If you are busy mom, always on the go, or your professional life leaves you little time to prepare healthy meals…dust off your slow cooker! No need to stress about making time to cook. Your slow cooker has your back!
Here are 5 easy slow cooker recipes to incorporate into your meal plans…
1. Fajita Chicken
- 2 lbs chicken thighs
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp pink himalayan salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ cup salsa
- Place all ingredients in slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Serve in a sprouted grain wrap or over a bed of dark, leafy greens for a chicken fajita salad. Sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite dairy-free substitute), fresh diced tomato, and avocado slices. YUM!
2. Banh Mi
This is traditionally served as a Vietnamese sandwich. Here is a healthier option!
- 2 lb. boneless pork shoulder
- 8 garlic cloves, minced or smashed
- 1 2-inch slice of ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 jalapeno, diced (or seeded if you don’t like spice)
- ¾ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar (can be omitted)
- ½ tsp pink himalayan salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Place all ingredients in slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
Serve as a sandwich with lettuce, shredded carrots and fresh cucumber slices or over cauliflower rice (Many grocery stores sell riced cauliflower in the freezer sections… save yourself sometime).
3. Vegetarian Taco Soup
Ingredients:
- 2 15oz can kidney beans
- 1 15oz can black beans
- 1 15oz can pinto beans
- 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup salsa
- 16oz vegetable stock
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Drain and rinse the beans. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Top with a dollop of full fat plain yogurt and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. Omit the dairy or use your favorite dairy-free substitute.
4. Adobo Chicken
- 2 lbs. Chicken thighs
- ¾ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup distilled white vinegar
- 8 garlic cloves minced, smashed, or grated
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
Place all ingredients in slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Serve over brown rice with a side salad or eat alone with a side of steamed veggies like broccoli or green beans.
5. Coconut Butter Chicken
- 2 lb. chicken thighs
- 1 onion, diced (optional)
- 1 14oz can coconut milk, full fat
- 1 6oz can tomato paste
- 3 Tbsp butter or ghee (preferably grass-fed)
- 2 tsp coconut oil
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 inches fresh ginger, grated (or ground ginger
- 1 Tbs curry powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp turmeric
- Sea salt to taste
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Place all ingredients in slow cooker, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Shred, and return to crockpot for warming.
Serve over jasmine rice or dark leafy greens. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and enjoy!
* I used frozen cauliflower rice – thrown into the crockpot with an hour left on low to cook.
Pro Tip:
Do all of the dicing, chopping, slicing, and mincing on meal prep day so all you have to do the morning of is toss everything into the slow cooker. Let the slow cooker do all of the work and enjoy these stress-free meals!