Healthy Freezer Meals + Green Lentil Chili

This months Recipe Redux theme is such a good one!  This month I am sharing my best tips and tricks for healthy freezer meals.  Utilizing the freezer to conveniently make and have healthy foods on hand can be a real life saver. When you feel very strongly, as I do, about eating real food it is essential to do a little planning.  The easiest way to find yourself reaching for processed food is when you are hungry and have no meals planned.  Believe me I know from experience.  But the good news I that just little thinking ahead can make a huge difference between fast food and real food. Keep your freezer full of already prepared meals, prepped recipe ingredients, and grocery staples.  I have some great tips, tricks, and recipes that work great in the freezer.

Breakfast

Pancakes and waffles.  Make a double batch of pancakes and waffles when you are cooking breakfast on the weekends and freeze the leftovers for a quick breakfast during the weekdays.  Try my Chai Buckwheat Pancakes.

Breakfast cookies and muffins.  One of the easiest breakfasts to take on the go are the ones that you can eat directly from your hand.  Pull a cookie directly from the freezer the night before or warm them up in the oven in the morning.  These recipes work great for adults and kids.  Try my Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies, Blueberry Walnut Breakfast Cookies,  Strawberry Banana Oat Muffins, Fig Muffins, or Spiced Apple Muffins.

Smoothies.  These are by far my favorite thing to have for breakfast on the weekdays.  Instead of making one from scratch every morning make an extra large batch on the weekend and freeze them in individual portions to save time.  Try my Orange Vanilla Spinach Smoothie, Strawberry Lemonade Green Smoothie, Back to Basics Green Smoothie, Green Monster Mojito Smoothie, or Sunshine Gold Smoothie. Lunch

When it comes to lunch I always love a good salad.  Obviously freezing salad isn’t the greatest idea but you can still utilize the freezer to save time. Ingredients that you can cook and freeze to save time are quinoa, millet, beans, beets, sweet potatoes.  Add the cooked ingredients to freezer safe jars.  Try my Greek Millet, Roasted Vegetable Quinoa, or Sweet Potato and Chickpea Curry.

Salad dressings can even be frozen to throw a healthy salad or sandwich together in no time.  Try my Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette, Green Goddess Tahini Dressing, Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette or Balsamic Pesto.

Freeze homemade hummus to serve with sliced vegetables for a quick dip that doubles as a nutritious meal.  Try my Cilantro Lime Hummus or Toasted Cumin Hummus. Dinner

Soups and stews.  One of the easiest things to make and freeze, even in single portions.  Large batches of soup can be made in one pot on the stove or in the crock pot and can last a long time in the freezer.  Try my Mushroom Dill Soup, Sweet Potato and Kale Corn Chowder, Winter Squash Soup, or Black Bean and Butternut Squash Chili.

Healthy ingredients that can be easily frozen are cauliflower rice, zucchini or sweet potato noodles, or sauces.  Try my Cauliflower Mock Risotto or Zucchini Noodles with Roasted Tomatoes and Peas.

As a bonus I am sharing a brand spanking new recipe that is freezable.  This green lentil chili can be eaten out of a bowl or is just as delicious served in a tortilla with all of the fixings.  Top it will cheese, salsa, avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.  Of course don’t forget to double the recipe to freeze for later. What is your favorite freezer staple

?

Print

Green Lentil Chili

www.theorganicdietitian.com

Prep Time 8 hours

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 9 hours

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 2 cups green lentils
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 medium yellow onion peeled and diced
• 5 large garlic gloves peeled and diced
• 1-2 jalapeños seeds removed and diced (keep the seeds if you like it spicy)
• 2 poblano peppers seeds removed and diced
• 1 tablespoon cumin ground
• 1 tablespoon coriander ground
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 5 cups vegetable or chicken broth I like homemade

Instructions

1. In a large bowl cover the lentils with water and soak overnight.
2. Drain and rinse the lentils.
3. In a large stock pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.
4. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno, and peppers.
5. Cook the vegetables until slightly soft and the onions are translucent.
6. Add the spices, lentils, and broth.
7. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the lentils are tender about 1-2 hours (more or less as needed).

Recipe Notes

*choose organic ingredients when possible.