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A slow cooker is a great appliance to use for making healthy, homemade meals when you have to budget your time. Using a slow cooker allows you to spend under 20 minutes food prepping and chopping, then let the cooker do all the work.
We turned to the experts to find out just how we should be using our slow cookers to make the healthiest meals for burning fat. Scroll down to see the eight best recipes suggested by Resident Dietitian Nutritionist Karen Kjaerulff and Dietitian and Blogger Abbey Sharp.
1. Chili: Recommended by Kjaerulff, chili is often flavorful, packed with protein and low on carbs. Try this recipe from Cooking Classy.
2. Black Bean Soup: Kjaerulff also suggests making black bean soup to burn fat. A good recipe for this can be found from Gimme Some Oven.
Kjaerulff suggests adding cayenne pepper to either of these recipes because it is known to aid in fat burning. “Top that with guacamole instead of sour cream and the fat burning power gets dialed up even more,” she said.
3. Oatmeal: According to Kjaerulff, “People who eat oatmeal have 10% less belly fat and oats are a great meal to make in your slow cooker. Mix in some cinnamon and dial up the fat burning power even more. Start them before you go to bed and you will have breakfast ready and waiting when you wake up.” Try this recipe from Well Plated.
4. Breakfast Quinoa: Similarly, Sharp recommends making breakfast quinoa in your slow cooker. It is rich in protein and fiber, making it an excellent choice in the mornings. Here’s a great recipe from Eat Yourself Skinny.
5. Green Tea: You can make healthy teas in your slow cooker, too. Kjaerulff said, “Green tea has fat burning powers as well, so be sure to have a cup of tea with your meals to keep that fat burning going!” We found an easy recipe from Kroger.
6. Chai Tea: If green tea isn’t really your thing, you might want to try making chai tea in your slow cooker. Most recipes include a ton of anti-inflammatory ingredients that support the metabolism. Here’s one great recipe from All Recipes.
7. Chicken Tacos: Many people prefer the consistency of fattier meats, but Sharp said that cooking lean meats in a slow cooker can make them tender. She even wrote a recipe for BBQ chicken tacos on her blog./p>
8. Bean Stew Sharp also recommends using your slow cooker to make a bean stew. Beans are high in protein, which can help support fat burning. Try this recipe from Food Network.
