Healthy Spring Crockpot & Slow Cooker Recipes

The fresh salsa in this easy load-and-go taco recipe is a great way to use spring rhubarb. If you don't have rhubarb, try subbing in fresh tomatillos or red bell pepper for an equally beautiful and delicious taco topper.

This brothy stew is boldly flavored with a blend of characteristic Middle Eastern spices and finished with fresh spinach and fiber-rich chickpeas. Economical lamb shoulder tenderizes beautifully when leisurely cooked in a slow cooker. If you can't find boneless shoulder stew meat, do not substitute more-expensive lamb leg--it tends to dry out during slow cooking. Instead, purchase lamb shoulder chops and debone them. Serve over bulgur and accompany with a salad.

This yellow split pea soup has fresh ginger to give it a bright flavor. Use the best ham you can find to get the most flavor.

Smoked turkey sausage adds incredible flavor to this easy slow-cooker stew recipe which is full of iron- and protein-rich lentils.

There's something so satisfying about a hearty bowl of beef and barley soup--especially when it's one you've made from scratch with reduced-sodium broth and chunks of delicious sirloin steak. This slow-cooker recipe is simple to prepare, serves six, and is a great alternative to canned soup!

This rustic stew cooks all day in the slow cooker so you can come home to a comforting, hot dinner. Not a fan of polenta? Try this healthy chicken dinner over pasta instead.

This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad.

We've made a few tweaks to the original Sloppy Joe recipe for our easy slow-cooker version. We've replaced ground beef with ground turkey, added lots of vegetables and pizza sauce, and topped each sandwich with a thick slice of yummy mozzarella cheese. These pizza-flavored sandwiches will appeal to pizza lovers everywhere with a taste is out of this world!

Most people think of potato salad as a cold side dish reserved for picnics or barbecues. Not this one! This hearty recipe pairs potatoes and onions in a slow cooker, where they cook until tender. Served warm and topped with chunks of cooked turkey bacon, this easy side dish is lovely served on a bed of baby spinach.

This slow-cooker meal is simple to prepare and will elicit rave reviews from everyone at your table. The wild rice pilaf is started early in the slow cooker and followed up by the chicken and sweet and tangy maple-mustard sauce. It's a mouthwatering combination!

Barley is an excellent source of fiber, and in this slow-cooker recipe it's paired with nutrient-dense spinach and butternut squash. Topped with shredded Parmesan cheese, this side dish will be happy sharing a plate with whatever else you're serving.

This stew recipe is a great choice for a warming fall or winter dinner. Because it uses shredded, cooked pork it's a relatively quick slow-cooker meal, ready in under 3 hours.

This side dish is a cinch -- place the ingredients in your slow cooker and forget about them until dinnertime.

Use your slow cooker to create this tasty vegetarian soup. If you like a little kick, a few drops of hot sauce does the trick.

Impress your friends and family with this beautiful and refreshing lemon and berry pudding cake.

Enjoy super-tasty Buffalo chicken that's easier (done in your slow cooker!) and healthier (topping a salad!) than traditional wings.

Craving pizza but don't want to order takeout again? Add zesty pepperoni, olives, an herby tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese to chicken for a family-friendly dinner.

The slow cooker makes easy work of this healthy jambalaya featuring brown rice and plenty of veggies. If you don't want to make your own seasoning, just skip Step 1 and use 1 1/2 teaspoons purchased salt-free Cajun seasoning in Step 2.

Start this in the morning and you'll be greeted with wonderful aromas after work. Just fill the slow cooker and turn it on!

Chicken and hearty vegetables are simmered in a delicate wine-flavored sauce for this recipe. And it's made in the slow cooker for ease.

This creamy, veggie-packed chicken dinner comes together easily in your slow-cooker-and makes enough for another night's casserole (see associated recipe)!

Nutty cumin, citrus, and jalapeño pepper jelly make a tasty sauce for the chicken as it simmers in the slow cooker. Serve with whole-grain bread for a complete meal.

Busy week coming up? Cook up these easy poached chicken breasts infused with the flavors of the ubiquitous Vietnamese sauce nuoc cham in your slow cooker on Sunday. Then enjoy the leftover chicken three different ways over the days to come--ladled with the broth over rice noodles, layered with vegetables on a sandwich and mixed with mayo to make a creamy chicken salad.