When the skies are grey, and the weather is dreary, I want nothing more than a stick-to-your-ribs homecooked meal that won’t torpedo my diet. These eleven recipes are simple to prepare, and you probably have most of the ingredients you need right in your pantry. The slow cooker does the heavy lifting, working its magic and giving you decadent meals perfect for lazy rainy days while making your house smell heavenly in the process.
1. Chicken Coconut Curry Soup
This aromatic and delicious curry soup is a fantastic rainy-day meal perfect for lounging and streaming your favorite shows at just three Weight Watcher points per serving. Shredded chicken adds bulk and keeps you full for hours. It pairs perfectly with an inspired spice blend of garam masala, turmeric, curry powder, and a sprinkle of black pepper and salt. I use a combination of light coconut milk and chicken broth to infuse every bite with traditional curry flavor and add fresh garlic and diced red onion for a fragrant kick. Simmer it all for three hours in your crockpot, and you have a winning meal.
2. Weight Watchers Green Bean Casserole
Although green bean casserole is a famous holiday classic, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy it all year round, especially when it’s only two points per serving. It’s truly the ultimate vegetarian comfort food, and the crockpot makes it a snap to prepare, infusing each bite of nutrient-rich green beans with rich mushroom sauce. Keep things on the skinny side with 98 percent fat-free cream of mushroom soup and fat-free milk. I like to top mine with homemade crispy onions for a crunchy treat that transports me back to childhood.
3. Hawaiian Crockpot Chicken
Adding a touch of the tropics to your kitchen is always a great idea, but it’s even better when the weather is dreary. This Hawaiian crockpot chicken is a sweet, savory, smoky blend of familiar flavors that packs a serious taste punch but will only set you back two Weight Watcher points. Marinate your chicken breast in a mixture of soy sauce, pineapple juice, Splenda, and seasoning, then add it to your crockpot with vibrant red and green bell peppers, diced red onion, garlic, ginger, more pineapple juice, then cook on high to perfection for four hours. Delicious!
4. Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
I make this soup when I’m tempted to order in and want something comforting and familiar to warm me to my bones on a chilly spring day. At four Weight Watcher points per serving, it’s far healthier than anything you’ll find on a take-out menu, and your house will smell like heavenly hamburgers as it cooks in the crockpot. I use chicken to keep the calories and points down, frozen hash browns and chopped carrots for bulk and extra nutrients. Cooked, crumbled bacon and reduced-fat cheese emphasize the flavor of your favorite cheeseburger, making this recipe a successful mash-up of comfort foods.
5. Taco Potato Casserole
My kids always ask me to make this casserole on the weekends, and at four Weight Watcher points per serving, I’m happy to do it. With lean ground chicken, miniature potatoes, and a mixture of diced peppers and spices, it hits on a lot of comfort food classics, while still delivering a hefty serving of protein and nutrients. You can use whatever taco seasoning you have on hand, and low-fat cream of chicken soup, and a cup of chicken broth for the creamy base. I like sprinkling in a cup of reduced-fat shredded cheese to amp it up.
6. Weight Watchers Cabbage Soup
This crockpot cabbage soup is a fab way to get your veggies, and it’s only three points per serving. Cooking cabbage low and slow gives it a rich, melt-in-your-mouth flavor and texture that’s the ideal antidote to a rainy day. Plus, cabbage is a fantastic Vitamin C source, so you can also fend off the springtime sniffles. Ground turkey pairs beautifully with the cabbage, and gives this soup the staying power you want to keep you full for hours. You can also use any combination of chopped peppers you’d like, plus canned tomatoes, a bit of garlic, and a hearty blend of spices.
7. Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings with Canned Biscuits
I adore this dish on a rainy day because it really hits all of the nostalgia notes, but unlike my childhood version, this one comes together quickly and is only four Weight Watcher points per serving. The crockpot does all the work, and pre-packaged biscuits give the dish a hearty homestyle twist with virtually zero preparation time. Cubed chicken breast, diced carrots, onion, celery, and low-fat Campbell’s cream of chicken soup give this dish its velvety base. Add a few cups of chicken broth and comforting spices like thyme, oregano, salt and pepper, bay leaf, and diced garlic cloves. After cooking your base ingredients, add your pre-packaged biscuits and get ready for a scrumptious homestyle meal.
8. Italian-Style Chicken Meatball Stew
When I was a kid, I loved canned Italian meatball soup. There was something about those tiny meatballs floating in a fragrant broth that could turn any rainy day around. I still crave those flavors but have upgraded to this Weight Watchers-friendly crockpot version, at three points per serving. The homemade meatballs are ultra-easy; they are just a combination of ground chicken, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and spices. The stew has rich diced tomatoes, beef broth, baby carrots, potatoes, and spices. It’s an easy glow-up from the canned stuff, and the crockpot does all the work.
9. Turkey Stew
At one point per serving, this homestyle and hearty turkey stew is always in my recipe roster, but it’s especially lovely on lazy, rainy days. Ground turkey pairs wonderfully with diced tomatoes, sliced carrots and celery, and potato chunks. The broth is a low-and-slow simmered blend of Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chicken broth, and spices. Plus, whatever you don’t enjoy you can easily freeze for the next rainy day.
10. Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
I adore Buffalo mac and cheese, but the restaurant versions are often packed with fat and calories. Thankfully, this crockpot variation is just five Weight Watcher points per serving and delivers the bold flavors I love. It’s also virtually foolproof. Cook boneless chicken breast and Frank’s hot sauce in your crockpot for three hours on high, or six to seven hours on low, then combine the tender chicken with whole wheat pasta, low-fat milk, light cream cheese, nonfat yogurt, and shredded cheese. Cook everything together for an additional two hours, and you have a restaurant-worthy meal with a fraction of the calorie count.
11. Weight Watchers Beef Stew
Rainy days and beef stew were simply made for one another, and this one-point version is definitely at the top of my list. Flank steak cooks down to tender cubes of meat in the crockpot and pairs wonderfully with red bell pepper, onion, potato, peas, and carrots. You can use beef broth for the base, or a splash of red wine if you’re feeling extra fancy and have it on hand. Serve up each simmering bowlful with a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper and a touch of salt.
These lazy rainy-day recipes require very little in-kitchen time and just a handful of ingredients that your crockpot will transform into pure gold. Try them next time spring showers are in the forecast.
