Four Slow Cooker Recipes to Keep You Warm this Winter

The holidays might be over, but winter is just getting started! During the colder months, your slow cooker comes in handy in more ways than one. In addition to cooking your favorite comfort foods, a slow cooker allows you prepare dinner in the morning so it’s ready to eat by the time you get home. Check out these four slow cooker recipes that are sure to keep you warm this winter!

Southwest Chicken and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breast, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 cups of water (half of the tomato can)

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained

1 15 oz. can corn, drained

1 avocado, cubed

1/2 cup cilantro, diced

2 teaspoons cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

*optional garnish: sour cream, shredded cheddar and jack cheese, diced cilantro

Directions:

1. Combine the chicken breast, onion and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top of the mixture.
2. Next, add diced tomatoes, water, black beans, kidney beans, corn and avocado to the slow cooker. Stir gently and add salt, pepper and cumin. Mix well and cover, fire up your slow cooker and set it for 3 hours on high heat.
3. After 3 hours, stir the chili and ladle into bowls.
4. Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breast

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup soy sauce (or tamari)

1/4 cup organic ketchup

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon sriracha

1/2 medium onion, minced

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:

1. First, mix honey, soy sauce, ketchup, minced garlic and sriracha together.
2. Place chicken and onion into a large crock pot and pour on sauce.
3. Turn Crock-Pot on high and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. Alternatively, cook on low for 6 to
   8 hours.
4. At 1.5 ours, check the chicken breasts to see if they are fully cooked (not pink in the middle). Once they are cooked, take chicken breasts out and shred them using two forks.
5. Before placing shredded chicken back into the Crock-Pot, ad 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to the sauce and whisk into the pot, add sesame seeds, mix with sauce and let cook for an additional 30 minutes on high.
6. Serve with white sticky rice, steamed broccoli and more sesame seeds.

Slow Cooker Tangy Tomato Brisket

Ingredients:

15 oz. canned, no-salt added tomato sauce

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon no-calorie sweetener, granulated, 1 1/2 packets

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper for spice (optional)

1 small white onion (finely diced)

1 lb. sirloin beef roast or steak

Directions:

1. In slow cooker, combine tomato sauce, vinegar, no-calorie sweetener, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne (if desired) and onion. Stir gently.
2. Add sirloin, making sure it is submerged in the barbecue sauce mixture.
3. Cook on low setting for 8 hours. Slice and serve with a drizzle of sauce.

Quinoa Black Bean Crockpot Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

6 bell peppers

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed

1 14 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 14 oz. can re-fried beans

1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese

*optional garnish: sour cream, diced cilantro, avocado

Directions:

1. Cut the tops off the peppers and scrape out the ribs and seeds.
2. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, beans, enchilada sauce, spices and 1 cup of the cheese. Fill each pepper with the quinoa mixture.
3. Pour 1/2 cup water into the bottom of a crockpot. Place the peppers in the crockpot so they’re sitting in the water. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Remove lid, distribute remaining cheese over the tops of the peppers and cover again for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

Serve with your favorite toppings!