Slow Cooker Dinners for Back to School

Slow Cooker Dinners for Back to School

Back to school can be a hectic time, with everyone adjusting to the changes to their routine. Add in work, extracurricular activities, and everything else that life throws our way, and it can be hard to find extra time for things like dinner. That's what makes slow cookers so great-you prep everything, let it cook, and 6-8 hours later, you've got a meal for the whole family.  Try one of these easy dishes and you might even find yourself with some free time!

Meatless Monday Chili

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, peeled and diced

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

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1 carrot, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 19 oz can black beans, drained

1 19 oz can kidney beans, drained

1 6 oz can tomato paste

1 19 oz can diced tomatoes

3-4 cups vegetable stock

2 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and combine. The liquid should just cover the ingredients, so add more or less stock as needed. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 8 hours. Leftover chili makes a great filling in burritos or topping for homemade nachos.

Southwest Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

4 bell peppers, stems and seeds removed

2 Q Cups organic quinoa

1/2 cup organic corn

1/2 white or yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup black beans

1/2 cup diced cherry or grape tomatoes

1/2 cup salsa

1/2 cup stock

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup cheese, optional

1 avocado, sliced

Directions

Prepare the Q Cups according to directions. Combine in a bowl with vegetables and stock and fill peppers with mixture. Top with cheese if using. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Top with sliced avocado and serve.

Ready to Go Roast

Ingredients

2-3 pounds chuck roast

1 cup water

3 carrots, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 white or yellow onion, chopped

1 cup mushrooms, halved

3 potatoes or sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2-3 garlic cloves

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place roast in center of crock pot. Add vegetables, water, and herbs. Cook 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high, checking meat for doneness.

Can-free Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs skinless chicken breasts

1 cup carrots, peeled and chopped

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

1 cup celery, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups organic chicken broth

1 cup water

3/4 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

1/2 tsp dried sage

2 bay leaves

2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles

Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Add everything to slow cooker and cook 6-8 hours on low. Pull apart chicken before serving.

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Randy Boyer
Randy is the co-founder of NaturallySavvy.com and The Healthy Shopper. She has been working in the natural health industry for over 20 years. She is very passionate about healthy living by choosing natural and organic as much as possible, has a personal love of cooking and sharing healthy recipes and is a fitness enthusiast.