The 50 Best Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes (5 page)
Read The 50 Best Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes Online
Authors: Adams Media
Tags: #healthy, #recipes, #slow cooker, #cooking
Ingredients
1
1
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2
pounds boneless pork rib, trimmed of excess fat
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4
cup soy sauce
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4
cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tablespoon sesame seed paste or tahini
1 tablespoon grated lime peel
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
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2
teaspoon five-spice powder
2 tablespoons lime juice
Slice the pork into 3-wide strips. Place the pork in a resealable plastic bag. Add the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate overnight.
Pour the pork and marinade into a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 330 | Fat: 14 g | Protein: 34 g |
| Sodium: 890 mg | Fiber: <1 g | Carbohydrates: 54 g |
Turkey Mole
Despite the number of chiles, this is not a terribly spicy sauce. The chiles add a lot of flavor but not much heat. Look for them in the Mexican or produce section of most grocery stores.
Serves 8
Ingredients
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2
cup pepitas (raw, hulled pumpkin seeds)
5 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
5 dried pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed
4 cups boiling water
4 cloves garlic
1 onion, cut into eighths
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 3 stick Mexican cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon oregano
1 6-pound turkey breast
14 ounces canned fire-roasted diced tomatoes
Place the pepitas and chiles in a dry nonstick pan. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pepitas start to pop. Using tongs, remove the chiles and place them in a heat-safe bowl. Pour the boiling water over the chiles. Allow them to soak 15 minutes.
Scoop the chiles out of the hot water and into a food processor. Reserve the water. Add the pepitas, garlic, onion, cocoa, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, oregano, and
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4
cup of the water used to rehydrate the chiles. Pulse until a smooth paste forms.Place the turkey into an oval 6-quart slow cooker. Add the tomatoes. Spoon the mole sauce over and around the turkey breast. Cook on high for 2 hours, then switch to low for an additional 6 hours.
Remove the turkey from the slow cooker. Discard the skin. Pour the sauce through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Discard the liquid in the bowl and retain the solids in the strainer. The solids remaining constitute the mole sauce. Toss the meat with the sauce or serve the sauce on the side.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 520 | Fat: 6 g | Protein: 89 g |
| Sodium: 490 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Carbohydrates: 19 g |
Using Dried Peppers
Dried peppers need to be rehydrated before being used in most recipes. Soak them in boiling water or stock for 15 minutes and then towel them dry before adding them to the cooker to avoid diluting your dish.
Orange Chicken
Serve this slimmed-down version of orange chicken with brown rice and steamed broccoli.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons spiced ginger preserves
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2
cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 large orange, sliced into
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8
-thick slices
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about
3
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4
pound)
Whisk together the soy sauce, preserves, and juice in a small bowl.
Arrange the orange slices along the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker. Top with the chicken breasts. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cook for 3 hours on low or until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 170 | Fat: 2.5 g | Protein: 26 g |
| Sodium: 560 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Carbohydrates: 10 g |
Cooking with Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Boneless skinless breasts are a low-fat source of protein, but it can be tricky to use them in the slow cooker. They are best when used raw in a recipe with a short cooking time to avoid any chance of drying out. Cooked, they hold up well when added toward the end of a longer cooking recipe such as a soup, stew, or chili.
Beer-Braised Chicken
Serve this as is or in any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.
Serves 6
Ingredients
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, quartered
6 ounces beer
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2
cups water
2 cloves garlic
Place all ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours.
Remove the chicken breasts and discard the cooking liquid.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 80 | Fat: 0.5 g | Protein: 14 g |
| Sodium: 40 mg | Fiber: 0 g | Carbohydrates: 2 g |
Moroccan Chicken
This dish was inspired by traditional North African tagines and adapted for the slow cooker.
Serves 6
Ingredients
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2
teaspoon coriander
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2
teaspoon cinnamon
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4
teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
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cup water
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 knob ginger, minced
15 ounces canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 ounces dried apricots, halved
Place all of the spices, chicken, water, garlic, onion, and ginger into a 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 5 hours.
Stir in the chickpeas and apricots and cook on high for 40 minutes.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 210 | Fat: 4.5 g | Protein: 13 g |
| Sodium: 340 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Carbohydrates: 30 g |
Mango Duck Breast
Slow-cooked mangoes soften and create their own sauce in this easy duck dish.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless duck breasts
1 large mango, cubed
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4
cup duck or chicken stock
1 tablespoon ginger juice
1 tablespoon hot pepper, minced
1 tablespoon shallot, minced
Place all ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4 hours.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 150 | Fat: 4 g | Protein: 17 g |
| Sodium: 70 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Carbohydrates: 10 g |
Wild Mushroom Risotto
This makes a great side dish, or try it as a main course paired with a green salad.