repost wanting healthy homemade meals that can be frozen

futureredheadhottie
futureredheadhottie Posts: 46
edited September 30 in Recipes
I am working alot of over time the next couple if months. I would live to beable to just cook one or two days and be able to freeze food for a month. If you have any recipes or suggestions let me know. Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • MrsZMartin
    MrsZMartin Posts: 165 Member
    Baked Ziti made with super fine chopped spinach, cottage cheese, and whole wheat noodles. We don't ever end up freezing it, but it's purpose was initially to be a frozen dinner....sooo yummy!
  • FallonMCal
    FallonMCal Posts: 27
    There are a lot of good blogs out there.

    http://makeaheadmeals.blogspot.com/
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    Soups and chilis freeze up quite nicely. A few of my favorites:

    http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/467

    http://www.care2.com/greenliving/black-bean-sweet-potato-chili.html

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/black-bean-stoup-and-southwestern-monte-cristo-sandwiches-recipe2/index.html (the soup recipe part)

    I also love these black bean sweet potato cakes, and they freeze well too:

    http://www.marthastewart.com/332312/spicy-black-bean-cakes
  • Shamrock40
    Shamrock40 Posts: 264
    I make a three-bean chicken chili that my whole family loves, and Greek chicken meatballs that have spinach and feta. I freeze the chili normally, and the meatballs I roll and then freeze. I throw them in the fridge in the morning to thaw and pop them in the oven at night. If you want the recipe, let me know.
  • helenium
    helenium Posts: 546 Member
    Turkish low-calorie dish. This is the readout from my recipe:

    Oil - Olive, 25 g
    Tesco - Stringless Beans, 800 g
    Onions - Raw, 212.5 g
    Tesco - Italian Chopped Tomatoes, 1 tin
    Silver Spoon - Caster Sugar, 9 grams
    Marigold - Swiss Vegetable Bouillon Powder, 15 g

    Fry onions in oil in a saucepan
    When brown add beans, chopped tomatoes, powder (optional) and sugar
    Cook for 20-30 mins
    Check the beans are cooked.

    Makes 8 servings. Serve at room temperature. Suitable for freezing. Have with a slice of bread. One serving is 83 calories.

    It's a very bog-standard Turkish dish but remarkably filling. It's mostly vegetables with some oil.

    The powder is optional, it makes it more tasty but adds 338 mg of sodium to each serving.
  • otr12
    otr12 Posts: 632 Member
    I haven't had any success with previously frozen pasta, rice, or potatoes. Should I be cooking them differently than normal? Or is that "not fresh" consistency just a fact of frozen starches?
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    I haven't had any success with previously frozen pasta, rice, or potatoes. Should I be cooking them differently than normal? Or is that "not fresh" consistency just a fact of frozen starches?

    Starches do respond oddly to freezing: especially rice and pasta. I think it has to do with the water expanding and "bursting" the fibers. Whole wheat pasta is the worst! But I have made soups with smaller pastas (orzo/accini de pepe) no problem. I have had absolutely no issues with using sweet potatoes as an ingredient though.
  • krysydawn
    krysydawn Posts: 231 Member
    Here is my Taco Soup/Chili recipe.. http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=374460

    When its done, I use a 1/4 to 1/2 cup measure.. Grease muffin pans and spoon in chili. Pop into freezer until frozen and then remove, pop out of muffin pans and freeze in gallon zip locks. Depending on your muffin pans/measure.. you will have already portioned chili. :D
  • edouglas3
    edouglas3 Posts: 13
    I like to cook every night, but cook fast, so i try to keep the different parts frozen and then cook them together. for example, i always keep frozen fully cooked ground beef in my freezer to add to pasta or tacos. I make quiches and freeze them by the slice to have for breakfast.

    try looking for anything called "once a month cooking" online, these websites have the best info on how well various things can freeze.
  • futureredheadhottie
    futureredheadhottie Posts: 46
    I would love the recipes thank you.
  • heatherbarron84
    heatherbarron84 Posts: 9
    I am new to this site but I have been actively losing weight for several months now. Since November 29, 2011 actually and have lost 118 lbs. My favorite meal is cabbage soup. It makes alot and I usually freeze it. Only 42 calories 0 fat per cup!! Large head cabbage or 2 small, 2 can green beans drained, 1 can carrots drained, 3 onions diced, 1 can whole peeled tomatoes undrained, 2 can beef broth. Put all in large pot , cover rest of the way with water salt and pepper to taste, and I like adding some Mrs. Dash. Hope this helps you as much as it has me!! Good luck
  • healthyjen342
    healthyjen342 Posts: 1,435 Member
    I just posted a chili recipe in the recipes...it's called Chicken Three Bean Crockpot Chili ...I added my username in it so you should be able to find it..it's delicious..less than 266 calories for 1 cup...I like it...
  • futureredheadhottie
    futureredheadhottie Posts: 46
    I just posted a chili recipe in the recipes...it's called Chicken Three Bean Crockpot Chili ...I added my username in it so you should be able to find it..it's delicious..less than 266 calories for 1 cup...I like it...

    I can't find it I looked under recipes could you message it to me?
  • futureredheadhottie
    futureredheadhottie Posts: 46
    There are a lot of good blogs out there.

    http://makeaheadmeals.blogspot.com/
    Thanks there are so many great recipes on this website.
  • edd43
    edd43 Posts: 44 Member
    Bump
  • CraftyGirl4
    CraftyGirl4 Posts: 571 Member
    Sneaky Momma’s Tomato Sauce
    From: “Vegan Lunch Box: 130 Animal Free Lunches Kids and Grown-Ups Will Love” by Jennifer McCann

    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    ½ cup chopped onion
    ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
    1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
    1 cup shredded basil leaves
    2 cups shredded kale leaves (I used the whole bunch of kale that I bought)
    1 large carrot, grated
    2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    ½ teaspoon dried thyme
    pinch of dried red pepper flakes
    ½ teaspoon sugar
    ½ tsp black pepper
    salt, to taste

    1. Heat the olive oil and sauté the onions and bell pepper until soft. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring constantly for about 1 minute.

    2. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, kale, carrot, parsley, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Break the whole tomatoes with the back of a spoon and stir until everything is fairly well blended. When the mixture begins to bubble, reduce heat and simmer, stirring from time to time, for about an hour.

    3. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Add the sugar, black pepper and salt.

    I doctored this up a tad to make it more "me," and I'm sure if you try it, you will do the same thing. And, it's REALLY good, so try it! This makes about 4 cups of sauce, and I froze mine in 1 cup portions so it was ready to go whenever I needed it. Frozen tomato sauce makes a good ice pack to keep my other food cold until lunch :)
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    I also make "mini" quiche: you can use any crustless quiche recipe, but instead of baking it in a pie dish, make 12 mini quiche out of it using a muffin tin. Heat them up and have some fruit, veggies or a salad on the side for a quick breakfast or lunch. They freeze really well too.

    This is one of my favorites:

    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/crustless-spinach-quiche/detail.aspx

    **You don't have to use muenster. I use low fat versions of whatever I have in the house, and usually a quarter cup of feta.**
  • salmoninthebeak
    salmoninthebeak Posts: 114
    This is a great thread! Enjoying the responses!! I know I have something to add here,.... I'll be back :)
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