Friday, January 22, 2010

Take It Slow-Cook Tonight: Pot Roast

I had an urgent request from one of you asking for an easy, healthy recipe to satisfy a meat and potatoes loving family that was tired of chicken all the time. I know it can be pretty tough when one person in the family is trying to make all these healthy changes, and others are yelling for more meat. Let's try to make something easy to start with. This one requires no real skills in the kitchen! Get your slow cooker out, and let's go. Ready?

Healthy & Easy Slow-Cook Pot Roast
  1. Buy the meat. Choose either beef or pork, but always buy the leanest cut possible for slow cooking. Look for these words in their names: LOIN and ROUND are your go-to cuts. Always leave chuck in the store (watch Chuck on TV, though-- - great show!) Try pork loin or beef sirloin tip, round rump, bottom or top round roast.
  2. Unwrap meat and trim off all fat you see. Use an extra sharp knife or a pair of kitchen scissors.
  3. Optional step: Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Turn stove on medium high. Place meat in pan. When browned on one side, flip over onto other side to brown that side. (Note: if you want to skip this step, go ahead! Browning gives a richer taste, but if you don't want to mess with this....go right to step 4.)
  4. Place meat into slow cooker.
  5. Add a 1 # bag baby carrots (more or less!)
  6. Scrub and cut into half 6 potatoes (again, more or less as desired.) Place into pot.
  7. Dump 1 cup salsa on top (choose your heat level.)
  8. Cover & cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high 5-6 hours. YUM!!!!
That's it! This is a "go-to" winter meal for me when things are a little rushed and we are ready for a hearty meal that day. Trust me, this is great--- my husband grew up on an Iowa farm, loves his beef and he really likes the flavors in this dish.

Slow cookers can be a wonderful tool for good, healthy eating. Think about it. If you are starving when you come home from a busy day, you'll know what dinner is going to be, so you don't have to start nibbling chips as you start prepping the meal or end up calling for pizza. And, when you walk in the door, a hot, healthy dinner is magically ready!

And, if there are leftovers for the next night:

Yummy Next Day Beef Stew
  • Put 2 cups cold water in a big saucepan on stove.
  • Add 2 beef bouillion cubes (try low sodium,) 3 Tbsp. flour, and fresh ground pepper (1/8 - 1/4 tsp.)
  • Whisk together until there are no lumps. The cubes will still be there, no worry!
  • Turn heat on med. high, and cook until thick (2 minutes.)
  • Take leftover carrots, beef and potatoes and cut them into bite size cubes.
  • Add to stew.
  • Add 2 cups frozen peas and carrots.
  • Cook another 4-5 minutes, or until peas are done.

Yum! This was dinner tonight...so good!!

I hope this helps those of you that need a little beef or pork for a change of pace! Of course, this crock pot recipe is also wonderful with a thawed turkey breast, even without the veggies. Shred it up, and you're ready for all sorts of turkey fun from tacos, quesadillas, salads, you name it!

Bon Appetite!


3 comments:

  1. Hey, has anyone tried this easy pot roast yet? Just wondering if you like it!?

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  2. That is sorta scary, my mom made a diffrent pot roast that i didn't like at all. I wish that she had looked at this post before she made it friday night.

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  3. Maybe you and your mom could try this one together some time soon! The salsa adds a great flavor, and the carrots cooked like that really rock....I'm hope you'll like it!

    ReplyDelete

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