Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook (12 page)

Canned versus Fresh Tomatoes

While fresh tomatoes are delicious, canned tomatoes are a better choice in some recipes because they have already been cooked. Skins and seeds have been removed from canned tomatoes, which is also a bonus when seeds and skin might detract from the dish. There is also reason to believe that canned tomatoes are better sources of cancer-preventing lycopene simply because they are cooked, and that one can of crushed tomatoes or sauce is the equivalent of dozens of tomatoes.

This stew is filled with vegetables and is very flavorful. The small amounts of sugar and cocoa eliminate the bitterness occasionally found in similar stews without being detectable.

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onions, parsnips, carrots, celery, garlic, potatoes, rosemary, and beef until the ingredients begin to soften and brown. Drain any excess fat.
   

2. Add to a 4-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with sugar, salt, pepper, and cocoa. Pour in the water and Guinness. Stir. Cook for 8–9 hours on low.
   

3. Add the frozen peas. Cover and cook an additional ½ hour on high. Stir before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 230 | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 170mg | Carbohydrates: 25g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 27g

Choosing Cuts of Beef

Leaner cuts like top round are excellent choices for slow cooking because the long cooking time tenderizes them. Look for cuts that have minimal marbling and trim off any excess fat before cooking. Searing and sautéing are good ways to cook off some external fat before adding the meat to the slow cooker. Drain any excess fat.

Serve this Cuban dish with yellow rice and
Cuban Black Beans
.

1. Place the roast, pepper, onions, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and cumin into a 2-quart slow cooker. Cook on high for 7 hours. Add the olives and continue to cook for 20 minutes.
   

2. Shred the meat with a fork, then mash it with a potato masher until very well mixed.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 260 | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 460mg | Carbohydrates: 13g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 27g

This slimmed-down version of corned beef and cabbage has more vegetables and slightly less meat but all of the flavor of the classic dish.

1. Trim excess fat off the brisket. Cut into 1″ cubes.
   

2. Add the brisket and all of the remaining ingredients to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 10 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 270 | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 95mg | Carbohydrates: 24g | Fiber: 7g | Protein: 14g

Winter Borscht is a heartier version of
Summer Borscht
and is served hot. Try it with a dollop of sour cream.

1. In a nonstick skillet, sauté the beef for 1 minute. Drain off any excess fat.
   

2. Place the beef and the remaining ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. Stir before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 120 | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 340mg | Carbohydrates: 7g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 14g

A little bit of wine goes a long way in flavoring this simple one-crock meal. Using lean meat ensures grease-free vegetables.

1. Pour the wine and water into an oval 4-quart slow cooker. Add the potatoes, carrots, fennel, rutabagas, onions, and garlic. Stir.
   

2. Add the beef. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on low for 8 hours.
   

3. Remove and slice the beef. Use a slotted spoon to serve the vegetables. Discard the cooking liquid.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 320 | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 350mg | Carbohydrates: 45g | Fiber: 9g | Protein: 30g

Smoky hot chipotle peppers give this filling a rich spicy flavor. Try it with soft whole-grain tortillas and topped with lettuce, avocado, and tomato.

1. Sauté the beef and onion in a nonstick skillet until just browned. Drain off any grease. Add to a 4-quart slow cooker. Break up any large pieces of beef with a spoon.
   

2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Cook on low for 7 hours. Stir prior to serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 140 | Fat: 4.5g | Sodium: 80mg | Carbohydrates: 4g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 19g

The long cooking time makes lean meat fork-tender, perfect for stuffing into crusty bread for sandwiches.

1. Slice the beef into rounds, removing excess fat. Place into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients.
   

2. Cook 10 hours or until the meat is falling apart. Shred with a fork.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 160 | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 440mg | Carbohydrates: 3g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 26g

Biryani is a one-dish meal that is well spiced but not spicy. Traditionally it is made using ghee, a type of clarified butter, but slow cooking brings out the flavor without adding fat.

1. Place the beef, spices, garlic, and onion into a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook for 7–8 hours.
   

2. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the yogurt, peas, and rice. Cook for 30 minutes. Stir before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 230 | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 190mg | Carbohydrates: 20g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 21g

Traditionally made with lamb, this lean-beef version is lower in fat but full of flavor. Serve it over rice with pappadums on the side.

1. In a nonstick skillet, sauté the beef, onion, and garlic until just browned. Drain off any excess fat. Place into a 4-quart slow cooker.
   

2. Add the spices and crushed tomatoes. Cook on low for 8 hours. Stir in the yogurt prior to serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 230 | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 250mg | Carbohydrates: 18g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 20g

Try Sonya apples in this sweet and savory dish; they are crisp and sweet.

1. Cut the apples into wedges. Place half of the wedges in the bottom of an oval 4-quart slow cooker along with half of the sliced onions. Top with a single layer of pork chops. Sprinkle with spices, and top with the remaining apples and onions.
   

2. Cook on low for 8 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 340 | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 75mg | Carbohydrates: 30g | Fiber: 6g | Protein: 35g

Slow Cooking with Boneless Pork

Not only is there less waste associated with boneless pork chops or roasts, there is often less fat attached to the meat. Even without much fat, boneless pork is well suited to slow cooking. All of the moisture stays in the dish, ensuring tender pork.

Serve on large buns and top with coleslaw.

1. Place all ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours or until the meat is easily shredded with a fork.
   

2. Remove the pork from the slow cooker to a plate. Shred the meat with a fork. Mash the remaining sauce and solids in the slow cooker with a potato masher until fairly smooth. Add the pork back to the slow cooker and toss to coat in the sauce.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 410 | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 140mg | Carbohydrates: 2g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 55g

Quick Coleslaw

Gather 16 ounces coleslaw mix (shredded cabbages and carrot), ¼ cup mayonnaise, ½ teaspoon celery seed, 1¼ cups apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup thinly sliced onion. Toss ingredients and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Caramelized onions add a touch of sweetness to this dish.

1. Trim extra fat from the roast. Quickly sear it on all sides in a hot nonstick pan.
   

2. Place the roast in a 4-quart oval slow cooker. Top with the onions, potatoes, and apples. Add the water and vinegar; then sprinkle with the spices.
   

3. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the pork is tender and falling apart.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 540 | Fat: 21g | Sodium: 180mg | Carbohydrates: 19g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 64g

Countertop Caution

The bottoms of ceramic slow cooker inserts are unfinished and may scratch stone or marble countertops. Leave them on towels to air-dry before returning them to their bases.

Boneless pork ribs may also be labeled “country-style ribs” or “Southern-style ribs.”

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Cook the pork for 1 minute on each side. Place in a 4-quart slow cooker. Pour the remaining ingredients over the meat. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
   

2. If the sauce is very thin, pour into a saucepan and cook until it reduces. Drizzle the sauce on the ribs and serve.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 530 | Fat: 26g | Sodium: 115mg | Carbohydrates: 7g | Fiber: <1g | Protein: 64g

Easy Homemade Five Spice Powder

Mix 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon, star anise, cloves, ground ginger, and ground Sichuan peppercorns. If you can't find the peppercorns, use fennel. Store in an air-tight container.

Serve this on big crusty rolls.

1. Place all ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8–9 hours or on high for 6 hours.
   

2. When it is done, the meat should shred easily with a fork. Remove the roast from the slow cooker. Use two forks to shred the pork; set it aside. Mash any solid bits of the sauce in the slow cooker with a potato masher. Return the pork to the slow cooker, and toss to coat the meat evenly.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 440 | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 320mg | Carbohydrates: 16g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 53g

Cooking with Hot Peppers

Before using hot peppers, remove the stems. If you want the final product to have a smooth texture, remove the seeds as well. Wear gloves when cutting up hot peppers to avoid accidentally transferring the burning oils to your eyes or skin.

Adobada is Spanish for marinated, but you can achieve a similar effect by cooking the pork loin for a very long time over low heat.

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet. Cook the pork for 1 minute on each side. Place it in a 4-quart slow cooker, and pour the remaining ingredients over the meat. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
   

2. If the sauce is very thin, pour it into a saucepan and cook until it reduces. Pour the sauce over the roast and shred the meat with a fork. Toss to distribute the sauce evenly over the meat.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 430 | Fat: 23g | Sodium: 120mg | Carbohydrates: 10g | Fiber: <1g | Protein: 43g

This is a great meal for a party; the sausages can be kept warm for hours without overcooking.

1. Prick each sausage with a fork at least once. Quickly sear in a dry skillet to brown all sides for about 1 minute. Remove from the skillet and cut a slit down the middle of each sausage vertically ¼″ deep.
   

2. Place the sauerkraut, caraway seeds, mustard seeds, onions, and vinegar into a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker. Stir to distribute all ingredients evenly.
   

3. Add the sausage. Toss. Cover and cook for 3–4 hours on low.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 100 | Fat: 3.5g | Sodium: 2,070mg | Carbohydrates: 15g | Fiber: 8g | Protein: 5g

Red Cooked Pork, although not red at all, is an excellent example of home-style Chinese cooking. Serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

1. Heat a nonstick skillet. Quickly sear the meat on all sides.
   

2. Place all ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low for 8–9 hours.
   

3. Remove the roast from the slow cooker and slice or cube. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and cook until it reduces and thickens. Discard the star anise and drizzle the sauce over the meat.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 260 | Fat: 9g | Sodium: 470mg | Carbohydrates: 6g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 35g

How to Braise

Braising is a technique that is well suited to the slow cooker. The first step is to sear the meat to enhance flavor. Then transfer it to the slow cooker to simmer slowly until it is fork-tender.

This pairs wonderfully with
Wild Rice with Mixed Vegetables
.

1. Place the onion slices on the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Top with the pork, then the dried cranberries, and finally the cranberry sauce to cover the whole roast.
   

2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the pork and slice it. Discard the cooking liquids.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 350 | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 105mg | Carbohydrates: 7g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 36g

Cooking with Pork Loin

Pork loin is an exceptionally lean cut. If a pork loin does have some excess fat, it can be removed easily before cooking. Another lean cut is the tenderloin roast, which is as lean as skinless chicken breast.

This is an incredibly simple one-dish meal that is packed with flavor.

1. Place the pork loin into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the tomatoes, garlic, onions, and capers. Cook on low for 7–8 hours.
   

2. Add the cannellini beans 1 hour before serving and continue to cook on low for the remaining time.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 510 | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 740mg | Carbohydrates: 34g | Fiber: 8g | Protein: 59g

Here the pork is gently cooked in tomatoes to yield meltingly tender meat.

1. Place the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, pepper, and marjoram into a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir to create a uniform sauce. Add the pork.
   

2. Cook on low for 7–8 hours or until the pork easily falls apart when poked with a fork.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 360 | Fat: 13g | Sodium: 450mg | Carbohydrates: 17g | Fiber: 5g | Protein: 43g

Using the slow cooker makes this dish easy to try at home.

1. Place the ginger, stock, water, onions, shiitake mushrooms, and garlic in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 7–8 hours.
   

2. Add the pork, bok choy, enoki mushrooms, and noodles. Cook on high for 15–30 minutes.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 470 | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 810mg | Carbohydrates: 54g | Fiber: 8g | Protein: 43g

The flavors of the Southwest make this pork roast special. Try using leftovers as taco filling.