Healthy Winter Warmers That Are Perfect For Batch Cooking

Winter is a time for comfort food and snuggling up on the sofa. Many of us vow to start eating more healthily once the festive period is over, but this can be difficult at the end of a hard day’s work. To make it a bit easier, we’ve created this list of meals you can prepare at the weekend and freeze for a fuss-free, nutritious evening meal every day of the week.

Batch cooking

Cooking meals in bulk and freezing/refrigerating them allows you to free up time on days when you just don’t have any. It can feel like you have two jobs when you come home from work and have to start cooking! This can sometimes lead to fast food or options that aren’t as healthy as you’d like them to be. Batch cooking uses lots of cupboard staples like spices, so get rummaging!

Jamie Oliver says, ‘If you buy food in larger quantities it often works out to be cheaper, and if you cook and freeze it in one go then food won’t sit in your cupboards or fridge and go off’. His guide to freezing food will come in useful when batch cooking.

Also, check out this chart to see how long your pre-prepared meals can be frozen for.

Butternut squash & chickpea tagine

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans, this BBC Good Food recipe ideal if you’re doing Veganuary! Eat four of your five-a-day in this warming dish which the whole family will love.

Ingredients:

• 500g butternut squash, cubed (a frozen bag will do!)
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 courgette, diced
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp mild chilli powder
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tbsp oil

(These ingredients make an amount to serve 2 adults and 2 children. Double up and freeze for future meals!)

Method:

• ‘Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, then slowly cook the onions for around 10 mins until starting to caramelise.
• Stir in the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for a further 2 mins. Add the vegetables and canned tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
• Put the lid on and simmer for around 15 mins or until all the veg is tender. Stir in the chickpeas, heat through and serve with couscous or rice.’

Good Vibes Tip – for an extra healthy meal, serve with cauliflower rice. This will make your dinner hit the full 5-a-day!

Chilli con Carne

This classic sauce is so versatile you could have it in a different form every day of the week! Serve it the traditional way, with rice, pour over a baked potato or pop into taco shells or wraps for a Mexican lunch.

We’ve taken this recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ Diet Club selection. Healthy and delicious!

Ingredients:

• 500g lean minced beef (10% or less fat)
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 300ml beef stock made with 1 beef stock cube
• 400g tin red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 150ml red wine / extra stock
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 -2 tsp hot chilli powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to season

(Feeds 5)

Method:

• Heat the mince and onions in a non-stick saucepan over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir the beef and break up lumps.
• Add garlic, chilli powder, cumin and coriander and fry for a further 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle over flour, stirring well.
• Add the wine and stock, stirring constantly. Then add the tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato puree, caster sugar, oregano and bay leaf. Stir them all together and finish with salt and pepper seasoning.
• Bring to a simmer then cover loosely with a lid. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and leave for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally until the meat is cooked and the sauce is thick.

Good Vibes Tip – for a veggie option, swap out the beef mince for a meat alternative or substitute for other canned beans or chickpeas. Sneak in finely chopped peppers, sweetcorn, carrots or any other veg to get some goodness into fussy eaters.

Cauliflower pizza bases

Take the junk out of junk food with these pizza crusts made from cauliflower! They are crisp, taste just as good as regular pizza and are so easy to make. Plus, it’ll save you a fortune compared to a Friday night takeaway!

We love this recipe from Megan Gilmore of Detoxinista.com.

Ingredients:

• 900g cauliflower florets, riced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 43g soft goat’s cheese
• 1tsp dried oregano
• Pinch of salt
• Whatever toppings you want!

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200 °C/gas mark 6
• Pulse cauliflower florets in a food processor until it reaches a rice-like consistency
• Fill a pan with about an inch of water and heat. Once boiling, add the cauliflower, cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Drain into a fine sieve.
• Once strained, place into a clean, thin kitchen towel. Wrap the cauliflower and squeeze any excess water out (be careful as the water will be hot!)
• Transfer your dry cauliflower rice to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well using your hands to make a dough.
• Press onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper in whatever shape you want. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden
• Add whatever toppings you fancy! Tomato sauce, cheese, meat… have fun and make it your own.
• Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes to heat the toppings through. Alternatively, put in the freezer and bake on another night once thawed for a guilt-free treat!

Good Vibes Tip – Again, you can easily up your vegetable intake by loading your pizzas with tasty and healthy toppings. Get the kids involved by letting them design their own pizza toppings!

Thai prawn and coconut rice

This meal has just enough spice to warm you up but enough summery flavours to get you feeling like you’re beachside. Plus, it’s a one-pan dish so you’ll have less washing up to do!

We got this recipe from Tesco Real Food. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 275g basmati rice
• 600g sweet potatoes, cubed
• 300g raw king prawns
• 1 chicken/vegetable stock cube
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 1x400ml tin coconut milk
• 600ml water
• 3 tbsp Thai yellow curry paste
• 1 tbsp lemongrass paste
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• Small bunch coriander, chopped
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

(Serves 4)

Method:

• Take a large, deep frying pan and heat the oil, adding the onions. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
• Stir in the lemongrass paste, curry paste and turmeric and cook out the spices for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Crumble in the stock cube and stir.
• Add the rice, sweet potato and coconut milk and cover with the water. Stir and bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer for around 10 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Ensure to stir now and again to prevent sticking.
• Add the prawns and cook until they are pink all the way through. This should take around 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in the coriander and serve. Use extra coriander as a garnish.

Good Vibes tip – serve smaller portions of this as part of a big salad for a healthy lunch option.

We hope this has given you some food for thought for your cold-weather meals!