Cooking & Baking

justaprogressive

(5,939 posts) Wed Nov 19, 2025, 01:35 PM 11 hrs ago

Cooking On Pennies XVI: Five More Recipes From "Vegan On The Cheap" 🌞

Positively Pantry Chili

Makes 4 to 6 servings

When there’s no time to cook, go to the supermarket, or stand around
and watch a pot, you’ll be glad you have a well-stocked pantry and a
slow cooker. In less than five minutes you can combine these pantry
ingredients in the cooker, then walk away. In a few hours, a hot and hearty
chili will be ready to serve.

1 (24-ounce) jar chunky tomato salsa or picante sauce
1⁄4 cup barbecue sauce or ketchup
2 tablespoons chili powder
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup water, or more
1 1⁄2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 1⁄2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained
and rinsed
1 1⁄2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1⁄2 cup bulgur (optional)
1 (16-ounce) can corn kernels, drained or 2 cups thawed frozen corn kernels

1 Pour the salsa and barbecue sauce into a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker. Add
the chili powder, salt, cumin, oregano, paprika, and sugar, and stir to
blend. Stir in 1 cup of water, then add all the beans and bulgur, if using.
(If using bulgur, add an additional 1 cup water.) Mix well.

2 Cover and cook on Low until the chili is thick and the fl avors are well
combined, about 6 hours. About 10 minutes before you’re ready to serve,
stir in the corn and then taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary.
Serve hot.

Variation

Stovetop Version: For a quicker version of this chili, combine all the
ingredients in a pot and simmer on the stove for 45 minutes to an hour,
stirring occasionally.

Splurge a Little

Garnish with diced avocado.

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Smoky Red Bean Chili with Chipotle-Cornbread Dumplings

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Making chili in a slow cooker deepens its flavor, in this case the sultry intensity of smoked paprika and chipotle chiles. The rich chipotleflecked cornbread dumplings on top make it hard to resist. To vary the texture, substitute 11⁄2 cups chopped seitan for part of the beans. Freeze any remaining chipotles for another use.

Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large red onion, minced
1 medium green bell pepper, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 cups cooked or 3 (15.5-ounce) cans dark red kidney beans,
drained and rinsed
1 chipotle chile in adobo, minced
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper

Dumplings

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
3⁄4 cup plain unsweetened soy milk
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 or 2 chipotle chiles in adobo,
finely minced

1 Make the chili: Pour the oil into a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker. Add the
onion, bell pepper, and garlic.

2 Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano. Stir in the crushed
tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice, beans, chipotle, water, salt,
and black pepper. Put the lid on and turn the heat to Low. Cook until the
chili is thick and the fl avors have developed, 6 to 8 hours.

3 About 45 minutes before serving time, make the dumplings:
In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, fl our, baking powder, and salt.
Stir in the soy milk, oil, and chipotle until just combined. Do not overmix.

4 Increase the heat to High and drop the batter by the spoonful onto the hot
chili. Cover and cook on High until the dumplings are cooked through,
about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Splurge a Little

Replace the green bell pepper with a red bell pepper

***********

About the Beans in These Recipes

Other than the recipes that use lentils and split peas, recipes calling
for beans use cooked beans. The reason for this is threefold: (1) Beans
cooked in a slow cooker should be prepared separately because they
take longer to cook than other ingredients, and this will also allow you
to cook a large amount of beans that can be portioned and frozen for
use in recipes; (2) cooking the beans separately before adding to the
recipe improves their digestibility; (3) by using cooked beans in the
recipes, this allows you to use canned or other “on hand” beans for
quick assembly.

******************************************************************************

Seitan and Mushroom Goulash

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Hungarian goulash is a hearty stew traditionally made with beef
and sauerkraut, made creamy with the addition of sour cream. In
this version I use seitan and mushrooms, which have a natural
affinity to sauerkraut. Vegan sour cream adds a luscious creamy texture
to the sauce. Serve over cooked egg-free noodles. If egg-free vegan
noodles are unavailable, fettuccine noodles broken into thirds are a
good alternative.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely
chopped
8 ounces Seitan, cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
8 ounces white mushrooms, lightly rinsed, patted dry, and halved,
quartered, or thickly sliced
2 cups sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1⁄4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3⁄4 cup vegetable stock
Salt and black pepper
1⁄2 cup **Vegan Sour Cream
Cooked hot noodles

1 Pour the oil into the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker and turn it on High.
Cover with the lid while you assemble the remaining ingredients.

2 Add the onion, seitan, mushrooms, sauerkraut, tomatoes, paprika, wine,
and caraway seeds.

3 In a small bowl, combine the tomato paste and about 1⁄2 cup of the stock,
stirring to blend. Add the tomato paste mixture to the slow cooker, along
with the remaining stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The
amount of salt needed will depend on the saltiness of your stock.) Put
the lid on the slow cooker and turn the heat down to Low. Cook until the
vegetables are tender and the fl avors have blended, 6 to 8 hours.

4 Just before serving, stir the sour cream into the goulash. Taste and adjust
seasonings, if necessary. Serve hot over noodles.

**Vegan Sour Cream

Makes about 2 cups

Commercial vegan sour cream is delicious and convenient but it can
be expensive, so here’s a recipe to make it yourself. Use it in any recipes
calling for sour cream (such as the Seitan and Mushroom Goulash,)
or as a topping for baked potatoes.

1 (10.5-ounce) package firm silken tofu
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Crumble the tofu into a blender or food processor. Add the remaining
ingredients and process until smooth and well blended. Taste and adjust
seasonings, if necessary. Transfer to a container with a tight-fi tting lid and
store in the refrigerator, where it will keep for several days.

****

**Simple Simmered Seitan

Makes about 2 pounds

Unlike the traditional and time-consuming “knead and rinse” method of
making seitan, this shortcut recipe uses wheat gluten flour, also known
as vital wheat gluten, instead of regular whole wheat flour. Use this
seitan in any recipe calling for seitan. After cooling completely, if not
using right away, it can be wrapped tightly and frozen for future use.

Seitan
1 3⁄4 cups wheat gluten flour (vital wheat gluten)
1⁄3 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
11⁄2 cups water or vegetable stock
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
Simmering Broth
7 cups water
1 medium onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1⁄4 cup soy sauce

1 Make the seitan: In a large bowl, combine the fl our, yeast, onion
powder, paprika, and salt. In a medium bowl, combine the water, soy
sauce, and oil.

2 Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring to make a soft
dough.

3 Knead for 3 minutes, then let rest for 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 2
to 4 pieces (depending on your needs).

4 Make the simmering broth: In a large saucepan, combine the
water, onion, garlic, and soy sauce. Add the seitan pieces to the liquid
and bring just to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour. Do not let the liquid come to
a boil. The seitan can be allowed to cool in the liquid and then refrigerated
until needed for recipes. Seitan keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days
or in the freezer for 2 to 3 weeks.

****************************************************************************

Four-Grain “Polenta”

Makes 6 servings

Loaded with protein from tofu, chickpeas, and four different grains, this
flavorful and economical comfort food dish reminds me of a cross between
polenta and stuffing—and it can be served like either one. To
serve it like stuffing, spoon it onto your plates and top with **Creamy
Mushroom Gravy . For a polenta-like dish, replace the thyme
and sage with basil. Then, to serve, spoon it into shallow bowls and
top with a marinara sauce.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, minced
1 medium carrot, minced
1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 1⁄2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5-ounce)can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1⁄4 cup soy sauce
1⁄3 cup brown rice
1⁄3 cup millet
1⁄4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
1⁄3 cup old-fashioned oats
1⁄3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 1⁄2 cups vegetable stock

1 Lightly oil the insert of a 4-quart slow cooker. Pour the oil into the slow
cooker. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Put the lid on the cooker and
turn to High while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

2 In a food processor, combine the tofu, chickpeas, and soy sauce, and
process until smooth. Set aside.

3 Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker.

4 Stir in the tofu-chickpea mixture and mix well to combine. Put the lid back
on the slow cooker and turn down to Low. Cook until the grains are tender
and the liquid is absorbed, 6 to 8 hours. Serve hot.

Splurge a Little

Drizzle with balsamic syrup or walnut oil.

**Creamy Mushroom Gravy

Makes about 2 1⁄2 cups

This easy all-purpose gravy is so rich and fl avorful, you’ll want to use
it on everything, from veggie burgers to rice and beans. It’s also great
on seitan, grain and bean loaves, and as a binder for noodle and potato
casseroles.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1⁄2 cup minced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1⁄2 cups chopped white mushrooms
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
11⁄2 cups vegetable stock (page 45)
1⁄4 cup plain unsweetened soy milk
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon browning sauce, such
as Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master

1 In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion,
cover, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and
mushrooms and cook, stirring, until softened. Stir in the soy sauce, thyme, salt,
and pepper.

2 Transfer the mushroom mixture to a high-speed blender. Add 3⁄4 cup of
the vegetable stock and blend until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients
and blend until smooth.

3 Return the mixture to the same saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring
constantly. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring until the gravy is
thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve hot

*********************************************************************

Tempeh Pot au Feu

Makes 4 servings

Did you ever notice how almost anything French sounds delicious and
expensive? This pot au feu (literally “pot on fire”) is delicious but only
sounds expensive—it’s a country French mélange of super-cheap veggies
and tempeh simmered in a tasty broth. This makes a great Sunday
dinner and depending on the size of your cooker, you can add more
veggies to feed a crowd or, if you have a smaller slow cooker, cut back on
the volume of ingredients. Serve with a dab of horseradish or mustard
on the side and sliced and toasted baguettes to sop up the flavorful
broth.

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces tempeh, cut into 1-inch
strips
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 small white potatoes, halved or quartered
2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
2 small turnips, peeled and quartered
1 small rutabaga, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bouquet garni (see Note)
4 green onions, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cups vegetable stock
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper
Coarse-ground brown mustard, for garnish
Horseradish, for garnish

1 In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the tempeh and cook
until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer the tempeh to a 6- to
7-quart slow cooker.

2 Add the onion, potatoes, carrots, turnips, rutabaga, celery, and garlic to
the cooker. Add the bouquet garni and the green onions. Add the stock,
wine, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. (The amount of salt needed will
depend on the saltiness of your stock.) Cover and cook on Low until the
vegetables are tender, 7 to 8 hours.Slow-Cooker Favorites 211

3 Remove the bouquet garni and discard. Transfer the vegetables and
tempeh to a large platter. Pour the broth into small cups and serve as a fi rst
course or alongside the entrée. Accompany with small bowls of the mustard
and horseradish.

Variation

Use sliced seitan instead of the tempeh. Add a small head of cabbage,
cut into wedges.

Note: For the bouquet garni: In a 5-inch square of cheesecloth (use
a coffee filter or tea ball if you don’t have cheesecloth), place the following:
1 teaspoon whole cloves, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, 2 or 3
crumbled bay leaves, 1 teaspoon celery seeds, and 1 teaspoon dried
thyme. Close up the cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine.

Splurge a Little

If desired, include leeks and parsnips in the vegetable
mélange, omitting the green onions and using fewer turnips
or carrots. Serve with cornichons on the side

All the above from "Vegan On The Cheap"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7576756-vegan-on-the-cheap

Delicious, and inexpensive! Enjoy!