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We got a slow cooker over the holidays. Ok, we got it the previous holiday season. But 2018 is the year we’re going to use it for making protein-packed, anti-inflammatory meals to help us lose weight. “Slow cooking allows you to break down tougher more inexpensive cuts of meat without added fats or oils,” says Abbey Sharp, RD. “It also helps bring out the natural flavors of foods so you can avoid having to add excess salt.” Make big batches to freeze and use throughout the week. Try these recipes!
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Lemon Rosemary Lentil Soup
What’s filling, delicious, has the protein you need to stay energized and contains virtually no fat? Lentils! If you still associate lentil soup with your grandma, then we challenge you to try this recipe. It has all the flavors of today and none of the weight gain.
Meaty Quinoa Cabbage Rolls
Lean beef and turkey are figure-friendly ingredients that satisfy your craving for a hearty meat sandwich. Adding mushrooms pumps up the meaty texture, says Sharp, while cabbage leaves take the place of gluten-packed bread.
Copycat Barbacoa
It’s Maya Krampf’s goal to create slow cooker recipes that have no more than 10 ingredients. So the foodie set out to re-create her favorite Chipotle meal – beef barbacoa – in an easy, low-carb, paleo and gluten-free, healthier way. “This copycat recipe incorporates all of the original Chipotle ingredients except the oil,” says the founder of WholesomeYum. She added apple cider vinegar and lime juice to bring out the flavors and substituted beef broth for water. She loads it up with all the fixings and serves it over a salad. Check out her recipe here.
Succulent Shredded Roast Pork
Try a pork shoulder slow-cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic, fresh thyme and rosemary for an easy, fall-off-the-bone dinner to serve over mashed cauliflower, suggests culinary nutrition expert, Andrea Wien. “Bonus points for using homemade bone broth as your liquid base,” she says. You can buy it but it’s really easy to make. Just throw some roasted bones (chicken, turkey or beef) into the slow cooker. Add chopped onions, garlic, carrots and celery, then cover the ingredients with water and let simmer for the day. Make enough to use as a base for quinoa and brown rice.
Sweet Potato Chickpea Curry
We love Indian food! It’s creamy and spicy and often more calories than we care to know. But we found a recipe that delivers the flavor we crave without the weight gain. It’s a sweet potato and chickpea curry from Jenny Dang, RD, the founder of Eat Your Dang Veggies. “It’s important to eat a variety of vegetables and plant-based protein sources such as chickpeas to your diet,” she says. “They are nutrient dense, meaning they offer a lot of nutritional value for not a lot of calories.” Plus they have fiber to keep you feeling fuller for longer (at least long enough so you don’t reach for sugary snacks).
Italian “Sausage” Risotto
Risotto is not weight-loss food. But nutritionist Julie Andrews, aka The Gourmet RD, created a lighter version with half the amount of rice. Then she packed it with spinach, Italian beans and lean ground turkey (in lieu of real sausage). It’s the special seasoning that gives the healthy turkey the taste of fatty links. Try her recipe here!
Spicy Vindaloo Chicken
We love creamy savory dishes but the result is always a bellyache and the belly fat. Andrews has a healthy take on a classic vindaloo. “This dish is filled with protein from the chicken, fiber from the pumpkin and tomatoes with and healthy fats from the creamy coconut milk,” she says. Plus the spices have anti-inflammatory properties. Try her flavor-packed recipe here.
Whole Roast Chicken
With one bird you can make a so many healthy meals. There’s something intimidating about prepping and cooking an entire chicken in the oven. But what about putting it in the slow cooker? Suddenly it seems super easy! That’s because it is. Try this simple recipe from Oh Sweet Basil. Shred the cooked meat to use in soups, protein bowls and salads.
