Favourite easy and interesting eat-for-days recipes?

mathandcats

I like to cook a big batch of something fairly easy and eat it for several days (perhaps freezing some of the leftovers), so as to not spend too much time cooking, but still have interesting meals. For example, I like to cook a casserole that serves 6-8 and eat that as lunch for a week, perhaps with a homemade muffin and/or piece of fruit with it. I have absolutely no problem eating the same things for days on end! I'm not keen on things like just baking chicken breast and putting sauce on it - I'm looking for recipes that are a bit more interesting than that (nothing wrong with it if it's what you like, of course).

What are your favourite recipes for this kind of thing? Do you have a go-to source for these? I generally dislike "healthy" food blogs because there are such varying definitions of "healthy" food (and some of them end up being a long list of specialized ingredients I don't have on hand) . I just want to make a normal recipe, perhaps slightly lightened up, that is easy, tasty, and filling for the calories. I generally aim for lunch and dinner to be around 400-500 calories.

I've found some good recipes on Emily Bites lately, as well as a couple of successes on Skinny Taste. I'll post some of my go-to recipes below, and hopefully others will share too

mathandcats

My favourite lunch casserole. It's very, very easy, and I don't get tired of it!

Lazy Chicken Enchilada Casserole (adapted from iowagirleats.com)

Ingredients:
1lb chicken breasts, raw
1 tsp canola or olive oil
pinch salt and pepper
10oz (1.25 cup) can of Enchilada sauce (I use La Victoria mild)
1 cup light sour cream
3/4 cup salsa
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
4 oz can diced green chilies
6-8 shredded corn tortillas (I like Grimm's corn tortillas, or Que Pasa)
60g shredded cheddar cheese (I'm not a big cheese fiend, others may want more)
Optional: 1 398ml can black beans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Dice chicken, season with salt and pepper, and saute in oil until cooked and water is boiled off.
2. In a very large bowl, combine enchilada sauce, sour cream, and salsa. Add corn, chilies, and chicken (and beans, if using) and stir to combine.
3. Put about 1/3 of the mixture into the bottom of a 9x13" casserole dish. Top with shredded corn tortillas to form a single layer. Add 1/3 more of the filling and another layer of tortillas. Add remaining 1/3 of filling and top with shredded cheese.
4. Bake until bubbly and golden brown, about 40 minutes.

This usually makes about 8 servings of 1.5 cups each. Calorie count will depend on your choice of ingredients, but last time I made this it came to about 250 cal (and 22g protein) for a serving around that size. It freezes alright, but the tortillas will absorb more of the moisture, so it will get stickier.

mathandcats

Banana Oat Chocolate Chip Muffins (adapted from runningwithspoons.com)

Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas
2 cups rolled oats
2 eggs
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup 0% plain greek yogurt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
50g mini chocolate chips (or however many you want, I think this is a sufficient amount - it's around 1/4 cup)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a muffin tin with paper liners. [Some liners I've used have stuck to the muffins, but if the liner is slightly waxy it is not necessary to spray.]
2. Add all ingredients to a large blender except for chocolate chips. Blend until oats are broken down (you will probably have to pause and stir several times). Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in chocolate chips.
3. Spoon into muffin tins and bake about 15-20 minutes (usually takes 18 minutes for me) until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Transfer to wire rack to cool (I do not wait to do this).

Makes 12 muffins. Calorie count will depend on your ingredients, but last time I made these it came to 120 calories per muffin (and they have 6g protein!). They freeze very well.

mathandcats

Spinach Artichoke Chicken

This one I pretty much followed the recipe, except reducing the cheese a bit (not a cheese fanatic, and lactose intolerant). Really good if you like spinach artichoke dip. Spinach Artichoke Chicken via Emily Bites.

mathandcats

Meatless Chili

My dad's recipe, I've posted it on the forums before: chili.

Kitcandoo

Great question! I will collect recipes from this feed I'm sure. My Instagram is full of recipes like this. Some super healthy...some can be lightened up. Check it out if you are on IG my username is fabulousfoodiefun

Francl27

I do a pretty easy shepherd's pie. You can pretty much adjust the quantities for whatever you like, use butter and cream, use less potatoes, and add cheese on top if you want... Basically it can be anywhere from 400 calories a serving to 700+ if you like, lol.

1 pound ground beef
1.5 pound yukon gold potatoes
1 cup chicken broth or milk
1 large onion
bag of frozen peas and carrots
small can of tomato sauce

Peel the potatoes and boil them. Meanwhile, brown the beef with onions, add tomato sauce and let simmer for a bit. Drain the potatoes and mash them with the chicken broth or milk (you can add butter, or just use cream instead if you want more calories).

Layer the beef in a pan, sprinkle with frozen veggies, then spread the mashed potatoes on top, and shredded cheese if you use (I like Swiss or cheddar). Bake at 350-400 until the top is brown.

ForeverSunshine09

Ham and bean soup:
Ham hock
1 lb dry white beans
2 tsp onion powder

Optional:
Small diced onion
1 tbsp of minced garlic

Rinse and sort beans. Put in crock pot
Put in ham hock. Fill crock pot with water til just past the level of everything. Add onion powder and such at this point. Stir and cook on low 8 hrs.

6 very generous servings. Between 284-228 cals

gaelowyn_pt_duex

Chicken Santa Fe, sweet barbacoa pork, Carne Bistec, chicken ropa veja all from skinnytaste.com

I make a bunch. Freeze most, save some for lunches that week. I rarely eat out at lunch anymore.

To eat during the same week I love pollo sabrosa, banging good shrimp, asian glazed drumsticks, and chicken thighs in marinara sauce(can't recall what she named it) all from skinnytaste.com

mistikal13

Veggie based soups in the slow cooker, shredded salsa chicken (for tacos, enchiladas, casseroles, taco bowls, etc), meatballs are great to cook and freeze, lasagna, shepard's pie, etc.

mathandcats

Well, it's not as easy as the others I posted, but this is still definitely a keeper! It's easy enough considering I can eat for most of a week.

Lightened up Butter Chicken (265 cal)

mathandcats

Not a meal, but I love having these in the freezer:

Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies from Kraft.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Kraft light peanut butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Roll into approximately 1" balls, and place on a cookie sheet. Squish with a fork, and bake 15 minutes at 325F. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.

I've had no trouble making at least 24 from this, as they say - last batch made 28, coming in at 64 cal each. They freeze very well. I like to eat them straight out of the freezer, as they get a consistency that's almost like peanut butter fudge!

Natsume

Tuna Patties over rice (recipe makes enough for 4)
-2 big cans tuna in water (albacore or regular)
-2 eggs
-season (I PERSONNALLY add a little lemon juice, garlic, onion, crushed red peppers, and a LITTLE cheese [helps mix the flavors])

*Pack patties into desired size. The patties need to get drained, otherwise it won't stick to itself.

*Fry ingredients in extra virgin olive oil. Pat dry with paper towel. Serve with rice. I prefer long-grain variety rice and cook with a little soy sauce.

Just make sure to add a few drops of water on the tuna before you microwave it, otherwise it dries out. Reheating it with a cup of water in the microwave also works.