The 50 Best Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes (9 page)
Read The 50 Best Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes Online
Authors: Adams Media
Tags: #healthy, #recipes, #slow cooker, #cooking
Ingredients
1 cup frozen spinach, defrosted
1 teaspoon paprika
6 eggs
1
1
â
2
cups fat-free evaporated milk
1
â
4
cup green onion, diced
1 cup shredded low-fat sharp Cheddar
4 ounces sliced Canadian bacon, diced
3 slices sandwich bread, cubed
1 cup button or crimini mushrooms, sliced
Thoroughly squeeze out all water from the spinach. Spray a round 4-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk the paprika, eggs, evaporated milk, and green onion.
Sprinkle the bottom of the slow cooker with half of the cheese. Top with an even layer of spinach. Top that with a layer of half of the Canadian bacon. Add all of the bread cubes in one layer. Top with a layer of mushrooms, and then the remaining Canadian bacon. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Pour the egg mixture over the top and cover. Cook for 2 hours on high.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 230 | Fat: 8 g | Protein: 22 g |
| Sodium: 630 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Carbohydrates: 17 g |
Canadian Bacon versus American Bacon
American bacon is made from smoked and cured pork belly. It is high in fat and is known in other countries as “streaky bacon.” Canadian bacon, as used in the United States, refers to bacon made from the pork loin. It is much lower in fat than American-style bacon.
Hearty Multigrain Cereal
Wake up to this high-fiber, satisfying breakfast!
Serves 6
Ingredients
1
â
4
cup wheat berries
1
â
4
cup long-grain rice
1 cup rolled or Irish-style oats
3
1
â
2
cups water
Add the wheat berries, rice, oats, and water to a 2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook for 8â10 hours.
Stir before serving.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 150 | Fat: 2.5 g | Protein: 5 g |
| Sodium: 0 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Carbohydrates: 30 g |
Sweet or Savory Breakfast
Oatmeal and other hot breakfast cereals can be served two ways. The most popular is sweetened with a bit of sugar or fruit. An equally tasty way to eat your morning grains is to serve them savory; top the cereal with a small pat of butter and a small sprinkle of salt.
Breakfast Burrito Filling
Serve in a whole-wheat tortilla with your favorite breakfast burrito toppings.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1
1
â
4
pounds lean boneless pork, cubed
12 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 small onion, diced
1 jalapeño, diced
1
â
2
teaspoon ground chipotle
1
â
4
teaspoon cayenne pepper
1
â
4
teaspoon ground jalapeño
2 cloves garlic, minced
Place all ingredients into a 2-quart slow cooker. Stir.
Cook on low for 8 hours. Stir before serving.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 310 | Fat: 12 g | Protein: 44 g |
| Sodium: 430 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Carbohydrates: 6 g |
Quinoa with Fruit
Take a break from oatmeal and try this fruity quinoa instead!
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1
â
2
cup dried mixed berries
1 pear, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
1
â
2
teaspoon ground ginger
1
â
4
teaspoon cinnamon
1
â
8
teaspoon cloves
1
â
8
teaspoon nutmeg
Place all ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir.
Cook for 2â3 hours or until the quinoa is fully cooked.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 250 | Fat: 3 g | Protein: 6 g |
| Sodium: 10 mg | Fiber: 5 g | Carbohydrates: 51 g |
Coconut Rice Pudding
Evaporated milk gives this rice pudding an amazingly creamy texture without the fat of whole milk or cream.
Serves 8
Ingredients
3
â
4
cup long-grain rice
3
1
â
2
cups fat-free evaporated milk
2
â
3
cup sugar
1
â
3
cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1
â
2
teaspoon vanilla
1
â
4
teaspoon salt
1
â
4
teaspoon orange peel
Place all ingredients into a 4-quart slow cooker. Stir.
Cook on low for 5 hours. Stir before serving.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 240 | Fat: 3 g | Protein: 10 g |
| Sodium: 200 mg | Fiber: <1 g | Carbohydrates: 44 g |
Quick Tip
Rice pudding has a tendency to thicken as it cools. If you want a looser, creamier texture, stir in a bit of water to each bowl before serving. Reheat leftovers for optimum flavor and texture.
Slow-Cooked Pineapple
Slow cooking makes pineapple meltingly tender. Serve as-is or with vanilla bean frozen yogurt.
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 whole pineapple, peeled
1 vanilla bean, split
3 tablespoons water or rum
Place all ingredients into a 4-quart oval slow cooker.
Cook on low for 4 hours or until fork tender. Remove the vanilla bean before serving.
| Per Serving | ||
|---|---|---|
| Calories: 35 | Fat: 0 g | Protein: 0 g |
| Sodium: 0 mg | Fiber: <1 g | Carbohydrates: 8 g |
Cooking with Vanilla Beans
Vanilla beans have a natural “seam” that can easily be split to release the flavorful seeds inside. After using a vanilla bean, wash it and allow it to dry. Then place it in a container with a few cups of sugar for a few weeks to make vanilla sugar.
Chocolate Bread Pudding
Fat-free evaporated milk gives this bread pudding a creamy texture, but it has several dozen fewer calories than heavy cream.
Serves 10