Tag: crock pot

Slow Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce (No Sugar Added!)

Every other week we meet with a small group from our church for a potluck-style meal. Last night was “chili night,” so I had to come up with a side dish that, a) I could eat while fasting, and b) everyone else would enjoy, too. Since I already had a big bag of apples in the crisper, homemade applesauce seemed like a perfect fit. Naturally, I enlisted the help of my Crock-Pot.

If you choose sweet apples (i.e. not Granny Smith) there’s absolutely no need to add any sugar. Low and slow cooking releases the apples’ natural sugars, and cinnamon enhances the sweetness. I used Fuji apples, but there are many varieties that will work. Don’t bother chopping them up small. I used a combination corer/slicer that makes eight slices per apple.

If you’re concerned this recipe will yield more applesauce than you can eat, be aware that the apples will cook down considerably. It may look like a lot when you start, but the volume will decrease by at least half after simmering all day. A little mashing will make it smooth, or you can just leave it chunky.

Did I mention how good your house will smell while this is cooking? Get ready to be enveloped in apple cinnamon goodness.

 

Slow Cooker Cinnamon Applesauce (No Sugar Added!)
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Ingredients

  • 3 pounds sweet apples (about 10 apples), peeled, cored and sliced
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and stir to combine.
  2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  3. Mash to desired consistency.

Notes

Homemade applesauce should last 3 weeks in the fridge and can be frozen, too.

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https://danielfastfoodie.com/slow-cooker-cinnamon-applesauce-no-sugar-added

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Sunday Sauce

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You probably wouldn’t guess I’m Italian by looking at me. The blond hair, blue eyes and fair skin come from my German side. The truth is I’m only a quarter paesana, but my maiden name is Musacchio, and my Italian heritage is what was emphasized throughout my childhood.

The most influential element of that heritage was the food. This goes without saying, but Italians know how to cook. If we were visiting relatives on a Sunday, it was likely they’d be serving pasta—usually spaghetti or cavatelli (say: kuh-vah-dells)—with homemade sauce.

Unfortunately, my family’s sauce is not Daniel Fast approved. For starters, it’s flavored with meat (sausage, meatballs or both), and there’s always a little sugar, which is added to cut the acidity. I wondered how I might make a no-sugar-added marinara that wasn’t sour, so I took to the internet. One popular suggestion was to add a grated carrot, but that just didn’t seem authentic. Baking soda was another idea, but that’s not allowed during the Fast, either. Then I found this article, which outlines two keys to a perfectly balanced red sauce:

1. High quality tomatoes, specifically the San Marzano variety
2. Low and slow cooking: Four hours are needed for tomatoes to break down and release their natural sugars.

I thought this would be the perfect job for my Crock-Pot, so I adapted one of my favorite recipes and let it simmer for five hours. The result was a wonderfully mild sauce with no bitterness.

If you like a chunky sauce, you can simply use a spoon to break up the bigger pieces of tomato. I prefer a smooth sauce, so I dump the whole pot into my Vitamix. You could also use an immersion blender or food processor.

Serve over your favorite whole grain pasta and mangia!

 

Slow Cooker Spaghetti Sauce (No Sugar Added!)

Adapted from Allrecipes

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Ingredients

  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cans (28 oz each) whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute more.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours.
  3. For a chunky sauce, break up tomatoes with a spoon. For a smooth sauce, use a blender or food processor.
  4. Serve with whole grain pasta.
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https://danielfastfoodie.com/sunday-sauce

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Slow Cooker Refried Beans

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Refried beans are a versatile dish that can be served as a side, in burritos, tostadas, or even as a dip. This recipe requires just a few minutes of prep time, and the result is a tasty addition to any Mexican-themed meal.

When eliminating meat and dairy from your diet, it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough protein from other sources. A 1/2 cup serving of beans provides 8 grams of protein. Beans are heart-healthy and can help lower cholesterol, too.

There’s no need to soak your dried beans before cooking them in the slow cooker. Just rinse them off and throw them into the crock with the rest of the ingredients. It’s that simple!

This makes a fairly large batch, but you can freeze the leftovers. I like to portion the beans into a muffin tin so I can pull out individual servings as needed.

 

Slow Cooker Refried Beans
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups (about 1 pound) dry pinto beans, rinsed
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 cups water

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients in a slow cooker and cover with water. Cook on high for 8 hours or overnight.
  2. Drain excess liquid and reserve. Mash beans with a potato masher or an immersion blender. Add some of the liquid back in until desired consistency is achieved. (Beans will thicken as they cool, so you may want to thin them out a bit more to start.)

Notes

Freeze leftovers in a muffin tin and transfer to a freezer bag for storage.

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https://danielfastfoodie.com/slow-cooker-refried-beans

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