I first got into batch cooking in second year of my undergrad when I moved off campus. Armed with a small budget and a very tiny kitchen, I learned how to make big, freezer-friendly meals using simple ingredients and everyday pantry items. My housemates used to joke I cooked enough food to feed an army! Below are some basics on: how to batch cook effectively, tips and tools for making things ahead of time, and some of my go-to recipes that I guarantee you will like.

Sunday Night Meal Prep

  1. Hard cook half a dozen eggs for easy grab and go snacks, Two hard cooked eggs and a piece of fruit make a great breakfast if you’re in a pinch.
  2. Prepare your smoothie packs for the week, I buy a big bunch of organic bananas and wait until they are super ripe and covered in brown spots. I dice them and freeze as individual coins in plastic bags/Tupperware to have them ready to add to smoothies in the morning. Check out my website for great smoothie recipes.
  3. Energy Balls- Below is the base to my favourite energy balls. I’ve included several modifications to suit different tastes and best of all, they freeze extremely well. Take out a few the night before and put a few in the fridge for an easy breakfast on the run.
  4. Quinoa salad- I love making a big quinoa salad to serve as a side or add protein and use as a main. Although there are endless recipes on the internet, two of my favourite are listed below. You can also cook plain quinoa in large batches, freeze it, and take out when needed.
  5. Chia pudding- My favourite breakfast item, especially in the cold winter months! Chia pudding is so easy to make in large quantities and will last several days in the fridge, I have also frozen chia pudding and still tastes great. Best of all, you can make it the night before so it’s nice and thick in the morning. Check out my website for some of my favourite recipes, pumpkin chia pudding and chocolate!
  6. Slow cooker- I use a LOT of recipes from the Oh She Glows Cookbooks and always have very good success. I will often stir fry the onions, garlic and other spices in advance on the stovetop, and then add all the ingredients (except leafy greens like spinach or kale) into the slow cooker on low for 6 hours or high for three. At the end, add any leafy greens, stir together and serve, I freeze at least two servings right away so I always have stews and soups ready to go when busy weeks arrive. I have a glass Tupperware set from Costco, which works great for freezing smaller portions and take out and heat when needed.

Almond Butter Vanilla Energy Balls

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)
  • 1/2 cup vanilla whey protein powder
  • 1/4 cup ground flax
  • 1 tbsp hemp hearts
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup natural ‘drippy’ almond butter (makes it easier to mix)
  • 3 tbsp raw honey or brown rice syrup for vegan
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup raisins, dark chocolate, nuts or mix-ins of choice
  • 2-4 tbsp unsweetened almond milk or water

Instructions

  1. Add oats, protein powder, flax seeds, cinnamon and hemp hearts to a large bowl.
  2. Mix almond butter, honey and together in microwave safe bowl, heat in microwave for 30 seconds, this makes it easier to mix when it’s warm. Stir in vanilla
  3. Add in mix-ins of choice. Mixture should be slightly sticky but still crumbly.
  4. Slowly add in liquid 1 tablespoon at a time and combine using slightly wet hands until it comes together in a big sticky ball.
  5. Roll into small balls.
  6. Place in a container to set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  7. Store in freezer until ready to eat. Adapted from Everyday Maven 

***Mix it up→ replace almond butter with nut or peanut butter of your choice. Use chocolate protein powder instead of vanilla and add a couple tablespoons of cocoa powder for a chocolate treat. Replace hemp hearts with chia seeds.

Asian Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed (or pre-washed)
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized strips
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • 1 carrot, peeled and grated
  • 1 English cucumber, diced
  • 2 green onions finely diced
  • 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint or basil (optional)

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 ½  teaspoons fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey OR brown sugar OR coconut sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (use less if you don’t like heat)

Instructions

  1. Add quinoa,  and 2 cups water or low-sodium stock to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked. Fluff with a fork, transfer to a serving bowl and let cool.
  2. In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the lime juice, fish sauce, oil, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes in a bowl.
  3. Once the quinoa is cool, add the red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, onions, fresh herbs and dressing. Toss well and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This salad keeps well for several days in the fridge. Adapted from Once Upon a Chef 

***Make it a main→ Add sautéed tofu, cooked shrimp or leftover chicken and serve on a bed of lettuce for a complete meal.

Quinoa Greek Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
  • 1/3 cup sliced black olives
  • 1/4 cup diced red onion
  • 2/3 cup goat or sheep’s feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp minced fresh garlic
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley

Instructions

  1. Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the quinoa. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Transfer to a large serving bowl and set aside to cool.
  2. Add the red and green pepper, cucumber, green onion, olives, red onion and feta cheese to the cooled quinoa.
  3. Whisk the lemon zest and juice, oil, garlic, dried basil, oregano and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and toss to coat well. Garnish with fresh basil.

***make it a main→ toss with a handful of spinach and leftover chicken, pork or shrimp

 

With all this batch cooking, want to know how long you can freeze food for? Check out this awesome infographic from the Huffington Post and never let food go to waste again.