Planet Veggie

I saw these Schwartz slow cooker mixes in the supermarket and, although I don’t use packet mixes very often, it gave me an excuse to use my slow cooker. I bought the sausage and bean casserole mix, which is a mix of tomato, red bell peppers and oregano.

The recipes on the website for the slow cooker mixes are all meaty ones but the mixes are all vegetarian and, anyway, sausages don’t have to be made of meat, do they? For the squeamish, just imagine it says ‘Quorn’ before ‘beef’ and ‘chicken’ on the other ones.

As with all slow cooker recipes you have to begin early but it feels weird preparing dinner at 10:45 in the morning. Still, it only took a few minutes and it was totally worth it. Plus, having it simmering away all day meant all I had to do in the evening was boil some potatoes and vegetables.

Sausage and bean casserole (serves 4)
Recipe adapted from the Schwartz website

8 vegetarian sausages (I used frozen Linda McCartney ones and put them in the slow cooker still frozen)
1 onion, cut into chunks
400g tin cannellini beans, drained
1 sachet Schwartz Slow Cooker Sausage & Bean Casserole
400g tin chopped tomatoes
125ml (4fl oz) water
2 tbsp tomato purée

1. Put the sausages in the slow cooker.
2. Mix the sachet contents with the chopped tomatoes, water and tomato puree and pour over the sausages.
3. Stir through.
4. Cook on LOW for about 8 hours.