Easy Way To Batch Cook For The Kids

Easy Way To Batch Cook For The Kids: One Bird Three Meals

By Gingseng & Thyme (Georgie Glass & Kate Tighe)

Back when our grandmothers were raising our parents, meals had to last a lot longer than they do now. It was common to cook something big on a weekend and then scrimp another two, three or sometimes four other nutritious meals out of it for your family. Nowadays, it is all too easy to just nip into Tesco and just buy something ‘quick and easy’ without thinking about the build-up of cost or health value. Here at G&T headquarters, we have been thinking long and hard about this, and we thought we would see how hard it was to make a roast dinner last another two meals - and we know we both aren’t mums yet- but we thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to think ahead.
Turns out it was easy as pie.

The trick was all about stock. The basic chicken stock is pretty easy to whip up. Start by pitting the carcass in whole to a large heavy based saucepan and fill it up with later so the chicken is covered. Roughly chop a two carrots, two sticks of celery and one medium sized onion in half and put them in the pan with a couple cloves of garlic, a bay leaf and three whole pepper corns. Then you just boil it on a medium heat for an hour or two. At this stage, you can leave it to cool and decant it into a Tupperware or jug and leave it in the fridge or popping it in an ice cube tray and freezing for up to three months.

So, once that step is out of the way, not only have you reduced waste, but you have made yourself the building blocks for a further two meals. The recipes below use the chicken stock you have made to make a hearty scotch broth using the left over chicken scraps and plenty of veggies, and a colourful risotto which is packed full of nutrients for you and your little ones.
All the dishes are healthy, nutritious and mild flavoured as to be easy on the stomachs of your children but still delicious for the grownups. We urge you to give this challenge a go, and see the difference it can make on your wallet.
We hope you enjoy them, with lots of love from G&T

Chicken Scotch broth
Serves 4
Left over chicken, shredded
600ml homemade chicken stock
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stick, diced
1 onion, diced,
75g pearl barley
Few sprigs of fresh parsley
Salt, pepper, olive oil
Bread and butter to serve

1. In a medium saucepan or casserole dish fry off the vegetables in a little olive oil over a low heat until soft and a little translucent.


2. Add the chicken stock, 100ml water and the pearl barley and simmer for 30 minutes.


3. At the last minute, add the left over shredded chicken and portion off a serving for the kids before seasoning. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and serve alongside bread and butter and a few sprigs of fresh parsley.

Pea & Mint Risotto
Serves 4
1 small onion, diced
2 leeks, sliced
300g frozen peas
100ml milk
Few sprigs of mint
1.5 litres of homemade chicken stock
350g risotto rice
Salt, pepper, olive oil
Parmesan to serve

1. Boil all but a handful of your peas with a large sprig of mint until soft. Once cooked, drain and place the peas and mint in a blender or food processer with a little seasoning and the milk. Blitz into a puree.


2. In a saucepan, sauté the onion and leek in a little olive oil. Once soft and translucent, add the rice and fry for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Add the stock a ladleful at a time, waiting for the rice to absorb it fully before adding more. It should like about 25 minutes for the rice to cook.


3. Add the pea puree and the left over peas and let the liquid cook off for about 5-10 minutes and serve with a sprinkling of parmesan.