Favorite Recipes

If you're already sick of the "new year, new you" movement because you didn't suddenly wake up on January first with any extra hours in your day or free household help hanging around, we get it. It's dark when you wake up, dark when you leave work, and on top of all that, it's not exactly bountiful fresh salad season.

But if you're looking for an easy way to incorporate what U.S. News called the best diet for 2019, there is some good news: some of the best food bloggers around have slow cooker recipes that will make it easy to adhere to the Mediterranean diet. After all, it's all about legumes and whole grains, and that's exactly what slow cookers are best at.

Read more: Mediterranean Diet Named the Best Way to Get Healthy in 2019

Garlic and Parmesan Chicken and Potatoes from Damn Delicious

Get the hearty party started with this big old batch of chicken thighs, baby potatoes, and plenty of garlic. It's a classic Mediterranean flavor combination, made so much easier than traditional methods.

Quinoa, White Bean, and Kale Soup from Chelsea's Messy Apron

If every soup were this hearty, it might be possible to live on soup alone. Filled with tons of broth, diced tomatoes, plenty of cannellini beans, and a hit of Italian seasoning, plus the quinoa and kale, you won't even need a side dish for this one.

Lemon Basil Ratatouille from Wholesomelicious

Plant-based eating goes low and slow, and totally comforting with this squash, zucchini, and eggplant dish. The brightness of the lemon and herby basil keep it exciting, even after the long cook softens the vegetables.

Greek Chicken from Well Plated

So often, the Mediterranean diet gets difficult when you haven't made it to the grocery store for fresh produce in a while, but this dish sidesteps that with plenty of pantry-to-plate ingredients: olives, roasted red peppers, red wine vinegar. All you need is a little fresh herbs for the garnish, and you'll be set.

Detox Lentil Soup from Pinch of Yum

Forget the name, this isn't about removing anything from your body, it's about adding to it — adding warmth, comfort, and a whole pile of vegetables and lentils in a big pot of soup.

Chicken Cacciatore from Foodie Crush

One of the best parts about the Mediterranean diet is the simplicity of the ingredients in most dishes — this one is just a pile of vegetables and a few chicken thighs — and somehow, it still comes out full of flavor.

Tuscan White Bean Soup from A Family Feast

This super simple soup just requires dumping everything into the slow cooker for eight hours. But there's one tiny extra step when it comes out that makes this special: you puree just half the soup, leaving you with a nice thick base and those great chunks, too.

Turkey Meatballs from Skinnytaste

Any diet that's good with meatballs is good with us — the key to keeping these on the meal plan is following the instructions to use whole wheat bread crumbs and make sure to serve them over zoodles or whole grains.

Chicken Thighs with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes from Diethood

The twist in this slow-cooked chicken dish is that part of the cooking liquid comes from the artichoke hearts, giving it a massive flavor boost. The hearts themselves add even more flavor, along with plenty of sun-dried tomatoes and garlic.

Tuscan Chicken Soup from The Cookie Rookie

By doubling up on the shortcuts — using rotisserie chicken and cooking in the slow cooker — this recipe makes easy work of the kind of soup someone's grandmother probably slaved over.