A Swiss Steak made in the crockpot or slowcooker is great for busy families.  It has beef, potatoes, carrots, and tomato so you have your meat and vegetables one dish.  Add a salad of Tangy Cucumbers and Onions for a dash of crunch and flavor.  For a quick and tasty dessert try our Mini Cherry Cheesecakes.

CROCKPOT SWISS STEAK DINNER

1 1/2 lbs beef round steak cut into 6 pieces

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

8 new red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into fourths

1 lb whole baby carrots

1 med onion, sliced

1 can diced Italian-style tomatoes, undrained

1 jar homestyle beef gravy

fresh parsley, chopped; optional

Spray a 12-inch non-stick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle salt and pepper over beef pieces.  Cook meat 6-7 minutes, turning once, until browned.

Layer potatoes, carrots, onion and beef in 4 – 5 qt crockpot or slow cooker.  Mix tomatoes with gravy and spoon over meat in slow cooker.  Cover, and cook on low setting for about 8 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.  Sprinkle each serving with chopped parsley, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

This is a good recipe for diabetics as it has a great protein to carb ratio.  Per serving:  27 g protein and 20 g carbs.

TANGY CUCUMBER ONION SALAD

1 cup fat-free sour cream

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

3 large cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced

1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Add cucumbers and onion and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.  Use a slotted spoon for serving.

MINI CHERRY CHEESECAKES

1 pkg of 6 mini graham cracker pie shells

1 (1 oz) pkg instant sugar-free fat-free cheesecake pudding mix

12 tbsp no-sugar-added cherry pie filling

6 tbsp sugar-free whipped topping, optional

Prepare pudding mix according to package directions.  Fill mini pie shells about 2/3 full (this will leave some pudding left over). Top pudding with 2 tablespoons of pie filling per pie.  Refrigerate until serving time.  Top with a tablespoon of whipped topping if desired.

Variations:  Use 1 full-size pie shell to make a regular-size cheesecake.

Use different pie fillings to suit your taste.  Blueberry, peach, etc are also good.

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A grandmother with diabetes along with other autoimmune diseases. I like to share what I’ve learned with others thru writing. I also write novels.
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Liquids

Generally, liquids may be decreased in slow cooking – a general rule of thumb is about half the recommended amount. Unless the dish contains rice or pasta, one cup of liquid is usually enough.

Pasta and Rice

When recipes call for cooked pasta to be added, cook it until just slightly tender before adding to the pot. Add 1/4 extra liquid per 1/4 cup uncooked rice, and use long grain converted rice for the best results. For long-cooking recipes, add cooked rice shortly before serving.

Beans

It is usually best to soak beans overnight before cooking them in the crockpot. Before adding sugar or acidic ingredients, the beans should be softened first, either in the slow cooker or on the stove top. If your recipe includes tomatoes, salt, or other acidic ingredients, the beans should be tender before beginning.

Herbs and Spices

Ground herbs and spices tend to dissipate over long cooking times, so it’s best to add them near the end of cooking. Whole herbs release flavors over time, so are a good choice for crockpot cooking. You should taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary, before serving.

Milk/Cheese

Milk, sour cream, and cream break down over long periods of cooking, and should be added during the last hour. Condensed cream soups are good substitutions for milk and can be cooked for extended times. “Healthy,” or reduced fat cream soups can be used in any recipe as a substitute.

Cheeses don’t generally hold up over extended periods of cooking, so should be added near the end of cooking, or use processed cheeses and spreads.

Soups

Add water only to cover ingredients in soup, and add more after cooking if necessary for a thinner soup.

For milk based soups, add 1 or 2 cups of water and during the last hour, stir in milk, evaporated milk, or cream as called for.

Read about how to freeze green beans and beans nutrition at the Fruits And Vegetables website.
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SPARERIBS, CABBAGE ‘N KRAUT

3 to 4 lb lean pork spareribs, cut into serving size pieces
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 small can sauerkraut
1/2 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 apple, quartered, cored, and sliced
1 tsp caraway seeds or dill weed
1 cup water
1 tsp salt

Sprinkle spareribs with salt and pepper to taste. Brown spareribs for 30 minutes in a heavy skillet or broiler pan. Put alternate layers of spareribs, sauerkraut, cabbage, onion,and apple in CROCK-POT. Add caraway seeds or dill weed to the water and pour over all. Cover and set to Low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours. Stir several times during the cooking process if using the high setting.

CREAMY, CHUNKY CHICKEN SOUP

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinnless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch strips

2 tsp vegetable oil

2/3 cup finely chopped onion

2 medium carrots, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 cup frozen corn

2 cans (10 3/4 oz ea) condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 tsp dill weed

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup half-and-half cream

In a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown the chicken in the oil.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a 5-quart slowcooker or crockpot.  Add the onion, carrots, celery, and corn.  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the soup, broth and dill together until well blended.  Stir the mixture into the slowcooker.  Cover the cooker and set on low.  Cook soup for 4 hours or until the vegetables are tender.  Stir in the peas and the cream.  Cover and cook another 30 minutes or until heated through.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda’s recipes and diabetic information, visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com
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