The economy is slowly but surely rebounding in the aftermath of the worst recession since the Great Depression, and the national unemployment rate is consistently shrinking each month. While the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, the fact that over half of all adults in the U.S. have received at least one vaccine jab, coupled with broader access to coronavirus vaccines, is bringing society one step closer to the new normal with each passing day. At the same time, multiple rounds of stimulus checks have pumped new waves of investor cash into the stock market, which is increasingly reflecting broad confidence that economic recovery is here to stay. Even with all of this encouraging news, it's understandable that concerns about the potential of another recession and stock market crash linger. If you find yourself in that camp and are worried that your portfolio might be vulnerable should the market fall again, there's no time like the present to work on fortifying your investments for whatever the market brings. On that note, let's take a look at two recession-proof stocks that can stabilize and grow your portfolio through market highs and lows while consistently bringing in solid returns over the next few decades. Image source: Getty Images. 1. GrowGeneration GrowGeneration (NASDAQ: GRWG) is the biggest chain of specialty hydroponics and garden centers in the country, and a major supplier for cannabis growers across the U.S. Because GrowGeneration operates on the ancillary side of the cannabis industry, it has managed to stave off the headwinds that often plague the average marijuana stock. The company is expanding its retail footprint in key marijuana-friendly states at an incredibly rapid pace. It currently has 53 retail locations open in 12 different states where marijuana has been fully legalized, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, and Washington. GrowGeneration keeps buying up new hydroponic and garden centers right and left. For example, the company announced on April 20 that had acquired its seventh hydroponic garden center in Michigan. And as CEO Darren Lampert noted, the state represents a market that is "expected to generate $3 billion in revenue over the next three years, making it an ideal place for further investment and expansion." GrowGeneration has a stellar track record of consistent balance sheet growth. In 2019, it reported revenue growth of 176%. GrowGeneration's revenue in 2020 increased by a whopping 143% year over year, while its bottom line surged 308%. The company also reported that its same-store sales and e-commerce sales increased by respective rates of 63% and 123% last year. Management doesn't expect the monster stock to slow down in 2021. In fact, they're forecasting up to 123% revenue growth for the fiscal period and expect to have 60 hydroponic garden centers in operation before the year is concluded. With more and more states likely to legalize marijuana over the next few years and continued demand for the hydroponic equipment used to grow this product surging in kind, it's fair to say that GrowGeneration is just getting started. Investors who add this stock to their portfolio now could see some massive returns over the next decade or longer without acquiring the excess portfolio volatility that often accompanies traditional pot stocks. 2. Lowe's Many brick-and-mortar retailers suffered in the early days of the pandemic as widespread lockdowns forced them to close for extended periods. But this was not the case with giant home improvement retailer Lowe's (NYSE: LOW). The company saw its sales soar to new heights in 2020 on the heels of increased demand from locked-down consumers who suddenly had plenty of extra time to spend working on projects around the house. Lowe's reported total net sales to the tune of $90 billion for the full year 2020, a 24% increase from 2019. Meanwhile, its net earnings grew 36% on a year-over-year basis. The company also finished the final quarter of 2020 strong, reporting 27% total sales growth and 28% comparable sales growth from the year-ago period. Fourth-quarter sales on Lowes.com soared by an eye-popping 121% year over year, signifying the strength of the company's e-commerce presence in a rapidly changing retail environment. Lowe's is also maintaining a clear focus on consistently expanding its home improvement business, generating sales from professional contractors as well as from individual consumers. In mid-April the company said it was expanding its in-store services geared specifically toward professional contractors, a move that could considerably deepen its foothold on the $900 billion home improvement market in the U.S. in the years ahead. To offer context, as of the fourth quarter of 2020, Lowe's captured a roughly 9% share of the U.S. home improvement market. And the company's fourth-quarter comparable sales in its home improvement business division grew 29% from the year-ago period. Lowe's has plenty to offer the long-term investor. First, the industry it operates in faces a consistent, stable level of demand. Second, Lowe's has fared remarkably well during the pandemic, reporting not only steady balance-sheet growth but impressive share growth as well. At the time of this writing, the stock is up 120% from 12 months ago. Third, Lowe's is a great option for dividend investors. While its yield of 1.2% is slightly below that of the average stock trading on the S&P 500, the company is a Dividend King and has faithfully raised its payout every year for nearly six decades. If it's steady growth, recession-resilience, and dividends you're looking for, Lowe's hits the bullseye on all three counts. 10 stocks we like better than GrowGeneration CorpWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and GrowGeneration Corp wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of February 24, 2021 Rachel Warren has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends GrowGeneration Corp. The Motley Fool recommends Lowes. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.Source