Streamline Your Weeknights with Batch Cooking: Effortless Meals for Busy Aussies
After a long day, the last thing anyone wants is to face a complicated dinner preparation. This is precisely where the magic of batch cooking shines. By investing a little time and effort upfront, you can unlock a week of stress-free, ready-to-eat meals, transforming your weeknights from chaotic to calm.
Suzanne Mulholland, affectionately known as “The Batch Lady,” has built a reputation on helping busy families reclaim their evenings. Her latest offering, Batch from Scratch, is a treasure trove of recipes and innovative ideas designed to simplify breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We’ve delved into her book to bring you some of her favourite time-saving creations, perfect for any Australian kitchen.
Five-a-Day Pasta Sauce: A Veggie Powerhouse
This vibrant pasta sauce is not only packed with flavour but also a fantastic way to sneak in those essential five-a-day servings of vegetables. It’s a versatile base that can be enjoyed with your favourite pasta, used as a dip, or even incorporated into other dishes.
Serves: 4
Prep time: Approximately 15 minutes
Cook time: Approximately 25-30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 115g frozen diced onions
- 2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 1 courgette, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic purée
- 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
- 120ml vegetable stock
- A generous handful of fresh basil leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
- Add the diced onions, carrots, celery, and courgette. Cook for about five minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic purée, followed by the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender.
- Carefully transfer the cooked sauce to a blender. Add the fresh basil leaves and blend until you achieve a smooth consistency.
- Season generously with salt and pepper to your preference.
Freezing Instructions:
- Allow the sauce to cool completely before portioning it into labelled freezer bags. Seal the bags tightly and freeze them flat for efficient storage.
- To use, remove from the freezer and allow it to defrost thoroughly. You can then pour it into a saucepan and heat gently until piping hot, or transfer it to a microwave-safe container and reheat for two to three minutes until thoroughly heated.
For Immediate Enjoyment:
- Follow the method until the sauce is seasoned. Serve immediately with your favourite pasta.
Cheese and Veggie Frittata: A Savoury Delight
This frittata is a brilliant make-ahead option, perfect for quick lunches, a light dinner, or even a hearty breakfast. It’s easily adaptable to whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: Approximately 10 minutes
Cook time: Approximately 25-30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Oil, for frying
- 2 peppers (any colour), finely diced
- 2 large handfuls of frozen peas
- 8 large eggs
- 80ml milk
- 140g grated Cheddar cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
- Line a 20cm square baking dish with greaseproof paper.
- Add a splash of oil to a large frying pan and place over a medium heat. Add the diced peppers and frozen peas. Cook for five to six minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
- While the vegetables are cooking, crack the eggs into a mixing jug. Add the milk, a good grind of salt, and pepper. Whisk thoroughly until well combined.
- Once the vegetables are tender, scatter them evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Pour the whisked egg mixture over the vegetables.
- Scatter the grated Cheddar cheese over the top.
- Place the dish in a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4) for 20-25 minutes, or until the frittata is set and firm to the touch.
Freezing Instructions:
- Once the frittata is cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely.
- Once cooled, slice it into four wedges. Place each wedge into a labelled freezer bag, seal, and freeze flat.
- To cook from frozen, place a frozen slice of frittata in the microwave and heat for approximately two minutes, or until fully defrosted and piping hot.
For Immediate Enjoyment:
- Follow the method until the frittata is baked and firm. Slice and serve immediately.
Chicken Noodle Soup Jars: The Ultimate Grab-and-Go Lunch
These cleverly assembled soup jars are ideal for preparing lunches in advance to take to work or enjoy on the go. While not suitable for freezing, they can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to three days, offering a convenient and healthy meal solution.
Makes: 4 jars
Ingredients:
- 2 nests of vermicelli noodles
- 80g chopped mushrooms
- 200g drained sweetcorn
- 1 head of pak choi, trimmed and thinly sliced
- A handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 200g cooked chicken, shredded
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 chicken stock cubes
Method:
- Take four clean jars (approximately 400-500ml capacity).
- Break half a nest of vermicelli noodles into each jar.
- Evenly distribute the chopped mushrooms, sweetcorn, sliced pak choi, fresh coriander, and shredded cooked chicken among the four jars, layering them on top of the noodles.
- Add one tablespoon of soy sauce to each jar.
- Crumble half a chicken stock cube into each jar.
- Seal the jars and store them in the refrigerator for up to three days.
To Prepare and Serve:
- When ready to eat, simply pour boiling water into each jar, filling it to just below the lid.
- Allow the soup to sit for five minutes to enable the noodles and vegetables to soften.
- Stir everything together thoroughly before enjoying your flavourful and convenient soup.
