Man, it’s hot out! You’re melting… melting… not that I’m calling you the Wicked Witch of the West. Yeah, moving on. Point is, it’s hot out nationwide and it’s not even summer yet. Who really wants to fire up the oven, or even the stove top, in this heat? Nobody. So, what are your choices? Another tilt at the drive-through? Crazy costly Uber Eats? Giving up on your intention to eat healthier?
Slow Cooker to the rescue! (cue generic superhero anthem)
Here’s five ideas of how to use your slow cooker to make delicious, healthy meals without breaking the bank… or turning into a puddle of goo in your kitchen.
1. Salsa Chicken Tacos with Corn
Load boneless chicken meat into the bottom of your slow cooker. Sprinkle on 1-2T taco seasoning. Add ½ cup jarred salsa. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and serve on flour tortillas with garnishes of your choice. While shredding the chicken, heat a can of corn with hot sauce or other favored seasoning. We’re a fan of the Tajin chili-lime that we picked up at our local Dollar Tree.
Bonus feature: the leftover chicken can be used for burrito bowls or quesadillas later in the week.
2. Chili Mac with Salad
Load your favorite chili recipe into your slow cooker. Add 1 cup of frozen chopped peppers and onions. Maybe even any corn leftover from taco night. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 2-3 hours. Turn heat to HIGH, add 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni, cook for 30 minutes. Garnish with green onions, cheese, sour cream, or all of them. Make your favorite chopped salad while the macaroni cooks.
Bonus feature: this makes a lot of food, so it can be portioned and frozen for later meals or used for lunches during the week.
3. Hamburger Cabbage Soup
This is a great option for using up those stray veggies a little less than crisp hanging out in your fridge. Food safety insists that I remind you to cook the ground beef before adding it to the slow cooker. Ideally, you’ll do this in the morning before it gets too blistering out. Even better, if you’d batch cooked the ground beef when it was on sale and had it portioned and frozen in advance. Ground beef, chopped cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, all go in. Add diced tomatoes, the fire-roasted variety if you have some. Beef stock or bullion, whatever’s on hand. Cook on LOW 6-8 hours.
Bonus feature: dunking your slightly stale dinner rolls in the broth is tasty and a great way to soften those up to being edible again.
4. Chickpea Curry with Rice
Drain a can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and add those to your slow cooker. To that, measure out 1-2 cups of those frozen peppers and onions leftover from chili day. Feel free to add those stray last mushrooms that really need to be cooked already, that handful of cauliflower florets that nobody touched off your veggie tray, your last single serve bag of baby carrots. To that, mix half a jar of thai red curry paste with a can of coconut milk, add garlic and ginger. Pour the curry mix over your veggies and cook on LOW 6-8 hours. When it’s about time to eat, toss some rice into your rice cooker or reheat one of those takeout containers. While the rice is doing its thing, add some generous handfuls of baby spinach and let the heat wilt the greens without overcooking them.
Bonus feature: this really is one of the easiest ways to use up miscellaneous produce in the house. It freezes well and makes delicious lunches.
5. Turkey Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and Peas
I advise starting with either a generous amount of cooking spray in the slow cooker, or the use of a liner. Trust me. Go with your favorite regular meatloaf recipe. Personally, I like to add a packet of a dried French onion soup mix to enhance the flavor and save myself having to chop onions. Mix your ground meat with an egg, bread crumbs, the soup mix, some ketchup, salt and pepper, dried parsley if you have it. Top with a sauce you like, I use a mix of ketchup and mustard, sometimes a BBQ sauce instead. Cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for three. Heat up a can of peas with a dot of butter, and just this once, cheat and use instant potato flakes instead of boiling potatoes. Have some applesauce or fresh melon for dessert.
Bonus feature: is there anything better than a leftover meatloaf sandwich? Truly?
So there you have it. Five tasty ways to eat healthy this summer without having to subsist on salads alone. (Not that there’s anything wrong with salads, but variety is the spice of life.) Best of all, you’re not having to roast yourself while cooking. Let your slow cooker do the heavy lifting and sweltering while you enjoy the fruits of its labors.
Eat Well! Momma
