Monthly meal plans

klbooth · 28 January 2018 at 3:41PM

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast meat
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (1.25-oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup diced onion
4 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
In a small bowl, combine cumin and taco seasoning. Generously coat chicken with seasoning mix, then place chicken and any remaining seasoning mix in a 1-quart freezer bag. Carefully squeeze the bag to force out any air, then seal.

In a second 1-quart freezer bag, combine onion, tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper; seal bag and toss to mix well. Carefully squeeze the bag to force out any air, then seal.

At Time of Cooking Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
8 corn OR flour tortillas
Your favorite taco toppings, such as salsa, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese or sour cream

Cooking Instructions:
In large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; add seasoned chicken and brown for about 2 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add chicken broth and vegetable mixture; cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes; transfer to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the skillet and stir to coat with skillet contents. Cover and continue to cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Spoon mixture into tortillas and serve with your favorite toppings.

klbooth · 28 January 2018 at 3:46PM

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast meat
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (1.25-oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup diced onion
4 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
In a small bowl, combine cumin and taco seasoning. Generously coat chicken with seasoning mix, then place chicken and any remaining seasoning mix in a 1-quart freezer bag. Carefully squeeze the bag to force out any air, then seal.

In a second 1-quart freezer bag, combine onion, tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper; seal bag and toss to mix well. Carefully squeeze the bag to force out any air, then seal.

At Time of Cooking Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
8 corn OR flour tortillas
Your favorite taco toppings, such as salsa, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese or sour cream

Cooking Instructions:
In large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; add seasoned chicken and brown for about 2 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add chicken broth and vegetable mixture; cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes; transfer to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the skillet and stir to coat with skillet contents. Cover and continue to cook on low heat for 15 minutes. Spoon mixture into tortillas and serve with your favorite toppings.

klbooth · 28 January 2018 at 3:53PM

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast meat, cut into strips
1 bottle hot sauce (I actually use a homemade BBQ sauce instead so the family will eat it!!)

METHOD
Place chicken in a 1-quart freezer bag; pour hot sauce on top and squeeze the bag to coat; carefully squeeze the bag to force out any air, then seal.

At Time of Cooking Ingredients:
4 ounces blue cheese or Feta cheese, crumbled
Your favorite dipping sauce, such as ranch or blue cheese dressing

Cooking Instructions:
Place contents of bag into a crock cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove chicken from juices and place in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour liquid from crock cooker over chicken and top with cheese; bake for 15 minutes or until cheese develops golden tips. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

So that is the official recipe but I don't really follow it much, I don't use the slow cooker I just throw the chicken in a oven dish and cover with foil, cook about 25 mins at 180C then uncover and cover with grated cheddar and back in oven for 5-10mins until cooked.

HOMEMADE BBQ SAUCE
2 Tbspn tomato sauce
2 Tblspn Worcester sauce
2 Tblspn honey
2 Tspn chinese five spice

klbooth · 28 January 2018 at 4:01PM

So basically all 4 of those recipes I prepare in bulk. I bulk buy chicken breasts and get all the ingredients in to do 4 lots of each of them which I prepare in the one day then freeze and boom I have 16 meals ready to go.

It really suits me to do it this way as I find it so time efficient, can plan it for a day that suits in my shift schedule and have the ingredients all in and just crack on. I have 100's of these types of recipes but sadly my family is incredibly fussy so I keep trying 1 here and there and keep hoping to stumble on another they love then will add it to my bulk prep list.

Anyway, hope they help, hope it isn't too confusing as the ingredients are split into prep day and cooking day as separate.

Maiden_Mum · 28 January 2018 at 5:38PM

That is amazing klbooth!!! Thank you so much! I also buy my chicken breasts in bulk from Makro so if I get organised there is no reason why I couldn't also do the same! It's such a clever way of getting organised!

klbooth · 28 January 2018 at 5:54PM

No problems, for me personally it was somewhat life changing, just need to find more recipes that are acceptable and build my repetoire, slowly, slowly catchee monkey........ the korean grilled chicken is a new one in the last 2 months and seems to be eaten without revolt so looking for the next one to try and slip in now. Did add in the honey soy chicken this month and it is a hit but not one i can pre-prep but oh well can't win them all, lol.

Maiden_Mum · 28 January 2018 at 11:25PM

Is it zip & seal bags that you use klbooth? Do you get them from a supermarket?

You know, the honey spy chicken would probably be liked by everyone else in the house apart from me ( I find chicken with honey too sweet) so could I also have that one as well please klbooth?

klbooth · 29 January 2018 at 12:41AM

Ingredients
1 dozen Chicken wings, raw (I used drumsticks this time)
2 Tablespoons Soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Honey
½ teaspoon Garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Ginger, minced
¼ teaspoon Sesame oil
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
2 teaspoon water
Salt and pepper to taste
sesame seeds

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 Season the wings with salt and pepper. Lay out on a parchment lined baking sheet
and bake for approximately 30 minutes.
2. 2. In a small sauce pan, combine soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger and sesame oil, and bring them to a
boil. Make a thin paste with the cornstarch and water and then add it to the sauce when it boils. Turn it
down and stir till it thickens. Set aside.
3. At the 30 minute mark, remove the wings from the oven and baste lightly with the sauce. Return to oven
for another 10 minutes or so.
4. 4. When 10 minutes is up, remove them from the oven and place the wings with the remaining sauce
together in a bowl and toss together. Put into a serving dish and garnish with sesame seeds.

klbooth · 29 January 2018 at 12:42AM

I use the lakeland freezer plastic bags and have a pot of clip loc fasteners but anything would do really.

I do double bag them as it is advised to help avoid freezer burn, seems to work.

*Jellie* · 29 January 2018 at 7:57AM

I often do a 3-4 month meal plan! Due to my health issues we batch cook and freeze lots of our meals. Doing a plan for this long means we still have day to day flexibility.
First we choose a ‘theme’ for each day e.g. Monday chicken, Tuesday pizza, Wednesday fish, Thursday mince etc. For the batch cooking categories we then choose about 4 recipes to batch cook (often in slow cooker). Mince might be a keema curry, spag bol, meatballs in italian style sauce and chile con carne. Meals are batch cooked and frozen in bags/ containers which can mainly be taken from freezer and cooked within an hour (boiled in bag). This method means that in the evening we generally have 4 dishes to choose from so we don’t feel restricted. It also allows us to cook on days when I am at my best health wise and hubby has to do minimal work day to day.

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Monthly meal plans

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