In light of the recent addition to our family, I have been in search of some quick and easy meals: options for making healthy, delicious meals on the go. Time is of a premium now that I have two boys to look after, so the less time I spend in the kitchen, the more time I have to enjoy my family. But I don’t want to sacrifice the quality of our food either, hence my search for some resources to help me out.
Quick and Easy Meals
I came across this website, onceamonthmeals.com, and I decided to try it out. I liked it so much, I want to share it with all of you. Once a month, the website puts out a set of meals that you can prepare and store in the freezer FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH. They include grocery lists, recipes, and step-by-step instructions. You need one day to gather ingredients and prepare, and then you are set up with dinner meals for the rest of the month. In addition, you can choose from various menu plans, including vegetarian, paleo, nut-free, gluten free and dairy free, kids/toddlers, whole foods, and traditional.
You can choose to sign up and pay for the full service on this website, or you can also make use of the free monthly recipes they offer. For me, this was a real time-saver, and I have found the recipes to be tasty, nutritious, and family-friendly. Here’s one of my favorites from the paleo menu, great for a light, summer night meal. Enjoy!
Sweet Summer Chili
Serves 8
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
1.25 cups red onion, diced
0.67 cups leek, sliced
8 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 Tablespoons fresh thyme, diced
2 cups carrots, chunks
6 cups sweet potatoes, chunks
6 cups beef stock
1 teaspoons sea salt
6 cups ground beef, browned
1 cups carrots, shredded
1.5 cups red cabbage, chopped
In a large stockpot, melt coconut oil. Sauté red onion, leeks, garlic, and thyme until translucent. Add chunks of carrot and sweet potato. Continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes. Add beef stock and sea salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove 1/4 of mixture and puree in food processor. Return pureed vegetables to stockpot. Add ground beef, shredded carrots, and cabbage. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes.
To Freeze: prepare per above directions. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Divide among gallon freezer bags. Label and freeze. TO SERVE: Thaw. Reheat in stockpot over low heat for 8-10 minutes, until heated through.
