Versatile healthy recipe

[suzieQ]

I would like some ideas on health recipes that you can freeze so that they can be used in many ways. For instance, is there something that can be used as a soup and also a sauce for things? As a smoothie? etc.? I think it's great to make meals in advance and I really want to do that, but I'm worried that if I do this I'll get bored of the meals I make pretty quickly, especially because I don't want to devote an entire day to being in the kitchen to making food for the week.

[PamelaPoison]

I have a stew recipe that is chicken with tomatoes, bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes and a bunch of spanish style herbs. I make it in a slow cooker. Then it can be frozen in portions. I use it as a stew, but I"ll also use it on pasta or rice and it's great on couscous. The liquid becomes the sauce when I use it on other foods. Just make sure the pasta etc are whole grains.

[ChefMel]

You could make a smoothie that you really love and freeze portions so you can have it as an on-the-go healthy breakfast drink or you can turn it into a smoothie bowl and top it with nuts, coconut, berries, dried fruits, etc.

[TaraNorth]

I agree . I think the best options are to make smoothies and stews in advance because they can be used for many different things. They are also the easiest and fastest to make so you won't be stuck in the kitchen all day. I LOVE my slow cooker and my blender. Honestly, they are the two best kitchen tools I've ever bought. They make making meals in advance (or quickly) a breeze. Plus, they both go in the dishwasher so I don't waste time washing dishes either.

[enviroTodd]

You can also just make sauces you like and freeze portions of those in small containers in your freezer, then, even if you cooked up the same chicken and veggie stir fry every day of the week, you could add a different sauce and it would taste like something very different.

[suzieQ]

I have a stew recipe that is chicken with tomatoes, bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes and a bunch of spanish style herbs. I make it in a slow cooker. Then it can be frozen in portions. I use it as a stew, but I"ll also use it on pasta or rice and it's great on couscous. The liquid becomes the sauce when I use it on other foods. Just make sure the pasta etc are whole grains.

Thank you! This is a good idea. I can see this working well for me and it makes a lot of sense.

enviroTodd That's also a great way to make things taste different. I'll do this as well. Genius!

[PamelaPoison]

Similar idea to what Envirotodd said, you could also prep fresh foods so they're ready to be tossed in the pan. Freeze what can be frozen or refrigerate what you can. You can cut up all your veggies for 2-3 days (within reason...probably not things like leafy greens of course) and then just use them as you need them. With your sauces already made, too. It's just a matter of putting the veggies in the pan, cooking the meat and adding the sauce. It'd probably slash a half hour off whatever you're making.

[Bean]

I like to do this thing where I cut up a ton of cucumbers, green onion and tomatoes in a bowl at the start of the week. I put a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar on it and stir like crazy. Then, every day I add it to something different for lunch. I eat a pile of it on spinach with strawberries, then I'll have a bowl of it on lettuce with olives and feta the next day, then I'll add it as a side by itself if I have a sandwich, etc