Cranberry Vanilla Quinoa

Cranberries spilling out of bowl on wooden table
Prep Time: 
5 minutes (6-8 hours slow cook time)
Number of Servings: 
2
Recipe Source: 
The Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester ($19.99, Fair Winds, 2011)

Ingredients

  • 1 12 cups quinoa 
  • 2 12 cups vanilla-flavored almond milk, plus more as needed
  • 14 cup dried cranberries
  • 12 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 12 tsp vanilla extract (or scrape 14 tsp vanilla paste from a split whole vanilla bean
  • 18 tsp stevia (optional)
  • Slivered almonds, for serving

Equipment

  • Slow Cooker

Directions

  1. The night before: Rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer to remove bitter coating.
  2. Oil crock of your slow cooker.
  3. Combine quinoa, milk, cranberries, applesauce, vanilla, and stevia in slow cooker.
  4. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
  5. In the morning: Stir quinoa, and taste and adjust seasonings, or add more liquid. Top with slivered almonds.

Notes

  • This recipe uses a 1 12 to 2-quart slow cooker. You can double or triple the recipe and use a larger slow cooker if you like.
  • Some dried cranberries and applesauces contain ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid, like lemon juice, will curdle even nondairy milks. If yours contain it, cook with water instead of nondairy milk. 
  • Try switching out different flavors of apple or pear sauce, or using fruit butters or purees.