The following post is in partnership with the California Olive Committee and written by Jen Rattie.
October is here, the weather is cooling down and I couldn’t be more excited to break out my slow cooker. I have children that aren’t huge fans of vegetables and this appliance has been a miracle worker for getting them to eat healthier meals without even knowing it! Plus, with the kids back in school, our lives are now filled with multiple activities, school meetings and social engagements. At the end of the day, we don’t have a lot of time and need super quick and simple meals.
Throughout the fall, many of my favorite California fruits and vegetables are being harvested by hardworking farming families. For instance, a fruit you may often buy in a can all year-long is actually being harvested right now—California olives! Not only do we snack on California Ripe Olives, we use them as an ingredient in our dishes, especially in the slow cooker. Olives add a wonderful savory flavor to everything from slow-cooked taco meat to slow-cooked pot roast.
When the kids were a little younger I came up with a basic recipe for a pot roast dinner that I could adjust depending on what was in season. This Slow Cooker Harvest Pot Roast Dinner with California Ripe Olives recipe that I’m sharing today is one I came up with on a day that I hit the jackpot in the vegetable department at the grocery store. It’s filled with enormous flavor, is one of my kids’ favorites and is unbelievably easy to make. The pot roast is so tender and I have never once heard my kids complain about having to eat their veggies—I definitely think the olives work some magic here. ☺ It’s also a favorite in our house because it reheats well and can be kept on warm so family members can dish out their plates when they trickle in. We have a lot dueling schedules so this is a must in our house!
Slow Cooker Harvest Pot Roast Dinner with California Ripe Olives
Ingredients
Pot Roast
• 1 2½ lb. pot roast, whole
• 1 artichoke or sunchoke, split with the tips cut
• 1 large red pepper, sliced
• 6 red pearl onions, peeled
• 1 carton of regular mushrooms, sliced
• 1 can of California green ripe olives, sliced
• 1 can of California black ripe olives, sliced
• 1½ cups of red cooking wine
• 2 cups of water
• Parsley to taste (optional)
Salad
• ½ lb. of Brussels sprouts, sliced
• One head of kale, washed and drained then julienned
• ½ head of red cabbage, julienned
• 2 cups of pine nuts
• 2 cups of dried cranberries
• 4 tablespoons of poppy seed dressing
Instructions
• Combine the wine and water in the slow cooker pot and place the pot roast in the center of the pot.
• Cook on high for 5 hours.
• At the 5th hour add the pearl onion and artichokes. Place the artichoke halves on either side of the roast submerged in the liquid.
• 1 hour later add the mushrooms, peppers and olives. Let sit for 30 minutes or until the peppers have softened.
• Once the peppers have softened, remove the roast and allow to rest on a plate for 20 minutes and turn the slow cooker down on low.
• Once the roast has set slice into ¾ inch pieces.
• With a slotted spoon pour the vegetables over the roast and then with a ladle add the desired amount of liquid over the top.
• Toss the salad ingredients with the poppy seed dressing.
• Serve and refrigerate leftovers.
• To reheat place the pot in the microwave on high for 3 minutes then back in the slow cooker on warm for 10 minutes.
*If you are going to be gone for longer than 5 hours, cook the roast on low for no longer than 8 hours and add a little more liquid. Steam cook the artichoke and onions most of the way ahead of time. Combine all the ingredients in the pot 1 hour before you plan to eat and set the pot on high.
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