Low and Slow

Hello! and welcome to my new blog. My name is Kristen and I am a Registered Dietitian who loves everything food. This blogging thing is new to me so bear with me through the glitches and boring page layout until I figure out how this thing works. I hope I can give some great, healthy meal ideas and show you that eating healthy doesn't have to be terrible. Eating healthier really has to be a lifestyle change, not just a quick fix. Simple changes made every day can add up to make a big difference. One must realize that they can't wait till after the holidays or after anything to start eating better . . . the time is NOW! Just do it! Along with my favorite recipes and nutrition tidbits, I will post food experiences and travels that I encounter, with good wine and restaurants to try in the Las Vegas area. Enjoy!!

I absolutely love my slow cooker this time of year. All you have to do is throw some simple, economical ingredients in before heading out in the morning and you can return home to a warm, satisfying meal that is already basically done! It is also a really great way to cook lean and cheaper cuts of meat that need a long time to tenderize. One of my favorites is one adapted from Martha Stewart called Chili Chicken Tacos. Simply cook the meat in the slow cooker and add to a nice crispy corn tortilla along with your favorite taco toppings. There will be more slow cooker recipes to come . . .

Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 8 1/4 hours

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

• 1 standard package boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6)
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 cup prepared tomato salsa or any favorite red or green salsa (I use mild)
  
• 1 teaspoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo (careful these are hot)
  
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• Hard corn taco shells
• Cilantro, shredded cheese, lime wedges, and non-fat greek yogurt for serving (or sour cream), etc.
  

Directions

1. In slow cooker, combine chicken (trimmed of excess fat), garlic, salsa, chiles, chili powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Cover; cook on low, 8 hours being careful that sugar doesn't burn.
2. Shred chicken in slow cooker, using two forks. Serve in taco shells, with toppings, if desired.
3. Use leftovers for quesadillas, taco salad, Mexican rice, etc. or you can freeze some in an airtight container for a quick meal later. I want to try to use this as a filling for tamales in the future.

Sorry there are not nutrition facts for this one. I am saving to purchase a nutrient analysis software so I can give you the exact values. I don't really think you should count calories in exact values, but really eat mindfully and stop when you are full. It takes 20 minutes for our minds to register satiety.

Portion suggestion: Two corn tacos with about 4 oz of meat, 1/4 cup of low-fat cheese and 1/4 cup greek yogurt would be approximately 400-450 kcals depending on the portion size.