Wild schedules, long work hours, and tempting takeout menus make it tough to even think about cooking most nights during the week. Despite the inconvenience, firing up the oven is almost always cheaper and healthier than ordering in. How about a compromise? Making dinner with a slow cooker — Crock-Pot is the go-to brand in the U.S. — is an easy way to get in all those vitamins and minerals without slaving over a hot stove for hours at a time. Most of these recipes involve mixing up ingredients and popping them into a slow cooker for a prescribed number of hours. Save even more time by starting some of these dishes overnight or first thing in the morning and reaping the delicious benefits later in the day. Share on Pinterest

Slow cooker nut recipes 8. Curried almonds For this savory snack, coat blanched almonds in curry powder and a bit of seasoned salt. Add to the slow cooker and cook on high for approximately 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Snack time never tasted so good. 9. Spiced nuts Make your own sweet and spicy snack mix for munching between meals or as a delicious party appetizer. Coat nuts with cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and a bit of powdered sugar and cook in a slow cooker for about 2 hours. 10. 3-ingredient slow cooker spicy peanuts Who knew something so simple could taste so good? The melted butter and chili seasoning combo is a heaven-send. Ready in just 2.5 hours, your favorite peanut snack just got a major upgrade. 11. Sweet and spicy mixed nuts Snacks are great for you, but not so great for your tastebuds if you keep eating the same flavor every single day. That’s why this sweet and spicy nut recipe is such a crowd pleaser. Rosemary, honey, melted butter, brown sugar, and chili flakes are all great flavors on their own, and total dynamite when mixed together. You’ll have a hard time keeping your hand out of the bowl when they’re done — and we don’t blame you one bit. 12. Slow cooker maple glazed nuts Did someone say maple? We’re onboard. In this recipe, pecans and almonds come together with apple pie spice, brown sugar, and maple syrup for a treat worthy of the holidays. These are great as a snack or as a salad topper. Or as an air freshener, because the entire house will smell like cozy winter holidays.

Slow cooker bread recipes 13. French toast casserole Take the hassle out of French toast by baking it casserole-style in a slow cooker. The recipe calls for raw apples, but feel free to sub in bananas or other fruit for a bit of variety. 14. Banana bread This super-light banana bread is also gluten-free. Baking it in a slow cooker instead of the oven means running out to do errands during the cooking time is totally A-OK. This recipe cooks in about 4 hours on high. 15. Pumpkin cinnamon buns Share on Pinterest These special occasion-worthy cinnamon buns are vegan and spiked with pumpkin puree and plenty of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Perfect for a chilly winter morning… or any other time. 16. Slow cooker bread No-knead slow cooker bread means that anyone with about 5 minutes of free time can make a delicious homemade loaf. Baking bread in the slow cooker actually takes less time than the oven, because the bread rises and cooks all in one step. 17. Pumpkin bread This simple recipe comes together in about 3 hours including prep time. It’s not too sweet, so this yummy bread could work as a quick breakfast or with a cup of tea as an afternoon snack.

Slow cooker vegetarian entrées 40. Loaded baked potatoes No oven is no problem for this baked potato recipe. Cook whole potatoes in the slow cooker and add separately cooked toppings like sautéed broccoli, mushrooms, and onions on top. 41. Vegetarian tamale pie Enjoying Tex-Mex cuisine can be tough for vegetarians, but this recipe uses soy crumbles instead of ground beef. Make it lighter by going easy on the cheese and butter. 42. Barley risotto with fennel Prepare this recipe for friends and family members who love strong flavors! Basic barley risotto gets a punch of fennel with seeds and bulbs as well as plenty of garlic and olives. 43. Vegetarian lasagna Using a slow cooker takes the fuss out of vegetable lasagna. Layer raw vegetables, whole-wheat noodles, cheese, and tomato sauce and let everything cook together for 2 hours. 44. Vegetable curry This classic curry features carrots, potatoes, chickpeas, and green beans. Make sure to use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make it vegetarian-friendly. 45. Garlic cauliflower mashed “potatoes” This recipe has all of the “comfort factor” of classic mashed potatoes, but way fewer carbs and calories. Use the slow cooker to steam a head of cauliflower, and then add garlic, a bay leaf, and some butter and milk to give it some flavor. 46. Ratatouille As with any ratatouille, this is more of a guide than a strict recipe. Stuck with sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes? Chuck them in the pot! No mushrooms? Whatever! You can use ratatouille as pasta sauce, for filling an omelet, with beans or meat mixed in, etc. It’s the perfect dish to use up all those veggies lingering in the fridge. 47. Squash lasagna This non-traditional lasagna gets a healthy kick from whole-wheat noodles, part-skim ricotta and mozzarella cheese, puréed squash, and spinach. Compared to most lasagna recipes, this calls for way less mozzarella — leaving you with all the comfort of good pasta, without the stomachache. 48. Indian chole Perfect for busy days, this light meal is super easy to prepare. Mix peppers, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and plenty of spices together in a blender. Add the chickpeas and let everything simmer away in a slow cooker for 6 to 7 hours — like, say, while you sleep. While you may not crave this first thing in the morning, you’ll be glad it’s ready to eat later in the day.

Slow cooker drink recipes 53. Mulled apple cider Hosting friends for a winter party? Greet them at the door with a cup of warm mulled apple cider. Combine cider, brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg for a yummy non-alcoholic beverage that makes the whole house smell like autumn to boot. 54. Mulled red wine Nothing warms from the inside out quite like mulled wine (seriously, ask Dickens). To make this winter classic, mix a bottle of dry red wine with aromatic spices and clementines and heat everything together in the slow cooker. 55. Citrus cider This bright non-alcoholic beverage is perfect for a kid’s party. The unexpected combination of lemon and orange juices with cinnamon and cloves makes for a delicious drink. 56. Ginger-lemon hot toddy The hot toddy gets a flavorful makeover with fresh lemon, crystallized and fresh ginger, and a touch of rum. Cook the non-alcoholic ingredients together for 4 hours before adding the rum and brandy. 57. Spirited hot mocha This sweet drink would make a great after-dinner beverage. Coffee balances out the semisweet chocolate, and a touch of brandy gives it an adult edge. To make this drink kid-friendly, just take out the alcohol.