3 Super Easy and Healthy Batch Cooking Recipes You Can Try Out Today

Batch cooking is a great way to stock up on healthy meals, especially if you have a hectic lifestyle or are short on time to prepare meals on a daily basis. By making sure to prepare and store your meals up to a week in advance, you can save on time, ensure you prepare nutritious meals for both yourself and family.

Arming yourself with a few trusty recipes and ensuring you have sufficient storage in a well organized refrigerator and enough storage containers is key to your success.

Below are a few batch cooking recipes to help you get started preparing and stocking up on nourishing and tasty meals for you and your family:

Grilled Chicken Breasts

Chicken breast is a versatile source of lean protein which is easy to prepare and freeze. Simple grilling beforehand, defrosting as needed and slicing into a salad will have you enjoying a nutritious and tasty meal in no time. Using meat from free range chickens will maximize taste and texture.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts deboned and skinned.
• .25 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• .25 cup lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestshire sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp mixed herbs (rosemary, oregano, thyme)
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions

1. Whisk vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, brown sugar, herbs, garlic and salt and pepper in a medium bowl to prepare the marinade. Set aside, ensuring to reserve .25 cup.
2. Pour marinade into a Ziploc bag and place chicken breasts inside. Seal the bag and shake to coat chicken thoroughly. Marinate for 1 hour or overnight if preferred.
3. Preheat grill to medium.
4. Remove chicken from Ziploc bag, drain and discard marinade.
5. Place chicken on a pizza stone, baste with reserved marinade and grill for 5-6 minutes on each side until well cooked
6. Remove from grill, allow to cool completely and place in an airtight Ziploc bag. Freeze up to 1 month.
7. To serve, defrost chicken breast, heat slightly in the microwave and place on a salad bed of greens. Top with avocado, olives, bell peppers and other toppings of your choice.

Frozen Vegetable and Herb Pizza

Frozen pizza can be a lifesaver on those evenings when you are too tired to cook meals from scratch. By simply defrosting pre-prepared pizza and sticking it in the oven for a few minutes, you can have a quick, healthy and easy meal within no time. Serve with salad to balance out the meal and provide a satisfying crunch. Baking a pizza for 3-5 minutes before freezing will ensure the crust stays crispy. Pizzas can be frozen for up to 3 months without spoiling.

Ingredients

• Homemade or store bought 12” pizza crust
• 1 cup tomato sauce.
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• Your choice of veggies and herbs like bell peppers, olives, artichoke hearts, basil, parsley, oregeno.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven or grill to 450°
2. Place your pizza crust on a pizza stone, place in the oven and bake for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
4. Top the crust with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni.
5. Place on a baking sheet, insert into refrigerator and allow to freeze for 3 hours or until solid.
6. Wrap the pizza in plastic wrap and place in an air tight Ziploc bag.
7. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Baked Ratatouille

Enjoy some spruced up vegetables with this French Classic which can be prepared beforehand and served as a side dish with beef, poultry and fish. Baking results in vegetables that are crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, while herbs infuse a pungent fragrance and earthy taste.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped.
• 1 medium purple onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 large zucchini
• 1 small eggplant
• 1 large yellow bell pepper
• 1 red heirloom tomato
• 4 small-medium vine tomatoes.
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp mixed herbs (oregano, rosemary, basil)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Prepare vegetables by slicing zucchini, eggplant and tomatoes evenly.
3. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a medium skillet and add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned. Add tomato paste and stir until onion mixture is evenly coated.
4. Transfer onion mixture into a baking dish and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil.
5. Arrange vegetables in alternating colors in the baking dish. Sprinkle with garlic, herbs, salt and pepper and a little more olive oil.
6. Cover with aluminum foil, place in oven and bake for 40 minutes until vegetables are tender.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
8. Freeze in a Tupperware container for up to 3 months.

Batch cooking is an efficient way to ensure that you and your family get the meals you need even when you do not have time for daily cooking. Using healthy ingredients and making sufficient quantities will ensure that you will never go hungry due to a lack of time to prepare daily meals.

Author Bio

Tiffany Watts is the blogger behind Dilesia, a food blog curated for newbie and experienced cooking and baking enthusiasts, with the aim of bringing back the glamor and fashion in the kitchen. Dilesia, “where sweet treats and good eats meet,” provides a portal for everyone to discover delicious recipes, new and upcoming kitchen gadgets, and easy (and surprising) ways to upgrade culinary skills.