Hi friend!
I hope you enjoyed part one of my timesaving kitchen tips and tricks. Today I’m going to explore the magical world of Bad Ass Batch Cooking.
Dedicating an evening or an afternoon to preparing meals and snacks for the week is an amazing way to save you time in the kitchen so you can put more of your boundless energy towards the activities you love.
And if that’s cooking (like me!) then you can still take advantage of batch cooking for your regular meals so that you can put more energy towards creativity in the kitchen!
Some suggestions
- Roast a chicken, have it for dinner and then use the meat in salads, scrambled eggs, etc.
- Cook up a bunch of chicken breasts or your favourite fish and portion them out so you have a quick protein you can eat with a salad for a complete meal.
- Cook large batches of soups, stews, curries, and stocks that you can portion into mason jars and freeze so you’ll always have a meal or side ready to go for those days when life is hectic. Place the jar in hot water for 20-30 minutes to thaw.
- Try cooking up a large batch of ground beef, chicken, turkey, bison, etc. with a basic seasoning of garlic, salt, and pepper. This base can then be used as a protein for soups, in frittatas, or lettuce wrap tacos (just add Mexican inspired spices!).
- You can also pre-make burger patties with your favourite ground meat of choice. Just take 1 lb. of your favourite meat, add 1 egg, 1 tbsp. mustard, 1 tbsp. arrowroot starch, sea salt, and any of your favourite spices such as chili powder, paprika, or turmeric. Roll into balls, flatten and either cook up all at once or store in the freezer with each burger separated by a piece of parchment paper.
- If you can tolerate beans, legumes, grains, and lentils try cooking a cup or two of each so that you can add them to soups, salads, and wraps for an easy protein source. You can also make sweet salad combos by mixing together either beans or lentils with a grain of choice, a few chopped veggies that you prepared thanks to my time-saving tips, and one of the dressings below!
- Make batches of salad dressings that you know contain only the best ingredients and that you can use for salads, dips, or even sauces when cooking. Check out these recipes for inspiration:
- Try making a big batch of this Fennel, Leek, and Walnut Salad. It lasts in the fridge for about 4-6 days (though I might pass on the apples and just go with cranberries or currants) making it a perfect side. Just add some of your precooked proteins and you’ve got a complete meal!
- Make some batches of homemade dips such as guacamole, baba ghanoush, or some tahini lemon dip to eat with veggie chips or slices use as a spread (after week 2!) in rice paper wraps, or use as a sauce for a roasted protein of choice.
- Try making these egg muffins, this frittata, or this one and freezing them so you have a quick grab and go brekky for those days when there’s not even time to turn on the blender!
- Whip up a batch of my Almond Spice Pancakes for another great grab and go brekky option. They freeze and reheat really well!
- Make a double batch of these kale chips or cheezy broccoli bites for an easy snack to have on hand so you don’t end up reaching for the real blood-sugar disturbing thing!
- Whip up my favourite Sweet & Salty Chickpeas for an easy and delicious snack on the go!
- You can also make a double batch of my Cacao-some Coconut Balls, Tahini Walnut Magic Bars, Vanilla Matcha Cashew Balls, Grain-Free Granola Bars, Chocolate Avocado Fudge Cookies, Grain-Free Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies, Ginger Granola, or Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookies for a quick and tasty pick me up minus the refined sugar and bloat-inducing grains!
Well those are some of my favourite things to batch cook. I would also high suggest investing in a crock pot and just throwing a bunch of random veggies, meats, and sauces in there and letting it cook on low while you’re out for the day. If meat isn’t your thing throw in chickpeas, beans, lentils, and/or rice and quinoa instead.
If you’re looking for even more motivation when it comes to your self-care,make sure you download my FREE Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan & Shopping List right here!
Cheers,
Cait xo
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