300 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes (36 page)

This pork stew appeared in
500 Low-Carb Recipes
, but I hadn't thought of slow cooking it yet. It worked out great!

3 pounds (1.4 kg) pork neckbones

2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 medium zucchini, chunked

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

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 large onion, sliced

In a big, heavy skillet, brown the pork neckbones in the oil.

While that's happening, put the onion and garlic in the bottom of your slow cooker. When the neckbones are browned, put them in the slow cooker on top of the onions. Put the pepper and zucchini on top.

In a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, cumin, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 6 to 7 hours.

Yield:
5 servings, each with: 12 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 10 g usable carbs.

Stuffed Peppers

6 large green peppers

1 1/2 pounds (680 g) bulk Italian sausage

1/2 head cauliflower

2 cups (490 g) no-sugar-added spaghetti sauce

2/3 cup (100 g) crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup (80 g) chopped onion

1/4 cup (90 g) chopped tomato

1/4 cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons (12 g) chopped black olives 1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Cut the tops off the peppers. Remove the usable pepper wall from the stems and chop it, discarding the stems and seeds. Reserve the pepper shells.

In a big, heavy skillet, brown and crumble the sausage till done. Drain the fat.

Run the cauliflower through the shredding blade of a food processor. Place the resulting
Cauli-Rice
in a big mixing bowl.

Put 1 cup (245 g) of the spaghetti sauce in the slow cooker. Add the rest to the
Cauli-Rice
. Add the cheese, onion, tomato, parsley, olives, garlic, salt or Vege-Sal, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, cooked sausage, and the chopped bit of green pepper to the
Cauli-Rice
. Combine well. Divide the mixture between the pepper shells.

Put the stuffed peppers in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 4 to 5 hours or until the peppers are tender.

Yield:
6 servings, each with: 592 calories, 51 g fat, 18 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 5 g dietary fiber, 13 g usable carbs.

Tangy Pork Chops

4 pounds (1.8 kg) pork chops, 1/2-inch (13 mm) thick

1/2 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup (80 g) chopped onion

2 stalks celery, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

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

1/2 cup (120 g)
Dana's No-Sugar Ketchup
(see recipe
page 332
) or purchased low-carb ketchup

2 tablespoons (28 ml) cider vinegar

2 tablespoons (28 ml) Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons (3 g) Splenda

1/4 teaspoon blackstrap molasses

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice

1 teaspoon beef bouillon concentrate

Guar or xanthan

Place the pork in the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle the pork with the salt and pepper. Now add the onion, celery, green pepper, and tomatoes.

In a bowl, stir together the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Splenda, molasses, lemon juice, and bouillon. Stir until the bouillon dissolves. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 5 to 6 hours.

When the time's up, remove the pork and place it on a platter. Use a slotted spoon to pile the vegetables around the pork. Thicken the liquid left in the slow cooker with guar or xanthan and serve the sauce with the pork and vegetables.

Yield:
8 servings, each with: 396 calories, 23 g fat, 36 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 10 g usable carbs.

Onion-Mustard Pork Chops

2 pounds (900 g) pork chops

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt or Vege-Sal

1 teaspoon pepper

1 dash hot sauce

1 tablespoon (15 ml) cider vinegar

1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine

2 tablespoons (22 g) brown mustard

1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream

Guar or xanthan

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

Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the onion to the skillet. Sauté it until it's translucent. Then stir in the garlic, dry mustard, salt or Vege-Sal, pepper, and hot sauce and let the whole thing sauté for another minute or so. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker on top of the pork.

In a bowl, stir together the vinegar and wine. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 6 hours.

When the time's up, remove the pork to a platter. Stir the mustard and cream into the juice in the pot. Thicken the juice a tad with guar or xanthan and serve the sauce over the pork.

Yield:
6 servings, each with: 352 calories, 25 g fat, 25 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 3 g usable carbs.

Choucroute Garni

This is a streamlined version of a traditional dish from the Alsace region of France. The name means Garnished Sauerkraut. It's so simple and so good, especially on a cold night.

1 can (14 ounces, or 400 g) sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon (15 g) bacon grease

1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon (1.5 g) Splenda

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons (28 ml) gin

1/4 cup (60 ml) dry white wine

1 pound (455 g) meat (Choose any combination of kielbasa, smoked sausage, frankfurters, link sausages, 1/4-inch-thick (6 mm) ham slices, or smoked pork chops.
*
)

Place the sauerkraut in your slow cooker. Add the bacon grease, vinegar, Splenda, onion, gin, and wine and give it a quick stir. Place the meat on top. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 5 to 6 hours.

^*
I use 1/2 pound (225 g) each of the lowest carbohydrate kielbasa and smoked sausage I can find.

Yield:
3 servings, each with: 112 calories, 5 g fat, 1 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 4 g dietary fiber, 5 g usable carbs. (This will depend on which meats you use.)

chapter six
Slow Cooker Lamb

You'll notice a certain reliance on lamb shanks here. Lamb shanks are the bottom-most part of a leg of lamb, and they're ideal for slow cooking for a couple reasons. They fit neatly in the pot, and they're the sort of tough, flavorful meat that really shines with slow, moist cooking.

If you're having trouble finding lamb shanks at your grocery store, ask the nice meat guys. Or you could make any of the shank recipes with a chunk of lamb leg or shoulder of the right weight. Have the meat guys cut it into a few pieces, though, so it'll fit in your pot and won't take far more cooking time than the recipe specifies. Most grocery stores will cut up a roast for you for no added charge.

Lamb Shanks in Red Wine

This is a hearty one-pot meal.

5 pounds (2.3 kg) lamb shank (4 shanks)

1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil

2 stalks celery, sliced 1/2-inch (13 mm) thick

2 carrots, sliced 1/2-inch (13 mm) thick