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Colder days are forecasted this week here in Vermont, where I live, and for me, there’s nothing more comforting than a warm meal on a cold day. And to help make this more feasible during the week, I often turn to one of my favorite appliances. All of these dishesutilize a slow cookerso you can add your ingredients, select the right settings and let the appliance work its magic while you go about your day. Not to mention, slow-cooker meals are pretty forgiving and usually have around an hour of wiggle room if you need it. And the best part it that these flavor-packed mains rely on budget-friendly ingredients like beans, chicken thighs and rice while packing on nourishing vegetables. Since these tasty and easy meals help me stay within my food budget, I make them again and again. Recipes like our Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots & Turnips and Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili are delicious, simple and healthy meals that are perfect for a cozy night in.
01of 13Slow-Cooker Carne Picada Tacos with Avocado SalsaLoosely translated as “minced meat,” the traditional texture of carne picada ranges from finely chopped to ground. Here we start with brisket, which becomes nice and tender in the slow cooker, then shred and chop the meat before serving. The seasoning is flavorful but not too spicy. Blistered jalapeños added at the end will satisfy the heat-lovers in the family. Pile the brisket into warmed corn tortillas, with lettuce, the jalapeños, cheese and avocado salsa for a healthy dinner that’ll wake up your taco night routine.
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Slow-Cooker Carne Picada Tacos with Avocado Salsa
Loosely translated as “minced meat,” the traditional texture of carne picada ranges from finely chopped to ground. Here we start with brisket, which becomes nice and tender in the slow cooker, then shred and chop the meat before serving. The seasoning is flavorful but not too spicy. Blistered jalapeños added at the end will satisfy the heat-lovers in the family. Pile the brisket into warmed corn tortillas, with lettuce, the jalapeños, cheese and avocado salsa for a healthy dinner that’ll wake up your taco night routine.
02of 13Slow-Cooker White Bean, Spinach & Sausage StewReach for this recipe on a chilly morning when you know you’ll want a steaming bowl of slow-cooker sausage stew for supper. To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten-free sausage.
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Slow-Cooker White Bean, Spinach & Sausage Stew
Reach for this recipe on a chilly morning when you know you’ll want a steaming bowl of slow-cooker sausage stew for supper. To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten-free sausage.
03of 13Slow-Cooker Chicken with Rosemary & Mushrooms over LinguineThe classic pairing of shallots and mushrooms gives this easy slow-cooker chicken recipe a timeless quality that’s sure to please everyone at your table. Swirling the stock and flour together at the beginning is a pro tip for creating a thick sauce that moistens the final dish and helps all the ingredients come together.
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Slow-Cooker Chicken with Rosemary & Mushrooms over Linguine
The classic pairing of shallots and mushrooms gives this easy slow-cooker chicken recipe a timeless quality that’s sure to please everyone at your table. Swirling the stock and flour together at the beginning is a pro tip for creating a thick sauce that moistens the final dish and helps all the ingredients come together.
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Slow-Cooker Arroz con Pollo (Chicken & Rice)
05of 13Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots & TurnipsThe spice blend in this healthy beef stew recipe—cinnamon, allspice and cloves—may conjure images of apple pie, but the combo is a great fit in savory applications too. Serve over creamy polenta or buttered whole-wheat egg noodles.
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Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots & Turnips
The spice blend in this healthy beef stew recipe—cinnamon, allspice and cloves—may conjure images of apple pie, but the combo is a great fit in savory applications too. Serve over creamy polenta or buttered whole-wheat egg noodles.
06of 13Slow-Cooker Vegetarian ChiliGrab your crock pot for this delicious and easy slow-cooker vegetarian chili with beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, bell peppers and sweet potatoes. The recipe requires just 20 minutes of active time: after a bit of chopping, you just dump the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do the work. Adding a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of cilantro just before serving brightens up the flavors. Top it with some shredded cheese, if you’d like, or serve it as-is to keep it vegan. Either way, this healthy chili is sure to become a go-to when you want a satisfying and healthy dinner.
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Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili
Grab your crock pot for this delicious and easy slow-cooker vegetarian chili with beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, bell peppers and sweet potatoes. The recipe requires just 20 minutes of active time: after a bit of chopping, you just dump the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it do the work. Adding a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of cilantro just before serving brightens up the flavors. Top it with some shredded cheese, if you’d like, or serve it as-is to keep it vegan. Either way, this healthy chili is sure to become a go-to when you want a satisfying and healthy dinner.
07of 13Slow-Cooker Chicken & Brown Rice with Roasted Corn & Black BeansPhotographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Prop Stylist: Christine KeelyWith plenty of spice from ground cumin, cayenne and paprika and the bit of char that frozen roasted sweet corn brings to the dish, you won’t miss the browning step in this easy load-and-go recipe. If frozen roasted corn isn’t available, substitute regular.
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Slow-Cooker Chicken & Brown Rice with Roasted Corn & Black Beans
Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ali Ramee Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
With plenty of spice from ground cumin, cayenne and paprika and the bit of char that frozen roasted sweet corn brings to the dish, you won’t miss the browning step in this easy load-and-go recipe. If frozen roasted corn isn’t available, substitute regular.
08of 13Vegetarian Slow-Cooker PozoleThis healthy vegetarian take on the Mexican stew pozole gets tons of flavor from poblano peppers, ancho chile powder and dried herbs and spices, while cannellini beans provide protein and fiber.
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Vegetarian Slow-Cooker Pozole
This healthy vegetarian take on the Mexican stew pozole gets tons of flavor from poblano peppers, ancho chile powder and dried herbs and spices, while cannellini beans provide protein and fiber.
09of 13Slow-Cooker Beef CurryVictor ProtasioLong, slow cooking periods mellow flavors while bold spices, in bold amounts, will hold their own over time. Thats just what happens here with big flavors from Thai curry paste and fish sauce finished with fresh touches of cilantro and lime juice that together, draw inspiration from Thai curry. Serve over a bed of brown rice or brown rice noodles to catch all the sauce.
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Slow-Cooker Beef Curry
Victor Protasio
Long, slow cooking periods mellow flavors while bold spices, in bold amounts, will hold their own over time. Thats just what happens here with big flavors from Thai curry paste and fish sauce finished with fresh touches of cilantro and lime juice that together, draw inspiration from Thai curry. Serve over a bed of brown rice or brown rice noodles to catch all the sauce.
10of 13Slow-Cooker Curried Butternut Squash SoupDera BurresonSkip the roasting in this butternut squash soup recipe and let your slow cooker do the work instead. Just load up all the ingredients into the crock pot, set it and forget it for an easy, healthy dinner or packable lunches.
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Slow-Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Dera Burreson
Skip the roasting in this butternut squash soup recipe and let your slow cooker do the work instead. Just load up all the ingredients into the crock pot, set it and forget it for an easy, healthy dinner or packable lunches.
11of 13Slow-Cooker Stuffed Cabbage RollsPhotographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnellyUsing the slow cooker allows the flavors in these cabbage rolls to develop and meld together beautifully. The filling features ground beef and brown rice, so you’ll feel full and satisfied. If you’re looking for a sweeter sauce, you can add the optional sugar, but we think it works just as well without it.
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Slow-Cooker Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly
Using the slow cooker allows the flavors in these cabbage rolls to develop and meld together beautifully. The filling features ground beef and brown rice, so you’ll feel full and satisfied. If you’re looking for a sweeter sauce, you can add the optional sugar, but we think it works just as well without it.
12of 13Chicken Pita Sandwiches with Harissa SauceWe serve these lemon-oregano chicken pitas with lots of fixings tucked in, but you could ditch the pita and serve it all over cooked bulgur, cauliflower rice or a bed of greens.
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Chicken Pita Sandwiches with Harissa Sauce
We serve these lemon-oregano chicken pitas with lots of fixings tucked in, but you could ditch the pita and serve it all over cooked bulgur, cauliflower rice or a bed of greens.
13of 13Slow-Cooker Chicken ChiliAli RedmondThis simple slow-cooker chili features plenty of veggies and shredded chicken breast simmered in a smoky broth of chipotle chiles and tomato. The chili is finished with shredded cheese, avocados and cilantro, but feel free to add your own favorite toppings to jazz it up!
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Slow-Cooker Chicken Chili
Ali Redmond
This simple slow-cooker chili features plenty of veggies and shredded chicken breast simmered in a smoky broth of chipotle chiles and tomato. The chili is finished with shredded cheese, avocados and cilantro, but feel free to add your own favorite toppings to jazz it up!
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