The benefits of batch cooking

Not everything lends itself to freezing, but a lot of comforting meals fit the bill perfectly – think curries, slow-cooker meals, stews, pasta sauce, pies and even treats like banana bread, scones and muffins. Some meals taste even better when you reheat them, and there’s nothing more satisfying than a yummy dish that has been cooked with love and takes minimal effort to serve. 

There are a few golden rules when it comes to batch cooking and freezing: 

1. Portion your food into single servings or enough for the whole family so nothing goes to waste once re-heated.  
2. Always write the date on your meal. Most soups and stews are best consumed within three months, while cooked meat can last up to six months.  
3. Cool the food before freezing – two hours post-cooking is the best time to freeze. 
4. Always reheat until piping hot. 
5. An easy way to defrost your meals is by putting them in the fridge the night before serving. If you forget, just allow for an extra 20-30 minutes of defrosting time in the microwave before re-heating.  

Now you’ve got the basics, it’s time to get cooking. Enjoy our nourishing Veggie Bolognese Pasta to use throughout the year. This vegan meal serves 4 and the sauce can easily be made and stored in bulk. Happy cooking. 

Veggie Bolognese Pasta 

• 2 tbsp organic olive oil 
• 1 red onion, diced 

• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 100g mushrooms, sliced 
• 1 small eggplant, chopped into 1cm cubes 
• ½ cup dried, organic whole green lentils cooked 
• 1½ tins organic crushed tomatoes 

• ½ cup red wine 
• ½ head broccoli, roughly chopped into small florets 
• 1 tsp crushed chilli medium 
• 1 tsp basil  
• 1 tsp Italian mixed herbs 

• Salt & pepper, to taste 
• 500g organic tri grain fusilli pasta 
• Handful fresh basil, to garnish 
• Nutritional yeast flakes 

Add olive oil to a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion, garlic, mushrooms and eggplant and sauté until brown and soft (about 5 mins). 

Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add cooked lentils to veggies and mix through, then stir in the crushed tomatoes and add your red wine, broccoli and spices. Season with salt and pepper then simmer covered for 25 mins. 

In the meantime, bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the pasta to your liking. 

Spoon the pasta into bowls and top with a good serving of the veggie and lentil sauce. Garnish with fresh basil and nutritional yeast flakes, and serve. 

For bulk batches, set aside the amount you want to keep for another meal and place into an air-tight container before storing in the freezer.