The weather is cooling off, and now is the perfect time to get out there and exercise. It’s so much easier to run, walk, bike or skate when it’s not a million degrees out with 500% humidity. Fall is my favorite season, and one of the greatest things about fall is eating home style soups, stews and the like.
What do those three sentences have in common and how can you use that commonality to your advantage while pursuing healthy eating? Both call for easy, hearty meals, and both can be resolved with my greatest kitchen friend – the slow cooker. Thick, rich, hearty soups and stews are comforting and filling, and can be made inexpensively – always a bonus in these tough economic times.
Using the slow cooker helps transform that cheaper, lean piece of meat to a juicy meal, and cooking beans in the slow cooker takes almost no effort at all. Crock Pot cooking also has the bonus of requiring very little oil and therefore, many Crock Pot meals are extremely diet friendly. One other added bonus – using a slow cooker means you spend less time in the kitchen, which has a double benefit of keeping you out of the kitchen (less snacking!) and frees up your time for exercise. It’s a win-win situation for all involved!
There are tons of recipes available, and many of them are Weight Watchers friendly, if you are using the Points system. Make a commitment to use your slow cooker three times a week, and you’ll be amazed at how much extra time you have – time you can use for exercise! Not to mention, you may have leftovers, perfect for healthy lunches during the week.
Here are some of our favorite Healthy Crock Pot Recipes – sure to please everyone in your family!