Make Your Meals Do the Work: Cook Once, Eat for Days (2024)

Make Your Meals Do the Work: Cook Once, Eat for Days (1)

By CHEF_MEG,SparkPeople Blogger 1/26/2010

Just how many meals can you get from one recipe? No, this is not a Food Network challenge but a real life, “how am I going to make it through the week and provide my family with some healthy, fast, and flavorful meals?” scenario. I am a working mother to three and wife who fits daily exercise into her life. I strive to, at some point over the weekend, make a one dish meal and turn it into two or three meals for the early part of the week or for “fall back freezer meals.”

Today let's take a look at one recipe, my Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, then see how this versatile, healthy and filling dish can be stretched for a few meals. The soup itself makes 12 servings, plus an extra quart of broth, so there are plenty of possibilities!

Stock the Freezer: One batch of chicken soup will yield an additional quart of chicken broth. Cool and freeze as is, or for freezer storage space, reduce the one quart to one pint by simmering on the stove over moderate low heat for 40-50 minutes. When ready to use, add back one pint of water.

Make Ahead Meals: Add a second 3-pound chicken to the stock pot. Prepare recipe as is, but do not add the meat from the second chicken to the chicken soup. Divide meat in half and use in the following recipes:

  • Use as a topping day on a salad to add essential protein. Try adding some seasonal fruit to the salad as well: try pears, apples or blueberries. (Use 3 ounces of chicken per serving.)
  • Substitute chicken for beef in a black bean chili, make white chili or use it for chicken enchiladas (or my Enchilada Stacker).
  • Use leftover meat to make Chicken and Vegetable Casserole.
  • Top a whole wheat pizza with chicken, chopped tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese.
  • Make a grilled chicken sandwich using whole-wheat bread,jarred pesto or sun dried tomatoes and leafy greens.
  • Freeze the chicken for emergency dinners on your busiest nights.

    Keep Those Meals Interesting
    Eating the same thing for several meals can seem downright boring to some people. Here are some tips for recycling ingredients and keeping your taste buds interested.

    • Change up the second recipe as much as possible and switch the flavors. For example, I would suggest reformatting the poached chicken into an Asian or Southwest recipe instead of another savory thyme-based chicken recipe. The goal is to make everyone think you made from scratch a whole new recipe--only you will know the difference. (For example, you could make my Thai Chicken Coconut Soup)
    • Utilize the reworked item for a different meal. If the main ingredient was part of supper, use the reworked item in a lunch box or as a breakfast item--and don’t forget snacks.
    • Remember that flavors can heighten or become subdued once cooled. Taste the main reworked ingredient before you start to add new flavors or spices.

    Do you have any tips for using leftover chicken? How do you stretch one meal into many? Check out the rest of my recipes by clicking here.

    • See more: healthy meals quick tips recipes healthy eating saving money chef meg


    Popular Entries

    • 12 Chicken Meals You Can Prep in 15 Minutes or Less30Comments
    • VIDEO: 23 and 1/2 Hours -- What is the Single Best Thing We Can Do for Our Health?44Comments
    • 7 High-Fiber Cereals that Actually Taste Good407Comments
    • A 20-Minute Pilates Workout That Will Power Up Your Core76Comments
    • Confession: I Ran and Ate My Way Through the Krispy Kreme Challenge306Comments

    Related Entries

    • 6 Simple Swaps That Will Help You Eat Less Meat
    • If the Calorie Information Isn't Accurate, What Should You Do?
    • 8 Ways to 'Green' Your Kitchen
    • Chef Meg's Favorite Strawberry Recipes
    • The Surprising Benefits of Nut Butter
    • You Asked: ''What Are Some Ways to Reduce the Sodium in My Diet?''

    More From SparkPeople

    • Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
    • Mini Apple Tarts
    • Party Planning Central
    • 10 Tips for Getting Started With Outdoor Cycling
    • Think Yourself Fit!
    • 9 Reasons You're Not Getting Results from Strength Training
    • 5 Nutritionist-Recommended Ways to Refuel After a Workout
    • How to Have a Healthy Dinner Ready in 30 Minutes Every Single Night

    ';}else{strAuthorImageHTML = '';}var strBlogImage;if(oBlog.blog_image){//strBlogImage = 'Make Your Meals Do the Work: Cook Once, Eat for Days (24)';strBlogImage = 'Make Your Meals Do the Work: Cook Once, Eat for Days (25)';}else{strBlogImage = '';}strURL = oBlog.url;var strBlogText;strBlogText = oBlog.text;var iAuthorUN;if (oBlog.author_user_number){iAuthorUN = oBlog.author_user_number;}else{iAuthorUN = 0;}var strAuthorByline;strAuthorByline = oBlog.author_byline;var strBody;strBody = oBlog.blog_body;divNewBlog = '

    ' + strBlogImage +'

    ' + strAuthorImageHTML + 'By: ' + strAuthorName + ',' + strAuthorByline + '

    ' + strBody + '

    See comments about this blog and earn SparkPoints!

    ';//alert(divNewBlog);$("#blog_page_next").append(divNewBlog);setTimeout(function(){ addOnAppear(iIDCount + 1); }, 500);abBlogLoaded[iIDCount] = true;}function moveAdTo(iItem){if (iItem >= 0){var strNewAdDiv = "#gpt728x90_pos" + iItem;//$(strNewAdDiv).height(250);$("#gpt728x90flex").position({my: "left center", at: "left center", of: strNewAdDiv});$("#gpt728x90flex").css({marginLeft: "0px", marginTop: "0px"});}else{var strNewAdDiv = "#ad728";//$(strNewAdDiv).height(250);$("#gpt728x90flex").position({my: "left top", at: "left top", of: strNewAdDiv});//$("#gpt728x90flex").css({marginLeft: "15px", marginTop: "10px"});}changeUrlFireGA(iItem);}function changeUrlFireGA(iItem){var strNewUrl = '';if (iItem > 0){strNewUrl = '/blog/blog.asp?id=' + aBlogIDs[iItem];}else{strNewUrl = '/blog/blog.asp?post=make_your_meals_do_the_work_cook_once_eat_for_days';}//alert(strNewUrl);//history.pushState(null, document.title, strNewUrl);ga('set', 'page', strNewUrl + '&bottom_next_blog=' + iItem);ga('send', 'pageview');ga('secondTracker.set', 'page', strNewUrl + '&bottom_next_blog=' + iItem);ga('secondTracker.send', 'pageview'); // Send page view for new tracker.RefreshComScoreTag();}function RefreshComScoreTag() {$.ajax({ type: "GET", url: "/pageview_candidate.txt", timeout: 30000, dataType: "text",data: 'pageview_candidate', error: function(jqXHR, textStatus, errorThrown) {}, //alert(errorThrown);success: function(response){return;}});if (typeof(COMSCORE) == "object") {url = (arguments.length == 1 ? arguments[0] : document.location);COMSCORE.beacon({c1:2,c2:10432413,c4: url});}}

    Make Your Meals Do the Work: Cook Once, Eat for Days (2024)
    Top Articles
    10 Easy Recipes You Can Make in a Dutch Oven
    Vegan nut roast recipe | Jamie Oliver vegan recipes
    What is the 10 am rule in stock trading?
    How much should I risk per trade in futures?
    Latest Posts
    3 Easy Weber Grill Recipes Entertaining Ideas For The Holidays At Home
    How To Save Money: 175 Frugal Living Tips
    Article information

    Author: Otha Schamberger

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6569

    Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

    Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Otha Schamberger

    Birthday: 1999-08-15

    Address: Suite 490 606 Hammes Ferry, Carterhaven, IL 62290

    Phone: +8557035444877

    Job: Forward IT Agent

    Hobby: Fishing, Flying, Jewelry making, Digital arts, Sand art, Parkour, tabletop games

    Introduction: My name is Otha Schamberger, I am a vast, good, healthy, cheerful, energetic, gorgeous, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.