Healthy Meals In The Crock Pot

To retain some of the nutrients in your meals, you should use small amounts of water and save the cooking liquids to use as sauces. These two methods are easy with a Crock Pot since it does not require a lot of water and the liquid stays in the Crock Pot. For proper food safety, the USDA recommends thawing meat and cutting it if the pieces are large. Keep your ingredients in the fridge until you are ready to use them and fill the Crock Pot so that it is between one-half and two-thirds full.

Vegetable Curry

For a vegetable curry, cut 2 potatoes, 4 carrots, 8 oz. green beans, 1 small onion, and 3 cloves garlic and put them in the Crock Pot. Add a 15-oz. can of drained chickpeas and a 14-oz. can of vegetable broth. Season with 2 tsp. curry powder, 1 tsp. coriander, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper and 1/8 tsp. cinnamon. Add 2 tbsp. quick-cooking tapioca as a thickener. Cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, or on high for 3.5 to 4.5 hours. Add a 14 1/2-oz. can of undrained diced tomatoes and serve with brown rice.

Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew

Try chicken and sweet potato stew for a crock pot meal with meat. Put 6 bone-in chicken thighs, 2 lbs. of chopped sweet potatoes, 1/2 lb. sliced white button mushrooms, 6 large halved shallots and 4 cloves of garlic in the crock pot. Season with 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. ground pepper, 1 cup dry white wine and 1 1/2 tbsp. white-wine vinegar. Cook on low for 5 hours.

Bean Dishes

A Crock Pot makes it easy to add dried beans to your diet. Boil 3 cups of water in a pot on the stove. Measure 1 cup of one type or a combination of beans. Add the beans and 1 tsp. salt to the water and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the beans to your crock pot and if the water does not cover them, add more water. Cook the beans on high for 2 to 3 hours; when they are tender, cook them on low for another 6 to 8 hours. Eat the beans as is, or add them to rice, salads, soups or other dishes.

Barley-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Steam a cored large cabbage head for 8 minutes. Cook 1 1/2 cups chopped onion in 1 tbsp. olive oil in a medium-hot pan for 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and add 3 cups cooked barley, 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1/2 cup dried currants, 2 tbsp. toasted pine nuts, 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Take 16 cabbage leaves, top each one with 1/3 cup of the barley mixture and roll each leaf. Put the rolls in your slow cooker and pour a mixture of 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, a 14 1/2-oz. can of undrained tomatoes, 1 tbsp. cider vinegar and 1/2 c. apple juice over the cabbage. Cook for 2 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.