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.

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.

The spice blend in this healthy beef stew recipe--cinnamon, allspice and cloves--may conjure images of apple pie, but the combo is a great fit in savory applications too. Serve over creamy polenta or buttered whole-wheat egg noodles.

Chicken thighs can take plenty of cooking without getting tough or drying out, which makes them perfect for the slow cooker. Here we braise them in Guinness stout along with hearty vegetables, with just the right amount of bacon for added savoriness.

Sure, the slow cooker's great for stews and soups, but it also happens to make a mean lasagna! In this ingenious slow-cooker recipe, all you have to do is chop your veggies, then layer the ingredients (raw) into the crockpot. Serve with: Garlic bread and a green salad.

Chicken thighs stay moist and succulent during slow cooking, infusing the accompanying vegetables with superb flavor. This easy braise has a luxurious finish of avgolémono, a versatile Greek sauce made with egg, lemon and fresh dill.

When the selection of fruit in the winter is lacking, poaching shelf-stable dried fruit in lemon-infused green tea creates a luscious fruit compote. Serve topped with low-fat plain yogurt and chopped pistachios for breakfast or dessert.

Layers of fresh Mediterranean vegetables, seasoned with an abundance of bay, garlic and oregano, meld with tender lamb into a luscious harvest-time supper. Serve the stew with rice or warm whole-wheat pita.