“Bite into a Healthy Lifestyle”
Healthy cooking can be fun, even with a busy lifestyle. Save money by cooking large batches of foods such as chili, spaghetti, red beans and rice, and freeze in smaller, meal-size servings. First, you will want to clean out your freezer, then purchase freezer storage bags or containers and use permanent markers or labels to mark items for easier storage and organizing.
Food items need to cool completely before freezer storage. Cool foods in shallow pans for a faster and safer cooling method. Large, shallow dishes can be quickly cooled in the refrigerator. After cooling, transfer your delicious recipes to storage containers, then label and place in the freezer. Cooking at home and making large batches to divide into smaller servings can save you time and money. When home meals are already prepared, they can quickly be reheated in a microwave or oven. This will save you drive time, food preparation costs, and tipping for restaurant meals!
Try this yummy recipe for Red Beans and Rice!
Yield: 12 servings
Each serving equals: 175 calories or 2 starch and ½ vegetable
Ingredients:
- 12 oz. dried red beans
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups finely chopped onion
- 2 cups finely chopped celery
- 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 1 ½ tbs. finely minced garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp. thyme
- ½ tsp. white pepper
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. jalapeno seasoning
- 2 cups rice
Instructions:
Sort and rinse the red beans. Combine the beans with enough water to cover in a bowl. Let stand for 8 to 10 hours. Drain and rinse. Mix the red beans and the next 11 ingredients in a stockpot. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer covered for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours or until the beans are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rice. Cook for 25 minutes longer or until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Discard the bay leaf. Adjust the seasonings as desired.
