Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook (2 page)

I would like to thank my husband, Matt, who is always supportive of me and my endeavors. He was incredibly helpful during the recipe development process. I would also like to thank all of the family and friends who happily came over for slow-cooked meals and who devoured the copious leftovers from recipe experiments. I truly appreciate it.

FOR YEARS SLOW COOKERS have been associated with heavy, rich dishes that are anything but healthy. While these dishes might be tasty and are fine for an occasional treat, for every day, some healthier recipes are needed. Luckily, it is as easy to make a healthy meal in the slow cooker as it is to make an unhealthy one. Making simple ingredient substitutions and choosing recipes that are high on flavor, fruits, fiber, vegetables, and lean protein instead of fat are the keys to healthy slow-cooking success.

Meals can be assembled in the morning and eaten immediately upon arrival home. It is even faster than getting takeout! Healthy alternatives to traditional heavy soup and canned-good slow cooker recipes are perfect for people who like modern, creative food similar to what would be served in a restaurant. These recipes are easy to follow and include ingredients that can be found in almost any supermarket.

Healthy eating means choosing foods for optimal health. Recipes that use whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and fiber-rich legumes go a long way toward promoting a healthy autoimmune system and digestive tract. The trick is to use foods that are high in flavor but not fat. Using fruits, vegetables, and spices to flavor a meal instead of rich sauces is a step in the right direction. Fresh ingredients like onions, garlic, fennel, celery, carrots, apples, pears, and mangoes add lots of flavor, are low in calories, and are high in fiber.

Eating healthily does not mean giving up entirely on old favorites, just learning how to prepare them in a new, more wholesome way. There is no reason to use high-sodium and calorific condensed soups when fat-free evaporated milk adds creaminess without the fat. Spices add richness and robust flavor while adding virtually no calories. Very lean cuts of meat will become tender after cooking for hours. Making biscuit and dumpling toppings from scratch saves calories, and these recipes are just as easy as using a mix. The slow cooker can also be used to create flavorful yet low-fat stocks and sauces that can be used in many other recipes instead of bottled or canned alternatives.

Slow cooking isn't just for dinner! Breakfast can easily be made in the slow cooker. Egg dishes are a wonderful way to start your day with lots of protein. Whole-grain cereals cook overnight so you can wake up to a hot, high-fiber, filling breakfast with no work required. Or try a dessert that is cooking while you eat dinner. Even appetizers, dips, sauces, and spreads can be made with minimal effort in the slow cooker. It truly is an all-day, all-year appliance.

In this book you will find 300 recipes to choose from based on calorie count, fiber content, fat content, and nutritional profile. Some recipes are “slimmed-down” versions of old favorites while others are fresh new ways to consume healthful foods with little effort. The recipes are all so full-flavored that you won't miss the extra fat and calories found in most other slow cooker dishes. The wide range of regional and international choices will suit large families, couples, vegetarians, vegans, and dessert lovers.

Coming home to a delicious, home-cooked meal is the perfect end to a hard day of work or a busy day running errands. Luckily, it is easy to do just that when you use your slow cooker. This chapter will guide you through the process of becoming adept at making flavorful, healthful meals in your slow cooker. Learn about the benefits of slow cooking, the various types of slow cookers, slow cooker — friendly ingredients, and even how to convert some of your favorite recipes into slow cooker recipes.

The benefits of slow cooking are numerous. Slow cookers can be used to make main dishes, one-pot meals, side dishes, even desserts. Most recipes call for a few minutes of prep time and zero hands-on time during the actual cooking. For a small amount of effort in the morning, you can come home to a hot meal after a full workday. The recipes with shorter cooking times are perfect for those instances when space and time are limited when you're running errands, throwing a party, or trying to fit in a meal during the holidays.

The long cooking times associated with most slow cooker recipes mean that cheaper, leaner cuts of meat come out just as tender as a $30 well-marbled steak. You can turn affordable root vegetables into mouthwatering soups, stews, and side dishes with minimal effort. You can also make pantry staples such as homemade stocks, barbecue sauce, pasta sauces, and even granola for mere pennies in the slow cooker.

While slow cookers are closely associated with wintertime stews, soups, and roasts, they are wonderful to use year-round. Since they do not heat the house the way oven or stovetop cooking does, slow cookers are perfect for warm weather, too. In-season fruits and vegetables at the peak of their flavor and nutritional value make excellent additions to slow cooker dishes.

Although cooking on the grill or stovetop may be faster, it requires a lot more hands-on time and attention. A piece of meat left cooking in a skillet unattended will burn. Soups or sauces left unstirred will thicken, burn, and stick to the pot. These are not issues that occur with a slow cooker. Since a slow cooker uses low, indirect heat, there is no reason to stir or watch the food as it cooks. In fact, there is virtually no risk of burning food in the slow cooker, which makes it a perfect fit for the busy or distracted cook.

It is quite easy to make healthy food in the slow cooker. Very little oil or fat is needed because keeping ingredients from sticking to the cooker is not an issue. Since liquids do not evaporate in the slow cooker, very lean meats will not dry out or overcook the way they might on the stovetop or grill, leaving them amazingly tender. Additionally, using lean meats ensures that your chili, soup, or roast won't be unappetizingly greasy.

Whole grains like oatmeal, wheat berries, barley, rice, and corn are all well suited to use in the slow cooker. A variety of dishes incorporate nuts and seeds, a wonderful way to introduce healthy fats and fiber into your diet. High-fiber fruits, vegetables and legumes are at the center of most slow cooker meals.

Slow cookers have come a long way from their avocado green, one-size-fits-all days. Now they're available in several sizes and with many modern features. The small 1½- to 2-quart slow cooker is perfect for smaller families and couples. The 4-quart cooker, the most popular size, is capable of making meals that serve four to six people. The largest models are 6–7 quarts and can feed a crowd of eight or more. Hamilton Beach manufactures a three-in-one slow cooker that comes with a set of 2-, 4-, and 6-quart ceramic inserts that can be used one at a time in the same base, eliminating the need to own multiple slow cookers.

Look for slow cookers that have at least a low and high setting. This is standard for the mid- to large-size models, but many 2-quart models only have an on/off option. Temperature control is essential if you make full meals in a small slow cooker. Slow cookers equipped solely with an on/off switch are suitable only for keeping fondues, dips, or beverages warm.

It is important to choose a slow cooker with features that fit your life-style. Many slow cookers have a warm setting that will keep your food warm at approximately 160°F. This setting may be manual, but if the slow cooker is digital, it will automatically turn on after the programmed cooking time has finished. The automatic switch to warm is especially helpful for people who are not sure when they will have dinner. If you enjoy cooking large cuts of meat, look for a model that comes with a probe thermometer that takes an exact temperature of the food inside. Once the meat reaches the desired temperature, the slow cooker will switch to warm to avoid overcooking. If you plan to take your slow cooker to parties or potlucks, there are several models that have secure latches to hold the lid on while in transit. Some models made for travel come with built-in serving spoon holders and rests. There are also models that have an insulated case for the stoneware insert. If cutting down on the number of dirty dishes is important, look for a slow cooker that has an insert that can be placed on top of the stove. Those inserts can brown meats and vegetables and can be put back in the base to finish cooking.

For most recipes, you can use either an oval or a round slow cooker. However, for roasts, meatloaf, or lasagna, or for slow-cooking large pieces of fish, an oval cooker is preferable because it allows the food to lie flat.

Nearly any food works well in the slow cooker, but certain ingredients are especially well suited to slow cooking.

Evaporated milk is shelf-stable canned milk, which is made by removing 60 percent of the water from regular milk. When mixed with an equal amount of water, evaporated milk becomes the equivalent of fresh milk. Rehydration is often unnecessary in slow cooking. Using the evaporated milk straight from the can is a great way to add a creamy, dairy flavor without the fat. Unlike fresh milk, evaporated milk is safe to use in recipes with long cooking times without fear of curdling.

Canned beans are precooked and recipe-ready unlike dried beans, which still need to be soaked and fully cooked before being added to the slow cooker. Beans are a wonderful source of protein and fiber and are virtually fat free. Be sure to drain and rinse canned beans prior to use. You can substitute cooked, rehydrated dried beans equally for canned.

Canned tomatoes are better tasting than out-of-season fresh tomatoes. Unless otherwise noted, add the juice to the slow cooker along with the tomatoes. It can add much-needed moisture to a dish without having to add water or broth.

Onions are essential to many slow cooking recipes. Due to their high moisture content, onions give off a lot of liquid as they cook. Instead of adding water or broth to a recipe, which can dilute the flavor of the dish, try onions to provide both moisture and flavor. Onions are especially useful when cooking large cuts of meat or other dishes where you want a drier final product.

Root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, beets, celeriac, rutabaga, turnips, and potatoes are exceptionally suited to the slow cooker because they retain their shape and texture even after being cooked for hours. Peel carrots, beets, rutabaga, turnips, and parsnips before using them. Potatoes can be used peeled or unpeeled.

Corn, broccoli, cabbage, snow peas, green beans, apples, pears, mangoes, figs, cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and tomatoes are all suitable for slow cooking and are high in dietary fiber, which is essential to digestive tract health.

Stock — whether beef, chicken, turkey, vegetable, or seafood — can be used instead of water in almost any dish made in the slow cooker. Recipes made with stock are more flavorful than those made with water. For best results, use salt-free, fat-free stock.

Lean cuts of meat are perfect for the slow cooker. The long cooking time tenderizes the meat, leaving it fork tender. Additionally, using lean meat in dishes like chili is necessary because it's not possible to skim off the fat after cooking. When cooking with beef, look for the least marbled cuts; choose lean cuts such as tri-tip, top or bottom round roast, top sirloin, or flat half-brisket, all of which meet the governmental standards for very lean or lean meats. When shopping for pork, look for pork tenderloin, boneless pork loin chop, and boneless pork top loin, all of which contain less than 5 percent fat per serving. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs are also great sources of lean protein. Most grocery stores carry 94 percent lean ground chicken, turkey, pork, and beef.