January is National Slow Cooking Month! When it’s in the 30’s and 40’s outside in the morning (although it's been rising to 70’s around here this week!), slow cooking a big pot of veggies seems the natural thing to incorporate into your routine before heading off to work. Load up the crock pot, and when you arrive home you have a delicious, nutritious and seasonal supper waiting for you! Of course, any slow cooked meal can be made with or without meat, making it an ideal choice for vegans and vegetarians alike.

A simple slow cooking method is to wash up approximately 3 pounds of root vegetables that are plentiful at the farmers' market this time of year. Include carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, kohlrabi and even throw in non-root varieties like butternut squash for complexity in flavor. Cut all the veggies into bite-sized chunks, add chopped onion, some minced garlic, 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil and 3-4 tablespoons of water and salt and pepper. Then turn the crock pot on for 7-9 hours.

You’re done! You’ve made quick work of slow cooking.