Batch cooking: c to prepare in one day and complete a weekly menu

We explain how to prepare in a day, in a simple and fast way, the basic ingredients that you will need for your main dishes throughout the week.

Batch cooking consists of cooking in one day for the whole week or cooking at any time larger quantities to be able to save meals for another day.

To cook in batches, you need some organization and take into account nutritional criteria, which have been taken into account in this batch cooking proposal to start.

PREPARE THE BASIC INGREDIENTS OF YOUR BATCH COOKING

Let’s start by preparing the main ingredients and then explain the recipes you can make with them:

VEGETABLES

• Cook only one type. If you only have one espresso pot, it can take quite some time to cook several types of legumes separately. To make it easier, cook only one legume and the rest that are pot, already cooked. For this weekly menu, I recommend making the black beans and buying the rest.
• How to prepare them. For black beans (or other similar legumes) look at the cooking time in an espresso pot on the package. Soak half a kilo of black beans, with a good amount of water, the night before. If you live in a hard water area, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the soaking water. The next day, drain them, put them in the espresso pot and add enough water to cover them well. Close it and put it on high heat. When it starts to beep or steam out, put it on low heat. From this moment the minutes count.
• Refrigerate and freeze. Once the legumes are cooked, to refrigerate them, if you prefer them with broth, put the legumes with their liquid in containers to refrigerate. If not, drain them well and transfer them to the containers. To freeze them, drain them very well, put a pinch of olive oil and stir carefully. Put them in individual containers to freeze.

BROWN RICE

1. Soak two cups of brown rice for at least two hours.
2. Drain it, put it in a saucepan with just enough water to cover it (about two cups), cover it and put it on high heat.
3. When it boils, lower the heat to a minimum and let it cook until there is no water left.
4. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.
5. Stir the rice to fluff it.
6. Refrigerate and freeze. Let it temper before putting it in refrigeration containers. To freeze it, wash it under the tap with cold water to cool it and drain it very well, and then transfer it to individual containers. Try not to crush it.

QUINOA

1. Put two cups of quinoa in a colander and wash it under the tap.
2. Transfer the drained quinoa to a saucepan with 2.5 cups of water, cover it and put it on high heat.
3. When it starts to boil, put it on low heat.
4. In 8-10 minutes, you will have run out of water.
5. Turn off, remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
6. When it is warm, you can put it in containers to refrigerate. To freeze, wash the quinoa under the tap to cool it completely or let it cool to room temperature. Put a pinch of olive oil (1-2 teaspoons) while stirring very well, and then pass it to individual containers and freeze them. There is no problem in crushing and compacting the quinoa a little.

VEGETABLES

Use roasted vegetables to make a quick ratatouille, or use fresh peppers, onions, zucchini, and tomatoes. Roast vegetables in abundance to include them in various dishes. Then store them in refrigeration containers.

Depending on the size of your oven, vegetables can be made in two or three different batches. Place on large baking trays:

• 3 medium aubergines pricked with a fork
• 1 large leek, cut into medium pieces
• 8-10 small potatoes or new potatoes with skin, washed under the tap with a brush
• 2 medium or large sweet potatoes, with skin, well washed, pricked a little with a knife
• 3 large peppers, washed, or 4 medium peppers
• 2 onions, peeled and halved
• 1/2 peanut pumpkin, peeled and cut into medium pieces
• 2 parsnips, without the top and peeled before putting them
• 4 large carrots, without top and peeled
• 2 zucchinis with skin, well washed
• 10-12 mushrooms, without foot and well washed. If they are large, cut them in half
• 1/2 cauliflower, washed and in florets

If you do not have any of these vegetables or you cannot find them, you can use others (or you can add more), for example turnips, romanesco, beets, artichokes, celeriac, other types of pumpkin, zucchini moon, tomatoes …

Preparation:

1. Start by preheating the oven to 200 ºC with heat up and down.
2. Then drizzle the vegetables, once they are on the tray, with a little olive oil. Use an oil spray or spray to make it easier for you.
3. Roast the vegetables for 45 minutes or until they are all done and soft. When you take out a tray, put the next one, so you can go doing a lot of it in batches.

To keep them:

1. Peel the peppers: while they are still hot, put them in a container of the right size, in a bag or wrap them, and let them temper or cool completely. Take them out and remove the skin, it will be much easier because it will have peeled off almost all.
2. To store in the fridge: let them temper before putting the vegetables in refrigeration containers. You can store them as they are or cut them if necessary (if they are very large pieces or whole).
3. To freeze: let them cool completely. Cut them into the pieces you are going to use and store them in containers by portions (a little of each, mixed) or by type (potatoes in one container, sweet potatoes in another …).
4. Prepare babaganoush: put the meat of the already roasted eggplants in the blender and beat it together with lemon juice, salt, tahini and olive oil.
5. You can add these ingredients to taste or in the same proportions as for a hummus, for example.
6. Store this cream in a closed container in the fridge and use it to take with raw carrot sticks, whole grain breads … You can also serve it as a snack, as a snack or as a filling for sandwiches.

You already have the ingredients, you can get down to work with the recipes.

1. BLACK BEAN BURGERS

Ingredients (for 8 burgers):

• 2.5 cups cooked and drained black beans
• 1/2 cup flaked oats
• 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Crush the black beans with the spices and soy sauce in a bowl.
2. Add the oatmeal and flour and mix well. If necessary, add a pinch of water.
3. Divide the dough into 8 parts and form the burgers.
4. Wrap them individually with biodegradable film or baking paper and freeze them.
5. Make them in the pan with a little olive oil over medium heat until golden brown on both sides (it will be about 4 minutes on each side, and add 1 more minute if frozen).
6. If you’re celiac or sensitive to gluten, swap flakes for cooked brown rice and wheat flour for rice flour. If necessary, add a little water to the dough to make it cohere.
7. Choose a wheat-free soy sauce. There are some shoyu and tamari that do not contain it.

2. SEITAN

Take advantage of the fact that you are going to use the oven to make a fluffy seitan that will spread a lot.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups wheat gluten powder
• 1/2 cup flaked oats
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dry baker’s yeast
• 2 <>/<> cups warm water

Elaboration:

1. Mix the gluten with the oats and yeast in a bowl. Add the soy sauce and water and knead it for a couple of minutes, until it begins to be compact, without breaking.
2. Line a long, tall pan with baking paper, put the dough, crushing it so that it reaches the walls of the mold well, and cover it. Let it rest in a warm place half an hour (approx.). It does not need to double in size.
3. Highlight it and put it in the oven at medium height, at 180 ºC, about 25 minutes. Just enough for it to grow, be done inside and brown the surface a little.
4. Take it out and let it cool.
5. To freeze: Cut it into pieces or slices and store in tightly closed freezer containers. If you use it in stews, stews and preparations with broths in which it will be cooking for a while, it is not necessary to defrost it before using it, you can add it directly to the cooking.
6. If you are celiac or sensitive to gluten, you can skip this recipe and use tofu or tempeh in the recipes in which seitan appears.

3. RATATOUILLE WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Ingredients:

• 2 roasted peppers
• 1 roasted onion
• 1 roasted zucchini
• 3 roasted tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Elaboration:

1. Chop the fine vegetables. Grate or crush the tomatoes.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. •Put all vegetables except tomatoes and sprinkle with salt.
3. Sauté everything together 4-5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and mix it very well. Let it poke everything together for a couple of minutes.
4. If you want it to have a little more broth, add half a cup of water and mix it well.
5. Remove from heat and allow to warm before putting in refrigeration or freezing containers.

4. VEGETABLE SKEWERS

Use the same vegetables that we have already roasted. If you want to also add some fresh vegetables that require little cooking time. Intersperse vegetables with pieces of hard tofu, preferably smoked (for added flavor) or marinated with spices and soy sauce.

5. CHICKPEAS WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES AND PEANUT SAUCE

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
• 3 cups chopped roasted vegetables (whatever you want, to taste)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter

Elaboration:

1. In a large skillet, sauté the chickpeas with the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the vegetables, salt and a bay leaf.
3. In a separate bowl, undo the peanut butter in 2 cups of water (you can use the mixer).
4. Add the peanut butter mixture to the pan and mix well.
5. Let it cook all together 3-4 minutes or until thickened. Serve hot.

6. ZUCCHINI CREAM

Ingredients:

• 1 roasted zucchini
• 1/2 roasted onion
• 2 small roasted potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup soy drink (unsweetened and unflavored)

Elaboration:

1. Put in a saucepan the peeled zucchini, onion, peeled potatoes, salt and just enough water to cover everything. And then put it on high heat.
2. When it comes to a boil, remove from heat, add olive oil and soy drink and beat everything together until a smooth cream remains. Finally, rectify salt if necessary.

7. RATATOUILLE WITH TEXTURED SOYBEANS

Ingredients:

• 3 cups ready-made ratatouille
• 1 cup textured soybeans
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

Elaboration:

1. If the ratatouille is frozen, put it in a large pan, covered, over low heat, to thaw it.
2. If refrigerated, put it directly in the pan.
3. Add the olive oil, textured soybeans, spices and soy sauce and mix well.
4. Add half a cup of water, stir and bring to a boil.
5. Let it simmer until the textured soybeans are tender and have absorbed most of the water (3-4 minutes). Serve hot.

More articles about batch cooking’s in Cuerpomente:

• Batch cooking: cooking for the whole week in a few hours
• 3 practical tips to make a healthy batch cooking
• Prepare your weekly batch cooking in 90 minutes
• Batch cooking: cook more to cook less

8. MINESTRONE SOUP

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked and drained beans (black beans are also worth it)
• 3 cups roasted vegetables
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 vegetable broth tablet

Elaboration:

1. Put all the ingredients in a pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Cook everything together 2-3 minutes and serve.
3. You can leave it a few more minutes if you want it to reduce.

9. GRILLED SEITAN FILLETS

Ingredients:

• 4 homemade seitan fillets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Provençal herbs
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce

Elaboration:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Put the seitan fillets (the ones that fit) and sprinkle with the spices.
3. Turn them over when they brown on one side.
4. Add the soy sauce when the seitan fillets are golden brown on both sides, let them soak and take them out to serve.

10. ROASTED PUMPKIN WITH SPICES

Ingredients:

• 1/2 roasted pumpkin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Provençal herbs
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin (seed)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Elaboration:

1. Cut the pumpkin into medium pieces if you roasted it whole.
2. If it is in pieces but frozen, put it in the pan over low heat, covered, with a pinch of water, to thaw it.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Put the pumpkin and sprinkle with the spices and salt. Skip it all together 3-4 minutes. Try it and rectify salt if necessary.

11. BLACK BEAN AND RICE SALAD WITH SPROUTS

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked and drained black beans
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 bag of fresh sprout mixture
• A handful of sprouts (alfalfa for example)
• extra virgin olive oil
• lemon juice
• salt for dressing

Elaboration:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and season them to your liking with oil, lemon and salt.
2. Serve immediately.

12. CHICKPEA CURRY WITH SPINACH

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
• 2 cups frozen spinach in portions
• 2 small roasted potatoes
• 1 roasted tomato
• 3 tablespoons olive oil <>/<> teaspoon cumin (whole seed)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (approx.)

Elaboration:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the spinach and chickpeas and cover it.
3. Cut the potatoes into medium pieces.
4. Crush the tomato a little or cut it into pieces.
5. When the spinach is thawed almost completely add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
6. Add enough water to cover it and put it on high heat.
7. Let it boil until it reduces a little and is a rather creamy curry (4-5 minutes).
8. Serve hot.

13. ROASTED LENTIL AND VEGETABLE STEW

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked and drained lentils
• 3 cups chopped roasted vegetables
• About 1 cup of seitan, tofu, or tempeh, chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Elaboration:

1. Put all the ingredients in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Stir it from time to time until the vegetables begin to brown a little.
2. Add enough water to cover everything and bring to a boil.
3. Cook everything together 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Remove it when it starts to thicken. Serve hot.

14. HUMMUS

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked and drained chickpeas
• 4 tablespoons tahini
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

Elaboration:

1. Put all ingredients except paprika in the blender and whisk. Add cooking liquid to the chickpeas little by little (or water) so that it is a soft cream.
2. Serve garnished with paprika.
3. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in a closed container.

15. ROASTED POTATOES WITH TAHINI

Ingredients:

• 8 new roasted potatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• A pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons tahini
• 1/2 cup soy drink (unsweetened and unflavored)
• lemon to serve

Elaboration:

1. Cut the potatoes in half and sauté them in a pan with the olive oil and thyme for 2-3 minutes.
2. Remove them and sprinkle with salt.
3. In a bowl mix the tahini with the soy drink (you can use the blender) and put it on the potatoes.
4. Serve with lemon to add, to taste.

16. QUINOA WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• 3 cups chopped roasted vegetables
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano

Elaboration:

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Put the quinoa and sauté it for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and sauté everything together for 2-3 more minutes.
4. Serve hot.

17. SAMPLE WEEKLY MENU

MONDAY:

• Food: Chickpeas with roasted vegetables and peanut sauce.
• Dinner: Zucchini and ratatouille cream with textured soy.

TUESDAY:

• Food: Minestrone soup. Grilled seitan fillet.
• Dinner: Roasted pumpkin with spices. Black bean and rice salad with sprouts.

WEDNESDAY:

• Food: Chickpea curry with spinach. Babaganoush.
• Dinner: Vegetable skewers and tofu. Hummus with rye bread.

THURSDAY

• Food: lentil stew with tofu and roasted vegetables.
• Dinner: roasted potatoes with tahini. Black bean burgers.

FRIDAY

• Food: quinoa with roasted vegetables. Hummus with rye bread.
• Dinner: tempeh steaks with ratatouille.