Atkins and Paleo Challenge Box Set (10 in 1): Over 400 Atkins and Paleo Recipes With Pressure, Slow Cooker and Cast Iron for Busy People (Atkins Diet & Paleo Recipes) (60 page)

Desserts may be the last thing on your mind when you are thinking of slow cookers, but it is more than possible. Fruit compotes go well in every meal; it can be a dessert to a full course meal or a snack to bring to work. One thing that I use compote is like a gift to my friends with infants of their own. With several fruit variations to choose from, I can store them in mason jars, put a ribbon on the cap and give it as a gift. I like the combination of apples and pears, but you can tweak this recipe to combine different fruits.

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs apples
  
• 2 lbs pears
  
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
• 2 tbsp honey
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1/8 cup water
  

Instructions:

1. Wash apples and pears in running water, peel, core and then cut into bite size pieces
   
2. Put fruits in slow cooker
   
3. Add water, cinnamon and honey
   
4. Cover and cook for 4 hours on low
   
5. Remove cover and add extract, stir
   
6. Serve
   

While watching a sports game on TV, my friends and I were munching on the regular snacks for the occasion. We were about to use the regular salsa and cheese dip with our nachos when one of my friends complained. He wanted to change things up a bit and try another dip on the next time we get together. While watching the game, I was thinking on another dip. I went to the grocery and found nothing new. My theme for the dip was for it to be something healthy. I was looking at the wrong place because when I got to the produce section, I saw the spinach and had an idea of turning it into a dip.

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

• 10 oz spinach
  
• 14 oz artichoke hearts
  
• 2 cups mozzarella
  
• 8 oz onion and chive cream cheese
  
• 1 onion
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

Instructions:

1. Chop spinach and onions, put in slow cooker
   
2. Drain artichoke hearts and chop, add to slow cooker
   
3. Add mozzarella and cream cheese
   
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
   
5. Cover and cook for 2 hours on high
   
6. Serve
   

For the last recipe, I wanted to share something fancy that can be used for an elegant dinner. This is one of my most favorite recipes because the result looks very impressive and well thought of, but, in reality, is really quite simple. With the slow cooker, this recipe can be made even more effortless. I got the idea when I was having a business dinner at a posh restaurant with partners. We were served a full course meal and to finish it off; this berry compote was served. The entire dessert was refined and the moment I tasted it and after the server announced what it was and what the ingredients were, I knew exactly how to recreate it with my slow cooker.

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

• 6 cups mixed berries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries
  
• 1 cup orange juice
  
• 3 tbsp cornstarch, gluten free
  
• ½ cup xanthan gum
  
• 6 tbsp water
  

Instructions:

1. Spray pot with cooking spray
   
2. Put in the slow cooker, berries, xanthan and orange juice
   
3. Cover and cook for 2 hours on high
   
4. Put in another bowl, cornstarch, and water, stir until well combined
   
5. Remove cover and pour cornstarch mixture into the berry mixture
   
6. Cover and cook for 15 minutes on high
   
7. Serve
   

While waiting for my turn in the dentist, I was casually reading through the health magazines on the rack by the waiting area. I chose the one that looked newest and browsed through some of the fruits that are all the rage for their health benefits. There was the usual apple, some exotic looking fruits and part of the list was plum. I have never thought of eating plum by itself. I distinctly remember that it was very sour. I still wanted to try the fruit though and what better way to balance the sourness of the fruit with some sweet honey and with a lot of help from my slow cooker.

Servings: 1 jar

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs prune plums
  
• 1 cinnamon stick
  
• ½ cup honey
  
• 2 cloves
  

Instructions:

1. Clean the plums in running water
   
2. Pit the plums and cut each piece into quarters
   
3. Put the plums into the slow cooker
   
4. Add cinnamon stick, cloves and honey
   
5. Cover and cook for 3 hours on high
   
6. Remove cover, take out the stick and cloves
   
7. Cover and cook again for another 2 hours
   
8. Mash the mixture to reach desired texture
   
9. Pour mixture into jar
   
10. Store
    

In this chapter, you will learn about:

• Carbs
  
• Gluten
  
• Paleo
  

Different kinds of diets are becoming popular today, but the most popular ones are those that address carbs, gluten and less natural sources of food and nutrition. This is where the low carb, gluten free, and paleo variant diets become useful.

Carbs are usually one of the culprits of weight gain that can be traced to diet. The main objective for a low carb is to control your weight. While carbohydrates exist in almost all food items, even vegetables, fruits and grain, the secret to the low carb diet is controlled portions. You cannot remove these food groups because they still contain other nutrients, aside from carbs, that your body actually needs. The best way to practice the low carb diet without having to endanger your nutrition levels is to be conscious of the quantity that you eat.

For example, you need to increase your intake of a protein source such as lean beef, but control too much intake of nuts, milk, and fruits. Carbs are the fuel source for your body; too little consumption may make you feel easily fatigued. However, too much and you end up with unused fuel, which is the source of weight gain. When you have unused carbs, it is deposited in your body as fat. The reason why low carb diets work is that it pushes the body to consume the fat deposits in your body as its fuel.

Gluten is a protein that exists in most types of wheat and grains. The challenge with gluten is that some people have what is called the gluten allergy. In itself, gluten is not supposed to be dangerous to health because the body has a natural way of breaking down this protein. However, with the gluten allergy, people with this condition are unable to break down the protein into safe by-products.

The secret to sticking to your low carb and gluten free diet is a substitution. While some ingredients in the recipes of this book cannot be changed, these ingredients have low carb and gluten free versions available in most groceries and other specialty stores. These substitutes are your quickest way to stick to the diet while still enjoying the taste of the ingredients.

The next secret is to know which of the main food groups are guaranteed gluten free. This recipe book is filled with main ingredients that are gluten free. For example fruits, vegetables, potatoes, eggs, corn, fish, beef and chicken do not have gluten in them. If you are still craving for some form of bread, pasta or cereals, then millet, corn, rice, and quinoa can be used as your substitutes.

Best described as the diet of the caveman; this diet focuses on all natural food groups and the intake of more protein and fats. For those who are on a strict paleo diet, absolutely no artificial products are included in the diet. However, for those in the relaxed diet, paleo can mean minimizing any use of artificial food products in the recipes. Some dieters avoid dairy products, processed oil, grains and even salt. However because of the risk associated with complete avoidance of these important food items, a relaxed version of this diet is also followed.

Instead, there is an increase in the amount of lean meat and seafood that is taken. The remainder, such as vegetables, fruits, and other nuts are minimized. Processed foods are also minimized if not totally avoided. Whether you follow a strict or relaxed Paleo diet, the important thing is to keep your protein levels at a high level to sustain your daily requirements.

This is a relatively unknown, but probably the most effective item for slow cooker fans. This is a liner that is safe and food friendly every time you use the cooker. One of the main challenges, whenever the crock pot is used, is the cleaning part of it. With it, you only need to lift the liner after you have removed the food and then the crock pot will require less effort to cook.

For ingredients that are notoriously sticky, like eggs, oats, and other ingredients, using a cooking spray prior to any cooking will save you a lot of effort during cleaning. Plus, it will make sure that all the ingredients you put will slide nicely into the slow cooker.

Most groceries today are already packed with gluten-free and low carb versions of the main ingredients. The challenge is because they are not as popular as with the regular or ordinary versions of these ingredients, they will not be readily visible on the grocery shelves. Be picky and ask for the version of the product that you like, such as being low sodium, low carb or gluten free.

Diets are a serious matter. The health world is now flooded with different kinds of diets that all claim to be beneficial. Few are proven to be effective. This means that when you intend to follow a diet, you must do so with the advice of a medical professional. One diet may work but may not be appropriate to a person with a certain medical condition. Consult your doctor if you intend to choose the low carb, gluten free or paleo diet.

All detoxes are diets, but not all diets are detoxes. A diet is very different from a detox because a detox totally restricts you from taking certain food items. Most diets allow you to consume a wide range of food options, but its portions are restricted. For example, there is a variety of paleo diets, some that are totally strict while some are more relaxed that encourage you to minimize processed foods.

The last thing that you should do is to follow the recipes in this book to the letter. Use your creativity and follow your preferences. Tweak the ingredients to suit your taste. For example, instead of cauliflower, try broccoli and see how the flavor palette changes. Use your slow cooker to its potential by experimenting with the recipes.

Slow cookers are one of the best kitchen tools that you will ever use. It saves you time, effort and keeps the taste and nutrients of your meals intact. No other cooking tool can boast such characteristics. Make sure to share your dishes with friends and loved ones.

Instant Pot Paleo

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