Vegetarians and Slow Cookers

Pink.

Hi carrottopsuk,

We have another very similar thread so I'll merge your thread with it as it helps to keep all the replies together. The posts are listed in date order, so you'll need to read from the beginning to see all the replies.

Another thread that might help you is:

Can you give me advice about veggie meals in the slow cooker?

Pink

Pink.

Hi carrottopsuk,

I'm not vegetarian so I get a lot of use out of my slow cooker. For me the main advantages of having a slow cooker are being able to put it on, go out, and when you return a hot meal is waiting. Also the fact that it's so economical and in the summer it doesn't heat the kitchen like an oven does. The fact that it tenderises the meat is not so important to me as I could do that in the pressure cooker or 'slow cook' it in the oven if I wanted to.

If you think carefully about the kind of meals you like to cook...do you make soups? Do you eat many casserole/one pot type meals? If so, then a slow cooker would probably be useful to you. If not, then the chances are it would end up gathering dust at the back of a cupboard.

Pink

carrottopsuk

Thank you Pink winged

Having read your reply, I may wait to make my decision on getting a slow cooker until i've properly read the recipes, I make veg chilli quite a lot and one type of soup (lots of times:-) ) Although I recently discovered the soup recipe section on here and made some delicious soup the other day. This has inspired me to make more.

I like your idea of coming home to a hot meal at the end of the day. (I've been spoilt up to now) I presume from your comments that using slow cookers are cheaper than using the gas hob?

I was also wondering about whether slow cookers are any good at reheating food or would the food dry out?

Thanks again

Pink.

Slow cookers are very economical to run, much more so than the gas hob.....have a look at some of the links in this thread.

You could reheat food in a slow cooker, it's rare for food to dry out as there is little or no evaporation when using a slow cooker. However, to reheat food it is probably just as economical and much quicker to use the hob or the microwave.

Good luck with your decision.

Pink

carrottopsuk

I bought a cookworks slowcooker from Argos today for £8.99.

Thought I would give it a try as I like my soups and thought it would be worth buying it to come home from work to a hot meal or soup.

I will have to try something more adventurous than soups so will try and find some Veg curry/chilli/casserole recipes like everyone suggested.

Thanks again

FrenchMaid_2

Sorry if this has been done before but I am new here *waves*.

I am vegetarian but wondered if any of you are too and use a slow cooker - am thinking about getting one - just saw one on offer for £10 and thought it might be a good idea!


Would you still have to soak beans and lentils (green,black, brown) overnight?

Thank you

Mel

belfastgirl23

I have to say as a veggie myself I've got no use out of mine at all No matter what I put in it, it always comes out as vegetable mush. DH likes it (thinks it's like irish stew) but I really really don't, and I'll eat most things.

I'd say borrow one from a friend if you can before you invest in one.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and if anyone has any advice at all I'll be v keen to hear it.

lolarentt

I'm afraid I agree with bg23 - can't see the point of it for veggie cooking (you'd still have to soak your beans initially they shed skins misshape etc if you don't). Since we went veggie 20 odd years ago I rarely use the pressure cooker either - only the microwave holds it's own!!

oldMcDonald

We are a family of veggies and vegans and I love my slow cookers. i have a huge one and a smaller one and use them at least once a week, more in the winter.

I like the fact that I can throw the ingredients in and then forget about them until it is time to eat. I use mine to make stews, soups, bake my own beans, porridge overnight for breakfast the next day, steaming the Christmas pudding, stewing fruit, making rice pudding........the list is endless!!

There are a good couple of books that are worth bying or borrowing from the library:

125 best vegetarian slow cooker recipes
Simple vegan slow cooker
Vegetarian recipes for your slo-cooker

Please don't give up on your slow cooker if you are a veggie, I promise that there is more to them than stew

** Edit to add: Yes, you do still have to soak the beans, or (if like me you forget!), boil them for 10 mins and then leave them to soak for an hour

Quackers

FrenchMaid wrote: »

Sorry if this has been done before but I am new here *waves*.

:hello: :hello:

Welcome to MSE FrenchMaid

I'm a [STRIKE]vegetable[/STRIKE] veggie and use my slow cooker lots.

Mostly for soup though. I am out all day so its great in the winter to put lots of veggies in and then I just blend it up at night.

I do make stews in it too but have to admit to not using it for much else.

Thats just down to my lack of imagination though

I think it'd be worth it for £10 anyway