Batch cooking basis with what you have at home
You will probably think that to eat well, health and tasty meals, you should be in the kitchen all day. But this is not true.
Even me, that I’m a chef and I love to cook, I also like to have more spare time to enjoy with my family, friends or even to have a rest and disconnect from the kitchen.
Batch cooking or cooking in large quantities and on a same day, will allow you to have more free time during the rest of the week, to keep your diet in a healthy way and to save money taking profit of all the produce you have at home.
The first batch cooking of the year, after the Holiday Season, was mainly vegetarian and with produce and ingredients I had at home.
I will be sharing more batch cooking options. With meat and poultry, with fish and seafood, other with grains and also a few sweet treats.
I will make a summary of this first batch cooking of the year:
- Double batch of a BASIC TOMATO SAUCE. I used half for the Eggplant Parmigiana and the rest for a pasta dish, pizza or stuffed veggies. RECIPE: Basic tomato sauce
- EGGPLANT PARMEGIANA , eat what you want and store the rest in portions as it will defrost quicker than the whole tray. It will be a good solution for a healthy work day lunch, lunch box or any occasion when you don’t have too much produce at home, or time to cook. RECIPE: Eggplant parmegiana
- The EGGPLANT MINI TOWERS is a dish you should cook and eat straight away from the oven. The good thing is that you can prepare it with part of the ingredients that you already cook for the Eggplant Parmegiana. RECIPE: Eggplant mini towers
- TOMATO AND SWEET PEPPER SOUP. You can freeze if perfectly. Double the recipe and you can have extra portions to keep in the fridge for a couple of days or to freeze them. RECIPE: Tomato and sweet pepper soup
A few tips about Batch cooking
-As a guide, my recipes are mainly based in 4 people. You can double the recipes ingredients and make extra 4 portions.
-All this dishes with the exception of the Eggplant mini towers, can be cooked in advance and store in airtight containers in the fridge between 2 and 3 days. You can also freeze them and consume between 1 or 2 months.
-Before taking the preparations to the freezer, allow them to cool completely.
-Always have some cooked grains, potatoes or legumes to add to your salads or stews. They are fulfilling ingredients and will complement any dish perfectly.
-If you have the chance, make yourself with a few good containers. Freeze and dishwasher friendly. Even better in square or rectangular shapes, to take advantage of your freezer and fridge capacity. And if possible, made of glass. I find them easy to clean and to remove grease and smells.
If you have any questions or would like to make a suggestions about future posts of recipes, send me a message to my e-mail address: ceci@tapenadefoodcreativity.com or leave a comment through the contact form.