Slow cookers are quite the snazzy contraption. You chop up an assortment of veggies and meats depending upon your recipe, add it all to your slow cooker, turn it on, and leave. Once you return hours later to your house or apartment, the place smells delicious and you’re pretty much ready to sit down for a hearty, healthy meal. In offering ease and convenience, these countertop electrical cooking appliances are popular in cooking a variety of dishes, such as stews, pot roasts, soups, and chilies.
The electrical appliance maintains low temperatures, usually between 170 and 280 degrees F, for several hours, cooking foods slowly. The lower heat of a slow cooker is great for cooking less expensive, leaner cuts of meat because it allows the meat to tenderize, softening the connective tissues without toughening the muscle. The cooker’s direct heat and the steam that’s generated create a vacuum that tightly seals the lid shut allowing the food inside to cook safely. Foods high in moisture, like stew, soup, chili, or sauces are best to make in a slow cooker.
Before adding meats to your slow cooker, be sure to fully thaw and cut the meat or poultry into chunks for safe and thorough cooking. Fill the cooker no less than half full and no more than two-thirds full. Since vegetables cook more slowly than meats in a slow cooker, place the veggies on the bottom and along the sides of the insert and the meat on top. Then add the desired amount of liquid, like water or broth, and close the cooker’s lid tightly. Dairy products, like sour cream or milk, and any spices should be added during the last half hour of cooking.
From hearty meat stews and soups to vegetarian recipes, creating meals with your slow cooker can be an invaluable way to offer up healthy options conveniently.
Fragrant Shredded Beef Stew: 10 servings, total cooking time – 8.5 hours
Nutrition: Per serving: 265 calories; 11 g fat (4 g sat, 4 g mono); 53 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 24 g protein; 3 g fiber; 376 mg sodium; 474 mg potassium. Vitamin C (100% daily value), Zinc (33% dv), Iron & Vitamin A (20% dv)
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 3 pounds flank steak, trimmed of fat, each steak cut into thirds
- 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapenos
Preparation:
- Combine broth, vinegar, celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add beef, submerging it by tucking the vegetables under, over and between the pieces.
- Put the lid on and cook on low until the meat is fork-tender, about 8 hours.
- Transfer the meat to a cutting board; let stand for 10 minutes. Shred the meat with 2 forks and return it to the slow cooker. Stir in cilantro. Garnish with jalapeno and serve warm tortillas on the side.
Turkey Chili: 8 servings, total cooking time – about 4 hours
Nutrition: Per serving: 241 calories; 8.6 g fat; cholesterol-42mg
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 (10.75 ounce) cans low sodium tomato soup
- 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 1 pinch ground allspice
Preparation:
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place turkey in the skillet, and cook until evenly brown; drain.
- Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray, and mix in turkey, tomato soup, kidney beans, black beans and onion. Season with chili powder, red pepper flakes, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, allspice and salt.
- Cover, and cook 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on High.
