Easy yet healthy slow cooker ideas

[CowsAndKisses]

I have had a slow cooker for over a year yet so not use it because I struggle to know what to put in it.

I want to start eating healthier as a family and want to get use out of my slow cooker.

I have done the usual chilli, spaghetti Bolognese, curry in it, but even after googling I don’t know what else to do.

Too many recipes seems overwhelming. I work full time so want something I can prep the night before and just throw into the slow cooker in the morning before leaving for work for the day.

Any ideas please?

I would recommend working your way through a small cookbook- any of the Hamlyn slow cooker recipe books or the bbc good food slow cooker book

They’re small and straightforward and the hamlyn one (got it off Amazon) has some great information in the introduction which would help you translate recipes you do in the oven etc to the slow cooker

I'm roasting a chicken in mine today.

Rub it with herbs/spices/salt and pepper
+Oil or butter if you wish (though it will be tender anyway)

Stand the bird (breast up) on chopped onion or carrot .

Leave in slow cooker for 7 hours on 'low'.

It falls of the bone when ready.

I have sometimes wrapped it in foil - to keep it tidy when I lift it out.

If you're on Facebook there are some great slow cooker groups!

Slow Cooked Wonders on Facebook jumps to mind, and there are some Slimming World Slow Cooker groups too.

Family favourite - based on Delia's recipe:

Chopped onion/carrot - softened in oil and put in base of cooker

Braising steak - large pieces dusted with flour, salt and pepper. Seared in pan used for softening the veg but over higher heat.

place meat on top of veg in the cooker.

Pour in wine or ale (enough to cover veg but meat can be partly uncovered)

Leave for 7 or 8 hours on low.
The meat tastes like really good quality steak and is very tender. The veg and juices make a lovely sauce.

I mostly use mine for whole joints with a slosh of wine, some herbs, s&p and caramelised onions. Lovely fall-apart meat for dinner -yum!

I know what you mean about the recipes seeming overwhelming sometimes. I'm the laziest slow cooker user ever. I don't hold with all the browning the meat, sauteeing the onions etc beforehand. I'm sure it does make some difference to the flavour but the whole point for me is to just bung everything in the one pot.

Today I'm making a casserole using some leftover roast beef and carrots and parsnips which were reduced to 25p a bag in the supermarket yesterday. Add a chopped onion, water, stock cubes and some herbs. Serve with potatoes, green beans and some crusty bread later. Might add some horseradish to give it a kick.

Other super easy things - pulled pork. Put about an inch of water in the bottom of the slow cooker, bung a pork joint in. When you're ready to serve, shred the meat with two forks. Then eat in lovely buns with barbecue sauce, coleslaw and corn on the cob. You can put a rub on the pork before cooking it but it puts my kids off eating it so I don't bother.

Pea and ham soup (more like pease pudding). Chopped onion, frozen peas, roughly chopped cooking bacon( which is really cheap. I go for a ratio of bacon being 25% the weight of peas), water, chicken or vegetable stock cube. Whizz with a hand blender before serving with crusty bread.Do NOT add salt because the bacon has enough. Oh and I find adding in a teaspoon or two of mint spacebar the end gives it a nice lift but you could leave that bit out.

The Slimming World pulled pork recipe is gorgeous. Always get compliments when I serve it up.

Spacebar??

Forgot I'm putting some stout in the beef casserole for more depth of flavour.