12 Healthy, Warming Slow Cooker Recipes

Monday, December 21, 2015

1. Slow Cooker Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

The Ingredients

· 2 cups of cooked turkey

· 8 cups low sodium chicken broth

· 1 yellow onion, chopped

· 1 cup chopped celery

· 1 cup chopped carrots

· 1 tsp sage

· 2 tbs balsamic vinegar

· 2 cups spinach (or kale) leaves

The Directions

· Add the low sodium chicken broth to the crock-pot

· Add the meat to the broth

· Chop up the vegetables (not the spinach or kale), and add to the pot. Dump in the wild rice and add the sage, bouillon cube, and balsamic vinegar. Stir

· Add two heaping handfuls of baby spinach or kale to the pot. It will look like a lot, but will shrivel down nicely while cooking

· Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-6. The soup is done when the vegetables have reached desired tenderness

Exchanges – For 1 cup of soup: 2 meat, 1 starch, 1 vegetable

2. Slow Cooker Set-it-and-Forget-it Jambalaya

The Ingredients

1 cup chicken broth (low sodium)
2 cans diced tomatoes, drained
1 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
6 stalks celery, diced
1 pound andouille-style turkey sausage (you can also substitute chicken sausage) – Try for low fat/low sodium
2 cups uncooked shrimp
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp parsley
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

The Directions

· Chop up your veggies and sausage

· Load all the ingredients except for the shrimp into your slow cooker

· Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. Add the shrimp during the last 20 minutes

· This is best served over hot rice, so make some… or take the short cut, and use the Uncle Bens steamer pouch

Exchanges: For 1 cup of jambalaya, served over 1 cup of rice – 3 meat, 3 starch, 2 vegetable

3. Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup

The Ingredients

· 1 lb. lean ground beef

· 1/4 tsp pepper

· 1/4 tsp dried oregano

· 1/4 tsp dried basil

· 1/4 tsp seasoned salt

· 1 envelope onion soup mix

· 3 c boiling water

· 8 oz can tomato sauce

· 1 Tbsp soy sauce

· 1 c chopped celery

· 1 c chopped carrots

· 1 c cooked macaroni

· 1/4 c grated parmesan cheese

The Directions

· Brown beef in skillet and drain any excess fat

· Put meat in slow cooker

· Add pepper, oregano, basil, seasoned salt and onion soup mix

· Add celery and carrots

· Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours

· Turn on HIGH and add macaroni & Parmesan cheese

· Cover & cook on HIGH for 10-15 minutes

EXCHANGES: 2 meat, 1 vegetable, 1/4 starch

**Recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

***Add additional vegetables like zucchini, spinach or kale

4. Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup

The Ingredients

· 2 lbs. chicken breasts, cubed

· 1 onion, chopped

· 3 tablespoons chopped garlic

· 1 can green chilies

· 1 box (32 oz.) reduced sodium chicken broth

· 14 oz. fire roasted tomatoes

· 20 oz. chopped tomatoes

· 10 oz. frozen corn

· 2 cans black beans, rinsed

· Chili powder

· Cumin

· Salt

· Pepper

The Directions

· Cook chicken, onions and garlic in a tablespoon of olive oil and juice from canned tomatoes.

· After chicken is cooked add all other ingredients and simmer.

Exchanges - 1/12 of the recipe counts for 3 meat, 1/2 vegetable, and 3/4 starch. Totaling about 237.5 calories

5. Slow Cooker Smoked Turkey and Rice Soup with Fresh Sage

Serves 4

Slow coking time

5 1/2 to 6 hours on low plus 15 minutes on high, OR 2 hours and 45 minutes to 3 hours on high plus 15 minutes on high

The Ingredients

· One 8-ounce smoked turkey leg, skin discarded

· 3 cups fat-free low-sodium chicken broth

· 1 medium zucchini, chopped

· 1 medium red bell pepper, diced

· 1 medium onion, diced

· 1 medium rib of celery, thinly sliced

· 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced

· 2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage

· 1 tsp fried thyme, crumbled

· ½ cup uncooked instant brown rice

· 1 Tbsp olive oil (extra virgin preferred)

· ¼ teaspoon salt

· 2 Tbsp chopped fresh sage

The Directions

· Lightly spray the slow cooker with cooking spray

· Place the turkey in the slow cooker.

· Stir in broth, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, celery, carrot, 2 tablespoons sage, and the thyme

· Cook, covered, on low for 51/2 to 6 hours or on high for 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours, or until the onion is very soft

· Quickly transfer the turkey to a cutting board, leaving the broth mixture in the slow cooker

· Set the turkey aside and quickly stir the rice into the broth mixture and re-cover the slow cooker.

· If using the low setting, change it to high. Cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

· Meanwhile, bone the turkey leg. Cut the turkey into bite-size pieces. When the rice is cooked, stir the turkey, oil, salt, and reaming 2 tablespoons of sage into the soup.

Exchanges - ¼ of the recipe is 2 meat, 2 vegetable, and 1 starch

6. Slow Cooker California Chicken Soup (This double batch recipe fills crockpot)

The Ingredients

· 6 Tbsp butter (3/4 stick)

· 8 Tbsp flour

· 3 Cups Skim milk

· 3 Cups chicken broth

· 2 tsp dry ranch dressing mix

· ½ tsp celery seed

· ½ tsp black pepper

· ½ Cup parmesan cheese, shredded

· 1 oven roasted chicken (any flavor), cooked, deboned and chopped

· 3 - 12oz bags frozen California Medley vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower & carrots)

The Directions

· Melt butter in a saucepan over medium high heat

· Add flour and stir

· Gradually add milk and chicken broth, stirring constantly

· Cook over medium high heat until thickened

· Stir in Parmesan cheese

· Put frozen vegetables and chicken in crockpot.

· Pour sauce over vegetables and chicken and stir

· Cover and cook 2-4 hours on low

Exchanges - 1/12 of the recipe counts for 3/4 fat, 1/2 dairy, 1 meat, and 3/4 vegetable (about 160 calories per serving)

** You can also cook this on the stove instead of the crockpot if you are in a hurry. Steam or microwave the vegetables first so the soup warms up faster. And if you want to be really healthy, use fresh steamed vegetables.

7. Slow Cooker 20-Minute Chicken Enchilada

Prep time 5 minutes Cook time 15 minutes

The Ingredient

· 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

· 1 cup diced white onion (about 1 small white onion)

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 1/2 cup masa harina (corn flour)

· 3 cups chicken stock

· 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

· 1 1/4 cups (or 1 10-ounce can) red enchilada sauce, homemade or store-bought

· 1 (14-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

· (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices (we prefer fire-roasted)

· 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chilies1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

· 8 ounces reduced-fat, sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

· 1 tsp salt, or more/less to taste

· Optional toppings: tortilla chips/strips, diced/sliced avocado, grated cheese, sour cream,

The Directions

· Heat the oil in a large stock over medium-high heat (To save time, peel and dice the onion for the minute or so that the oil heats.)

· Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until cooked and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant

· Stir in the masa harina and cook for an additional minute

· Pour in half of the chicken stock, and stir until completely combined

· Add in the remainder of the chicken stock, and stir to combine

· Immediately add in the chicken, enchilada sauce, black beans, tomatoes, green chilies, salt and cumin, and stir until combined

· Continue stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the soup does not stick to the bottom of the pan

· Then stir in the cheese, one handful at a time, until combined. Taste, and season the soup to taste with salt

· Serve the soup warm with desired toppings

Exchanges – Each serving is 2 meats, 2 vegetables 1.5 starch, 1.5 dairy, .5 fat not including toppings

8. Slow Cooker Hot Chicken Salad Casserole

Serves 4

Cooking time 30 -35 minutes

The Ingredients

· 3 cups cubed, cooked chicken breast

· 2 celery stalks, sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup finely shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
1 (10-3/4-ounce) can 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
1 (6-ounce) plain low-fat yogurt
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup sliced almonds

The Directions

· Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat an 8- x 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray

· In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, bell pepper, cheese, soup, yogurt, scallions, ginger, and black pepper

· Spoon into baking dish and sprinkle almonds on top

· Bake, uncovered, 30 to 35 minutes, or until heated through.

Exchanges - each serving is 2 meat, 2 dairy, 1 vegetable, and ½ fat

9. Slow Cooker Apple Sauce

The Ingredients

· 8 medium apples

· 2 tsp cinnamon

· 1 tsp nutmeg

· 2 Tbsp lemon juice

· 3/4 cup brown sugar

The Directions

· Core and cut apples, 1-2 inches in size (peeling is optional)

· Combine ingredients and pour into crock pot

· Set crock-pot on low heat for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally. Use potato masher for smoother consistency

· Serve warm

Exchanges - 1/12 of recipe is 1 fruit and ½ starch

10. Slow Cooker Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken

The Ingredients

· 1 whole chicken or 4 breast halves

· 1 head of garlic

· 2 lemons

· Salt and pepper

· A bunch of fresh rosemary

The Directions

· Skin the chicken rub it inside and out with a bunch of salt and pepper

· Plop it into the crock pot

· Peel your garlic and shove a bunch of the whole cloves into the bird cavity and throw some more on top and around the chicken

· Slice the lemon and put slices on top, around, and inside the bird

· Wash the rosemary and do the same. If you are using dried rosemary, use a good amount---probably 2-3Tbsps of dried herbs.

· Serve with roasted red potatoes and a side of asparagus (Optional)

Exchanges - This will count as 3-5 meat exchanges depending on how much you eat!

11. Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

The Ingredients

· 1 lb thin lean beef

· 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce

· 2 Tbsp white wine

· 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

· 1 Tbsp brown sugar

· 2 tsp sesame oil

· 2 cloves smashed and chopped garlic

· 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

· 1 bag thawed broccoli florets (to add later)

The Directions

· Add the liquid to the crock pot

· Chop up your garlic, add to mixture and stir in spices

· Slice meat into thin strips

· Toss the beef in the liquid and spice mixture to coat thoroughly

· Cook on low for 6-8 hours, depending on the cut of meat. Thicker pieces will take longer to tenderize.

· An hour before serving, add entire bag of broccoli, cover and cook on high for another hour or so.

· Stir gingerly to coat broccoli

· Serve over steamed rice

Exchanges – for 1 cup of the beef and broccoli served over 1 cup of rice – 2 meat, 1 vegetable, 3 starch

12. Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli

The Ingredients

· 1 pound lean ground beef, browned and drained

· 1/2 large red onion, chopped

· 1 cup carrots, chopped

· 2 celery stalks, sliced

· 2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes (and juice)

· 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

· 1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

· 4 cups beef broth

· 1 jar (26-ounce) pasta sauce

· 2 tsp oregano

· 1 Tbsp Tabasco sauce

· 1/2 tsp salt

· 1/4 tsp black pepper

· 1/2 cup dry pasta, to add at end of cooking time

The Directions

· Use a 6-quart or larger crock-pot, or cut the recipe in half

· Brown the meat on the stovetop, and drain well. Let it cool a bit

· Chop up the carrots, onion, and celery and add to the empty crock pot

· Drain and rinse the beans and add them

· Add the whole cans of tomatoes, and the pasta sauce

· Add the beef broth, the salt, pepper, oregano, and Tobasco sauce

· Stir in your meat

· Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4.

· When the vegetables are tender, stir in the 1/2 cup of dry pasta

· Cover and cook for another hour on low, or until the pasta is tender. It will swell quite a bit

· Serve with a bit of Parmesan cheese (Optional)

Exchanges – for 2 cups – 2 ½ meat, 2 vegetable, 2 ½ starch