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I have finally mastered Killer Pot Roast (no, it doesn't kill people Moo... it just taste really good)

I can do a Pot Roast on Sunday night and we have it for dinner for a few days.

But what other things can I cook on Sunday to get us thru the week with less cooking.

I know soups are good for that and since it's cooling off down here finally, soups and chili are possibilities.

Also, since FWSO has been diagnosed with diabetes, we've limited our pasta intake.

So... What else ya go?

I made this beef stew yesterday morning and then let it cook in the crockpot all day. It probably took less than 15 minutes to put together and then I cooked on high for 6 hours. It was absolutely delicious. I made a double batch and we'll have enough for another supper and maybe a lunch.

http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-beef-stew-209431

Pulled pork, definitely.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/spicy-dr-pepper-shredded-pork/

The flavor is great, and it's versatile too. You can do taco salad, burritos, nachos, etc. But you can also get really creative with it. My husband came up with one that was Pillsbury Grand biscuits - I think either sliced in half and stuffed, or maybe flattened and folded over - with some of the pork and a little cheddar cheese. So good.

You can modify it for the crock pot, just takes a lot longer. I'd say probably 11-12 hours minimum, depending on the size of the pork. It will give you a lot of meals, and they all taste different.

Ohhhh I forgot about pulled pork.

And Stew I definitely want to try!

Homemade enchiladas, Mexican rice and beans are always great to have served out in containers...just grab and go

Pasta sauce-made properly, from scratch, with meatballs, sausage and other meats. Or simply made with chicken parts. That way you have chicken cacciatore and pasta.

I make mine with 3-28oz cans of crushed tomatoes. That used to be enough for two or three nights of dinners for the X, DS and me.

I made carnitas, chicken tortilla soup, and a ground beef/rice/black bean skillet dish this weekend. We usually use the carnitas for enchiladas so I may put the leftovers into the freezer tomorrow, since there's so much other food to eat this week.

I also meant to, but didn't get to, cut up and marinate some meat for stir-fry. I've found if I get everything prepped ahead of time, it's super easy and quick to cook when I get home from work. Makes for some great leftovers for lunches, too.

I do make my own homemade pasta sauce! And I make homemade meatballs too...

But since FWSO doesn't want pasta, I haven't made sauce or meatballs in a while.

Stuffed cabbage was a big hit last week, but very labor intensive.

Lasagna used to be a go to... but again, no pasta.

Does anyone know if the whole wheat type pasta is really better for Diabetics?

D2 here - Yes whole wheat pasta is truly better. That said, he still needs to limit his pasta intake as it is still processed carbs.

We limit pasta to 1x/wk now. If I make lasagna I freeze half of it for a dinner in the future and the other half gives us dinner and a couple of lunches for H.

When we are going low carb, we still have pasta sauce (red and white) over veggies. We like white over a variety of peppers, onions and mushrooms (and chicken if we want meat), we really like red over zuchinni and eggplant. Get the sauce fix and all those wonderful flavors without the pasta.

Grace

Sauce over veggies sounds like a good idea.

We love eggplant at our house. I usually roast it or sauté it with onions and garlic.

I'm sure FWSO would like sauce on his veggies...

I'll have to try that.

JRC- try the pasta sauce over spaghetti squash...

*note: I do NOT know the carb count for spaghetti squash but it might be worth looking into.

try the pasta sauce over spaghetti squash...

I was about to recommend this. The carb count is significantly lower than any pasta, even whole wheat/grain pasta.

I cook chicken thighs in the crockpot with just enough broth to cover the bottom and then shred those to use for the week. You can then turn the chicken into: enchiladas, mix with buffalo sauce for sandwiches or wraps, mix with BBQ sauce for sandwiches or wraps, make into chicken salad with yogurt rather than mayo, use for salad, make into quesadillas, mix with rice or pasta, make into tacos, throw into soups.

Another dish I do that goes far is called an Umbrian bake - basically toss sausage (cut into pieces or not), potatos, carrots, fennel, sweet pepper, add olive oil, salt and pepper, and lemon juice, bake it up and eat it up. You could mix and match the veggies/starches to suit FWSO's needs/limitations.

A big pot of curry (either coconut or not) goes a long way as well.

[This message edited by Peaches2013 at 12:45 PM, October 28th (Monday)]

During summer, spring and fall I will grill a bunch of stuff, and just warm it up, or chop it into a salad.

During winter and fall I tend to stick to the soups, and stews. In addition I will make a roast or a turkey breast on the weekend too. That way it's good for sandwiches, and a quickie meal during the week.

Cooking a turkey breast, and Roast beet are really no big deal, and they are super yummy. I am sometimes ashamed that I throw out the drippings, and don't make gravy, but I really shouldn't make gravy, because I could put it in cup with a straw and drink it, yup I'm a gravaholic.

Tushnurse... I love gravy too, but FWSO and DS are not much into gravy at all.

It usually goes to waste in this house if I make.

I was thinking about spaghetti squash with sauce...

I do what Peaches does - I start with cooking a large whole chicken and use it for lots of different things. If you get all 'chicken-out' freeze some for a quick stir-fry later.

I found most basic meat works good for multiple quick dishes.

A large pork roast morphs into pulled pork sandwiches.

Sometimes I will do a whole ham for dinner then leftovers can be ham & bean soup, ham salad, ham pot pie, etc. I will do a few big slices and freeze for a quick meal later.

I know some folks that buy ground beef in bulk and brown in all at once. They divvy it up into meal-size baggies and freeze. Makes prep work very quick for things like tacos, sloppy joes, meat sauce, chili, etc.

Nothing better than coming home after work and smelling your dinner already DONE in the crock pot too.

(Well....IF you remember to plug the thing IN before you leave that morning )

[This message edited by EvenKeel at 2:16 PM, October 28th (Monday)]

Well....IF you remember to plug the thing IN before you leave that morning

oops.

I'm a low carber as well and love pasta.

I use zucchini or daikon julienned into noodle-like strands for spaghetti or use a veggie peeler to make flat strips for fettucini. You could also try tofu shirataki noodles, but make sure you rinse them VERY well before cooking since the liquid they are packaged in has an odd smell.

You can also use bean sprouts or spiralized (julienned) carrot as a noodle too. For cold salads, try spiralizing cucumber into noodles.

I use my crockpot a lot during the week. If you prep the baggies on Sunday, you can just grab one a day and throw it in your crockpot in the morning and dinner will be ready by the time you get home. I generally put veggies in its own smaller baggie within the meat bag since I'm kind of a freak about cross-contaminating food.

Here's a really yummy low carb crockpot chicken pad thai that you might enjoy:

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 pounds of chicken thighs or breasts (skin removed).

• 2 medium zucchini.

• 1 large carrot

• 1 handful of bean sprouts (optional)

• 1 small bunch of green onions (for sauce and garnish)

• 1 cup of coconut milk

• 1 cup of chicken stock.

• 2 heaping tablespoons of peanut butter (or use sunflower seed butter, to replace peanut flavor)

• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, coconut aminos, or wheat-free tamari

• 2 tsp of Fish Sauce

• 2 tsp of powdered ginger (or about 1 tbsp freshly minced ginger)

• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced, or 1 tsp of garlic powder

• 1 tsp of cayenne pepper

• 1 tsp of red pepper flakes

• Salt & Pepper for seasoning the chicken

• Chopped cashews and chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Season your chicken with salt and pepper, and a little bit of the cayenne pepper and ginger powder. If you have time, brown your chicken in a cast iron skillet to get the flavors going. Browning the chicken first is completely optional.

2. In your crock, add your coconut milk and chicken stock. Stir well. If you are using a full-fat coconut milk, make sure you stir until the coconut milk is fully dissolved into the chicken stock.

3. Add your peanut butter, soy sauce, fish sauce, ginger, garlic, 2 green onions chopped including the whites, cayenne, and red pepper.

4. Stir well until your peanut butter is completely dissolved.

5. Place your chicken breasts or thighs into your base liquid.

6. Turn your zucchinis into veggie noodles with your spiral slicer, shred your carrots, and wash your bean sprouts.

7. Toss your zucchini noodles, carrots, and bean sprouts together on your counter to mix them well.

8. Nest, or balance your veggie noodles on top of your liquid and meat base in your slow cooker, and press down every so slightly. The goal is for them to be steamed, not stewed.

9. Cook for 3.5 to 4 hours on low if you are using a 4-Quart Slow cooker.

10. Cook for no more than 7 hours on low (6 is ideal) if you are using a 6-Quart slow cooker.

11. To serve, remove the noodles first and set aside, making sure they are strained of any retained liquid.

12. Removed your chicken breasts or thighs. Debone if necessary, then chop into strips. Add back some of the remaining sauce/broth from the crock to the meat and mix well.

13. Place your meat and sauce over your noodles, and garnish with green onions (scallions), chopped cilantro, and chopped cashews. Enjoy!

[This message edited by GabyBaby at 2:42 PM, October 28th (Monday)]

Super easy recipe:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

1 jar salsa of choice

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1 can corn kernels (optional)

Chuck it all in the slow cooker (chicken can be frozen or thawed) and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Shred chicken with 2 forks and cook additional 15 minutes or so.

You can wrap this in a tortilla, on rice, in lettuce wraps, etc. Good with sour cream, guacamole, etc. too.