This is the year I decided to try a low-glycemic diet. It's working so far, but I'm starting to miss my crock pot meals, and so is my family. I'm sure they're getting tired of eating my "diet" food and would like us all to sit down together and have a nice, hot meal. My crock pot has always been one of my favorite ways of cooking, but now what?
That was my dilemma this year when I made my New Year's resolution. Okay, I'm on my diet, but do I have to give up my crock pot? No siree! Here are a few recipes that I've tried out on my family with great results, and with my diet intact!
Ginger Garlic Beef with Snow Peas
Cut a 2 1/2 lb. boneless Round Steak into 4 equal pieces. Place the steak in your crock pot. Whisk together in a separate bowl, 1 cup of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, 2 cloves of garlic, grated or minced, and 2 tablespoons canola oil. Pour your mixture over the meat and put on the crock pot cover. Cook on low for about 6 hours or until the meat is nice and tender. Serve with a generous amount of cooked snow peas tossed with sauted mushrooms for a delicious Asian inspired meal.
Lazy Day Split Pea Soup
For a simple soup, throw a 1 lb. bag of split peas into your crock pot along with 2 lbs. of boiled ham, diced up, 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated, 1 medium onion, diced pretty small, 3 ribs celery, finely diced, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 7 cups fresh cold water, and 5 chicken bouillion cubes. Set your crock pot to low and let cook for 6 to 7 hours. You may want to BRIEFLY lift the lid on this to give it a stir 2 or 3 times during the cooking time as the split peas will tend to settle.
Beef and 3 Bean Chili
Brown 2 lbs. of lean ground beef, and drain any excess fat. While the meat is browning, dice 2 medium size onions, 1 green pepper, and 2 ribs of celery and throw it all into the crock pot. Grate 3 cloves of garlic on top of the vegetables. Pour in 2 (16 ounce size) cans of diced tomatoes, 2 regular size cans of garbanzo beans, 1 can of butter beans, and 1 can of black beans, all drained first but not rinsed. Then add a 15 ounce can of chicken broth, 3 teaspoons chili powder (or more if you're an adventurous eater), 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. You may want a bit more salt, so taste the mix later as it cooks. Now, add the browned ground beef, stir up a little, cover the crock pot and let cook on LOW for about 6 hours. I serve this in big bowls with a dollop of low fat yogurt and a sprinkle of chives. You can garnish with whatever your diet allows!
Trying to figure out what you can make in your crock pot that follows the rules of your diet can be a bit difficult. I know if I have just a few go-to recipes for my crock pot that I can put together fast and easy, I'm more likely to stick to my diet. And, when you are cooking dinner in your crock pot, you are most likely cooking for the whole family, right? Well, the fact is, my family doesn't even think of these meals as "diet food" so no one is disappointed, and I'm still on track! These crock pot recipes may be just the start you need to get on that diet and stick to it. Happy Dieting!
If you set your crock pot aside while you are dieting, now's the time to go ahead and put it back on your counter top, front and center, and give a few new recipes a try. It's not always easy to get beyond the salad and celery sticks when you're starting a new diet, but with just a couple crock pot recipes that have been tweaked to fit a low-glycemic scale, it may not be so difficult after all. Having just a couple recipes ready and waiting makes all the difference in the world when you're trying to eat according to your diet AND feed a hungry family at the same time. Once you start cooking again in your crock pot, you'll feel like you don't have to suffer through your dieting and that means you'll stay with it. Now everybody's happy... and healthy!
That was my dilemma this year when I made my New Year's resolution. Okay, I'm on my diet, but do I have to give up my crock pot? No siree! Here are a few recipes that I've tried out on my family with great results, and with my diet intact!
Ginger Garlic Beef with Snow Peas
Cut a 2 1/2 lb. boneless Round Steak into 4 equal pieces. Place the steak in your crock pot. Whisk together in a separate bowl, 1 cup of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, 2 cloves of garlic, grated or minced, and 2 tablespoons canola oil. Pour your mixture over the meat and put on the crock pot cover. Cook on low for about 6 hours or until the meat is nice and tender. Serve with a generous amount of cooked snow peas tossed with sauted mushrooms for a delicious Asian inspired meal.
Lazy Day Split Pea Soup
For a simple soup, throw a 1 lb. bag of split peas into your crock pot along with 2 lbs. of boiled ham, diced up, 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated, 1 medium onion, diced pretty small, 3 ribs celery, finely diced, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, 7 cups fresh cold water, and 5 chicken bouillion cubes. Set your crock pot to low and let cook for 6 to 7 hours. You may want to BRIEFLY lift the lid on this to give it a stir 2 or 3 times during the cooking time as the split peas will tend to settle.
Beef and 3 Bean Chili
Brown 2 lbs. of lean ground beef, and drain any excess fat. While the meat is browning, dice 2 medium size onions, 1 green pepper, and 2 ribs of celery and throw it all into the crock pot. Grate 3 cloves of garlic on top of the vegetables. Pour in 2 (16 ounce size) cans of diced tomatoes, 2 regular size cans of garbanzo beans, 1 can of butter beans, and 1 can of black beans, all drained first but not rinsed. Then add a 15 ounce can of chicken broth, 3 teaspoons chili powder (or more if you're an adventurous eater), 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt. You may want a bit more salt, so taste the mix later as it cooks. Now, add the browned ground beef, stir up a little, cover the crock pot and let cook on LOW for about 6 hours. I serve this in big bowls with a dollop of low fat yogurt and a sprinkle of chives. You can garnish with whatever your diet allows!
Trying to figure out what you can make in your crock pot that follows the rules of your diet can be a bit difficult. I know if I have just a few go-to recipes for my crock pot that I can put together fast and easy, I'm more likely to stick to my diet. And, when you are cooking dinner in your crock pot, you are most likely cooking for the whole family, right? Well, the fact is, my family doesn't even think of these meals as "diet food" so no one is disappointed, and I'm still on track! These crock pot recipes may be just the start you need to get on that diet and stick to it. Happy Dieting!
If you set your crock pot aside while you are dieting, now's the time to go ahead and put it back on your counter top, front and center, and give a few new recipes a try. It's not always easy to get beyond the salad and celery sticks when you're starting a new diet, but with just a couple crock pot recipes that have been tweaked to fit a low-glycemic scale, it may not be so difficult after all. Having just a couple recipes ready and waiting makes all the difference in the world when you're trying to eat according to your diet AND feed a hungry family at the same time. Once you start cooking again in your crock pot, you'll feel like you don't have to suffer through your dieting and that means you'll stay with it. Now everybody's happy... and healthy!
About the Author:
In the mood for beef, but you're on a diet? No worries! You and your family can still enjoy a nice French Dip Roast Sandwich for dinner or lunch. And how about tomorrow when the urge for a hearty meal is still there. Try a simple Pot Roast and a green salad and your diet is still intact.
No comments:
Post a Comment