I have a great book too called 101 best vegetarian slow cooker recipes. Unfortunately its just been packed, along with the rest of my wordly goods, into storage for the next 3 weeks. When I get it backand am settledinto the newplace I'llpost a load for you and fellow vegies to try.

Al.

amd

There's no need for a slow cooker to be on for many hours on end, or even overnight. The only thing to watch for is that you use canned (or pre-cooked) kidney beans instead of soaked uncooked ones which need boiled for at least 10 mins to remove the toxins. Slow cookers don't get hot enough to make these beans safe - not sure if there are other beans that can be dangerous too. Using canned ones gets around this worry. Lidl's ones are so cheap - less than 20p I think.

purplegirluk1

I am a veggie and I make good use of my slow cooker. I have used it to make the niceset vegetable soup, bean chilli, veggie mince bolognese and vegetable bolognese and the veggie mince and onion filling for shepherds pies. These are just a few things that you could make, I am sure that there are lots more but so far these are what I regularly make in mine, HTH

Rachie_B

i agree can make some lovely meatless meals in the SC esp soups yummeeee

https://www.justslowcooking.com

squeaky

There are quite a number of threads regarding vegetarian meals and slow cookers, and also links to safety advice on beans and pulses in our slow collection.

The Complete Slow Cooker Collection

ladywood

I use the SC a lot for veggie meals - especially veggie/lentil/bean stews and curries. Much easier just to throw it all in in the morning and have it ready after work.

And I often set it going at about 7.30 am and don't switch it off until 5.30 or 6pm and have never had a problem. As long as it is on low and there is enough fluid (I always have enough to cover the veg) it will just simmer away!
The veg, lentils etc are still recognisable by the end - no generic sludge! :rotfl:

mummysaver

Haven't had my SC for very long, but like you wondered how useful it would be to a vegetarian - but so far I've done veg stews, curries and soya based bolognese, all of which have turned out really well, and really benefitted from the long slow cooking.

grimelda

Well, I spoke to my mum back in Oz and she tried to talk me out of it. She used to have one when I was a kid and she said she rarely used it as everything ended up tasteless and bland (except for big pieces of meat), and it also required her to be organised in the mornings. As she rather bluntly put it '... and you're not exactly a morning person, are you?' She said the vegetables were usually mushy and the range of meals were quite limited unless you liked to eat a meaty slop.

Mind you, she lives in a very hot climate so I can understand why she didn't get much use out of it.

I think I will get the el cheapo one from Argos (£10) and see how it goes. I can always sell it or give it to charity later. Who knows, I might even become an SC convert.

Rachie_B

mums eh who'd have em lol

you can make anything you make on the hob in a SC so thats a bit more than just meaty slop lmao ; )

in my experience veg doesnt go mushy ( though i do put softer veg eg mushrooms) into the SC later than root veg

as for bland / tasteless ,nope you just season etc as normal and ive not found it bland at all

you can prepare everything the night before if short of time in the mornings

Sazbo

Rachie's right - you can season things as you would normally and they'll be just as tasty done in the SC. I bought one recently, I'm veggie and I'm loving using mine. I've used dried beans too - but I soak them overnight first, boil them on the hob for at least 10 mins, which, as amd says, you always must do, then I put them in the SC with veggies, chopped tomatoes etc, leave it on low most of the day and the beans come out perfect - not mushy at all. Nice coming home to a wholesome meal when you're short of time in the evening, or having something nutritious and cheap to take to work for lunch.