Slowing it Down

Easy and nutritious crockpot meals for busy parents.

By Louise Racine

Fall and winter are the perfect times to embrace the slow food movement. The fall harvest brings many crops that are well suited to cooking over long periods of time. How comforting to come in from a cold winter day to a steaming bowl of soup or stew!

Enjoy food

The philosophy of the slow food movement is just as its name implies – it’s about enjoying our food while embracing a slower and more aware pace of life. The movement promotes local and traditional food products as well as awareness about responsibly grown food and nutrition.

But whether we have kids or not, most people are faced with time crunches. Sadly, the impact of that is usually most evidenced in the kitchen or around mealtimes. Families find it more and more difficult to spend mealtimes together in spite of the evidence of the benefits this daily ritual has on health, behaviour and overall happiness. All too often, fast food and processed convenience gobbled on the run take precedence over wholesome, nutritious, and conscious eating.

Try a crockpot

Although not officially a part of the slow food movement, crockpots are a good way for busy moms and dads to prepare nutritious meals for the family. Crockpot cooking is easy and convenient. You can prep an entire meal in the morning and have it cook away while you’re at work or out doing errands on the weekend. And crockpots are so inexpensive that every kitchen should have one. Perhaps you do – in that very top cupboard unused and still in the box (like my mom).

Most recipes can easily be adapted to the crockpot. Since liquids do not evaporate during crockpot cooking, reduce the amount of liquid called for in the recipe. The exception is when a recipe uses rice, beans, or pasta, which absorb liquid. Generally, a recipe that requires 15 to 30 minutes for stovetop cooking will take four to six hours in a crockpot set on low.

Here are some recipes to try in your crockpot. Just prepare ingredients the night before and add to the crockpot in the morning.

• Hearty Harvest Stew
• Leek, Potato & Kale Soup