300 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes (24 page)

2 ripe California avocados

1/4 cup (60 g) mayonnaise

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice

1 to 2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

Scoop the avocado flesh into a blender or food processor. Add the mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and salt and process until smooth.

Yield:
8 servings, each with: 127 calories, 13 g fat, 1 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 1 g usable carbs.

Cube Steaks in Gravy

This is a great down-home, stick-to-the-ribs type of dish.

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) cube steaks

1 medium onion, sliced

8 ounces (225 g) sliced mushrooms

3 cups (700 ml) beef broth

1 tablespoon (18 g) beef bouillon concentrate

Guar or xanthan

In a big, heavy skillet, heat the oil and brown the steaks on both sides.

Put the onion and mushrooms in your slow cooker.

In a bowl, stir the broth and bouillon and pour the mixture over the veggies. Place the steaks on top. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 6 to 7 hours.

When the time's up, remove the steaks and thicken the sauce with guar or xanthan to your liking.

Serve with
Fauxtatoes
(see recipe
page 343
).

Yield:
6 servings, each with: 297 calories, 17 g fat, 29 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 4 g usable carbs.

Easy Italian Beef

This is way easy but full of flavor!

2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil

2 pounds (900 g) beef chuck, trimmed of fat

1/2 cup (120 ml) beef broth

1 tablespoon (18 g) beef bouillon concentrate

1 package (0.7 ounces, or 19 g) Italian salad dressing mix

In a big, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and brown the beef on both sides. Transfer the beef to your slow cooker.

In a bowl, combine the broth, bouillon, and salad dressing mix. Pour the mixture over the beef. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 6 to 8 hours.

Yield:
4 servings, each with: 543 calories, 42 g fat, 37 g protein, 1 g carbohydrate, 0 g dietary fiber, 1 g usable carbs.

Roman Stew

Instead of using the usual Italian seasonings, this was adapted from a historic Roman stew recipe using spices from the Far East. It's unusual and wonderful.

3 pounds (1.4 kg) beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes

3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil

4 cloves garlic

2 cups (200 g) sliced celery

1 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 can (14 1/2 ounces, or 410 g) diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup (120 ml) dry red wine

Guar or xanthan (optional)

In a big, heavy skillet, brown the beef in the oil over medium-high heat, in a few batches. Transfer the beef to your slow cooker. Add the garlic and celery to the slow cooker and then sprinkle the salt or Vege-Sal, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, allspice, and nutmeg over the beef and vegetables. Pour the tomatoes and the wine over the beef and vegetables. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 7 to 8 hours.

You can thicken the pot juices a little if you like with guar or xanthan, but it's not really necessary.

Yield:
8 servings, each with: 369 calories, 17 g fat, 44 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 4 g usable carbs.

Mexican Stew

This Tex-Mex dinner is a simple family-pleaser.

2 pounds (900 g) beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes

1 can (14 1/2 ounces, or 410 g) tomatoes with green chiles

1/2 cup (80 g) sliced onion

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 envelope (1 1/4 ounces, or 35 g) taco seasoning mix

1 can (15 ounces, or 425 g) black soybeans

1/2 cup (115 g) sour cream

Put the beef, tomatoes, onion, and chili powder in your slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 8 to 9 hours.

Stir in the taco seasoning and soybeans. Re-cover the slow cooker, turn it to high, and let it cook for another 20 minutes. Place a dollop of sour cream on each serving.

This makes 6 generous servings, and it could even serve 8.

Yield:
6 servings, each with: 399 calories, 18 g fat, 46 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 5 g dietary fiber, 7 g usable carbs.

Beef and Zucchini Stew

Don't try adding the zukes at the beginning, or they'll cook to a mush! Put out some vegetables and dip for the ravening hoards, and sip a glass of wine while you're waiting that last hour.

2 pounds (900 g) boneless beef chuck, trimmed of fat and cubed

1 medium onion, sliced

1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares

1 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares

1 cup (245 g) no-sugar-added spaghetti sauce (I suggest Hunt's.)

1/2 cup (120 ml) beef broth

1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon concentrate

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch (13 mm) slices

Guar or xanthan (optional)

In your slow cooker, combine the beef with the onion and peppers.

In a bowl, stir together the spaghetti sauce, broth, and bouillon. Pour the mixture over the beef and vegetables and stir. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 9 hours.

Turn the slow cooker to high, stir in the zucchini, re-cover, and let it cook for 1 more hour.

When the time's up, thicken the sauce with guar or xanthan if needed.

Yield:
6 servings, each with: 367 calories, 24 g fat, 27 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 7 g usable carbs.

Comfort Food Casserole

This is one of those meal-in-a-bowl sorts of things that just seem—well, comforting, somehow. I've found that slow cooking really brings out the best in turnips. They end up remarkably like potatoes.

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) ground round

1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

4 stalks celery, diced

1 cup (235 ml) beef broth

1 teaspoon beef bouillon concentrate

1/2 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal

1 teaspoon pepper

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste

4 ounces (115 g) cream cheese

3 turnips, cubed

3/4 cup (86 g) shredded cheddar cheese

In a big, heavy skillet, brown and crumble the beef over medium-high heat. Pour off the fat and transfer the beef to your slow cooker.

Add the oil to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion, garlic, and celery and sauté until they're just softened. Add the broth, bouillon, salt or VegeSal, pepper, oregano, dry mustard, and tomato paste and stir. Now add the cream cheese, using the edge of a spatula to cut the cream cheese into chunks. Let this mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cream cheese is melted.

Meanwhile add the turnips to the slow cooker.