Easy Crockpot Vegan Stew

As usual, my photos rock.

This meal is ugly, but oh so yummy.

To fill a 6qt crock pot.

1 can beans of your choice
1 cup lentils (or another can of beans)
1 bag each: frozen spinach, frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup textured vegetable protein (or 1/2lb ground beef)
1 cup vegan sausage crumbles (or 1 cup cooked sausage)
1 can stewed tomatoes, with juice
3 cups vegetable stock (or beef stock or water)
3-4 large onions
5-6 large potatoes
4-5 celery stalks
3-4 carrots

Dump everything except the onions, potatoes, tvp, and 1 cup of the stock in the crock pot.
Brown the onions in a little oil. Add to crock pot.
Dice potatoes, celery and carrots. Add to crock pot.
Reconstitute the tvp with the reserved stock. Let sit ten minutes. Then add to crock pot.

On low, this will take 6-7 hours. You want to check the doneness of the lentils about 4 hours in. If they still have significant crunch, crank it up to high. When the lentils are soft, this is ready.

Season with salt and pepper right before serving. Potatoes absorb salt and will pull the salt flavor right out of the stew if you add it too early.

Facebook

I'm taking a break from Facebook this weekend. In fact, unless I leave the house alone, my phone is off all weekend. I decided that I need some time to reconnect with my family. We're so busy lately between school, work, babies, errands, etc. It'll be nice to devote two days to my husband and kids.

I've been on the Zoloft for about 4 weeks now. I feel really good. There's still some groggy parts to my day, but overall- I'm a new person. There have been no freakouts, no panic attacks. I haven't even filled my new Xanax prescription because I just haven't needed it. I'm on a low dose of Zoloft, but it feels like I just needed something to take the edge of.

The kids are great! Liam finally figured out how to enunciate "r", so ice cream and the like are coming out perfectly. Haven is growing like a weed and in that giggly grasping for everything stage. He's sleeping about ten hours a night, with only one food break in the middle.

Overall, life is good. I have some recipes and such to post next week, so keep an eye out for those!

Granola bars

So impossibly easy.

4 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup raw almonds, chopped
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the first four in a large bowl.
Mix the last four in a pan and bring to a boil. Then pour over the dry mix and stir well.
Pour into foil or parchment lined 9x13 pan. Then even out and smooth. These are baked at 350 for 15 minutes, or until edges and top are browned.
Rest five minutes, then lift out liner. Use a knife to cut into bars. Let cool completely before handling.
Best stored in fridge, in air tight container. But can be put in a baggie for travel.

Lunch

This was so easy!

Add 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water to a pan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes.

Dump on a plate. In pan, add 1-2 cups spinach, 1-2 cups halved brussel sprouts, 1/2 cup white beans and 1 cup cooked vegan sausage. Cook over medium for about 8 minutes.

Add quinoa back in and stir to combine.