Sarah Flower - Slow Cooker for Less Easy, budget-friendly recipes for the whole family

Sarah Flower , a leading nutritionist and author of many cookery books, is passionate about healthy eating and is a keen advocate of the sugar-free and low-carb way of eating. She has trained with The Real Meal Revolution , originally established by Professor Tim Noakes and Jonno Proudfoot, both of whom advise a Banting/ LCHF (low-carbohydrate, high-fat) diet and is now herself a Banting coach in the UK. Sarah writes for a number of publications, including the Daily Mail , Top Sant magazine and Healthista . She appears regularly on BBC Radio Devon. ALSO BY SARAH FLOWER The Busy Mums Plan-Ahead Cookbook The Sugar-Free Family Cookbook Eat Well, Spend Less The Healthy Lifestyle Diet Cookbook The Healthy Halogen Cookbook The Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook Perfect Baking with Your Halogen Oven Halogen Cooking for Two The Everyday Halogen Family Cookbook The Everyday Halogen Oven Cookbook Slow Cook, Fast Food Low-Carb Slow Cooker Eating to Beat Type 2 Diabetes Slow Cooker Family Classics The Keto Slow Cooker ROBINSON First published in Great Britain in 2021 by Robinson Copyright Sarah Flower, 2021 Photographs Shutterstock The moral right of the author has been asserted. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. ISBN 978-1-47214-609-0 Designed by Thextension Robinson An imprint of Little, Brown Book Group Carmelite House, 50 Victoria Embankment, London EC4Y 0DZ An Hachette UK Company www.hachette.co.uk www.littlebrown.co.uk The recommendations given in this book are solely intended as education and should not be taken as medical advice. Contents This is my sixth slow cooker book, which, if nothing else, does prove how obsessed I am with these wonderful gadgets. It has been a fascinating few months trying new recipes with budgets in mind. No matter what your budget, it is reassuring to know that we can still make delicious, comforting and affordable home-cooked meals with ease.

My very first book, published in 2009, was a money-saving lifestyle book. At the time I had a column with My Weekly on money saving, so the book seemed a good fit. This was followed shortly after by my first cookery book, Eat Well Spend Less , where I demonstrated how you could have a healthy diet on a budget. Since then, I have gone on to publish a further twenty books. This book is not a nutritional bible. It contains pure, honest home-cooked food for those on a budget; however, it is important to note that those who cook from scratch are generally healthier than those who buy takeaways or eat processed foods regardless of the fat, carbohydrate and protein content.

Real food cooked from scratch is the first and the most important step towards good health. I am a very simple family cook and I use everyday ingredients such as fresh vegetables, meat, herbs, spices and store-cupboard finds such as tinned tomatoes, beans and other pulses. If you check out my store-cupboard chapter, you will find a list of the ingredients used in this book, including the herbs and spices used in many of the recipes. At the beginning of each chapter, you will find a short introduction where I discuss top tips on the chapter that follows. It is important to read these because they include information on how to use the slow cooker or give you ingredients tips such as how to find the right cuts of meat. If you are new to the slow cooker, or you havent used one for a while, I do urge you to read my chapter How to use your slow cooker ().

They are wonderful machines, but there are some rules to follow to ensure the perfect cook. Please note, all the timings and recommendations in this book are based on a new slow cooker either my Crockpot Multi Cooker or my Ninja Pro. If you have an older cooker or a different model, you might want to check the temperatures, as these can vary from one machine to another. Older slow cookers can have hot spots where, when on high, things can catch. If this describes your machine, opt for the low setting rather than high, and this can avoid potential disasters. I hope you enjoy this book.

I always welcome emails from readers and any feedback on how you get on with my recommendations and recipes. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram @MsSarahFlower. I hope you will recommend this book to others. Happy cooking, Sarah xx Whether you are a slow cooker newbie or a seasoned pro, I would urge you to read this chapter in order to familiarise yourself with the machine and how to use it. Slow cookers are very popular for a good reason, but, depending on your machine, they can vary in style, use, temperature and cooking times, so please remember that my timings are a guide. The important factor is to get to know your machine and adapt the timings to suit.

THE BENEFITS OF SLOW COOKERS I love slow cookers: they are not only brilliant for busy people, as they cook on a low heat, but they also maintain the nutrient value of the food. This way of cooking is also a great tool for saving money, as you can use cheaper cuts of meat that might be tougher when cooked by traditional means, but when slow cooked they produce the most delicious, tender meat. These types of meats are also much more nutrient dense, often containing more collagen, which is great for overall health, including gut health. I make my own bone stock (see ) in the slow cooker and it is packed with nutrients and flavour. WHAT TO BUY? You can buy slow cookers for as little as 15, and we are now seeing increasing popularity for multicookers, of which I am a huge fan. A multicooker is a great tool with multiple functions, hence the name.

It can be used as a slow cooker, or to saut, bake or roast, and some also have pressure cooker and even air-fryer modes. When purchasing a slow cooker or multicooker, it is important to consider how it is going to be used. Think about the size of the machine. Some look quite big but the actual size of the crockpot might not be as big as you need. If you are cooking for a large family or you like to plan ahead and freeze food, you might be better off spending more money and investing in a larger machine. Go to an electrical store where you can actually view the machines even if you dont buy from them as it will give you an idea of the machines on sale and what your requirements are.

I would also strongly recommend that you buy the best you can afford. The following are the functions I absolutely love: Multi-function As stated above, these machines are great because they combine various functions in one. The best part for me is being able to switch from saut to slow cooker all in one machine, which is great when you want to saut or brown off meat prior to slow cooking. This saves time and washing up (which is a win-win for me). Timers/digital display The digital setting is great because it switches from the high or low heats to the keep warm function once it has reached its set time, so you need not fear overcooking if you are late home. I feel this is absolutely vital for ensuring that your food does not spoil.