10 Best Slow Cooker Recipes To Make Your Dinner Prep Easy On A Busy Day
Slow cookers are an absolute necessity in the kitchen if your day to day life is hectic and your time is fully immersed into your full time job and/or housing a family. Without categorising slow cooker users into a specific group however, they’re even an essential for those of you full of time but may fancy an easy run occasionally throughout the week, If you’re one of these people then read on to find out my top 10 slow cooker recipes, be sure to click on the photos provided if any of them take your fancy and follow the easy recipe guides that they all provide.
1. Mexican chicken stew
With little ingredients, this simple dish will surely blow your guests away and cause them to believe you went to much more effort than you did. By frying off your onions and garlic slightly before adding them to the slow cooker along with the rest of your ingredients it’s not long before you can stick your feet up in front of the fire and watch the world go by as your handy kitchen appliance does all the work. Cooked on high for only two hours its not long before your dish is ready to be served in any way you may want. With rice, tacos, wraps or potatoes, it is so versatile you are sure to please any guests. Don’t be shy to make it your own either, adding different spices,meats or even replacing the chicken with chickpeas for a vegetarian alternative there will never be one quite like your own!
2. Aromatic lamb navarin
If you’re looking for a tasty dish that makes a change from your classic Sunday roast filled with culture and flavour, but you’re also trying to save time and calories then this slimming world dish is perfect for you. Packed with vegetables, spices and the most mouth-watering lamb, it is sure to be a hit in any family home. By simply throwing in your ingredients at the start of your day and getting on with the tasks that lay ahead, it won’t be long before you’re sat with company admiring the food that you made with such ease. Don’t forget, if lamb doesn’t appeal to you on this occasion, feel free to throw in any meat or vegetarian alternatives if you wish!
3. Beef stew with dumplings
If the sound of a hearty and traditional stew to accompany you as we approach the harsh winter ahead sends waves of excitement cursing through your veins then this is a dish for you. Though not quite as healthy, yet staying well within your daily intake requirements, it is sure to warm you and your home up and create an aroma throughout the day that you can only dream of. With only the dumplings to prepare one hour before serving, this dish is effortless while still looking full of complications. Serve it alone accompanied by some crusty bread or add some mashed potato to add a creamy texture to your dish.
4. Campfire stew
A popular dish amongst many who seek healthy recipes that are easy and just as satisfying as the fatty stews and casseroles that usually sit on our tables during winter, this recipe is sure to win anyone over, even if you’re not looking to drop the pounds. By accompanying the gammon suggested by the recipe (or a pork joint or vegetarian alternative too) with your favourite veggies and plenty of spices and flavoursome ingredients, it’s a recipe that never results in disaster – unless you forget to serve it up that night of course.
5. Colemans sachets
You can’t go wrong with simplicity and thats exactly what the coleman family provide in their easy to make casseroles and stews with their small sachets bursting with flavour. From sausage and chicken casseroles to a chilli or pasta bake, the opportunities are endless with this genius pack of goodness. Be sure to check out my favourite dish below but make sure you explore the other packets provided, you never know what delicacies you may find!
6. Moroccan chickpea stew
Vegetarians fear not, i have you covered with this excellent recipe provided by Simply Quinoa. With a combination of spices and vegetables this dish is sure to have a kick to spice up any night of your week. The creaminess provided by the coconut yoghurt and tomato sauce makes this blend simply melt in your mouth giving it a texture to be admired by everyone, even your non-vegan friends. As a meat free dish this is ideal for anyone on a budget and the selection of vegetables is sure to boost your metabolism, so keeping your budget down as well as your calorie intake it is a recipe that simply cannot be argued with.
7. Chicken curry
An Indian delicacy that is admired around the world was guaranteed to make the top spot as one of the best slow cooker dishes that is sure to make your dinner prep easy. This effortless and straight forward recipe is sure to turn heads in the dining room, especially because it provides three of your five-a-day. Who knew it could be so simple. To keep things light you can side this dish with any salad or for the true, pan-asian feel supplement your curry with rice and a naan bread.
8. Vegetable lasagna
Who knew you could cook lasagna in the slow cooker? Not me anyway until i found this succulent lasagna recipe from BBC’s good food recipe. Providing all the vegetables you need for a healthy and balanced diet as well as keeping your fat intake low, this dish leaves you feeling guilt-free when you reach for a second serving. Layering your favourite ingredients and watching it slowly melt together over the course of the day allows you to truly appreciate the divine savoury that will eventually embed on your plate.
9. Caramel peanut butter hot fudge cake
While being able to cook a lasagna in a slow cooker may have come as an initial shock, even more remarkable is the ability to concoct a whole dessert in this one pot wonder. While i have tried and tasty many (a lot of which are as delicious as the last) there are none that quite hit the spot like this one. A medley of ingredients including the popular Rolo snack giving off a divine taste of caramel as it is embedded in a sea of peanut butter, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and much more. While it may seem like a bizarre combination, let your slow cooker work its magic and you’ll never look back.
10. Hot chocolate
It would be wrong to end a piece about slow cooker dishes without including hot chocolate, especially heading into the winter, right? While this recipe doesn’t quite have the same health benefits as the ones seen above (prior to the dessert), it truly is a spectacular drink that will definitely ‘warm the cockles of your heart’ and the rest of your body, thats for sure. While this may need a watchful eye kept on it to make sure the chocolate doesn’t burn, it’s well worth the end result. Whether you fancy marshmallows, caramel or even more chocolate to finish off your drink, the options are endless (as is your ‘bottomless’ mug).
