I cannot believe we’re moving to Athens, Georgia in less than two weeks! We’re trying to cut down on the amount of stuff to pack, so the kids and I are in the process of consuming all the foodstuffs we can. That’s why I discovered one last package of venison in the freezer. Surprisingly it was stew meat, which was perfect to make Crock-Pot Hungarian Goulash from Heather of Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks blog for this month’s Secret Recipe Club assignment!

Yes, another slow cooker recipe for the Secret Recipe Club post. This is the third in a row after last month’s Healthy Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John and March’s Healthy Slow Cooker Pumpkin and Bean Chili. Hope you don’t mind, but when you have a small kitchen like I do in my temporary Boulder apartment, a slow cooker comes in handy!

I only made a few changes to Heather’s recipe. To make it gluten free, I used starch instead of flour and served it on quinoa instead of egg noodles. I also used coconut palm sugar instead of brown sugar ,, sea salt instead of regular table salt, and smoked paprika instead of regular paprika. Feel free to use whatever substitutes you wish depending on your food sensitivities and what you have on hand.

Healthy Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash

Print
Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean stew meat (beef or venison), cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon corn or rice starch
• 2 cups cooked quinoa

Directions

1. Place the meat in a 5 quart slow cooker and cover with the sliced onion.
2. Combine the garlic, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, coconut palm sugar, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and dry mustard. Stir in the water and mix well. Then pour mixture over the meat in the slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. If mixture gets dry, add more water (1/2 cup at a time).
4. Just before serving, remove a couple of tablespoons of liquid from the slow cooker and put into a small bowl. Add corn or rice starch and stir until dissolved. Pour starch mixture into the slow cooker and stir until goulash thickens.
5. Spoon goulash over quinoa and serve.

Prep Time: 15 - 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 6 - 8 Hours

Total Time: 6:15 - 8 Hours 20 Minutes

Nutrition Grade B+ from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 8

Servings: Serves 6

• Calories: 412
• Calories from Fat: 46
• Total Fat: 5.1g
• Saturated fat: 5g
• Unsaturated fat: .1g
• Sodium: 681mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 46.7g
• Sugar: 8.5g
• Fiber: 4.5g
• Protein: 41.7g

More from the Secret Recipe Club!

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Healthy Slow Cooker Hungarian Goulash with Quinoa #secretrecipeclub #glutenfree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I want to thank my regular readers for their patience the past few weeks as I haven’t been posting as many recipes as I’d normally would. It’s been a time when the personal gets in the way of the professional due to selling our home in February, moving to temporary quarters in Boulder in March, and traveling to Athens, Georgia to house hunt. (I was also on a trip to Honolulu to do some food writing for the folks at Sea Cuisine – more on that soon!)

While I was in Athens, I indulged in local Southern cuisine from barbecue to grits (smothered and chopped – thank you very much!) While I was there I discovered pickled and fried okra, pickled watermelon rinds, and a dish called Hoppin’ John. It’s a combination of two staples of Southern food – black eyed peas and collard greens.

Both foods are packed with nutrition. According to Self Nutrition Data, black eyed peas are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium and a good source of fiber, protein, folate, thiamin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and copper. (The one drawback is that they're very high in calories.) Collard greens are low in saturated fat, very low in cholesterol, and a good source of fiber, protein, and many vitamins and minerals.

Healthing up Southern cooking

I’m looking forward to our move to Georgia and sharing healthy versions of Southern recipes with my readers. That's why I was so excited to find a recipe for Hoppin John Vegetarian Black Eyed Peas done in a slow cooker at Kristi Arnold’s blog Veggie Converter, my assigned blog for this month’s Secret Recipe Club post.

Kristi’s recipe is very healthy already, but since I’m not a vegetarian, I decided to add smoked turkey sausage to her recipe after consulting Kristi’s original sources. (Traditionally, smoked ham hocks are used.) I kept the sausage whole instead of chopping them up, so you can decide how much sausage you want to eat and can keep a better eye on portion size. Also, I used canned black eyed peas instead of dried to make the recipe even more convenient for busy folks. I served it on quinoa, but feel free to use rice - brown, of course - which is more traditional.

And the Bacon Salt that Kristi recommends? Awesome stuff! I love how it added bacon flavor – and no calories and saturated fat – to the recipe.

Healthy Crockpot Hoppin' John

Note: you can health up this recipe even more by using vegetable broth, cutting back on the sea salt, and adding more tomatoes, onions and collard greens. While I loved the addition of quinoa, it can be eliminated, too, if you're watching your calorie count. And the sausage? Feed it to your skinny friends or the dog!

Print
Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 (15.5 ounce) cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (13.5 ounce) package smoked turkey sausage, keep whole
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced petite tomatoes and diced green chilies
• 1 medium onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 bunch collard greens, rinsed chopped and ribbed
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Bacon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups cooked quinoa

Directions

1. Empty the cans of black eyed peas into a colander place in the sink. Drain and rinse until the water runs clear.
2. Place black eyed peas, chicken broth and turkey sausage in the six quart slow cooker.
3. Stir in tomatoes with chilies, chopped onion, and collard greens.
4. Add sea salt, Bacon salt and black pepper. Stir thoroughly.
5. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours until sausage is cooked through.
6. Serve over quinoa.

Nutrition Grade B from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 13

Servings: 10

• Calories: 646
• Calories from Fat: 56
• Total Fat: 6.2g
• Saturated fat: 1.3g
• Unsaturated fat: 4.9g
• Sodium: 1115mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 136.6g
• Sugar: 8.4g
• Fiber: 51.2g
• Protein: 56.4g
• Cholesterol: 27mg

More from the Secret Recipe Club!

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Healthy Slow Cooker Hoppin’ John #secretrecipeclub is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

For this month’s Secret Recipe Club assignment, I was partnered with Alison of Sweet Flours. As you can guess by her blog’s name, Alison blogs about sweet treats and baked goods. Luckily, for this healthy, gluten free blogger, she also makes savory dishes like chili. I was so enticed by her recent post, slow cooker easy pesto meatballs, that I wondered if she had any other slow cooker recipe. Luckily for me she did - slow cooker pumpkin and bean chili.

Want to join the Secret Recipe Club? You can sign up here.

Apartment cooking for three

I was incredibly grateful that this month’s Secret Recipe Club assignment would be an easy-to-make slow cooker chili recipe. You see, I sold my home last month and the kids and I are living in a furnished apartment in Boulder, Colorado to see out the school year. Then we move to Athens, Georgia where my husband will start work next month. It’s been stressful and I needed to make some comfort food!

Also, while I did pack a few pans, knives and kitchen gadgets to take with me, our apartment kitchen is small and stocked with only the basics. Knowing this, one of the things I made sure to take with us was my  red, four quart Crock-Pot. Unfortunately, I dropped it when I was unloading the truck and it now bears a huge dent. It’s no longer pretty, but it still works, thank goodness.

Chili substitutions

I also chose this recipe because it used canned pumpkin puree. I love the idea of using pumpkin year round as it’s so healthy – full of fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, carotenoids, potassium and zinc. Add it to a chili with a lean meat, high fiber beans, chopped tomatoes, and you have a super healthy dish. I also healthed up Alison’s recipe by substituting ground beef for ground venison. You can also use ground turkey or chicken. If you want to use ground beef, choose the leanest kind you can find.

Other changes included using a red bell pepper instead of a green one as I find them kind of bitter. I used vegetable instead of chicken broth as it’s much lower in fat and calories, and ground chipotle chile instead of cayenne pepper since that’s what I had on hand. Finally, instead of plain chili powder, I used Chugwater Chili Gourmet Chili Blend. If you’re ever in Chugwater, Wyoming, stop at the gas station off the freeway (there’s only one, if I remember right) and pick up a jar of it!

Chili additions

You can also add some extra veggies when making chili. I had hoped to add a bag of okra I had the freezer. However, there was no more room in the slow cooker! Instead, I added it after we ate a few bowls. Adding extra veggies is a great way to sneak some healthy greens into your family’s diet, plus it creates more chili without much added calories or cost.

Finally, I added a tablespoon of pumpkin oil. My husband brought a small bottle of this home from a trip to Germany and swears it makes pumpkin soup super delicious. So I thought I’d try it in pumpkin chili! Don’t worry about tracking a bottle down – using pumpkin oil is totally optional. I’ve also figured out the nutritional information without the oil.

Healthy Slow Cooker Pumpkin and Bean Chili

Adapted from Sweet Flours who adapted it from Lynn's Kitchen Adventure>

Print
Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 pound ground venison, turkey, chicken or lean beef
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder or your favorite gourmet chili blend
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or ground chipotle chile (optional)
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 15 ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin oil (optional)

Directions

1. Cook onion, bell pepper and ground meat over medium high heat until meat is cooked through.
2. Add salt and garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
3. Add spices (chili powder through cumin) and mix thoroughly. Cook for 1 minute.
4. Place onion, pepper, meat, garlic and spice mixture into a slow cooker.
5. Add remaining ingredients.
6. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
7. Dish chili into bowls and top with a small dollop of no fat sour cream or a large pinch of shredded cheese.

Prep Time: 15 - 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 5 - 6 Hours

Total Time: 5:15 - 6 Hours 20 Minutes

Nutrition Grade A from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 9

Servings: 12

• Calories: 471
• Calories from Fat: 48
• Total Fat: 5.3g
• Saturated fat: 2.0g
• Unsaturated fat: 3.3g
• Sodium: 311mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 72.9g
• Sugar: 5.4g
• Fiber: 18.5g
• Protein: 35.5g
• Cholesterol: 37mg

Healthy Slow Cooker Pumpkin and Bean Chili is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Yes, you read that right – I’m slow cooking mountain goat meat. As I found out when I made carne asada, mountain goat is so tough it’s practically inedible unless made into sausages or cooked in a Crockpot.

So for this month’s Secret Recipe Club recipe I went to Jen from Bean Town Baker’s blog for a little crockpot inspiration. I found her slow cooker recipe for Crockpot Pulled Chicken that looked perfect, as mountain goat (as opposed to domestic goat) tastes just as mild as chicken. Not only that, I had all the ingredients on hand except for the tomato paste, which I omitted and didn’t miss.

If you’re using chicken, slow cook this recipe for five to six hours. However, if you’re slow cooking mountain goat, plan to cook it up to a full day. (I cooked up my batch for 20 hours, believe it or not.) You could try this with beef or pork, too. (Slow cook those meat around six to eight hours.)

This slow cooker recipe gives a nice, smoky taste to your meat of choice. Serve your shredded goat, chicken beef or pork on rice or make it into a burrito, tostado or taco.

Crockpot Pulled Goat

Based on Bean Town Baker’s recipe for Crockpot Pulled Chicken

Print
Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 14 ounce can tomato sauce
• 3 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely minced
• 1/2 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoon smoked or regular paprika
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 teaspoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 pounds mountain goat meat – chops, steaks, roast, etc.
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Directions

1. Stir tomato sauce, chiles, vinegar, agave nectar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, chili powder and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker to combine.
2. Add mountain goat, onion and garlic and stir to cover meat thoroughly.
3. Put the lid on and cook on low until the mountain can be pulled apart – at least over night if not nearly a full 24 hours. Check often to make sure it’s not getting dried out. If the liquid levels are getting low add some water, broth or more tomato sauce.
4. When done, shred mountain goat with a fork right in the crock. Stir well then serve.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Hours

Total Time: 18:15 - 20 Hours 15 Minutes

Nutrition Grade B from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 6

Servings:

• Serving size: 6
• Calories: 344
• Calories from Fat: 31
• Total Fat: 3.4g
• Saturated fat: 0g
• Unsaturated fat: 0g
• Sodium: 816mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 21.7g
• Sugar: 15.9g
• Fiber: 3.7g
• Protein: 52.4g
• Cholesterol: 0mg

More from the Secret Recipe Club!

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Secret Recipe Club: Crockpot Pulled Goat #secretrecipeclub #goaterie is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

A recent culinary challenge I faced was cooking the mountain goat my husband bagged in September. We had our local game processor make the meat into German, Italian and chorizo sausage – all of which have been fantastic. However, I was concerned with the steaks and chops. Would they be gamey?

I tentatively grilled up a few and found the mountain goat meat was very mild tasting – and extremely chewy. So much so that it was practically inedible. Flummoxed, I decided to marinate and tenderize the heck out the mountain goat meat by making carne asada.

It’s all about the vinegar

We love authentic Mexican carne asada and have learned to make it at home using a recipe my husband found on the Internet. (There are so many similar versions online that I’m not sure who to credit as the author.)

Traditionally, a carne asada marinade uses red wine vinegar. Instead, I decided to do things differently and use Holland House® Malt Vinegar. Both Holland House Malt Vinegar and Holland House Red Wine Vinegar have 5% acidity, which makes both perfect for breaking down and tenderizing tough meat. However, the malt vinegar has a wonderful, strong zingy taste that goes well with the lime and orange juices.

My Carne Asada Marinade recipe will marinade five to six pounds of meat and can be easily halved for a small dinner with no leftover or doubled for a big party or tail gating. If you’re using beef, use skirt steak or a similar thin cut, as show above, and marinate 24 to 48 hours. (The tougher the meat, the longer you should marinate it.)

Slow cooker pulled carne asada

Traditionally, you grill carne asada meat. I tried that on half the mountain goat meat I prepared. While it was extremely delicious, it was still chewy even after marinating the mountain goat for over two days!

Instead, I decided to cook the other half of the meat in the slow cooker. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as sweet and tangy as the grilled carne asada. It was still tasty and tender, more like “pulled” meat, which is what I was shooting for. From now on, all mountain goat meat will be slow cooked. Lesson learned.

Carne Asada Marinade

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup Holland House® Malt Vinegar
• 1/3 cup lime juice or lemon juice
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons peeled fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon white pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 orange, sliced
• 1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Place meat in gallon sized freezer bag, in the bottom of a shallow baking dish, or a non-reactive (plastic or glass) storage container with a lid.
3. Pour carne asada marinade on top of meat, cover dish or close bag, and marinate overnight up to 48 hours in the refrigerator.

Grilling the marinated carne asada:

1. Take meat out of container and grill until just cooked through. (Rare to medium rare.)
2. Cut cooked meat into strips.
3. Place meat and favorite toppings (salsa, cheese, guacamole, avocado slices, tomatoes, shredded cabbage, grilled sweet peppers, etc.) in a tortilla to make into tacos or burritos. You can also serve meat over rice for a carne asada bowl.

Slow cooking the marinated carne asada:

1. After marinating for one or two days, place meat and marinade in a slow cooker.
2. Slow cook for 10 to 12 hours on low.
3. Meat should be extra tender and can be shredded with a fork.
4. Place meat and favorite toppings (salsa, cheese, guacamole, avocado slices, tomatoes, shredded cabbage, grilled sweet peppers, etc.) in a tortilla to make into tacos or burritos. You can also serve meat over rice for a carne asada bowl.

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Disclosure: Mizkan, the parent company of Holland House, provided compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.

Best Carne Asada Marinade recipe ever! is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

An updated version of Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes by Phyllis Pellman Good was recently released. Her Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook: Slow-Cooker Favorites to Include Everyone! and Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly: Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker are better cookbooks for those of us who want to watch what we eat.

However, the revised version of the classic slow cooker cookbook has many healthy choices including turkey chilies, bean stews and seafood dishes. (Still, avoid those gooey dessert and cheese covered casserole recipes!)

Using your slow cooker is frugal way to cook because you can use less expensive cuts of meat, inexpensive beans, and frozen or canned vegetables. Plus, a crockpot uses a lot less energy than a stove or oven.

However, over the summer I rarely use my slow cooker, probably because I’m not in the mood to eat hot soup or stews. Still, there are several healthy recipes in Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes that are perfect for warm weather because they use seasonal ingredients or are perfect for summer parties. Here are a couple to try out this Fourth of July.

Slow Cooker Corn on the Cob

By Donna Conto of Saylorsburg, PA

For when you don’t have room on the grill or stove top for cooking corn.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-6 quart

Ingredients:

• 6-8 ears of corn IN HUSKS
• 1/2 cup of water

Directions:

1. Remove silk from corn, as much as possible, but leave husks on.
2. Cut off ends of corn so ears can stand in the cooker.
3. Add water.
4. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours.

This Mama’s tip:

• Instead of butter, use a spray on butter substitute like I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter.

Weight Watchers POINTS = 1 for a small ear (4 ounces)

Greek Chicken

By Judy Govotsus of Monrovia, MD

Makes 4-6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6 quart

Ingredients:

• 4-6 potatoes, quartered
• 2-3 pounds of chicken pieces
• 2 large onions, quartered
• 1 whole bulb garlic, minced
• 3 teaspoons of dried oregano (or 3 tablespoons of fresh oregano)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

1. Place potatoes in bottom of slow cooker.
2. Add chicken onions and garlic.
3. Sprinkle with seasonings and top with oil.
4. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 9-10 hours.

This Mama’s tips:

• Instead of regular potatoes, use fingerling potatoes or sweet potatoes.
• Instead of mincing garlic, use whole cloves. After cooking, pick out garlic cloves and serve on crackers or thick pieces of peasant bread.
• Instead of serving chicken hot, cool after cooking. Nothing says summer to me like eating cold chicken off the bone at a picnic. Make sure to pack a lot of napkins!
• Serve with a feta and watermelon salad.
• Use leftover chicken to make Chicken Orzo Salad.

Weight Watchers POINTS

• 1 POINT for 1 ounce of chicken breast
• 3 POINTS for 2 ounces of chicken thigh
• 3 POINTS for 1 small potato (8 ounces cooked or 1 cup)

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Disclosure: I was sent a copy of Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker
Recipes to review.

Healthy summer slow cooker recipes from the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

This high fiber and protein and low in Weight Watchers POINTS recipe comes from The Vegetarian Slow Cooker: Over 200 Delicious Recipes by Judith Finlayson. She believes that more people than ever are choosing to reduce their consumption of meat for health, environmental and financial reasons. Instead, they’re choosing to eat diets rich in vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruit. 

Louisiana Ratatouille

Eggplant, tomato and okra stew is a classic Southern dish that probably owes its origins to the famous Mediterranean mélange ratatouille. One secret to a successful result, even on top of the stove, is not overcooking the okra, which should be added after the flavors in the other ingredients have melded.

Serves 6

For a medium, approximately 4 to 5 quart slow cooker

Ingredients:

• 2 medium eggplants, peeled, cubed (2 inches/5 cm), sweated and drained of excess moisture
• 2 tablespoons (25 mL) oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon (2 mL) cracked black peppercorns
• 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) tomatoes with juice, 1 coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons (25 mL) red wine vinegar
• 1 pound (500 g) okra, trimmed and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) lengths, about 2 cups (500 mL)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced (1⁄4 inch/0.5 cm)

Directions:

1. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, in batches, and cook, stirring, until lightly browned. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions to pan and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.
3. Add garlic, oregano, salt and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
4. Stir in tomatoes with juice and red wine vinegar and bring to a boil. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
5. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours or on High for 3 hours, until hot and bubbly.
6. Add okra and bell pepper. Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes, until okra is tender.

Tips:

• Okra, a tropical vegetable, has a great flavor but it becomes unpleasantly sticky when overcooked. Choose young okra pods, 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) long, that don’t feel sticky to the touch (if sticky, they are too ripe). Gently scrub the pods and cut off the top and tail. Okra can also be found in the freezer section of the grocery store. Thaw before adding to slow cooker.
• Place cubed eggplant in a colander, sprinkle liberally with salt, toss well and set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour. If time is short, blanch the pieces for a minute or two in heavily salted water. In either case, rinse thoroughly in fresh cold water and, using your hands, squeeze out excess moisture. Pat dry with paper towels and it’s ready for cooking.
• If you are halving this recipe, be sure to use a small (approx. 1-1⁄2 to 3-1⁄2 quart) slow cooker.

Make ahead directions:

• Complete Steps 1 to 4.
• Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
• When you’re ready to cook, complete the recipe.

Nutritional information per serving:

• Calories 150
• Calories from Fat
• Total Fat 5.3g
• Saturated Fat 0.7g
• Trans Fat 0.0g
• Cholesterol 0mg
• Sodium 406mg
• Total Carbohydrates 24.8g
• Dietary Fiber 10.4g
• Sugars 10.4g
• Protein 5.0g
• Vitamin A 41%
• Vitamin C 108%
• Calcium 11%
• Iron 9%

Nutrition Grade A from CalorieCount

Weight Watchers POINTS = 3

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Disclosure: All links to Barnes & Noble are affiliate links. A commission may be earned from a referred sale to their website.

Healthy vegetarian slow cooker recipes: Louisiana Ratatouille is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I look forward to having corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day even though it’s high in fat and calories. (Every ounce of lean corned beef brisket has 53 calories and 2.2 grams of fat. Check the label to see what type you’re buying.)

To make it my slow cooker corned beef and cabbage a bit healthier, I’ll  be adding more veggies like cauliflower along with those potatoes and carrot. I’ll also serve the vegetables as the main course, use the corned beef brisket as a side dish, and flavor the meat with Dijon mustard instead of the horseradish sauce from the recipe below.

I’ve also substituted no fat Greek yogurt for the crème fraiche in the original recipe. You can also use no fat sour cream.

Here are more tips on keeping lean and green this St. Patrick's Day.

Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage

Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 7 hr 20 min

Makes 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 pounds lean raw corned beef brisket
• 3 tablespoons pickling spice (often included with brisket)
• 1 medium rutabaga, halved and cut into wedges
• 1 pound large carrots, cut into 4-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 pounds large fingerling potatoes
• 1 leek, white and light-green parts only, cut into 3-inch pieces
• 1/2 head cabbage, cut into wedges
• 1/3 cup horseradish, drained
• 1/3 cup no fat Greek yogurt or sour cream

Directions:

1. Place the corned beef in a large Crockpot or slow cooker and scatter the pickling spices on top. Layer the rutabaga, carrots, potatoes and leek in the cooker (in this order for even cooking).
2. Add enough hot water (4 to 5 cups) to cover the meat by at least 1 inch, put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high, 7 to 8 hours.
3. Remove the meat and vegetables from the slow cooker and keep warm.
4. Put the cabbage in a microwave-safe dish with 2 cups cooking liquid from the slow cooker, cover and microwave until tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, boil another cup of cooking liquid in a small skillet until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Mix with the horseradish and Greek yogurt or sour cream in a small bowl.
6. Slice the corned beef and serve with the slow-cooked vegetables, cabbage and sauce.
7. Reserve about a quarter each of the meat and vegetables and 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid for Corned Beef Hash.

Nutritional information

One serving is about 6 1/2 ounces of corned beef per serving, veggies and horseradish sauce:

• Calories 550
• Calories from Fat 315
• Total Fat 35.0g
• Saturated Fat 11.6g
• Trans Fat 0.0g
• Cholesterol 178mg
• Sodium 2139mg
• Total Carbohydrates 22.1g
• Dietary Fiber 4.9g
• Sugars 7.7g
• Protein 35.9g

Nutrition Grade B from CalorieCount.com

Weight Watchers POINTS = 12

Happy St. Patrick’s Day: making slow cooker corned beef and cabbage healthier is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

This crockpot recipe is based on a New Mexican style dish by Jeanne Allen in the cookbook, FIX-IT and FORGET-IT LIGHTLY: Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker.

Machaca meat is used to stuff tacos, burritos, enchiladas, or is eaten by itself. I liked serving it “soupy” on brown rice. According to David Bulla at TexasCooking.com,

Machaca in its traditional form is the Mexican equivalent of beef jerky. It is basically beef that has been marinated, cooked, shredded and dried.

In Tex-Mex cuisine, an adapted version of the traditional machaca is a staple that can be served alone with tortillas and taco fixings, or as the basis for many other dishes. Many people still call it machaca, yet it also shows up on menus as shredded beef.

In my version, I decided to add a sweet potato to the mix just for the nutritional heck of it.

Slow Cooker Machaca Beef

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. lean beef roast
• 2 small onions, sliced
• 1 large sweet potato, skinned and cut into cubes
• 4 oz. can chopped green chilis
• enough beef broth to cover roast
• 1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 tsp. seasoning salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup salsa

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except salsa in your 4-6 quart crock-pot or slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or until beef is tender.
3. Drain and reserve liquid.
4. Shred beef using two forks to pull it apart.
5. Combine beef, salsa, and enough reserved liquid to make the desired consistency.
6. Use this filling for burritos or tacos.

Nutritional info per serving based on using a lean beef:

• Serving Size 210 g
• Calories 177
• Calories from Fat 48
• Total Fat 5.3g
• Saturated Fat 2.0g
• Cholesterol 67mg
• Sodium 620mg
• Total Carbohydrates 5.5g
• Dietary Fiber 1.3g
• Sugars 2.0g
• Protein 25.4g
• Vitamin A 38%
• Vitamin C 6%
• Calcium 3%
• Iron 17%

Nutrition Grade A- from CalorieCount.

Weight Watchers POINTS = 4

Tips:

• You can use venison or buffalo instead of beef.
• For a low sodium seasoning salt, try NutraSalt Robusto Adobo seasoning. I received a free sample of this from the company, and have been using it in many of my Mexican dishes.
  

Fix-it and Forget-it: slow cooker machaca beef is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Below is my basic crockpot recipe for any type of beef or venison roast, bone in or without.

The challenge has been to find a healthy substitute for French onion soup mix. Most commercial mixes contain MSG, hydrogenated oils and even wheat, which can be a concern if you cook gluten free.

Instead, I’ve found a couple of homemade substitutes. The trick is making sure that the beef bouillon you use doesn’t have MSG in it. Try your local health food store or healthy food aisle.

• Copycat Lipton's Onion Soup Mix
• Fall recipes: Healthy onion soup mix from scratch
• Onion Soup Mix

Slow cooker shoulder roast

The roast:

The size and weight of your roast will depend on how big your slow cooker is. For a larger roast, you should use an oval shaped 6-quart slow cooker. For smaller roasts try a 5-quart Crock-Pot.

You can use venison, beef, or buffalo in this dish. I usually use an antelope or deer shoulder roast, depending on what we have in the freezer.

• 1 large shoulder roast (or a couple of smaller roasts)

The vegetables:

This is where you can get creative by adding as many vegetables as you like. Here are some suggestions. Just make sure to peel (if needed) and cut them into bite sized pieces:

• Potatoes
• Carrots (you can use baby carrots, too)
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Turnips
• Sweet potatoes
• Celery

Oils and seasonings:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 packet of French onion soup mix (or 5 tablespoons of homemade mix)

Liquid:

• Enough beef broth or water to cover

Directions:

1. Season the shoulder roast on all sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Brown the shoulder roast on all sides, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Place shoulder roast in slow cooker.
5. Place vegetables on top of the roast. Then sprinkle French onion soup mix over vegetable.
6. Fill slow cooker with enough beef broth or water to cover.
7. Cook for 8-10 hours on low or 4-6 on high.

To serve:

1. Turn off slow cooker. (Or use warm setting if your slow cooker has one.)
2. Remove roast from slow cooker.
3. Separate bone from meat. (The meat should literally fall off the bone. If it doesn’t, your roast may not be done.)
4. Cut roast into pieces and place back into slow cooker to keep warm until serving.

To create a thicker broth after the roast and veggies have cooked:

• Add 3 tablespoon corn starch to 3 tablespoon waters. Stir until well mixed.
• Turn the slow cooker on high.
• Add corn starch and water mix to slow cooker after you have removed the roast (or after you have put the cut up pieces of roast back in.)
• Thoroughly mix corn starch into broth, vegetables and meat and cook until thickened – about 10-15 minutes.
• Turn off slow cooker before serving.

Serving tips:

• My family likes to have prepared horseradish with our roast. Put a dollop of horseradish on your plate and slightly dip your meat in the horseradish. Remember that it’s strong stuff and will go straight to your sinuses if you add too much!

Weight Watchers POINTS will depend on vegetables meat used. Venison is 1 POINT per ounce.

Slow cooker recipes: homemade onion soup mix and a venison shoulder roast is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!