Slow-Cooker Swiss Steak

This is a great slow-cooker meal, which made last Monday really easy. Finish this with a salad and some noodles (we use tofu noodles, which have almost no carbs), and you have a quick weeknight dinner. I will warn you - this is one of those slow-cooker meals that requires a little prep work - it is not a dump the ingredients in the pan kind of meal. I counter this by doing the chopping the night before, but I still get the meat ready the morning of, and it takes me 15-20 minutes.

From Diabetes and Heart  Healthy Cookbook:

Slow-Cooker Swiss Steak


2 Tbsp wheat (or all-purpose) flour
1 tsp dried basil, crumbled
1 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1.5 lbs boneless top round steak, all visible fat discarded
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced (I use already minced)
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1.5 cups fat-free, low-sodium spaghetti sauce (this is the small jar)
8 oz dried no-yolk egg noodles or tofu noodles
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (I usually omit this)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
shredded parmesan cheese for topping

1. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, dried basil, oregano, salt and pepper

2. Cut the beef into 6 pieces. Sprinkle half the flour mixture over one side of the beef. Using a meat tenderizer, pound the flour into the meat. Turn over. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture, pounding until all of it is absorbed into the meat.

3. Put the onion in the slow cooker. Put the meat on the onion. Sprinkle with the garlic, then with the bell pepper. Spoon the spaghetti sauce over all. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.

4.  About 15 minutes before serving time, prepare the noodles.

5.  To serve, spoon the noodles onto plates, top with meat. Stir the vinegar into the sauce (if using). Spoon the sauce over all. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

YUM!