Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook (7 page)

Try this creamy spread on English muffins, oatmeal, or even as an ingredient in barbecue sauce.

1. Place all ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 10–12 hours.
   

2. Uncover and cook on low for an additional 10–12 hours or until thick and most of the liquid has evaporated.
   

3. Allow to cool completely; then pour into the food processor and purée. Pour into clean glass jars. Refrigerate.
   

PER 2 TABLESPOONS
Calories: 15 | Fat: 0g | Sodium: 0mg | Carbohydrates: 3g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 0g

Serve this Middle Eastern spread with pita, vegetables, or falafel.

1. Place the chickpeas in a 4-quart slow cooker and cover with water. Soak overnight. The next day, cook on low for 8 hours.
   

2. Drain, reserving the liquid. Place the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until smooth, adding the reserved liquid as needed to achieve the desired texture.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 40 | Fat: 1.5g | Sodium: 100mg | Carbohydrates: 6g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 2g

Easy Snacking

Keeping hummus and fresh vegetables around makes healthy snacking easy. Cut carrots, celery, and radishes into snack-friendly sizes. Place them in a bowl with a tightly fitting lid. Fill the bowl two-thirds with water. They will keep crisp in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Try this vegetable-rich dip with pita chips or baked potato chips.

Thoroughly mix all ingredients in a 2-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 hours. Stir before serving.

PER SERVING
Calories: 40 | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 45mg | Carbohydrates: 2g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 2g

Kiwi, strawberries, star fruit, banana, and citrus are all excellent dipping choices for this fruity dip, which is also delicious served cold.

In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Pour into a 2-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 1 hour. Stir before serving.

PER SERVING
Calories: 45 | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 40mg | Carbohydrates: 3g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 2g

Tart, rich sun-dried tomatoes are the perfect partner for a fresh-tasting pesto in this creamy dip.

1. Place the garlic, mayonnaise, basil, pine nuts, and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until a fairly smooth paste forms. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and pulse 4–5 times. Add the cream cheese and pulse until smooth.
   

2. Scrape into a 2-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 1 hour. Stir before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 35 | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 65mg | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 1g

How to Toast Pine Nuts

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pine nuts on a cookie sheet or cake pan. Roast for 5–8 minutes in the oven. Pine nuts will be slightly browned and fragrant when fully toasted. Cool before using.

Many stores carry frozen mixes of cooked seafood like shrimp, scallops, squid, and clams. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator before using.

1. In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients. Scrape into a 2-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 1 hour or until heated through.
   

2. Stir before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 70 | Fat: 4.5g | Sodium: 95mg | Carbohydrates: 2g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 5g

Little Dipper

Slice a baguette into 1/8″-thick slices. Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with dried tarragon and rosemary. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until crisp.

This rich-tasting spread is great swirled into Greek yogurt or spread on a whole-wheat English muffin.

1. Place all ingredients in a 2-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low for 2–3 hours. Remove the lid and cook an additional 2–3 hours until the mixture is thickened.
   

2. Pour into airtight containers and refrigerate up to 6 weeks.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 50 | Fat: 0g | Sodium: 0mg | Carbohydrates: 13g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 0g

Make the most of in-season apples and pears in this easy alternative to apple or pear butter.

1. Place all ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 10–12 hours.
   

2. Uncover and cook on low for an additional 10–12 hours or until thick and most of the liquid has evaporated.
   

3. Allow to cool completely then pour into the food processor and purée. Pour into clean glass jars. Refrigerate up to 6 weeks.
   

PER 2 TABLESPOONS
Calories: 10 | Fat: 0g | Sodium: 0mg | Carbohydrates: 3g | Fiber: 0g | Protein: 0g

Do-It-Yourself Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is simply white sugar that has been mixed with molasses. Make brown sugar by combining 1 cup granulated sugar with a ¼ cup molasses. Store in an airtight container.

Minestrone is a classic Italian vegetable soup. The zucchini and cabbage are added at the end for a burst of fresh flavor.

Add the garlic, diced and crushed tomatoes, celery, onions, carrots, stock, beans, tomato paste, basil, and spices to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 6–8 hours. Add shredded cabbage and zucchini and turn to high for the last hour. Stir in the salt, pepper, and pasta before serving.

PER SERVING
Calories: 270 | Fat: 1.5g | Sodium: 900mg | Carbohydrates: 55g | Fiber: 10g | Protein: 13g

Suggested Pasta Shapes for Soup

Anchellini, small shells, hoops, alfabeto, or ditaletti are all small pasta shapes suitable for soup. For heartier soups, try bow ties or rotini. Thin rice noodles or vermicelli are better for Asian-style soups.

Using three types of mushrooms adds a lot of flavor to this soup.

1. Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a heat-safe bowl. Pour the boiling water over the mushrooms. Soak for 15 minutes.
   

2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium skillet. Sauté the fresh mushrooms, onion, and garlic until the onions are soft.
   

3. Drain the porcini mushrooms and discard the water. Add all of the mushrooms, onions, garlic, barley, pepper, and the broth to a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook 6–8 hours on low.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 110 | Fat: 1.5g | Sodium: 590mg | Carbohydrates: 20g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 6g

Hearty Vegetarian Variation

Add 1 diced carrot, 1 diced celery stalk, and 1 diced red potato with the rest of the ingredients. Use
Roasted Vegetable Stock
instead of beef broth. Stir in some fresh thyme prior to serving.

Serve this cooling soup with a dollop of sour cream, sliced cucumbers, and sliced hard-boiled eggs.

1. Place the beets, onion, salt, sugar, lemon juice, celery seed, stock, and water in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
   

2. Crack the egg into a heatproof bowl. Whisk until the egg is frothy. Slowly add about ½ cup hot soup in a single stream to the egg while continually whisking. This will cook the egg. Pour the mixture back into the slow cooker. Stir and cook an additional 15 minutes. This egg step is optional but makes for a creamier soup.
   

3. Refrigerate the soup for 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 80 | Fat: 1.5g | Sodium: 390mg | Carbohydrates: 15g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 4g

Can't Beat Beets

Beets, also known as beetroot, can be peeled, steamed, cooked, pickled, and shredded; they are good hot or cold. They are high in folate, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Although they have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, beets are very low in calories; one beet is only 75 calories.

Bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and vinegars can be found in the Asian section of most well-stocked grocery stores.

Place all ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 3½ hours.

PER SERVING
Calories: 90 | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 770mg | Carbohydrates: 10g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 8g

Slow Cooking with Tofu

Tofu is low in calories, a good source of iron, and virtually fat free. It is also a good source of protein, which makes it an attractive choice in vegetarian dishes. Extra-firm tofu is the best choice for slow cooker recipes because the solid texture holds up well during long cooking times.

This is excellent served with
Corn Bread
.

1. Cook the turkey bacon in a nonstick skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towel-lined plates. Crumble the bacon into small pieces.
   

2. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the onions, habanero, garlic, celery, and carrot. Sauté until the onions are soft, about 2–4 minutes.
   

3. Put the beans, onion mixture, and bacon crumbles into a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the broth and stir. Cook on low for 8–10 hours or on high for 4 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 120 | Fat: 3.5g | Sodium: 730mg | Carbohydrates: 24g | Fiber: 7g | Protein: 8g

Hints about Habaneros

Green habanero peppers are not ripe; when they are ready to eat, they range in color from yellow to bright red. Habanero peppers have a spicy, fruity flavor and are quite hot. If you prefer a milder dish, you can substitute an equal number of jalapeños.

This soup tastes even better the next day. Have it for dinner one day and lunch the next.

1. Place the spices, tomatoes, stock, garlic, onions, chiles, and peppers in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover, and cook on low for 6 hours.
   

2. After 6 hours, add the corn and turkey or chicken. Cover and cook for an additional 45–60 minutes. Serve with tortilla strips.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 170 | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 350mg | Carbohydrates: 21g | Fiber: 4g | Protein: 17g

Put the Tortilla in Tortilla Soup

Slice 4 corn tortillas in half, then into ¼″ strips. Heat ½ teaspoon canola oil in a shallow skillet. Add the tortilla strips and cook, turning once, until they are crisp and golden. Drain on paper towel — lined plates. Blot dry. Divide evenly among the bowls of soup before serving.

Lemon zest adds a bright, robust flavor to this simple soup.

1. Add the garlic, lemon juice, zest, stock, and onions to a 4-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours.
   

2. Stir in the chicken and cook for 30 minutes on high. Add the orzo and spinach. Stir and continue to cook on high for an additional 15 minutes. Stir before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 150 | Fat: 3.5g | Sodium: 330mg | Carbohydrates: 16g | Fiber: 1g | Protein: 14g

Quick Tip: Zesting

There are many tools on the market that are for zesting citrus, but all you really need is a fine grater. Be sure to take off the outermost part of the peel, where the aromatic essential oils that hold the flavor are located. The white pith underneath is bitter and inedible.

Make this soup before you go to bed and have a hot lunch ready the next day!

1. Place all ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low for 12–15 hours.
   

2. If the soup is wetter than desired, uncover and cook on high for 30 minutes before serving.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 230 | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 260mg | Carbohydrates: 43g | Fiber: 2g | Protein: 16g

Using Split Peas

Carefully pick over split peas to remove any stones or stems that might be present. Rinse them off and they are ready to use. Split peas are one of the few legumes that do not need to be presoaked or cooked before slow cooking.

This rich-tasting stew just needs a sprinkling of shredded red cabbage to finish it to perfection.

1. Seed the chiles, reserving the seeds. In a dry, hot frying pan, heat the chiles until warmed through and fragrant. Do not burn or brown them. Place the chiles and seeds in a medium pot with 1 quart broth or water, garlic, lime juice, cumin, and oregano. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 20 minutes.
   

2. Meanwhile, in a plastic bag, toss the cubed pork with the flour to coat. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and brown the meat on all sides. Add the onions and cook about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft.
   

3. Pour the unused stock, hominy, and the onion and pork mixture into a 4-quart slow cooker.
   

4. Strain the chile-stock mixture through a mesh sieve into the slow cooker insert, mashing down with a wooden spoon to press out the pulp and juice. Discard the seeds and remaining solids.
   

5. Cook on low for 8 hours.
   

PER SERVING
Calories: 370 | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 480mg | Carbohydrates: 37g | Fiber: 7g | Protein: 36g

Citrus Leftovers

If you have a small amount of juice left, pour it into an ice cube tray in your freezer, one well at a time if necessary. Zest can be refrigerated up to 1 week or frozen in a freezer-safe container up to 1 month.

Called Caldo Tlalpeño in Spanish, this Mexican soup makes a wonderful one-dish meal. For a variation, stir in some cubed zucchini when it is time to add the chicken.