The next time you go grocery shopping, spend some of it stocking up on freezer-friendly recipes for you and your family. This method is a great way to have healthy lunches and dinner recipes ready at your fingertips and helps you rotate meals into your recipe plans. Always be prepared with nutritious meals during the day and get ahead in the week by making a batch of your favorite meals. Choosing healthy recipes that are freezer friendly and making a few of these in advance is a form of self-care, and you’re to be thanking yourself later!
Two Freezable Dinner Recipes
Option 1: Oven Roasted Meatballs with Kale Pesto and Mozzarella Cheese
Ingredients
- 500g beef mince
- 1 egg
- 65g kale pesto or basil pesto
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch oregano leaves, picked
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 700ml tomato passata
- 1 cup (100g) grated mozzarella
- Basil leaves to serve
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- In a big bowl, combine the mince, egg, breadcrumbs, pesto, and one-quarter chopped garlic. Roughly chop half the oregano and add to the beef mixture. Season, then form into 6cm meatballs.
- Heat oil in a deep ovenproof frypan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning for 6-7 minutes until browned all over. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add onion and remaining garlic to the pan and stir for 3 minutes or until softened. Add tomato passata, season, then bring to a simmer.
- Return meatballs to the pan and scatter with cheese and remaining oregano. Bake for 15-20 minutes until meatballs are cooked through and cheese is bubbling.
- Serve with extra pesto and basil leaves. Voila!
Option 2: Chicken Meatballs with Zucchini and Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 8 (700g) chicken sausages
- 2 large zucchinis
- 2 tbsp finely chopped basil leaves
- 300g spaghetti
- 30g unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted and chopped
- Grated Parmesan or extra basil to serve
Method
- Squeeze the chicken from the sausage casings and mix it with the basil.
- Slightly wet your hands to form 16 meatballs using about 1 1/2 tbsp mixture for each. Allow the meatballs to chill for 10 minutes to firm up.
- While you’re waiting, cut the zucchini into long thin ribbons (a mandoline is ideal), then with a sharp knife, cut each ribbon into thin strips and season with 1 tsp salt and set aside.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until firmly cooked (al dente). Drain, reserving 1/3 cup (80ml) cooking liquid.
- Heat the oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning for 8-10 minutes until cooked through and dark golden.
- Deglaze the pan by adding the vinegar, reserved cooking water, butter, and scraping the pan with a spoon.
- Toss spaghetti with zucchini and serve with meatballs and sauce from the pan. Scatter over pine nuts, Parmesan, and herbs. Your meal is ready!