Having more time at home means more cooking for the family, but why not try these 5 batch cooking recipes that’ll make dinnertime a breeze.

Image: The Mymuybueno Cookbook by Justine Murphy

As we’re now unable to eat out and finding an open local takeaway is difficult, you’re more likely going to be spending a lot more time in the kitchen over the next few months.

Avoid slaving over the stove for hours on end every evening and choose these delicious batch cooking recipes that can be bulk made and put in the freezer.

Chunky beef chilli

Image: Ao Life

With tender chunks of beef and a deliciously heart-warming sauce, this chilli is a winner!

• Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 800g (2 tins) chopped tomatoes
• 500g chopped braising beef
• 240g drained red kidney beans
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 3 cardamom pods (crushed)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp chopped garlic (or 2 garlic cloves)
• 2 tsp chopped red chillies (or 2 whole chillies, finely chopped)
• 2 medium red onions
• 1 tbsp oil Feta cheese to garnish
• Fresh coriander to garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 2 or 150°C.

2. On the hob, with medium heat, heat your oil and then add the beef. Once fully browned, remove the beef with a slotted spoon and set aside.

3. Using the leftover oil and juices, lower the heat slightly and add onions, stirring frequently until they start to soften, about 2 minutes.

4. Return the beef to the pan and add tomatoes, spices and salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

5. Allow to simmer for around a minute or two.

6. Transfer to a heat proof pot, cover and place in the middle shelf of the oven to cook for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

7. Add the beans for the final 20 minutes of cooking to heat through. Serve with feta cheese and a scatter of coriander as a garnish.

Falafel burgers

Image: Cooks&Co

There’s no limit to how many of these falafel burgers you can make, only how many you can fit in your freezer!

• Makes 4

Ingredients

• Cooks & Co chickpeas, drained
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• Small bunch parsley
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1tbsp ground coriander
• 1⁄2 tsp harissa paste (or chilli powder)
• 1tbsp plain flour
• 2tbsp sunflower oil
• Burger buns
• Salad and condiments of your choice.

Method

1. In a food processor place the chickpeas, red onion, garlic, parsley, cumin, ground coriander, harissa paste/chilli powder and flour. Season with salt and pepper then blitz until fairly smooth.
2. Shape into patties then heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the falafel for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden.
3. Assemble the burgers using salad and condiments of your choice.

Lentil dahl

Image: The Mymuybueno Cookbook by Justine Murphy

Spicy and comforting, this dahl is simply perfect on its own or enjoyed with rice, flatbreads and mango chutney.

• Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp each of cumin seeds and mustard seeds
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 red bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
• 1 large tomato, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp coriander stalks, finely chopped
• 1 tsp each of ground coriander, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, curry powder and dried chilli flakes
• 350g dried green lentils
• 400ml vegetable stock
• 800ml tinned coconut milk
• Pinch of flaked sea salt
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• 100g fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1. Place a large pan over a medium heat, melt the coconut oil in it then cook the cumin and mustard seeds for a minute until fragrant and starting to pop.
2. Add the onion, garlic, chilli, ginger, tomato and coriander stalks to the seeds and cook until the onions and garlic start to soften, then add all the remaining dry spices and mix well. Stir in the lentils, vegetable stock and half of the coconut milk.
3. When it all starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low and cook the dahl for 2 hours with the lid on, checking on it often and stirring to ensure that it doesn’t stick to the bottom. If it starts to stick or looks like it’s drying out, add up to 200ml of water.
4. Once the lentils are cooked, add the remaining coconut milk and stir through the dahl to make it really creamy. Add salt to taste at the very end of the cooking process (any earlier will make the lentils toughen up).
5. Add a squeeze of lemon juice then serv e with the fresh coriander, rice or flatbreads and pineapple chutney

Aubergine Parmigiano

Image: Tarantella

Experience the taste of Italy with this gorgeously rich aubergine Parmigiano.

• Serves 4

Ingredients

• 3 aubergines
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400g mozzarella, torn into pieces
• 600g Tarantella Organic Passata
• Salt and pepper, to season
• Bunch of fresh basil
• 80g Parmesan, grated

Method

1. Preheat the oven 180°C. Cut the aubergines into 1.5cm thick slices, then sprinkle liberally with salt, lay them on one plate and weigh them down with another.
2. Leave the aubergines for 30 minutes, then rinse the salt off and dry the slices.
3. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the aubergine in batches until golden. Drain on kitchen roll.
4. To assemble your Parmigiano; layer a slice of the aubergine, then mozzarella, salt & pepper, basil and Parmesan in an ovenproof dish.
5. Continue layering until all the ingredients are used up. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for one hour before serving.

Sausage and kale pie

Image: Discover Great Veg

Hearty food is what we all need right now – indulge in this scrummy sausage and kale pie.

• Serves 4

Ingredients

• 700g King Edward potatoes, cut into large chunks
• 25g butter
• 50ml semi skimmed milk
• 250g pack kale
• 1 tbsp oil
• 450g sausagemeat
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 eating apple, cored and sliced

Method

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 10-12 minutes or until tender, drain and return to the pan, mash with the butter and milk then season.
2. Meanwhile, cook the kale in boiling water for 3 minutes, drain.
3. Roughly chop half and stir into the mash.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the sausagemeat, onion and apple for 4-5 minutes, breaking up the sausagemeat.
5. Stir in the remaining kale and transfer to an ovenproof dish. Spoon over the kale mash and bake for 30 minutes until golden.

What are your staple batch cooking recipes? Let us know by tweeting us @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page.

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