Bulking out Meals?

artichoke

hi all

i have just loaded up my slow cooker for a bolognaise. The aim was to make it as healthy as possible so there are loads of celery, carrots, and onion but when putting in the oats to pad out the mince i accidentally tipped in far too many oats.

It now looks like tomato porridge with veg in it :eek:

I have turned the slow cooker on anyway. It is full to the brim so i can't add any more mince to it at this stage.

any advice as to how to salvage it.....

any advice appreciated

art

Allegra

I just wouldn't worry about it - but then, I will eat pretty much anything, especially if I made it Once it's cooked, taste it, then add extra seasoning/ herbs/ garlic/ whatever floats your boat and is easily available to add extra flavour.

And if you are still not too keen on the end result, next time tip the oats into a cup first, not straight into the cooker....

artichoke

thanks


so what would be the recommended amount of oats to bulk out 800g of mince

not that i have any idea how much is in my slow cooker - next time i will tip it into a cup first as you suggest;)

art

mummysaver

LOL sorry, but I've done this too! It tasted fine according to the girls, creamy according to DS! When it's cooked if it does taste too porridgey (is that a word?!), then take half out of the sc and dilute it with more tomatoes or mince or veg, whatever you have handy - just fry off the mince first in a pan, else you'll have to cook it all again for ages! Then you'll have the other half to turn into chilli or whatever - add kidney beans and lots of fried onions and peppers and mushrooms.

For 800g of mince I use about 4 handfuls of oats, and about the same of lentils - no wonder my freezer is full of mince lol! I find that the oats absorb any fat in the mince and they somehow blend in, and the lentils just disolve and thicken the sauce.

thriftlady_2

Rename it oaty cottage pie and add a topping of mash, or make some pastry and turn it into a pie. It will taste fine.

onetomany

u could try scooping some out?

newlywed

Add an extra beef stock cube to make sure it tastes meaty - I always do this when adding lentils and oats.

artichoke

hi

well we have eaten this tonight for tea and DH said wow this is really good, and even DD 4 and DS 3 had seconds. DS said it was creamy.

So - it looks like i will be tipping in loads of oats on purpose next time i make anything with mince in the slow cooker. I did leave it in the slow cooker for over 8 hours.

and the good thing is that i have now put 6 more meals sized portions in the freezer :T

i just love my gigantic slow cooker :T and the ideas on here :beer:

i only need to my slow cooker once a week and my freezer is rammed with 'ready made" basics

art

princess_siobhan

Hi,

First, just wanted to start with a thankyou....lingering on this board has already helped me think about the food i use and how to save.

OH has been wowed by my recent improvement in cullinary ability....and the pounds cut of the supermarket bill!

I am getting better at bulking things out with veg, lentils chickpeas etc. but my reppetoire is pretty small.

I've found it easier to do with red meat such like mince and i was just wondering how you all bulked out chicken dishes and which ones you cooked? Also generally any yummy recipies would be appreciated. There are only the two of us...although OH has a huuuuge appetite!

Any hints and tips would be great...loved to feeding 4 for £20 thread!

thanks

Siobhan

Gingernutmeg

For chickeny dishes I tend to bulk it out with extra veg - so say if I've got some leftover chicken bits I'll make a pie and add leeks, mushrooms, peas etc (generally whatever I've got in the fridge or freezer), stir it into a white sauce and it makes a nice filling. Or if I'm making something like fajitas then I'll add extra peppers and onions, and maybe make something like refried beans to go with it (dead cheap and filling). Same goes with stirfry, just add more veg. OH is a veg fiend anyway so he doesn't mind, and as I'm aiming for at least seven portions of fruit/veg a day it all goes towards the totals.