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batch cooking

29 replies

iwantchinese · 24/03/2023 15:59

Hi,

Does anyone have any easy recipes for things i could batch cook (would need to be suitable for toddlers too)? I do all the normal pasta bakes, biryani, chillis and bolognese but was looking for something different but easy. I've had a look online and not too keen on the things i've seen as they seem really long winded.

TIA☺️

OP posts:
WeirdPookah · 24/03/2023 19:27

Something I like to batch cook is variations on Jamie Oliver's 7 veg sauce, I just use any vegetables needing using.
7 veg sauce

Then you have a vegetable packed sauce base you can turn into anything by adding additional seasonings, veg, beans, etc

PotterofGryfindor · 24/03/2023 19:50

Shepherds pie mix
mild korma curry bulked out with mushrooms and cauliflower
veg pasta sauce with meatballs
veg pasta sauce with diced chicken
lamb stew with lots of root veg (turnip, sweet potato, carrots etc)

iwantchinese · 24/03/2023 22:31

WeirdPookah · 24/03/2023 19:27

Something I like to batch cook is variations on Jamie Oliver's 7 veg sauce, I just use any vegetables needing using.
7 veg sauce

Then you have a vegetable packed sauce base you can turn into anything by adding additional seasonings, veg, beans, etc

Thank you, that's a good idea! I'll give it a try.

OP posts:
iwantchinese · 24/03/2023 22:32

PotterofGryfindor · 24/03/2023 19:50

Shepherds pie mix
mild korma curry bulked out with mushrooms and cauliflower
veg pasta sauce with meatballs
veg pasta sauce with diced chicken
lamb stew with lots of root veg (turnip, sweet potato, carrots etc)

Thank you for the ideas! I never thought about doing shepherds pie i haven't had that in years, i'll give them a try.

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minipie · 24/03/2023 22:35

Casseroles - beef, lamb, sausage & lentil
Curries (mild)
Tagines
Soup
Pasta sauces
Mash

Fivemoreminutes1 · 25/03/2023 05:31

pie
pie
stew

ruralwanderer · 25/03/2023 19:30

Have you checked out The Batch Lady's website for inspiration?

AtleastitsnotMonday · 26/03/2023 20:11

I batch cook falafel and fish cakes for the freezer. Most of the things I batch cook are in some kind of sauce, so fish cakes and falafel mix things up a bit. Both just get put in the oven (or air fryer) to reheat and served with something simple. Falafel usually go in a wrap or pita with salad and a mint and yoghurt dressing, fishcakes will be with veg or salad. Both have loads of variations.

WellTidy · 26/03/2023 20:13

Tagines - I do a chicken, apricot and chickpea one which is really tasty. Let me know if you’d like the recipe.

iamenough2023 · 27/03/2023 19:55

I do not batch cook at all, but if I did I would go for soups and stews, easy to make, easy to store and always tastes better the longer it sits. Something like leek stew, bean stew, cabbage stew and the list goes on.

Rebel2 · 27/03/2023 19:58

Sausage and mash pie https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoaVgRFocsV/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Cottage pie. The guy linked to above posts quite a few things that can be frozen

iwantchinese · 27/03/2023 20:21

ruralwanderer · 25/03/2023 19:30

Have you checked out The Batch Lady's website for inspiration?

Thank you I've never heard of that website before so i'll have a look at that.

OP posts:
iwantchinese · 27/03/2023 20:23

AtleastitsnotMonday · 26/03/2023 20:11

I batch cook falafel and fish cakes for the freezer. Most of the things I batch cook are in some kind of sauce, so fish cakes and falafel mix things up a bit. Both just get put in the oven (or air fryer) to reheat and served with something simple. Falafel usually go in a wrap or pita with salad and a mint and yoghurt dressing, fishcakes will be with veg or salad. Both have loads of variations.

It might be a silly question is falafel actually nice, i've never tried it before so just worried i'd make it and no one would like it 😂.

OP posts:
iwantchinese · 27/03/2023 20:23

WellTidy · 26/03/2023 20:13

Tagines - I do a chicken, apricot and chickpea one which is really tasty. Let me know if you’d like the recipe.

I'd love a recipe, thank you!

OP posts:
iwantchinese · 27/03/2023 20:24

minipie · 24/03/2023 22:35

Casseroles - beef, lamb, sausage & lentil
Curries (mild)
Tagines
Soup
Pasta sauces
Mash

Thank you! I'll give that a try. Does mash still taste nice once it's been defrosted?

OP posts:
iwantchinese · 27/03/2023 20:24

Fivemoreminutes1 · 25/03/2023 05:31

Thank you!

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iwantchinese · 27/03/2023 20:26

iamenough2023 · 27/03/2023 19:55

I do not batch cook at all, but if I did I would go for soups and stews, easy to make, easy to store and always tastes better the longer it sits. Something like leek stew, bean stew, cabbage stew and the list goes on.

Thank you. I've never batch cooked before but i end up getting lazy with dinners when i can't be bothered and end up with oven pizzas etc so i want to try and have something pre prepared as it's becoming too frequent😂.

OP posts:
iwantchinese · 27/03/2023 20:27

Rebel2 · 27/03/2023 19:58

Sausage and mash pie https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoaVgRFocsV/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Cottage pie. The guy linked to above posts quite a few things that can be frozen

Thank you for the link, i'll have a look.

OP posts:
midsomermurderess · 27/03/2023 20:32

Bobotie. It's a mildly curried minced lamb dishwith a mousaka-type egg custard topping.
'Bulked out', as mentioned above, always sounds deeply unappealing.

JustAPony · 27/03/2023 20:59

Have a look at Batch lady and Feed Your family for £20. Both websites and on Facebook.
The FYF cookery book has some fantastic ideas for batch cooking,but there are loads for free on the website too

AtleastitsnotMonday · 28/03/2023 08:52

It might be a silly question is falafel actually nice, i've never tried it before so just worried i'd make it and no one would like it 😂.

Well I like them, I'm not a fan of many shop bought varieties but I make ones that are baked not fried, leave the chickpeas quite coarse and do a mix of chickpeas and sweet potato. You can tailor the spices to your taste. This is the recipe I use.

minipie · 28/03/2023 09:05

Does mash still taste nice once it's been defrosted?

Yes it does - I tend to defrost and then put it in a pan, add a splash more milk and stir it well, as it can go a bit separated in the freezer.

Whiteroomjoy · 28/03/2023 09:24

I live on my own so always batch cook on a smallish scale so I have lots on freezer and I then don’t have to cook every day
yesterday I made 3 portions of a very garlicky (6 cloves 🤣🤣) mushroom and bacon pasta sauce. Ate one, 2 in freezer .
Later this week I’m doing a chicken curry and a saag aloo (would have been aloo gobi but cauliflowers are still disgusting in shops ) . I’ll make about 5 portions for each curry, plan to have 2 portions this week and next and will put 3 portions of both curry’s in freezer
I take the view of what CANT go in the freezer. Rice never, fish dishes avoided unless lots of sauce , as makes it fibrous if not instantaneously frozen as they do on ships.

right now I have portions of a game stew, sausage stew, chicken and leak stew, main meal soup, lasagnes, chili, various pasta sauces form plain tomato to turkey and carrot, a nice bit of ham I cooked with the stock to do a risotto later.
I always plan my meals for the week before shopping, and aim to freeze at least 2 portions each week and I tend to have 2 meals from the freezer - so a constant turnover.

I also, though, plan to do 2 very simple meals each week that require little to no prep. Often it’s fresh fish, boiled new or baked potato (no pealing) and tender stem or broccoli - literally no real prep and takes as long as a baked potato does in microwave then a quick 10 mins in oven . I’m also a big fan of tray baking - roasted veg on own with pasta, or various combos with meat /fish and veg. I choose veg that needs little prep like courgette, aubergine, fennel, mushrooms, peppers, skin on potatoes, etc etc. lm not going to faff around with lots of peeling . Often I’ll bulk up the veg and have a meal with the roasted veg and protein one day, then the left over veg with pasta the next.

Cynderella · 28/03/2023 21:51

Fish cakes and something that is a similar size but resembles BE Crispy veg fingers. Beanburgers,

Doesn't take much longer to make a dozen than it does to make a few. Easy midweek dinner - cook from frozen or defrost first.

GentlemenPreferBlondes · 28/03/2023 22:07

@AtleastitsnotMonday I am also curious about falafel. I tried making them once, with chickpeas, and they were really dry. What mix of chickpeas to sweet potato do you use? That BBC recipe seems to just be sweet potato??

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