Crock pot recipes are perfect for folks who work during the day, or who have other commitments such as child care or errands to run. In the past, healthy crock pot meals were few and far between as most crock pot recipes included meats high in fat as well as the addition of sugar and salt. Thankfully, slow cooker recipes have come a long way. Healthy slow cooker recipes often include leaner cuts of meat, (or no meat), and a variety of beans and vegetables. Barley, lentils, and dal are also great inclusions to crock pot meals as are a variety of different mushrooms, (especially for vegetarian or vegan dishes).
Coconut milk can be a great substitute for cream or whole milk and a variety of spices can help replace the salt of other crock pot recipes. For households where one or both parents work, these type of meals allow them to prepare healthy, delicious food for their families, with the ease of standard slow cooker recipes.
And for folks who are on low-glycemic or low-carb diets, healthy slow cooker recipes and often much needed break from the low-fat cheese, chicken breasts, and nuts they eat most of the time. Rather than bread, potatoes, or pasta, whole grain rice is often a great accompaniment for a variety of different recipes including Asian inspired dishes such as beef and snow peas. If you do decide to serve pasta with your crock pot meals, opt for whole wheat pasta rather than highly process white pastas.
With summer quickly approaching, healthy crock pot recipes are the perfect way to escape hours hovering around the stove or oven. Just throw in the ingredients of the healthy crock pot meal, turn it on, and go outside to enjoy summer while your dinner cooks itself. Many crock pot recipes even use super convenient food such as canned vegetables and condensed soups, making them even faster to prepare.
Of course, whenever possible, healthy crock pot meals should include fresh vegetables or a salad on the side.
