Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook (19 page)
For a Crowd
Slow-Roasted Chicken with Potatoes, Parsnips, and Onions
Pot Roast with Root Vegetables
Chicken made in the slow cooker is very tender. The onions add a lot of flavor with no added fat needed.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
4 medium onions, sliced
1 6-pound roasting chicken
6 large red skin potatoes, halved
4 parsnips, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Cover the bottom of a 6- to 7-quart oval slow cooker with half of the onions.
Place the chicken, breast-side up, on top of the onions.
Cover the chicken with the remaining onions.
Arrange the potatoes and parsnips around the chicken.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165°F as measured using a food thermometer. Discard the chicken skin before serving.
PER SERVING
Calories: 730 | Fat: 10g | Sodium: 540mg | Carbohydrates: 86g | Fiber: 11g | Protein: 71g
A Snippet about Parsnips
Parsnips have a mild flavor and a texture that is well suited to extended cooking times. Always peel off the bitter skin before cooking. If parsnips are not available, carrots are an acceptable substitute.
There is no need to precook the noodles in this recipe.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 10
28 ounces fat-free ricotta cheese
1 cup defrosted frozen cut spinach
1 egg
½ cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
8 cups
Marinara Sauce
½ pound uncooked regular lasagna noodles
In a medium bowl, stir the ricotta, spinach, egg, and mozzarella.
Ladle a quarter of the marinara sauce along the bottom of a 6-quart oval slow cooker. The bottom should be thoroughly covered in sauce. Add a single layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce, breaking noodles if needed to fit in the sides.
Ladle an additional quarter of sauce over the noodles, covering all of the noodles. Top with half of the cheese mixture, pressing firmly with the back of a spoon to smooth. Add a single layer of lasagna noodles on top of the cheese, breaking noodles if needed to fit in the sides.
Ladle another quarter of the sauce on top of the noodles, and top with the remaining cheese. Press another layer of noodles onto the cheese and top with the remaining sauce. Take care that the noodles are entirely covered in sauce.
Cover and cook for 4â6 hours until cooked through.
PER SERVING
Calories: 180 | Fat: 2.5g | Sodium: 160mg | Carbohydrates: 26g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 13g
Look for steaks that are approximately 1/8â³ thick, 8â³â10â³ long, and 5â³ wide to make this Italian roulade.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
½ teaspoon olive oil
½ cup diced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
32 ounces canned diced tomatoes
8 stalks rapini
8 very thin-cut round steaks (about 1¼ pounds total)
4 teaspoons bread crumbs
4 teaspoons grated Parmesan
Heat the oil in a nonstick pan. Sauté the onions and garlic until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes. Place in a 6-quart oval slow cooker. Add the tomatoes and stir to combine.
Cut the stems off the rapini. Place the steaks on a platter horizontally. Sprinkle each steak with ½ teaspoon bread crumbs and ½ teaspoon Parmesan. Place a bunch of rapini leaves on one end of each steak. Roll each steak toward the other end. It should look like a spiral. Place in the skillet seam-side down. Cook for 1 minute, use tongs to flip the steaks carefully, and cook the other side for 1 minute.
Place each roll in a single layer on top of the tomato sauce. Cook on low for 1â2 hours or until the steaks are cooked through.
PER SERVING
Calories: 160 | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 115mg | Carbohydrates: 9g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 18g
The blackberry seeds are very soft after the long cooking time, but if you want a smoother sauce, press the blackberries through a mesh sieve before adding them to the slow cooker. Discard the seeds.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 12
6 pounds boneless pork roast, excess fat removed
2 cups fresh blackberries
½ cup chili sauce
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon lime juice
1 tablespoon ginger preserves
2 teaspoons mesquite liquid smoke
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cayenne
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon hot paprika
2 large onions, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
Place all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8â9 hours or on high for 6 hours.
When done, the meat should shred easily with a fork. Remove the pork from the slow cooker. Shred with a fork and set 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 pork evenly with the sauce.
PER SERVING
Calories: 510 | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 510mg | Carbohydrates: 13g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 68g
This Indian dish is made easily in the slow cooker. Try it over rice or with some naan.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 10
1 teaspoon canola oil
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cups toasted unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
1½ cups water
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
Place all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cover and cook for 6â8 hours on low. Stir before serving.
PER SERVING
Calories: 480 | Fat: 33g | Sodium: 230mg | Carbohydrates: 11g | Fiber: 6g | Protein: 37g
How to Toast Coconut
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Arrange shredded coconut on a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10â15 minutes or until light golden brown. Stir the coconut and check it frequently to prevent burning. Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool before using.
Lamb does surprisingly well in the slow cooker. It is nearly impossible to overcook, and every bite is meltingly tender.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 12
4 pounds boneless leg of lamb
1 tablespoon crushed rosemary
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup water
Slice off any visible fat from the lamb and discard. Place in a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker.
Add the remaining ingredients on top of the lamb. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Remove from the slow cooker. Discard cooking liquid. Remove any remaining visible fat from the lamb. Slice the lamb prior to serving.
PER SERVING
Calories: 350 | Fat: 21g | Sodium: 150mg | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 38g
Healthy Cooking with Lamb
Lamb has a reputation as a somewhat fatty meat. However, buying a leaner cut, like the boneless leg where much of the fat and bone has been removed by the butcher, and slicing off any excess at home can eliminate much of the fat. When slow cooking, the fat melts off the meat and accumulates in the bottom of the cooker where it can easily be discarded after removing the meat.
The fish is gently poached in a flavorful liquid, which infuses it with flavor.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 6
6 4-ounce mahi-mahi fillets
12 ounces pineapple juice
3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
¼ cup lime juice
3 tablespoons ponzu sauce
Place the fillets in a 6-quart slow cooker. Top with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low 5 hours or until the fish is fully cooked.
Remove the fillets and discard the cooking liquid.
PER SERVING
Calories: 140 | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 100mg | Carbohydrates: 10g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 21g
Slow Cooking with Fish
Fish is fabulous in the slow cooker. The fish stays moist and cooks evenly as long as there at least some liquid in the insert.
Popular in Georgia and the Carolinas, Low Country Boil is the perfect one-pot meal for a summer day.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 8
4 ears corn, halved
1½ pounds baby red skin potatoes
¼ cup Chesapeake Bay seasoning or shrimp boil seasoning
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1 bay leaf Water, as needed
1½ pounds medium shrimp
Place the corn, potatoes, seasoning, mustard seeds, onions, and bay leaf into a 6- or 7-quart slow cooker. Fill the insert with water until it is about 2½Ⳡbelow the top edge of the insert.
Cook for 2½ hours on high or until the corn and potatoes are tender. Add the shrimp and continue to cook on high for 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked.
PER SERVING
Calories: 240 | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 280mg | Carbohydrates: 30g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: 21g
Due to the long cooking time, it is possible to prepare the meat late the night before serving so it will be ready to eat for lunch.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 16
4¼ pounds lean boneless beef roast, excess fat removed
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon dried tarragon
½ teaspoon dried mustard
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon hickory liquid smoke
½ cup water
Place all ingredients into a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 10â12 hours. The meat should be easily shredded with a fork.
Remove the meat from the slow cooker to a plate. Shred with a fork. Mash the contents of the slow cooker with a potato masher. Return the beef to the slow cooker and stir to distribute the ingredients evenly.
PER SERVING
Calories: 430 | Fat: 34g | Sodium: 140mg | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 28g
Ask the Butcher
If the beef sitting on the shelf of the local store is too fatty, ask the butcher to cut a fresh leaner cut. You won't have to do fat removal at home, which can be tricky depending on the cut of meat. The butcher can also suggest lean beef alternatives to fattier cuts.
Meatloaf made in the slow cooker is amazingly moist and tender. The onion layer on the bottom prevents the meatloaf from sitting directly in any fat that drains off.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 10
1 large onion, cut into rings
2 pounds 94% lean ground beef
1 egg
¼ cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Italian herb mix
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1 teaspoon crushed rosemary
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes, diced
3 ounces tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Spray a 6-quart oval slow cooker with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with the onion rings.
In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, Italian herb mix, oregano, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, rosemary, pepper, salt, diced onion, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes until well combined. Mold into a loaf shape and place on top of the sliced onions.
In a small bowl, whisk the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Brush over the top and visible sides of the meatloaf.
Cook for 4â6 hours on low or until the meat is thoroughly cooked. Remove the meatloaf from the slow cooker and slice. Discard the onion rings and any juices on the bottom of the pan.
PER SERVING
Calories: 170 | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 250mg | Carbohydrates: 8g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 21g
Southwestern Meatloaf Variation
Substitute 1/3 cup black beans for the sundried tomatoes. Also substitute 1 teaspoon each of ground chipotle pepper, hot paprika, and ground jalapeño for the oregano, Italian herb mix, rosemary, and fennel. For the topping, whisk the tomato paste with 1 teaspoon hot sauce and 1 teaspoon water.