You're right, crafting is not nearly as simple or quick to level as previous TES games. Enchanting in particular is a drag to level. And it ends up needing sooo many skill points to max out.
Provisioning can be leveled quickly if you loot every container in delves. Even more quickly if you have a guild with a well stocked bank. Dual or tri stat foods are very valuable at higher levels, and are pretty essential to be competetive in pvp or trials, so its a worthy skill to level. The same applies to alchemy, I sell 100 V5 tripots for 10,000-12,000 to people that can't or won't make their own.
My main toon is has maxed out all six crafting lines, and has earned all the achievements, but still hasn't finished researching all the Nirnhoned traits after over a year of working on it.