A slow cooker is one of the handiest appliances and biggest time savers to have in the kitchen. Pile in chopped vegetables, add prepped meat and seasoning, and in a few hours, a week’s worth of food or one family-size meal is ready to eat. (An Instant Pot can also be used as a slow cooker.) These recipes can help you eat healthy and save money and time this winter.
First, a few tips: Browning meats and sautéing vegetables before adding them to the slow cooker can add flavor. If you top off a slow cooker meal with dairy or fresh herbs such as yogurt, milk, and cilantro, add them toward the end (they can curdle or wilt, respectively, if cooked for too long). Finally, resist opening the lid and stirring, which slows the cooking process considerably — and this is already slow cooking.