Spinach, arugula, Swiss chard, and other tender greens don’t need hours of cooking.
Long cooking can turn them into dark, wilted, overcooked greens and can make them lose the fresh character you’re looking for.
What to do instead
Add tender greens toward the end of cooking—often just long enough for them to wilt.
Heartier greens such as kale and collard greens can tolerate longer cooking, although the recipe and desired texture still matter.
11. Ingredients That Need Browning
Technically, meat and vegetables can cook perfectly well in a slow cooker without browning first. But if you’re expecting a beautifully browned, deeply savory result, simply dropping everything into the slow cooker won’t give you the same flavor.
Browning creates additional flavor through the Maillard reaction, something that doesn’t happen in the same way in a moist slow-cooker environment.
What to do instead
Brown beef, chicken, sausage, or vegetables in a skillet first when the recipe calls for it.
It’s one extra step, but that golden-brown crust can add a surprising amount of flavor.
And yes, I know—”but the whole point of a slow cooker is doing less work!” I hear you. 
But for certain recipes, those extra few minutes are absolutely worth it.
Ingredients That Are Perfect for a Slow Cooker
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