Healthy Slow Cooker Meals

Updated December 01, 2008
Credit: Susie Cushner

These slimmed-down slow-cooker recipes use leaner meats and lots of veggies to pack in flavor and cut back the calories.

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Curried Lentil-Tomato Soup

Credit: Oxmoor House

Curried Lentil-Tomato Soup Recipe

Even with a bacon topping, this Indian-inspired soup boasts over 10 grams of fiber and less than 500 milligrams of sodium.

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Whole-Wheat Penne with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce

Credit: Antonis Achilleos

Whole-Wheat Penne with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce Recipe

Eggplant gives this slow-cooked tomato sauce a hearty and meaty texture as well as a boost of nutrients. Serve the tomato sauce over whole wheat noodles and top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

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Vegetable and Chickpea Curry

Credit: Randy Mayor; Melanie J. Clarke

Vegetable and Chickpea Curry Recipe

Traditional Indian ingredients like curry powder and coconut milk flavor this simple slow cooker vegetarian curry. The addition of chickpeas, potato, bell pepper, and green beans add more than 10 grams of fiber per serving.

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Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Credit: Howard Lee Puckett; Styling: Sissy Lamerton

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice Recipe

This well-balanced meal is loaded with fiber from the beans, antioxidants from the veggies, and protein from the lean sausage. Increase the heat by using 1 to 11/2 teaspoons of ground red pepper

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Beef Brisket with Beer

Credit: Randy Mayor

Beef Brisket with Beer Recipe

For an entrée under 200 calories and with only 5 grams of fat, make sure to trim the brisket before cooking. Onions, parsnips, balsamic vinegar, and light beer, flavor the meat without adding extra fat.

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Mediterranean Roast Turkey

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Mediterranean Roast Turkey Recipe

Slowly cooking a lean turkey breast in a medley of Mediterranean ingredients like kalamata olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and Greek seasoning, yields a tender, juicy, and flavorful supper.

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Peasant Stew

Credit: Karry Hosford

Peasant Stew Recipe

Round out this simple, dump-and-stir stew with a piece of low-fat cheese toast for the perfect cold-weather pairing.

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Slow-Cooker Orange Chicken with Potatoes

Credit: Anson Smart

Slow-Cooker Orange Chicken with Potatoes Recipe

Let the slow-cooker work its magic as the rich flavors of chicken, vegetables, and oranges meld together in just 3 hours.

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Vegetable-Beef Soup

Credit: Oxmoor House

Vegetable-Beef Soup Recipe

Bring ordinary vegetable soup up a notch by adding lean top round steak to the mix. Let the mixture cook all day to blend the flavors for a flavorful, fiber-filled main-dish soup.

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Slow-Cooker Recipe: Seafood Gumbo

Credit: Susie Cushner

Slow-Cooker Recipe: Seafood Gumbo Recipe

Cut back on prep time by using convenience items like canned tomatoes, frozen crabmeat, and frozen okra. To shave off even more time, buy prechopped onions and bell peppers. Because there's no high-fat roux, this shortcut gumbo has less than half the fat of a traditional gumbo.

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