This is a photo from the Kohl's site of the exact slow cooker I bought. It is a Hamilton Beach "Stay or Go" 6 quart. I highly recommend.

Last week I made a chicken bake thingy with cream of mushroom soup, peas, and stove-top stuffing.  It was eh.  The husband doesn’t like the mushier dishes, and it was only so-so.  BUT on Sunday, I tried my hand at a butternut squash dessert.  And Oh. My. Goodness.

Anywho, here’s the gist of what I did:

• roast a halved butternut squash (sans seeds and whatnot, 450 for an hour)
• remove from peel and place in mixing bowl
• add chopped apples (I used the only 3 Gala apples we had left, and large chunks worked well)
• stir with a couple tbsp honey and a squirt of fresh lemon juice to freshen up the taste
• I added some golden raisins because they are sweet and they seemed like a good idea.
• add a handful of walnuts, or however many of whatever nut you like
• add a sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg and mix gently

Mix this dish together and then place in the bottom of your lightly buttered/oiled/greased crockpot.  Set the crockpot for 4 hours on low.  This was the perfect time because the apples were soft, and the squash was reminiscent of pumpkin pie consistency.  MMMMMMM.

I got my inspiration for the topping from Skinnytaste because hers looked oh-so-yummy.   I’ve been really into this blog lately after a friend of mine told me she had found some good recipes there.  We can all stand to cut some calories, right?  So I’ve been perusing the site every so often, and she has such great little tricks that don’t over-do the whole “low-fat” product thing, which I try to mostly stay away from since those products have more sugar.  Not to mention, they are NOT satisfying.  I got some 100 calorie packs a couple weeks ago, and I ended up eating 3 of the dadgum packs.  And I still wanted something sweet an hour later.  I say have the 3 stinking oreos, ya know?  And let me tell you, whole wheat flour is changing my world.  I am very pleased with all the recipes I’ve tried from Gina over at Skinnytaste, so I hope you give her a try as well.

So here’s what she used for her topping on her Cinnamon Apple Crisp:

• 1 cup Quaker quick rolled oats*
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (not packed)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (half stick) butter, melted

* I used rolled oats that I got out of a bulk bin at Whole Foods instead of quick oats because that’s just what I had on hand.  I’m sure either would be fine.

Mix the above ingredients and sprinkle over the squash and apple mixture in the crockpot.  Put the lid on, and get your errands done.  When you get ready for dinner, this little beauty will be waiting for your dessert.  Be forewarned: If you want something uber-sweet, this is not the recipe for you.  I really can’t eat super sweet desserts too often anymore; the effect is like that of Coke or carbonated sodas insofar as I get a stomach ache like you wouldn’t believe.

I knew I could enjoy butternut squash as a dessert, and I was right.  Add some frozen vanilla yogurt and wow!  It might not be fully fall just yet outside, but my kitchen is ready to go.

**Forgive me for not including a picture of the deliciousness!  It was too good!

Anyway, these things are super easy to make and handle.  You just follow the instructions for hydrating the wrappers.  They are easier to deal with if you just make sure all of the surface area has been covered by water and then quickly transfer to your work area while they are still hard and papery.

Then you just pile in whatever filling you like and then wrap up like you would a burrito.  Just make sure you include fresh basil and mint.  These are a must, trust me.

Our filling included:

• plain chinese noodles, cooked
• marinated and baked tofu–  I just marinate in soy, bake until slightly crispy, and let cool before I start the spring rolls.  This is also a great way to use any leftover tofu or protein you have from a previous meal.  Shrimp, tempeh, pork, anything you like.
• bean sprouts
• matchstick carrots
• fresh basil
• fresh mint
• sliced cucumber
• chopped fresh green onions

Now for the Thai-inspired Peanut Sauce.

J looked up several recipes while I was baking the tofu, and none of them really appealed to me.  So I just kinda threw together bits and pieces of things I saw.  I don’t have exact measurements because I was adding and tasting as I went.  I just knew I wanted it to be like a peanut sauce we buy in the jar, but better and less spicy.  This recipe makes a lot of sauce, but it’s great on everyday leftovers, and we ate it up in a week.

Here’s what I came up with:

• jar of natural peanut butter, creamy (the unsweetened kind)
• half can of coconut milk (you may have to use more or less depending on the consistency of your peanut butter–just get it to the creamy consistency you like, and it will be good)
• 2 or 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
• a few tablespoons of water (again, just have a cup of water near you, and add until you get the desired consistency of creamy)
• juice of 1 fresh lime
• lime zest of that lime
• approximately 1 tablespoon of fish sauce (sounds weird, but it just adds that little something)
• a couple shakes of dried ground ginger
• several dashes of Mongolian fire oil or chili oil or whatever spicy sauce you usually use to add the heat
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• approximately 1/4 cup sugar or sweetening agent like agave syrup –be careful with this, especially if you used a sweetened peanut butter.  Add a little at a time until you get your desired sweetness.  I like a perfect blend of sweet, salty, and spicy, but that may not be your forte.

I kept adding the fire oil until I got some heat.  The sugar balances it nicely.

The spring rolls will keep for a few days, so if you have leftovers, they are EXCELLENT for the next day’s lunch.

Many of these measurements of vegetables are approximate. As with all soups, just throw whatcha got in there.

• one large onion, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp EVOO
• 2 “Non Chicken” bouillon cubes
• 4-6 cups water
• 1.5 tbsp mild white miso
• 1.5 tbsp tomato paste
• half can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can navy beans
• 3/4 cup wild rice/brown rice blend (or whatever left over cooked rice you have around)
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup frozen white corn
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach

1. Saute onion in EVOO until  translucent
2. Add a little of the water to dissolve the bouillon cubes
3. Add the miso and the tomato paste and stir to dissolve those, too
4. Pour in the rest of the water and the rest of the ingredients except the spinach.
5. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
6. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes.
7. Add spinach right before serving to let it wilt just so.

I didn’t have any croutons, but they would have been super good with this.

This version of Vegan Mac n Cheese makes a creamy and healthy sauce that could really be used for anything.

My review is a 4 out of 5.  It doesn’t really taste like cheese, but it is a tasty little sauce.  It has a nice consistency, and I will be using it again.  I guess it is losing the point because when I first tasted it, I made a little face.  I started “dashing” more of certain spices, so I think I could make this without all the measuring devices next time. *My changes are in italics beside the ingredient*

Le Vegan Mac n Cheese by Susan V over at Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

“Easy Macaroni and Cheeze”

You can make this dish creamier by adding Earth Balance margarine. Try it the low-fat way first, and if you need it to be richer, add a little margarine to taste. This recipe is also low in sodium, so salt-lovers may need to add salt.

1 pound pasta (regular or gluten-free)

Blend together:
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup plain, fat-free soymilk (may use other non-dairy milk)
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch (I used cornstarch and it was a perfect consistency)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste) (Um, yeah, I don’t know how much more I added to this, but it was definitely more)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (a good dash or two more)
1 teaspoon onion powder (a good dash or two more)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (a good dash or two more)
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (I have not been able to find this for the life of me.  I used regular paprika, and I used about 1 tsp)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (a good dash or two more)
pinch cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon mellow white miso (or additional salt) (I got this at Whole Foods, but if you can’t find it, it probably won’t hurt the flavor one bit.)
black pepper to taste

Put the pasta on to boil, according to package directions. While it’s cooking, blend all remaining ingredients together in a blender. When the pasta is al dente, drain it, reserving about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and return the pasta to pan. Add the sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until mixture boils and thickens. Add a little of the pasta water if more moistness is needed.

If the sauce is not as flavorful as you’d like, add a little more mustard and onion powder.

Note: My daughter likes her macaroni a florescent yellow, so I usually add more turmeric.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 303 Calories (kcal); 4g Total Fat; (10% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 54g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 316mg Sodium; 5g Fiber. Also, if you use nutritional yeast fortified with B-12, one serving provides 100% of the daily requirement of that vitamin.

Additional Uses: Heat the sauce alone until it thickens and use it to pour over baked potatoes or top pizzas. Or stir in some salsa and it makes a yummy dip for tortilla chips.

Don't mind me and the sloshed look of this yummy stew in the bowl. I guess I was really excited to taste its spice-happy goodness.

The spices really make this, so try not to leave too many out. Red lentils have become my new favorite protein source, but you could use regular ones and this would be just as tasty. My official review of this is a 5 out of 5 because it was a one pot meal, it was full of flavor, and it was low in fat. I added carrots because I had some from the organic produce store, and I thought they would be good. They were. If you don’t like any of the vegetables, you could probably substitute ones you like and it wouldn’t matter much. The spices and the lentils are really where it’s at. If you do use regular lentils, I might use less than this recipe calls for. This recipe comes from The Fat Free Vegan blog. She is from Mississippi (a definite plus, although I sometimes don’t know where she finds all of her ingredients down there!), and most of the stuff I have tried has turned out pretty good…with a few additions on my part, mostly in salt, oil, or other flavor additions. Also, she calls it soup. It was pretty thick, and I like it that way, so I’m going with “stew.”

(I’ve italicized my changes to the side of the ingredient)

Ethiopian-Inspired Red Lentil Soup

1 large onion, chopped
1 pound potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 + 1/4 cup red lentils (picked over and rinsed)
3 cups water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 tablespoons berberé spice mixture, below
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (I keep forgetting to get these at the store, so I just used about 1/2 of a a big thing of tomato paste)
1 pound green beans, fresh or frozen, cut into bite-sized pieces (I only had canned so I drained them and added to the mix)
1-2 cups water
salt to taste
3-4 cups fresh spinach (I didn’t have this, so I chopped 3 carrots. I suspect the fresh spinach is really good, though)

Berberé Spice Mixture (mix all together and store in jar):
*I just added a pinch or two of each of these since I wasn’t sure if I would like the mixture.
1 Tbs. ground cardamom
1 Tbs. ground coriander
1 Tbs. fenugreek
1 Tbs. ground nutmeg
1 Tbs. ground cloves
1 Tbs. ground allspice
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1 Tbs. paprika
1 Tbs. turmeric
1 tsp. cayenne (use more to taste)
1 Tbs. ground black pepper
1 Tbs. ground sea salt (optional) (I probably added more, but I never really measure salt. I just eyeball it)

Sauté the onion in a non-stick pan until it starts to brown. Add the potatoes, lentils, 3 cups water, garlic, and spice mixture. Simmer, covered, over low heat until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes, green beans, and enough additional water to create a thick soup. Check the seasoning, adding salt and more of the spice mixture if needed, and cook for about 15 more minutes. Just before serving, stir in the spinach. Serve immediately. Makes 6-8 servings.