300 Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes (7 page)

I originally wanted to make these with powdered blue cheese dressing mix, only to find that there is no such thing, at least not in my grocery stores. So I tried using liquid dressing instead. It didn't end up tasting a lot like blue cheese, but it did end up tasting really good.

4 cups (400 g) walnuts

1/2 cup (115 g) blue cheese salad dressing

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Combine the walnuts and dressing in your slow cooker. Stir until the nuts are evenly coated with the dressing. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 3 hours, stirring once halfway through.

Stir in the garlic salt just before serving.

Yield:
16 servings, each with: 228 calories, 22 g fat, 8 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 2 g usable carbs.

Cajun-Spiced Pecans

You can used purchased Cajun seasoning for this or make your own from the recipe on
page 339
.

1 pound (455 g) pecan halves

2 tablespoons (28 g) butter, melted

3 tablespoons (27 g) Cajun seasoning

Place the pecans in your slow cooker. Stir in the butter to coat the pecans. Add the Cajun seasoning and stir again to coat. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 3 hours, stirring once halfway through if you are around.

Yield:
16 servings, each with: 118 calories, 12 g fat, 1 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 3 g usable carbs.

Candied Pecans

These are a great treat to leave around in pretty little dishes at a holiday party.

1 pound (455 g) pecan halves

1/2 cup (112 g) butter, melted

1/2 cup (12 g) Splenda

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Put the pecans in your slow cooker and stir in the melted butter, coating the pecans thoroughly. Sprinkle the Splenda, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice over the pecans and stir again to coat.

Cover the slow cooker, set it to high, let it cook for 30 minutes. Then uncover, turn it to low, and let it cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring once or twice.

Yield:
8 servings, each with: 304 calories, 32 g fat, 2 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 3 g usable carbs.

Kickin' Pecans

This isn't enough cayenne to be really hot, just enough to add a little kick. Hence the name.

3 cups (300 g) pecan halves

1 egg white

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste

1 cup (25 g) Splenda

Put the pecans in your slow cooker. Add the egg white and stir until the pecans are evenly coated.

In a bowl, stir together the cinnamon, salt, cayenne, and Splenda. Pour the mixture over the pecans and stir until they're evenly coated. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 3 hours, stirring every hour or so.

If the nuts aren't dry by the end of the 3 hours, uncover the slow cooker, stir, and cook for another 30 minutes until dry. Store in an airtight container.

Yield:
9 servings, each with: 242 calories, 24 g fat, 3 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 4 g usable carbs.

Curried Pecans

These are astonishingly good. I may make them in quantity and give them away for Christmas this year!

3 tablespoons (45 g) butter

1/4 teaspoon blackstrap molasses

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

12 ounces (340 g) pecan halves

2 tablespoons (3 g) Splenda

In a big, heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the molasses, curry powder, salt, and cumin and cook for just a minute or two.

Add the pecans and stir until they're evenly coated with the butter and seasonings. Then transfer them to your slow cooker. Sprinkle the Splenda over the pecans, stirring as you sprinkle, so you coat them evenly. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 2 to 3 hours, stirring once or twice during the cooking time.

Yield:
9 servings, each with: 169 calories, 17 g fat, 2 g protein, 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 2 g usable carbs.

Smokin' Chili Peanuts

Oh, my goodness. These are hot and crunchy and just too darned good. But they're not for the faint of heart.

1/4 cup (55 g) butter, melted

2 tablespoons (16 g) chili powder

1 tablespoon (15 ml) liquid smoke flavoring

1 jar (24 ounces, or 680 g) salted, dry-roasted peanuts

In your slow cooker, combine the butter, chili powder, and liquid smoke flavoring. Stir them together well. Add the peanuts and stir them until they're evenly coated with the butter and the seasonings. Cover the slow cooker, set it to low, and let it cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Remove the lid, stir, and let cook for another 30 minutes or until the peanuts are dry. Store them in the original jar!

Yield:
24 servings, each with: 185 calories, 16 g fat, 7 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 4 g usable carbs.

Chili Garlic Peanuts

These Spanish-influenced peanuts make the perfect nibble with drinks.

2 tablespoons (28 g) bacon grease

3 cups raw (435 g) Spanish peanuts

2 teaspoons ancho chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

10 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice

Melt the bacon grease and dump it into your slow cooker (or put it in and turn the slow cooker on for a while). Then add the peanuts and stir to coat.

Now add the ancho chili powder, cayenne, and all that yummy garlic. Stir it all up well. Cover, set to low, and let cook for 45 to 60 minutes. Go stir, re-cover, and give them another 45 to 60 minutes. Then try one for doneness. If they're still underdone, give them another half hour, but if they're pretty done, go on to your next step.

When they're roasty and crunchy, stir in the salt and lime juice, making sure all the peanuts are coated. Leave the lid off and give them another 15 minutes. Stir and let them go a final fifteen minutes—you're just drying that lime juice.

Eat them warm or store in a snap-top container.

Yield:
12 servings, each with: 232 calories, 20 g fat, 10 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 3 g dietary fiber, 4 g usable carbs.

Asian Peanuts

1 tablespoon (15 g) coconut oil

24 ounces (680 g) raw peanuts

1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce

1 tablespoon (15 g) erythritol or xylitol

Put the coconut oil in the slow cooker and turn it on to low. Let the coconut oil melt. (If you're feeling impatient, you could just zap the coconut oil for a minute in your microwave before putting it in the pot.)

Dump in the peanuts and stir to coat with the oil.

Now add the soy sauce and erythritol, sprinkling each in as you stir. Keep stirring until everything's evenly coated. Cover the pot and let the peanuts roast for 3 to 4 hours, uncovering and stirring every hour or so.

Then uncover the pot and cook for another 40 to 60 minutes, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes, until the peanuts are dry. Cool and store in a snap-top container.