Healthy Slow Cooker E-Book

Nicola Graimes

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 147

Beschreibung

Discover the convenience and versatility of your slow cooker with over 60 inspired, tried-and-tested and nourishing recipes. For anyone who loves good food but has little time to spend cooking, an electric slow cooker can fit perfectly into a busy lifestyle. They can be used day or night, and you don't have to stay at home to keep an eye on your cooking while you produce hearty, healthy food for all the family to enjoy. The recipes in this book mainly use sustaining grains, beans and pulses, along with vegetable ingredients and lean high protein foods, including fish, poultry and meat. The addition of fresh herbs and spices with known health-giving qualities, such as turmeric and ginger, adds flavour as well as packing an extra nutritional punch.

Leseprobe

healthy

SLOW COOKER

healthy

SLOW COOKER

Over 60 recipes for nutritious, home-cooked meals from your electric slow cooker

Nicola Graimes

with Cathy Seward

photography by Peter Cassidy

Author and recipe developer Nicola Graimes

Technical consultant, recipe tester

and Americanizer Cathy Seward

Senior designer Sonya Nathoo

Editor Miriam Catley

Production manager Gordana Simakovic

Art director Leslie Harrington

Editorial director Julia Charles

Publisher Cindy Richards

Photographer Peter Cassidy

Food stylists Kathy Kordalis and Sian Henley

Prop stylist Luis Peral

Indexer Vanessa Bird

Originally published in 2017 as Superfood Slow Cooker.

This updated edition published in 2022

by Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields, London WC1R 4BW

and

341 E 116th St, New York NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text copyright © Nicola Graimes 2017, 2022

Design and photographs copyright

© Ryland Peters & Small 2017, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-78879-420-6

E-ISBN: 978-1-78879-449-7

Printed in China

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

US Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.

Notes

• All recipes are made in a 3.5-litre/6-pint slow cooker.

• All nutritional breakdowns relate to one serving of the individual recipes and exclude all accompaniments.

• Always completely defrost meat, poultry, seafood and shellfish before adding to the slow cooker.

• Both British (Metric) and American (Imperial plus US cups) measurements are included in these recipes for your convenience, however it is important to work with one set of measurements and not alternate between the two within a recipe.

• All spoon measurements are level unless otherwise specified.

• All eggs are medium (UK) or large (US), unless specified as large, in which case US extra-large should be used. Uncooked or partially cooked eggs should not be served to the very old, frail, young children, pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems.

• Whenever butter is called for within these recipes, unsalted butter should be used.

• When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using.

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this book are those of the author but they are general views only and readers are urged to consult a relevant and qualified specialist or physician for individual advice before beginning any dietary regimen. Ryland Peters & Small hereby exclude all liability to the extent permitted by law for any errors or omissions in this book and for any loss, damage or expense (whether direct or indirect) suffered by a third party relying on any information contained in this book. You should always consult your physician before changing your dietary regimen.

Contents

Introduction

Choosing a Slow Cooker

Superfoods for the Slow Cooker

Breakfast and Brunch

Light Bites

Weekday Meals

Slow Weekends

Index

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Nurturing, restorative and nutritious, there’s something really quite special about a slow-cooked meal. It’s almost an antidote to hectic, modern life and the preoccupation with quick meals and fast food. The beauty of slow cooking is partly its simplicity and I’ve tried to maintain this with the recipes in this book using readily available, nutritious, fresh ingredients and cooking them in a simple, unfussy, economic way.

Healthy ingredients don’t have to be exotic, expensive or only found in specialist shops. Simple, everyday fresh foods have the power to support and boost our health but for me, it’s more than just about physical wellbeing – healthy ingredients can be as good for the soul as they are for the body. Just consider a tasty, nutritious bowl of filling soup made with a nurturing bone broth and lots of veg – it ticks all the right boxes.

When you think of slow cooking, rich, hearty stews, soups and curries immediately spring to mind – basically winter comfort food – but I was surprised to discover, as you may be, while creating these recipes that my slow cooker is so much more versatile than I’d given it credit for. Think parcels of lightly cooked fish, crisp balls of falafel, light, fluffy cornbread, melt-in-the-mouth ‘baked’ sweet potatoes and even crisp, golden granola.

Slow cookers cook food gently and evenly and it is arguable that the lower cooking temperature may actually help to preserve nutrients that can be lost when food is cooked quickly at high heat, such as frying, grilling/broiling and boiling. Additionally, since the food is contained within a covered pot, nutrients released from the food could be contained in the slow cooker within any liquid or sauce; although, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) tend to hold up better than water-soluble ones such as vitamins B and C.

Cooking foods slowly at a lower temperature is also less likely to expose us to advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which are toxins created by grilling/broiling and frying foods at high temperatures, especially meat and other animal products. AGEs have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, inflammation, diabetes, vascular and kidney disease as well as ageing skin.

To enable you to eat good healthy food at any time of the day, the recipes in this book cover most eating occasions, from breakfast and brunch to weekday meals and dishes more suited to weekend cooking. With the Weekday Meals chapter, I’ve been mindful to include recipes that can be assembled in the morning, cook through the day and ready when you get home from work. Some dishes may require finishing just before serving, but pretty much all the hard work is done by the slow cooker.

The true beauty of a slow cooker is that dishes pretty much look after themselves – there’s no need to hover over the hob/stove top to produce healthful, nutritious, tasty meals loaded with superfoods.

About the recipes

All the recipes in this book have been double tested in a 3.5-litre/6-pint/4-quart slow cooker and mainly feed four people. Only the high and low settings were used as these are standard on all models and the slow cooker was not preheated.

One of the slow cookers used for testing had a lightweight metal, non-stick coated pot that could be used on the hob/stove top for pre-browning and tended to cook more quickly than the second slow cooker with its heavier ceramic pot. Each recipe comes with range of cooking times – the shorter time tells you that the food will be tender and ready to eat but will not deteriorate if left to cook for the longer time given. It also allows for differences in performance between the many models of slow cooker available.

Choosing a slow cooker

Slow cookers come in many variations with features and prices to suit all needs. If you are thinking of buying a slow cooker there are a few things to consider.

What size?

Generally speaking slow cookers are available in three basic sizes – small, medium and large and may be oval or round in shape. The working capacity is always less than stated on the packaging as you must not fill the slow cooker right to the brim.

Round or oval?

Round slow cookers are a good choice if you are going to cook mainly soups and stew type recipes. An oval pot is a little more versatile and is an ideal shape for cooking joints of meat and whole chickens.

Features

Removable inner pots These are made from stoneware, ceramic or lightweight non-stick coated metal. Stoneware and ceramic pots are heavier to lift and cannot be used on the hob/stove top but look great taken to the table for serving. Metal pots can be used directly on the hob/stove top for pre-browning and searing foods – the pot is then placed in the base unit – so much quicker and more convenient. These pots are lighter to lift, too, so it’s easier to pour and serve or turn out foods. Metal pots may cook a little faster than those made from stoneware and ceramic so cooking times may be shorter in these models. Always check the manufacturer’s instructions.

Transparent lids A clear toughened glass or heavy-duty plastic lid will allow you to keep an eye on the food as it’s cooking.

Digital controls Some models have digital controls that enable you to set the cooking time on the unit. It will count down and automatically switch to ‘keep warm’. This is useful if you don’t want to use a separate timer.

Settings

Slow cookers reach just below boiling point 100°C/212°F during cooking – this temperature is reached more quickly on the high setting. All models vary slightly in performance – some cook more quickly than others. You will soon get used to your own model.

Basic cookers just have low and high settings and an ‘off’ position. Some may also have a medium, auto or warm setting.

Low for long, slow, all-day, or overnight cooking – great for putting a meal in the pot before you go out for the day or go to bed.

High if you want to speed up the cooking time – generally takes half the time of the low setting.

You can use a combination of low and high if you want to add thickeners to a recipe at the end of the cooking time or add foods such as seafood – simply switch to high for the time specified in your recipe.

Auto available on some models – this setting automatically switches the cooker from high to low after about 1 hour and enables you to reach the optimum temperature more quickly and reduce the cooking time slightly. If your model does not include this setting you can start the recipe on the high setting for 1 hour and then switch to the low setting manually, adjusting the cooking time accordingly.

Warm At the end of the cooking time this setting can be used to keep the food at the correct serving temperature. Never use this setting for cooking.

USING THE SLOW COOKER

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions supplied with your cooker because the actual method of use can vary from model to model.

Some manufacturers recommend preheating the cooker on the high setting 20–30 minutes before adding the food. Others say to heat the pot only when you are about to add the food.

The recipes in this book have not included a preheating instruction. If your instruction manual states that this must be carried out it is important that you do so.

Capacities

Make sure your cooker is at least half full when cooking meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Joints of meat should take up no more than two-thirds of the space. Always leave some headroom and never fill the pot right to the top.

Pre-browning

Pre-browning ingredients, especially meat, enhances the appearance of the food and can improve the flavour but it isn’t essential. However, minced/ground beef, lamb or pork should be pre-browned for best results as it stops it clumping together. Pre-browning can be done in a separate frying pan/skillet or alternatively, directly in the pot if it can be used on the hob/stove top.

Lifting the lid

Don’t be tempted to lift the lid and stir the food. Food won’t stick and burn or boil over in the slow cooker. It is important to remember that every time you lift the lid you will have to add 20 minutes to the cooking time to compensate for the drop in temperature. Only lift the lid if stated in the recipe and make sure it is replaced promptly.

COOKING TIMES

All the recipes in this book include a range of cooking times. This means that the food will be cooked and ready to eat at the lower time but it can be left without spoiling for the maximum time given. Always cook for the minimum time given in the recipe but adjust times according to your own particular model. Some cook faster and some cook slower – especially if you have an older slow cooker.

The cooking times can also be affected by conditions in your kitchen. If the kitchen is very hot you may find that the cooking times are shorter. If it’s a very cold day the food may need longer cooking. Similarly, if the slow cooking pot has been refrigerated, let it come to room temperature before cooking. Slow cooking is not an exact science so there are variables that can affect the cooking performance and this should always be taken into account.

Cooking times will vary but approximate comparative cooking times on low and high are as follows:

Low setting

High setting

4–8 hours

1½–4 hours

8–10 hours

5–6 hours

10–12 hours

7–8 hours

Slow cooker size guide:

SIZE

MAX CAPACITY

SERVINGS

Small

1.5 litres/2½ pints/1.5 quarts

1–2 servingsIdeal for couples or 1 to 2 person households

Medium

3.5 litres/6 pints/4 quarts

3–4 servings (depending on the recipe) –ideal for small families

Large

6.5 litres/11½ pints/6 quarts

6–8 servingsGreat for larger quantities and batch cooking

Healthy foods for the slow cooker

MEAT

A complete protein and rich in essential fats, vitamins, including many Bs and D, and minerals such as zinc and iron, red meat offers many nutritional benefits and can play a part in a balanced, varied diet. While red meat isn’t essential in our diets, it’s worth remembering around two-thirds of us are believed to be deficient in iron. Red meat is a particularly good source of the mineral and in a more readily absorbable form than that found in vegetables or other plant foods.

If you eat meat, always go for the best quality you can afford and that means lean, organic, grass-fed and free-range – and opt for a few meatless days each week, swapping it for plant-based proteins such as beans and pulses.

The recipes featuring red meat in this book do so in small, yet nutritious, quantities and you’ll find it is supplemented with lots of fresh vegetables or other plant foods. Slow cooking helps to extract a pure meaty flavour that permeates the whole dish, so it is possible to use smaller amounts. Slow cookers are perfect for making nutritious bone broths using beef, pork or lamb bones (see page 16).

Preparation/cooking tips

•Choose inexpensive cuts of meat for slow cooking such as brisket, stewing/chuck steak, silverside/top round/bottom round/eye of round, lamb shoulder, neck fillet, pork shoulder/Boston butt.

•Make sure joints are even in size so they cook evenly. Try not to select a joint that tapers as the thin end will cook more quickly than the thick part, causing the joint to overcook in places.

•Trim away excess fat and cut into even bite-size pieces – or according to the recipe.

•Pre-brown or bring to room temperature before adding to the slow cooker.

•It’s a good idea to check the internal temperature of cooked food, especially joints of meat and whole chicken, with a food thermometer. Insert the probe into the thickest part – food should reach an internal temperature of 75°C/165°F.

POULTRY

Chicken contains a similar amount of protein to red meat, but with less fat and fewer of the unhealthy bits attributed to red meat. A complete protein, chicken provides all the essential amino acids necessary for the growth, repair and maintenance of the body. It’s particularly rich in B vitamins, especially B6 and B3 (niacin); the former supports the immune system, metabolism and the central nervous system, while B3 is responsible for maintaining the health of the body’s cells and converting carbohydrates to energy.

The antioxidant selenium is also found in beneficial amounts and is thought to protect against many major illnesses, including cancer and heart disease, as well as inflammatory diseases.

Slow cookers are perfect for cooking chicken broths, soups and stews with their restorative and immune-boosting properties – there is some truth in the old wives’ tale! Studies show that these chicken dishes could provide relief from upper respiratory cold symptoms and if you throw in plenty of veg, ginger, turmeric and garlic, you further increase their health benefits and immune-boosting properties.

Buy organic and free-range chicken if possible, which has been found to have a greater concentration of nutrients, particularly increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids.

Preparation/cooking tips

•Whole chicken cooks beautifully in the slow cooker. Marinate in flavoursome ingredients to add colour or pre-brown before cooking.

•Chicken thighs are a good choice – they remain moist and delicious.

•Remove the skin from chicken portions, if preferred.

FISH & SHELLFISH

While cooking seafood in a slow cooker may sound an anomaly, it can be perfect as it cooks it gently and evenly. One of the easiest and most nutritious methods is to wrap the fish in a baking paper or foil parcel, which keeps the flavours, juices and nutrients contained and works well with more fragile fish that has a tendency to fall apart. Add vegetables, spices and herbs to the fish parcels and you further lift the nutritional value.