Slow Cooker Baked Chocolate Zucchini Cake

We’ve still got an overabundance of zucchini from the garden and while trying to come up with new ways to use it all I stumbled upon baking… in a crock pot. I never would have thought this would work, but I’m so glad it does. With a slow cooker (a.k.a. crock pot) you don’t have to keep an eye on it like you do with an oven. You just pour the batter in, go off to do something else and come back 2 hours later – ideal! The cake is moist and divine… well, what dish with chocolate is not divine?

If you have a really large crockpot, just double this recipe.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup soft brown sugar (if you can find rapadura sugar it’s the best)
2 small eggs
1/2 teas natural vanilla essence
4 T yogurt
1-1/4 cup wholewheat flour
2 T cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice (or nutmeg)
2 cups grated zucchini
2 T dried cranberries (optional)

Instructions:
Mix oil and sugar in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved. Add the eggs beat until creamy looking. Mix in the vanilla and yogurt.

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda & salt into the mixing bowl, then add spices. Mix just enough to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Add the grated zucchini and cranberries and mix it through the batter. I find it easiest to do by hand.

Turn the crockpot on high and spray the inside with spray on oil, then line it with non-stick baking paper. The baking paper will stick to the sprayed on oil.

Slow Cooker Chocolate Zucchini Cake Is Done!

Pour the batter into the prepared slow cooker, cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Depending on your crockpot it may take anywhere from 90 minutes to 2-1/2 hours to cook. Once you learn how long your slow cooker takes you can just leave it to cook and come back after that time to remove it. No need to keep checking like you need to with a conventional oven.

When the cake is cooked, remove the lid and lift out the crock. Be careful it will be hot. Leave it to cool for 20-30 minutes, by that time you should be able to touch the crock without burning yourself. Turn the crock upside down over a wire cooling rack and the cake should easily fall out. After the cake cools completely you can store it in the fridge for a few days – if it lasts that long! It’s nice eaten warm, but the flavor improves after a day in the fridge.

COOK’S TIP:
To line the slow cooker with baking paper…
Take a sheet of baking paper and lid on it. Using the lid of the slow cooker as a guide, trace a line all the way around the lid and trace another line about 2 inches away from the lid all the way around. Use scissors to cut the paper at the OUTER circle. Then make lots of cuts from the outside edge toward the center, stopping at the inner circle. Spray the inside of the crock (bowl) with oil. Now place this cut paper into the crock (bowl) and smooth it out over the bottom and up the sides. If necessary, cut a strip of paper to fit upright against the sides to cover the cut strips and make a smoother surface. You can reuse this paper for several batches of cakes.

Here are some photos, which might help to explain it a bit better:

Step 1: Trace the lid. Trace all around the lid, then draw another line about 2 inches outside of the lid.

Step 2: Make the cuts. Make the cuts from the outside edge, toward the center. Make the cut from the outer line to the inner line.

Then just cut a strip of paper to stand upright and wrap around the inside of the bowl, covering the cut strips. This way it’s really easy to re-use the baking paper for another cake.

Related products you might be interested in:

• Crockpots
• Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker: 200 Recipes for Healthy and Hearty One-Pot Meals That Are Ready When You Are

Related posts:

1. How To Cook Chickpeas In A Slow Cooker Chickpeas are arguably the most delicious and versatile of all...
2. Slow Cooker Lentil & Quinoa Stew This hearty lentil stew is an easy to cook, high...
3. Healthier Sweet Zucchini Muffins Recipe I’ve modified the recipe I posted previously, added more zucchini...

Slow Cooker Lentil Quinoa Stew

This hearty lentil stew is an easy to cook, high protein meal that suits those on low carb diets – such as the South Beach diet and low GI diets. Both lentils and quinoa are high in fiber and protein.

Ingredients:

2 cups brown lentils
1/2 cup quinoa
7-1/2 cups water
1-2 medium potatoes, diced
1/2 small sweet potato, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teas wheat-free tamari (or soy sauce if you aren’t on a wheat-free diet)
2 tablespoons miso
2 tablespoons tomato paste
mixed herbs (any of: oregano, thyme, tarragon, marjoram, sage, cumin)

Instructions:

Rinse and drain lentils, being sure to pick through them to make sure there are no stones. Rinse and drain quinoa. Add to slow cooker.

Dice potatoes and sweet potato, and chop garlic. Add to slow cooker along with herbs (dried or fresh and finely chopped), tomato paste and 6 cups of the water.

Cook on high for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. When the stew thickens and cooks down after about 2.5 hours add 1 additional cup water. Usually the lentils and quinoa will cook before the potatoes do, and potato cooking time will vary depending on how big the pieces are. Once everything is cooked, turn off the heat, add tamari and let set a further half hour.

Mix the miso and remaining 1/2 cup of water, then add to the stew and mix well.

Serves 6.

Serving Suggestions:

• Serve with grated parmesan on top
• Serve with toasted sesame seeds or gomasio (toasted sesame seeds and salt) on top for a vegan alternative
• Use barley instead of quinoa

Related products you might be interested in:

• Crockpots
• Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker: 200 Recipes for Healthy and Hearty One-Pot Meals That Are Ready When You Are

Related posts:

1. How To Cook Chickpeas In A Slow Cooker Chickpeas are arguably the most delicious and versatile of all...
2. Quinoa Salad If you like couscous salads but are looking for something...
3. How To Cook Quinoa Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is gaining popularity as a healthy, high-protein,...

Crock Pot Chickpeas

Chickpeas are arguably the most delicious and versatile of all the legume family. They have enormous health benefits too.

Using a crock pot is simply the easiest way to cook chickpeas (garbanzo beans), but the main reason I cook my chickpeas in a slow cooker is that they come out so beautifully tender. Once you’ve had chickpeas cooked this way you won’t want to go back to canned chickpeas from the supermarket.

Ingredients:
2 cups dried chickpeas
6 cups water
1 teas salt

Instructions:

Cooking Dried Chickpeas

Rinse and drain chickpeas in cold water. Pick out any stones and dark brown chickpeas.

Put drained chickpeas into your crock pot. Add water and salt.

Cook on High for 2-3 hours or until soft. Depending on your tastes and what you are going to use them for you can remove when slightly firm or cook until they are very soft.

When done, carefully pour into a colander, being careful to use oven mitts to handle the crock – it will be hot. Drain and rinse well.

Chickpeas will keep for about 2 days in the fridge. They will keep longer if made into hummus. They also freeze quite well.

Freezing chickpeas:
To freeze chickpeas rinse and drain them thoroughly. Leave to drain well for about 15 minutes. Spread chickpeas onto a baking tray, making sure they don’t touch one another. Put into freezer. When frozen, you can transfer the chickpeas to a freezer bag or plastic container for more permanent storage.

Related products you might be interested in:

• Crockpots
• Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker: 200 Recipes for Healthy and Hearty One-Pot Meals That Are Ready When You Are

Related posts:

1. Slow Cooker Lentil & Quinoa Stew This hearty lentil stew is an easy to cook, high...
2. Chocolate Zucchini Cake in a Slow Cooker We’ve still got an overabundance of zucchini from the garden...
3. How To Cook Quinoa Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is gaining popularity as a healthy, high-protein,...

Splitpea & Chickpea Soup

This thick, hearty stew can make a filling meal all on it’s own, or can be served with warmed pita bread, dipped in olive oil and salt. Or, if you’re feeling really hungry,  a thick slice of homemade wholemeal bread, toasted and served with butter or olive oil. It’s a great winter warmer, but I love it even in the summer, or anytime I’m craving a protein hit.

Ingredients:
2 cups dried green split peas
1 cup dried chickpeas
8 cups water
2 teas tarragon
1 teas oregano
1 teas marjoram
1 teas Moroccan spice
1 T tomato paste
1 T vegetable stock powder
2 T miso paste, or salt to taste
1 handful unflavored TVP pieces (optional)
1 medium potato or sweet potato, diced (optional) *

Instructions:
Put everything but the miso/salt into the crockpot and turn on high. Let cook for 5 hours, or until the split peas cook to the point where they look pureed, stirring occasionally.

Add the miso:
When done, turn off the heat. Mix the 2 T miso with enough water to cover in a small bowl or cup. I like to use young white miso, which is what I’d recommend if you are new to miso as it has the mildest taste. Otherwise, use your favorite miso. Blend the miso paste with a fork until it is dissolved in the water, adding more water as needed. Add this miso mixture to the crock pot and stir in thoroughly.

If you’re not using miso, add salt, herb salt or garlic salt to taste. The flavor of salt disappears during cooking, so by adding salt after the meal has cooked you don’t need as much to get the same flavor.

South Beach Diet Notes:
If you are in phase one of the South Beach diet, leave out the potato/sweet potato. You won’t miss it and this filling, protein-rich meal won’t leave you hungry. Eat on it’s own or with a side salad.

Related products you might be interested in:

• Crockpots
• Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker: 200 Recipes for Healthy and Hearty One-Pot Meals That Are Ready When You Are

Related posts:

1. Slow Cooker Lentil & Quinoa Stew This hearty lentil stew is an easy to cook, high...
2. How To Cook Chickpeas In A Slow Cooker Chickpeas are arguably the most delicious and versatile of all...
3. Garden Vegetable Soup Since I haven’t gotten around to making any raw soups...

Ingredients:
4-5 cooking apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup flour (leave out for wheat free version)
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 teas ground nutmeg
1 teas ground cinnamon
4 T butter, softened

Directions:
Lightly butter the crockpot and lay the apple slices at the bottom of the crock. Combine the sugar, flour, rolled oats, nutmeg and cinnamon, and cut in the butter. Sprinkle the topping over the base of apples. Cook on low or auto for 3-5 hours.

Wheat Free Variation:
I’ve also made this without the flour and it still turned out perfect. It was quite by accident that I left the flour out, but my wheat allergy was starting to come back, so it’s good to find another delicious gluten free dish.

Related posts:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe Like apple juice, the best apple cider vinegars are organic,...
2. Wholemeal Bread – Bread Machine Recipe If you have a bread machine there is no excuse...
3. Healthier Sweet Zucchini Muffins Recipe I’ve modified the recipe I posted previously, added more zucchini...