I often recommend Crock-Pot meals for my clients who struggle with having the time and energy to cook a healthy dinner after their busy day. Here are my 7 favorite gluten-free, dairy-free, and family friendly recipes. With just a little planning you can prep these healthy recipes in under 90 minutes, no chopping required!
Dijon Pork
- 1.5 lb pork loin
- 16 oz fresh or frozen green beans
- 3 tbs Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- thyme
- salt/pepper
Italian Chicken
- 1.5 lbs chicken (I use half thighs and half breasts)
- 1 bag spinach
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- red pepper flakes
- salt/pepper
Asian Chicken
- 1.5 lbs chicken
- 6 cups frozen veggies
- ½ cup gluten-free soy sauce
- ¼ ketchup
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbs olive oil
- pepper
Chicken Fajitas
- 1.5 lbs chicken
- 6 cups frozen veggies
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 ts cumin
- 1 ts paprika
- lime juice
- salt/pepper
BBQ Pork and Carrots
- 2 lbs pork
- 4 cups (~32 oz) carrots
- 1 cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp parprika
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
Balsamic Beef Roast
- 2 lbs beef chuck shoulder or pot roast
- 4 cups (~32oz) carrots
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic
- red pepper flakes
- salt
- 2 cups broth
Sweet and Sour Meatballs
- 16oz Coleman chicken meatballs
- 6 cups frozen veggies
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 3 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce
Just combine all ingredients in 1 gallon freezer bags and they are ready to store. These meals are good for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you are ready to use them simply thaw in the fridge overnight and then dump them in the Crock-Pot on low for 6-8 hours. When it’s time for dinner you will have a delicious, healthy meal ready to eat with out any hassle and minimal clean up. On days when I workout and want to add some extra carbohydrates, we either cook a pot of rice to serve on the side or serve them with corn tortillas taco style. Otherwise they are all moderately low in carbs to help with weight-loss goals.
I also highly recommend using a wholesale store like Costco or Sam’s Club to buy ingredients in bulk to add saving money to the benefit of these meals. I doubled these recipes and paid only $180 at Costco for mostly organic ingredients for all 14 meals. That will make enough for dinner for our family of four plus leftover lunches for my husband for two weeks.
