Crock-pot. Slow cooker. Dust collector. Life saver. Whatever you call yours, if you want to prepare healthy meals in literally 5 minutes or less, start using it.
Preparing slow-cooker recipes improves the odds that you’ll eat healthier food, because your dinner will be ready when you are — you’ll be less tempted to opt for a greasy pizza or fattening takeout food. Using a slow cooker can also be a healthy option because:
- Cooking in broth or water doesn’t add fat or calories.
- Very lean meats come out tender and juicy – no more dry chicken breast.
- You can combine veggies and lean proteins in one pot for an all-in-one meal that boasts nutrients from all of the important food groups.
- Making your own meal means you control the sodium, sugar, fat, and calorie content.
- Vitamins and other nutrients aren’t lost in the cooking process because the food is cooked at a low temperature and the cooking liquid becomes part of the dish rather than being discarded.
Haven’t busted out a crock-pot since your the 80’s? Here’s a handy slow cooker guide to get you started. And here is the quick Crock-pot Taco Soup recipe that I made on Monday. Tip: Use MILD taco seasoning if you have kids…or if you don’t have 3 gallons of water handy.
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