Michael Haggert
As the holiday approaches , it ’ s easy to embrace some excessive and indulgent eating . Parties and family gatherings tend to recall the age-old traditions of feasting . Put together with the delicious , if somewhat generic gift of a box of chocolates and we are likely to deviate from a balanced healthy diet at this time of year .
Now add the almost frantic schedule of decorating and shopping , and the kids ’ holiday concert at the school . It ’ s a perfect recipe for a trip through the drive-thru on the way from one thing to the next .
I don ’ t expect to convince you to resist the pressures of commercialism and merrymaking . Your schedule will be fuller than at other , more relaxed times of the year . But perhaps we can take a look to the past for a solution to avoiding quick snacks and trips through the drive-thru .
Whether you call it a crockpot or a slow cooker , ’ tis the season for the device that cooks while you do other things . Here ’ s an example I used the other day that got pretty good reviews .
Slow Cooker Shepherd ’ s Pie
Line the bottom of your slow cooker with finely sliced onions . Spread a pound of ground beef on top of the onions . The next layer is frozen mixed vegetables . Then spread a half bag of frozen hash browns and cover the whole thing with a can of condensed mushroom soup mixed with a half can of water .
Plug it in , put the lid on and head out to work and shopping and concerts or
Looking for slow cooker recipes ?
Slow cooker recipes are in abundance ! Try these links for some ideas : All Recipes Canadian Living Kraft Canada
whatever else your chaotic season requires of you . Several hours later you can return home to a warm , tasty comfort supper .
A few weeks of extraordinary schedule demands doesn ’ t mean a balanced diet needs to be lost in the time crunch . Put your favourites in the slow cooker . Your time matters . Don ’ t sacrifice your food for time . Food matters too .
Have a great holiday season !
Tell us on Facebook about your adventures with food this month , or tweet us @ thehubWE # foodmatters
December 2016 / January 2017 - The HUB 7