Healthy meals you can make ahead and freeze

Looking for suggestions for healthy meals you can make ahead and freeze. I'm working crazy hours with a trial coming up and want to be able to still eat real, healthy foods despite my busy schedule.

This weekend, I am planning to cook up a storm and freeze things, including:

fat free muffins
vegetarian tomato sauce
beef stew (recipe from the Biggest Loser Cookbook - really yummy!)
chicken noodle soup
manhattan clam chowder

The soup recipes are from the Healthy Heart Cookbook and also very yummy.

I'm really trying to get back into shape because I am planning to show my horses again pretty intensely next year. I am also just trying to be healthy to avoid all of the unfortunate health problems in my family - heart disease, cancer, etc.

Any suggestions for things that freeze well -- or, alternatively, things that can be made a day or two ahead?

Re: Healthy meals you can make ahead and freeze

chicken!

i would marinate some chicken breasts in different seasonings so you can use them for various meals.

asian seasonings for chopping up and throwing into a stirfry with frozen veggies.

mexican seasonings for chopping and putting into tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, etc.

whatever your favorite marinade is for just plain grilling chicken.

i'd stock up on frozen veggies too (no salt added - and none in any kinds of sauces) so that you can just steam them in the micro or throw them into your favorite dishes.

you can also do some turkey or chicken meatballs....

stock up on couscous too - it only takes like 7 minutes from start to finish!

let me think some more!

Re: Healthy meals you can make ahead and freeze

Thanks!!

So I can just cut up the chicken, mix it with the seasonings and/or healthy sauce and freeze together? That's a pretty cool idea.

My cousin got me an entire cookbook on things you can freeze ahead like that, but I haven't tried it. I guess I will try it now. I'll have to cut it down, though -- it's a recipe for cooking in super bulk. We're only 2 people!

I love making stir-fry, too.

I have never made cous cous, but now I'm going to get some! Yum!

Re: Healthy meals you can make ahead and freeze

we are a family of 2 and I usually go to Sams club and buy the big pack of chicken or beef and when I get home I divide the portions and usually preseason each pack with different flavors and freeze them

Re: Healthy meals you can make ahead and freeze

Soups keep so well in the freezer.

I actually spend a full day making stocks - chicken, beef and veggie. Once you have those you can make any kind of soup in a minute by adding a protein, some veggies and a starch if you choose.

Re: Healthy meals you can make ahead and freeze

ground turkey chili freezes really well and I make it in my crock pot.

But my all time favorite recipe to freeze is Rachel Ray's Chicken and Dumpling Stoup.
Here's what you need:
6 cups of fat free, low sodium chicken broth
1 lb. ground chicken
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmigiana cheese grated
1 package of frozen potato gnocchi
2 cups shredded carrots
1 medium onion diced
2 cups frozen peas
1 TBSP olive oil

In the oil, sauté the onions and carrots until softened. During the time they are sautéing, mix the ground chicken, bread crumbs and parmigiana cheese and make roughly 40 mini meatballs. Once the carrots and onions are softened, pour the chicken broth over it, then add the meatballs to the broth. Let sit for a half hour, add the gnocchi and peas, let cook until the gnocchi are soft. You can freeze and it will thicken up, or serve right away. It takes about a half hour to forty minutes in total to make and is my favorite recipe!

Re: Healthy meals you can make ahead and freeze

Re: Healthy meals you can make ahead and freeze