Meal Prep: Our top eight most popular healthy batch cook recipes to make this week
Feed your family with little effort thanks to these batch cook meals.
Rather special chicken and herb casserole
An all-in-one dish to cook and serve. Sage was often used as a dried herb in recipes but now it is readily available fresh and is simple to grow. It comes with either green or purple leaves – they both taste the same.
Servings
6Preparation Time
10 minsCooking Time
60 minsTotal Time
1 hours 10 minsCourse
MainIngredients
250g (9oz) dry cured bacon, snipped into small pieces
2 large onions, chopped
8 skinless chicken thighs, bone in
2 tbsp sunflower oil
30g plain flour
150ml hot chicken stock
150ml dry white wine
2 large sprigs of thyme
Small bunch of sage, 6 leaves removed for garnish
2 bay leaves
200g (7oz) small chestnut mushrooms, quartered
100g (4oz) full-fat creme fraiche
A knob of butter
Small bunch of parsley, chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 3.
Place the bacon in a large non-stick ovenproof frying pan or flameproof casserole and fry over a medium heat for a few minutes to render out the fat. Add the onions and continue to fry until the bacon is brown at the edges. Transfer the bacon and onions to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside.
Lightly season the chicken. Place the oil in the unwashed dish, add the chicken and brown over a high heat, turning once. Transfer to the plate with the bacon and onions.
Scatter the flour into the dish (adding a little more oil, if needed) and stir to combine. Gradually incorporate the hot stock, whisking, and allow to thicken. Pour in the wine and return the bacon, onions and chicken to the pan. Stir well, add the thyme sprigs, sage sprigs and bay leaves. The sauce will be quite thick at this stage. Bring to the boil, season well with salt and black pepper and cover. Transfer to the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven and add the mushrooms and creme fraiche. Stir well and return to the oven for a further 15–20 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the whole sage leaves and fry until crisp.
Remove the bay leaves, thyme and sage sprigs from the casserole and discard (some leaves will have fallen off to flavour the casserole). Stir in the parsley and serve with the crisp sage leaves on top.
Mary’s tips
Can be made up to a day ahead. Add the crème fraîche and mushrooms when reheating.
Freezes well.
From Love to Cook by Mary Berry published by BBC Books
Healthier lasagne
Lasagne is a dish that is regularly served on the set of Ireland's Fittest Family. This is my go-to lasagne recipe
Servings
6Preparation Time
40 minsCooking Time
60 minsTotal Time
1 hours 40 minsCourse
MainIngredients
For the tomato sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin tomatoes
1 tbsp dried oregano
For the cheese sauce:
200 ml milk
2 tbsp butter
1 bay leaf
½ tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp flour (white flour or spelt flour)
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp natural yoghurt
25g Cheddar, grated
salt and pepper
For the lasagne:
2 tbsp olive oil
800g mince
A handful of basil leaves
150g lasagne sheets
Method
First, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
Add the carrot, celery, onion, pepper, oregano and garlic and cook for about six minutes — add a dash of water if the pan becomes dry.
Add in the tomatoes and 300ml of water. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and purée the sauce.
Next, make the cheese sauce. Place the milk, butter, bay leaf and nutmeg in a small pan. Slowly heat the milk until the point at which it is about to boil.
Remove the bay leaf and sieve in the flour. Use a whisk to blend the flour into the milk, do this until it begins the thicken.
Remove from the heat and add the egg and yoghurt and whisk until it is smooth. Sprinkle in the cheddar and season to taste.
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. You will need a large lasagne dish. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a large pot.
Add the mince and cook for about 10 minutes, until browned. Stir in the tomato sauce and basil.
Pour half the mince into the lasagne dish. Top with a layer of lasagne sheets.
Pour the rest of the mince and top with a second layer of lasagne sheets. Pour the cheese sauce on top.
Place the lasagne dish in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, until golden and bubbling.
Leave the cooked lasagne to stand for five minutes. Divide between warmed serving plates.
Chicken, chorizo and butterbean casserole
This one-pot casserole needs nothing extra, making it the perfect heat-and-eat midweek meal
Servings
6Preparation Time
10 minsCooking Time
45 minsTotal Time
55 minsCourse
MainIngredients
1kg chicken drumsticks
175g chorizo
2 medium white onions
1 butternut squash
2 red peppers
300g baby potatoes
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp hot paprika
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tin butterbeans
500ml chicken stock
salt
ground black pepper
handful of flat-leaf parsley
Method
Chop the end of the chicken drumsticks to give you tidy balls of meat. Remove the skin and discard it. This is our two greyhounds favourite moment; they somehow seem to know when a meaty treat is available and come right into the kitchen just in time to ensure it ends up in their dishes and not in the bin.
Slice the chorizo thinly. Cut the ends of the squash and remove the seeds. You do not need to peel the squash for this dish. The skin helps the squash keep its shape when cooking and adds some more fibre.
Heat a heavy-based pan or a casserole dish over a high heat. Get it good and hot and then toss in the sliced chorizo. You do not need any extra oil for this, as the chorizo browns it will give off plenty and it is full of flavour. Once the chorizo is nice and brown, add the chicken pieces and cook for 5-8 minutes, browning them all over. Next add the onion, roughly chopped, and the garlic cloves, crushed, along with the paprika.
Cook until the onions go translucent, just a few minutes. Now add the fresh chopped rosemary, the oregano and the squash. Stir it well to get everything coated in all that flavour and toss in the baby potatoes, cutting the larger ones in half.
Remove the seeds and stalks from the red peppers and cut them into roughly three-centimetre chunks. Add them to the pot, stir well and let it cook for another minute or two.
Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée and the chicken stock and a teaspoon of flaky sea salt. Bring to a gentle boil and then simmer until the potatoes and squash are cooked. This will take about 30 minutes.
Now add the drained tin of butterbeans. If the sauce is a little thin, stir one tablespoon of cornflour into a little water and add that. Give the casserole a good stir. Let it cook for another few minutes to allow it to thicken slightly and cook out the taste of the cornflour.
Give it a final taste for seasoning, it may well need a final good grind of black pepper. Serve up in bowls with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and a generous handful of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.
Hidden vegetable pasta sauce
This sauce is really versatile. It can be used as a base for bolognaise, lasagne or even burritos. It freezes well and it is worth making in a big quantity and dividing up into portions
Servings
4Preparation Time
5 minsCooking Time
20 minsTotal Time
25 minsCourse
MainIngredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin tomatoes
1 tbsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.
Method
Add the carrot, celery, onion, pepper, oregano and garlic and cook for about 6 minutes, add a dash of water if the pan becomes dry.
Add in the tomatoes and 300ml of water.
Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and puree the sauce until it is smooth.
Photo by Greta Hoffman from Pexels
Chilli con carne
This one-pot wonder is a firm favourite in my house
Servings
4Preparation Time
60 minsCooking Time
10 minsTotal Time
1 hours 10 minsCourse
MainCuisine
MexicanIngredients
500g lean minced beef (10% or less fat)
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1-2tsp hot chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tbsp plain flour
150ml red wine or extra stock
300ml beef stock, made with 1beef stock cube
4OOg can chopped tomatoes
4OOg can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bay leaf
Flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Rapeseed oil
Method
Place a large non-stick sauce pan over a medium heat, add a drizzle of rapeseed oil and then add the beef and onions.
Cook together for 5 minutes, stirring the beef and squishing it against the sides of the pan to break up the lumps.
Add the garlic, 1-2 teaspoons of chilli powder (depending on how hot you like your chilli) and the cumin and coriander. Fry together for 1-2 minutes more.
Sprinkle over the flour and stir well.
Slowly add the wine and then the stock, stirring constantly.
Tip the tomatoes and kidney beans into the pan and stir in the tomato puree, caster sugar, oregano and bay Ieaf. Season with a pinch of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Bring to a simmer on the hob, then cover loosely with a lid. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mince is tender and the sauce is thick
Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Serve with Mexican-style rice, Greek-style yogurt, guacamole and pico de gallo.
Spaghetti and meatballs
A classic, comforting supper, this recipe is rich, easy to make and bursting with herby flavour
Servings
4Preparation Time
15 minsCooking Time
50 minsTotal Time
1 hours 5 minsCourse
MainCuisine
ItalianIngredients
For the meatballs:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
900g freshly minced beef (80% lean)
50g soft breadcrumbs
50ml milk
2-4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as marjoram, or a mixture of parsley, chives and thyme leaves
1 egg, beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the tomato sauce:
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
225g onion, peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled, crushed
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
a good pinch of crushed chilli flakes (optional)
salt
black pepper
sugar
Method
First make the meatballs, heat the olive oil in a heavy, stainless-steel saucepan over a gentle heat and add the chopped onions and garlic. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 8-10 minutes until soft and slightly golden. Allow to cool.
Soak all the bread crumbs in milk. Put the freshly minced beef into a bowl and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Add the cold sweated onion and garlic, add the herbs (and chilli flakes if using) and the beaten egg. Season the mixture to taste. Fry a tiny bit to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Divide the mixture into about 24 round meatballs. Cover and refrigerate while you make your sauce.
Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a casserole or a stainless-steel saucepan. Add the sliced onion and crushed garlic, toss until coated, cover and sweat over a gentle heat until soft. Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes and chilli flakes, mix and season with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of sugar (tinned tomatoes take more sweetening). Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, uncover and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until thick and unctuous.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Cook the meatballs for 8-10 minutes turning from time to time. When they are cooked, transfer to an ovenproof serving dish. Add to the hot tomato sauce, turn gently to cover. Pop into a preheated oven at 180°C/gas mark 4. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top or place under a preheated grill to let the cheese melt.
Serve immediately with cooked spaghetti, crusty bread and or just a green salad. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling water. Drain and turn into a hot serving dish. Spoon the meatballs and tomato sauce over the top and dig in!
Italian beef stew
This red wine beef, carrot and mushroom stew is full of rich flavour and fresh herbs, perfect to enjoy with mashed potato for a hearty supper
Servings
6Preparation Time
30 minsCooking Time
2 hours 0 minsTotal Time
2 hours 30 minsCourse
MainCuisine
ItalianIngredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1.35kg well hung stewing beef or lean flank
2 large carrots cut into ½ inch slices
285g onions, sliced
1 heaped tbsp flour
150ml red wine
150ml brown beef stock
250ml homemade tomato purée, otherwise use best quality tinned tomatoes - pureed and sieved
175g mushrooms sliced
2 tbsp, chopped parsley
salt
freshly ground pepper
Method
Trim the meat of any excess fat, then prepare the vegetables. Cut the meat into 4cm (1½ inch) cubes. Heat the olive oil in a casserole; sweat the sliced onions and carrots on a gentle heat with a lid on for 8-10 minutes. Heat a little more olive oil in a frying pan until almost smoking.
Sear the pieces of meat on all sides, add to the casserole. Sprinkle in the flour over the meat stir and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the red wine, stock and tomato purée together and bring to the boil. Deglaze the pan, with a little stock, scrape to dissolve the flavoursome sediment, bring back to the boil and then add to the casserole. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Cover and cook gently for 2-2½ hours in a low oven, depending on the cut of meat, 160°C.
Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms and add with the parsley to the casserole, 30 minutes approx. before the end of cooking. Serve with Polenta, mashed potatoes or noodles and a good green salad.
Red lentil dhal
This creamy, flavourful vegetarian dhal is the perfect dish to warm you up on a cold day, filled with a gentle spice and enjoyed with rice
Servings
4Preparation Time
5 minsCooking Time
15 minsTotal Time
20 minsCourse
MainCuisine
IndianIngredients
rice, for four
400g red lentils
2 tsp ground turmeric
generous knob of butter
dash of rapeseed oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely sliced
thumb size piece of ginger, grated
2 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 tsp ground coriander
handful of coriander, chopped
Method
Put the rice on to boil and drain when cooking.
Cover the lentils with water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the turmeric and butter.
Allow to bubble away gently until the lentils have softened. Add more water if needed.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently sauté the onion, once it has turned translucent add the garlic, chillies, grated ginger and the tomatoes.
After five minutes of cooking on a very low heat stir in the cumin and coriander. Set aside until the lentils are cooked.
Stir the lentils to check their consistency, they should be like a thick soup, add a little more water if necessary. Stir in the contents from the pan and season to taste.
Serve the dhal with the rice and some coriander sprinkled on top.
