Only 4 days to go till FebFast!! Healthy Recipes for the Freezer

Only 4 days to go till FebFast. What are you doing to prepare? I’m cooking up meals for the freezer for those time poor days, so there are no nutritional mishaps and no excuses!
Great things to prepare now are good hearty stews. Try this beautiful Asian dish for something a bit different…

Vietnamese Beef Stew

This spicy flavorsome dish is a great one to cook ahead and freeze. Simply thaw for 24 hrs and reheat it when you need dinner in a hurry.
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 130 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

  • 1 tbs coconut oil
  • 1kg gravy beef, cut into 3cm pieces
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
  • 2 stems lemon grass, pale section only, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp Chinese five spice
  • 3 whole star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1L (4 cups) beef stock (see note)
  • 1 tbs fish sauce (see note)
  • 6 French shallots, peeled
  • 2 carrots, peeled, cut into 2cm-thick slices
  • Fresh Thai basil leaves, to serve
  • Steamed green round beans, to serve
  • Grated Courgettes (Zucchini), to serve (In place of rice)

Method

  1. Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat. Add half the beef and cook, turning occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with remaining oil and beef, reheating the pan between batches.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Add  garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Return beef to pan. Add ginger, lemon grass, five spice, star anise and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Stir in the stock and fish sauce. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
  3. Add French shallots and carrot. Uncover and simmer for 30 minutes or until shallots and carrot are tender. To freeze, see note.
  4. Top with basil. Serve with beans and grated Courgette (Zucchini).

I’d love to hear back from you with other suggestions for FebFast meals. Please leave the recipes on our FebFast fan page.
Happy cooking,
Joe

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