Slowcooker - Vegetarian viewpoint

[zazen999]

That's what I'm thinking...I was more worried about whether things would taste good or not.

Decisions decisions.....

[Seahorse]

Mmmm, Lakeland voucher... drool!

You probably know this already but I think quite a few slow cookers have timers and/or 'hold' facilities. In general, I don't think veggie dishes benefit from long cooking nearly as much as meat ones but if you could set it to come on at (say) an hour before you get home, that might work really well? Especially as veggie stuff is much less likely to go off if it's sitting out for a while.

[zazen999]

Good thinking that girl....will have to look at that when I'm browsing at the weekend.

[jackyspratty]

I have a slow cooker zaz, and although Im not veggie any more, jack is. There is a lovely morrocan chick pea stew we do, beautiful flavours, colours and textures. Id say give it a go and experiment.

Id say yes to the idea of getting one with a timer too.

[grenhouse]

I used to have a slow cooker, but have now switched to a pressure cooker, they are brill! I have memories of soggy sprouts and cabbage (which I happen to like!) from my nans when I was a kid, however I use it for almost everything now!

I think this would be much better for a veggie as you can put your pulses in the pressure cooker and they will cook in 25 mins, rather than the 4 hours they may need in the slow cooker! Also soups are mega quick in there as are pasta sauces and curries, get a pressure cooker!

Steve

[zazen999]

*I'm not getting a pressure cooker*

Thanks anyway!

I cook my pulses the day before I need them - that's not the problem....It's not the mega quick thingy - but when you have been gardening in schools all day and get home at 6, 7, or 8 - I just want to eat!

[Dottie]

I batch cook with the bigger of my slow cookers, cooking lentils and chickpeas, so that I can just defrost small amounts for humous. Chickpeas and veg take a lot longer to cook than all meat dishes, so your not likely to need to worry about your veg over cooking.

The great advantage of a slow cooker for things like courgettes and other soft veg, is the veg won't fall apart as can easily happen if left to long on the hob. One of my fav veg dishes is ratatouille, so I'm really looking forward to trying out my slow cooker this years harvest. I had hoped to get to the plot these couple of days for some parsnips, to cook while I had a stock on the go. If I had of got some parsnips, I decided the best way to cook them in the slow cooker, would be to sliced them. That way I'd know they would cook quicker, however if a load of veg took longer than your working day, then you could just start the slow cooker the night before. It will all depend on the wattage and how hot it gets. My old Tower model never over heats, even when on high setting, but some reviews of newer models complain of burnt food.

I prefer to use an old tower model, as the old models really are slow cook, as they are very low wattage. Some new models are higher wattage and some reviews state can over cook, which is why a timer comes in handy.

I've not looked at what's on offer at Lakeland yet, so don't know how many you can choose from. You may already have done so, but it's worth checking Amazon reviews on the cookers you fancy.

Not having a freezer to batch cook or microwave to have something quick, when you come home late is tough. So from that level a slow cooker does sound like it would be, a helping hand for you. Plus having a voucher makes it feel more like a freebie or a well deserved gift to yourself.

[Jeanied]

Hmmm - I have been pondering exactly the same question. It all started with chicken stock versus veggie stock. From what I gather veggie stock does not improve after 1/2 an hour simmering whereas chicken stock needs as long as you can give it.

[zazen999]

Not having a freezer to batch cook or microwave to have something quick, when you come home late is tough.

We don't have a microwave because they are evil! And because of that, we don't see the point in having a huge freezer - plus there is the space issue for a big freezer. I love cooking and spending time proper cooking - but sometimes it's just too late to start anything and I still want a hot meal when I get in.

Mr Z thinks it's a good idea and with the veggies not breaking up during cooking - that sounds like a good thing....if the taste is there then I think we will probably go for it.

Thanks everyone for the input!

[Snadger]

*Did I mention that liver,bacon, dripping is lush when cooked in the slow cooker*

Whats a vegetable?

[zazen999]

There's always one

[Patchninja]

I eat meat, but we love vegetarian food too. I got a small 2 person slow cooker from Lakeland and it's absolutely brilliant. Also, I recently got a book from Amazon called 125 best vetarian slow cooker recipes by Judith Finlayson that has some great recipes like rigatoni with cheese, vegetable cobbler or stroganoff etc. It's Canadian so some of the recipes are a little strange, but worth a look.
Slow cooking brings out all the lovely flavours that I think pressure cooking does not. I gave mine away

[zazen999]

Thanks Patch - that's the sort of thing I want to hear!!!

[Florence Fennel]

My daughter suggested I get a slow cooker, so it's been really interesting reading this. I did have one years ago, but it was very small, I think I gave it away. What sort of capacity should I be looking at for the two of us?

[chris]

my wife is veggie (mostly).. only eats a small amount of decent meat. she uses the slow cooker all the time. Last meal that was nice was aubergine curry in the slow cooker. Not bad really!

She makes things up, but also follows some recipies - and has made bolonagaise (spelling?) - with quorn mince intead of mince, erm some otehr aub thing, like paramagina or whatever it is loads really. She adopts meat recipes too.

We've not used veggie alternatives (such as veggie sausages) mind, I guess they'd just fall to bits. We use it a lot, but not just for slop chucked in. We've cooked chickens in it too (albeit not what you asked). It's very vertile. In the snow she made french onion soup in it, broke up some french bread - grilled it with cheese on and then placed them in a bowl full of this soup. Sweet, but nice - great winter warmer.