I checked it out of the library and I love it so much, I'm going to buy it!

http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Slow-C...2919131&sr=8-1

I want to try nearly every recipe in it. Most things are very healthy and all the nutritional info is provided. There are a few cases of moderately exotic ingredients and it can be a little more complicated than my usual "throw it all in and stir a couple of times" but definite WINNER.

Thanks for the link. I'm going to see if my library has it. Here's one I refer to quite often. I really like being able to put something on before I go to work and come home to it ready to eat!

The Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Cookbook

I've got a slow cooker. I keep meaning to find some recipes using it. It would be awesome to throw something in that crock and have it all good to go come dinner time.

You've definitely got me considering buying one or the other.

oooh, I will check it out.

Here's what I decided to make next week. I will type it out for everbody!

Caldo Vera
8 servings

Ingredients

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbs olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced (I will use more, of course)
1/2 tsp cracked peppercorns
6 cups chicken stock (I'll make it from the cubes)
2 cans chickpeans, drained (or 2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked, cooked and drained)
2 potatoes, peeled and diced (going to use sweet, I think)
salt, optional
2 tsp paprika
2 tbs lemon juice (dissolve the paprika in the lemon juice)
4 cups shredded collard greens (or kale)
4 oz cooked smoked sausage such as cured chorizo or kielbasa, chopped into bite sized pieces (optional)
red wine vinegar, optional

1. In a large dry skillet over medium heat, toast cumin seeds, stirring until fragrant, until they just start to brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and grind (note to self, find mortar and pestle)

2. In the same skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add onions and carrots, stirring until carrots are softened about 7 minutes. Add garlic, peppercorns and cumin, cooki stirring for 1 minute. Transfer to slow cooker. Add stock and chickpeas and stir well.

3. Add potatoes and stir well (um, why not do this the last step? weird!). Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until potatoes are tender. SEason to taste with salt, if using. If you prefer a smooth soup, working in batches puree soup in a food processor or blender (I will pass on this step in an attempt to keep the number of pots/pans to a minimum!). Stir in paprika mixture. Add collars (or kale) in batches, stirring each to submerge before adding the next batch. Add sausage, if using. Cover and cook on high until collards are tender, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with vinegar, if using.

Sounds great!!! Going to serve it with some really good bread.

Oh yeah

Calories 190
Protein 7.9
Carb 33
Fat 3.7 g
Sat .6
Mono 1.8g
poly .9
Fiber 6.1
sodium 243 (they recommend dried chickpeas to cut the sodium)
Chol 5 mg

It looks really good. Thanks, Glory!

This is going on the menu soon! Except I have to buy smooth peanut butter, which is a pain.

Spicy Peanut Chicken
6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil or extra virgin coconut oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and minced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs minced gingerrot
1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorn
1 cup chicken stock
3 lbs skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (about 12)
3 tbs smooth nat peanut butter
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbs reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tsp red curry paste
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 cups sweet green peas (thawed if frozen)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts (I Might use cashews, since I have some)
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add onions, carrots, celery, and cook stirring until carrots are softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and peppercorns, stirring for 1 minute. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.

2. Arrange chicken over bottom of slow cooker, and vegetable mixture. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours (hmmm tough to do on a work day!) or high for 2 1/2 hours until juice run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.

3. In a bowl, combine peanut butter, lemon juice, soy suace, and red curry paste. Mix well. Add to slow cooker. Add coconut milk, peas and red pepper and stir well. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes. garnish with peanuts and cilantro and serve.

Cal 334
Prot 33
Carb 14
Fat 16.2
Sat 5.3
Mono 6.0
Poly 3.3
Fiber 3.6
Sodium 471
Chol 114

That sounds good Jen. How many servings does it make?

One more!!

Moroccan Style Chicken with Prunes and Quinoa
8 servings

Ingredients

Prune mixture
1 1/2 cups chopped pitted prunes
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbs liquid honey

1 tbs grated lemon zest
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs dried oregeno leaves, crumbled
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked peppercorns
2 lbs skinless bone-in chicken thigh (about 8)
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 cups quinoa (rinsed)
3 cups water (for quinoa)

1. In a bowl, combine prunes, 1 1/2 cup of the water, honey and lemon zest. Cover and set aside.

2. In a slow cooker, combine garlic, oregano, lemon zest, salt, peppercorns. Add chicken and toss. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight (also refrigerate prune mixture)

3. Add chicken stock and lemon juice, stir well. Cover and cook on low for r hours. or on High for 2 1/2 hours. Add prunes with liquid. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes.

4. Cook the quinoa. Boil water, add quinoa in a steady stream. Stir. Return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes (always takes longer for me, YMMV)

5. Serve chicken on quinoa!

calories 283
Protein 17.7
carb 42.5
Fat 5.3
Sat 1
Mono 1.6
Poly 1.6
Fiber 5.5
Sodium 440
Chol 53

Hey I edited in all the serving info!

Thanks! Otherwise I would assume it made one serving. The Spicy Peanut Chicken sounds divine!

My rice cooker is my bean cooker, I cook a pot of beans at least once a week.

I need to get this cookbook. I love my slowcooker but am often at a loss for cool recipes... I make the same old things - beans, soups, sometimes cabbage/potato/sausage.

BTW, I would use chunky in the recipe. I think it would turn out fine!

Will you let us know how your meals turn out?

Sure thing! Jason got to pick the first recipe. I am making chicken cacciatore with broccoli! I already have everything already to go in the Slow Cooker - I just have to turn it on in the morning! (I mean, it's in the frig now. I have to put it in the slow cooker and turn it on in the morning).

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

2 tbs oil, divided
2 onions, finely chopped (I used one ginormous onion)
4 cloves garlic, minced (I used tons)
1 tsp dried organo, crumbled
1/2 tsp salt (skipped it)
1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
8 oz cremini mushrooms (it didn't say, but I halved them, they were pretty small)
1 cup dry white wine or chicken stock (white??? bah, none of that in the house! used the chicken stock)
1 28 oz can of tomatoes, with juice (I got the diced)
12 skinless bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 lbs). I used a little less than that, and it is HARD to find skinless bone-in chicken thighs! I bought bone-in and peeled the skin off, it was pretty easy, actually
2 dried chile peppers, optional (I just added some crushed red pepper when I added the orgagno instead)
1 green bell pepper, diced (I hate green peppers, skipped them)
4 cups broccoli florets, blanched (I bought a big bag of frozen broccoli, plan to nuke at the last minute tomorrow)

1. In a skillet (I just used my slow cooker, the pot can go on the stove), heat 1 tbs olive oil. Add onions and cook, stirring about 3 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add mushrooms, toss to coat. Add white wine (chicken stock) and tomatoes with juice an bring to a boil.

2. Arrange chicken over bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with sauce. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours (I am going to cook for 8 hours on low, cuz i have to work tomorrow) or on high for 3 hours. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, transfer chicken to heatproof dish and put in the oven to keep warm (I am going to skip all that and just toss the broccoli in at this point).

3. In a skillet, heat remaining 1 tbs oil, add chile peppers (if using) and bell pepper. cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomato sauce from slow cooker and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer until slightly reduced and thickened about 10 minutes. Add broccoli and cook until heated through. Combine with chicken and serve.

I'm going to serve it over polenta, but I wimped out and bought the stuff in the tube. I like to slice it very thin and fry it with pam until it's crispy, then finish it under the broiler for super crispiness.

I'm skipping the whole bell pepper step. I'm going to take the chicken out as directed, put the crockpot on the stove and reduce/thicken. Then add the broccoli, then add the chicken. Should be a little easier.

I will report back! And post a picture!