Guest blog by Kavan
Nothing beats a good nutritious meal that tastes great after a hard day’s work or play. Perhaps the only downside is making it; the preparation, the timing, the ingredients, what and when to add them. We are not all natural born chefs, so what to do?
Ding! Microwave meals? Takeaway? Slaving over a hot oven? Heavy on time and not always what you want after a busy day, so why not use the unsung hero of the kitchen: the slow cooker!
Some people worry that the prep takes a long time or that you need someone at home to check on the progress of the food. Well, fear not as they are far more convenient than you think. Here’s why…
Using a slow cooker is a great way to save time and still prepare a nutritious meal. Assemble the meal in the morning, put it in the slow cooker, and at the end of the day, dinner is ready – without much mess or many dishes to clean. Stews & hot-pots, curries & chilli can all be easily cooked with fantastic results.
It requires only a small amount of electricity only to do its work; compared with a standard oven, a slow cooker uses a lot less energy, so it won’t heat up an entire kitchen the way an oven does.
Meat is tender, flavours are wonderful and with little effort you are making meals just like Mum used to make (but without the hassle!)
Beef stew is one of my favourites and my not-so-secret recipe is easy. Just pop in some stewing beef, chopped veggies (potatoes, carrots, onion, and celery are my choice, but you can choose your own combo), gravy granules, stock cube, salt & pepper. If I’m feeling 
a little adventurous I’ll plop in some tinned plum tomatoes too, gives it a Mediterranean feel. Set it low heat for 8 hours, and hey presto, that’s it! When I get home and open the door it’s the welcoming aroma of a warming winter stew that greets me. Serve with some crusty bread and mmmm…. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.
And when we’re done, I just take the leftovers (it doesn’t happen often), and freeze it for later. Even the aftermath is easy to deal with: just remove the pot, stick it the dishwasher (many are dishwasher safe), or give it a quick wash in the sink and you are done.
Basic slow cookers aren’t expensive, with prices starting around £20 with larger ones available from £30 from brands such as Crosslee, Sage and Morphy Richards – browse our range here.
So, just to recap, Slow Cookers are a brilliant addition to any kitchen, convenient, economical, and easy to clean, easy to use and above all else, make awesome meals easy. Oh, and if I can use it, anyone can!
