To ask what your "go to" batch cooking recipes are?

[Vilanelle]

And ideally they will be healthy (ish)

January is such a difficult month for us and we are trying to budget so any suggestions would be appreciated.

@IWishItWasSummer

Many, many thanks. On my menu for next week.

One more question - do you use new, waxt spuds or old, floury ones?

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I mean WAXY spuds!

Damn MN for no edit function!

Home made pesto (I use basil, watercress, garlic, cheddar and pine nuts or walnuts with vegetable oil rather than olive oil). It freezes really well in small tubs. It's so handy for emergency meals - all you need is 10 mins to cook the pasta. You can defrost it in the microwave and add it to pasta and it's a complete, healthy, vegetarian meal all in itself.

SpruceTree how much basil do you need? Is a supermarket pot/bag enough? I've always imagined needing loads more, and that it's uneconomical to make.

I Batch cook large vats of veg Mince for bolognaise, chilli con carne, lasagna, etc.

Fajita chicken and spinach mix which can be used in Wraps or with something else.

Wholewheat pasta with red pesto to which can add Tuna, cheese, butter beans as required.

I also make sausage casserole, bean stew, chicken curry and prawn pasta.

Many different kinds of cheese sauce some garlicky, some peppery, some with many kinds of cheese.

Make small batches of carrots and or parsnips in either soy sauce, honey mix or spices, ready to be roasted.

I have never made dhal and despite being vegetarian rarely use lentils as my mother cooks all those for me and we love chick peas more. Ive gotta remember to look up dhal recipes as it's mentioned constantly on mumsnet but I always forget.

Soup, loads of soup cheap and easy
Lentil Dahl here
Veggie food is much cheaper to make than meat dishes
I’m a big fan of the Miguel Barclay £1 meals, lots of cheap and easy recipes there

BBQ Pork and Beans
Dried beans
Tomato juice
chopped onion
molasses
Brown sugar
cayenne or dried chili flakes
Pork butt or shoulder

Cut pork into bite size cubes
mix the dried beans and chopped onion in a slow cooker or dutch oven
cover with the tomato juice
add the molasses and brown sugar till tastes BBQy enough for you
Mix the cubed pork through
add the pepper flakes
Cook in a low oven or slow cooker till the beans are tender

I am definitely making the feta and spinach bake this weekend, is that a meal in itself or would you serve it alongside something?

Would be great for lunches.

I have a lot of foil takeaway containers I bought for freezing meals, could I cook shepherds pie etc IN these to save transferring later? And the feta pie bake for instance

@Vilanelle I have it with salad for lunches or with chicken or pork for a meal.

Some upthread asked what type of potatoes I use (sorry I can’t remember who). I use Maris Piper.

I use foil take away containers for freezing things and they work well. Straight from freezer to oven most of the time.

I do a beef casserole that is based on Nigella’s Karbonnade a la Flamande. It’s best made with a cheap cut and done in the slow cooker. I also make a basic chicken tikka from the BBC Good Food site. I chuck lentils, carrots and peppers to bulk out. Both freeze well.

I make lots of potato gratin style dishes: basically sliced potatoes with either bits of ham flaked in or cheese, or vegetables. Or any combination thereof. Great way of using up left overs and super tasty.

Similar to others, lots of mince based meals. Bolognese, chilli, cottage pies.

I make chicken pie fillings and then cook with a pastry topping.

Casseroles and stews work well too.

Whenever I cook something that could be frozen I make extra so have a portion to freeze. My partner works shifts so this is a good way to stock up on meals he can just grab out of the freezer when needed. On these days I cook something for myself that he doesn’t like so winning both ways!

Sausage vegetable casserole, so so easy.

I make mince recipes with black beans, tinned if I'm short on time or starting with dried beans if I have longer.

Dried beans bring the very cheap option!

Butternut squash & sweet potato are good & cheap chicken substitutes in curries & casseroles if you roast them with herbs or spices first.

Taco Meat. I brown beef mince with chilli powder and cumin, then add canned black beans and corn. I freeze it flat in ziplock bags so I can snap off what I need. It thaws really quickly and is the beginning of all sorts of Tex-Mex style dishes that come together quickly.

I made @PurpleDaisies' spinach and coconut daal last night, it was awesome!

Chicken and chorizo ragu
Cottage pie
Curry lentil/chickpea/chicken (any curry!!)
Chicken pies topped with potato
Chilli
Soups
Casserole

Spag Bol
Lasagne
Mince Curry
Chicken curry
Beef stew (done in the slow cooker)
Soups
Chicken chipotle
Salmon and veg
Not a recipe but love a tuna salad or a halloumi salad

White chicken chilli. American recipe but is amazing especially with skin and boneless chicken thighs and butter beans. Just Google it and pick one.

We're mainly veggie so here's what i batch cook...

Bean & roasted pepper chilli
Vegan shepherd's pie
Dhal
Suasage & bean hotpot (using quorn sasauges)

I have been put off using dried beans for so long due to the need for pre soaking and boiling faff. But, I googled a while ago and found this link and it does work, so now I am a dried pulse convert! Well, black beans, but its a start ;)

www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/soaking-salting-dried-bean-myths-article

Black beans, sometimes pinto beans. I’m so boring and cheap. Soak overnight so I can just rinse then leave in the slow cooker all day - cover with lots of water and add garlic, cumin, cayenne, paprika, oregano then once cooked add salt, some corn or other edible oil, maple syrup or sugar, maybe some tomato powder. Freeze the black beans in portions for chili, black bean dip or as fillings for tamales, tacos, burritos etc. Pinto beans can become refried beans or just eaten with cheese 😋 I love beans!

My laziest quickest one is soaked black beans in slow cooker with reconstituted jar of mole paste 😋