Imagine walking into your kitchen after a busy day and being greeted by the scent of cinnamon, garlic and onions signaling “dinner is ready!”
Unless you have a cook at home who prepares meals for you, using a slow cooker is the easiest way to achieve this state of well-being!
Moroccan Beef and Sweet Potato Stew is one of my favorite slow cooker meals. I just measure, chop and toss in everything at the same time. (Source: Cattlemen’s Beef Board and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association)
As you search out slow cooker recipes, here are some tips for optimum nutrition and taste.
If you can’t find reduced sodium or “no salt added” canned dry beans, rinse and drain canned beans. This will remove about 40 percent of the salt content.
Rinse and drain canned, cooked dry beans to reduce sodium content
If a recipe calls for spices or herbs you may not use much, purchase small containers to save money. The smaller sizes will also help you use the seasonings by their recommended usage date, when they will be most fresh.
Buy small containers of spice you are likely to use less often
Cut foods into similar size pieces. This ensures they will finish cooking at the same time.
Cut foods into similar sizes for even cooking
Look for broths and stocks that are lower in salt. The flavor of the ingredients may shine through more if a food isn’t so heavily salted. You can pass the salt shaker and let people decide for themselves.
Look for foods lower in added salt
For more tips on cooking with a slow cooker, check out this self-paced slide show:
NOTE: If you are getting this information through your email, you may have to click through to the web version to view the slide show.
My husband and I enjoy eating healthy foods, but they must taste good and be quick to prepare.