Whole Food, Slow Cooked recipes for healthy winter food
Whether in the slow cooker, or on the stovetop, here's a way to cook and eat that ticks all the boxes: healthy and wholesome, comforting and convenient.
Breakfast curry
Serves 4
This curry has just the right amount of spice to kick-start your day.
20g ghee or butter
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 tsp brown mustard seeds
3 tsp finely grated fresh turmeric or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 red onion, finely grated
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
½ tsp ground fennel
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
500g waxy potatoes, cut into 3cm cubes
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, halved, coarsely grated, skins discarded
1 cup frozen peas
8 eggs
sliced green chilli and coriander sprigs, to serve
In the slow cooker:
Put all the ingredients except the peas and eggs into the slow cooker. Add 125ml of water and mix well. Season with salt and pepper, then cook on low for seven hours. Stir in the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes until warmed through. Meanwhile, poach the eggs in a pan of simmering water until done to your liking. Serve the curry topped with the poached eggs, sliced chilli and coriander sprigs.
On the stovetop:
Heat the ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the curry leaves, mustard seeds, turmeric, onion, ginger, fennel, cumin and coriander and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes until the onion has softened. Add the potatoes, tomatoes and 125ml of water and mix well.
Season with salt and pepper, then cover with a lid and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the peas and cook for a further 5 minutes until warmed through. Meanwhile, poach the eggs in a pan of simmering water until done to your liking. Serve the curry topped with the poached eggs, sliced chilli and coriander sprigs.
Caramel pork belly
Serves 6
If you want to garnish this with crispy Thai basil, briefly fry a handful of the leaves in a little oil until translucent; if you can't find Thai basil, just scatter some regular basil or coriander (cilantro) leaves over the top instead. Look for rice malt syrup in health food shops.
1 tbsp grapeseed or rice bran oil
1.5kg skinless pork belly, cut into 5cm pieces
3 tablespoons kecap manis
185ml rice malt syrup
1 tsp ground white or black pepper
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp fish sauce
4 star anise
250ml chicken stock
1 tsp cornflour – only needed for slow cooker
1 small bunch snake beans or a handful of green beans, cut into 5cm lengths
steamed rice, Thai basil and sliced chilli, to serve
In the slow cooker:
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Cook the pork for 5 minutes until browned.
Meanwhile, combine the kecap manis, syrup, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, fish sauce and star anise in a bowl. Pour the mixture into the pan and cook for 3 minutes to glaze the pork. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Combine the chicken stock and cornflour in a bowl until smooth, then add to the slow cooker and stir well. Cook on high for 4 hours.
Skim any fat from the surface, then add the beans and cook for a further 30 minutes. Serve with steamed rice, Thai basil and chilli.
On the stovetop:
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Cook the pork for 5 minutes until browned.
Meanwhile, combine the kecap manis, syrup, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, fish sauce, star anise and stock in a bowl. Pour the mixture into the pan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and cook for 90 minutes until the pork is tender.
Skim any fat from the surface, then stir in the beans and cook for 10 minutes until tender. Serve with steamed rice, Thai basil and chilli.
Honey rhubarb nut crumble
Serves 6. A gluten- and dairy-free dessert for everyone to enjoy.
125ml melted coconut oil
2 x 500g bunches rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 5cm pieces
175g honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g almond meal
155g macadamia nuts (toasted if using slow cooker), coarsely chopped
155g blanched almonds
80g walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
In the slow cooker:
Lightly oil the slow cooker. Combine the rhubarb, 4 tablespoons of the honey, vanilla, ginger and cinnamon in the slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients (including the rest of the honey) and scatter over the rhubarb mixture. Cook the crumble on high for two hours.
In the oven:
Preheat the oven to 180C and oil a 1.5-litre baking dish. Combine the rhubarb, 4 tablespoons of the honey, vanilla, ginger and cinnamon in the prepared dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes until the rhubarb is tender.
In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients (including the rest of the honey) and scatter over the rhubarb mixture. Return to the oven and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes until the crumble is golden.