Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

Now that we are really in the dead of winter, I have been thoroughly enjoying comfort foods. Anything warm, cheesy, and comforting is the perfect food to end a cold winter day with. Comfort foods are not always the healthiest, so it helps to tweak them here and there to turn them from junk food, to a great meal. The best way to make some great comfort food is in the crock pot. I love that you can just toss everything in and leave it. Its rare to find a great looking vegetarian crock pot recipe, but when I found one for cheesy broccoli casserole, I knew I had a winner.



Inspired by Stephanie 'Dea.

What you need:



2 pounds of broccoli, trimmed
1/3 cup of flour
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of black pepper
1/2 tsp brown mustard
1 cup of fat free milk
1 cup of veggie broth
1/2 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup of shredded mozzerella

What to do:
Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and mustard in a large bowl.
Toss flour mixture with the broccoli and pour into the crock pot.



Pour in the milk, broth, and cover with cheese.



Cook on low for about 6 hours, until broccoli is tender and the edges start to brown.







This casserole was crunchy, creamy, so comforting, and so delicious! There was a hint of spice from the pepper and mustard. I loved that the outsides were crispy. All the spices from the broth made me feel like I was eating a solid cheesy broccoli soup! This meal was the perfect mix of vegetables and creamy comfort. It would work perfectly as a side dish, or a meal on its own!

Will you try this crock pot cheesy broccoli casserole?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Crock Pot Corn and Potato Chowder

There is nothing better than a bowl of warm and creamy soup after a long day at work, and a cold winter day. Of course you could heat up a can of soup, and while I do that on most occasions, I wanted to try my hand at cooking soup myself. Lots of you lovely followers have commented on how easy it is to make a lot of soup at once, and of course it is more affordable (also, potatoes and onions were buy one-get one at the supermarket this week!). I knew I had to work all day on Sunday, so how else could I have a hot bowl of soup waiting for me than making my boyfriend cook it it in my crock pot! I love that with a crock pot you can just put all the ingredients in and it does all the cooking for you. No-fuss hot bowl of soup after a longer winter day - here I come!



Inspired by All Recipes.

What You Need:



5 medium russet potatoes, cubed
2 yellow onions, diced
1 can of corn
2 tablespoons butter
1 12-oz can of evaporated milk
4 cups of vegetable broth (I used 2 cubes of bouillon and 4 cups of water)
celery salt and pepper to taste

What To Do:
Put all of the ingredients, except for the milk, into the crock pot.



Cook on the low setting for 5-6 hours, or until potatoes can split easily with a fork.
Pour in the evaporated milk, and cook for 30 more minutes. Serve hot.









I ate my soup with a side salad and a small panini.



This soup was so flavorful with just a bit of creaminess. I might have overdone it just a tad with a pepper, but it really gave this chowder a nice kick of spice! There was some added sweetness and crunch from the corn. The onions were nice and soft while the potatoes turned this soup into a hardy dish.  It was great coming home to this comfort food waiting for me!

Do you like making soup in the crock pot? What is your favorite kind to make?

Bye from the Veggie Side!

Crock Pot Quinoa & Veggies

Recently, Ben got us a crock pot, which as opened my mind to looking for a whole new set of recipes. While scoping out Pinterest like usual, I would spot lots of slow cooker ideas, and just toss them aside since I didn't have the means to cook them.  I wish I had saved them because now I find myself searching for ideas.  I found this recipe for quinoa and veggies which gave me two firsts to try out: cooking in the crock pot, and cooking quinoa.



I have heard wonderful things about the super food, but have only a little bit of experience with quinoa.  I have only eaten it twice, and I have never cooked it.  Finding a recipe to make quinoa in the crock pot inspired me to try it.  I was always a little unsure about cooking it myself, but if it could be as easy as dumping it in a crock pot, I thought I should be brave enough to try it.

What you need:



2 cups of quinoa
4 cups of veggie broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
About 5 cloves of garlic, minced
About 2 cups of your favorite veggies (I used broccoli, peas, and carrots)
Basil
Pepper

What to do:
Put your quinoa into the crock pot.
Stir in olive oil.
Mix in the veggie broth, veggies, pepper, and garlic.



Cover and cook for about 4 hours.



Once quinoa is done cooking, fluff it with a fork.
Serve hot topped with some basil.





Then I decided to get fancy.





The quinoa had a mild but grainy taste with a nice texture which gave this meal a nice bite. The broth added the perfect mix of flavors, a little vegetabley and a little salty. I love that this lets you add whatever veggies you want. Its really customizable! The only thing I wish came out differently were the carrots, they were just a bit under cooked.  The basil was so fragrant, and went well with the garlic.  I felt like I was eating fancy food from an elegant restaurant, plus it was super healthy and vegan. I can't wait to make this again!

What is your favorite crock pot meal? How else do you like to make quinoa?

Bye from the veggie side!