Simple, healthy slow cooker recipes without tomatoes

[flumperoo]

I'm looking for some healthy, tomato-less slow cooker recipes that are as simple as possible using things like lean meat, beans, veg, potatoes (think Weight Watchers Filling & Healthy programe).

Other than these ingredients and a stock cube with water, what else could I use for a sauce that would make it thicker but without adding many calories?

Any other healthy slow cooker recipes welcome please.

[tywysogesgymraeg]

a chilli type dish with pork tenderloin, onions, and a tin of mixed pulses is good. chuck in some spices and away you go.
also something like beef stroganoff - no tomatoes in that.

[mrspremise]

distractedhousewife.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/puy-hey.html?m=1

[BorisIsABitOfAGargoyle]

Lentils are good for thickening.

[mrspremise]

Salmon with Puy Lentils Sorry about premature posting the first time

[Liveinthepresent]

Whole roast chicken with root veg - easiest ever ( I don't add liquid)

I am doing LO carb Bootcamp at the moment and the most delicious meal so far was a whole chicken slow cooked with a load of mushrooms - then we made some celeriac chips to go with it. Honestly it was like a restaurant meal!
DH made chicken and mushroom soup with the stock / leftovers too.

Beef and mushroom stew with pearl barley?

[mrspremise]

Oh, and cornflour is your new best friend. A tsp blended with a tbsp of water will thicken stock/juices in the slow cooker quite quickly if you stir it in at the end of cooking, leaving the lid off for 5 or 10 minutes or so before you serve

[flumperoo]

Thank you for the great ideas; I've taken notes so I can give them a try.

However, after not receiving responses yeasterday, and not thinking to check back this morning (doh!) I now have a slow cooker situation that I'm not sure can be saved! At around lunchtime I bunged some diced beef, carrots, leek, onion and mushrooms in my slowcooker with a stock cube and a bit of gravy powder. Now, more than 5 hours later, it looks fine, but I tried some beef and it's as tough as leather. I literally couldn't eat it. Is it because I didn't brown it? Will leaving it for longer help or make it worse?

It's my own fault for being so lazy and just chucking eveything in together without any prep I'm sure.

[flumperoo]

...forgot to mention, I also chucked about a pint of water in.

[CatKisser]

It might be the cut you used. Beef skirt and shin are the best IMO for slow cooking. I do usually brown but have had some lovely dinners without, so I doubt that's had an effect..

[Stupidhead]

It might be that it hasn't had long enough. For beef and pulled pork I go a good 8 hours but my sc is ancient.

[zippyandbungle]

You might need to leave it a few more hours. I had the same last week, thought I would have to chuck it but just left it for eight house and it fell apart.

[CatKisser]

Oh and I know it's "cheating" but I sometimes use those sachets for slow cooker dinners. I quickly brown a couple of chicken leg quarters and bung them in with whatever veg suits the dish best. They're pretty lovely and if I don't fancy it again for a second day I strip the meat off the bone and make it into a pie.
Also, when doing lamb or beef I find red wine a great option to water, but obviously it might not rate highly in the health stakes....

[flumperoo]

A few more hours in the slow cooker and the beef was edible (I wouldn't say it was great though). Thanks again for more ideas to help make me a slow-cooker goddess