This healthy slow cooker recipes post is courtesy of our contributor Carolyn…I am 8 weeks into my fitness/wellness/better living journey and I’m feeling great, looking better, and stronger than I’ve ever been. I am more physically active than I’ve ever been and I’ve cleaned up my diet immensely! It has been hard work and totally worth it but I’ve recently become very bored with what to cook and eat. Also, I am pressed for time and after working for ten hours a day, as well as family and community obligations, I find myself not wanting to cook. The Healthy Slow Cooker cookbook arrived on my doorstep just before I ripped the top of the macaroni and cheese box. Phew!
The Healthy Slow Cooker book is a collection of 135 Gluten Free Recipes for Health and Wellness. I have been more conscious of ingredients and meals with gluten in them since I started my wellness journey and am taking notes on how it could possibly be affecting my body. I prepared three recipes from the book, each chosen to fit my family, and included ingredients I knew and/or had in my home already!
Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes:
The first recipe I tried was New World Potato & Leek Soup. My trainer had forwarded a traditional Potato and Leek soup to me that I loved so I was excited for the “New World” twist with Cumin, sweet potatoes, and peppers. It had a just enough spice to satisfy my fiery food tastes but was mild enough not to turn my toddler off! I had made a batch big enough for everyone to have a bowl as well as freeze several portions for quick healthy lunches! High in dietary fiber, as well as several vitamins and minerals, it is good as a meal on its own or perhaps paired with a protein packed side!
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 large leeks, white part with just a bit of green, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1⁄2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
- 6 cup vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes (about 3 potatoes)
- 2 green bell peppers, diced
- 1 long red chile pepper, minced, optional
- 1⁄2 cup heavy or whipping (35%) cream
- Roasted red pepper strips, optional
- Finely snipped chives
- Sea salt, optional
- You'll need a large (approx. 5 quart) slow cooker & a food processor or blender.
- In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add leeks and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, cumin and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
- Add vegetable stock.
- Add sweet potatoes.
- Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or on High for 3 hours, until potatoes are tender.
- Add green peppers and chile pepper, if using.
- Cover and cook on High for 20 to 30 minutes, until peppers are tender.
- Season to taste with sea salt, if using.
- Working in batches, purée soup in a food processor or blender.
- To serve, ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with cream and garnish with roasted red pepper strips, if using, and chives.
- Tip:To clean leeks, fill a sink full of lukewarm water. Split the leeks in half lengthwise and submerge them in the water, swishing them around to remove all traces of dirt. Transfer to a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water.
Chili with Black Beans and Grilled Chicken was the next recipe I made. I put everything together the night before and started the slow cooker shortly after lunch the next day (I feel like this helped the flavors mingle a bit). This is my kind of meal because it has fiber, protein, and complex carbohydrates in one dish; much of the goodness your body needs to function properly (and one serving was very filling). I was able to freeze several portions of this dish as well. Yeah! Lunches done for a couple weeks!
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp cracked black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can (14 oz/398 mL) crushed tomatoes (no-salt added)
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups cooked black beans
- 2 tsp pure chile powder (single ground mild chile powder, such as ancho or Anaheim, or a combination)
- 1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- 2 cups cubed (1 inch/2.5 cm) grilled chicken
- 1 green bell or poblano pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 can (41⁄2 oz/127 mL) chopped mild green chiles
- Shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese or sour cream (for topping before serving)
- Finely chopped red or green onion (for topping before serving)
- You'll need a medium to large (3 1⁄2 to 5 quart) slow cooker.
- In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
- Add onions and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
- Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
- Add stock and beans and stir well.
- Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or on High for 3 hours.
I made a batch of the Sumptuous Spinach & Artichoke Dip for a friend’s surprise thirtieth birthday party! Oh my, this was the easiest appetizer dish I have ever made, a little chopping, a little putting everything in the stoneware and two hours later it was done. We may have added a splash of white wine to add some extra perk! There were directions to make homemade tortilla chips, but due to a lack of time I picked up a bag of chips and a loaf of French bread for a bit of variety at the party. The dip was well received and gone in minutes. A definite must for other occasions!
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 6 oz Neufchâtel cheese, cubed
- 1⁄4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 can (14 oz/398 mL) artichokes, drained, rinsed and finely chopped
- 8 oz trimmed fresh spinach leaves (about 8 cups)
- 1⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- This dish will cook in a small to medium (1 1⁄2 to 3 1⁄2 quart) slow cooker.
- In slow cooker stoneware, combine mozzarella, Neufchâtel cheese, Parmesan, garlic, artichokes, spinach and black pepper.
- Cover and cook on High for 2 hours, until hot and bubbly.
- Stir well and serve with tortilla chips.
- Tips: If you prefer a smoother dip, place spinach and artichokes in a food processor, in separate batches, and pulse until desired degree of fineness is achieved. Combine with remaining ingredients in slow cooker stoneware.
- If you prefer, use frozen artichokes, thawed, to make this recipe. You will need 6 artichoke hearts.
Going through the other recipes in the Healthy Slow Cooker, Second Edition, I found and tabbed several other recipes I’m excited to try. Some of them are Warm Black Bean Salsa as well as Poached Pears in Chocolate Sauce. Chocolate and healthy in the same cook book…who’s with me in thinking there’s no two better words that could be together?
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Healthy Slow Cooker recipes images & recipes courtesy by Judith Finlayson © 2014 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with publisher permission.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this cookbook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
The chili looks fabulous – it just may be what’s for dinner tonight. Looks like a great cookbook!