The Healthy Slow Cooker (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Proves the slow cooker stashed in the back of the cabinet can do more than stews and roasts. (Cherry Hill Courier-Post 20060315)

Information and recipes with high nutrition, reduced sodium and boosted fiber. (Sue Story Truax Omaha World-Herald 20060329)

[One of] the best of my nearly 20 slow-cooker books... an artful palate and healthful bias come together in recipes. (Kathy Martin Miami Herald 20060810)

One of my favorite slow-cooker cookbooks. (Amy McConnell Schaarsmith Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 20060208)

Focuses on intriguing dishes that will be ready once you get home... enticing soups and stews. (Linda Fradkin Galveston County Daily News )

Product Description

A winning combination of healthy eating and convenience.

Here's an ideal combination: a tasty meal, nutrition for good health, and the convenience of a slow cooker. The Healthy Slow Cooker offers more than 100 delicious, nourishing recipes that are healthy and contain key nutritional, health and wellness information. Along with a complete nutrient analysis, each recipe will feature: - An icon denotes vegan friendly recipes - "Mindful morsels" that highlight particular nutritional elements - "Natural Wonders" that provide an a overview of a dish's healthful benefits

For example, Indian-Style Chicken with Puréed Spinach provides 400% of the daily requirement of Vitamin K, and cumin in the recipe improves digestion. Here's a small sampling of the tantalizing array of recipes: - Creamy Polenta with Corn and Chilies - Moroccan-Style Lamb with Apricots and Raisins - Ribs 'n' Greens with Wheatberries - Winter Vegetable Casserole - Cranberry Pear Brown Betty - Indian Banana Pudding

For diabetics, the book features a separate section of useful advice and nutrition guidelines.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Robert Rose (December 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778801330
• ISBN-13: 978-0778801337
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #10,790 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

106 of 107 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Healthy Cooking Made Easy, February 25, 2006

By	N. Urbano (NYC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I studiously avoided learning to cook for 50+ years but a friend who's very health conscious recommended trying a slow cooker. This cookbook gave me the additional boost I needed. Finlayson is very knowledgeable about nutrition, and somehow manages to make it interesting to read about. Plus, she gives tips on what to prepare the night before, so you can set up the crock pot in the morning, turn it on, and have a great meal by the time you get home. I love the Thai Pumpkin Soup, which has become a favorite in our household. If you're trying WeightWatchers point system, this has an abundance of good recipes.

95 of 98 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars International Flair, March 23, 2006

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Geri Eden for Reader Views (3/06)
In a world of fast food, deli's and supermarket fare, Judith Finlayson shows us how we can savor tasty, slow-cooked meals with only minutes of prep time. Her 288 page cookbook is filled with beautiful pictures of finished dishes, tips, make ahead info, nutritional charts, mindful morsels and natural wonders. Judith opens the book by giving an in-depth look at how to use your Slow Cooker by walking you through information about the various sizes of crock pots, how to care for them, tips on speeding up the cooking process, reducing liquids, the proper size, the use of herbs and baking within the crock pot cooker.
The cookbook is well organized, has an easy to read larger font and uses contrasting headers and shading that aids to move the reader's eye from one section to another. Her cookbook is separated into seven sections titled: Bread & Breakfast, Soups, Poultry, Seafood & Fish, Meat, Pasta & Grains, Just Veggies and Desserts. She closes with Diabetic Food Values, a Bibliography and an Index.
Her recipes include common spices that most cooks should already have on hand and fresh ingredients that can be easily found in any grocery store. No extra trips to specialty food sources. What's really impressive is that she covers all types of meals like dishes you can make for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. One of my favorite recipes was for Creamy Tuna Casserole which is something you might never think of being able to cook in a crock pot.
Judith has written several Slow Cooker cookbooks and this particular book may be of special interest to those that enjoy recipes with an international flair. In addition to American and European favorites, there are numerous dishes from the Middle East. You will undoubtedly find dishes to please just about everyone. Finlayson continues to prove that Slow Cookers can be used every day and should be brought out for more than just the infrequent home or work party with food like queso, cocktail meatballs or party sausages. So dust off your crock pot and get cooking!

146 of 156 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not all at Once, February 1, 2006

By	M. L Martindale "Owner/Operator http://www.Fo... (LARGO, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

THE HEALTHY SLOW COOKER:
More than 100 Recipes for
Health and Wellness

By Judith Finlayson

Slow cookers are different now. No longer do you put all ingredients in to return home and find an non-distinctive, mushy, rather flavor-lacking concoction.

After four books, Findlayson has reached important conclusions for better slow cooker creations. Some of these make her feel zucchini, peas, snow peas, fish, seafood, and milk/cream do not respond well to long cooking. She also feels peppers, hot sauces and curry powder do not do well with long cooking. Her solution? Add these during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Each recipe has a two-page spread with headnotes, preparation tips, make ahead hints, "Mindful Morsels," and "Nuture Wonders" which expand on the nourishment of the main ingredient, The book also gives Nutrients Per Serving and significant vitamin content.

Besides breakfast, even bread items and tempting desserts, The Healthy Slow Cooker helps you make some tempting, exciting dishes. Here a description of some of the recipes:

Beet Soup with Lemongrass and Lime -
Combines garlic, gingerroot, red bell pepper, red chile, lime zest, coconut cream and cilantro.

(The Spanish favorite) Caldo Verde -
Has cumin, onions, carrots, garlic, chickpeas, potatoes, paprika, collard greens and smoked sausage

(A Moroccan favorite) Harira -
Calls for celery, onion, garlic, tumeric, lemon zest, tomatoes, red lentils, chickpeas and parsley. This is best topped with Harissa made from red chile peppers, caraway and coriander seeds, cumin, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon and sweet paprika

Spicy Peanut Chicken -
Incorporates, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, gingerroot, peanut butter, lemon juice, soy sauce, red curry paste, coconut milk, green peas, roasted peanuts and cilantro.

Cioppino -
Made with onions, fennel, garlic, anchovy filets, tomatoes, dry white wine, fish stock, white fish, shrimp, crabmeat, red bell pepper, chile pepper and optionally topped with Easy Rouille made from mayonnaise, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and hot paprika.

Beef and Barley with Rosemary and Orange -
Includes mushrooms, onions, celery, carrots garlic, orange zest and dry red wine. Can be topped with Persillade of parsley, garlic and balsamic vinegar.

Chili con Carne -
Make with flour, olive oil, onions, garlic, oregano, cinnamon stick, cumin, beer, kidney beans, ancho chili powder, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, poblano chiles, cilantro, sour cream, red onion and roasted red pepper strips.

Barley and Wild Rice Pilaf -
Calls for onion, garlic, rosemary leaves, tomatoes, vegetable stock and toasted pine nuts.

Tamale Pie with Chili Millet Crust -
Make with onions, olive oil, celery, garlic, oregano, cumin, black or pinto beans, tomatoes, corn kernels, green bell pepper and jalapeno or chipotle pepper.
May be topped with millet, water, black pepper, Monterrey Jack cheese and chopped green chiles.

Review by Marty Martindale, 2006, Largo FL