So, the word “slow” might make it sound like these recipes won’t mesh with your schedule, but you can make all of them in a crockpot. Here’s the beautiful thing about this under-appreciated appliance: Once you’ve put the ingredients in and turned the thing on, you can leave it alone for as long as eight hours. Imagine tossing some stuff into your crockpot in the morning, attending all of your classes, dropping by the career center to figure out your internship situation, and then coming home to a cooked meal. It’s basically wizardry.
Example Recipe: Maple Dijon Chicken
1 lb chicken pieces (I used frozen breast tenderloins)
1 cup chicken broth
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 T dijon mustard
3 T maple syrup
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme
Put the chicken into the bottom of your crockpot and toss it with the thyme, maple syrup, and dijon mustard.
Peel and slice the sweet potato, and add to the pot. Add the onion and garlic. If you don’t want your onion to have a crunch, put it at the bottom of the crockpot; otherwise on top of the chicken is fine.
Pour in the chicken broth. Add the bay leaves.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 4-5. This is done when the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables reach desired tenderness.
Heidi Diller, now a consultant in the retail food industry, started this website for her two sons when they went off to college. She has a section titled “munchies,” so it’s probably safe to say she understands her audience well. You’ll find a good variety of relatively healthy snack recipes, including popcorn, smoothies, dips, and cashew cheese (which is not as weird as it sounds—trust me on this). She also publishes posts on nutrition, and they address everything from coffee consumption to at-home cold remedies to the cocaine-like addictiveness of Oreos.
Example Recipe: Mac And Cheese In A Mug
½ cup macaroni pasta (any size or shape)
¾ cup water
¼ cup low fat milk
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Salt (to taste)
Step One: Pour the macaroni pasta and water in a bowl or extra large mug. My mug holds 2 cups. Heat on HIGH for 7 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. My microwave is really strong so 7 minutes was enough. The water may boil over if you use a mug that’s too small. That’s ok. It still works but try a bowl next time. Look, I put a paper towel beneath mine.
Step Two: Remove from microwave. Careful!! Its hot! The macaroni pasta may come out a little stuck together but that’s ok. Add milk and cheese. Stir until it’s well combined and place back in the microwave for 1 minute. Heat on high.
Step Three: Remove from oven. Stir again. Add some salt if you want. Enjoy.
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