Meal Prep: Our top eight most popular healthy batch cook recipes to make this week 

Freezer friendly and created with family in mind, these recipes will ease the pressure of cooking midweek 

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

6

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 10 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 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

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 3.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan over a medium heat. Add the whole sage leaves and fry until crisp.

7. 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

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

Lasagne is a dish that is regularly served on the set of Ireland's Fittest Family. This is my go-to lasagne recipe

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 40 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 40 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 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

1. First, make the tomato sauce. Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat.

2. 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.

3. Add in the tomatoes and 300ml of water. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and purée the sauce.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Remove from the heat and add the egg and yoghurt and whisk until it is smooth. Sprinkle in the cheddar and season to taste.

7. 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.

8. Add the mince and cook for about 10 minutes, until browned. Stir in the tomato sauce and basil.

9. Pour half the mince into the lasagne dish. Top with a layer of lasagne sheets.

10. Pour the rest of the mince and top with a second layer of lasagne sheets. Pour the cheese sauce on top.

11. Place the lasagne dish in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

12. Leave the cooked lasagne to stand for five minutes. Divide between warmed serving plates.