Batch it up!

Plate Up’s Smoky Chilli Con Carne is an excellent dish to batch cook. Everyone needs a classic and comforting chilli con carne in their cooking repertoire and we have created just the one for you! This one can be frozen in to separate portions or kept in the fridge for up to 3 days for a speedy, easy midweek dinner. We have rounded up some of our favourite serving suggestions to go with this delicious smoky recipe:

Serve with tortilla wraps, chopped veg and sour cream
Transform it into a simple yet show stopping pie - layer into a baking dish, top with scrunched up filo pastry, brush the pastry lightly with oil and butter then oven bake until the chilli is heated through and the pastry is golden
Stir through pasta for an easy pasta sauce
Loaded potatoes - layer on potatoes, add some extra veg (we love sweetcorn and peas) then top with a layer of crushed tortilla chips and grated cheese. Grill until golden and bubbling

Next we have this tasty Butternut squash tagine by James Wythe. Late Summer heading into early Autumn is peak season for Butternut squash which makes this an ideal recipe to add to your batch cooking meal planning. This is a bright and vibrant veggie dish, cook up the ingredients except for the rice then portion in the fridge or freezer ready to eat when you are ready. Rice compliments this dish well but it can also be served with orzo, butter beans or cannellini beans.

Finally we are finishing on a classic twist with this Lentil shepherds pie by James Wythe. This flavour packed meat free recipe lends itself well to batch cooking. We like to make a double batch of the sauce, then freeze down in individual portions (without the mash topping). When you're ready to use it, simply defrost then add your mash on top, before baking. You could also use the sauce on its own and stir through mixed beans or pasta, it will still taste as delicious!

We hope you enjoy batch cooking these tasty recipes to help save you time through the week! Some extra Plate Up Pointers below to help you with your batch cooking:

It might seem pretty obvious - but make sure you have enough space in the freezer to store separate portions! Label with the dish name and date made, so you can easily see at a glance what you have ready for an easy family dinner
Do your own stocktake and plan! Have a look through the freezer, cupboards and fridge to see what you already have and what you want to use up
Think clever storage to save space - silicone or freezer bags are idea for storing things flat and will take up less room
Stews, soups, casseroles, curries and lasagne lend themselves well to batch cooking
If you are batch cooking to keep in the fridge, make sure to store in suitable containers and generally use up within 3 days in the fridge
If you are batch cooking to freeze, make sure you cool all cooked food down fully before freezing

You can find 100s more family friendly batch cooking recipes on Plate Up, start your hassle-free journey to meal planning and cooking today!

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