Healthy summer slow cooker recipes from the Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook

An updated version of Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes by Phyllis Pellman Good was recently released. Her Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook: Slow-Cooker Favorites to Include Everyone! and Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly: Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for Your Slow Cooker are better cookbooks for those of us who want to watch what we eat.

However, the revised version of the classic slow cooker cookbook has many healthy choices including turkey chilies, bean stews and seafood dishes. (Still, avoid those gooey dessert and cheese covered casserole recipes!)

Using your slow cooker is frugal way to cook because you can use less expensive cuts of meat, inexpensive beans, and frozen or canned vegetables. Plus, a crockpot uses a lot less energy than a stove or oven.

However, over the summer I rarely use my slow cooker, probably because I?m not in the mood to eat hot soup or stews. Still, there are several healthy recipes in Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker Recipes that are perfect for warm weather because they use seasonal ingredients or are perfect for summer parties. Here are a couple to try out this Fourth of July.

Slow Cooker Corn on the Cob

By Donna Conto of Saylorsburg, PA

For when you don?t have room on the grill or stove top for cooking corn.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2-3 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 5-6 quart

Ingredients:

6-8 ears of corn IN HUSKS
1/2 cup of water

Directions:

Remove silk from corn, as much as possible, but leave husks on.
Cut off ends of corn so ears can stand in the cooker.
Add water.
Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours.

This Mama?s tip:

Instead of butter, use a spray on butter substitute like I Can?t Believe It?s Not Butter.

Weight Watchers POINTS = 1 for a small ear (4 ounces)

Greek Chicken

By Judy Govotsus of Monrovia, MD

Makes 4-6 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 5-10 hours
Ideal slow cooker size: 6 quart

Ingredients:

4-6 potatoes, quartered
2-3 pounds of chicken pieces
2 large onions, quartered
1 whole bulb garlic, minced
3 teaspoons of dried oregano (or 3 tablespoons of fresh oregano)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Place potatoes in bottom of slow cooker.
Add chicken onions and garlic.
Sprinkle with seasonings and top with oil.
Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or on low for 9-10 hours.

This Mama?s tips:

Instead of regular potatoes, use fingerling potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Instead of mincing garlic, use whole cloves. After cooking, pick out garlic cloves and serve on crackers or thick pieces of peasant bread.
Instead of serving chicken hot, cool after cooking. Nothing says summer to me like eating cold chicken off the bone at a picnic. Make sure to pack a lot of napkins!
Serve with a feta and watermelon salad.
Use leftover chicken to make Chicken Orzo Salad.

Weight Watchers POINTS

1 POINT for 1 ounce of chicken breast
3 POINTS for 2 ounces of chicken thigh
3 POINTS for 1 small potato (8 ounces cooked or 1 cup)

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Disclosure: I was sent a copy of Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: 700 Great Slow Cooker
Recipes to review.