Since the start of the Stay Home campaign, our Instagram stories have been filled with pictures of homemade muffins, loaves of banana bread and other tasty treats. So, we were inspired to pull together some of our favourite batch cooking recipes. If you are working from home, trying to keep the family entertained or looking to expand your culinary skillset then this batch cooking blog is for you. We have selected three tasty, easy recipes which pair together to make a showstopping three-course meal. The best part is these dishes can be batch cooked!

At DID we LOVE batch cooking. So it was a given that we were going to do a blog with all our favourite batch cooking recipes. It is cost-effective, perfect for hassle-free mid-week lunches and it saves you time in the kitchen. So, you can finish off that jigsaw puzzle with the kids, start a new series on Netflix or join the banana bread brigade. Just create your dishes, portion them up and pop them in the freezer for later!  

Before getting started make sure you stock up on the cooking essentials. Our must-have kitchen gadget is the humble food scale. It may not be fancy but a scale can make or break your baking creations and it is the perfect gadget for anyone looking to track their food intake. Before you start cooking, invest in one of these!  

Soup is the ultimate batch cooking choice. It's cheap to make, you can add pretty much anything you have left in the veggie drawer and it freezes and reheats perfectly. Just be sure to freeze it in portions if you plan on using it for single lunches. It's also a nutrition-packed way of keeping the homestay munchies at bay. When the mid-afternoon hunger bangs hit, just grab a mug of warm soup.

Ingredients

• 500g of Grated Carrots 175g of Red Lentils
• 1 Vegetable (or Chicken) Stock Cube
• 3cm Piece of Fresh Ginger Root
• 1 Medium Red Onion
• 1 Tbsp of Garam Masala
• 1 Fresh Red Chilli
• 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
• 1 Bunch of Fresh Coriander
• Salt and Pepper

Method 

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Dice the ginger root and red onion and sauté in the pan.
2. Separate the coriander leave and stalks. Finely chop the coriander stalks and add them to the pan. Cook for a further few minutes on a low to medium heat.
3. Add the garam masala and stir constantly. Cook the garam masala out for about 1 minute. Then add the grated carrot and lentils.
4. Make up your stock, about 1.5 litres, and add this to your saucepan.
5. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30-35 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can serve the soup as is or blend depending on what your preference is.
6. Serve hot with coriander leaves and fresh chilli sprinkled on top. You could also add a poached egg for a bit of extra protein!          

A comforting curry is a perfect dinner or soul-warming lunch. Serve it with jasmine rice, a baked potato or some crunchy chips. This curry sauce also works well with lamb or beef. You can also add any additional vegetables to help bulk out the recipe. Freeze the curry in portions and then microwave as required.

• 450g of Diced Chicken Breast
• 1 Large Onion
• 1 Tin of Chickpeas
• 1 Tin of Coconut Milk
• 1 Large Red Pepper
• 150g of Frozen Peas
• 2 Garlic Cloves
• 3 Tbsp of Medium Curry Powder
• 2 Tbsp of Ground Turmeric
• 2 Tbsp of Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp of Tomato Puree
• Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Fry the onion until soft. Add the diced chicken and cook until browned. Add the two crushed garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add the chickpeas, diced red pepper and frozen peas. When adding the chickpeas be sure to add all the liquid also! This is called aquafaba, it is high in protein and great for thickening your curry sauce.
3. Add the full tin of coconut milk and stir well. Add the curry powder, turmeric and tomato puree. Mix well and top up with boiling water if required. The liquid should just about cover the chicken. If you add too much the sauce will not reduce and it may be too runny.
4. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes on a low to medium heat. Turn the heat up high for a final five minutes, stirring to ensure the curry doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan. This will help to thicken the sauce slightly.
5. Serve the curry with rice, naan bread and a sprinkle of fresh chilli and coriander.    

When we are staying at home we all crave a few treats. Especially when we are chilling out in the evening. This sorbet is a light way of getting a sugar hit while keeping your calories in check. It's the perfect-go-to treat. Plus, you can batch freeze this recipe, so it is always on hand whenever the sugar cravings hit.  

Ingredients

• 6 Red Apples
• 1 Tbsp of Maple Syrup
• 1 Lemon
• 2 Tsp of Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Tsp of Ground Nutmeg
• 1 Tsp of Ground Ginger

Method

1. Chop the apples into quarters and remove the cores. Juice the lemon and keep the juice to the side.
2. Chop the apples into chunks and add them to a saucepan with 250ml of water. Add the lemon juice, maple syrup and spices.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook until the apples have fully cooked and have formed an apple puree. Taste and add more maple syrup if needed.
4. Put the mixture into a food processor or blender. Blend until totally smooth. Transfer the liquid into a freezer-safe container, be sure to leave space for the mixture to expand.
5. Freeze overnight or until set. Depending on your container this could take up to 6 hours.
6. Remove from the fridge 5 minutes before serving to allow to soften slightly.

Have fun creating these recipes at home and stay safe, All the staff at DID Electrical.