Slow Mornin’, Slow Cookin’
It’s no secret in my family that I am NOT a morning person. Seeing me pre-coffee would truly give Scott Baio something to Tweet about, and thankfully, I’m not the only one reluctantly embracing the dawn.
Princess nightgown in full effect, Gigi set up a grocery store in the breakfast nook this morning, carefully laying out her inventory. She announced that she was starting a store “where everything costs TWO DOLLARS.”
I reminded her that she might have some stiff competition from the Dollar Store and she turned to me stone-faced and said, “But our stuff is just better.”
Even if we are talking about the plastic, made in China, misspelled packaging encased “food,” she is right.
My other Little Miss Sunshine is just fine, despite her Roethlisberger concussion-worthy head blow. As I tended to her juice needs with a little fresh OJ this morning, she chucked her full sippy cup straight at me and said, “I WANT CRANBERRY JUICE!!!”
Gigi chimed in, “You can buy it at my store…for TWO DOLLARS!!!”
Since I had nothing but time on my hands, and I’d been feeling inspired by Susan‘s slow cooker adventures, I got to fixin’ a slow cookin’ vegan dinner at an ungodly hour.
Spicy African Peanut Stew
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 sweet potato, cubed (about 1 c. total)
- 1 1/2 t. curry powder
- 1/2-3/4 t. garam masala (depending on how spicy you like it)
- 1 t. cumin
- 1 T. minced ginger
- 2 t. minced garlic
- stevia to taste (I used almost 2 packets of NuNaturals)
- dash of cinnamon
- 1 14 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes, in juice
- 1 can light coconut milk
- 2 c. vegetable stock
- 2 T. natural peanut butter
- 1/2 c. red lentils, drained and rinsed (can substitute quinoa, if desired)
- Optional garnishes: cilantro, chopped peanuts, sour cream or plain yogurt (vegan, if desired)
Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and turn to high for about an hour. This gets your crock pot good and going, then switch it to low for the next several hours.
I felt the need to leave the house since that kind of is the purpose of the slow-cooker, so I packed up Rainbow Brite,
and Madonna,
and we ran to Costco to replenish our organic produce/frozen yogurt stores.
These two attracted more attention than a Taylor Swift/John Mayer dinner date (run Taylor, RUN!). I was a little unnerved when complete strangers asked their names, and got some peculiar looks when I answered, “Gigi and Lulu.”
We came home to a hungry family and an amazing smelling house. For once. It was divine intervention that I nixed the thought to add broccoli to the stew.
Oh. My. Peas. This stew was off the charts delicious, but how could it not be, chock full of my favorite things? You might as well fill a hot tub with Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Reynolds, Joel McHale and Pea Daddy and see if it’d pass my muster.
Speaking of Pea Daddy, tomorrow is monumental in that we are having our first full night without the girls in the last four years, while they have a sleepover at Mimi and Poppy’s. While there could be a million reasons to be excited about this particular Date Night (not wolfing down dinner while checking our watches, shoving movie patrons out of the exits, carrying sleepy girls up to their beds when we get home, etc.), my anticipation lies in two glorious words: SLEEPING IN.
Tomorrow can’t get here soon enough.
Hahahah um, being that I LIVE in Pittsburgh, I love that Roethlisberger reference.
Oh my, that looks DELICIOUS!
I love seeing your two girls and how they play together! I always wished that I had a sister so we can play house together. And 2 dollar store.
Hey Mama Pea, I made almost the same dish tonight in my crockpot – so yummy! I love anything with coconut milk and chickpeas…. but mine was missing out on the PB, good thinkin!
your “Run Taylor” commented reminded me of a story which cracks me up. Years ago, when I lived in Jersey and would hang out at the Jersey Shore (for real, no fist pumping), I would see a lot of bands. Well, about 10 years ago, John Mayer was the opening act for the Pat McGee band and my friend and I hung out with him after the show. She looked at him, looked at me and said (a little too loudly) “that boy is soooo ugly. He’ll never get laid.” She still says she’s eating her words. I agree with you, Taylor should run.
I love my crockpot and the smells that fill the house while it chuggs away.
And enjoy your date overnight
Do I spy sweet potato floating around in there too or am I crazy?
Yes! I’m a moron and forgot to add it. I’ve since edited the post. THANK YOU!!!
sounds delish, and amazingly enough i have most of the ingredients on hand! do you think you could make this without a slow cooker?
I love your girls’ names! What’s up with strangers feeling like it’s appropriate to ask a kid’s name anyway?!?
Ugh– I hadn’t seen that John Mayer/Taylor Swift fiasco. THAT seems like a great idea, Taylor. He’s a real class act.
Great recipe! I am going to put it on the menu for next week! Love the pictures, as always! Also, seeing the fro-yo from Costco got me excited about heading there this weekend!
Have a great night tomorrow!!
Love recipes like this! I can’t wait to dig out my slow cooker and give it a shot.
Have a great time sleeping in…I long to sleep in just until 7am one of these days. Is that too much to ask??
There’s no way anyone could ever confuse Gigi with Madonna. Did you see her on the Haiti telethon? Yikes. Her face doesn’t move anymore.
Your dinner looks awesome! And I’m usually already thinking about dinner first thing in the morning, so I should look into getting a slow cooker. Of course, then I’d also have to not be in a rush in the morning so I’d have time to prepare said meal. Did I mention that I’m also not a morning person?
I’m so glad Lulu is ok today and no worse for wear with her scare yesterday! I was worried! Sounds like she is still feisty and adorable!
PS, love Gigi’s “2 Dolla” store! What an entrepeneur!
nice of you to throw in pea daddy as an afterthought to the orgy of hot men…although i could do without matthew mcconaughey personally.
if i saw your kids in costco, i too, would be the creeper that came over to ask about them too…i mean how can you not?!? they are SO effing adorable. i just made kyle read this post, and he said “she loves those kids so much…they are going to love her so much for having this blog”
just thought id pass on the opinions of your number one NY stalkers (ahem, devoted readers).
I think I want a play date with rainbrow bright + madonna. I’ll come stocked with cranberry juice + $2 bills! haha Your blog never fails to make me smile!
Oh my goodness, I’m so excited for your sleeping in date!!! How fun!!!
Plus, I love you for giving me a good vegan slow-cooker recipe. I have a very nice one and haven’t dug it out in ages!
XO,
Erin
that stew looks amazing! i am always on the lookout for new crock pot recipes~ thanks! have a great sleep in
Sounds like a delicious slow cooker recipe. I don’t cook anything slowly- do you think I could make it in a regular pot? What would the cooking time be?
Enjoy your time with Pea Daddy and all the sleep!
Seriously, there is nothing better than easy dinner and a night (morning) away from the kids! Enjoy your morning in peace!
Oh that sounds delicious!
Hope you and Pea Daddy have the most wondeful date
Love the recipe! And the girls are adorable as usual
OMG. your girls are cuties that people wanna meet..tee hee. Great paul frank shirt though, reminds me of my “cool” days. Have fun on your date night…bow chick a wow wow
Gigi has finally found a store that will take all those $2 bills my grandma used to give me (not because she was sweet, but because they wouldn’t accept them at bingo.)
Can’t believe it’s your first adult sleepover sans kiddos! I would be excited as well (for the sleep part, of course), but not as excited as presented with a tub of those hunky hunks of hunkiness you mentioned above. Or the stew, actually…
That peanut stew looks amazing!
enjoy sleeping in
that soup/stew sounds great! And reminds me that I need to buy more coconut milk.
Happy Friday!
It’s going to be ever more hilarious when LuLu starts chiming in more with Gracie’s hilarious chatterings
If you lived in TX, I would so offer to babysit! Have fun on your no-kids date night!
I’ve seen that recipe on Susan’s site and wanted to try it forever. I think you’ve given me the push I need
It looks amazing!
That recipe looks amazing… the ingredients are going on the list for next week, and we’re not telling Adam its vegan
That slow cooker soup is banging! I love my stinkin slow cooker, it makes life so much easier some days.
I’m getting caught up so I’m happy to hear that Lulu is alright! Thank jeebus kids are pretty sturdy individuals!
Shelters make me cry, ’nuff said.
Hooray for sleeping in! GET IT! And I mean that in lots of ways.
Wahoo for date night, oowah oowah! Hope you are enjoying yourself, ma’am.
I’m convinced there are magical little elves in slow cookers that make things come out extra delicious. Your stew sounds SO good (and I bet the leftovers are even better!).
I’ve made a stew similar to that before, and it’s also really delicious with the addition of edamame, peas and/or spinach. Yum!
Oh my gosh I’m so envious of your date night! I wish the hubby’s and my parents lived close enough to do that! Hope you enjoy every glorious minute of it!
Another Pea family dinnertime classic. Thank you!!!
enjoy your date night! that recipe is going in my rotation asap!
Ok, I think the Gigi Madonna shot is the best picture to ever be on your blog EVER. That is just awesome.
I am very much not a morning person, either. A better way to put it is actually to say I am not a Waking Up person. It doesn’t matter if it’s 6am or noon, I need a good hour after I wake up before I can even speak.
I don’t know what I’m doing to do when I have kids and I have to interact with them about a $2 grocery store upon waking! Ahh!
Enjoy your night (and morning) with Pea Daddy, hope you guys get some sleep!
Leave it to Gigi to get her sista out of her funk to “shopping” for cranberry juice. Sweet dreams M. Pea!!
Ohh, enjoy sleeping in Pea Daddy.
<—naughty
LOVE that soup! Gosh, I need to make it.
Girls after my own heart! I used to play Waitress: get up early on the weekends to “make” my parents breakfast… and then charge them for it.
You did you damn thang’ with the crack-pot, niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice. The question is have you cleaned it out yet or just throw in a grocery bag for insert?
Ohhhh your girl is much more beautiful than Madonna ever was or ever will be.
Give that sleep some hell!!!
I used to love eating African food, love the flavors, but I no longer can eat peanuts : ( But it sure looks yummy!
I bet your house did smell amazing. I’ve completely given up broccoli and replaced it with Brussels sprouts. The don’t smell nearly as bad…in fact, the house doesn’t smell at all after steaming them.
Hope you have fun last night Mama Pea and that you got to sleep late this morning.
John and Taylor…bad bad idea.
anxious to see how your night was!!
Enjoy your empty nest for the the night! The girls are probably just as excited…I always loved sleepovers with my Nana
The stew sounds delish! Have fun being by yourself!
I made your stew tonight on the stove top (I don’t have a slow cooker) and it was really tasty!
just made this (as in, just devoured it and burned my mouth on its goodness) and loved it! what a great, easy and delicious recipe. i will be sure to give you props on my post tomorrow.
I’ve had this simmering in my crockpot all day and just scarffed down a bowl after my workout. Oh my…AMAZING STUFF!!!
I featured this recipe on my blog! =)
http://www.thecleaneatingmama.com/2010/09/gray-day-comfort.html
In the crock pot as we speak!!!
I’m new to your blog and love it! What a life.
What a life, indeed. Welcome, Lindsay.
I am new to your blog and love it. I just bought my sister your cookbook, which is also amazing. I made this soup tonight and am obsessed- I made some brown basmati rice and mixed it together when serving. Delish!!Look forward to trying more recipes. p.s. your girls are beautiful!
Thank you! I’m so glad you found us!
ohhhhh, mama pea. you’re a genius. this stuff is GOOD.
Do you think I could make this soup just in a regular saucepan instead of the crock pot? No tengo un crock pot, but I do have a rice cooker. Would I just need to simmer the soup over the stove for 30 minutes or so?
Exactly! It works great. I’m planning on making it that way this week so I don’t have to drag that frickin’ frackin’ Crock Pot out of the cupboard.
i remember wanting to make this! thanks for the link back. i will make it and devour it. love you! p.s. it’s nice to know you were just as witty in january as you are now, isn’t it?
Ugh. I read old posts and cringe
I just made this for dinner. It’s AMAZING. It tastes so good and was super easy to make. I also love that it is a totally new flavor than anything I’ve cooked, before but I still had most of the ingredients already. Thanks for the recipe!!
Awesome, I’m so glad!
just made this. it was the proverbial sh!t.
just caught up on your blog and made this. again.
Mama Pea – I have made this recipe twice now and I am amazed it came out of the crockpot. I usually hate crockpot meals, but this is amazing! I didn’t have garam masala, so I just subbed ground coriander and cardamom. Delish!
Awesome! It’s one of my absolute favorites.
This is so nitpicky & annoying – but what size can of fire roasted tomatoes did you use?? 14.5 oz or the 28oz can? Thanks for your help!
Not nitpicky at all! It’s a 14 oz. can. I’ve definitely improved my recipe clarity since then…
That stew looks amazing! Now all I need is a crock pot!
Oooh I just made ‘African Peanut Stew’ last week from a recipe over at simply recipes. I loved it and was thinking of variations and then I found your ‘recipea’ here!
Perfect comfort food! Thanks!
Hope you try it…I really do think it’s the best!
I will let you know if I do and how it turns out!
Thanks!
my daughter is allergic to peanuts, do you think it would work with almond butter or can you suggest another nut? seed?
Almond butter would work fine and I think sunflower seed butter would also be great!
My boyfriend can detect a hint of curry in ANYTHING and will gag at the thought (silly man), is there anything I can substitute the curry with?
Hmm…I’m not sure. You could try leaving it out and just bumping up the other spices?
I was thinking about adding some sort of chili powder, but I wasn’t sire if that would totally change the flavor profile.
I’d try cumin instead!
Hi – I am making this yummy-looking stew today, but am not sure about the lentils. I only have dried red lentils. Are these what I should add? Thank you for ALL your wonderful reci-peas!!
Yes, that’s exactly what you need!
I made this today with slight changes due to what I did and didn’t have in the cupboard.
I used dried chickpeas. I just rinsed them (didn’t soak) and they cooked up just fine with this set on low for 8 hours. They did absorb some liquid so I added a bit more veggie stock.
I also didn’t have sweet potato on hand, but I added half a can of organic pumpkin puree. I’ve made this before and know the chunks of sweet potato are great, but the pumpkin flavor seems to be substituting fairly well in a pinch.
Thanks for this great recipe! And I love your cookbook. I am not vegan, but the more I make from your cookbook, the closer I get.
Thanks, Kendra. I love the idea of adding pumpkin! So glad you enjoyed the soup and are enjoying the book.
i don’t know if you remember me…i used to have time to comment on your blogs before school started–then school started and all the crazy activities–everything leading up to halloween already has burned me out and i usually last until january….
anyway, this school year one girl has 5 dance classes a week, and my other daughter does gymnastics twice a week and ice skating once a week–she’s begging me for another gymnastics class—so cool when my girls finally found their thing…
so i still cook from scratch everyday–most meals…i finally got your cookbook about 2 months ago…i made the cinnamon rolls—amazing and so easy….
and today, i made your spicy african slow cooker nut stew (or soup)….it was very very very good…my 10 year old says she always needs this kind of meal after we get back from ice skating–i agree with her…..
i did not have fire roasted tomatoes and went to the store to find out that the store has their brand and it was 60 cents off a can–so i grabbed 10…usually they cost around $2 a can!
what i loved about this nut stew was how easy it was….usually slow cooker meals require some sauteing in a pan before putting it into a slow cooker, but may i say, i was so happy to see this was not the case for this recipe…i spend 2-3 hours in the kitchen a day–and not have to wash another pan/short of a miracle…thank you!
and of course the stew was delicious?!
looking forward to trying more of your recipeas..
Of course I remember you, Eva! I’m so glad I’ve helped ease the pain of having kids in activities! I feel you.
Thanks so much for your feedback. I’m glad your family is well!
Thanks for pointing me to this recipe in your “mediocre photos” post. I made it this morning (also at an ungodly hour, as well as multiple spelt pancakes, green smoothies, wholewheat tuna lasagne and four packed lunches- I feel amazing today) I couldn’t wait till dinnertime. I just had it for lunch. YUM! Definitely on the keeper list to be repeated this winter several times at least!!!!
Wonderful! (and thanks for ignoring the crappy photos)
Ooo, this was delicious. Had to use Thai red chili paste in place of garam masala + curry powder (out!) and regular rather than light coconut milk (on hand). Terrific served up with some pita. Thanks for posting!