Using the slow cooker during the fall is a great idea as you can enjoy your normal festivities, go to work, or just not worry about heating up the kitchen to cook meals. Here are some slow cooker meals that will use delicious and in-season superfoods:
Harvest Oatmeal
This is a really fun breakfast you can make ahead of time, either for a big family breakfast or to save in separate containers as an easy meal prep idea. It is not only a healthy and convenient breakfast option, but you can customize it with any fall superfoods you enjoy.
You can make a simple pumpkin oatmeal using steel cut oats, pumpkin puree, and spices, or combine pumpkin puree with mashed butternut squash, some nuts, and more spices for a savory and sweet combo. It should take about 8 hours on low in the slow cooker.
Fruit Crisp
The next meal idea that uses superfoods in your slow cooker can be customized according to your favorite fruits. You can choose any superfood fruits you want, from those in season during the fall like apples and cranberries, to some of the cut oats instead of more fattening crumbles, turning it into a much healthier option.
Choose your choice of fruit, about 3-4 cups, then add some sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and other fall spices, and a little lemon zest. Don’t forget the butter! This one cooks faster, in about 2 hours.
Healthier Potato Soup
Potato soup is a wonderful warm food to have during the fall, especially on those cold nights. While potato soup is hearty and delicious, it is also higher in carbs and not the most nutritious. A better option is to use sweet potatoes, which also happen to be a superfood.
Combine them with other superfood veggies like leaks, cauliflower, and carrots, then use vegetable or chicken stock, some herbs, and seasonings, and you have yourself an easy and healthy soup.
Granola
You can also make a warm granola by using your slow cooker and just a few simple ingredients. This is great to have around the house as a snack or a breakfast. It also goes great in your yogurt. For your own granola, you can add anything you like, but it is good to start with rolled oats.
Add in some nuts or seeds; pecans are great in the fall. Choose a little bit of maple syrup to allow it to stick together, along with some cinnamon and other seasonings. You can choose dried berries or other dried fruit as well.
