183 Days of Healthy Crock Pot Recipes | Simple-Nourished-Living.com (2024)

Published April 14, 2014 · Last updated April 28, 2018 · By Martha McKinnon · 31 Comments

I'm now midway through My Year of Weight Watchers Crock Pot Cooking. I've made and posted 183 Weight Watchers Crock Pot Recipesover the last six months. And I've learned tons about slow cooking.

I'm even more in love with my slow cooker(s) than I was before beginning this project.

Why Is The Slow Cooker an Essential Kitchen Tool for Weight Loss?

I think the slow cooker is a busy person's most invaluable kitchen tool. Especially if you're trying to eat better and lose weight.

Makes meal planning easier.
Many Weight Watchers crock pot recipes are complete one pot meals.
Requires planning, which is critical to weight loss success.
If we want to eat right and lose weight we need a plan. If we leave it to chance, we'll end up opting for high calorie convenience foods: take out, the drive-thru, fast food, the vending machine, etc.
Lends itself to big batch cooking and leftovers.Which can be re-purposed or portioned out for future meals.
Are You Ready To Slow Cook Yourself Slim?
Saves time in the kitchen.
You can put your ingredients in the crock pot in the morning or afternoon, and dinner will be ready when you want it.I love the convenience of investing a little time and then moving forward with my day—while dinner cooks—practically unattended.No pots boiling over, burned skillets and last minute rushing around to get dinner figured out.
Provides variety.
You can make a lot more than pot roast, soup and chili in your slow cooker, as I've learned during the last six months. Appetizers, beverages, breakfasts, main dishes, side dishes and desserts are all possible with a slow cooker.
Makes cooking possible even for those with little kitchen know-how.
Slow cooking is practical, realistic and very forgiving, perfect for novice cooks.Recipes tend to be straightforward with minimal ingredients and very few steps. Meals made in the slow cooker may not be the prettiest ever. But, they can be some of the tastiest.
Perfect all year round.
While most of us think of the slow cooker during the fall and winter, it's the perfect summer kitchen device. I've received lots of comments from folks in hot climates who depend on their slow cooker all summer to avoid heating up the kitchen.

Reassessing my Year of Weight Watchers Crock Pot Recipes

At the halfway point of this project, after 183 Weight Watchers crock pot recipes, I've decided it's time to adjust my plan for the next six months.

183 Days of Weight Watchers Crock Pot Cooking

While I believe—now more than ever—that the slow cooker is an essential kitchen tool for busy Weight Watchers, it's NOT practical for me to keep up the pace of using it everyday.

We are a family of two, so most of the Weight Watchers Crock Pot recipes I make provide enough food for two or three meals. We love leftovers and I'm pretty good at re-purposing them, so I really only need to use my crock pot 2 or 3 times a week to avoid waste.

I could continue to honor my original commitment by filling in the other days with easy, healthy Weight Watchers crock pot recipes for appetizers and snacks. But it doesn't reflect how we really eat.

Appetizersand snacksare my trigger foods: the foods I need to limit having around the house to prevent myself from mindlessly munching and overindulging. So, I make them only occasionally, usually when there are friends and family around with whom to share.

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183 Days of Healthy Crock Pot Recipes | Simple-Nourished-Living.com (2024)

FAQs

Is cooking in a crock pot healthy? ›

The low heat helps less expensive, leaner cuts of meat become tender and shrink less. The direct heat from the pot, lengthy cooking and steam created within the tightly-covered container combine to destroy bacteria and make the slow cooker a safe process for cooking foods.

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What is a healthy alternative to a crock pot? ›

To mimic a slow cooker, you can use a dutch oven or covered casserole dish in a very low oven preheated to 200° Fahrenheit (United States) or 95° Celsius. Some new wall ovens and ranges include a preset “slow cook” function, then automatically switch to “keep warm” when the cooking time is over.

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Can you leave food in a crock pot for days? ›

That being said, however, it's not a good idea to leave food in a slow cooker for days at a time. The food will not only stain the cooker's interior, but it will also be soggy and overcooked and be left open to bacteria.

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How long do crockpot meals last? ›

The general rule of thumb is that 2-4 hours is the maximum length of time you can leave food in a slow cooker on warm. After this, it needs to be cooled and transferred into the refrigerator.

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What is the healthiest meat to slow cook? ›

common lean roasts found in the grocery store

chuck tender roast. A lean roast that requires slow cooking to tenderize.
shoulder roast. An inexpensive chuck cut with good flavor and good for roasting or slow cooking.
rump roast. A boneless and lean cut ideal for slow cooking.
eye of round roast.

Is 4 hours on high the same as 8 hours on low? ›

Low: 7-8 hours to reach the simmer point. High: 3-4 hours to reach the simmer point. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.

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Can you overcook meat in a slow cooker on low? ›

Can you overcook something in a slow cooker? Slow cookers are specially designed to cook food for long periods of time, but yes, you can still overcook in a slow cooker if something is left on the wrong setting for longer than it's supposed to be.