Crock Pot Baby Back Ribs for a Skinny #SundaySupper

I am so excited about this weeks #SundaySupper. We were all given the task by our host of the week, Sunithi of Sue's Nutrition Buzz. gave the group a mission to make a low-cal, low-carb, low-sugar, low-fat or simply a nutritious and healthy dish.

90% of what I cook at home is healthy, yet I had a very difficult time with choosing one dish. One thing I love to do is turn something generally unhealthy and turning into something that is good for you. When we first moved to Tampa, I had to learn how to cook without a grill as we live in a Condo. I missed my parents baby back ribs and found a way to turn them healthy and cook them inside.

Enter the slowcooker. I researched many recipes online to find out that you can in fact cook baby back ribs in the crockpot. I have made this recipe many times and it is fail proof. The key is to cook them slow. Do not try to cook them on high heat at a shorter period of time.

Note: the main photo of the ribs above is stock photography. My brand new camera's memory card got wiped out, causing me to lose nearly 1,000 photos, none of which were backed up and I did not have time to remake this. Luckily, I had old photos of the prep which I was able to use.

Take a 3lb slab of baby back ribs. Remove the silver lining from the back. I find it easiest to do right when you remove the ribs from the fridge. The coolness makes the silver lining much easier to remove. This is key, if the lining is still there, the ribs will be tough.

I make a slit down the middle and pull. Do this before you cut your ribs in 4's.

 Now it's time to make your dry rub. I have received rave reviews on  Just a Pinch Recipe Club for my par-boiled baby back rib recipe. I use the same dry rub for my crockpot version.

 Give the ribs a good rub down. Make sure you get both the front and the back.

 Cook with NO liquid on low for 8 hours.

Then take about 2 tablespoons per rib and paint with BBQ sauce. I prefer Sweet Baby Rays honey chipotle but use whichever you prefer. Cover and leave on low for 30 minutes. If you prefer a crunchy outside, you can do this in the oven on broil, just watch to make sure they don't burn.

A half a slab of ribs BBQ'd with tons of sauce would get you at 500-700 calories, whereas this one with the rub and 2 tablespoons of sauce will only be around 250 calories.

Ingredients:
3lbs of Baby Back Ribs
Dry rub. You can use pretty much any spice combo you want, it depends on your taste preferences. I prefer my ribs spicy and sweet so I use a combination of:
Dark brown sugar
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Cumin
Paprika
Cavender's Greek Seasoning,
Pepper
Salt
(There is no science to this and I have no idea how much I use but it always comes out good.)
BBQ Sauce of choice (Sweet Baby Rays Honey Chipotle is my favorite)

Directions:
Remove silver lining from Baby Back ribs, cut into fours
Coat ribs in dry rub mixture
Place in Crock Pot for 8 hours on slow. Do not do this recipe on High for a shorter period of time
Baste with BBQ sauce and cook on slow for another 30 minutes

Sizzling Skinny Appetizers & Soups

• Napa Cabbage wrapped Chinese Spring Rolls by Small Wallet Big Appetite
• #DairyFree Cream of Broccoli Soup by Galactosemia in PDX
• Easy Vegan Lentil Soup by NeighborFood
• Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup by Food Lust People Love
• Tomato Basil Soup by No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Skinny Beef Chili by Webicurean

 Healthy Skinny Mains & Sides

• Chicken with Herb Tomatoes and Pan Sauce by Hezzi D’s Books & Cooks
• Kale Salad with Pomegranates, Apples and Walnuts by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Skinny Salad Wraps by MamaMommyMom
• Mashed Cauliflower by Supper for a Steal
• Lamb Florentine Burger with Tzatziki by Country Girl in the Village
• Skinny Avocado Egg Salad Wraps by The Daily Dish Recipes
• Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad by Family Foodie
• Parchment-Poached Salmon by Simply Gourmet
• Maddy’s Arugula Salad by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cauliflower Pizza by Cravings of a Lunatic
• Light chicken enchiladas by My Cute Bride
• Pear Almond Arugula Salad with Honey Vinaigrette by Vintage Kitchen
• Pasta Primavera by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Cauliflower Fried Rice by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Ahi Tuna Salad by The Urban Mrs
• Soba Noodles with Edamame and Green Onions by Hip Foodie Mom
• Scallops Hong Kong Style by Magnolia Days
• Slow Cooker Pork and Green Chile Stew by Momma’s Meals
• Roasted Garlic, Chicken & Herb White Pizza by Dinners Dishes and Desserts
• Polynesian Salad with Pineapple Vinaigrette by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Herb Roasted Salmon with Steamed Cabbage & Peas by The Lovely Pantry
• Turkey and Black Bean Taco Burgers by In The Kitchen With K P
• Salmon Tikka Wraps with Cucumber Raita by Soni’s Food
• Whole wheat pasta with Spicy Roasted Cauliflower by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Slow Cooker Baby Back Ribs by I Run For Wine
• Chipotle Black Bean Burgers with Baked Garlic Home Fries by Curious Cuisiniere
• The Ninja Baker’s Sake & Miso Salmon by Ninja Baking
• Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Black Bean Burgers with Parsnip Fries by Gourmet Drizzles
• Slow Cooker Chicken and Smoked Sausage Cassoulet by The Weekend Gourmet
• Cumin Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots by Mangoes and Chutney
• Italian Sub Salad by Diabetic Foodie
• Swiss Chard and Quinoa Croquettes by The Wimpy Vegetarian
• Broccoli Patties with Arugula and Champagne Vinaigrette by Sustainable Dad
• Raw Kale Salad with Chickpeas and Salmon in Orange Dressing by Shockingly Delicious
• Greek Yogurt Egg Salad Sandwich by Damn Delicious
• Confetti Cabbage and Salmon Wraps by The Roxx Box
• Escarole and Beans by Midlife Roadtrip
• Cajun Black Beans by Ruffles and Truffles
• Caprese salad by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
• Skinny Wholegrain Fettuccine Alfredo with Greek Yogurt & Coconut Oil by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Guilt Free Skinny Desserts & Snacks

• Chocolate Avocado Cake by Gotta Get Baked
• Tiramisu Parfaits by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Sugar Free Banana Almond Muffins by What Smells So Good?
• Strawberry Coconut Cinnamon Buns by Juanita’s Cocina
• Warm Apple Crumble by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Dark Chocolate-Dipped Apricots by girlichef
• Homemade Protein Bar Recipe by Masala Herb
• Skinny Chocolate Almond Pudding by Basic N Delicious

Wine Pairing Recommendations for Skinny Sunday Supper by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog 

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. This week we will be sharing out special skinnified recipes! Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET and you do not want to miss out on the fun. Follow the#SundaySupper hash tag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos.

Join us Around the Family Table this Sunday at 7pm Eastern Time and share your favorite healthy recipes with us!