Are you looking for an easy way to include more good grains for you in your daily diet? Use your slow cooker to create satisfying whole-grain dishes, such as barley risotto with slow-cooking mushrooms, ginger chicken with bulgur, and Kamut with mushrooms and blue cheese. Start these easy-to-prepare meals before you head out to work in the morning, and you’ll return home for a ready-to-serve dinner filled with healthy, healthy ingredients. These five crockpot recipes are a great way to get your daily dose of whole grains!
1. Slow-cooking mushroom barley risotto Barley
,
mushrooms, carrots and condiments create a tasty dinner that will appeal to vegetarians and meat lovers alike. The Food Network recipe makes 4 servings. Cooking Light claims that barley is a great source of fiber: a 1/2-cup serving contains more than 12 grams.
Ingredients:
2
- tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- large onion
- and freshly ground black pepper
- cremini mushrooms, sliced
- pearl barley
- sprigs fresh thyme
- carrots, finely chopped 3 cups
- low-sodium vegetable broth
- ounce parmesan, Grated (2/3 cup)
- tablespoon sherry vinegar 1
- flatleaf parsley
1
, finely chopped kosher salt
1 pound
11/2 cups
4
8 ounces
1
1
/4 cup chopped fresh
How to use: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and 1/8 teaspoon of salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the barley and thyme and cook, stirring, until the barley is golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker and add the carrots, broth, 11/2 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook over high heat until liquid is absorbed and carrots and barley are tender, about 3 hours. Discard the thyme and add the parmesan, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Slim down the risotto with warm water to get the desired consistency as needed. Top with parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Eating
bulgur, which is a good source of fiber, protein, iron and vitamin B-6, may reduce the risk of developing heart disease, explains a Demand Media article via SFGate. If you’ve been looking for an easy dinner dish that includes this healthy whole grain, we suggest you prepare the recipe for Sunset’s tableware cookbook through Bulgur Ginger Chicken Food.com, which makes 6 servings.
Ingredients
:
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- garlic cloves, chopped or pressed
- coriander leaf
- green onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- low-sodium chicken broth 1 cup
- bulgur
- ginger, garlic and 2 tablespoons of
2 tablespoons fresh, grated or finely chopped ginger 3
1/2 cup
1/4 cup
1/2 cup
Directions: Combine cilantro,
green onions. Place the chicken pieces on top of the cilantro mixture. Pour the soy sauce and broth over the chicken. Simmer for about 6 hours. Remove the chicken, cut it into pieces if desired and keep it warm. Stir the bulgur in the cooking liquid. Cook over high heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Serve the chicken over bulgur. Sprinkle with another 2 tablespoons of green onions.
3. Tuscan Farro, Vegetable Stew and White Beans
Every Day with Rachael Ray claims that one cup of farro has about 8 grams of fiber, is packed with important minerals, and helps keep your energy levels stable. You can reap the benefits of this healthy grain by preparing PBS’s Tuscan white bean and agricult stew, which also contains vegetables, lentils, cheese, and fragrant seasonings.
Ingredients:
1 cup farro perlato or pearl barley 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon fresh sage, chopped 1/2 teaspoon
- fresh or dried rosemary
- tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- celery stalk
- carrot, finely
- /2 teaspoon
- chopped garlic (1 to 2 cloves)
- 1 canned cannellini (15 ounces) or large northern beans, drained and rinsed, or use 11/4 cups cooked white beans
- 28 ounces) canned peeled whole tomatoes, with their liquid
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/8 cup grated pecorino or parmesan cheese, to serve (optional)
, chopped 2
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped 1
, finely chopped 1
chopped 1
1 (
Directions: Add all ingredients except cheese to the slow cooker and simmer for 8 to 9 hours or over high heat for 4 to 5 hours. Serve seasoned with salt and pepper to taste and topped with cheese.
4. Slow Cooker Quinoa Chicken Chili
The Girl Who Ate Everything presents a nutritious, protein-packed dish that is sure to fill you up. This tasty chili is packed with quinoa, which is a great source of antioxidants, vitamin E, protein and fiber, according to The Whole Grains Council. The recipe makes 8 servings.
Ingredients:
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes with green peppers 1 can (15 ounces) black beans,
- rinsed and drained 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained 1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained
- cups
- broth
- large, boneless skinless chicken breasts
- teaspoons
- teaspoons onion
- teaspoons
- cumin
- /2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2
- to 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- Toppings of your choice: cheese, sour cream, avocados and tortilla strips Directions:
2
chicken
2
2
garlic powder 2
powder 2
1
Be sure to rinse
the quinoa and then add everything in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cook 6 to 8 hours over low heat or 4 to 6 hours over high heat. If you’re using frozen chicken, you may need to cook it longer. Remove the chicken and crumble with two forks. Go back to the slow cooker. Garnish with cheese, sour cream, avocados and tortilla strips.
5. Kamut with Mushrooms and Blue Cheese
Livestrong notes that a one-cup serving of kamut contains 10 grams of protein and 7.4 grams of fiber. In addition, the nutty-flavored grain is a good source of manganese, selenium, magnesium, zinc, and antioxidants. Chow’s crockpot recipe is the perfect way to prepare this grain; Place your ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and enjoy a simple, yet delicious, dinner when you get home from work.
Ingredients:
2
- tablespoons unsalted butter
- yellow onion, small cubes
- 6 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- cups low-sodium vegetable, chicken, or mushroom broth
- kamut berries, rinsed
- 4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- ounces of
- blue cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup) 1
- teaspoon
(1/4 bar) 1 medium
8 ounces white mushrooms or cremini, thinly sliced
3
2 cups
1/
2
freshly squeezed lemon juice How to use: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the onion, mushrooms and garlic and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until any liquid released from the mushrooms evaporates and the onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes.
Add 1 cup of the broth and scrape the golden pieces from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the onion and mushroom mixture to a slow cooker and bring to a simmer. Add the kamut and the remaining 2 cups of broth and stir to combine. Cover and cook until kamut is tender, about 7 to 8 hours. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until the cheese has melted.
More for Life Cheat Sheet:
7
- Slow Cooker Recipes Featuring Vegetarian Dinners
- Places to Cut Bread and Use Vegetables Instead 7
- Spicy Soup and Stew Recipes That Help You Beat the Winter Cold
7
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