5 Ways Your Slow Cooker Can Help You Lose Weight

Simple and scrumptious recipes to make right now!

Tiffany Tse

Want to eat healthier and lose weight? Meet your new best friend: the slow cooker! This kitchen appliance whips up wholesome, low-maintenance meals while infusing every dish with tons of flavor. We asked authors Tiffany McCauley and Gale Compton for five mouthwatering recipes (out of 155) straight from their Skinny Ms. Slow Cooker Cookbook, which had a sold-out premiere on QVC. These low-fat desserts and nourishing entrees require very little prep time but garner plenty of well-deserved kudos at the dinner table!

1. Savory Mexican Oats

Think oatmeal is just for breakfast? Turns out the warm cereal makes a nourishing lunch or dinner option as well. For a unique twist on oats, blend a steel-cut variety in your slow cooker with healthy veggies, like corn and red peppers, and enjoy its chewy consistency and unbeatable flavor. You'll never look at oats the same way again!

Time: 2-4 hours or until oats are cooked through
Temperature: Low
Yield: 3-1/2 c.
Recommended Slow Cooker Size: 4 quarts

Ingredients:
1 c. steel-cut oats
1 c. salsa
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
2-1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth, no sugar added
1 c. frozen corn, thawed
1 c. red pepper, chopped

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker, cover, and cook as directed below.

Nutritional Content:
Serving size: 1/2 c.
Calories: 86
Total Fat: 1 g.
Saturated Fat: 0 g.
Trans Fat: 0 g.
Cholesterol: 2 mg.
Sodium: 181 mg.
Carbohydrates: 16 g.
Dietary Fiber: 2 g.
Sugars: 2 g.
Protein: 3 g.