Vegetarian Freezer Crock Pot Meals
Provided by Brittany Wolfe
One of my biggest challenges when I decided to give up meat was finding or creating quick and easy meals for the whole family. A roast with veggies, a beef stew, shredded Mexican chicken for enchiladas and a protein rich chili were all in my meal rotation and without those, I felt kind of lost. I was pretty sure healthy, family friendly and quick vegetarian meals were just a myth. After searching pinterest and a few unsuccessful attempts, one of my biggest challenges when I decided to give up meat was finding or creating quick and easy meals for the whole family. A roast with veggies, a beef stew, shredded Mexican chicken for enchiladas and a protein rich chili were all in my meal rotation and without those, I felt kind of lost. I was pretty sure healthy, family friendly and quick vegetarian meals were just a myth. After searching pinterest and a few unsuccessful attempts, I’ve started to compile a pretty good list of meatless meals that are not only quick and easy to throw together, but also healthy, family and freezer friendly! Whether you’re vegetarian or just looking for an awesome recipe for Meatless Monday, these meal ideas are sure to be a quick and easy crowd pleaser!
One of my favorite ways to sneak a ton of veggies into my toddlers diet is this crock pot spaghetti sauce. If you have a food processor this recipe has a pretty short prep time and you can’t even taste the vegetables. You can divide this into freezer bags or put into jars to store in the fridge. I use this sauce in goulash, add it to chili in place of the diced tomatoes, and into other meals throughout the week.
http://http://healthyslowcooking.com/2015/02/14/slow-cooker-vegan-bolognese/
This crock pot chili is a really hearty dish and is great for the cooler weather! The pinto, black and red beans add a good amount of protein and fiber and is a good base for whatever toppings or veggies you choose to add in. You can either toss the ingredients in the crock pot before you leave the house or dump them all into a freezer bag before or after the cooking process to make meal prep a breeze.
VEGAN CHILI
1 cup pinto beans 1 cup black beans 1 cup red beans 1 cup lentils 1 can diced tomatoes 1 onion, diced 1 ancho chili pepper, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced Chili powder to taste Cumin to taste Salt and pepper to taste
Put all ingredients into crock pot. Cover with water and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
This recipe isn’t a crock pot meal but can be frozen for a short amount of time and it’s well worth the effort! I’ve made this pot pie with and without meat and it’s delicious both ways.
http://http://www.thecandidappetite.com/2013/11/06/roasted-autumn-vegetable-pot-pies/