I Quit Sugar Slow Cooker Cookbook Review

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, Book cover, slow cooker chicken

Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar: Slow Cooker Cookbook is a collection of 85 healthy, low-sugar slow cooker recipes.

In the introduction, Sarah explains why she decided to write the book, explaining that she had personally found that "the easiest way to eat simply and sustainably was with [a slow cooker]...a slow cooker is sustainable in every sense" (p. 1).

She explains that the recipes are designed to contain very little or no sugar, are perfect for busy people, most can be made using just one pot, the recipes are designed to feed six people (possibly leaving leftovers for meals on the following day), and the recipes are cheap, yet nutrient-dense.

The book has a solid amount of information on the benefits of slow-cooking, and contains recipes for a large variety of dishes, such as soups, stews, sides, cakes and puddings, curries, roasts and stock.

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, book, table of contents

Table of Contents

The first 20 or so pages are packed full of information on all the things you need to know about slow cooking. There are tips and advice on things such as:

Purchasing a slow cooker,

Using a slow cooker (and alternatives if you don't own one)

Advice for buying meat (eg. what cuts to look for, grass fed vs grain fed etc),

Using leftovers

Troubleshooting questions (e.g. the meat is dry, there is too much liquid etc); and

A list of the most economical recipes in the book (which work out to be only $3 per serve).

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, cheap Recipes, $3 per serve, cheap meals

The book contains 43 recipes that work out costing only $3 per serve (these are listed on page 21)

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, cheap Recipes, pantry essentials

The book includes a list of pantry essentials

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson,

On page 24, there is a list of icons to help identify recipes suitable for those with specific dietary requirements (eg. gluten-free, vegetarian, minimal fructose etc)

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, book, buying meat, meat cuts

The book includes a guide to different cuts of meat that can be used in slow cooker recipes

The book is then divided into chapters including:

Stupidly Simple Staples (p.25)

Hearty Breakfasts (p. 33)

Soups, Stews and Curries (p. 41)

Weekday Dump 'n' Run (p. 59)

Comfort Classics (p. 71)

When Hipsters Discovered the Slow Cooker (p. 89)

A Little Offaly Chapter (p. 99)

Same-Same but Different (p. 107)

A Few Clever Sides (p. 123); and

Cakes and Puds (p. 133)

Meat features heavily throughout the book, with recipes using beef, lamb, chicken, kangaroo and pork.

There's even a chapter devoted to recipes containing offal (p. 99), with meals such as Stuffed Lamb Hearts (p. 105), Mum's Steak and Kidney stew (p. 103) and All Day, Every Day Pate (p. 100).

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, book, chinese beef cheeks

Chinese Beef Cheeks (p. 108)

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, book, The Vietnamese Chicken Curry That Made Sarah Cry

'The Vietnamese Chicken Curry That Made Sarah Cry' (p. 120)

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, book, Spiced Lamb Shoulder

Spiced Lamb Shoulder (p. 54)

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, book, Kangaroo Rogan Josh, Cucumber raita

Roo Rogan Josh with a Cucumber Raita (p. 116)

Along with the meat dishes, there are also some vegetarian recipes, including:

Vegetable Korma with Quinoa and Slivered Almonds (p. 42)

Paleo Veggie Frittata (p. 40)

Sweet Pumpkin Sunday Beans (p. 39)

Autumnal Veggie and Apple Stew (p. 53); and

Thai Green Curry 'n' Squash (p. 58)

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, book, vegetable korma

Vegetable Korma with Quinoa and Slivered Almonds (p. 42)

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, book, pea and spinach-y dahl

Pea and Spinach-y Dahl (p. 128)

The final chapter of the book - Cakes and Puds - includes a small selection of sweet treats. Recipes include:

Lime, Coconut and Poppy Seed Cake With Zesty Coconut Butter (p. 138)

Slow Bro's (Double-Choc Walnut Brownies) (p. 137)

Creamy Vanilla Rice Pudding (p. 134)

Sweet Potato Brownies (p. 141)

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, book, Lime coconut and poppy seed cake

Lime, Coconut and Poppy Seed Cake with Zesty Coconut Butter (p. 138)

IQS, I Quit Sugar, Slow Cooker cookbook, Sarah Wilson, book, slow Bro's, double-choc Walnut Brownies

Slow Bro's (Double-Choc Walnut Brownies) (p. 137)

Recommendations:

The book is perfect for those participating in the I Quit Sugar program, or for those following a low sugar diet, such as Paleo.

It's also a good recipe book for anyone wanting to try some new and varied slow-cooker recipes, even if they're not following a low-sugar diet or eating plan.

Out of the 85 recipes, around 28 are vegetarian (this includes some mains, sides, sweet dishes, and basics like veggie stock and tomato sauce), so meat-eaters will probably get more out of it, although Sarah suggests that some of the recipes can be adjusted by swapping meat for vegetable protein or beans.