Slow Cooker Italian Beef with Spicy Giardiniera

I don't post a lot of slow cooker recipes. That's because I don't ever use a recipe. I put onion, garlic, and meat in the slow cooker and it tastes awesome. Who would want to read about that?  :)

But I realize that some of you might want more than garlic and onion with your meat. And it's the right time of year for slow cookers.

When my blogger friends had the idea to do a series of slow cooker recipes in January, I thought it would be a great excuse to do something different. All the recipes are Whole 30 compliant, to help everyone with their New Year's resolutions to be healthy!

I was inspired by this recipe for Italian beef sandwiches. I took away the bread, changed the seasonings and oils, and it was fabulous!  I can't wait to make it again in a couple of days!

You need to marinate the giardiniera at least 2 days before you make the beef.

Spicy Giardiniera

*2 cups cauliflower, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

*2 cups carrots, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

*1 red pepper, diced

*3-4 Serrano peppers, thinly sliced

*2 celery stalks, cut into 1/4 inch piece

*1/4 cup sea salt (Celtic, Himalayan)

*2 tsp oregano

*1 tsp thyme

*3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

*1 cup light olive oil (you can sub another mild tasting oil)

*1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Chop all the veggies and and put them in a large glass or metal bowl. Add the garlic, salt, and enough water to cover the vegetables and mix. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

The next day, drain and rinse the vegetables. In a medium bowl, mix the oil, vinegar, oregano, and thyme. Put the vegetables in jars or a large bowl. Pour the oil and vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Marinate the vegetables in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. The veggies are better the longer they marinate, up to 3 weeks.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

*3 to 3 1/2 lb pot roast (short ribs or other beef would work, too)

*1/2 cup water

*4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

* 1 onion, quartered

* 1 tsp basil

*1 tsp oregano

*1 tsp thyme

*sea salt to taste (Celtic, Himalayan), I used almost 1 Tbsp!

Put all ingredients except the roast into the slow cooker. Mix thoroughly. Add the roast and spoon the liquid and onions over the top. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours.

To serve, place a few pieces of beef in a lettuce cup and spoon giardiniera over the top. I use Boston lettuce for the lettuce cups, it works great for holding everything together.

This recipe is part of the Healthy Paleo Slow Cooker series. If you want to see more, follow my Facebook and Pinterest page, where I'll continue to share the recipes.

Hope you're having a healthy 2014!

This post was shared on Healing with Food Friday.

This post is part of 125+ Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Recipes. Thanks to Devine Health from the Inside Out!