Slow cooker meals
It’s that time of year again, when we get the slow cookers out to make those warm and hearty, set and forget meals! Who doesn’t love a slow cooker meal? They’re easy to make, just throw it all in and leave it to cook, the meals are full of nutritious ingredients, it’s easy to make extra to freeze, great for the cheaper cuts of meat… should I go on?
Here are 3 slow cooker meals, chosen for their ease (only 1 requires the meat to be browned first), their nutritious ingredients and variety. If you don’t eat meat, you can easily substitute the meat with alternate proteins or simply leave it out.
Slow Cooker Savoury Mince
1 1/2 kg lean beef mince
2 tbs butter
1/2 cup onion chopped
1/2 cup celery stalk chopped
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 carrot chopped large
1/2 cup pasta sauce
1 garlic clove minced
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
3 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp mustard powder
2 cups mushrooms chopped
Brown mince with butter in a frypan. Drain off excess fat.
Add all ingredients except mushrooms to a slow cooker and mix well.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
Add mushrooms for the last half hour and stir well.
Thicken if required with a little cornflour mixed in water.
Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles, rice, spaghetti or on toast.
Slow-Cooked Ham Chowder
1 ham hock
1L chicken stock
3 stalks celery diced
3 potatoes diced large
3 carrots diced
1 onion large diced
3 tbs plain flour
2 tbs butter
1/4 cup milk
2 corncobs
Place ham hock and water or stock into a slow cooker. Cook for 4 hours on low.
Add the diced vegetables and cook on low for a further 4 hours.
Remove the skin, gristle, and bones.
Cut the corn off the cob and add to the broth.
Turn the slow cooker to high. Melt the butter in a microwave jug for approximately 30 seconds.
Add the flour, then microwave for another 10 seconds. Slowly mix in the milk, then stir into the broth to thicken.
Cook for a further 20 minutes.
Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken
1 kg chicken thighs deboned roughly chopped
1 onion diced
2 leeks diced
425 g canned diced tomato
4 cups butternut pumpkin diced
425 g canned chickpeas rinsed
1 tbs ground cumin
1 tbs ground coriander
1 tbs ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves minced
1 tbs tomato paste
1 tbs lemon rind grated
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup coriander finely chopped
3 tbs lemon juice
1/3 cup sultanas
Place all the ingredients, except the lemon juice and sultanas, in the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 hours.
Stir in the lemon juice and sultanas and heat for 15-30 minutes.
Serve with couscous and a garnish of coriander.
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Source: www.bestrecipes.com.au/
