12 Healthy, Warming Slow Cooker Recipes

Here are some Healthy, Warming Slow Cooker Recipes for you:

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 Tabascosauce
• 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 Tobascosauce
• 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 Parmesancheese (Optional)

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

 

These Healthy, Warming Slow Cooker Recipes are your next meal choices for sure.

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