Painful Beloved

When I have the energy I love to make freezer meals that we can pull out at any time to use on days I am barely able to leave the couch let alone stand and cook in the kitchen. I usually prefer to freeze in glass or silicone bags and containers but my silicone bags seem to have grown legs and walked away during our move. For all of these I season with my heart, use whatever and however many seasonings you want for any of these.

Everything is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, sugar-free, and anti-inflammatory.

This last big meal prep I spent 3 hours cooking and putting these meals together:

Basic Chicken Roast for Two

• 2 Large Boneless & Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 Thing of Celery Cleaned & Cut Up
• 1 Bag of Baby Carrots or 4 Large Carrots Peeled & Cut Up
• 2 Large Russet Potatoes Peeled & Cut Up
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion Cut
• Salt
• Pepper
• Paprika
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Minced Garlic

To Cook:

Thaw overnight in the fridge, place everything in a large roast pan, bake for 30-45 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the drippings from the roast pan to make a chicken gravy.

Breakfast Casserole

• 12 Eggs
• 1 Cup Dairy Free Milk or Water
• 3lbs Breakfast Sausage of your choice
• 3 Large Russet Potatoes Peeled and Large Diced
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion Diced
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Minced Garlic
• Smoked Paprika
• Onion Powder

To Bake:

Sauté onions, add sausage, then add potatoes and garlic. The sausage doesn’t have to be fully cooked. Mix eggs and milk or water. Add the ingredients you sauteed. Mix with seasonings. If you want thinner pieces use two 9×13’s, for thicker pieces use one 9×13. Pour evenly among your pan(s). Bake for 30 minutes or until set in the middle. Cool and cut into even pieces, can be kept in the fridge for up to a week, or kept in the freezer and pulled out when you’re ready to heat and eat.

Beef Lentil Chili

• 2 Package of Green Lentils
• 2 Pounds Organic Lean Beef or Soy-Free Meat Alternative
• 1 Large Yellow Onion
• 2 Cans Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Can Corn or Bag of Frozen Corn
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cumin
• Smoked Paprika
• Chili Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder

To Cook:

Cook lentils to package specifications, I cooked them in my instant pot with the an inch of water covering them, set to high for 20 minutes. Sauté onions and cook beef or meat alternative. Add seasoning. Add tomatoes and corn. Mix in Lentils. Wait for it to cool and separate into 3 to 4 containers or bags, freeze flat.

Chicken Sausage Sweet Potato Skillet

• 3 Packages of Chicken Sausage (I used Aldi’s spinach feta & tomato basil)
• 4 Large Sweet Potatoes
• 1 Yellow Onion
• Salt
• Pepper
• Smoked Paprika
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Minced Garlic
• Avocado or Olive Oil

To Cook:

Sauté onions in olive oil or avocado oil in a large pot or skillet. Partially roast sweet potatoes. Add cut up sausage to onions. Peel sweet potatoes, cut up, add to skillet. Season everything. Enjoy, or cool and store.

Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry

• 4 lbs Chicken Breasts
• 24 oz of Frozen Broccoli
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 6 Green Onions Whites & Greens
• Corn starch just to coat the chicken as it sautés
• 1/2 Cup Liquid Coconut Aminos – to your preference, I love a lot
• 1/4 Cup Soy-Free Hoisin Sauce
• 2 TBS Raw Sugar or Sugar Alternative of choice
• 2 TBS Rice Vinegar
• 2 TBS Minced Garlic
• 2 tsp Sesame Oil
• Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
• 2 tsp Onion Powder
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp Chili Oil
• Avocado Oil
• Water
• Optional Chicken Stock

The above measurements for sauces and seasonings are really just a guideline, please use your taste preferences to create the sauce you want. I usually just mess around until it’s as spicy, salty, and sweet as I want it. When I add mushrooms I also mushroom powder for a rich umami vibe.

1. Sauté yellow onions and green onion whites in avocado oil over medium heat. Set greens of the green onions aside.
2. Large dice chicken, salt and pepper the chicken. Add to onions. Cook until chicken reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Cover with corn starch. Allow chicken to absorb cornstarch a bit.
4. Mix the sauces and seasonings together with splashes of water. Whisk until combined.
5. Pour over chicken, stir.
6. If the sauce is too thick, add more water or chicken stock if you have it. If it is too thin, mix a cornstarch slurry in. A cornstarch slurry is equal parts cornstarch and water whisked together.
7. Add thawed broccoli. Cover.
8. Serve with green onions on top, optionally can be served over rice.

The world is your oyster, feel free to add carrots, peppers, or use beef instead of chicken. This is my affordable, allergy friendly anti-inflammatory version.