Welcome to Crock-tober 2014

October 2014 Newsletter

Welcome to Crock-tober 2014
Fall is in full swing with cooler temperatures, activities and a to-do list a mile long. When time is short, reach for your trusty
slow cooker. The slow cooker is one of the best time saving appliances in the kitchen. It's great for beginning and/or busy
cooks because all you have to do is fill it and turn it on. Hours later, you come home to a house filled with wonderful smells
and dinner ready for the table. However, there are many things to consider when making a slow cooker meal for your family
including size and type of slow cooker, food safety and nutritional value of the recipe. Peruse this newsletter for delicious
and nutritious slow cooker recipes, slow cooker purchasing pointers and cooking tips!

Before You Buy a Slow Cooker
There are so many choices in new slow cooker! But before you buy the biggest and shiniest one, go through this list to see what slow
cooker is right for you and your family.
Consider the Size of Your Family
Slow cookers range in size from 1 pint all the way up to 7-quart capacity. The small
slow cookers will feed one to two people nicely, but for a crowd and for cooking large
cuts of meat you'll need a bigger appliance. Remember that the slow cooker must be
filled 1/2 to 2/3 full for best results; use less food and it may burn. Use too much food
and it may not cook through.
What Features?
The features in a slow cooker range from simply plugging in and selecting high and low to programmable features including a delayed
start, keep warm features, and temperature variations. If this is your first slow cooker, buy a simple version.
Oval or Round?
Aesthetics and what you cook are the considerations here. If you cook whole chickens and large roasts, an oval slow cooker is usually
a better choice. Its shape mimics the shape of these foods so they will fit better and cook more evenly.
Construction
Be sure that you are buying an actual slow cooker, which has the heating element in the sides of the appliance, not just in the bottom.
And always look for a slow cooker which has a removable liner. This makes cleaning much easier, as the liners are usually stoneware
and dishwasher-safe. A slow cooker with a non-removable liner can be lined with a cooking bag for easier cleanup.
Resources: http://www.crockpot.co.uk/CustomerService.aspx?id=faq&fgid=187

                              Mankato Hy-Vee HealthLetter: April Graff, MS, RD, LD & Holly Ellison, RD, LD

8-Vegetable Chicken Soup (10 (1-1/2 cups each))
All you need:
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 (14.5 oz) can Hy-Vee diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup pearl barley
1 bay leaf
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/4 pounds total)
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen shelled edamame*
1 cup frozen green beans
1 cup chopped zucchini
All you do:
1. In a 4-or-5-quart slow-cooker, combine cabbage, tomatoes, onion, carrots, celery, barley, bay leaf, thyme, salt and
   black pepper. Place chicken breasts on top of vegetables. Pour in broth.
2. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or LOW for 8 to 9 hours.
3. Remove chicken; stir in edamame, green beans and zucchini.
4. Use 2 forks to shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Return chicken to slow-cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH heat for
   20 to 30 minutes or until frozen vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf.
*Edamame can be found in the freezer section.
Nutrition information per serving: 150 calories, 16g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 2.5g fat, 16g protein, 750mg sodium.

Purchasing and Safety
    When purchasing a slow cooker, look for one with a removable liner. They are much easier to clean. If you have a non-removable
     liner, however, all is not lost! Line your slow cooker with a cooking bag and you'll have no cleanup at all. Spray the inside of the
     liner with cooking spray before you fill it to make cleanup easier.
    The food in your slow cooker needs to reach 140°F as quickly as possible. If you are at home during the cooking times, test the
     food temperature after four hours of cooking on LOW - the temp should be at least 140°F. If it isn't, there's a problem with your
     slow cooker and you should get a new one.
    For food safety reasons, it's a good idea to cook on HIGH for the first hour to quickly bring the temperature up to 140°F. Then turn
     the dial to LOW and finish cooking.
    The LOW setting is about 200°F, and the HIGH setting is about 300°F. Note that both of these temps are well above the minimum
     safe temperature of 140°F.
    Experts recommend you do not put frozen foods in the slow cooker. All foods should be defrosted before cooking so the food
     temperature can reach 140°F as soon as possible.
    One hour on HIGH is equal to two hours on LOW.
    Remove cooked food from the slow cooker or liner before you refrigerate the cooked food. Because the liner is made of such thick
     material, the food won't cool down quickly enough to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

                                Mankato Hy-Vee HealthLetter: April Graff, MS, RD, LD & Holly Ellison, RD, LD

Slow Cooker General Cooking Tips
    Only fill the slow cooker one-half to two-thirds full. The foods will not cook properly if the appliance is filled to the brim. If the food
     and liquid level is lower, the foods will cook too quickly.
    Foods cooked on the bottom of the slow cooker cook faster and will be moister because they are immersed in the simmering
     liquid.
    Remove skin from poultry, and trim excess fat from meats. Fats will melt with long cooking times, and will add an unpleasant
     texture to the finished dish. Fatty foods will also cook too quickly.
    You can thicken the juices and concentrate flavors by removing the lid and cooking on HIGH for the last half-hour of cooking time.
    Most meats require 8 hours of cooking on LOW. Use less-expensive cuts of meat - not only do you save money, but these meats
     work better in the slow cooker. Less-xpensive cuts of meat have less fat, which makes them more suited to slow-cooker cooking.
     Moist, long cooking times result in very tender meats.
    Follow the layering instructions carefully. Vegetables do not cook as quickly as meat, so they should be placed in the bottom of the
     appliance.
    Don't lift the lid to stir, especially if you are cooking on the LOW setting. Each time you lift the lid, enough heat will escape that the
     cooking time should be extended by 20 minutes to a half-hour. To check progress without lifting the lid, spin the cover until the
     condensation falls off. Then it's easy to see inside.
Resources: http://www.crockpot.co.uk/CustomerService.aspx?id=faq&fgid=187

Overnight Oatmeal Serves: 8 (1 cup each)
All you need:
8 cups water
2 cup steel-cut oats
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
All you do:
     1. Combine water, oats, dried cranberries and dried apricots in a 5- or 6-quart slow
        cooker. Turn heat to LOW. Put the lid on and cook until the oats are tender and                                                                       the
        porridge is creamy, 7 to 8 hours.
Nutrition information per serving: 193 calories, 35g carbohydrate, 9g fiber, 3g fat, 6g protein, 55mg sodium

Tips for Best Results                                                                         Resources: http://www.crockpot.co.uk/CustomerService.aspx?id=faq&fgid=187

    For best results, ground meats must be cooked in a skillet before cooking in the slow cooker.
    Seafood should be added during the last hour of cooking time, or it will overcook and have a rubbery texture.
    Large pieces of meat can be browned before cooking in the slow cooker. Browning adds color, helps in flavor development and
     ensures safe cooking temperature for food safety.
    Cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce tend to become bitter if cooked for long periods of time. Use small amounts and add toward
     the end of the cooking time.
    Add tender vegetables like tomatoes, mushrooms and zucchini during the last 45 minutes of cooking time so they don't overcook.
    Dairy products should be added during the last 30 minutes of cooking time, unless the recipes states otherwise.
    Liquids do not boil away in the slow cooker, so if you are making a recipe that wasn't specifically developed for the slow cooker,
     reduce the liquid by 1/3 to 1/2 unless you are cooking rice, quinoa, couscous and oatmeal or making soup.
    Stir in spices during the last hour of cooking. They will lose flavor if cooked with the rest of the ingredients for the long cooking
     period.

                                Mankato Hy-Vee HealthLetter: April Graff, MS, RD, LD & Holly Ellison, RD, LD

Crock-tober Giveaway!
                                            In honor or Crock-tober, each Mankato Hy-Vee
                                            store will be hosting a Crock-Pot giveaway. Stop
                                            by the store to enter for your chance to win one
                                            of several prizes.
                                            More information can be found at each store.

An Apple a Day……..in a New Way!
Sweet, tart, crisp or crunchy - no matter what your preference, there’s a variety of apple that’s perfect for you! With flavors
ranging from sweet tart, sharp tart, zesty, spicy sweet and honey-like to mellow sweet, apples are an amazing fall treat.
Flavor-infused waters are all the rage right now. A new way to enjoy apples and make sure you are well-hydrated at the
same time is to make apple-flavored water. To make apple cinnamon-flavored water:
    1. Take an empty glass pitcher or other beverage container. Wash your favorite
       medium-sized eating apple thoroughly before slicing and remember: thinner
       slices will allow more flavor to seep out into the water than thicker slices.
    2. Muddling, or slightly mashing the apples with the back of a spoon or a potato
       masher, will break the cell walls of the apple flesh to release more flavor.
    3. Next, add cinnamon sticks. Start with two or three sticks, adding more for a
       stronger flavor.
    4. Add filtered still water or sparkling water to the apple/cinnamon stick mixture
       and refrigerate several hours to allow the flavors to meld together. Enjoy!
Popular “eating apples” in the Midwest include Honeycrisp, Gala, Jazz, Cortland, Macintosh, Haralson, Zestar®,
SweeTango®, Braeburn, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious and Pink Lady®.

Nothing says “fall” like fresh, homemade apple sauce or a slice of warm apple pie made with Grandma’s TLC. Apples
particularly suited for cooking or baking include Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady®, Haralson, Empire, Ginger
Gold, Jonagold, Jonathon, Northern Spy Fuji, Rome Beauty and Baldwin.

Snacking on apples rather than eating sugary candy or drinking sugary drinks is a great way to practice a healthy lifestyle!
Apples are rich in soluble fiber - the fiber that absorbs and eliminates bad cholesterol from the body and may also play a
role in preventing gallstones. Apples also contain insoluble fiber, beneficial for digestion and a feeling of fullness to help
curb the appetite between meals. Pigments in the apple peel contain health-protecting compounds called flavonoids, and
the vitamin C found just under the peel promotes wound healing and immune health. Apples also provide potassium
beneficial for heart health. Did you know eating an apple even stimulates saliva production in the mouth, which helps reduce
levels of bacteria linked to tooth decay?
Have you had your apple today either as an old favorite or in a brand-new way?

                           Mankato Hy-Vee HealthLetter: April Graff, MS, RD, LD & Holly Ellison, RD, LD

Dried Apples Serves 8 (6 slices or chips each).
All you need:
4 cups water
1/2 cup Hy-Vee lemon juice
2 large apples, unpeeled if preferred

All you do:
  1. Position rack in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to
       200 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment
       paper.
  2. Combine water and lemon juice in a medium bowl. (The
       lemon juice helps prevent browning.)
  3. Using a sharp knife or a mandoline, slice 2 large apples as
       thinly as possible, about 1/8-inch thick. (We skip peeling and
       coring because we like the look of the dried skins and the
       pretty pattern the core makes in the center.) Soak the slices
       in the lemon water for 30 minutes. Drain and pat as dry as
       possible with paper towels. Place on the prepared baking sheets in a single layer.
  4. Bake the slices on the upper and lower racks for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and turn each slice over; return the
       pans to the oven. Bake 1 more hour for soft dried apples or about 2 more hours for crispy apple chips. (Timing
       depends on your oven, the type of apple and thickness of the slices; check periodically and adjust the total time as
       needed.) Turn off the oven, crack the door and leave the apples in until the oven cools completely, 1 to 2 hours.

To make ahead: Store airtight for up to 1 week or refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Tip: For crispy apple chips, bake the apples about 1 hour more.
Nutrition Facts per serving: 29 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 1mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 0g protein.

Eggless Slow-Cooker Herb Bread (Serves: 10)
All you need:
1 cup warm water, about 110 to 115 degrees
1 tbsp sugar
1 (1/4 oz) package active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/8 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp herbes de Provence
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour

All you do:
  1. In a large bowl combine water, sugar and yeast. Let sit 10 minutes to proof. Stir in salt, rosemary, oregano, herbes de Provence,
        black pepper, olive oil and both flours. Form a ball and knead on a clean floured surface, adding more flour if needed to prevent
        sticking. Once a smooth ball is formed, place in a lightly greased bowl, covered, to rise for 1 hour.
  2. Punch down dough and reshape into a ball. Place on parchment paper and put in 4-quart slow-cooker. Turn machine to HIGH;
        allow to cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from slow-cooker and cool on wire rack.
Nutrition information per serving: 110 calories, 19g carbohydrate, 3g protein, 3g fiber, 3.5g fat, 230mg sodium.

                                Mankato Hy-Vee HealthLetter: April Graff, MS, RD, LD & Holly Ellison, RD, LD

Mankato Hy-Vee HealthLetter: April Graff, MS, RD, LD & Holly Ellison, RD, LD