300 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes (47 page)

This is a great, filling family soup for a cold night.

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

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

1 can (8 ounces, or 225 g) sliced mushrooms

1 turnip, diced

1 cup (100 g) cauliflower, diced

1/2 cup (80 g) chopped onion

1 cup (150 g) chopped green bell pepper

1 quart (950 ml) chicken broth

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon concentrate

1 teaspoon dried basil

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1 cup (235 ml) heavy cream

In a large, heavy skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Pour off the fat and put the sausage in your slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, mushrooms, turnip, cauliflower, onion, and green pepper.

In a bowl, stir the broth and bouillon together. Stir in the basil and horseradish. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 7 to 8 hours.

When the time's up, stir in the cream and let it cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.

Yield:
6 servings, each with: 666 calories, 61 g fat, 17 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 10 g usable carbs.

Maria's New England Clam Chowder

This one is from my tester and dear friend Maria. She says, “This was so good that I called my brother Peter over and made him try it. He was very impressed. He's a big clam chowder fan, and he said that our grandmother would approve.”

4 slices bacon, diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 large turnip, cut in 1/2-inch (13 mm) cubes

1 can (16 ounces, or 455 g) clams, undrained

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream

2 tablespoons (28 g) butter

In a big, heavy skillet, sauté the bacon, onion, and turnip until the onion is golden. Drain and put it on the bottom of your slow cooker.

Pour the clam liquid into a 2-cup (475 ml) measuring cup and add enough water to make 2 cups (475 ml). In a bowl, combine the liquid and water mixture, the clams, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 5 hours or until the turnips are tender. Blend in the cream and butter during the last 45 minutes of cooking.

Yield:
5 servings, each with: 550 calories, 44 g fat, 27 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 10 g usable carbs.

Seafood Chowder

My sister Kim, who tested this for me, said that you don't have to stick to shrimp. You could use crab, chunks of lobster tail, or even a cut-up firm-fleshed fish fillet. Don't use fake seafood—Delicaseas and such. It has a lot of added carbs.

1 1/2 cups (150 g) shredded cauliflower

1/3 cup (37 g) shredded carrots

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon (9 g) finely minced green bell pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 cups (700 ml) chicken broth

1 cup (235 ml) Carb Countdown dairy beverage

1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream

8 ounces (225 g) shrimp, shells removed

1 tablespoon (5 g) Ketatoes mix

1/4 cup (25 g) scallions, thinly sliced

Guar or xanthan

Combine the cauliflower, carrots, thyme, garlic, green pepper, cayenne, pepper, and broth in your slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 4 hours.

Turn the slow cooker to high and stir in the Carb Countdown and cream. Re-cover the slow cooker and let it cook for another 30 to 45 minutes. If your shrimp are big, chop them coarsely during this time, but little, whole shrimp will look prettier, of course!

Stir in the Ketotoes mix. Now stir in the shrimp and re-cover the pot. If your shrimp are pre-cooked, just give them 5 minutes or so to heat through. If they're raw, give them 10 minutes. Stir in the scallions and salt to taste. Thicken the broth with the guar or xanthan.

Yield:
5 servings, each with: 164 calories, 8 g fat, 17 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 5 g usable carbs.

chapter ten
Slow Cooker Sides

My guess is you use your slow cooker mostly for main dishes because that's the way it'll make your life the most convenient. Many of the main dishes in this book are complete meals, full of vegetables as well as protein, and they don't need a thing with them except a beverage. With the main dishes that do need a side, the easiest and most appealing thing is often a salad.

Yet there are good reasons to cook a side dish in your slow cooker. Some of them just plain take less work and watching this way, like the Southern Beans. Sometimes you want to make an interesting side to go with a plain meat roasting in the oven and want to be able to ignore it for an hour or two or three while you do something else. In both of these instances, the slow cooker is your very good friend.

Barbecue Green Beans

These are fab!

4 cups (496 g) cross-cut frozen green beans, unthawed

1/4 cup (40 g) chopped onion

4 slices cooked bacon, drained and crumbled

1/3 cup (85 g) low-carb barbecue sauce (see recipe
page 335
or use purchased sauce)

Put the green beans in your slow cooker. Add the onion and bacon and then stir in the barbecue sauce. Cover the slow cooker, set it to high, and let it cook for 3 hours. (If you prefer, set it to low and let it cook for 5 to 6 hours.)

Yield:
6 servings, each with: 58 calories, 2 g fat, 3 g protein, 8 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 6 g usable carbs.

Southern Beans

Southerners will be shocked to know that I never tasted green beans slowly cooked with bacon until I moved to southern Indiana, but I liked them right off. Around our house, this recipe is jokingly referred to as The Sacred Masonic Vegetable because my husband's never been to a Masonic banquet that didn't feature beans cooked this way!

4 cups (496 g) frozen green beans, unthawed

1/3 cup (53 g) diced onion

1/4 cup (30 g) diced celery

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 tablespoon (15 g) bacon grease

1/2 cup (120 ml) water

Place the beans in the slow cooker and stir in everything else. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 4 hours.

Yield:
6 servings, each with: 75 calories, 4 g fat, 3 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 4 g usable carbs.

Tangy Beans

4 cups (496 g) frozen green beans, unthawed

1/4 cup (40 g) chopped onion

1/4 cup (38 g) chopped green bell pepper

1/4 cup (60 ml) cider vinegar

2 tablespoons (3 g) Splenda

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Combine everything in your slow cooker. Stir to distribute evenly. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 5 hours.

Serve with a pat of butter and a little salt.

Yield:
4 servings, each with: 50 calories, trace fat, 2 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 4 g dietary fiber, 8 g usable carbs.

Festive Green Beans