I wrote about the slow cooker in my February 2014 column, it’s history and beginnings and recipes. The popularity of slow cookers could be because there are so many busy families and having a pot with your meal ready has many great advantages.
There is a new slow cooker that came out about a year ago. Crock Pot Smart WiFi Enabled WeMo 6 quart slow cooker can be turned on or off from your office through your smartphone. However, reading some of the negative reviews, it seems to need more work to get it working correctly. After all, the cheaper models have the capability to turn to low after the programmed time of cooking.
Cooking beans in a slow cooker seems to make a lot of sense, especially if you use dried beans and would work for Meatless Monday.
Here’s a recipe using dried navy beans with a distinguished name as it is on the U.S. Senate lunch menu.
U.S. Senate
Navy Bean Soup
Serves: 6
Microwave in a glass bowl for five minutes on high:
2 cups chopped onions
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Transfer to slow cooker, stir in:
1 pound (2 1/2 cups) dried navy beans, picked over and rinsed
7 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
8 ounces ham steak, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
1 smoked ham hock, rinsed
Cover and cook until beans are tender, nine to 10 hours on low or six to seven hours on high.
Transfer ham hock to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding skin and bones. Stir into soup and let sit until heated through, about five minutes. Stir in:
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Mindful eating
Mayo Clinic advocates mindful eating. It really hit home with me as we were at a local restaurant and watched a young couple completely ignore their beautiful 3- or 4-year-old daughter as both of them were too busy on their phones. She must have this happen to her at every meal as she said nothing and just sat quietly waiting for her food.
I also have seen parents not paying attention to their children at airports. They are running around, undisciplined while the parents are so busy on the phone they have no idea their children are being disruptive to other passengers.
So, let’s start paying attention when we sit down to eat. Mindful eating encourages us to slow down and pay attention to our food and making dining a social affair. It is not about feeding our faces, but is about noticing each bite we take, savoring and tasting our food. We need to use our meal time to concentrate on the moment. That family at the restaurant will wonder why they have communication problems with their daughter later in life.
Here are ways we can put mindful eating to practice:
• Practice acceptance: Accept your body as it is. Make a conscious decision to eat and before eating, ask yourself “how hungry am I right now?” If you are eating with others, pay attention to them.
• Don’t eat in a hurry. Take time to savor and enjoy your food.
• Avoid distractions such as phones, TV, work books or magazines.
• Appreciate your food. Express your gratitude for the good food in front of you.
• Breathe consciously, taking deep breaths before and during your meals.
• Use all your senses to fully experience your food and drink.
• Observe the smells, textures, sounds, colors and tastes. Ask yourself how much you’re enjoying the food and how appealing it is.
• Eat correct portions of foods to avoid overeating. A serving of brown rice is 1/2 cup, a serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards, a serving of green vegetables is a cupped hand.
• Eat small bites, chew slowly and appreciate you food as each bite make you healthier.
So, if you see me at a restaurant, make sure you are not looking at your phone but instead, paying attention to your children or at least talking to whomever you are dining with.
Foodie bites
The Hawaii Community College Culinary Program cafeteria and Bamboo Hale is closed this week in preparation of the Hilo Classic Food Show on Friday.
Please purchase tickets from the students and support them.
Many do not sleep Thursday night getting ready for the show.
Don’t forget the Ka‘u Coffee Festival begins April 24. Check out www.kaucoffeefest.com for more details.
Rotary Club of South Hilo’s Hilo Huli is Sunday, May 3. Tickets are $50 and Jack Stevenson, who sells the most tickets, will be asking you. Do not go the other direction when you see him coming toward you.
The Big Island Chocolate Festival is on May 9 at the Fairmont Orchid. Tickets are $75 with VIP tickets going for $100.
Seems far away, but the Mealani’s Taste of Hawaiian Range this year is at 6 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, so mark your calendar. Tickets are $45 pre-sale and $60 at the door. Contact Russell Nagata at 969-8228 or email him at russell@hawaii.edu.
Email me at
audreywilson808@gmail.com if you have questions.
