Slow Cooked Sausages

Get ready for a meal that's super easy to prepare and absolutely delicious for the whole family! It might take a bit of time to cook (6-7 hours in the slow cooker), but trust me, it's worth the wait. In our house, when it's someone's birthday, they get to pick the dinner of their choice. For our daughter's 5th birthday, she picked this dish! Can you believe it? You can use any type of sausage—beef, chicken, or pork. We started with pork, but lately, we've been loving beef. At first, we only tossed in carrots, but now we throw in just about any vegetable! In this batch, I've added sweet potato, carrot, eggplant, and green beans! There are endless options and ways to customize this meal, and it's a healthy staple we enjoy once a week, especially in winter.

Ingredients

12 sausages (pork or beef)

1 tin diced tomatoes

1 cup water

3 tablespoons tomato paste

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 carrots (chopped)

1/2 Eggplant (chopped)

1/2 sweet potato (chopped)

Oil (1 teaspoon)

Optional Extras

Green Beans

1 tin of 4 bean mix

Extra tin of diced tomatoes (if you like it extra saucy!)

Chickpeas

Method

1. Place oil in saucepan on medium heat.

2. Place sausages in saucepan and cook till brown (1-2 mins)

3. Place into slow cooker

4. Add tinned tomatoes

5. Add water

6. Add vegetables of choice

7. Set slow cooker to 'low' setting and cook for roughly 6-7 hours

8. Serve up !

Conclusion

As https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/discretionary-food-and-drink-choices highlights, those deliciously fatty and salty sausages might be considered a 'discretionary' food for those managing diabetes. And we totally agree! Sometimes, these sausages can lead to a bit of oesophageal reflux for some family members, depending on the type and quality of sausages we choose. But here's the exciting part—it's all about how we enjoy these treats! As you've seen in our recipe and photo, we love to pack in loads of veggies cooked right alongside the sausages. This way, the meal is hearty and satisfying, and we end up eating fewer sausages in one go. Plus, tinned tomatoes are a fantastic addition to our sauces due to their low sugar content. Our hospital dietician recommended choosing products with less than 3g of sugar per 100 grams, and tinned diced tomatoes fit the bill perfectly, making them a staple in our saucy creations!

Imagine using polenta as your base! Cornmeal, also known as polenta, is a high GI food, but it packs a punch with its positive nutritional qualities. It's got a moderate amount of fiber and protein and is low in calories (https://glycemic-index.net/cornmeal-porridge-mamalyga/#:~:text=The%20glycemic%20index%20(GI)%20of,as%20a%20moderate%20GL%20food). Remember, enjoying everything in moderation is key to a healthy, balanced diet!

This is a no-joke, real-deal example of how we'd chow down on this meal. In a world where everything seems faker than a three-dollar bill, this meal is the genuine article, folks!!!