Batch cooking...
UncleMac
Posts: 13,762 Member
As mentioned in a different thread, the dietitian suggested I take up batch cooking in order to assure a readily available supply of nutritious food ready to be reheated. I'm reasonably awful at meal planning and I'm wearing the results. Lack of planning leads to lack of portion control after snacks are skipped or insufficient.
So far, I've made two batches of chili and one batch of beef stew. Unfortunately, the boyz don't like soup otherwise I might try something like a barley soup.
Anyone have ideas for batch-able recipes that are simple enough for a novice cook to manage?
So far, I've made two batches of chili and one batch of beef stew. Unfortunately, the boyz don't like soup otherwise I might try something like a barley soup.
Anyone have ideas for batch-able recipes that are simple enough for a novice cook to manage?
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I just made this yesterday...........cut it in half and it was still a 13" X 9" casserole. I put it in the oven with a little cheese on top and my husband loved it. You could use beef instead of turkey. I added a little more tomato sauce to make it a little more saucy!
Tex Mex Turkey and Brown Rice
2 cups Brown Rice (dry)
4 cups (2 cans) Turkey Broth
2 lb 93% Lean Ground Turkey
2 tbsp Minced Garlic
1 large Yellow Onion, diced
1 large Bell Pepper, diced
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 can Tomato Sauce
2 cans Corn
4 cups Salsa
2 tbsp Chili Powder
2 tsp Seasoning Salt
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
In a large pot, bring rice, broth, and water to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes.
While rice is cooking, brown turkey in an extra-large pan. When it's halfway done, add garlic, onions, and pepper. Cook till meat is brown.
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, corn, salsa, and seasonings. Mix and simmer in the large pot for 15 minutes or pour into casserole dish and bake with cheese on top. Cheese isn't included in the calorie count.....LOL
Makes 16 cups. Keeps in fridge for at least a week, and freezes pretty well too.
Per cup: 223 calories, 6.2g fat, 30.4g carbs (4.7 fiber, 7.9 sugar), 15g protein, 790mg sodium
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That looks delicious, Lulu. Thank you!!0
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My son loves rice so I'm pretty sure he'll be a fan.0
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Looks lovely, I would be adding bell peppers and spinach or kale.0
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Big batch of TexMex Turkey & Brown Rice just finished. MmMMmmmm... so tasty....
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Apparently, the Tex-Mex was a hit. The batch was large enough that I thought I would get a couple of days worth of meals out of it. When I got home from yoga, 2/3 of it was gone.0
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It never ceases to amaze me when two young men eat enough food for six people in one sitting.
The dish looked enough like chili that I wondered if you've tried adding beans to the mix?0 -
I don't so much do batch cooking as I do Freezer Surprise.
In our house, we have lots of leftovers; I freeze them in lunch-size containers. Mix and match!0 -
It never ceases to amaze me when two young men eat enough food for six people in one sitting.
The dish looked enough like chili that I wondered if you've tried adding beans to the mix?
My husband can't really eat beans so no, but I think it would be good. I've added chiles for a little more spice and even zucchini (since we have it coming out of our ears in the summer)...........both were good.0 -
I think I'm make up a crock of baked beans and give the Tex-Mex another go.
It never ceases to amaze me when two young men eat enough food for six people in one sitting.
The dish looked enough like chili that I wondered if you've tried adding beans to the mix?
My husband can't really eat beans so no, but I think it would be good. I've added chiles for a little more spice and even zucchini (since we have it coming out of our ears in the summer)...........both were good.0 -
Sounds good............I think there's a lot of room for improvising with that recipe. I like it because of the rice but be creative with it!!!0
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My son loves rice and would choose it over potatoes any day. I don't care one way or the other. My only concern about adding rice would be the blurring of the line between this recipe and chili.Sounds good............I think there's a lot of room for improvising with that recipe. I like it because of the rice but be creative with it!!!0 -
I'd eat rice over taters any day. I make my own mix of brown and wild rice. Seldom eat white potatoes, mainly sweets.0
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He apparently is not going to mind eating the same/nearly the same foods for awhile.
Depending on what you are doing, canned corn can work for rice. Green peas also.
Pasta too but for some reason pasta seems to not have a good ratio of protein to calories
unless I am doing the math wrong and I very well might be.
Some folks use quinoa in place of pasta or rice. Quinoa does not have any magical qualities,
costs a little more, and needs to be purchased "pre-rinsed" so that the bitter outer layer is removed.
'Still it could be used for variety.
Also for variety consider greens like spinach and collards ( I find that the kale we have access to where I am is often tough.) Maybe green beans.
'Just tossing out ideas and hoping that it is ok if I am off target.
I do not do the major cooking in our household although I do supervise and plan.0 -
In an effort to get my son more involved in the cooking, I've been tasking some aspects to him. As Jen said earlier, anyone can peel veg. He's slow and messy but so far he hasn't complained. I asked him to sit with me and do up a meal plan for the week ahead. He said only if he can make it all horrible puns. For example... Stir-Friday...0
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Stir Fri-Day! LOL. Will he want his puns toasted and buttered?0
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LOL - Could always be Bakin' in the Sun-day...0
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I admire my son's sense of humour. He's always been quick that way. In high school, they held a talent contest. Most of the kids either sang or played instruments. He did a standup routine and got to the finals.0
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I love stand up !0
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I batch cook components more than full meals. I can pull different components out and mix and match for a quick meal if I need to.
- Grilled chicken. Cook the whole bag. Freeze some of it as is. Cut some into strips, some into diced. Put into freezer by usable portion - 1 cup of diced, 1 pound of strips, whatever works for you. Diced is great to throw into chicken pot pie or soups, strips make chicken fajitas or wraps.
- Taco meat. Cook 5 pounds at once, put into 1-pound packages. Same with sloppy joes, spaghetti sauce, and just browned ground beef (actually 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground turkey) for use in other recipes.
- Rice. Cook as much as my rice cooker will make, freeze in 1-cup bags.
- Meat loaf. Double the recipe, cook one, freeze the other.
- Soups. Double the recipe, freeze the extra in single-serving sizes. (Although you said the boys don't like soup.)
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Thanks, anniesgolden. If I could get stuff packaged and into the freezer fast enough, I might stand a chance.0
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Thanks, anniesgolden. If I could get stuff packaged and into the freezer fast enough, I might stand a chance.
This is what you do. Get the boys out of the house. Cook as Annie said. Wrap all containers in brown paper. Label them liver, fish heads and lima beans. They'll never touch any of it.0 -
Brilliant Nikki! Wayne looks like you are making great progress.0
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I'm not sure I would want to eat stuff labeled like that!! lolnikkib0103 wrote: »Thanks, anniesgolden. If I could get stuff packaged and into the freezer fast enough, I might stand a chance.
This is what you do. Get the boys out of the house. Cook as Annie said. Wrap all containers in brown paper. Label them liver, fish heads and lima beans. They'll never touch any of it.0 -
Tex-Mex with a hex.... This is what's left over after the boyz and I had supper...
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Wow. Great picture. And everything looks organized. 0
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Good job, Wayne. Now you have something for a couple of days if your locusts don't clean you out.0
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That was what was left AFTER the boyz and I had supper. I froze five of the seven. One of the unfrozen is gone already. Breakfast of champions, apparently.
My son is working on his meal planning puns. How does "Stews-day" (Tuesday) sound?0
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