I call it kind of brand loyalty. Here’s what I mean: whenever Kate Bush releases an album (and the good Lord knows she doesn’t do it often enough), I buy it. Just as I’ll read anything Mary Roach writes, if only in the hopes that her sense of humor will rub off on me; I always end up learning a whole heck of a lot, too. And, whenever I get wind that Kathy Hester has a new cookbook in the pipes, I get my virtual arse over to Amazon and pre-order it. It really doesn’t matter what the subject matter is – I know it’ll be more than good. Happily, Kathy has been steadily providing us hungry vegans with delicious, nutritious, easy, and comforting recipes and her latest book, Vegan Slow Cooking for Two (or Just for You) is another book for which to feel undying fealty. This one speaks especially to me since besides our furry friend, Ike, there are just two in my household. While leftovers are great, there are times you just want enough for one meal. And you want to put the ingredients in a slow cooker and let it do the work.
As with Kathy’s other two books (The Vegan Slow Cooker, The Great Vegan Bean Book), I gave this one a thorough test drive. Life is rough, isn’t it? Let’s take a look under the hood:
Vanilla Fig Oatmeal with Baklava Topping
Serves 2
1/2 cup steel-cut oats
2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
1/2 cup chopped dry figs
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. orange flower water, food grade, optional
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped, or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
FOR THE TOPPING:
1 tbsp. each chopped pistachios, walnuts, and almonds
1 tbsp. agave nectar
Pinch cinnamon
The night before: Spray your crock with oil to help with cleanup later or skip it and just plan on soaking your crock immediately afterward so any stuck-on oatmeal will come right off. Add everything except the topping ingredients to the slow cooker. In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients and store in the fridge until the morning. Cook the oatmeal on low for 7 to 9 hours.
In the morning: Stir your oatmeal well. It may seem watery on top, but if stirred, it should become a more uniform consistency. Top each serving with a few teaspoons of the baklava topping, making it as sweet as you like it.
Recipe shared with permission from Kathy Hester and Fair Winds Press. Kathy and Fair Winds Press have generously given me one copy of Vegan Slow Cooking for Two to give away. Click below for easy-peasy entries!
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Giveaway runs through October 9.
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