make ahead and freeze recipes please!!!

Jennifer22109

I am sure there has probably been a post like this recently, but i am desperately looking for some make ahead and freeze meals that are low on calories. Mostly, i would love to make some breakfast foods that i could make ahead and freeze for the week, and also some dinners. I am a working mother with 2 kids and no time! I hate skipping breakfast, but if i can't pop it in the microwave quickly I usually dont get anything....and I like to plan ahead for dinner so coming home and heating up would be great 1 or 2 days a week. If anyone has any ideas let me know!

Thanks!!

viliberty

I don't have suggestions, but I too would like some ideas.:bigsmile:

lvfunandfit

Anything in a slow cooker.... read this --- there are tons of ideas!
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/65431-easy-crockpot-recipes

eliblish

Some things I like to freeze are- Meatloaf ( use fave recipe, can cook frozen or thawed), spaghetti sauce w/ meat, Chicken or beef pot pie, chili, any soup or stew (i don't care for potatoes out of the freezer so those i usually leave out.) meatballs, egg roll filling, stir fry (cooked and thrown together, freeze rice separately), salisbury steak (another one that I cook first before freezing).

Also, for breakfast I soak my old fashioned oatmeal in water or milk overnight, in the morning- drain, add mashed banana and walnuts and heat til warm on the stove or in the microwave. No need to cook since it soaked all night.

cattiemac

On the weekend I like to make batches of spaghetti sauce, chili, soups, lasagna and freeze them for lunches/dinner. Let me know if any of these interest you and I can send my recipes.

Also, if you go to the website http://www.recipezaar.com and click on "recipes" you'll see a green button that says "open the recipe sifter tool" it will direct you to a page where you select criteria to sift through the recipes on the website. If you look under Presentation and hit the + beside Equipment it opens more items and you can select "Freezer" and it will give you a bunch of recipes that can be made ahead and frozen. From there you can sift even more by nutrition, course, cuisine, etc.

Jennifer22109

Thanks!!


Cattiemac - I would love to have your recipe for lasagna!

cattiemac

I'm at work right now (shame on me for surfing the web while at work!!) so I don't have the recipe on me. I'll send it to you either tonight or tomorrow.

You can basically use any lasagna recipe and omit adding the cheese on top. Freeze them in whatever portion you'd like and either cook from frozen or thaw and then cook. When it's heated through then add the cheese and cook for another 10 minutes.

cattiemac

I forgot that I had a copy of the recipe at work. I don't have the nutritional information handy but you can figure it out using sparkrecipes. Here it is:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
1 can mushrooms
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (5oz) tomato paste
1 can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1 tsp dried oregano
¾ cup water ( I use the juice from the mushrooms instead)
1 egg
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach (optional) **when freezing I don't add spinach because I find it get too soggy
1 cup creamed cottage cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 16 oz package lasagna noodles, cooked
grated mozzarella cheese

I cook the beef first and then I put in into a colander and rinse it under the water to get rid of the fat. (I usually do not use the olive oil called for in the recipe) Add the onion and garlic and fry it for a few minutes. Then add the next seven ingredients. (I usually do not add more than a half teaspoon of salt) Let the sauce simmer for about 45 minutes.

Mix the egg, spinach (thaw and squeeze out the water really well), cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and a little olive oil (½ teaspoon or so) and ½ teaspoon of salt

Cook your pasta

To assemble, start with the sauce, layer of noodles, sauce, noodles, egg/cheese mixture, noodles, sauce and top it with mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes at 350.

A dash of cayenne and thyme can also be added to the sauce mixture.

I usually double the recipe and get about 8 or 9 small frozen lasagnas. I cut each noodle in half and it usually fits into a small container well. I freeze it without the mozzarella cheese on top. I add the cheese only after the lasagna has been thawed and heated.

If you put a frozen lasagna into the oven it will usually take about 1 to 11/2 hours to heat right through.

Jennifer22109

Sounds Yummy! Thanks!!!

nhendri

Once a week I take eight eggs with 1/4 cup bacon bits and 14cup shredded cheese. Combine all in the Freezer bag mixed well then boil till eggs are fluffy. Then I seperate the eggs into sandwich bags (1/2c). This gives me aprox 8-9 egg baggies. I dont have to freeze them and just heat for 30 sec and have scrambled eggs. I usualy toast some wheat bread and have a breakfast that keeps me full till lunch time.

Jennifer22109

great idea!