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Vegan Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers

These vegan slow cooker stuffed peppers are so easy!

vegan slow cooker stuffed peppers

I have finally learned to love my slow cooker! Yup, it’s a red letter day. I always loved how easy it is to use it, but honestly, my food was really inconsistent when I used it. I would have to make a recipe many, many times before I finally got it right. I mean, dried out meat is pretty gross…

I feel like a lightbulb finally went off over my head: When I cook vegan food in my cooker, it’s almost always awesome. It’s funny how things work out; I’ve been trying to eat more and more vegan meals, and now my handy-dandy slow cooker has become my partner in crime.  And these vegan slow cooker stuffed peppers are so delicious, so simple, so satisfying, so filling, and so healing — OK, I know, too many adjectives… but, they really are awesome.

I was inspired to make this version of vegan slow cooker stuffed peppers when I saw Lindsay at Pinch of Yum, post her genius recipe.

Let me tell you, even if you think you don’t like vegan food, this recipe will change your mind. Nobody missed the meat at all when I served these peppers. They have a slight Mexican taste and are filled with beans and buckwheat and an amazing enchilada sauce. I sometimes get asked to suggest vegan foods to serve to non-vegans… this recipe now tops that list!

If you’re looking for another great slow cooker vegan recipe, try my Slow Cooker Vegetable Minestrone.

vegan slow cooker stuffed peppers

Here are some ways this recipe for slow cooker vegan stuffed peppers will heal you:

Bell peppers help with indigestion. If you are feeling bloated and full from over-eating a lot lately, consuming bell peppers will help reduce this feeling. They are also good for blood circulation and research has shown that they are good for people with a low appetite or anorexia. It used to be common in China to use green pepper tea to soothe indigestion.

Buckwheat lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, and it’s high in fiber. And, because buckwheat is also high in magnesium, it is the perfect food to combat heart disease. I’ve been substituting buckwheat groats in recipes that call for pasta or rice, or even quinoa… it makes a great risotto, so try it!

In Chinese medicine, black foods are known as the best foods to strengthen the body and nourish the blood. We recommend them for many people who suffer from chronic lower back pain, knee pain and infertility. Black beans have the highest amount of antioxidants of any bean, they are high in fiber and are good for the heart.

Turmeric is actually a Chinese herb (Jiang Huang). It is great for reducing inflammation throughout the body. If you suffer from aches and pains in your joints, try turmeric. It can help relieve menstrual pain and some other abdominal pains but, if you are pregnant, ask your doctor before you eat too much turmeric.

Avocados are one of my favorite foods, both for their health benefits and because they taste great. In Chinese medicine, some practitioners recommend avocados to raise the sperm count. I like them because they are good for anemia, dry skin, palpitations and hot flashes due to menopause.

Cilantro is also known as Chinese Parsley. It is good for the common cold, indigestion, and energy flow in the body. An old Chinese remedy for the common cold and even for measles was to drink cilantro and mint tea. Cilantro is one of those herbs you either love or hate; I’m a lover…

vegan slow cooker stuffed peppers

Vegan Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers
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Recipe type: Slow Cooker, vegan, vegetarian
Cuisine: recipe adapted from: Pinch Of Yum
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
No one will miss the meat in these stuffed peppers. They are filled with Mexican-spiced beans and buckwheat, and they are awesome!
Ingredients
  • 4 large bell peppers, tops cut off and seeds cleaned out
  • 1 cup raw buckwheat groats (you can buy these)
  • 1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 15-oz can refried beans (I used refried black beans, but choose what you like)
  • 1-1/2 cups mild enchilada sauce
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1-1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cup vegan pepper jack cheese (I tried a new soy-free one: "Follow Your Heart" brand, and it was awesome), shredded or thinly sliced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 lime, sliced
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, combine the raw buckwheat groats, all of the beans, the enchilada sauce, chili powder, turmeric, garlic powder, and half of the cheese.
  2. Pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of your slow cooker.
  3. Fill the peppers with the stuffing mixture.
  4. Stand the stuffed pepper up in the slow cooker.
  5. Let the peppers cook on high heat for 3 hours.
  6. Open the cooker and sprinkle the remaining cheese onto the tops of the peppers. Cover and leave on the warm setting so the cheese melts. I left mine like this for about an hour.
  7. Remove the peppers to plates and top with avocado, cilantro, and lime slices.
  8. Enjoy!

vegan slow cooker stuffed peppers

Baked Chicken Tacos

What’s better than baked chicken tacos that can be made in advance… it’s not just for taco Tuesdays!

baked chicken tacos

I’m always ranting about eating healthy, so when I post a recipe like this one, people are often surprised.

Yes, I eat tacos. Yes, you can eat tacos too — and still be healthy!

And, tacos are awesome!

These tacos are made with chicken (and you can cheat a little like I did by shredding up a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken; I was lucky enough to find an organic one…) I used non-dairy cheese and organic taco shells. They are filled with lots of healthy ingredients, taste really decadent, and OMG, they are so good!

One of the best things about this baked chicken tacos recipe is that you can make them in advance and reheat them in the tray right before you want to serve them. The recipe that inspired me to make a pan of baked tacos is from The Cookie Rookie, and it called for those taco shells that have flat bottoms so they stand up by themselves. I didn’t use those because I wanted to use the organic ones, so I lined the bottom of my pan with kale and then nestled the taco shells amidst the kale. This worked great, and as an added bonus, we got to eat the kale!

And if you are looking for another recipe to use up some rotisserie chicken, make my Chicken Sandwiches With Mango Salsa!

baked chicken tacos

Yup, these tacos are healthy:

Chicken is something I push people to buy organic if possible. For this recipe, I used a pre-cooked organic rotisserie chicken from the market, but you can use whatever kind of chicken you have. Organic chicken is a great, healthy protein to give you energy, lessen the pain of some types of arthritis, and boost your system when you are particularly weak — like after surgery or childbirth. People who have some conditions that we consider “excess heat” conditions should limit the amount of chicken they eat. So, if you have an illness that gives you a bright red tongue or severe dryness in your body, check with your doctor first.

Hot peppers contain more vitamin C than any other vegetable and they are good at fighting off the common cold. Whenever I have a cold I eat lots of hot sauce. So, if you like spice, as I do, use a generous amount of whatever hot peppers you like. The main component of hot peppers is capsaicin. Capsaicin actually works with your body and mind to make you feel happy. It’s also good for reducing swelling and can relieve arthritic joint pain. If you have high blood pressure, check with your doctor before eating too many hot peppers because they can actually raise the blood pressure in some people. This recipe uses ground chili powder, ground chipotle chili powder, and fresh hot peppers, so there’s a lot of good hot stuff here!

I filled the bottom of these taco shells with refried beans. I used refried kidney beans, but you can use whatever kind you have. Kidney beans are great for your digestion, can help with both constipation and diarrhea, and can help reduce swelling in the body because of their diuretic capabilities.

Onions are great for your immune system; they are a natural antihistamine. Recently, I recommended that a patient with bronchitis put sliced raw onions in her socks when she went to sleep… she woke up so much better. (I know I’ve told you this before, but it really is awesome!) Onion is a superhero in the food world!

Corn and corn products aren’t allowed in my recipes unless they are can organic. Corn is a crop that’s just too heavily sprayed with chemicals and so much corn is GMO that I really like to be careful. I used organic corn taco shells for this recipe. Corn helps those who have hepatitis, heart disease, and hypertension. Cornsilk is also a Chinese herb (Yu Mi Xu). It’s often used to reduce edema, help with hepatitis and reduce the symptoms of some painful urinary conditions.

baked chicken tacos

 

Baked Chicken Tacos
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Recipe type: tacos, comfort food, Mexican
Cuisine: recipe inspired by: The Cookie Rookie
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12 tacos
These tacos are baked in the oven and can be made in advance and then reheated. They are amazing... and yes, these tacos are healthy!
Ingredients
  • 1 organic pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
  • 1 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 head lacinto (black) kale, thick bottoms of stems removed
  • 12 organic corn taco shells
  • 1 med onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ¾ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp chipotle chili powder
  • sea salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 oz canned chopped green chilies
  • 1 15-oz can refried beans
  • 1 cup shredded vegan mozzarella cheese (or use cheese of your choice)
  • ½ cup Daiya shredded pepper jack cheese (or use cheese of your choice)
  • 1 hot red pepper, sliced
  • 1 hot green pepper, sliced
  • cilantro or parsley leaves, for garnish
  • optional serving ideas: extra salsa on the side, plain coconut yogurt combined with fresh lime juice
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with 2 tsp oil
  3. Lay the kale leaves in the bottom of the dish
  4. Arrange the taco shells on the leaves, so they stand up as best as they can.
  5. Heat 2-tsp oil in a medium skillet.
  6. Add the onion, and all of the spices. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes.
  7. Add the tomatoes and chopped green chilies. Add the chicken. Cook, stirring, about 10 minutes.
  8. Put a big spoonful of refried beans in the bottom of each taco shell.
  9. Next, fill the shells with the chicken mixture.
  10. Sprinkle the cheeses into each shell.
  11. Bake 15 minutes, or until the cheeses are fully melted and the shells are starting to brown on the edges.
  12. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the tacos with the sliced hot peppers and the cilantro or parsley leaves.
  13. Serve with salsa and coconut yogurt mixed with lime juice on the side.
  14. Enjoy!

 

baked chicken tacos