Summer batch cooking ideas

lizzywig

I'm hugely into batch cooking, it's quick, easy, cheap and very conveniant. I do all the usual casseroles, curries, bolognase, cottage pie etc etc but they're winter foods and although I love them, I can't face them (all the time) in the summer when it's warmer.

I have a young baby and am going back to work in July so I don't really want to give up on batch cooking, if anything I'm going to want to do more of it. However I'm stuck on ideas....this happens every summer!!

So far I have come up with ratatouille, does anyone else have any summer batch cooking recipes...?

kittycat204

all i can come up with so far is a fresh green summer broth, with peas and broad beans and herbs etc

few ideas here, http://www.simplebites.net/warmer-weather-batch-cooking/
http://www.simplebites.net/more-warm-weather-batch-cooking/

quiche?

anniemf2508

The only things i've come up with so far are turkey goujons (strips of turkey in breadcrumbs), you can freeze them in single portion batches and serve with wraps and salad.
I've frozen a load of portions of marinated meat with stir fry veg, they don't take long to defrost and can be cooked in about 10 mins.

Pink.

For batch cooking, I normally just adapt my ordinary batch cooking to make it into summer meals. Eg casserole served with crusty bread and side salad rather than winter veg and potatoes.

Some things off the top of my head: Quiche, pizzas, oven roasted veg (courgettes, toms, red onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic drizzled with olive oil) can be served cold or ready to be mixed with rice/couscous/pasta etc. Fishcakes, marinated meat for the bbq etc, your own hm meatballs and burgers just ready to lift out and grill. Soups are another good one..in summer, providing the weather isn't too warm, I prefer light soups rather than the hearty soups we eat in winter and just serve with hm wheaten bread and a pud for a main meal. Actually that's just given me another idea...what about making and freezing your own speciality breads to help liven up salads etc?

This thread has more ideas that may give you some inspiration:

OS Summer Cooking

It also might be worth looking through these for more ideas:

summer's here....any salad recipes?

Gingham's vegetarian meal planner - SUMMER

Meal building blocks for the freezer

I'll add your thread to the first link later when you've had more replies.

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lostinrates

We eat very differently winter and summe as well, and, imo, the key difference i that somethings, like fresh salads need to be made in advance. Things like meat loafs or nut roasts van be batch made and sliced, so that they can be served alongside a salad, but jothing appeals less than shepards pie or such dishes in july!

Things like chicken and fish to have beSide salad are as quick cooked in the evening of eating imo.

But, something w do, that really makes my life easier, is make a jug of gazpacho, which we live off during summer, at least or lunch times.

Pink.

Another idea is to soak and cook dried beans when you have time. Once cooked, bag them up and throw them into the freezer, you'll only need to defrost them and they can be used in salads, casseroles, or on their own. Apparently they are best frozen on a tray before being bagged to prevent them from sticking together, but life's too short for that....I bung them into a freezer bag where they all stick together. A quick bang on the garage wall (where my main freezer is) soon sorts that out and I can lift out as many as I need. At the moment I have pinto, kidney and butter beans out there and they're great for adding to dishes at the last minute as they're already cooked.

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eleanor73

Sorry if someone has aready said this but curries and chillis are not 'winter foods'. They originate in much hotter countries than our summer!! I still like a curry in the summer I do agree re: stews, soups and casseroles though and I can't tell you why these are different in my head but they are. You could freeze marinated meat or smoked mackeral to add to salads?

lostinrates

eleanor73 wrote: »

Sorry if someone has aready said this but curries and chillis are not 'winter foods'. They originate in much hotter countries than our summer!! I still like a curry in the summer I do agree re: stews, soups and casseroles though and I can't tell you why these are different in my head but they are. You could freeze marinated meat or smoked mackeral to add to salads?

I know this, but still find them too much for summer. Not curries so much, but we do have different curries in summer to winter in my house.

lizzywig

Thanks everyone for the ideas and for the links, I'm going to have a really good look through.

Sorry if someone has aready said this but curries and chillis are not 'winter foods'. They originate in much hotter countries than our summer!! I still like a curry in the summer.

Me too, I love a curry in the summer, couldn't be without them. I just find that in summer I can't eat as much of the things that I eat in winter. The occassional curry or stew in summer is fine, but the same thing day after day would feel like total punishment when it's sweltering (English weather permitting!!) and you can smell everyone else's BBQ's going!

tiff

How about cooking a large gammon in the slow cooker then slice and freeze for salads or sandwiches.

batch cook sauce for pasta, pizza dough, meatballs, refried beans, cook up a chicken and freeze meat.

FairyPrincessk

you can also pre-make your own burger patties (I like to mix in seasonings, finely chopped onions and peppers) and freeze these individually to save you the effort. They still have to be cooked but they're assembled and not as expensive as the pre-made ones.