Adams Media - The 50 Best Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes. Tasty, Fresh, and Easy to Make!

The 50 Best
Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes Tasty, fresh, and easy to make! Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc. Avon, Massachusetts Contents Introduction Believe it or not, its easy to make a healthy meal in the slow cooker. Making simple ingredient substitutions and choosing recipes that are high on flavor, fruits, fiber, vegetables, and lean protein instead of fat are the keys to healthy slow-cooking success. Healthy eating means choosing foods for optimal health. Recipes that use whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and fiber-rich legumes go a long way toward promoting a healthy autoimmune system and digestive tract. The trick is to use foods that are high in flavor but not fat.

Using fruits, vegetables, and spices to flavor a meal instead of rich sauces is a step in the right direction. Fresh ingredients like onions, garlic, fennel, celery, carrots, apples, pears, and mangoes add lots of flavor, are low in calories, and are high in fiber. Eating healthily doesnt mean giving up entirely on old favorites, just learning how to prepare them in a new, more wholesome way. There is no reason to use high-sodium and calorific condensed soups when fat-free evaporated milk adds creaminess without the fat. Spices add richness and robust flavor while adding virtually no calories. Very lean cuts of meat will become tender after cooking for hours.

Making biscuit and dumpling toppings from scratch saves calories, and these recipes are just as easy as using a mix. Weve collected 50 of the best recipes to try in your slow cooker. Some recipes are slimmed-down versions of old favorites while others are fresh new ways to consume healthful foods with little effort. Even if youre not a vegetarian, try one of the vegan or vegetarian dishes. You may find a new favorite! The recipes are all so full-flavored that you wont miss the extra fat and calories found in most other slow cooker dishes. Here youll find everything from hearty breakfasts and easy suppers to elegant appetizers and good-enough-for-company dishes to show off at your next party.

Cranberry-Ginger Meatballs Serve this easy appetizer at your next holiday party straight from the slow cooker. Serves 12 Ingredients 28 ounces frozen, precooked turkey meatballs (about 24 meatballs) cup chili sauce 3 cups whole-berry cranberry sauce 1 tablespoons dark brown sugar 1 tablespoon ginger preserves

1. Defrost the meatballs according to package instructions. Mix together the chili sauce, cranberry sauce, sugar, and preserves in a large bowl.
2. Pour half of the sauce into the bottom of a 4-quart oval slow cooker. Place the meatballs on top. Pour the remaining sauce over the meatballs.

   Cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2.

Per Serving
Calories: 120	Fat: 4 g	Protein: 14 g
Sodium: 250 mg	Fiber: 0 g	Carbohydrates: 8 g

Simple Homemade Turkey Meatballs In a small bowl, combine 1 pound ground turkey, cup breadcrumbs, teaspoon salt and pepper, 18 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1 minced shallot. Form into 1" balls. Broil for 10 minutes or until cooked through. Easy Party Snack Mix Making a snack mix with whole-grain cereal is a breeze in the slow cooker. Unlike the oven method, there is virtually no risk of burning and little attention or hands-on time is needed.

Serves 20 Ingredients 2 tablespoons melted butter 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dill weed 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 cups crispy corn cereal squares 1 cups crispy wheat cereal squares 1 cups crispy rice cereal squares 1 cup pretzel wheels 1 cup roasted peanuts or almonds

1. Pour the butter, spices, and Worcestershire sauce into the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir. Add the cereal, pretzels, and nuts. Cook uncovered on low for 23 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
2. Pour onto a baking sheet and allow to cool.

Per Serving
Calories: 100	Fat: 5 g	Protein: 3 g
Sodium: 150 mg	Fiber: 5 g	Carbohydrates: 11 g

Snack Mix Variations Mexican: Substitute 1 teaspoon each cayenne pepper, ground chipotle, hot New Mexico chili powder, and oregano for the thyme, dill weed, and Worcestershire sauce.

Per Serving
Calories: 100	Fat: 5 g	Protein: 3 g
Sodium: 150 mg	Fiber: 5 g	Carbohydrates: 11 g

Snack Mix Variations Mexican: Substitute 1 teaspoon each cayenne pepper, ground chipotle, hot New Mexico chili powder, and oregano for the thyme, dill weed, and Worcestershire sauce.

Japanese: substitute wasabi peas for the peanuts, and 1 teaspoon each sesame seeds, soy sauce, ground ginger, and white pepper for the paprika, thyme, dill weed, and Worcestershire sauce. Baba Ganoush Serve this with pita and fresh vegetables. Serves 12 Ingredients 1 1-pound eggplant 2 tablespoons tahini 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 cloves garlic

1. Pierce the eggplant with a fork. Cook on high in a 4-quart slow cooker for 2 hours.
2. Allow to cool. Peel off the skin.

   Slice it in half and remove the seeds. Discard the skin and seeds.

3. Place the pulp in a food processor and add the remaining ingredients. Pulse until smooth.

Per Serving
Calories: 25	Fat: 1.5 g	Protein: 1 g
Sodium: 0 mg	Fiber: 2 g	Carbohydrates: 3 g

Tahini Tips Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. The most common tahini uses seeds that have been toasted before they are ground, but raw tahini is also available.

The two can be used interchangeably in most recipes, but occasionally a recipe will specify one or the other. Look for tahini near the peanut butter, in the health food section, or with the specialty foods in most grocery stores. Shrimp and Artichoke Dip This unusual dip is delicious with sesame pretzels or pita chips. Serves 20 Ingredients 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese cup reduced-fat sour cream cup green onion, diced 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoons Chesapeake Bay seasoning 12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted 8 ounces peeled salad shrimp

1. Place the cream cheese, sour cream, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, and Chesapeake Bay seasoning in a food processor. Pulse until smooth and well blended.
2. Scrape into a medium bowl.
3. Scrape into a medium bowl.

   Add the shrimp and stir to evenly distribute.

4. Scrape into a 2-quart slow cooker. Cook on low 40 minutes. Stir before serving.

Per Serving
Calories: 50	Fat: 3 g	Protein: 4 g
Sodium: 220 mg	Fiber: <1 g	Carbohydrates: 3 g

Cooking with Cream Cheese While reduced-fat cream cheese can be successfully cooked, fat-free cream cheese separates when heated. Do not use fat-free cream cheese unless it is specifically called for.

In addition, always use brick cream cheese. Whipped or spreadable cream cheese has additives to make it spread easily that separate during cooking. Fig and Ginger Spread This rich-tasting spread is great swirled into Greek yogurt or spread on a whole-wheat English muffin. Serves 25

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