Hello Friends,

Have you noticed that many crockpot recipes use canned condensed soups, purchased soup and salad dressing mixes, and big chunks of meat? All of those ingredients make delicious recipes, of course, but having a good selection of low sodium, low fat crockpot recipes will make you a better cook.

There are things you can do to update regular slow cooker recipes, of course. Try refrigerating canned broths before using them. The fat will congeal in a layer on top of the broth so it can be removed before you add the broth to the slow cooker. Look for low sodium and low fat ingredients. Trim fat and skin from meats before cooking. Try vegetarian recipes once a week. And any recipe that uses a lot of fresh vegetables will be healthier than one with canned this and that.

The Crockpot can definitely be your Friend in the Kitchen. Especially when you want a delicious and nutritious meal for your Family without standing over a hot stove for hours. Let's see if we can find some good Recipes to keep it a little Healthier at the same time.

Enjoy My Friends,

Phil

Hi Friends,

Here's a quick & easy Favorite around my house, to start us off right...

Southwest Steak and Beans

Cooking flank steak in your crockpot makes most tender, juicy, and flavorful meat. Make sure that you cut the meat against the grain for best results.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 9 hours

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs. flank steak
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 oz. jar chunky salsa
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 3 cups hot cooked rice

Preparation:

Trim excess fat from steak. Place onions and garlic in bottom of 3-4 quart slow cooker and top with steak. Mix salsa, oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper in small bowl and pour over meat. Top with drained black beans. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 7-9 hours until meat is tender. Remove meat from slow cooker and slice into thin strips against the grain. Turn heat to high and return beef to slow cooker along with sliced peppers. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes, until peppers are tender. Serve with rice. 6 servings

Have A Great Evening,

Phil

YUM! That sound great, Phil. I smelled it cooking and that is why I came - I thought it was dinner time!

I will have to try it and report back. We are having a snow storm here right now, so will have to pick up the flank steak and other ingredients and give it a try.

You are so right about the recipes for croc pots being so chocked full of sodium. I make my own chicken and beef broths and skim the fat exactly as you described.

Great idea for a forum. I used to swap recipes on a forum with Betty Strange and Valerie Clavin.