Slow Cooker Recipes for Super Simple Batch Cooking
Let's face it--the holidays are an insanely busy time of the year! Who has the time to cook every day?
One of my favorite ways to save time in the kitchen is to use my slow cooker or crockpot. With minimal prep time, slow cooking allows me to make big batches of entire meals that keep me fed with leftovers for days.
Slow-cooking essentially involves cooking food over a long period at low temperatures. This allows flavors to develop and tenderizes tougher cuts of meat, resulting in delicious, melt-in-your-mouth dishes. You can use a crockpot or slow cooker, although some people use their stovetop or ovens.
Check out these healthy, high-protein slow cooker meals:
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
311 calories | 35g protein per serving | 6 servings (adjust serving number) | Full Nutrition Info
Ingredients
2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 lbs Stewing Beef (sliced into bite-size pieces)
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
2 cups Baby Carrots
1 Sweet Onion (diced)
2 1/2 cups Mushrooms (sliced)
1 cup Beef Broth
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 cup Brown Rice Flour
Directions
Add all ingredients except the brown rice flour to the slow cooker and mix well. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or until beef is tender.
Remove lid and stir in brown rice flour. Continue to stir until liquid thickens.
Ladle into bowls and enjoy!
Notes
Leftovers Store in the fridge up to 3 days or freeze.
More Carbs Serve it with roasted potatoes, rice or quinoa.
Add Greens Stir in chopped kale or baby spinach just before serving.
Slow Cooker Chicken & Black Bean Taco Soup
571 calories | 42g protein per serving | 4 servings (adjust serving number) | Full Nutrition Info
Ingredients
1 lb Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless)
1/3 cup Quinoa (dry, rinsed)
1 cup Black Beans
2 tbsps Taco Seasoning
3 cups Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (from the can, with juices)
1 2/3 pints Bone Broth
1 cup Cilantro (chopped, divided)
1 Avocado (large, sliced)
1/2 cup Plain Greek Yogurt (optional)
2 cups Corn Tortilla Chips (crumbled)
Directions
Place the chicken, quinoa, beans, taco seasoning, tomatoes, broth, and half of the cilantro in a slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for five hours.
Remove the chicken from the soup and shred with two forks. Return to the soup and mix well.
Divide evenly between bowls and garnish with avocado, yogurt, corn tortillas, and the remaining cilantro. Enjoy!
Notes
Leftovers Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to five days or freeze for up to three months.
Serving Size One serving is equal to approximately two cups.
More Flavor Season with sea salt and ground black pepper, lime juice, corn, onions, garlic, and/or red bell pepper.
Additional Toppings Hot sauce and/or cheese.
Dairy-Free Omit the yogurt.
Slow Cooker Enchilada Beans & Quinoa
357 calories | 19g protein per serving | 6 servings (adjust serving number) | Full Nutrition Info
Ingredients
3 cups Black Beans (cooked)
2 cups Frozen Corn (or fresh)
3 1/2 cups Diced Tomatoes
2 cups Enchilada Sauce
1/2 cup Quinoa (dry)
1/2 cup Water
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
8 ozs Mozzarella Cheese (shredded)
Directions
Add the black beans, corn, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, quinoa, water, and salt to the slow cooker. Stir until combined.
Cook on high for two to four hours, or on low for four to six hours.
Divide into bowls and top with cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
Leftovers Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to four days.
Serving Size One serving equals approximately two cups.
More Flavor Stir in a few tablespoons of cream cheese. Use fire roasted diced tomatoes.
Additional Toppings Top with chopped cilantro, avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream, or sliced jalapeno.
Make it Vegan Use vegan cheese instead of mozzarella cheese, or omit completely.
Slow Cooker Rotisserie Chicken
636 calories | 97g protein per serving | 1 serving (adjust serving number) | Full Nutrition Info
Ingredients
1 lb Whole Roasting Chicken
3/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Sweet Potato (diced into 1 inch cubes)
1 cup Brussels Sprouts (halved and trimmed)
3/4 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Directions
Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Remove innards of chicken if not already done. Crumple up sheets of tinfoil to create 6 to 8 round balls (about the size of a golf ball). Place in the bottom of the slow cooker. This helps to prevent the chicken from sticking to the bottom, cook more evenly and keep it moist.
Rub the inside of your slow cooker with a bit of olive or coconut oil to make it non-stick.
In a bowl, combine the sea salt, paprika, onion powder, thyme, italian seasoning, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Rub this spice mix evenly all over the chicken (inside and out).
Place chicken (breast side up) in the slow cooker on top of the foil balls. Cook 4 to 5 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours on low (aim for 1.5 hours per pound). Check that it is cooked through by using a knife to make a slit to the bone. The chicken should be cooked at the bone and no longer pink.
One hour before you are ready to eat, preheat your oven to 415°F (215°C). Add chopped sweet potato and brussels sprouts to a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Toss well. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the vegetables across evenly. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove vegetables from the oven and increase heat to 450°F (235°C). Line a pan with foil. Ensure chicken is cooked through then transfer it to the foil-lined pan. Place chicken in the oven for 10 minutes to make it crispy.
Remove from oven and carve the chicken. Plate chicken with roasted sweet potato and brussels sprouts. Enjoy!
Notes
Save the Carcass Use to make Immunity Boosting Bone Broth.
AIP-Friendly Omit the black pepper and cayenne.
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili
469 calories | 26g protein per serving | 4 servings (adjust serving number) | Full Nutrition Info
Ingredients
1 lb Lean Ground Beef
1 Yellow Onion (medium, diced)
1 tbsp Chili Powder
2 tsps Chipotle Powder
2 tsps Cumin
Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
1 Sweet Potato (large, cut into chunks)
1 Jalapeno Pepper (finely diced)
3 cups Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes (from the can, with juices)
1 1/2 cups Cannellini Beans (cooked)
3/4 cup Chicken Broth
Directions
Heat a large pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the beef and cook until mostly browned and cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the onion, chili powder, chipotle powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Cook for about five minutes or until the onion has softened.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer everything to the slow cooker, discarding any fat.
Add the sweet potato, jalapeño, tomatoes, beans, and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Cover and cook for four hours on high, or six to eight hours on low.
To serve, divide evenly between bowls and enjoy!
Notes
Leftovers Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days. Freeze for up to three months.
Serving Size One serving is approximately 2 3/4 cups.
Additional Toppings Top with sour cream, yogurt, cilantro, and/or green onion.
Vegan Sloppy Joes
411 calories | 29g protein per serving | 4 servings (adjust serving number) | Full Nutrition Info411
Ingredients
4 cups Lentils (cooked, drained and rinsed)
1/2 Sweet Onion (finely diced)
1 Green Bell Pepper (finely diced)
2 cups Mushrooms (sliced)
1 cup Matchstick Carrots
1 tsp Garlic Powder
3 tbsps Yellow Mustard
1/4 cup Maple Syrup
2 cups Crushed Tomatoes
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 1/2 lbs Portobello Mushroom Caps
2 cups Baby Spinach (chopped)
Directions
Combine the lentils, onion, green pepper, mushrooms, carrots, garlic powder, yellow mustard, maple syrup, crushed tomatoes, sea salt and black pepper in the slow cooker. Use a spatula to mix well. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6 hours.
About 20 minutes before you are ready to eat, preheat your oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place your portobello mushroom caps on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
Place a portobello mushroom cap on a plate and top with a few large spoonfuls of the sloppy joe mix. Top with baby spinach and set another mushroom cap on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Next Level Sloppy Joes Add plant-based cheese, avocado, pickles, onions and/or cashew sour cream.
Repurpose Leftovers Leftovers can be served on brown rice tortilla as a pizza, or with brown rice tortilla chips for dipping, with sweet potato toast or as a bowl with some quinoa and greens.
