Just The Recipes!

From Robin Robertson's Fresh from the Vegetarian SlowCooker.

SLOPPY LENTILS

3 1/2-4 QT. size slowcooker

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 red, yellow or green bell pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 C dried brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 14.5-oz can crushed tomatoes
3 C water
2 Tbsp tamari or other soy sauce
1 Tbsp prepared mustard
1 Tbsp light brown sugar or natural sweetener
1 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper, cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder and stir to coat.

Transfer onion mixture to the slowcooker. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Serve on buns with a batch of fresh coleslaw.

** Mari's Notes-- I have found that I need to cook the lentils on high for an hour or so with the water first, then I turn to low, and add the rest as usual. But I also add about 1 C barbecue sauce, if I have it on hand, and 1 tsp each ground coriander and cumin, and 1 or 2 whole cloves.

Once lentils are somewhat cooked, add the other wet ingredients carefully, to keep the texture however sloppy you want it. You can also start with less salt and see what you need-- I add soy bacon or soy bacon bits on occasion. Yum.

Taste the mixture an hour before you want to serve it so you have time to adjust the seasonings to your liking. We like it over crusty buns topped with cheddar and hot sauce, or with dill pickles and mustard. Also good over mashed taters.


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Ani Phyo's Rawmesan Cheeze: from Ani's Raw Food Essentials

SHE SAYS: "Sprinkle an extra layer of savory goodness on soups, salads, wraps, and pizzas."

Makes 1/2 C.

1/2 C raw cashews**, ground into a powder
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp sea salt

Mix the ingredients together in a small bowl. Will keep for 5 days in the fridge.


**in a separate section of the book, Ani notes that all seeds and nuts should be soaked or even sprouted before use in recipes. The given soaking time for a cup of cashews is 4-6 hours. Drain and probably pat dry before use in cheeses. The remainder should be kept covered in the fridge, I believe, and will doubtless keep better dry.