Are you one of the millions of Americans who cited losing weight as one of their New Year's resolutions? I hope you haven't given up yet. One of the 2011 resolutions my husband and I made is to eat more healthfully (and by default, lose weight). Like most people, Dan and I are busy and find it hard enough to fit in exercise every day, let alone get a healthy meal on the table.
So we're working hard to plan easy healthy meals to help us meet our goals. I've found that the best tool in our kitchen to help us succeed in our efforts is our slow cooker. With just a little bit of prep, we can come home to a hearty, low-calorie meal that's ready to eat. Our house smells pretty darn good too!
For the complete list: 20 Low-Calorie Meals from Your Slow Cooker
My new favorite slow-cooker recipe is Southwestern Bean & Barley Soup (find the recipe below). I cut up the veggies the night before while I'm making dinner so it takes only a few minutes to get in the slow cooker in the morning, plus it's full of flavor and really satisfying. You can even make the soup mix in advance and stash it in jars in your pantry for emergency meals. The recipe makes 6 servings and the soup keeps for up to 3 days in the refrigerator so it's great to bring along for lunch later in the week too. I like to serve it with lime wedges and a little chopped fresh cilantro on top and cheesy quesadillas on the side.
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Southwestern Bean & Barley Soup
6 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each
Active time: 30 minutes | Total: 4 1/2 - 8 1/2 hours | To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large stalk celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 cups water
4 cups (32-ounce carton) reduced-sodium chicken broth, "no-chicken" broth or vegetable broth
1/2 cup pearl barley
1/3 cup dried black beans
1/3 cup dried great northern beans
1/3 cup dried kidney beans
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, about 4 hours on High or 7 to 8 hours on Low.
Per serving: 205 calories; 3 g fat (1 g sat, 2 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 11 g protein; 10 g fiber; 705 mg sodium; 601 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (49% daily value), Magnesium & Potassium (17% dv), Iron (16% dv).
For the complete list: 20 Low-Calorie Meals from Your Slow Cooker
Hungarian Beef Goulash
For the recipe, click here
This streamlined goulash skips the step of browning the beef, and instead coats it in a spice crust to give it a rich mahogany hue. This saucy dish is a natural served over whole-wheat egg noodles. Or, for something different, try prepared potato gnocchi or spaetzle.
For the complete list: 20 Low-Calorie Meals from Your Slow Cooker
Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew
for the recipe, click here
Here's a dinnertime warmer with a hint of spring's sweetness, designed for that day when you'd rather be outside raking the leaves from the garden, getting it ready for what's ahead, than slaving over the stove.
For the complete list: 20 Low-Calorie Meals from Your Slow Cooker
What's your favorite healthy slow-cooker recipe?
By Carolyn Malcoun
Carolyn Malcoun combines her love of food and writing in her position as contributing food editor at EatingWell. Carolyn has a culinary arts degree from New England Culinary Institute and a degree in journalism from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Carolyn lives in Portland, Maine, and enjoys cooking, gardening, hiking and running in her free time.
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