Fast “Slow” Family Meals for the Holidays
A simple, stress free December? Is it possible? There is so much stuff to buy, so many things to attend, so many people to feed, so much time to take! How do you fix a healthy, tasty meal for you, your family, and maybe your friends, and still meet all the other demands in your life?
The best gift you can give yourself and others this time of year is the gift of time. Time to enjoy the things that are important. And one way to do that is to make fast, healthy, easy meals for your family.
At this time of year, your slow cooker or ‘crock pot” can be your best friend. Throw some healthy, tasty ingredients into the slow cooker before you head out in the morning, and when you get home, after shopping, or that school holiday program, you will have a hot, healthy, easy, and fast meal that the whole family, and you, will enjoy.
It will actually take you longer to stop at a fast food place, than to throw these healthy meals together. And you will save a lot of money, which you can use for other things during a time many of us are financially challenged!
Chicken and Dumplings
1 large chicken, or 3 pounds cut up parts
2 cups water or low sodium chicken broth
1 stalk celery, with leaves, cut thin
2-3 carrots, sliced
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp mace or nutmeg
¼ cup flour
Dumplings
2 eggs
2/3 cup nonfat milk
3 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
Put chicken, vegetables, spices and water in slow cooker. Add more water, enough to cover chicken parts by about 1 inch. Turn cooker on low for about 6-8 hours. When you get home, remove the chicken to an ovenproof dish. Remove the bones if you want, they may just fall off. Cover and keep warm. Turn slow cooker up to high heat. Add the ¼ cup flour and whisk quickly, to avoid lumps.
Make the dumpling batter. Cut the butter into the flour with two knives, a pastry cutter or food processor. Blend in the wet ingredients to a stiff dough and drop by spoonfuls into the boiling broth. Cover the cooker, reduce the heat to prevent boiling, and cook for 15 minutes without removing the lid.
Nutrition Facts: For 1 cup serving plus one dumpling
Calories: 430
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Protein: 22 g
Fat: 22 g
Sodium: 210 mg
Hungarian Goulash
2-3 pounds top or bottom round steak
3-4 medium onions, sliced
4 T butter or oil
½ cup flour
1/2 cup Hungarian Paprika
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
¼ cup Tomato paste
1 T fresh thyme, (or 1 tsp dried)
2 cups water or low sodium broth (to cover meat).
Cut meat in cubes, flour and pan fry in butter or oil with onions till browned. (If you are really in a hurry, you can omit this step). Add paprika, garlic, tomato paste, thyme. Add all, plus broth, to slow cooker. (You can use low sodium chicken broth, low sodium beef broth, vegetable broth, or water). When you get home, start water for noodles, or use instant, boil in the bag rice. Serve over noodles or instant rice.
Hint: Buy paprika in bulk to cut down on cost
Nutrition Facts: serving, 1cup, over rice
Calories: 340
Carbohydrates: 30 g
Protein: 28 g
Fat: 18 g
Sodium: 200 mg
Slow Cooked Gumbo
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped
4-8 ounces lean smoked turkey sausage, sliced
½ cup canola oil
½ cup flour
1 Tablespoon Salt-free Cajun seasoning, (see recipe below)
2-3 cups low sodium chicken broth (to cover)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
¼ pound cooked shrimp (optional)
3 cups frozen, chopped okra (optional)
Add celery, onion, chicken and sausage to slow cooker. Add low sodium chicken broth, add more water if needed to cover chicken. Let simmer 6-8 hours.
When you get home, put on the rice cooker, or start instant rice in a saucepan on the stove.
In fry pan, mix ½ cup canola oil and stir in ½ cup flour to make a roux. Stir in Cajun seasoning and let cook for a minute or more depending on how dark you want your Gumbo to be.
Slowly stir in some of the chicken broth from your slow cooker, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Once you have a thin paste, add it back to slow cooker, along with cut up red pepper, shrimp and okra, (if you like it).
Cook for 10 minutes or until heated through, serve over rice.
Nutrition info:
Calories: 256
Carbohydrates: 14 g
Protein: 16 g
Fat: 14 g
Sodium: 416 mg
Salt Free Cajun Seasoning
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper for mild or 2 tsp for medium heat
Mix and store in airtight jar
Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
Note: You can make a great tasting chili and have it be healthy by using dried beans instead of canned. Dried beans have about 5 mg of sodium/half cup, canned have about 500 mg. The secret to this recipe is to do it in your slow cooker. The chili can simmer away until you get home.
1 cup dried great northern beans
1 cup dried black eyed peas
1 cup dried Lima Beans
½ cup dried small Lima Beans
8 cups water
2 pounds chicken breasts, in ½” cubes
2 medium onions, diced
3 Tablespoons garlic, minced
1-2 Jalapeno chili peppers, diced
2 Tablespoons oil
2 cup frozen corn
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 cups low fat sour cream
Rinse and sort dried beans. Put in crock pot slow cooker. Add water. Set temperature to low. Sauté onions, garlic, diced chicken and chili peppers in oil in skillet for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Add to crock pot. Add corn and spices. Let cook 9-11 hours, or overnight. Before serving, stir in sour cream.
Nutrition Facts: Yield, about 12-14 cups. Serve with crusty French bread and green salad.
Calories: 306
Fat: 9 g
Protein: 25 g
Carbohydrates: 32 g
Sodium: 75 mg
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