Date: 2014-02-16T05:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Cookbooks; Food & Wine; Canning & Preserving; Cooking Methods; Large Quantities; Professional Cooking; Quantity
Description: This is a freezer recipe book packed with delicious make ahead meal ideas. It is also a complete guide to freezing foods. The freezer recipes will have you covered for breakfast, lunch, dinner with a few snacks and smoothies included too. Each recipe is accompanied by a picture so you can see what the finished recipe will look like. Measurements are in both imperial and metric so the book is user friendly, no matter where you live in the world! I have also included charts and links to guidelines giving more information on freezer cooking, freezer organization and freezer thawing. Make ahead me

Make Ahead Meals: Easy Freezer Recipes to Make Ahead for Cooking Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Including Crockpot Freezer Meals

Peggy Annear

Table of Contents

Why Freeze Meals?

Tips for Freezing Foods

Foods That Freeze Well

Foods That Don't Freeze Well

Freezing Tips and Guidelines

How to Pack and Organize the Freezer

Freezing Small Quantities

How to Thaw Foods Correctly

Apple Puree Pancakes

Berry Acacia Smoothie

Gluten Free Healthy Granola

Crockpot Bean & Chicken Chili

Easy Pizza

Lentil Soup with Lemon Cream

Creamy Broccoli Soup

Pumpkin and Potato Soup

Gluten Free Fish Sticks

Quick Quinoa Salad

Green Power Sauce

Crockpot Olive & Chicken Soup

Salmon & Zucchini Patties

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Chicken & Bacon Casserole

Easy Beef Jerky

Tuna Pasta Casserole

Tasty Cheese Waffles

Easy Salsa Chicken

Beef Stroganoff

Chicken Noodle Soup Meal

Potstickers

Crockpot Pork Ragù

Quick Vegetable Pizza

Cashew Crumbed Chicken

Slow Cooker Creamy Beef

Vegetarian Tortellini

Macaroni Cheese

Mushroom and Capsicum Frittata

Moroccan Kebabs

Basic Beef Bolognaise Sauce

Hearty Hungarian Goulash

Teriyaki Pineapple Chicken

Carob Health Truffles

Banana Bender Muffins

Cherry Chocolate Balls

Copyright

Why Freeze Meals?

Why Freezing Meals is Smart!

There are many ways to store and preserve food for later use. Freezing is just one of them. You can freeze meat, vegetables, fruit, herbs, sauces and whole make-ahead meals including soups, casseroles and stews. The nutritional value stays in the food, plus you can save a load of money buying foods in bulk, cooking or blanching then freezing. Pulling a quick meal out of the freezer is great when you get caught out and haven't had enough time to prepare for lunch or dinner. Unexpected guests arriving can push the panic button...not if you have some freezer recipes in the fridge. Life in the kitchen can be made a whole lot easier when you plan ahead for these situations. The less stress the better!

It's wonderful getting home from work or following a busy day and having a meal already prepared and ready to go...every woman's dream! Instead of cooking every night, you can double or triple up and only cook every second or third night. Another wonderful perk is that cooking in bulk and freezing your meals keeps the kitchen a whole lot cleaner! You won't have the preparation every evening. Less mess and fewer dishes makes for a more relaxed kitchen and household in general. If you think smart and think ahead, you can put up your feet and have a glass of wine instead!

Tips for Freezing Foods

Freezer Storage Time Guidelines Chart. Results may vary depending on packaging and freezer efficiency.

Here is a quick look at recommended guidelines suggested for freezer storage time for various types of food. Generally, large pieces or whole cuts of uncooked meat stay fresh for longer in the freezer than small pieces or minced meats. The less air the food has around it, the more efficient the results. The better you seal things, the longer they will stay fresh. There are a variety of vacuum sealing machines available on the market. If you choose to use your freezer to the max, you may like to consider buying one. Any early Christmas or birthday present maybe! Otherwise there are lots of packaging options.

- Raw Ground, Chopped Meats such as Beef & Poultry - 3 - 4 months

- Cooked Ground, Chopped Meats such as Beef & Poultry - 3 - 4 months

- Cooked Whole Meats such as Poultry & Beef - 4 months

- Cooked Stews & Pies - 3 months
- Stock & Soups - 6 months
- Uncooked large pieces of meat - 8 months

*Semi commercial grade vacuum sealers will extend frozen food freshness.

Foods That Freeze Well

This is a general guide to what I freeze regularly. Almost any food can be frozen. Test a small amount first if unsure.

- Stock, soups and stews.

- Bread. (slice it first, or use small dinner rolls)

- Cooked rice.

- Meat, poultry and fish.

- Bacon and ham. Ends of "dryish" salami is also okay if frozen and thrown into soups or stews when cooking. When we make our own beef jerky, it is preserved my vacuum packing in small portions and placing in the freezer for later use.

- Herbs. While they will loose the fresh appearance, they won't lose flavor. "Tougher" herbs work the best like rosemary and thyme. I freeze Kaffir lime leaves off my tree. (We love these in curries)

- Berries and bananas.

- Pastry. Snap freeze and then wrap or place into a freezer bag.

- Fresh chilli, horseradish and ginger freeze quite well.

Foods That Don't Freeze Well

Here are things I generally don't freeze. You can't freeze cans of food still in the tin or eggs in shells.

- Dairy products, although butter is okay. However, you can freeze the ends of hard cheeses and pop them into soups or stews when cooking.

- High moisture retention fruit & vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, spinach, celery and lettuce. When the water expands it damages them. This turns them into mush when they thaw out. Sometimes I use small amounts of these things in a recipe such as chopped up in stews and they thaw out without any problem. Try it if unsure.

- Whole eggs will crack. (Remember the expansion thing we talked about earlier)

- Jam. Apparently the pectin which causes the jam to set breaks down when frozen.

- Mayonnaise and cream sauces.

Freezing Tips and Guidelines

Freezing Guidelines

Don’t refreeze raw food
Freezing foods slows nasty bacteria but doesn't kill them. Minimize any salmonella risk to be safe and don't refreeze foods.

It is safe to thaw, cook and re freeze
By cooking food you are killing the yeasts and bacteria so it can then be re frozen.

Organize storage
Make life easier by organizing your freezer as you place food into it and remove it. Label the food with name and the date it went into the freezer.

Keep a Clean Freezer
Maintain and if necessary clean your freezer so it keeps the correct temperature. −23 to −18 °C (−9 to 0 °F) is suggested for domestic freezers.

Rotate
By dating the foods you can rotate efficiently and eat the oldest foods first. Be aware that freezing salty or fatty foods will become rancid more quickly, so eat them more quickly. Examples would include freezer meals with ham, cheese and bacon in them.

Cool food before freezing
If you put hot food into the freezer it can increase the internal freezer temperature, which isn't ideal. It could also start the defrosting process of nearby foods. Cool the food first but make sure you’re not leaving it sitting on the bench top for long periods of time. If unsure about bacteria, when it's cooled slightly place it in the fridge for awhile before freezing to drop the temp quickly. Another thing you can do is place the food in a cool spot in or outside the house to cool it quickly. This works well dropping the temperature of stews more quickly. The bathroom tiles are sometimes cold enough for this method too. The goal is to get the food cooled as quickly as possible and into the freezer.

Freeze foods quickly
It's simple...freeze it fresh and it will come out fresh!

Use appropriate packaging
If the food is exposed to air, it’s going to lose moisture, dry out and have the awful freezer burn look and reduced flavour. Use good quality freezer bags that won't split or leak. This will also minimize the icicle look when defrosting! Freezer proof glass containers such as Pyrex containers are good too because they can go from freezer to oven. Try using muffin trays with small plastic bags inside them, filled with the food for smaller portions. Strong smelling foods can “stink” the fridge/freezer out big time, so using adequate air tight containers or bags is important!

Vacuum sealing
Save money and buy in bulk. If you freeze meals and buy bulk meats a lot to save money, you may want to invest in a good vacuum sealer machine. They vary in quality and expense. We use ours a lot after we have been shopping for bargains at the market.

Allow for food expansion
Water, and therefore food expands slightly when it freezes. Therefore, when packaging into bags and containers avoid breakages and explosions by not filling to the top.

Designate areas
Designate specific drawers or trays in the freezer for particular foods so you can find things quickly and easily. If you have pull out sliding trays, you can pack a particular food or meal on one tray all the way to the back. If you are freezing in bags, try to keep them uniform and flat in size for storage so they don’t waste room in the freezer or fridge. The same can be said for containers, stack same typed containers together.

Consider freezing in smaller portions
There are definite benefits here. Smaller volumes of food will freeze and also defrost more quickly. You can also defrost just what you need rather than wasting food that isn't eaten. So divide it up, slice breads etc.

Rapid freezing
The freezing process itself does not destroy the nutrients in foods. In meat/poultry products, there is very little change in the nutrient value during storage in the freezer. Freezing foods rapidly prevents those awful large ice crystals from forming throughout the product. This is because the molecules don't have time to form (into the snowflake shape). During thawing, they can damage the foods integrity. This also can cause meat to "drip" and lose their juiciness. Mayonnaise and cream will give the appearance of separation.

Read more about freezing foods at fsis.usda.gov.

How to Pack and Organize the Freezer

This is how NOT to freeze foods. You won't find anything until "next Sunday" and the food won't keep fresh for long. It is poorly packaged and poorly stacked.

How to Pack Frozen Foods
Place small portions of liquids or soups into a plastic bag that is sitting inside another plastic container for support. Once frozen, remove the container. There will be no mess plus you get to choose the size you want. Divide into portions you want for convenience, small or large. Ice cube trays can be helpful for small quantities too.

Packing is important
The foods will stay fresh if sealed properly. Also, packing together in an organized manner will ensure rotation of foods as well as utilizing the space in your freezer. You may want to place some parchment or baking paper in between bags to separate them for stacking. Try it out and see what works best for your freezer.

Seal Foods Properly
Plastic containers, snap lock or zip lock bags are popular in our house when freezing foods. Snap lock bags are great for stacking stews etc. However, if I have bought a packet of frozen vegetables from the supermarket I like to use either plastic clasps you can buy or better still regular washing line pegs. These work well and they don't break! Always make certain lids of containers are air tight, especially if you intend on storing the food in the freezer for some time otherwise it will be covered in ice when you remove it! The same can be said for bags. Be sure they are heavy duty enough to stay air tight and free of holes while in the freezer. Try to remove all air from around the food before freezing.

Plastic Containers
Use durable plastic containers that won't crack and break. Generally, the more flexible plastics work better. These are best for bulky meals such as casseroles, soups and stews. Allow food to cool before placing into the containers and freezing. When ready to use, place the container in the refrigerator the night before. Transfer into a suitable dish to reheat. You can reheat food in some plastics that are said to be suitable in the microwave, but I personally prefer ceramic, glass or a saucepan on the stove top.

Plastic Freezer Snap or Zip Lock Bags
These are wonderful for freezing vegetables or very small portions that you don't want to waste such as that little bit of sauce you have left over, or tomato paste, or herbs for example. Blanching an over abundance of vegetables is a great money saver. Bags come in many sizes which is handy. Only use good quality bags and lay flat in the freezer so they can thaw quickly and evenly. I also use snap lock bags for kaffir lime leaves picked straight from my tree.

Cling Plastic Wrap
Cling wrap can be really good for oddly shaped foods such as sliced pizza. Wrapping foods in cling wrap tightly keeps the air away from the food, thus helping it stay fresh for longer. If you want, pop it into a plastic bag also for extra protection.

Foil Trays
Foil trays are good for foods that will be placed in the oven once thawed. This saves double handling and washing dishes! Of course foil is also great if you are entertaining and are short on plates and dishes of your own. They are ovenproof and freezer proof.

Foods can also be double wrapped tightly in alfoil wrap. Double line an oven proof dish, after cooking pour into this and allow to cool before placing in the freezer. Once frozen cover with a large freezer bag to seal before returning to the freezer. Foil is good for lasagne, pies, roasts, other baked foods and entertaining.

Freezing Small Quantities

Freezing in small quantities makes good sense in certain situations.

1. If you only need to feed 1 or 2 people
2. If you are time poor
3. If you want things to thaw quickly
4. If you have a baby
5. If you need to prepare school lunches

Most people lead busy lives, so this is where the freezer can help. If you only need to cook for one, then making a tiny quantity just won't work, so freezing in small quantities will help. Freezing sliced bread loaves stay fresh for a few days too. If you are time poor your freezer can help. Cook once and the meals can last for 2 or 3 meals. Small amounts thaw more quickly so this is great when you are in a hurry to get dinner on the table! If you have a baby or small children, the freezer is your friend for saving time and money. Nobody wants to waste precious time by cooking one tiny meal for yourself or a baby each and every meal time!

Okay, so the fruit in the ice block pic is a little over the top, but you can easily make frozen ice blocks with fruit purees, juices and smoothies. Some fabulous fruit smoothie recipes and breakfast smoothies are here. I like saving time by making and freezing these for school lunches and work.

How to Thaw Foods Correctly

Cold Water Thawing
This method is my favorite if I have forgotten to take something out of the freezer the night before. It is faster than refrigerator thawing but needs to be watched. You must also use a leak proof bag. Just put water in the bowl or clean bucket and add tap water. The bag should be submerged, or close to it. Obviously thawing times will vary depending on the size and denseness of the food.

Refrigerator Thawing
Planning ahead is key for this method to work because it takes a long time to thaw in the fridge. A large frozen item may take 2 - 3 days to defrost, depending on the weight. Small amounts usually need a full day to thaw out. Everybody's fridge/freezer temps and efficiency vary, so take this into account. Practice will make perfect. After thawing using the fridge, items such as meats should remain safe and of good quality for a day or two before needing to be cook. Red meat stays fresh longer.

Cooking Without Thawing
When you run out of time to thaw frozen foods it is safe to cook foods from the frozen state. The cooking will take longer, but it is recommended to fully thaw raw foods first, especially poultry to be sure they are cooked through properly. Obviously frozen herbs and small portions of pastes and sauces etc are okay to be thrown straight into the curry or stew.

Microwave Thawing
If thawing food in a microwave, plan to cook it immediately after thawing. This is because usually some areas of the food often become warm and actually begin to cook. This can bring the food into the temperature danger zone.

Learn more about correct thawing methods here.

Let's get started with some recipes!

Apple Puree Pancakes

Ingredients:

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup apple sauce or stewed apples, home made if you have them

1½ cups all purpose plain flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar (optional)

½ tsp baking soda

*strawberries for garnish before serving

Directions:

1. Beat the eggs; mix in remaining ingredients except the flour, mixing till smooth.

2. Add flour, stirring to combine.

3. Gently fry batter by the spoonful in greased frypan, flipping to cook other side when bubbles appear.

Freezing Directions:

Once totally cooled, place the pancakes on a lined baking sheet so they are not touching each other (lined with parchment paper) Separate with more paper if you have lots and stack once frozen. Good in freezer for about a month or so.

*Serve topped with fresh strawberries or whatever fresh fruits you like best!

Berry Acacia Smoothie

VERY flexible recipe...use fruit you have when it's in season.

Ingredients:

1 - 2 large cold or frozen bananas

1 cup chilled milk

1 cup frozen or cold blueberries

1 cup frozen or cold strawberries

3/4 cup acai juice or just use your favorite fruit juice if preferred.

Directions:

1. Place all in blender and mix until smooth.

Freezer Directions:
Place into containers, ice cube trays or in small plastic drink bottles for the lunch box. I got this idea from the Amazon book Lunch Box Recipes ...as it doubles for a chiller pack for the kids lunches AND it's tasty and nutritious!

You can do this with smoothies and homemade juices too.

Gluten Free Healthy Granola

Granola is flexible with ingredients. Don't be afraid try things out with what you have in the pantry to mix things up! You need to blend this recipe to the coarseness you prefer. We like it chunky! Omit nuts if there is allergy problems and double the batch if desired.

Ingredients:

3 cups assorted chopped nuts & seeds (such as almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia, pumpkin)

1 cup dried or fresh cranberries, or other desired dried fruits

2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup coconut or olive oil

1/2 cup coconut butter

1/4 - 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp raw salt

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Line a baking dish / tray with baking paper and set aside.
2. Combine nuts & seeds into large bowl
3. Remove 1 cup of nuts & seeds mix and chop into small pieces
4. Place remaining 2 cups of nuts & seeds in blender and pulse till chopped quite finely – You should end up with a good mix of small and fine pieces
5. Return nuts & seeds to mixing bowl. Stir in dried cranberries and add coconut. Stir well combining contents together
6. Place a small saucepan on a low-med flame and add coconut oil, sunflower seed butter & honey, vanilla, salt & cinnamon to cook. Stir until mixture bubbles and then remove from heat
7. Pour hot liquid mixture over nut mixture, stirring to combine. Mix well.
8. Pour the combined nuts-and-honey mixture into prepared dish / tray and press together using wet hands or spoon pressing firmly to ensure ingredients are well packed together.
9. Leave mixture to sit for 2 hours, cover and then place in freezer for at least 1 hour
10. Remove from freezer and cut into chunk sized pieces or muesli bars slices with a very sharp knife.

Freezing Directions:

Cut into bars and wrap with parchment paper to separate, label and bag it up. Quick, easy lunch box or workout heaven!

Crockpot Bean & Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

2 lbs (900g) chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, cut into cubes

15 oz (425g) canned white beans

2 cups chicken broth

1 ¼ cups onion, chopped

4 oz (115g) green chiles

1 Tbsp cumin

½ tsp of salt

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp paprika powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Put all the ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Freezing Directions: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Place the mix in freezer bags, label and freeze.

When you'd like to prepare the bean and chicken chili, thaw and then cook on low for 8 hours in a crock pot.

Easy Pizza

Ingredients:

1 lbs (450g) pizza dough or base, homemade or bought at store

1 cup tomato sauce (or any other sauce by your choice)

2 cups cheese, shredded

Optional:

2 cups other toppings: pepperoni, diced peppers, vegetables, sauteed mushrooms or any other toppings of your choice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425° F (220°C). Place a baking sheet on a middle rack as the oven is heating up.

2. If you wish, you can divide the dough in half to create two separate pizzas. Place the ball (or balls) of dough on a parchment paper and roll it (them) out to your preferred thickness.

3. If you wish to make the pizza immediately, spread some sauce, then add toppings and sprinkle cheese on top and bake it for 15-20 minutes.

Freezing Directions:

After creating the pizza base, slide it on the pizza stone or baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 3-5 minutes until it is puffy and dry, but still pale.
Let the pizza rounds completely cool down on a wire rack. You can freeze pizza rounds as they are without toppings, but it is also possible to freeze almost fully prepared pizzas. Top them the same way as described above.

Put the unwrapped pizzas on a baking sheet in freezer for about 3 hours or until they are solid. Once they are solid, take the pizzas out of your freezer and wrap them with a plastic cling wrap, then with another layer of aluminum foil. Label and freeze. Pizzas wrapped in such double layer can stay good for up to three months.

When ready to prepare them, let them thaw while preheating the oven to 450° F (225°C).

Unwrap the pizzas and slide them in oven. You can bake them on the same aluminum foil you used for wrapping. Bake for 10 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Eat immediately!

Lentil Soup with Lemon Cream

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1½ cup brown lentils

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp tomato sauce

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp salt

2 bay leaves

For the Lemon Yoghurt Cream:

½ cup natural yoghurt
juice from 1 lemon
zest from 1 lemon, finely grated

Directions:

1. Cook the carrots on medium heat in a pan for few minutes. Add celery and onion and cook for a couple more minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato sauce, cumin, paprika and salt. Cook for half a minute.

2. In a pot warm up the broth with the bay leaves. Add lentils and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the lentils are soft. Add the fried ingredients and cook for one more minute.

3. Mix together yoghurt, lemon juice and lemon zest to make the lemon cream.

Freezing Directions:

If you freeze the soup in individual portions, it can stay good for up to three months. Once you'd like to eat it, make the lemon cream while the soup is thawing. Serve the soup in bowls and add a scoop of yoghurt lemon cream to each bowl.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

You will need to use a food processor to blend this recipe.

Ingredients:

about 4 large cups raw broccoli florets

4 chopped leeks

1 chopped brown onion

2 shallots, diced

¼ apple (diced)

35 fl oz. or 1L chicken stock
salt to taste

1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup cream or coconut cream, added before serving

Directions:

1. Cut all the broccoli into medium sized pieces. Cut up the leeks, onion and shallots. Peel and dice the apple.
Heat oil in large pot; add onions and sauté till soft (not brown, approx. 5-10 mins)
Add the broccoli and apple – stir well. Add chicken stock, enough to cover or almost cover the vegetables.

2. Bring to boil then transfer everything into the crock pot, including the seasonings. Slow cook on high for about 3 hours, or low for about 6 until veg is tender.

3. Cool slightly, blend everything with a food processor till smooth.

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze the leftovers in a container or single serves in strong bags laying flat once they have cooled down. Just label and stack. Before serving, let the soup defrost in your refrigerator, then add cream or coconut and heat on medium in a saucepan. Good in the freezer for a few months.

Pumpkin and Potato Soup

You will need to use a food processor to blend this recipe.

Ingredients:

1/2 large pumpkin, cut into rough chunks (about 3 - 4 pounds, but flexible)

2 large potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

3 sticks celery

2 cloves of garlic (optional)

3 cups of good chicken stock

1 cup hot water

Salt and black pepper to taste (add about 1 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp pepper)

*1/4 cup cream or sour cream, added just before serving (1 Tbsp Philadelphia cream cheese also works well)

Directions:

1. Cut up all the vegetables into medium to large sized pieces. (They will be blended so don't worry too much about uniformity as long as they are roughly the same size)

2. Place all the vegetables into the crock pot and pour the stock, water and seasonings in. Cook on high for about 4 - 5 hours or till vegetables are tender.

3. Cool slightly, add the cream or Philly cream cheese, then mix to a soup consistency in food processor or with a hand-held blender.

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze the leftovers in a container or single serves in strong bags laying flat once they have cooled down. Just label and stack. Before serving, let the soup defrost in your refrigerator, then add cream cheese and heat on medium in a saucepan. Good in freezer for a few months.

Gluten Free Fish Sticks

A kids favorite!

Ingredients:

1 lb or about 500g white fish fillets (for example, tilapia, cod, whiting or snapper)

2 eggs, whisked

1 cup almond flour (almond flour is high in protein and gluten free) More almond flour recipes here.

olive oil for frying
salt to taste

*Use a dipping sauce of your choice, or serve with apple cider vinegar or lemon wedges.

Directions:

1. Rinse fish fillets and cut them in finger-sized sticks (1x4 inches or 2x10cm), removing fish bones on the way.

2. Heat the olive oil in a big skillet on medium high heat.

3. Prepare two bowls: one with egg and other with almond flour and salt.

4. Dip the fish sticks first in egg, then almond flour and place on the skillet.

5. Cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until well browned. Repeat the process as necessary.

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze the sticks in a tightly packed container, or flat in between parchment paper once they have cooled down. Foil could be used too. Just bag up, label and stack. Defrost in the fridge, then reheat in the oven. Good for about a month in the freezer.

Quick Quinoa Salad

This is a filling and nutritious. Play around with the ingredients. Sometimes dried apricot is nice for a change. If the kids don't like something, leave it out.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup quinoa, uncooked and rinsed

1/2 Spanish red onion, finely chopped (spring onions work too)

1/4 cup red capsicum pepper, diced

1/4 tsp mild curry powder
juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/2 cup mixed diced vegetables such as carrot, peas and corn (frozen supermarket combo)

1/2 cup sultanas or currants (optional)

about 1 - 2 Tbsp of chopped fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, chives or cilantro
salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 chopped avocado (optional - when serving)

a handful of cherry tomatoes and baby spinach (optional - when serving)

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa as per directions: bring water to the boil and pour in quinoa and oil. Reduce heat to a simmer and boil for about 15 mins or until water has been absorbed.

2. Place the cooked quinoa into a bowl, and chill in refrigerator until cold, around 20 mins.

3. Remove quinoa from fridge and stir in all the other ingredients except avocado and tomato.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Chill before freezing.

Freezing Directions:

Spoon into individual small portion servings in a snap or zip lock bag, label and lay flat in the freezer. If you prefer larger quantities to make a whole salad, place into containers. Stays fresh for about 1 month.

Green Power Sauce

This is one of my favorite, versatile healthy green sauces loaded with chlorophyll. It can be eaten with appetizers raw, or cooked. It packs a punch! The sauce separates slightly anyway, so if fine being frozen. It is delicious as a dip, with meats or salads!

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled
about 1 inch cube piece of ginger, peeled

1 small bunch fresh coriander leaves

3 - 4 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or frozen

Directions:

1. Place everything in the food processor or blender and mix until smooth.

Freezing Directions:

Pop it into containers or for small quantities into snap or zip lock bags. Ice cube trays work too. Thaws out in a snap and is great as a dip with a cheese platter when you have visitors! (You may need to give it a brisk stir before serving hot or cold)

Crockpot Olive & Chicken Soup

This recipe can be cooked in the crockpot or on the stove top. It is an easy to make variation of classical spicy tomato chicken soup. The soup/stew is packed full of nutrition!

Ingredients:

10 oz chicken meat (about 4 small single pieces of breast meat)

8 oz Mexican style canned tomatoes, or regular canned tomatoes

14 oz chicken broth (about 2 small cups)

3 cloves garlic, minced and roasted

1 avocado, chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cups yellow, green and red bell peppers, chopped

1 jalapeno chile pepper, sliced

1 cup black olives

1 cup tortilla chips added before serving (pasta works too, or leave out altogether)

salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place everything but the tortilla chips in the crock pot and cook for 3-3½ hours on high heat or for 6-7 hours on low heat.

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze the leftovers in a container or single serves in strong bags laying flat once they have cooled down. Just label and stack. Before serving, let the soup defrost in your refrigerator, then heat on medium in a saucepan. Serve the soup in small bowls topped with tortilla chips, or pasta strips. (If you have ripe home grown tomatoes in the garden, pop one of those in too) Garnish with an avocado slice and sprig of parsley. Good for a few months in freezer.

Salmon & Zucchini Patties

These are good for the kids. You can use mashed potato instead of the zucchini if you like.

Ingredients:

1 egg

3/4 cup shredded zucchini (or mashed potato)

1 x 15oz (425g) can drained tuna in olive oil or salmon (can use fresh, or steamed)

1/2 cup diced green/spring onion

1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp garlic flakes
a pinch of ground black pepper
a few drops of fish sauce (optional) it gives a lovely flavor...trust me

3 Tbsp all purpose plain flour, or just enough to "soak up" excess moisture so you can roll into patties.

Directions:

In a large bowl, place the shredded zucchini after squeezing out the excess water thoroughly. Add all other ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Heat a large non-stick skillet or pan sprayed with non-stick spray over medium-low heat. With your hands, make small round patties out of the zucchini mixture and place into your pan. Cook until golden brown, flipping halfway through.

Freezer Directions:

Cool thoroughly, then wrap each patty in foil and place a few patties into a snap lock or zip lock bag. Stays fresh in freezer for about a month or so. Serve with a garden salad, dip or veggies.

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

2 lb (900g) beef, ground

1 lb (450g) pork, ground

1 lb (450g) lamb, ground

1 cup flour

3 eggs, beaten

2 onions, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp rosemary, finely chopped

1 Tbsp paprika powder

2 tsp salt
ground black pepper to taste

For the Tomato Sauce:

56oz (1.6kg) peeled canned tomatoes

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1 bay leaf
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Stir all meats together. Blend the onions, garlic, rosemary, paprika powder, salt and black pepper in a food processor until a fine paste forms. Add the mixture, flour and eggs to the meat. Mix all ingredients together.

2. Preheat the oven to 450° F (230°C). Use a spoon or a melon baller to create small meatballs. Place them on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cook the meatballs in the oven for 20 minutes until brown.

3. To create the sauce heat up a large frying pan or small wok pan on medium heat. Add olive oil and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until the garlic is golden.

4. Add the tomatoes. Crush them with a wooden spoon while stirring. Reduce the heat. Mix in the bay leaf and vinegar. Cook for a bit then add sugar, salt and pepper.

5. Add the cooked meatballs and simmer for a little bit.

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze cooked meatballs. Just let them cool down, then put them in your freezer on a baking sheet for few hours until they become solid. Once they are properly frozen, vacuum seal them in small packages (6-10 meatballs in one zip-top bag). This way they won't freeze together.

When you are ready to eat, let the meatballs thaw, then prepare the sauce. Cook according to the instructions above. It could take a bit longer though, if the meatballs are still a bit cool.

Chicken & Bacon Casserole

Browning the ingredients in different stages where suggested gives this dish a rich flavor. This can be cooked on the stove top in a heavy pan, or in the crockpot.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp olive oil

5 - 6 chicken pieces (with excess fat and skin removed)

5 roughly chopped lean rashers of bacon

2 large brown onions

1 chopped garlic clove

1/2 cup chopped, halved mushrooms

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 cups red wine

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp mixed herbs
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat a heavy based pan to medium high and brown all the chicken in the oil. Transfer into the crock pot.

2. In the same pan, fry the bacon and onions for about 3 minutes till partially crispy and browned.

3. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms for about 5 minutes more.

4. Now blend in the flour, again cooking for about 2 - 3 minutes, then gradually blend in the stock and red wine.

5. Place all this mix into the crock pot and add the bay leaves, herbs and seasonings.

6. Cook on low for about 6 hours or high for about 4.

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze in strong bags laying flat once they have cooled down. Before serving, let the meal defrost in your refrigerator, then heat in the oven. Good for a few months in the freezer. Serve with mashed potato, grilled eggplant, pumpkin, sweet potato or steamed broccoli.

Easy Beef Jerky

You can use a food dehydrator if you have one.

Ingredients:

1lb (about 500g) lean, quality, beef sirloin steak

½ cup soy sauce

1 Tbsp favorite ground spice mix such as BBQ, chili etc

*The saltiness is what helps preserve the beef

Directions:

1. Trim the meat from fat, then put it in the freezer for 30-60 minutes so it would firm up.
2. Remove the steak from the freezer and with a sharp knife cut the meat against the grain. Make the slices thin, but still as consistent as possible.
3. Put the pieces in a large plastic bag. Pour the oil in the bag, and let the beef marinate overnight or at least for few hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 200°F (95°C) for dehydrating the jerky. Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil and place racks on top of them so the jerky would be exposed to hot air on both sides.
5. Place jerky on the racks. Keep them a bit separate to make them accessible to air.
6. Bake for about 2 hours, or until the dryness is about "jerky" consistency, a little overdone if anything.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or freeze.

Freezing Directions:
Divide into small quantities into snap or zip lock bags and freeze. Thaws out quickly. Makes a great "on the go" snack or in the lunch box.

Tuna Pasta Casserole

Ingredients:

12 oz (340g) pasta of your choice

10 oz (280g) canned tuna, drained

3 cups full fat milk

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 cup thinly sliced spinach

½ cup sour cream

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup bread crumbs

2 shallots, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tbsp flour

3 Tbsp capers, drained

2 Tbsp butter, plus more for greasing pan

1½ tsp dried thyme

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (180°C). Butter a casserole dish. Cook the pasta in pot of boiling water. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add the mushrooms and shallots. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook for one more minute. Slowly add the wine and lower the heat. Cook for 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the flour. Increase the heat to high and mix in the milk. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium. Keep stirring to avoid clumps in the sauce

4. In a bowl mix together the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, capers, tuna, sour cream, spinach, thyme salt and pepper. Pour the mushroom sauce over, and mix all ingredients together. Transfer this mixture to the prepared casserole dish.

5. In a skillet on medium heat melt the butter and slightly toast the breadcrumbs for 3 minutes. Sprinkle them over the casserole. Bake it for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Freezing Directions:

If you wish to freeze this casserole, do that before the baking. Let the casserole cool down and place it in a foil baking pan, cover it with foil, label and place it in your freezer. It should stay good for two months this way.

Tasty Cheese Waffles

With waffles you can go ballistic with creativity! Try adding some spring onion, salami or wasabe!

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all purpose plain flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp chopped chives, or other herbs (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 eggs

1 cup milk

90g (3oz) melted butter

1 cup grated tasty cheese

Directions:

1. Heat waffle iron.

2. Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl, stir in the seasonings and herbs if using.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, butter and milk.

4. Pour wet ingredients into the dry, gently stirring.

5. Add cheese.

6. Spoon batches into waffle iron, being careful to not overfill, smoothing out with the back of spoon.

Freezing Directions:

These waffles can be frozen in zip-top bags, either vacuum sealed or in airtight containers with baking paper to separate them. Stays fresh for about 1 month.

Easy Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans corn, drained

1 cup salsa

½ cup water

1 package taco seasoning

Garnishing Toppings when serving (choose the ones you have/like):

- hot sauce
- sour cream
- lettuce, shredded
- tomatoes, diced
- avocado, diced
- cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Place beans, corn, water and taco seasoning in a crock pot and stir to combine. Put the chicken breasts on top and pour salsa over them. Cook on high setting for 4 hours.

Freezing Directions:

Let it cool down, place it in a container or vacuum seal it in a zip-top bag, label and store.
Once you are ready to eat it, let it thaw and heat it in a saucepan on the stove top.
Shred the chicken and serve with rice, chips or in tortillas. Garnish with your favorite toppings.

Beef Stroganoff

This can be cooked on the stove top or in the crockpot.

Ingredients:

3 lbs (1360g) any stewing meat, or meaty ribs

6 oz (170g) mushrooms, sliced

1½ cups beef stock

½ cup flour

½ cup sour cream

¼ cup apple juice

1 onion, diced

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp ketchup

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp garlic salt

¼ tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Place the stew meat, salt, pepper and onion in a crock pot and stir to combine.

2. In a small bowl combine the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and garlic salt. Pour this sauce over the meat. Cook for 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.

3. Half an hour before serving whisk together the flour and apple juice. Pour the sauce in your crock pot and mix it in. Mix in the mushrooms, and cook on high for 30 minutes.

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze the leftovers in a glass or plastic container once they have cooled down. Strong bags laid flat work too. Just label and store. Before serving, let the beef stroganoff defrost in your refrigerator, then cook on medium heat in a saucepan. Just before serving stir in the sour cream. Serve with rice, pasta or boiled potatoes.

Chicken Noodle Soup Meal

Ingredients:

5 cups chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can corn, drained

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded

½ cup green onions, sliced

3 celery ribs, finely chopped

½ onion, finely chopped

½ tsp garlic powder
salt and black pepper to taste

1 carrot (optional)

1 ½ cups egg noodles (served with meal)

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients except the noodles and the cooked chicken in a crock pot. Mix them. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Freezing Directions:

For a freezer chicken noodle soup, mix all the ingredients, but noodles, cooked chicken and broth in a zip-top bag or container and freeze. Stack to save space. Good in freezer for a few months.

Add the cooked noodles to the chicken when heating up. Serve and enjoy!

Potstickers

Ingredients:

6 oz (170g) baked tofu

4 oz (115g) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, finely chopped

1 lb (450g) cabbage, thinly sliced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 egg, beaten

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1½ Tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp ginger, minced

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

60 small square dumpling wrappers, homemade or store-bought

Directions:

1. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and salt. Cook until the cabbage is well done for 3 more minutes. Move this mix to a bowl and let it cool down.

2. Meanwhile, crumble the baked tofu in another bowl, add the scallions, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger and black pepper. Mix well.

3. Squeeze the liquid out of cabbage and mushrooms, and transfer this mixture to the bowl with tofu. Add the egg and mix everything.

4. Prepare a bowl of water and a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle of each dumpling, then pinch them closed.

5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add a bit of oil in it. Place as many potstickers as you can on it, but make sure they don't touch each other. Cook for 2 minutes from both sides until golden.

6. Put the lightly fried potstickers in a pot with 3 tablespoons of water and steam for 3-5 minutes until all water is absorbed. Repeat the process.

Freezing Directions:

Once you have prepared the potstickers instead of cooking them, you can freeze them for later use.

First, place the baking sheet with potstickers in your freezer for a couple of hours until they become solid, then transfer to a freezer container, label and freeze for up to three months.You can cook them immediately straight from the freezer, just increase the frying and steaming time. Serve hot with soy sauce for dipping.

Crockpot Pork Ragù

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs boneless pork piece (can used minced pork instead) trimmed and cut in large chunks

15oz can tomatoes

1 big carrot, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp tomato sauce

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste

2 cups penne pasta (served with meal)

grated Parmesan cheese (served with meal)

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients (except for pasta and Parmesan cheese) in a crock pot and cook until the pork is very tender. (If using mince you will need to stir it or cook on stove top briefly to separate first) It should take about 5-6 hours on high heat or 7-8 hours on low heat.

Freezing Directions:
You can freeze any leftovers in a glass or plastic container, or freeze in individual serves in good strong bags laying flat once they have cooled down. Just label and stack.

1. Heat the pork in a pot. Prepare the penne, it takes approximately 20 minutes to be done. While the pasta is boiling, shred or cut the pork. Mix it well with the cooking liquid. Once penne is done, drain it and mix with the pork.

2. Sprinkle with Parmesan shortly before serving, and add a few basil leaves for color and added flavor. Good for a few months in freezer.

Quick Vegetable Pizza

Ingredients:

1 whole pita bread of your choice

½ cup mixed sliced vegetables of your choice (I like onion, baby spinach or sugar snap peas, basil, sun dried tomato and olive)

¼ cup tomato sauce or paste

¼ cup cheese of your choice, grated (can’t beat a little Parmesan)

cooking spray for coating

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Use the cooking spray on a baking sheet. Place the pita bread on it.

2. Spread the tomato sauce on pita bread. Top with vegetables of your choice. Sprinkle the cheese over (this can be left until you are ready to eat after they come out the freezer if desired).

3. Bake for 8 minutes or until cheese is lightly brown.

Freezing Directions:

Cool and snap freeze, then wrap individual pieces or whole pizza in parchment paper to separate and placing in an air tight labelled bag or foil. Stack slices on top of each other to save space. Thaw out of bag before reheating. Don't leave them standing too long once thawed before heating as they will dry out. Pizzas wrapped in double layer can stay good for up to three months.

You can bake them on the same aluminum foil if you used this for wrapping. Bake for 10 minutes until the crust is done and the cheese has melted. Eat immediately!

Cashew Crumbed Chicken

Ingredients:

400g (14oz) chicken breast fillets

2 tsp coriander

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp black peppercorns

2 tsp black mustard seed

3 Tbsp all purpose plain flour

A pinch cayenne pepper

A handful of well crushed cashews, almond meal or standard breadcrumbs
oil for frying

*A handful of fresh coriander, baby spinach leaves or parsley when serving

Directions:

1. Grind black peppercorns & mustard seed with mortar & pestle.

2. Combine ground pepper, mustard, cumin, coriander & cayenne in a bowl. Add the flour.

3. Heat a frypan to medium, dry fry crushed cashews till golden (don't burn) and then set aside.

4. Add enough oil to frypan to shallow fry chicken which has been generously coated with cashew and spice mix. Fry till crisp and lightly golden!

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze flat in between parchment paper once they have cooled down. Just bag up, label and stack. Defrost in the fridge, then either cook or reheat in the oven on in oil on the stove top. Before serving, top with fresh herbs on top of baby spinach leaves or salad. Good for a few months in the freezer.

Slow Cooker Creamy Beef

Sometimes this recipe separates slightly after freezing, but still tastes good!

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs (about 5 cups) round steak

½ onion

2 1/2 cups sour cream

8oz (1 cup) mushrooms, chopped

1 Tbsp dried chives

1 garlic clove

¼ cup dry white wine

1 Tbsp flour

½ cup fresh dill, roughly cut
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Cut the beef in strips and place it in a crock pot.

2. Finely chop the onion and pour it over the meat, then add mushrooms and cream.

3. Mix wine with the flour, and add this mixture to the beef too.

4. Finally, season this with chopped garlic, chives, salt and pepper.

5. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours.

6. Can add 1/2 cup of beef stock or water if too dry.

Freezing Directions:
You can freeze the leftovers in a freezer container or single serves in strong bags laying flat once they have cooled down. Just label and stack. Before serving, let the stew defrost in your refrigerator, then heat on medium in a saucepan. Good for about 1 month in the freezer.

Serve with rice or pasta. Season with dill just before serving.

Vegetarian Tortellini

Ingredients:

1 package (16 oz, 450g) frozen cheese tortellini, slightly cooked (firm, but not hard)

1½ jars spaghetti sauce

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

½ cup frozen spinach, defrosted, drained and finely chopped
cooking spray for greasing

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190°C). Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Cook the cheese tortellini al dente – keep them a bit firm.

3. Spread a thin layer of sauce onto the baking dish. Put half of the tortellini over the sauce in one layer. Pour half of the sauce over them, then add spinach, mozzarella and Cheddar cheese. Then make another tortellini layer and one more sauce/spinach/cheese layer.

4. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for additional 15 minutes until ready. Let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Freezing Directions:

This dish can be frozen in a foil baking before it is baked. Make sure that the tortellinis aren't hot anymore, then cover the dish with foil, label and freeze.

Before cooking frozen tortellinis, thaw the meal in refrigerator, then cook according to instructions above.

Macaroni Cheese

Ingredients:

1 lb (450g) pasta of your choice

4 cups full fat milk

1 cup buttery crackers, crushed

1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

1 Pup Parmesan cheese, grated

¼ cup flour

6 Tbsp butter (also some for greasing baking dishes)

2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F (180°C).Butter a large baking dish or few smaller ones.

2. Cook the pasta al dente – until it is firm, but not hard anymore.

3. Melt the butter in a large pot on medium heat. Add the flour. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk, add the salt and pepper. When the sauce starts to bubble, cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the grated cheeses.

4. Add the sauce to the pasta and mix well. The mixture will be wet, but don't worry. Transfer it to the baking dishes. Sprinkle each of them with crushed crackers and parsley. Bake for 20 to 40 minutes (depending on your dish size) until golden.

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze this mac cheese unbaked in a labeled container for up to 3 months.

Before baking it, let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Cover the dish(es) with foil and bake for 25 minutes or 50 minutes (depending on the dish size). Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes

Mushroom and Capsicum Frittata

Ingredients:

8 eggs, beaten

8 oz (225g) mushrooms, sliced

5 oz (140g) meat patties, cooked and crumbled

1 green bell pepper, chopped (optional)

½ cup all purpose plain flour

½ cup cheese, grated

1 tsp baking powder
salt and black pepper to taste
cooking spray for coating

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).

2. In a frying pan saute the mushrooms and bell pepper for about 3 minutes on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for one more minute.

3. In a bowl mix the eggs with flour baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir in almost all of the cheese.

4. Combine the crumbled patties with mushrooms and bell pepper. You can do it in the same pan.

5. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Place the mushroom, bell pepper and meat mixture in it. Pour the egg mixture over. If you wish you can add some mushroom slices on top or sprinkle the frittata with some more cheese.

6. Bake for 40 minutes in the oven or until done.

Freezing Directions:

Cool and snap freeze quickly, then wrap individual pieces or whole fritatta in parchment paper and placing in an air tight labelled bag. Stack slices on top of each other to save space. Thaw in bag thoroughly before reheating.

Moroccan Kebabs

Ingredients:

2 lb (900g) cubed lamb or beef for skewers

3 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp paprika powder

1 tsp cumin, ground
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Cover the tray with a towel or plastic and let the lamb marinate for several hours in the refrigerator.
3. Put the meat pieces on skewers and freeze.

Freezing Directions:

Freeze in snap lock bags, or wrap in parchment paper and foil. Separate them on a tray, label and freeze. Stays good for about 2 months. When ready to cook, fire up the BBQ or cook in oven or on stove top. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and red onion rings either lightly fried or raw.

.

Basic Beef Bolognaise Sauce

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion

60oz crushed tomatoes

4 garlic cloves

1 tsp Mexican style chili powder or fresh chili
salt and black pepper to taste

*¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, just before serving

*2 Tbsp basil leaves, just before serving if desired

*cook pasta just before serving

Directions:

This is a simple, yet delicious slow cooker recipe.

1. Chop the onion in small pieces. Fry onion in oil, brown beef and chili powder for about 3 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes and seasonings of your choice, simmering until done, about 1 1/2 hours.

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze the leftovers in a container or single serves in strong bags laying flat once they have cooled down. Just label and stack. Before serving, let the bolognaise defrost in your refrigerator. Cook the pasta, then heat bolognaise on medium in a saucepan. Good for a few months in freezer.

Serve pasta with a big spoon of the meat sauce, sprinkle with basil, Parmesan cheese, a few chopped sun dried tomatoes or cherry tomatoes and basil leaves.

Hearty Hungarian Goulash

A hearty Hungarian delight! I cook this in the crockpot if I'm out all day. (Just put it into the crockpot from Direction # 3, including halved potatoes and cook on low for about 8 hours or high for 4 - 5 hours)

Ingredients:

1 kg. (500g) lean cubed beef (I use gravy beef, chin beef or topside)

1Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion

1 heaped Tbsp Hungarian paprika

1 tspn caraway seed water

1/2 tspn marjoram or oregano

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 cup of water

1 cup of beef stock (optional)

1 seeded and cubed red pepper (capsicum)

1/2 chili seeded and finely sliced

1 small tin or a few fresh tomatoes

1 bay leaf

3 large potatoes, cubed (can use carrot or sweet potato too)

Approx.1 cup additional water (optional)

Directions:

1. In a heavy pot, fry the onion gently in the oil until golden (about 5 mins.)

2. Add the paprika and stir in quickly, but immediately add in the cubed beef still stirring, working quickly not to burn the paprika (this can make the soup taste bitter) Now quickly add 1/2 cup of water while stirring.

3. Put the lid on and simmer.(Can go in the crockpot if desired)

4. Meanwhile place caraway seeds in about 1/2 cup of water and microwave on a medium heat for about 30 seconds to heat. Strain and place the caraway water into the pot.

5. Add herbs, bay leaf, seasoning, capsicum, tomatoes and chili. Cook over low simmering heat for about 1 hour. When meat is almost done, add cubed potatoes and cook until tender, about a further 30 - 40 mins.

Freezing Directions:

You can freeze the leftovers in a glass,or plastic freezer container, or smaller quantities in strong bags laying flat once they have cooled down. Just label and stack. Before serving, let the stew defrost in your refrigerator, then heat on medium in a saucepan. Good for a few months in the freezer.

Serve with a sprinkle of herbs on top.

Teriyaki Pineapple Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp oil

2 - 3 cups mixed frozen or fresh veggies such as broad beans, kale, broccoli, corn tips and carrot. Use what you have on hand

500g (just over 1 pound) chicken breasts (skinless)

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

1 onion (diced)

1 red capsicum (diced)

1 - 2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 cup diced pineapple

* a handful of toasted cashews optional (served with meal)

Directions:

1. Chop the chicken into small 1in pieces, seasoning with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. Heat half the oil in large frypan or wok. Saute chopped vegetables until 3/4 done. Remove and set aside in a bowl.

3. Add chicken and onions into same pan with remainder oil; frying over med-high heat. Cook about 5 minutes.

4. Add soy sauce, cooking for another 5 minutes.

5. Add prepared pineapple and red capsicum.

6. Place veggies and chicken back in pan and toss together until done.

Freezing Directions:
You can freeze any leftovers in a container or freeze in individual serves in strong bags laying flat once they have cooled down. Just label and stack. Before serving after heating up, top with fresh herbs, cashews or a sprinkle of soy sauce. Good for a few months in freezer.

Carob Health Truffles

Ingredients:

1 cup dates, pitted

½ cup butter

4 Tbsp shredded coconut

1 tsp chia seeds

2 Tbsp carob or natural cacao powder

1 Tbsp coconut butter

1 tsp chocolate extract

Can add some pumpkin and chia seeds to this one!

Directions:

1. Boil water in a saucepan. Carefully throw in dates and bring to boil. Boil until soft.

2. Remove the dates from water and mash them with a potato masher.

3. Add almond butter, coconut butter, carob powder and chocolate extract to the dates. Combine until smooth.

4. Create small little appetizer sized balls. Toss them in the coconut.

5. Freeze the truffles for a bit until they get firm before putting out to eat.

Freezer Directions:

Wrap in foil or paper, store is an airtight container in the freezer or bags. These are wonderful satisfying little treats for the lunch box, after work or school!

Banana Bender Muffins

Muffins freeze well. Great for unexpected visitors!

Ingredients:

5 slightly overripe bananas, mashed

1 cup all purpose plain flour

2 eggs, beaten

5 Tbsp caster sugar

4 Tbsp butter, melted (some more for greasing the muffin pan if you are not using paper cups)

4 Tbsp milk

3 tsp coconut shreds

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

½ tsp cinnamon, ground
pinch of salt

*sometimes I add 1/2 cup of walnuts too

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F (190°C). Grease your muffin pan or line it with paper cups.

2. In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder, coconut shreds and cinnamon.

3. In a large bowl combine the butter, eggs and vanilla essence. Stir well. Add sugar and salt and mix until all ingredients are well combined. Add the mashed bananas (walnuts if using) and mix well.

4. Gently fold in the dry ingredients. The batter should be liquid, so don't whisk vigorously or muffins will be tough.

5. Using a spoon or piping bag put the butter into the muffin pan until each cup is about 4/5 full.

6. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature just a bit and bake for 10 more until they are golden brown. Use a toothpick to test if the muffins have baked through. If it comes out clean, that means they are done. Cool on a wire rack.

Freezing Directions:

These muffins can be frozen in zip-top bags either in paper cups or vacuum sealed if they are a bit spread out. Thaw them before serving.

Cherry Chocolate Balls

This recipe is very flexible. Experiment with different fruits such as dried apricots and also how much cocoa you use. It's a powerhouse of nutrition. Great for the kid's lunch box or yours!

Ingredients:

10 almond, macadamia or Brazil nuts

3 cups pitted sour cherries (drained)

2 1/2 cups shredded coconut

2 cups of ground hazelnuts or almond meal (crushed biscuits work too)

1 1/2 tbsp oil

2 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

2 tsp chia seeds (optional)

1 tsp cocoa nibs (optional)

1 tsp good cocoa powder

1 cup of grated or fine chips of good quality dark chocolate

1 Tbsp cup dark rum or similar (optional)

extra grated chocolate or coconut for rolling.

Stevia sweetener to taste is optional

Directions:

1. In the food processor or blender, mix the drained cherries and nuts to get the mixture started.

2. Then add all the remaining ingredients.

3. Once thoroughly combined, remove spoonfuls from bowl and roll into little little truffle sized balls, coating with either additional grated choc bits or coconut. Place into patty pans. Makes around 15, depending on size.

Freezer Directions:

Leave in the paper patty pans, store is an airtight container in the freezer or bags. These are wonderful satisfying little treats for after work or school!

I hope you have enjoyed this book.

The End

Copyright

Make Ahead Meals: Copyright © 2014 by Peggy Annear

Copyright: The author Peggy Annear has exclusively published this book and holds all copyrights to it. A great deal of work has been put into producing it. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format unless asking first. Thank you for your honesty and understanding.

Disclaimer: This book is from my experiences preparing meals including some recipes from friends and variations from other recipe books. It has been prepared in good faith, with the goal being to share recipe favorites with others. I am not liable in any way how you choose to use this information as it is an account of my own experiences in the home environment. I have set out to give helpful freezer recipe ideas.