Slow cooking tends to bring out the flavor in most meat cuts and even vegetables. Often the subtle benefits of slow cooking go unnoticed and people only see it as a cheap and easy alternative to traditional methods, like baking and frying. Slow cooker recipes do not require a lot of supervision, wherein all the ingredients simmer over low heat to be ready in four or five hours. This also reduces the risk of burning or overcooking the ingredients. But there are more benefits of slow cooking, which can be divided across the various ingredient that go in the recipe. Be it your pot roast or chicken stew, the traditional recipes can be easily modified for slow cooking. Health benefits of slow cooking pot roast: One of the main advantages of cooking over a low flame is that the ingredients used in the recipe, retain their nutritional value which might be otherwise lost in traditional roast, oven or grill recipe. Slow cooked beef or meat not only retains the flavor, but also manages to absorb all the nutrients from the other ingredients and vegetables that complement the recipe in the broth. Vital minerals, vitamins, nutrients, amino acids which are all beneficial for maintain the overall body heath are preserved this way.

More and more people are spending on having food outside than on buying produce and cooking at home, simply because they don’t have the time. But creative use of ingredients and cheap produce will certainly cut down on the cost and still ensure you serve a wholesome and healthy family meal. These recipes are not just cheap, but also very easy to make. Here are a few common and easy to make family meal recipes on a budget. Macaroni and cheese: The dish which needs the least number of ingredients and preparation for that matter, which is also an all-time classic. Mac and cheese which can be made with ingredients costing no more than five dollars in total. Elbow macaroni, cooked in a milk and flour based sauce seasoned with salt and some spices to be then mixed with delicious shredded cheese of your choice. Spaghetti in homemade sauce: Everybody loves spaghetti, it requires very little preparation and can serve four people with just one 12 oz. packet. The sauce can be easily made at home using canned tomatoes, which again can be purchased at your local grocery store. Mixed with onions sauteed in a pan, with a pinch of garlic to give it flavor.

Cooking healthy and delicious food should not cost you any extra time in the kitchen. But slow cooker dishes are flavorsome, healthy and do take a lot of time. There isn’t anything that can’t be cooked in a slow cooker. Right from dips, entrees to sauces and desserts, slow cooker recipes are all-encompassing. Read on to get some delightful and best slow cooker recipes that are a must in every kitchen and are an absolute delight. Buffalo chicken meatballs Buffalo wings are a classic appetizer but when you don’t have limited time in your hand, why not turn this classic dish into a slow cooker recipe for meatballs! You can also make these meatballs in the oven by baking them a little and then just before serving, quickly pop these into the slow cooker. This will help to soak in the flavors well. Sprinkle some blue cheese for the extra touch of deliciousness at the time of serving. If you don’t want to go with the traditional way of cooking the buffalo chicken, then you can give this a sure-shot try as a party appetizer or even a light dinner. Mashed potato with a twist of garlic One of the quickest and easy to make dishes, mashed potato can be served as a side dish with a steamy steak or can be eaten individually too.

Slow cookers are used for low temperature cooking. Low temperature cooking is a cooking technique that cooks food at temperatures 50 to 90 °Celsius for a prolonged time. Low-temperature cooking methods include sous vide cooking, which is nothing but vacuum-sealed slow cooking. Sous vide usually incorporates the use of slow cooker. This method may be used to cook almost anything, from veggies to meats. For people who love their meats tender and steamy. Preparing them in slow cookers is a great idea as it cooks the meat to the optimum temperature that it is neither too dry nor too steamy. You can prepare them in a broth of vegetables with dices of them cut and slow cooked with the meat. The juices of meat mixed with vegetable broth make it appetizing. Add black pepper and other seasonings of your choice to make your dish taste more interesting. If you are not a fan of steamed meat but still look forward to relish it, you can barbecue (or grill) the meat first and then steam it. This way you will get the smoky flavor with crisp outside and tender insides. Meals cooked in slow cookers are healthier as they retain the nutrients that are generally lost when fried.

This is a known fact that brown rice is a healthy alternative to white rice, but we seldom find it as a part of our diets. Its intact bran and germ is filled with rich nutrients and antioxidants, aiding in heart functions and better digestion. It also balances cholesterol levels and improves the body’s overall immune system. But despite of these benefits brown rice remains as the most underrated food ingredients of all time. If you want to include brown rice in your regular meals, here are a few meaty and delicious recipe combinations you can experiment with. Chicken and brown rice Recipes involving the combination of brown rice and chicken are high in fibers and proteins. You should try a one pot or fried rice recipe using chicken thighs or chicken breasts. All you need is some veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, corn, green peas, etc. to incorporate in your brown rice and chicken. You can add chilly to spice it up or some honey to give it that subtle mellow essence. Combine some chicken broth for that extra meaty flavor and don’t forget the freshly chopped herbs to garnish. Beef and brown rice You can cook a simple beef and brown rice bowl with vegetables or prepare a fancy skillet recipe which can be experimented with fresh tangy flavors or spicy ones with generous amount of cheese.

You might be a hardcore meat lover but your meals will be incomplete without the element of fresh vegetable side dishes boasting of vibrant colors and nutrition. The heaviness and the powerful flavors of meat should always be balanced beautiful tanginess and crispiness of side dishes. The best part about any side dish is that it takes the minimum possible preparation time, but makes a maximum impact on the palate. Here are some meant to be meat-vegetable side dishes combinations you should absolutely cook the next time you are in the kitchen. Baked potato/ roasted carrots for chicken roast The perfect vegetarian companion of your chicken roast is either a baked potato dish or the classic roasted carrots. The baked potatoes can be cooked in olive oil, seasoned with fresh herbs and salt-pepper. The carrots on the other hand can be roasted with oil and with a dash of garlic, thyme, vinegar and salt and pepper. The potatoes add a smooth texture in the dish, whereas the glazed carrots are a crunchy boost you might be looking for. Crispy asparagus for salmon The one pan recipe of baked salmon infused with the buttery garlic and crispy asparagus is just what you need, if you’re in no mood to have heavy meat dishes.

Gluten free meals, no matter how appetizing you try to make them, will never cease to be less appealing than their gluten rich counterparts. It can be more punishing if you had to switch to a gluten free diet after you have relished all the guilty pleasure cuisines that are rich in gluten. People switch to a gluten free diet due to many reasons. Some develop celiac symptoms. Celiac symptoms often develop at the age of fifteen to twenty. Although genetic, there are a very few cases where celiac disease has developed out of gluten rich food consumed over a long period of time. Whatever the reasons maybe, you can always follow these steps to stay put on healthy gluten free meals; Be aware: Gather all the information you can, about gluten-free diet. There are hordes of websites that provide information on gluten-free ingredients and recipes. You may find some of them to be inaccurate and random so, be ready to sift through and fish out the relevant information that you think might help you preparing a healthy gluten-free meal for yourself. Bake your own bread: Yes, as absurd as it may sound, you can break your own bread as there a number of bread making (or baking) machines available in the market that you can buy one for your home.

The Italian recipe of spaghetti alla carbonara is not just famous for its delicious flavors but also for its disputed history. The only accepted part about this marvelous tasting dish is that it originated in Rome. So, what is the actual story behind this recipe? Instead of one straightforward account, the alla carbonara has multiple interesting theories. The first theory comes from the name itself, i.e. ‘carbonara’, which suggests that it was invented by charcoal workers in the Apennine Mountains near the city of Rome. As these men spent most of their time camping in the countryside, they bought all the essential ingredients of the recipe, that could be easily carried and stored, and then they cooked it on fire. Another story, which similarly transpired from the name, tells that it came from the kitchen of a restaurant named La Carbonara in 1912. The incorporation of black pepper in the dish, is also considered one of reasons why it is named as alla carbonara. One of widespread stories revolving around this recipe is that the American soldiers bought a ration of powdered eggs and bacon to Italy during World War 2 in 1944. The locals then put together these ingredients with pasta and cheese, which led to the birth of this classic dish.

Cooking is fun but when only you must slog in the kitchen to make festive feasts for friends and family, some frustration is justified. Spending hours in the kitchen makes you lose out on quality time with loved ones. Not anymore! This holiday season, make cooking a family affair and get your whole family to cook some fresh and easy festive delights. Involving kids in the kitchen is a great way to enjoy some family time and teach them important skills that last a lifetime. Check out these quick and easy holiday recipes that you could make with your entire family. Popeye breads Making breakfast with your little ones is a great idea during Christmas holidays. You could make healthy meals that can help them learn the benefits of healthy eating and nutrition. What’s best, they wouldn’t be picky about eating what they spent time making. Toast some spinach bread and help your kids understand the goodness of embracing spinach at breakfast time. After all their favorite hero Popeye knew what he was doing. Popeye breads are easy to make. Toast breads and blend a batter of cherry tomatoes, ham, eggs and spinach. Add the mixture between the toasted breads and let it grill.

When we are trying to lose weight, the key is to strike a balance with the weight loss diets that you indulge in. Low-fat cooking and healthy snacks for weight loss can ensure that you will lose weight in good time, without hampering the state of your nutritional intake. This is very important because you need to find the right weight loss recipes so that you do not compromise on your health in the long run. When you choose a weight loss diet, you will need to factor in all the major nutrients, vitamins and minerals so that your weight loss diet can start and sustain on the right note. When it comes to eating right to lose weight, you should ideally choose to break up your meals into five or six short meals so that your metabolism can work that much faster. Another good eating habit includes bringing in healthy snacks for weight loss so that you do not get sudden hunger pangs where most people usually indulge in the wrong kind of food with empty calories. Our list of four 100-calorie snacks are healthy and perfect options for those who want to lose weight. Berries: You can combine various berries like blue berries, strawberries, and many others with nuts, yogurt, cheese and a host of other such ingredients so that you have a wholesome snack that will be below 100 calories.

Being healthy is a state of mind that is triggered by our various lifestyle choices. This includes choices like diet and exercise. When we indulge in the right kind of diet, we can keep our mind and body in a healthy state. Exercise and other lifestyle choices go hand in hand with healthy food intake. It is important to have a healthy diet plan at all times so that you don’t fall sick from time to time and have enough stamina to perform your daily duties. The kind of food that we eat and the healthy diet plans that we follow will also decide on the state of our immunity and the way the body reacts to various kinds of things like aging, slow metabolism, and various other such factors. A healthy diet plan is one that needs to bring on a dose of all the necessary food groups in all the right quantities so that your body weight and other aspects are kept in check. You can try out a number of healthy diet recipes so that you can adhere to a good diet plan. Our tips will help you create a healthy diet plan for yourself. Mind the calories Overeating can disturb your diet and if you don’t take control on time, you can spoil your health adversely.