The past year and a half, I have discovered great meals that can be cooked in a slow cooker, with no fuss and for a low price!

It is easy to cook as you can just throw everything in and get on with your day. By dinner time, you don’t need to worry about cooking after a long, tiring day; it will be waiting there for you.

Curries!

One of the easiest recipes, especially if you are being very lazy like me! But it can be “spiced” up very easily if you wanted to put more effort in.

1. Personally, I just use a cheap jar of sauce from the shop and pour the liquid in the slow cooker (make sure to get all out the jar by pouring a little bit of hot water in the jar and a light shake).
2. Place the Chicken thighs in the slow cooker and fully coat the top. (chicken breast can be used, however, thighs are cheaper, but also the meat falls off the bone)
3. Add desired vegetables – I usually use peppers
4. Extra seasoning if desired added and then cover and put on low heat for 6- to 8 hours; or 4 hours on high.

Note: There are more yummy ways of slow cooking curries that take a bit more effort but feel free to check out these links to recipes I use:

• Slow Cooker Chicken Curry (goodhousekeeping.com) – BIG FAN (EASY, CHEAP)
• The Only Slow Cooker Indian Chicken Curry Recipe You’ll Ever Need (hermodernkitchen.com) – This uses more ingredients (some of which you could probably skip)

Chilli Con Carne

I have made both a Beef chilli and vegetarian in the slow cooker – both were highly praised. I made a huge vegetarian chilli for my 21^st party and even the meat eaters approved!

Beef Chilli

1. I would recommend quickly frying/browning the mince in a frying pan with an onion until soft. Then quickly heat a couple of minced/cut garlic cloves before adding to the slow cooker.
2. Once in the slow cooker, I usually add a tin of chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, beef stock cube, and the spices.*
3. Cook this on low for 4-5hrs
4. After this time, you can add the kidney beans and a pepper and cook for half hour
5. Season with coriander and serve with rice.

*Note: I usually use pre-packed chilli con carne mixes for my cooking however these spices can be used as an alternative:

• ½-1tsp hot chilli powder
• ½–-1 tsp ground cumin
• Cayenne pepper

Veggie Option

I cannot quite remember my amazing recipe from a few years ago so this is a rough attempt to recreate the veggie chilli I made. Feel free to substitute the vegetables for your own preference.

1. Again, quickly fry the onion in the pan until soft (not burnt) and add garlic for another minute.
2. Add this to the slow cooker with the tin tomatoes, puree, grated carrot, chickpeas and sometimes I like to use taco beans as well.
3. Add the spices
4. More ingredients to add would be peppers, and courgette.
5. Before finishing, cook the kidney beans last for another half hour.

My Favourite – Mongolian Chicken!
This is one of the eaaasssiest and most tasty (in my opinion and others) of my slow cooker recipes.

1. Mix all these ingredients in the slow cooker:
   1. ½ a cup of brown sugar
   1. ¼ cup of soy sauce
   1. Thumb of ginger (grated) (2 teaspoons)
   1. 3 large garlic cloves minced
   1. Chicken Thighs (skin up)
2. Cook 8hrs on low or 4hrs on high
3. Garnish with sesame seeds and spring onion
4. Serve with rice and enjoy!