There are many benefits of preparing meals with a slow cooker. Let’s see; there’s the convenience of letting the crock pot cook for you while you do other things like go to work. Slow cookers can also save you money because you can select cheaper cuts of meat since the meat is slowly cooked and tenderized.
But what about the health conscious, can you gain health benefits from cooking with a slow cooker? You sure can, because most crock pot recipes call for healthy, nutritious ingredients that are slow cooked over long periods of time, helping the food keep all of the healthy deliciousness rather than cook it all away quickly.
Here are a couple of easy slow cooker recipes that are great tasting and healthy for you.
Good for You Chicken Noodle Soup
- Three carrots, peeled and cut into pieces
- Three stalks celery, cut into pieces
- One large onion, quartered
- Three boneless skinless chicken breast halves
- Two cans low-fat chicken broth
- Two soup cans of water
- Pinch of dried dill
- Pinch of dried parsley
- 8 oz. package noodles
Place vegetables in crock pot. Add chicken. Pour in broth and water. Add dill and parsley. Cover and cook on low 8 hours. Remove vegetables and chicken from the crockpot. Add noodles, turn to high and heat while you shred the chicken. Return chicken to pot and heat through. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until noodles are done.
Super Simple and Healthy Beef Stew
- 1-1/2 lbs. beef stew meat
- Four medium red potatoes, cut into pieces
- 1/3 cup flour
- salt and pepper to taste
- 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, un-drained
- 2 cups water
- 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables
Place potatoes in bottom of crock pot. Coat beef with a mixture of flour, salt, and pepper. Place meat in slow cooker. Add undrained tomatoes and water and stir well. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Add frozen vegetables and cook on low for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
How To Bake Or Roast Vegetables In A Slow Cooker
When you bake food in the oven, it takes time, and you need to be present. In a slow cooker, baking is relatively easier. You can also bake without oil or herbs. When you bake vegetables, water is not needed because vegetables have sufficient water content in them. Because of the slow cooking quality, they do not dry up fast, unlike in the oven. Many of these recipes include baking.
You can easily bake a large yam or potato in about 4 hours at low. If you keep it at high, it takes 2 hours. Potatoes and root vegetables, when cut into smaller pieces, take less time to bake. The flavor of roasted or baked vegetables in a crockpot is tantalizing. Serve them with garlic bread, fresh salad, noodles, rice, or fried tofu for a hearty meal.
To experience the joy of cooking, try this recipe. It is one of the easiest healthy slow cooker recipes. As you lift the lid of the pot when the meal is ready, your senses are pleased by the heavenly aroma of freshly cooked food.
The health advantages of cooking with a slow cooker are evident, but make sure to read your recipes well, so the results will meet your expectations.
Top Benefits Of Slow Cooking
Cooking meals in a slow cooker come with immense benefits. The four first benefits that immediately come to the mind are:
- You save time because what you need is only to put the ingredients in the cooker and let it cook.
- It’s convenient when you’re out of the house the whole day. You come home to a prepared dinner.
- The food retains all its nutrients because there is no deep frying or over-cooking.
- As the food is cooked slowly, the flavor gets distributed evenly and makes the food tastier.
Nutritional Benefits Of Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes
- When you cook in water or broth, your meal does not contain additional calories – ideal for those on a weight loss program.
- Hard vegetables get converted into tender and juicy meals.
- You can quickly prepare an all-in-one meal by blending lean proteins and vegetables. Such a meal is highly nutritious and delicious.
- The cooking liquid such as the broth or water is not discarded in healthy slow cooker recipes. You make it a part of the dish, and they contain the nutrients released from the vegetables.
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