On the Go? Grab our new Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook

Fall is a busy season for families getting back into the groove after summer break. Trying to balance work schedules and after-school activities can put healthy eating at home on hold, but it doesn’t have to. The American Heart Association’s new Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook will help you, and your family, create delicious meals that are ready when you get home.

The Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook makes creating a healthy home-cooked meal easy—even on the busiest of days. Order your copy today from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or WalMart or check your local bookstore.

All the dishes featured in the cookbook—including Shrimp Jambalaya, Chicken Tortilla Soup and Cinnamon Quinoa with Peaches—meet the American Heart Association’s dietary recommendations.  Want a sneak peek, or taste?  Try out one of these recipes today!

Make sure and check out our other available cookbooks.

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Cinnamon Quinoa with Peaches  A bowl of hot quinoa topped with sweetened fat-free half-and-half and peaches makes a nutritious, protein-rich breakfast. The quinoa doesn’t need tending to while it cooks, allowing you to get yourself and the kids ready for the day while the slow cooker does the work.

Serves 6; 1/2 cup quinoa, 1/4 cup peaches, 1/4 cup half-and-half, and 1 tablespoon almonds per serving
Slow cooker size/shape: 3-quart round
Slow cooking time: 2 hours on low, OR 1 hour on high

Cooking spray
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well under cold running water and drained
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1 1/2 cups fat-free half-and-half
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed and sliced or diced
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped pecans, dry-roasted and coarsely chopped

Lightly spray the slow cooker with cooking spray. Pour in the water. Stir in the quinoa and cinnamon. Cook, covered, on low for 2 hours or on high for 1 hour, or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.

Just before the quinoa is ready, in a small bowl, stir together the half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla until the sugar has dissolved. Spoon the quinoa into bowls. Top with the peaches. Pour in the half-and half mixture. Sprinkle with the pecans.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)Calories 254
Total Fat 7.0 g
 Saturated Fat 0.5 g
 Trans Fat 0.0 g
 Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5 g
 Monounsaturated Fat 3.5 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 65 mg
Carbohydrates 42 g
 Fiber 4 g
 Sugars 17 g
Protein 10 g

Dietary Exchanges2 starch
1 fruit
1 lean meat
1/2 fat

This recipe is reprinted with permission from American Heart Association Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook, Copyright © 2012 by the American Heart Association. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. Available from booksellers everywhere.

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Shrimp Jambalaya

The word “jambalaya” is thought to come from jambon, the French word for ham. It’s a given, then, that ham is one of the primary ingredients of jambalaya; however, you don’t need much when you use smoked ham and chop it finely to distribute its distinct flavor throughout the dish.

Serves 4; 1 1/2 cups per serving

Slow cooker size/shape: 3- to 4 1/2-quart round or oval

Slow cooking time: 5 to 6 hours on low plus 30 minutes on high, OR 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high plus 30 minutes on high

1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added tomatoes, undrained

1 cup water (if cooking on low) or 1 1/2 cups water (if cooking on high)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 medium rib of celery, sliced crosswise
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 ounces lower-sodium, low-fat smoked ham, all visible fat discarded, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
2 teaspoons dried parsley, crumbled
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 medium dried bay leaf
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8 ounces raw medium shrimp, thawed if frozen, peeled, rinsed, and patted dry
1 cup frozen cut okra, thawed
1 cup uncooked instant brown rice
1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley

In the slow cooker, stir together the tomatoes with liquid, water, onion, celery, bell pepper, ham, parsley, oregano, garlic, thyme, cayenne, and bay leaf. Cook, covered, on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the vegetables are tender.

If using the low setting, change it to high. Quickly stir in the shrimp, okra, and rice and re-cover the slow cooker. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Discard the bay leaf. Serve the jambalaya sprinkled with the parsley.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)
Calories                             196
Total Fat                          2.0 g
   Saturated Fat               0.5 g
   Trans Fat                      0.0 g
   Polyunsaturated Fat     0.5 g
   Monounsaturated Fat   0.5 g
Cholesterol                    78 mg
Sodium                       472 mg
Carbohydrates                 30 g
   Fiber                                4 g
   Sugars                             7 g
Protein                              14 g

Dietary Exchanges
1 1/2 starch
2 vegetable
1 1/2 lean meat

This recipe is reprinted with permission from American Heart Association Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook, Copyright © 2012 by the American Heart Association. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. Available from booksellers everywhere.

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Chicken Tortilla Soup  A garnish of avocado bits, thinly sliced red bell pepper, and crisp tortilla strips adds texture and color to this popular soup.
Serves 4; 1 1/2 cups per serving
Slow cooker size/shape: 3- to 4 1/2-quart round or oval
Slow cooking time: 6 to 8 hours on low, OR 3 to 4 hours on high

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all visible fat discarded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
2 cups fat-free, no-salt-added chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ancho powder
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
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2 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips, and 1 6-inch corn tortilla, torn into pieces, divided use
2 to 4 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped avocado
1/4 medium red bell pepper, cut into matchstick-size strips

In the slow cooker, stir together the chicken, corn, broth, tomatoes with liquid, onion, sugar, ancho powder, garlic, and salt. Cook, covered, on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Arrange the tortilla strips in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until crisp. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Let the strips stand for about 15 minutes, or until cool. Transfer to an airtight container and set aside.

When the soup is ready, transfer 1 cup to a food processor or blender. Stir in the tortilla pieces. Let the mixture stand for 1 minute so the tortilla pieces soften. Process until smooth. Stir the mixture into the soup. Stir in the cilantro.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the avocado, bell pepper, and reserved baked tortilla strips.

Cook’s Tip: Adding the processed soup and tortilla mixture to the rest of the soup gives the finished product more body and distributes the tortilla flavor.

Nutrition Analysis (per serving)Calories 292
Total Fat 5.5 g
 Saturated Fat 1.0 g
 Trans Fat 0.0 g
 Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
 Monounsaturated Fat 2.0 g
Cholesterol 73 mg
Sodium 350 mg
Carbohydrates 33 g
 Fiber 5 g
 Sugars 8 g
Protein 30 g

Dietary Exchanges1 1/2 starch
2 vegetable
3 lean meat

This recipe is reprinted with permission from American Heart Association Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook, Copyright © 2012 by the American Heart Association. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. Available from booksellers everywhere.