A Trio of Tasty Vegan Dishes From Tori Avey 🌞

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Slow Cooker Vegan Chickpea Chili

This easy Slow Cooker Vegan Chickpea Chili is healthy comfort food you can feel good about. Chickpeas, sweet potatoes, cashews and spices.

I developed this Vegan Chickpea Chili during a stressful week. This easy slow cooker recipe was exactly what my family needed. It’s comforting, healthy, nourishing and flavorful. Best of all, it’s completely vegan with all the hardy satisfaction of a meat stew.

Ingredients

5 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans (or 3 cans chickpeas 15 oz. each, drained)
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
2 ribs celery, diced small
2 medium onions, diced small
2 red bell peppers, seeds and stem removed, diced small
2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 3/4 cups diced fire-roasted tomatoes (1 can)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 cups raw cashews
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons curry
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 cups low sodium vegetable stock, or more if needed
Fresh parsley or cilantro sprigs for garnish

Instructions

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onions, bell pepper and 1 tsp salt. Cook on medium for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and have nice color. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 additional minutes till fragrant.

Pour the vegetable mixture evenly to cover the bottom of the slow cooker.

Return the saucepan to medium heat and add the fire roasted tomatoes and vinegar. Use a spoon/spatula to scrape up any brown bits that remain in the pan. Once the mixture begins to boil, turn off the heat. Continue to scrape up as many of the brown bits as you can. Add the mixture to the slow cooker.

Add remaining ingredients and spices to the slow cooker (reserve garnish), stir to combine and cover. Cook for 4 hours on high setting.

After 2 hours, check your moisture level and add more stock if desired. Continue cooking for remaining 2 hours, or until chili is cooked through. Serve warm, garnish with parsley or cilantro if desired.

https://toriavey.com/slow-cooker-vegan-chickpea-chili/


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Vegan Butternut Squash and Chickpea Soup

Low fat, low calorie vegan soup with butternut squash, chickpeas, spinach, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne. Kosher, Middle Eastern, Pareve

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 pounds cubed and peeled butternut squash
3 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or two 15 oz. cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch cayenne
Salt
3 cups fresh spinach leaves

Instructions

In a large pot, heat up olive oil over medium. Add the onion and sauté for about 10 minutes till softened.

Add the butternut squash and cooked chickpeas to the pot.

Cover with 2 quarts (8 cups) of hot water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

Stir in the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and 1/2 tsp of salt.

Cover the pot, lid slightly vented. Let the soup cook for 20-25 minutes, till the squash is tender.

Take the lid off and stir in the fresh spinach leaves. Let them simmer for 1-2 minutes till softened and wilted. Remove from heat.

Serve hot. May be served over steamed brown rice for a more filling entrée.

https://toriavey.com/vegan-butternut-squash-soup-with-chickpeas-and-spinach/

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Middle Eastern Roasted Vegetable Rice

Fluffy basmati rice with turmeric & Middle Eastern spices, roasted eggplant and carrot, chickpeas & pine nuts. Fabulous vegan entree or side dish.

This fancy, fabulous recipe for Middle Eastern Roasted Vegetable Rice can be enjoyed as an entrée or side dish. It’s completely vegan, satisfying, and full of flavor. Roasting the vegetables brings out their natural sweetness. Chickpeas add protein and fiber, and a delicious blend of turmeric and spices adds anti-inflammatory goodness. You will love this flavorful take on vegetable rice!

Ingredients

2 cups white basmati rice
16 ounces eggplant, sliced into 1-inch cubes
2 whole carrots, scrubbed and diced into small pieces
1 3/4 cups chickpeas, cooked or canned and drained
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (parsley can be subbed)
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional – if nut allergic omit)
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Instructions

Rinse and sort the rice for a minute in the colander with cold water. Pour the rice into a medium mixing bowl and cover it with 2 inches of cold water. Let the rice soak for at least 30 minutes, up to 3 hours.

Place a rack in the middle of your oven and heat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking oil spray or brush lightly with olive oil. Spread out the eggplant cubes and diced carrots out on the baking sheet. Drizzle evenly with 2 tbsp olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt, and use clean hands to toss the vegetables, coating them lightly.

Roast for 10 minutes. Stir the vegetables with a wooden spoon, then continue to roast for 15-20 minutes longer until the vegetables are tender and some pieces are caramelizing. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Drain the rice in a colander and rinse again with cold water, shake out the excess water.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a 5 quart pot. Pour in the rice and 1 tsp salt. Stir. Bring the water back to a boil. Let the mixture simmer uncovered on medium for 5-8 minutes, or until water fully absorbs. Stir the rice periodically during cooking, and make sure you’re careful not to cook too long or your rice will begin to stick to the pot.

As soon as all the liquid has absorbed, pour the rice into a colander and rinse with lukewarm water, then drain (this step removes excess starch and makes the rice extra fluffy). Rinse and dry the pot and put it back on the stove. To the rice in the colander, add the turmeric, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, fresh chopped cilantro, chickpeas, roasted diced vegetables and pine nuts (if using). Carefully stir these ingredients into the rice in the colander, making sure spices, vegetables and herbs are well mixed throughout the rice. This may take a few minutes. If your colander is on the small side, you may find it easier to mix the rice and other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I just use the colander to avoid washing an extra dish.

Pour 1/4 cup olive oil in the bottom of the pot on the stovetop and turn heat to medium. Let the olive oil heat up. Carefully scoop the rice with vegetables out of the colander and into the pot– it should sizzle as you place the bottom layer of rice. Continue to mound the rice on top of the bottom layer, forming a pyramid-shaped mound in the middle of the pot. Make a hole in the center of the rice mound with the handle of a wooden spoon, pushing it almost to the bottom of the pot.

Place a thin kitchen towel over the top of the pot, being careful not to let the towel get too close to the heat source. Place the lid tightly over the top of the towel. Reduce heat to low and cook for 30 minutes longer.

Fluff rice with a fork and serve hot. Some crispy bits of rice will form at the bottom of the pan. Eat them and enjoy, or stir them into the rice. They’re delicious!

https://toriavey.com/middle-eastern-roasted-vegetable-rice/


Good, and good for you!