The following recipe is from “The Healthiest Slow-Cooker Recipes on Earth”, by myself and Jeannette Bessinger, available on Amazon.com – order here.

Savory Slow Cooker Tender Turkey Drumsticks

Turkey is a great, healthy source of protein (over 20 grams per serving) and turkey drumsticks are always a favorite. And you don’t have to wait till the holidays to enjoy them. This recipe is super easy, super fast, and when you use the slow cooker it cooks to a delicious tenderness in its own juices –no added fat calories. Yum. Seriously.

Perfectly healthy fat replaces the conventional gravy or commercial cream of mushroom soup that generally smothers a dish like this. (Note: a can of commercial cream of mushroom soup has an astonishing 1995 mg of sodium. Need I say more?)

Onions are a rich source of sulfur, so good for the skin, not to mention that they are one of the richest sources of a flavonoid called quercetin which is one of the most anti-inflammatory plant compounds on the planet. (Quercetin has also been shown to have significant anti-cancer properties.) Something to remember: Turkeys are frequently raised under horrific factory farmed conditions, so if possible, get the free-range variety. They’re almost always better for you anyway.

Ingredients

•  1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 turkey drumsticks
• Sprinkles salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
• 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into thin coins
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon dried sage, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped (or use 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 lemon, halved

Directions

1. Oil the bottom of the slow cooker and the drumsticks with olive oil.
2. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Place onions and carrots in the bottom of the cooker and top with prepared drumsticks.
4. In a small bowl, mix garlic, sage, parsley and thyme together and sprinkle evenly over the drumsticks.
5. Gently squeeze the lemon halves to release their juices into the vegetables and nestle them in at the bottom of the pot.
6. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5 hours or until meat is cooked through and meat and veggies are very tender.

Yield: 4 servings