When it comes to making healthy meals for my family they have to be wholesome, nourishing and delicious. My philosophy means that meals should never skimp on flavour just because they are healthier and always lean towards balance. One night I may serve a heavy pasta dish and the next night a baked salmon dish that is packed full of vegetables and whole grains, all in the hope to prove that healthy living doesn’t have to be boring. Serving up beautiful fresh and vibrant food to my family brings so much joy and today I’m going to share how I do this using a slow cooker.
A few weeks ago, I picked up a gorgeous Crock Pot in the mid-season sale and I’ve been in love with it ever since. It’s has a 3.5-litre capacity, which just works perfectly for our little family of 3 and is great for batch cooking and filling the freezer. I’ve found that since buying my slow cooker, making meals healthy and delicious has become even easier. By no means am I about to tell you to invest in a slow cooker and start a new faddy diet craze, because that just not my style. However, I do want to share how a slow cooker can help you live a healthier life both practically and holistically. Investing in a slow cooker is perhaps one of the best things that I have done to create healthy, nutritious and delicious meals this autumn and it’s so easy!
You can easily bulk up the veggie content of your meals
Slow cooking is the perfect time to up your one pot wonder game by adding in lots of fresh leafy greens and bulk out your meals with vegetables. You can add extra peppers to your fajitas, throw in some extra root vegetables into your casseroles and add more dark leafy greens to your curries and soups. Sneaking in those extra veggies will make any meal more nutritious and packed full of more vitamins and minerals, especially if you have a picky husband and kids!
Healthy meals can be on hand all year round
Using your slow cooker to batch cook is a great way to have healthy meals already prepared all year round. Plan ahead and cook a couple of meals specifically to store in the freezer. My favourite things to batch cook are a vegetarian chilli, soups and casseroles, but honestly the possibilities are endless. Stocking up the freezer will also help you stop reaching for those takeaway menus when you can’t be bothered to cook too.
An easy way to create balance meals
A well-balanced meal often focuses on good carbs, healthy fats, protein and a decent portion of vegetables. One pot cooking makes this so easy to achieve. You can practically throw anything in from lean meat, legumes, beans, whole grains, rice and pack meals out with lots of vegetables to make them more nutritionally dense.
Leaner and cheaper cuts of meat taste delicious
Cooking leaner cuts of meat that contain less fat or even cheaper cuts of meat that benefit from slow cooking makes them taste delicious. Sometimes, leaner meats can easily dry out, but in the slower cooker, they keep their moisture, a whole chicken tends to just fall off the bone after being slow cooked. Also, buying cheaper cuts of meat can save you money compared to buying premium cuts.
Makes cooking easy for those who hate to cook
Let’s face it, not everybody enjoys cooking and slow cooking is such an easy way to create a tasty meal. My husband rarely cooks, but he does love using the slow cooker. Home cooked food is far healthier than shop bought and takeaway meals because you are in total control of the ingredients.
Here are some delicious healthy slow cooker recipes that you may like to try:
- Slow Cooker Coconut Curry via Baking Queen 74
- Slow Cooker Rolled Brisket With Red Wine & Thyme via Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
- Jerk Black Bean & Potato Curry via Celery & Cupcakes
- Slow Cooker End of Season Vegetable Stew with Mushroom Dumplings via Tin and Thyme
- Easy Cheesy Pulled Chicken Wraps via Fab Food 4 All
- Slow Cooker Pear & Cinnamon Oats via Recipes From A Pantry
We have always had a slow cooker in the home. I don’t use it myself but my grandmother use to as she liked how curry would cook a lot better x
It is my most used kitchen item, I use it all year round and not just as it gets colder. I love that a slow cooker can be used for so many things x
I have a slow cooker and I love it, especially during winter. I find that I tend to throw more Vegetables into meals when I’m using my slow cooker. I would use it over summer if it didn’t get so hot where I am. Thanks for sharing!
Lennae xxx
http://www.lennaesworld.com
Slow cookers are so useful. You can use it to cook absolutely anything! 🙂
We do have a slow cooker, and I love it. We don’t always make healthy stuff in it though. But I try to throw in a veggie or two if I can.
I think that slow cookers are brilliant and if I could afford them I would get one myself. Great for batch cooking as you said.
now i understand why Mom can’t stop raving her slow cooker with her friends, because of these explanations. Thanks!
I would love a slow cooker! I would make vegetarian chilies all the time! I’m always looking for new ways to incorporate more veggies in my diet!
Kyla
wanderlustkyla.com
I have a slow cooker but have yet to make anything in it. I definitely need to crack it out x
I love my slow cooker, it is fab at this time of year. I make lots of nice stews in it without any oil or fat.
Thee are great reasons! We just used ours yesterday to prepare for today’s dinner ahead of time. I definitely like how easy it is to experiment with veggies in slow cooker meals.
Ohhh you had me at brisket this texas gal loves that lol a d red wine .
I love my slow cooker it’s amazing and easy and I work form home and love the smell in my house all day .
Jemma these are great suggestions. I used to add carrot pulp to my meatloaf because my mom did it and nobody ever knew. Lol.
I love my crock pots! I have three of them and they are always filled with something yummy.
I am one of those people who hate to cook. But I have been hearing lots of people talking about crock pot cooking. What I like about it is that you can make several meals from lots of leftovers. Some of those meals look pretty amazing!
I’ve never used a slow cooker before but I’m seriously tempted by one, especially if it’ll make it easier to eat healthier x
I love using the slow cooker to be able to use cheaper cuts of meat – it saves us so much money.
Love this post – we are a little bit obsessed with our slow cooker, particularly during these cooler months!
I absolutely love my slow cooker! Even if I am not making a meal from scratch on slow, I can make it earlier and keep it warm in there until we get home (I did this with soup last night as we were out) It really is perfect if you know you’re going to have a long day out too 🙂
We have one but I think I have only ever used it once or twice. I hope to get into more healthy eating, and although I say I can’t find the time to make lots of meals and be sure they are 100% HEALTHY, I think it is all about sticking to a plan.
Love slow cooker meals. So easy to throw simple meals together. Definitely worth the investment.
I really need to get one of these as ours broke years ago and I need a new one x
Lord knows I needed this post! I am in your husband’s boat. Thank you for also adding additional recipes. I really want to do better in the cooking department so I will pin it so that I can refer back to this!
I think these really come into their own come winter, for stews and curries that can be slowly cooking all day.
I live by my slow cooker during the colder weather, there is nothing that beats it and the veggies I can get into the kids multiplies tenfold! H x
Great post I have been considering getting one for a while now they sound really good.
Im so tempted to actually get a slow cooker now! Might just make an investment
I have a small slow cooker gathering dust in a cupboard – autumn is a great time to pull it out and get more imaginative! I’m not one for soups or casseroles, but like the sound of chilli and those pulled chicken wraps. x
If I had my own place, and not in a student house, I would love to own my own slow cooker!
I own a slow cooker (in fact, I now have two!) but I rarely use it. I ought to make better use of it!