Low Carb Slow-Cooker Recipes: Healthy Slow Cooking

 With winter fast approaching, there's something so homely and warming about using a slow cooker for your busy weeknights. You can make delicious meals with very minimal effort when you follow slow cooker recipes. 

So we thought we'd throw together a list of some of our favourite low-carb diet-inspired slow-cooking meals that are packed with tons of fresh flavours and delicious ingredients. 

Healthy Slow Cooker Meals

Slow cooking is all about using cupboard ingredients to make your weeknight meals easy to prepare with minimal user-interaction. Since lockdown, slow cooker recipes have skyrocketed with new and creative methods to family favourite meals. But what about the nutritional value of these meals? 

At The Skinny Food Co, we're focused on providing healthy alternatives to classic dishes, to promote and encourage eating your favourite foods, without the added calories & sugars. 

Some honourable mentions of healthy slow cooker meals includes

• Healthy Slow Cooker Soup
• Healthy Chinese Chicken Curry 
• Healthy Slow Cooker Pulled Pork 

But without further ado, our favourite healthy recipes to get cracking with this winter, are the following: 

Healthy Beef Stew

Coming in at number 1, a classic beef stew.

On the colder nights, there's nothing warmer than a stew, paired with some crunchy bread and slabs of cheese, for this brilliant beef recipe you'll need the following ingredients: 

• 250g Beef Cubes 
• 150g Mushrooms
• 1 Medium Squash  
• 100g Green Beans 
• 6 Stalks of Celery 
• 2 Medium Onions
• 1 Tsp Paprika 
• 1 Tsp Oregano 
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 2 Bay Leaves 
• 1 Small Glass of Red Wine (Optional)
• 500ml Chicken Stock / Broth 

Prepping your slow cooker meals is easy, before heading off to work in the morning, or before heading out on the go for the day, chop your vegetables and meat into medium-sized cubes, throw them into your slow cooker on a medium-hot heat, with your chicken broth, seasoning, red wine & flour. Slow-cooked beef takes between 2-8 hours to cook depending on desired results, the longer it stews the softer the vegetables become and the more the flavours infuse. 

This also depends on the cut of beef, if you've chosen a beef shank over beef stew meat (such as cubed beef chunks) then the stew will take roughly 4-8 hours to cook. Stir occasionally until vegetables are tender.

The key to making this beautiful beef stew a low-carb alternative is to replace starchy veggies such as potatoes with rooted vegetables such as turnips & squash/ 

Eat on its own or paired with some classic crusty bread, or try our high protein bread here!

301kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.2g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 19g | Fibre: 2g

Chicken And Dumplings

This is an absolute must to try, slow cooker chicken has to be one of the best ways to make a delicious chicken recipe, without having to do a lot of work. But it goes without mentioning that this recipe requires chicken thighs over skinless chicken breasts. 

Ingredients: 

• 8 Boneless Chicken Thighs 
• Italian Herbs
• Garlic Powder 
• 2 Tsp Olive Oil 
• 1 Medium Brown Onion 
• 3 Leeks Chopped
• 2 Tsp Dijon Mustard 
• 500ml Chicken Stock 
• 3 Tsp Tomato Puree
• Fresh Parsley

For The Dumplings: 

• 80g Almond Flour 
• 25g Sesame Flour 
• 25g Coconut Flour 
• 250ml Boiling Water 
• 1 Egg
• 3 Large Egg Whites
• Salt & Pepper to Taste 

Making this tender chicken dish is pretty straightforward, in your slow cooker add your olive oil & veg and on medium heat fry for 5 minutes, before adding your herb-coated chicken, chicken stock, mustard & tomato puree and stir well. Finally season with additional seasoning such as garlic, salt & pepper. 

Next, create your dumplings, mixing the dumpling ingredients and forming 6-8 medium balls, once formed place each dumpling onto the mixture at a high temperature and cover. 

Your skinless chicken thighs should be prepped and ready to eat within 2-3 hours!

580kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 27g | Fibre: 2g

Slow Cooker Ratatouille

Slow-cooked vegetables are easily one of the healthiest slow-cooker meals, but can also be one of the most satisfying. Especially when pairing together a bounty of vegetables with some great spices & seasonings. 

For this recipe, we used: 

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Red Onion 
• 1 Aubergine 
• 2 Courgettes 
• 4 Large Tomatoes 
• 1 Red Pepper
• 1 Green Pepper
• 400g Plum Tomatoes
• 1 Tsp Brown Sugar 
• 1 Tbsp  Red Wine Vinegar

Much like most other slow-cooking recipes, this is no exception, lightly fry your onion & garlic in the oil for 3 minutes before adding your sliced aubergine, courgette, peppers, tomatoes (both fresh & tinned), brown sugar & red wine vinegar. Then season to taste - we typically include dried basil & oregano with salt and pepper. 

This healthy dinner recipe can be enjoyed as a mid-week dinner with some cauliflower rice or as a healthy vegetarian & vegan side order at a dinner party. This recipe takes roughly 4-6 hours to cook, with only a 15-minute prep time. 

150 kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Fibre : 10 g

Beef Chili Recipe 

Whilst this is strictly a slow-cooking recipe guide, to get the best results, we recommend browning your beef mince on the stove for 3-5 minutes before adding it to the slow cooker, this way all of the loved flavours of a chilli con Carne, such as paprika spices & tender meat and the beautifully rich tomato sauce can blend and infuse for the remainder of the cooking time.

This chilli takes up to 6 hours to cook and is guaranteed to be one of the family's favourite hot meals this winter!

Ingredients: 

• 250g Lean Beef Mince 
• 1 Red or White Onion 
• 150g Mushrooms 
• 400g Tin of Red Kidney Beans 
• 2 X 400g Of Chopped Tin Tomatoes
• 2 Tsp Paprika
• 2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper 
• 1 Tbsp Chili Powder
• Salt & Pepper to Taste 

Chili con carne is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of ground beef simmered in a rich tomato sauce. This version uses canned kidney beans and canned tomatoes. Simply combine everything in the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper. Cook on low for 6 hours. Remove the lid and let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with cauliflower rice & a dollop of sour cream for the ultimate comfort food meal. 

350 kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 25g | Fibre: 3g

 Salmon & "Potato Salad"

Sometimes, the most simple ingredients can give off the best flavours. A simple salmon slow-cooked meal can be paired beautifully with our ketogenic diet-friendly "potato salad". 

This is our fan favourite - Salmon with a creamy lemon sauce with a 'potato' salad (cauliflower salad)

Now you may be thinking - wait! The creamy sauce doesn't sound too healthy- but actually, this salmon and creamy sauce are low-carb, gluten-free & Keto friendly. 

Ingredients For The Salmon: 

• 4 Salmon Pieces
• 2-3 Lemons (slide and with accompanying lemon juice) 
• Fresh Parsley 
• Black Pepper 

For the Cream sauce 

• 1/4 of Plain Fat-Free Greek Yoghurt
• 1 Tsp Unsalted Butter
• Lemon Juice 
• Black Pepper 
• Dash of White Wine (Optional) 

For The "Potato" Salad 

• 1 Large Cauliflower diced into florets
• 3 Cups Low Sugar - Low-Calorie Mayonnaise 
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Mustard Powder
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Tbsp Smoked Paprika 
• 1/2 White Onion
• 2 Celery Stalks 
• Chives 

This is one for the weekend, with a bit more prep time, this slow cooker salmon recipe is perfect for date night, or to try your hands at something new. 

Lining your slow cooker with parchment paper (or baking paper) place your Salmon fillets in the slow cooker, resting your sliced lemon directly on top. Season your salmon to taste, add your lemon juice & 1/2 cup of water and cook for 3 hours on low heat.

Separately, prepare your creamy lemon sauce in a small saucepan mixing the greek yoghurt, lemon juice black pepper, white wine & 1 tsp of unsalted butter until warm - again seasoning to taste

Finally, it's time for the new take on potato salad, using the key ingredients for a potato salad, but keeping it low-carb by swapping out the potatoes for cauliflower. Boiling your cauliflower florets for roughly 10 minutes, followed by draining and mixing well with mayonnaise & powders & seasonings. 

Finally, add onion & celery with an additional sprinkle of paprika to the top and voila! 

This meal can be enjoyed both hot and cold, it is ideal to include it as part of your meal plan for lunchtime or your weekend dinner ideas. 

For more quick & easy recipes that are low in sugar, fats, calories & carbs, why not take a read of our 1st edition Recipe Book - Available Online.