Slow Cooker Recipes.
- Thread starter kered
- Start date
irish molly
Maintaing LT loss on GL
Mary, check out the recipe thread in the Stickies section here. I'm sure some of those recipes will do just fine in a slow cooker. Some of the others posting here might also have some good ones.
I have often fancied a slow cooker so I'll be interested if it works out for you.
Most of my low GL recipes are all pretty quick.
I imagine slow cooking would work great if cooking bean dishes using dried beans etc.
Yum! Enjoy your new cooker.
I have often fancied a slow cooker so I'll be interested if it works out for you.
Most of my low GL recipes are all pretty quick.
I imagine slow cooking would work great if cooking bean dishes using dried beans etc.
Yum! Enjoy your new cooker.
CaliSweden
Silver Member
I've never used one before either. But growing up my parents had one and used it. They'd make roasts in it, and they came out really yummy.
irish molly
Maintaing LT loss on GL
Mary, some nice South Beach recipes here:
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/09/crockpot-or-pressure-cooker-recipes.html?m=1
There are links to lots of healthy recipes for slow cookers.
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2005/09/crockpot-or-pressure-cooker-recipes.html?m=1
There are links to lots of healthy recipes for slow cookers.
Plumfoodie
Paleo maintenance rocks!
Hi kered,
I love my slow cooker! I cook all sorts of soups, stews, casseroles etc in it - you can adapt any healthy recipes for these dishes that you already have by reducing the liquid/seasoning a bit as it doesn't evaporate as much as using the hob or oven - and usually make the biggest batch that will fit in the cooker as then I can freeze a few portions for another day when there's no time to cook. The only things I would always use dedicated slow cooker recipes for involve dried items like beans, rice, pasta etc. as it's easy to get the liquid amount wrong and these can behave in unexpected ways (but sadly nothing exciting like painting the lounge while you're at work).
Also a word of caution about dried beans as some (red kidney beans for sure, but maybe others) need to be boiled hard for 10 minutes before you add them to the slow cooker to destroy a toxin that is in them. However after you've done this they are fine to add to the slow cooker.
The one thing I have learned is that some meats do benefit from browning first as called for in a lot of recipes (which I wouldn't do the night before, because then you'd have half-cooked meat sitting around all night) but others really don't need it. Even things that are better pre-browned (e.g. sausages) are still perfectly edible if you don't have time to do this, but obviously the skins don't go crispy.
If you want specific recipes, it's also worth Googling for 'crock pot' or 'crockpot' recipes as that is what they are called in North America where they are very widely used! If there's a dish you want to cook in your slow cooker you can probably find a recipe for it! Have fun! (I'm going to be checking out the link that Molly posted too, yum yum!)
I love my slow cooker! I cook all sorts of soups, stews, casseroles etc in it - you can adapt any healthy recipes for these dishes that you already have by reducing the liquid/seasoning a bit as it doesn't evaporate as much as using the hob or oven - and usually make the biggest batch that will fit in the cooker as then I can freeze a few portions for another day when there's no time to cook. The only things I would always use dedicated slow cooker recipes for involve dried items like beans, rice, pasta etc. as it's easy to get the liquid amount wrong and these can behave in unexpected ways (but sadly nothing exciting like painting the lounge while you're at work).
Also a word of caution about dried beans as some (red kidney beans for sure, but maybe others) need to be boiled hard for 10 minutes before you add them to the slow cooker to destroy a toxin that is in them. However after you've done this they are fine to add to the slow cooker.
The one thing I have learned is that some meats do benefit from browning first as called for in a lot of recipes (which I wouldn't do the night before, because then you'd have half-cooked meat sitting around all night) but others really don't need it. Even things that are better pre-browned (e.g. sausages) are still perfectly edible if you don't have time to do this, but obviously the skins don't go crispy.
If you want specific recipes, it's also worth Googling for 'crock pot' or 'crockpot' recipes as that is what they are called in North America where they are very widely used! If there's a dish you want to cook in your slow cooker you can probably find a recipe for it! Have fun! (I'm going to be checking out the link that Molly posted too, yum yum!)
Plumfoodie
Paleo maintenance rocks!
You've inspired me to make split pea soup in the cooker tomorrow! We're putting in:
750g-1kg smoked gammon, trimmed of all fat/skin (the amount isn't critical and depends on what's available)
500g (2 cups) dried yellow split peas - no need to soak
2 onions chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 celery chopped
2 bay leaves
1.5l fresh cold water (or less for super thick soup!)
Put the gammon in a big pot of cold water and bring to the boil. Turn off, add the drained gammon to the slow cooker along with all the other listed ingredients and discard the salty gammon water.
Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5. When cooked, either leave the soup chunky and shred the gammon in the pot, or remove/shred the gammon on a plate, blitz the soup with a hand blender and return the gammon chunks to it.
This will make 6-8 servings depending on how thin you like it! I start with the smaller quantity of water and then thin to taste after cooking before dishing up on the basis that you can't thicken it after the fact. I like it pretty thick though!
750g-1kg smoked gammon, trimmed of all fat/skin (the amount isn't critical and depends on what's available)
500g (2 cups) dried yellow split peas - no need to soak
2 onions chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 celery chopped
2 bay leaves
1.5l fresh cold water (or less for super thick soup!)
Put the gammon in a big pot of cold water and bring to the boil. Turn off, add the drained gammon to the slow cooker along with all the other listed ingredients and discard the salty gammon water.
Cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5. When cooked, either leave the soup chunky and shred the gammon in the pot, or remove/shred the gammon on a plate, blitz the soup with a hand blender and return the gammon chunks to it.
This will make 6-8 servings depending on how thin you like it! I start with the smaller quantity of water and then thin to taste after cooking before dishing up on the basis that you can't thicken it after the fact. I like it pretty thick though!
Last edited:
irish molly
Maintaing LT loss on GL
Gosh, I'm getting very tempted to buy a slow cooker! Plum, do you reckon it's a Gi friendly idea?
Plumfoodie
Paleo maintenance rocks!
(sorry I have rambled, my brain is getting sleepy and non-concise!)
Hm, I'd say yes if you already have GI-friendly stews/casseroles etc. that you like making but don't want to be tied to the house while they are cooking (def look for one with a timer that switches to 'keep warm' when done if you are away all day). You can add tinned beans to the slow cooker, not just dried, just be aware that they'll eventually break up with long cooking.
I usually remove or reduce the proportions of less friendly things, so I might now make a stew and throw in some pearl barley towards the end instead of potatoes, or use sweet potatoes, or for things like the split pea soup I've increased the gammon a bit and will be mindful of the portions that I eat (and forego the lovely crusty bread :cry
. If I make chilli or something I'll put in more veggies, and so on. Also I already liked things like beef bourg. which just has meat and veggies, no potatoes/starch (unless you count wine....).I have to say though that I couldn't personally get a lot of use out of the slow cooker if I were living on my own - because I am not a morning person!!! You do have to either get things going in the morning (which The Husband does, bless him) or else cook them overnight (but this only works if you are not the type to be awoken by smells wafting through the house, which I am).
Left to my own devices I'm personally more suited to a pressure cooker and making stews etc. quickly at the very last minute (but if you're trying to watch fat be mindful that you have to add oil to anything you cook with beans, lest the skins clog the vent and explode everything everywhere).
CaliSweden
Silver Member
I so want a slow cooker
irish molly
Maintaing LT loss on GL
I love the pressure cooker too or usually nice quick stir fries. That's why I've wondered if a slow cooker is overkill. I've always fancied one though! I've always been a kitchen gadget girl!
Plumfoodie
Paleo maintenance rocks!
(quick note - I corrected the time in the split pea soup guidance above. oops!)
Thank you for all the tips plumfoodie, really helpful.
I have used my slow cooker twice now, I made chicken casserole with sweet potatoes, leeks, carrots and chicken, and the chicken was so moist and tender - I am definitely hooked.
Yesterday I cooked a joint of brisket with a full onion chopped into 4 pieces, with just under a half pint of beef stock, which was also very tender and moist. The meat just doesn't dry up like it can in the oven.
I then used the stock from the brisket to made a saucepan of Scotch Broth today, on the conventional cooker though, as I wanted it for lunch - thanks again.
I have used my slow cooker twice now, I made chicken casserole with sweet potatoes, leeks, carrots and chicken, and the chicken was so moist and tender - I am definitely hooked.
Yesterday I cooked a joint of brisket with a full onion chopped into 4 pieces, with just under a half pint of beef stock, which was also very tender and moist. The meat just doesn't dry up like it can in the oven.
I then used the stock from the brisket to made a saucepan of Scotch Broth today, on the conventional cooker though, as I wanted it for lunch - thanks again.
