I used to have a recipe book that had a beet potato hash in it, but I’ve long since given it away. So here’s my newest recipe for root veggie hash.

Red Flannel Veggie Hash

• 3 potatoes, diced
• 1 sweet potato, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 small beet, diced
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbl Cajun seasonings – no or low sodium if possible (make your own with these recipes)
• 1 Tbl olive oil or veggie broth to saute in
• salt and pepper to taste

Put diced beet in small sauce pan with water. Put the other diced potatoes, sweet potato and carrot in a larger pan and cover with water. Cook both pans over medium heat until roots can be easily pierced by a fork. Drain in a colander when done.

Heat oil (or broth) over medium heat, add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and saute a minute more. Add the cooked diced root veggies.

Spread the mixture in the pan, cook until  browned and a nice crust appears. Sve with toast and scrambled tofu.

I may not be feeling too good today, but I am still eating well. I just finished some Thai noodle soup (lemongrass flavor) from Thai Kitchen, which is my veggie version of chicken soup – only no chicken and nothing crappy in it. I grew up on Campbell’s soup – nothing much natural there!

I thought this would be a good day to praise oatmeal. Here in Durham it’s cloudy and raining, and in the 50’s. Definitely a change from 70 degrees on Sat., now that was a nice day! But back to oatmeal – it’s healthy, fairly cheap, and there’s nothing like waking up to it ready and waiting in the crockpot in the am.

Crockpot Oatmeal

serves 2 large portions

3/4 cup steel cut oats
2 cups water

Sleepily throw these two ingrdients in a small crockpot,like the little dipper.
(If you use a larger one you may need to add extra water and definately cook it on low.)

And then plug it in, the little crockpots cook on low. You can oil the pot first so you have no oatmeal sticking to the sides, but I just soak it all day and the stuck oatmeal comes right out. Plus the dog loves the leftovers as an afternoon snack.

Cook all night and wake up to breakfast!

Additions:

• Chop a peeled apple and put a handful of frozen blueberries in the mix with cinnamon – then cook all night
• Add a handful of dehydrated strawberries and same ground ginger in after cooking
• Add Orange flavored cranberries with a touch of cinnamon
• Try it with other fresh and frozen fruit and let me your favorites!

I know you can use other styles of oats in the crockpot, but I’m not sure of the water to oats proportion.