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Weight Watchers Recipe of the Day: Slow Cooker White Beans
The slow cooker is my favorite way to cook dried beans.
They’re super easy. Taste better than canned. And cost a lot less.
What’s not to like?
You can serve these slow cooker beans as a side dish warm or at room temperature drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.
Or try them spooned over warm toasted Italian bread. Mashed into dips. Stirred into soups. Tossed into salads. Added to pasta…
Make a big batch and then store them in small containers in the freezer to use in any recipe calling for canned white beans. They take 8 to 10 hours to reach tenderness, so they’re perfect to cook overnight or during a long day away.
How Many Calories and WW Points in these White Beans?
According to my calculations each serving of slow cooker white beans has 90 calories and:
3 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
0 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
0 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
2 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
A great source of fiber and protein, they work with Simply Filling and are now *0 SmartPoints on the new WW Freestyle Program.
Slow Cooker White Beans Recipe Variations:
different beans – pinto, great northern, cannellini, navy, black-eyed peas, etc. will all work with this basic method.
Caution about red kidney beans: Red kidney beans contain a natural toxin which may not be destroyed if your slow cooker doesn’t reach a high enough temperature. To be safe, red kidney beans should be pre-soaked, drained, and then boiled in fresh water for 10 minutes before cooking in the slow cooker. Read more here and here about potential toxins from red kidney beans.
different seasonings – bay leaf, dried thyme, oregano, rosemary, sage, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, smoked paprika, etc.
different veggies – peeled garlic, minced onion, chopped carrots, chopped celery, chopped fennel, chopped chile pepper, etc.
meaty – add smoked meat, like ham hock or smoked turkey leg, a bit of bacon or salt pork.
hard water – if your water is hard (has a high mineral content), add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of beans.
Enjoy!
Are You Ready To Slow Cook Yourself Slim?
If you’ve made these Crock Pot Low Fat White Beans, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Slow Cooker White Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried white beans (great northern, cranberry, cannellini etc.)
- 2 large garlic cloves, slightly crushed
- Herbs of choice (bay leaf, fresh rosemary sprig, thyme sprigs, etc.)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Ideal Slow Cooker Size: 4- to 6-Quart.
- Rinse the beans and pick them over to remove any broken beans or small stones.
- Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by 2 to 3 inches. Refrigerate for 4 hours or up to overnight.
- Drain the beans and place them in the slow cooker. Add the garlic and herbs, if using, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add fresh cold water to cover by 1 to 2 inches.
- Cover and cook on LOW until tender, 8 to 10 hours. (Always test a few beans to determine doneness because not all of them will be cooked at the same moment.)
- Add salt to taste and let stand for 10 minutes. Discard the herbs before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: The Italian Slow Cooker (affiliate link) by Michele Scicolone
A note about WW Points
If you're following Weight Watchers, all the recipes here on Simple Nourished Living have been updated for the new WW program, with points displayed in the recipe card. The Check the WW Points link in the recipe card takes you to the Weight Watchers App where you can edit it using the WW recipe builder or add it to your day.
(Must be logged into WW account on a mobile device, such as smartphone or tablet).
0 WW Freestyle SmartPoints Recipe Roundup
I love this! Slow cooker beans. So much healthier!!!!! I pinned it. 06/24/14