Many busy families utilize slow cookers to prepare healthful meals without spending hours standing in front of the stove. However, some slow-cooker meals can take eight hours or more to cook. Fortunately, certain recipes and tricks allow you to cook meals in your slow cooker that are ready in a short period of time.
Salmon
Fish cooks quickly and is a healthy source of unsaturated fat and protein. Make salmon in the slow cooker by first soaking a short cedar plank in water, then setting it into the cooker. In a bowl, combine 1 tsp. each of cumin, salt, garlic powder, rosemary and onion powder, and sprinkle the seasonings over a 1-pound salmon fillet. Drizzle 1 tbsp. honey and arrange slices from two limes over the top of the salmon. Place the salmon on the plank and cook on low for two hours. If you do not have a cedar plank, wrap your fish in aluminum foil instead.
Chili
Using precooked meat or opting for a vegetarian version can cut down on the cooking time for slow-cooker chili. Combine two 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes, 1 can of dark red kidney beans, 1 can light red kidney beans, 1 can black beans and 1 can corn. If you are using meat, include 1 pound of cooked meat, such as ground beef or leftover diced chicken. Add 1 cup diced bell, sweet or hot peppers and 1 cup diced onion. Stir in 1 tbsp. chili powder and 1 tsp. cayenne pepper. Cook on high for two hours.
Pineapple Chicken
Pineapple chicken served with rice that is steamed in the microwave makes for a quick, tasty and nutritious meal. Place three ½ -inch thick boneless skinless chicken breasts in a glass dish and cook for 12 to 15 minutes in the microwave. Arrange the cooked chicken in the slow cooker and sprinkle 1 tsp. paprika and 1 tsp. pepper over the top. Mix one 20-oz can of pineapple chunks with 1 tsp. soy sauce and 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard, stir and pour it over the chicken. Mince and add 1 clove of garlic. Cook on high for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Considerations
Browning your meat on the stove top will help it cook faster in the slow cooker. Similarly, using thawed meat rather than frozen can also help your food cook faster. Thinly sliced meats and boneless meats cook faster than thick-cut pieces or meat with bones in it. Place your slow cooker on the high setting rather than low to speed the cooking time. Avoid taking the lid off the slow cooker to keep cooking time to a minimum. Taking the lid off allows the heat and steam to escape, and the cooker must work longer to regain the temperature it was at previously.
References
- "Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking" Stephanie O'Dea 2009
- Parents.com: Slim Down Suppers Healthy Slow Cooker Meals
- FastRecipes.com: Pineapple Chicken
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