Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook (13 page)

Place the pork in a 4-quart slow cooker. Top with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours or until the pork is fully cooked.

PER SERVING
Calories: 330 | Fat: 16g | Sodium: 470mg | Carbohydrates: 17g | Fiber: 5g | Protein: 33g

Ginger preserves are a short cut to a flavorful sauce without a lot of fuss. Look for ginger preserves near the jams and jellies at any supermarket.

1. In a small bowl, whisk the preserves, sour cherries, water, pepper, salt, and nutmeg.
   

2. Place the pork loin into a 4-quart slow cooker. Pour the glaze over the pork. Cook on low for 8 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 290 | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 210mg | Carbohydrates: 7g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 30g

Apples and apple cider form a glaze over a long cooking time that is both flavorful and light. Use crisp, in-season apples for best results.

Place the pork shoulder into a 4-quart slow cooker. Top with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the lid and cook on high for 30 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

PER SERVING
Calories: 280 | Fat: 11g | Sodium: 140mg | Carbohydrates: 11g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 34g

This Chinese-inspired pork is perfect served sliced over rice and garnished with chopped green onion.

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet. Cook the pork for 1 minute on each side.
   

2. Place the pork in a 4-quart slow cooker. Pour the remaining ingredients over the meat. Cover and cook on low 8 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 340 | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 850mg | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 47g

A fresh but quick homemade barbecue sauce makes all the difference with these ribs. They are flavorful and tender.

1. Rub both sides of the pork with the chipotle, salt, and pepper. Place into an oval 4-quart slow cooker.
   

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients until smooth.
   

3. Pour the sauce over the ribs. Cook for 6–8 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 360 | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 600mg | Carbohydrates: 13g | Fiber: <1g | Protein: 40g

How to Make Ginger Juice

Use a fine grater to grate several inches of fresh ginger. Strain to remove any solids. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Use in place of fresh ginger or in sauces and drinks.

Serve this Caribbean-Southern fusion pulled pork on sesame seed buns.

1. Place all ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8–10 hours or until the pork is easily shredded with a fork.
   

2. Remove the pork from the slow cooker. Place it on a plate and shred it with a fork. Mash the mixture in the slow cooker with a potato masher. Return the pork to the slow cooker and toss to coat.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 340 | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 220mg | Carbohydrates: 7g | Fiber: <1g | Protein: 46g

This pleasantly spiced ham is the perfect weekday version of the Jamaican holiday dish.

1. Use toothpicks to attach half the pineapple chunks to the ham. Place it into a 4-quart slow cooker.
   

2. Pour the remaining pineapple chunks, juice, and spices over the ham. Cook for 6–8 hours on low.
   

3. Remove the ham from the slow cooker. Remove the toothpicks, placing the pineapple chunks back into the slow cooker. Stir the contents of the slow cooker.
   

4. Slice the ham and return it to the slow cooker. Toss with the juices prior to serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 300 | Fat: 4.5g | Sodium: 1,550mg | Carbohydrates: 34g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 31g

Banish Dull Flavors

Store herbs and spices in a cool, dark cabinet to preserve freshness and flavor. Label each bottle with the date it was opened. Discard 1 year after first use.

Char Siu (Chinese barbecue pork) is excellent in egg rolls, wonton soup, fried rice, and stir fries, and is an integral part of Char Siu Bao (steamed pork buns).

1. Slice the pork into 3″-wide strips. Place the pork in a resealable plastic bag. Add the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate overnight.
   

2. Pour the pork and marinade into a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 330 | Fat: 14g | Sodium: 890mg | Carbohydrates: 13g | Fiber: <1g | Protein: 34g

Pork pairs wonderfully with fruit, and this recipe is no exception. The prunes add richness to the pork that is perfect for autumn.

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

PER SERVING
Calories: 290 | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 170mg | Carbohydrates: 15g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 32g

Picking Prunes

Prunes are dried plums. They are wrinkly and chewy. Due to their somewhat negative association as a fruit that only the elderly enjoy, they are sometimes marketed as “dried plums.”

Memories of bland chicken and dumplings will be banished forever after one bite of this flavorful Cajun-influenced dish.

1. Heat the canola oil in a small skillet, then add the onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add to an oval 4-quart slow cooker along with the carrots, celery, parsnip, jalapeño, salt, pepper, potato, dill weed, cayenne, and stock. Cook on low for 6 hours.
   

2. Add the cooked chicken and turn up to high.
   

3. Meanwhile, whisk the baking powder and flour in a medium bowl. Stir in the buttermilk, eggs, and green onion. Mix to combine. Divide the mixture into 3″ dumplings.
   

4. Carefully drop the dumplings one at a time into the slow cooker. Cover and continue to cook on high for 30 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through and fluffy.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 490 | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 920mg | Carbohydrates: 63g | Fiber: 5g | Protein: 36g

It's in the Book!

This is a great recipe to use the
Chicken Stock
in. Make the stock the day before or overnight. You could even use leftover chicken from
Slow Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Parsnips, and Onions
. Planning ahead saves time.

Despite the number of chiles, this is not a terribly spicy sauce. The chiles add a lot of flavor but not much heat. Look for them in the Mexican or produce section of most grocery stores.

1. Place the pepitas and chiles in a dry nonstick pan. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pepitas start to pop. Using tongs, remove the chiles and place them in a heat-safe bowl. Pour the boiling water over the chiles. Allow them to soak 15 minutes.
   

2. Scoop the chiles out of the hot water and into a food processor. Reserve the water. Add the pepitas, garlic, onion, cocoa, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, oregano, and ¼ cup of the water used to rehydrate the chiles. Pulse until a smooth paste forms.
   

3. Place the turkey into an oval 6-quart slow cooker. Add the tomatoes. Spoon the mole sauce over and around the turkey breast. Cook on high for 2 hours, then switch to low for an additional 6 hours.
   

4. Remove the turkey from the slow cooker. Discard the skin. Pour the sauce through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the liquid in the bowl and retain the solids in the strainer. The solids remaining constitute the mole sauce. Toss the meat with the sauce or serve the sauce on the side.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 520 | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 490mg | Carbohydrates: 19g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 89g

Cooking with Dried Peppers

Dried peppers need to be rehydrated before being used in most recipes. Soak them in boiling water or stock for 15 minutes and then towel them dry before adding them to the cooker to avoid diluting your dish.

This recipe is an excellent way to use up leftover chicken or turkey, and it makes enough filling for two 9″ × 13″ pans (8 enchiladas per dish) of enchiladas. Make one pan and freeze the other for another time.

1. Place the jalapeños cut-side down on a broiler pan. Broil on low for 2 minutes or until they start to brown. Allow to cool, and then dice.
   

2. In a nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions, garlic, and jalapeños, and sauté until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
   

3. Add the onion mixture to a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the remaining spices, crushed tomatoes, stock, and lime juice. Cook on low for 5–6 hours, then add the shredded meat. Turn up to high and cook for an additional hour.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 170 | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 220mg | Carbohydrates: 11g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 24g

Don't Overfill

Leave at least an inch of headroom in the slow cooker. The lid needs to fit tightly for the slow cooker to cook properly; other-wise the liquid ingredients may boil over, leaving you with a potentially dangerous situation and quite a mess.

Serve this slimmed-down version of orange chicken with rice and steamed broccoli.

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, preserves, and juice in a small bowl.
   

2. Arrange the orange slices along the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Top with the chicken breasts. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cook for 3 hours on low or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 170 | Fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 560mg | Carbohydrates: 10g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 26g

Cooking with Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Boneless skinless breasts are a low-fat source of protein, but it can be tricky to use them in the slow cooker. They are best when used raw in a recipe with a short cooking time to avoid any chance of drying out. Cooked, they hold up well when added toward the end of a longer cooking recipe such as a soup, stew, or chili.

Serve this with
Wild Rice with Mixed Vegetables
or
Rosemary-Garlic Mashed Potatoes
to help sop up the delicious juices this dish yields.

1. Heat the butter in a nonstick skillet. Add the onions and mushrooms and sauté until the onions are beginning to soften. Add half of the onion and mushroom mixture to a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the turkey. Sprinkle with sage, salt, and pepper. Top with the remaining onion and mushroom mixture.
   

2. Add the water. Cook on high for 2–3 hours or on low for 6–8 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 150 | Fat: 1.5g | Sodium: 110mg | Carbohydrates: 3g | Fiber: <1g | Protein: 29g

Quick Tip

Make sure that your slow cooker is at least half filled before cooking for best results. If the slow cooker is not filled halfway, the food will cook too quickly and might burn or dry out. Aim for half to two-thirds of the way full.

Try this on crusty rolls and top with crumbled blue cheese or low-fat blue cheese dressing.

1. Place all ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook on high for 2–3 hours or until the chicken is easily shredded with a fork. If the sauce is very thin, cook on high uncovered for 30 minutes or until thickened.
   

2. Shred the chicken and toss with the sauce.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 160 | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 3,470mg | Carbohydrates: 11g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 14g

Lower-Fat Blue Cheese Dressing

In a small bowl stir 3 tablespoons reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles, 3 tablespoons fat-free buttermilk, ¼ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise, ½ tablespoon lemon juice, 1/8 tea-spoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 pinch black pepper, and ½ tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Make this recipe after breakfast and it will be ready by lunchtime.

1. Place all ingredients in a round 2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 3½ hours, or for 1½ hours on low and then turn it up to high for an additional hour.
   

2. When done, the meat should shred easily with a fork. Thoroughly shred the chicken. Toss to coat the meat evenly with the sauce.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 470 | Fat: 22g | Sodium: 440mg | Carbohydrates: 12g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 52g

The tarragon infuses the chicken with flavor without added fat.

1. Place the chicken in a 4-quart slow cooker. Top with remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 7–8 hours.
   

2. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Peel off the skin and discard. Discard the tarragon and onion.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 100 | Fat: 1.5g | Sodium: 190mg | Carbohydrates: 5g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 15g

Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

1. Dredge both sides of the chicken breasts in the flour. Discard leftover flour.
   

2. Heat the oil in a nonstick pan. Quickly sear the chicken on each side.
   

3. Place the chicken, lemon juice, capers, and stock into a 4-quart slow cooker.
   

4. Cook on high for 3 hours or for 6 hours on low.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 220 | Fat: 3.5g | Sodium: 290mg | Carbohydrates: 27g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 18g

Dredge Details

Dredging is the process in which food is dragged through dry ingredients like flour or breadcrumbs to coat. Dredging can be a one-step process, but if a thicker crust or coating is desired, the food is dredged in flour once, dipped in egg, then dredged through flour, cornmeal, or breadcrumbs. In slow cooking, dredging often has a dual purpose of coating the meat and thickening the sauce.

Traditional Jamaican curries are cooked for long periods of time over the stove top, making them a logical fit for the slow cooker. The spices meld together and the chicken is meltingly tender.