My favorite cheat code: caramelize onions or bell peppers in large batches, and freeze a big spoonful in a 3”x4” ziplock baggies. Grab a baggie to add to your dishes. Caramelizing takes a long time, which consumes energy, so if you’re going to do it, do it once a month instead of every time a meal calls for the ingredient. 🙃
i started doing this few years ago after i've read similar comment in food reddit post. Just do big batch of them once and freeze portioned sizes you often use in your dishes, saves so much time and give some much flavour its insane, one of the best things i started prepping was this, definitely recommend everyone to do it.
I'm halfway through the video and I'd like to just pause and take the time to praise this young man right here for giving so many great ideas and practical tips, I love your content, it's so useful! It's pretty refreshing to see other people's cooking hacks, there's always something we can learn and start doing now and then too.
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The broccoli paste lit a bulb for me: a baby/toddler food video (or better yet, a series) would be wonderful. I bet you have a lot of tricks and tips in addition to "These 4 tips Changed the Way I Cook for My Family".
You can also do this with carrots, zucchini and the easiest one: spinach (just use the prechopped freezed version and add a little milk). To make it more interesting for yourself as a spread: add spices! For carrot use pumpkin pie spice or an Indian mix, some orange juice also does wonders as does ginger. For the green veggies go Italian with lemonzest, juice and some Italian herbs plus grated cheese. Cheers
I am so happy to see people feeding babies food. My sister in law brought over mynsix month old neice. She was complaing that thebaby cried all the time, wanted to be feed all the time, and was going through 4 bottles milk a day. My mom said to feed her food, but my SIL said that , this is better, helped with allergies, etc. I dont have kids but even I know that babies need fuel to grow.
If you own a stove top pressure cooker or instant pot, you can do the legume prep in a tiny amount of time. Especially with an instant pot, you can get extremely consistent results. Soak over night, pop them in the pressure cooker, cook for 10-15 min. Once you do this a few times, you’ll dial in the texture you like. For me, 12 minutes gives me the perfect chickpea texture. If I use my instant pot, I can walk away without having to worry about the stove being on.
@@YeshuaKingMessiah Also a great option if it's more convenient for the chickpeas to take it slow. I find that 30 minutes on a stove is just an inconvenient amount of time, so either shrinking the time or lengthening it is a great way to go!
precooking potatoes also actually makes them healthier by increasing their resistant starch content and changing the way your body digests them. cold or reheated potatoes (and other starches like rice) can act as a prebiotic and reduce the usual impact they would have on blood sugar
I love that you show not only the food prep but the uses, and use the exact thing you just prepped. It makes me believe you actually use the food you prep!
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Swap those green onions with shallots in that spice paste and you basically have what is called a bumbu in Indonesian cuisine, the base for a lot of dishes. I cook a lot of Indonesian food in my home and once in a while I’ll fill an ice cube tray with the stuff, freeze then transfer the cube to a ziplock bag, that way I always have some at the ready. 🎉
When I cook beans from scratch, I use some fresh then freeze the rest in can-sized portions so that if a recipe calls for a can of beans I have them measured out
If you hate mincing garlic: my ultimate ingredient prep hack is to food process garlic and ginger. Then freeze them in ziploc bags in a flat sheet, and break off chunks to use it (I “perforate” it in a 1” grid pattern using a flat edge like a bench scraper to make it easier to break off pieces). Freezing probably reduces the strength by a little, but I just throw in a little (or a lot) extra. Never mince garlic again!
I just process it witha little bit of olive oil, lemon and salt to prevent it from going rancid and keep in an air tight container in the fridge. It stays as fresh as day 1
hate mincing garlic- so I just have a good garlic press instead. give it a good mush and scrape that into the dish, and it's all hands-free, so no garlic hands! apparently crushing the garlic releases more flavors than chopping it with a sharp knife, anyways, so it's a win-win!
Please do a garden series come spring time! I just bought a home and would love to see how you go through the growing phases and what you choose to grow!
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Great ideas, I need to remember the broccoli prep. Every week I cook up some ground chicken mixed with chopped veg (seasoned only with salt to keep neutral) and store in my fridge. It just works as an "all purpose" protein+veg, and I can make many meals from it: 1) stir a scoop into soups; 2) stir a scoop into pasta with some melty cheese; 3) throw a scoop in a hot pan with spices of choice, serve on rice with some steamed broccoli; 4) stir a scoop into tomato sauce or make a mini lasagna; 5) just snack on it when I need a quick shot of protein+veg.
I do this too! Chicken breast mince, then I just batch cook it up with garlic and onion paste, and a bit of vege stock. Then it's great to chuck in a bowl with pretty much anything, usually ends up being quick soups, salads, sandwiches, and rice dishes for me. Or just a snack on its own. So many options, love it.
I'm a big proponent of dicing and storing onions and peppers in bags in my freezer! Some sliced, some diced. I do the same with garlic but usually mince it in a food processor! I'll also cook a larger volume of chickpeas and get them decently dry, then add some to a freezer bag as well! Great for thawing and roasting and they last a little bit longer.
For broccoli or potatoes: i find that microwaving a small amount as i need it, is a fast way to cook them also. Particularly potatoes, you can cook one to tender by microwaving on high for a couple of minutes. I find a quick way to make broccoli soup is to pop some broccoli(+ spinach peas etc) in the microwave while i fry my onions and garlic. It is then tender by the time the aromatics are done frying and i fry the broccoli a bit and blend it together
Yes to the microwave. A few years ago I started prepping my fresh vegetables and potatoes (cut in chunks) in a covered microwave bowl (pyrex or corningware) with just a few tablespoons of water. Easier, not so messy and no vitamins lost down the drain.
I peel several whole bulbs of garlic at a time and store them in a Tupperware in the fridge. Nothing as freeing as just grabbing the cloves you need without having to stop to peel them! They last a long time
I keep a roll of blue painters masking tape and a sharpie in my kitchen. It’s so easy to label all those food containers. Add a date and a “Use by” date. Use the tape for closing bags. Works in the freezer also. Love the prep ideas. Brilliant!
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Very useful video! My girlfriend just got a new job, and long story short, I'll be making her lunches to take to work. I'll definitely be keeping these trips in mind
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Great tip on the rice noodles! For the beans, I use a lot of them. I cook on the instant pot (pre-soaking not required) then strain and spread out a cookie sheet. Pop that in the freezer a few hours then put the beans in a bag in the freezer. They’re ready when I need them! Rinse under water to thaw or throw into the pot.
I love how you showed prepping and ways to use the items. What a great ideal, esp coming home from a long day at work and being able to throw something together in such a short time.
Microwave russet potatoes are a lifesaver! Wash them, stab with a fork on all sides, cook 3 minutes per potato per side, flip & repeat. Put directly in the fridge for later or let them steam in a covered bowl or pot until cook enough to safely handle & peel. They can also be mostly scooped out & used for stuffed potatoes or potato skins. If making potato skins, save the insides separate from the shells. Heat oil or bacon fat in a pan, crisp up the insides with season salt & pepper, garnish with scallions. I eat it with eggs as a super fast diner-esque home fries.
Oddly enough I couldn’t get into consistently cooking until I had a garden growing and preserving my own food! It was a hobby but ignited my interest in learning to cook (kind of backwards)! Would love to see how you incorporate your seasonal produce into your meals and more of your garden.
OMGOSH- the ground aromatic paste! What an amazing idea! I had not thought of that before- you are so helpful to us home cooks- I feel like I learn something every time I watch your videos- Schmaltz and now this!
As a Latin guy who eats beans everyday; Please rinse the beans! Don’t cook with the same water it was soaked. (1 water change in the middle of the soak period is also good for darker beans)! But I’ve loved the video ❤
Baked potatoes... Do twice as many as you need. Have half for lunch with grated cheddar and coleslaw (or whatever toppings you like) and then use the other half to make twice baked stuffed with cheese and bacon bits and green onions alongside some breaded chicken cutlets or whatever as a dinner.
Another super helpful prep is pressure canned food. Imagine having pre-cooked, shelf stable potatoes?! Same with beans (so much better than store bought canned beans since you can flavor them, lemon garlic chickpeas or chipotle black bean anyone?!), so easy and convenient to have on hand.
You are just something! So much time and dedication (and I am assuming love) goes into what you do. I have been cooking for my friends and family for years, but the learning is infinite and I learn so much from you. Thank you. Ah yeah, and now I really have to get an air fryer and you should be billed for this one :)
I appreciate all your videos yet this one is fantastic. 🍲 Since most food is prepared by me at home, this really gave me some light bulb moments.THANK YOU SO MUCH! 💡💡
I'm amazed you didn't give the tip of blitzing the white beans up with a bit of broth to then add back to the liquid to thicken it. Another use for your beans! Also, I just learned how to properly do rice noodles lol And your aromatics mix is something I will sure do sooner than later!
I watch you since you were with your bro cooking on a counter top. I just wanted to say, good job man. Through ups and downs, you were able to hang in there. Proud of you as a person. This video was suggested to me again. So here I am watching it... again. Thank you bud.
Thanks for all the great ideas. A few months ago I started peeling and dicing my broccoli stalks for soup. Our daughter in law is allergic to celery so this became an awesome alternative. May be a bonus idea for your other viewers. Have a good day.
I know this video won't 'do the numbers' that some other videos will but this is the exact type of stuff I love from RUclips home cooks. Walked away from this video with inspiration, a grocery list, and ideas.
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So many great tips. Generally that's what i do with leftovers, but going one step further to have items ready for weekday meals is terrific. Love all the options. Really love the outdoor project!
Outstanding tips! I live alone, so I can't prep lots of stuff or some will go to waste, but I like the ideas of the potatoes, broccoli and rice noodles. This was one of your best videos, IMO.
So brilliant!! I need to get my fridge as clean and decluttered as yours, so I’ll be able to see all my meal prep, then remember to *cook with it*!! My goal in my singleton home is to #EndFoodWaste (which is trickier than you’d think!)
Love your meal prep videos! I’m also a creative, more spontaneous type of home cook, not a perfectly planned meal prepper like my Mom lol. I open the fridge and use my imagination as needed. These are great ideas to add possibilities, efficiency, and tastiness to that flow. Thank you!
I made your aromatic paste idea starting with 2 lbs of ginger and 2 lbs of garlic. Ground up in my vitamix. Then divided the paste in half and ground shallots and the calabrian chilis to half of the mixture. Split everything in thirds because I share with my two daughters. The paste with the shallots and chilis, wow, so good! I quite like your venue where you do a bunch of food prep and turn it into several different meals.
I love the idea of prepping green vegetables. Par-boil them or steam them, and then cool them down. When you're exhausted at the end of a long work day, they're super easy to finish cooking by just stirring them into some broth with left-over, shredded, chicken or turkey meat, a little garlic or tomato paste. Toss some toasted croutons on top, and...YUM.
I was already thinking of prepping beans for my salads and keeping them in the fridge, but these simple ideas for food prep were amazing and extremely helpful!
Some great ideas for us home cooks and to save time ,which I love. Great garden you have there ,look forward to seeing your produce in some seriously delicious dishes later in year Mike. Fan in Suffolk County.
As a vegetarian, I've got to have beans in my salad :) I love my InstaPot for that reason. Thank you for all the hacks. I love these types of prep videos. And your garden! Looks like a dream to me. You're super cool and your wife is very blessed to have a husband loves to experiment with food and also grows a garden!!!
I always keep a batch of plain rice in the freezer. Along with ready crushed garlic, chillies and ginger (separate). I normally have some pieces of a chicken I roasted at some point in the freezer also and some minced/ground lamb/beef/chicken/turkey that has been cooked in neutral spices so I can throw it into any meal. I prep tomato sauce as a base for any gravy or pasta. Char grilled or roasted peppers or eggplant in olive oil.
I usually do a little prep on the weekend. My go to is roasting/baking a whole chicken for the week. I have a blend of white/dark meat, which all my family members can agree upon as a protein source. Thanks for all this great and useful content.
Some nice random bits, and thank you for the garden update! I also like to bulk prep some ingredients that take longer like onions/bell peppers/... in advance.
Every time I go on a camping trip I bring parboiled potatoes, some kind of universal sauce, hard boiled eggs and similar such small prepped things. Fridge space is at a premium in an offroad rig, so anything that doesn't require refrigeration and makes things easier is a bonus. Particularly the potatoes are so useful: toss them in the pan with a few veggies and eggs, roll into a burrito and you have portable breakfast that keeps you going. Just fry them up with an egg - boom, campsite breakfast. Toss them in some broth with whatever else from the veggie cooler needs to go - dinner in minutes. Makes perfect sense to have something like that in your fridge at home too. I don't, but I also have the time to plan and cook meals every day.
Thanks for the plant hacks and I love that yard. ❤🎉 On batch day the pressure cooker gets a load of potatoes then two different rounds of beans then grains, so I only have to wash it once and the fridge & freezer can have some homemade basics. Excited to try out your aromatic paste!
Those tips are amazing! Thank you! Something I always have ready to go in the fridge is a vegtable broth paste. It brings instant flavour. I also like to prepare more rice then I need for a dish and freeze the leftovers.
This is the first week I tried this... on the weekend I prep two meats, two starches two veggies and my family eats lunch and dinner off that all week. This week I sous vide haddock I had pre seasoned in my instapot.i left them in the bags and into the fridge. The fish was AMAZING!!!!
Aside from the obvious tomato base sauce from the freezer, I always make my mirepoix for the week ahead. Much more chopping in the winter but it’s Sunday morning and the music is on and you can always chop in the processor for a finer grain. 1xWhite Onion, 1xLarge Carrot, 2/3xCelery stalks. (Double / triple up as needed). Plenty of oil and Ghee in the pot and cook on a low temp with a cartouche and a closed lid for 7/8 minutes. Add 3/4 garlic cloves (doubled/tripled) finely chopped and a bouquet garni (or 1xtsp Herbes de Provence) for another 7/8 minutes. Keeps in the fridge for a week if it’s oily enough. Soups, stews, risotto, ragu or just a base sauce (see above) done on a week night / every night with 30 minutes taken off every time.
I usually cook for 1-2 people at a time so my favorite tip is to freeze 4oz portions of meats in zip-top sandwich size bags. Smoosh them flat so there's no air in the bag and freeze flat. About 8 baggies fit into a gallon bag and they defrost almost instantly for quick meals! I do the same with seasonal fruits and veggies for smoothies, etc. I don't reuse raw meat bags, but will wash and reuse fruit/veg bags. Much love from Oklahoma!
6:44 Indonesian Pro Tip: fry the spice paste in the pan with some oil first, before adding any other items...totally kicks up the spice paste flavour and it's also easier to mix the hot paste up with whatever you add in. Man, this channel is fabulous.
The potato pancake was so much thicker than I expected you to make it. Korean pancakes (potato or otherwise) are SUPER thin, almost crepe-like. Yours looked like a frittata. How interesting! I never would have thought of that. Great ideas, I will totally be par boiling potatos today
I was tired of my green onions going bad so I finely chop them in bulk when I get home from the store and throw them in the freezer. I can easily throw them into a soup or stir fry and they heat up fast!
Thank you! These videos helped me so much to keep cooking healthy meals in less time. I would cook things in bigger batches and then mix and match them over the week. For example I would roast a bigger tray of chopped veggies and then add some rice, or salad or chicken. And you can do this to almost anything and than just mix them in different ways. Is brilliant 😄
Thank you for such great content. I am really interested in how you started your garden. It would be nice if you can do a video series from seeding to harvesting. I absolutely love your content! Thank you again.
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Your property is a little larger and more conducive to gardening but I've tried to build out some raised beds on asphalt and plant some blueberry bushes here in Rhode Island. Spring time seed starting is upon us and exciting!
Mike, top advice, thank you ! BTW... if u reduce the water over the chikpeas a good deal and check it isn't boiling away, you get a lovely vegetable "jelly" from the concentrated chicpea liquid when it cools ! This stuff is excellent adding into other things like a stock almost, well worth the effort to create. Also... lots of plastic linning a can and also additives. A good benefit is just avoiding that "industrial" crap ;-)
Nice video, just started watching your channel. I definitely try the paste and the chickpeas. Another idea what you can easy do with the potatoes are homemade gnocchi, just mash them, add egg, flour and salt ( of course you can add directly other herbs or flavors). Mix it to a dough. Let it rest in the fridge for 20min. Make portions, roll to a sausage, cut it and cook it for around 3min (till they coming up) and done 😊
Potatoes... as you're doing four, just start them cold after you've peeled and cut two of them, then add the others as the water heats up. Cook for 6 minutes once the water comes to a boil if you want to re-heat/fry them after storing them in the fridge, or 8 to 9 minutes if you want to eat them just cooked or as a mash. As I'm single, I usually do a double batch, taking out half around the 6-minute mark to pan fry and have with something like a brochette and a salad later.
this video, as a latest in a series of your videos, is arming, pepping, and sending me str8into the stratosphere of my anxieties around cooking my nostalgic favs "right" to be able to enjoy (and oftentimes, even eat) them. i'm shot w sickly sugared 3rd estate coffee and reADY TO GO.
Precooked potatoes is a game changer. I put mine in whole in the instant pot and pressure cook them for one minute then stick them in the fridge. You can cut them as you like, depending on what you're making and they're even easier to peel. Also cooking potatoes and cooling them completely increases the resistant starch, which changes how it's digested making it more like a prebiotic fiber and causing less if a spike in blood sugar.
My favorite cheat code: caramelize onions or bell peppers in large batches, and freeze a big spoonful in a 3”x4” ziplock baggies. Grab a baggie to add to your dishes. Caramelizing takes a long time, which consumes energy, so if you’re going to do it, do it once a month instead of every time a meal calls for the ingredient. 🙃
I do this too but just the onions as allergic to peppers. Also freeze lemon and lime cubes and stock .
i started doing this few years ago after i've read similar comment in food reddit post. Just do big batch of them once and freeze portioned sizes you often use in your dishes, saves so much time and give some much flavour its insane, one of the best things i started prepping was this, definitely recommend everyone to do it.
You've just saved me from trying to figure out what to cook for dinner 🙏
I would freeze in ice cube trays. Then put the cubes in a freezer bags.
Cheat code for the cheat code
If you slice them thinly the rice cooker will caramelize them perfectly. Do it double for a darker color
I'm halfway through the video and I'd like to just pause and take the time to praise this young man right here for giving so many great ideas and practical tips, I love your content, it's so useful! It's pretty refreshing to see other people's cooking hacks, there's always something we can learn and start doing now and then too.
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The broccoli paste lit a bulb for me: a baby/toddler food video (or better yet, a series) would be wonderful. I bet you have a lot of tricks and tips in addition to "These 4 tips Changed the Way I Cook for My Family".
Totally agree with this! Would love to see that as well. I have an almost 5 month old that will be eating solids soon!
I second this!! I have a 1 1/2 year old and I struggle during meal time for him! 😩
i'm keen to try the broccoli paste for myself now! sounds so yum.
You can also do this with carrots, zucchini and the easiest one: spinach (just use the prechopped freezed version and add a little milk).
To make it more interesting for yourself as a spread: add spices! For carrot use pumpkin pie spice or an Indian mix, some orange juice also does wonders as does ginger. For the green veggies go Italian with lemonzest, juice and some Italian herbs plus grated cheese. Cheers
I am so happy to see people feeding babies food. My sister in law brought over mynsix month old neice. She was complaing that thebaby cried all the time, wanted to be feed all the time, and was going through 4 bottles milk a day. My mom said to feed her food, but my SIL said that , this is better, helped with allergies, etc. I dont have kids but even I know that babies need fuel to grow.
If you own a stove top pressure cooker or instant pot, you can do the legume prep in a tiny amount of time. Especially with an instant pot, you can get extremely consistent results. Soak over night, pop them in the pressure cooker, cook for 10-15 min. Once you do this a few times, you’ll dial in the texture you like. For me, 12 minutes gives me the perfect chickpea texture. If I use my instant pot, I can walk away without having to worry about the stove being on.
Thanks for the timing on the IP chick peas. I just picked up a bag at Winco today and was going to research the IP time. I’ll try 12 minutes.
Crockpot much better
Overnight cook on low, cool and fridge by time lunch prep begins
@@YeshuaKingMessiaht won’t be that different, and the difference in cost in energy will be huge.
@@YeshuaKingMessiah Also a great option if it's more convenient for the chickpeas to take it slow. I find that 30 minutes on a stove is just an inconvenient amount of time, so either shrinking the time or lengthening it is a great way to go!
Instant pot is the best invention ever....
precooking potatoes also actually makes them healthier by increasing their resistant starch content and changing the way your body digests them. cold or reheated potatoes (and other starches like rice) can act as a prebiotic and reduce the usual impact they would have on blood sugar
I love how much great info I've learned here, especially this! Amazing, thanks for sharing!
Thank you. This is the first time i heard this. But I googled it and it checks out. Now I can eat leftover rice and potatoes guilt free.
Wow fascinating!
Also fried, recently baked potatoes are quicker and really good
Microwaving and then cooling is the healthiest way!
I love that you show not only the food prep but the uses, and use the exact thing you just prepped. It makes me believe you actually use the food you prep!
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Swap those green onions with shallots in that spice paste and you basically have what is called a bumbu in Indonesian cuisine, the base for a lot of dishes. I cook a lot of Indonesian food in my home and once in a while I’ll fill an ice cube tray with the stuff, freeze then transfer the cube to a ziplock bag, that way I always have some at the ready. 🎉
When I cook beans from scratch, I use some fresh then freeze the rest in can-sized portions so that if a recipe calls for a can of beans I have them measured out
If you hate mincing garlic: my ultimate ingredient prep hack is to food process garlic and ginger. Then freeze them in ziploc bags in a flat sheet, and break off chunks to use it (I “perforate” it in a 1” grid pattern using a flat edge like a bench scraper to make it easier to break off pieces).
Freezing probably reduces the strength by a little, but I just throw in a little (or a lot) extra. Never mince garlic again!
I just process it witha little bit of olive oil, lemon and salt to prevent it from going rancid and keep in an air tight container in the fridge. It stays as fresh as day 1
Ice cube trays!
@@yousramarcil1634 how long does it stay fresh for, do you reckon?
hate mincing garlic- so I just have a good garlic press instead. give it a good mush and scrape that into the dish, and it's all hands-free, so no garlic hands! apparently crushing the garlic releases more flavors than chopping it with a sharp knife, anyways, so it's a win-win!
Freeze minced garlic, onions, herbs etc in olive oil and pour into ice cube trays. Throw one in a pan when needed. Super simple.
I really like how this didn't have music. Everything looks yummy and the kids are cute and the grapes are going to be awesome.
there is music
Please do a garden series come spring time! I just bought a home and would love to see how you go through the growing phases and what you choose to grow!
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Chicken stock into ice cubes is my best hack.
Always an easy way to add magic to a sauce, soup or pan sauce.
Great ideas, I need to remember the broccoli prep. Every week I cook up some ground chicken mixed with chopped veg (seasoned only with salt to keep neutral) and store in my fridge. It just works as an "all purpose" protein+veg, and I can make many meals from it: 1) stir a scoop into soups; 2) stir a scoop into pasta with some melty cheese; 3) throw a scoop in a hot pan with spices of choice, serve on rice with some steamed broccoli; 4) stir a scoop into tomato sauce or make a mini lasagna; 5) just snack on it when I need a quick shot of protein+veg.
🎊 mate I have a (Mystery Box) package for you, Text the above username on telegram for acknowledgment
I do this too! Chicken breast mince, then I just batch cook it up with garlic and onion paste, and a bit of vege stock. Then it's great to chuck in a bowl with pretty much anything, usually ends up being quick soups, salads, sandwiches, and rice dishes for me. Or just a snack on its own. So many options, love it.
Well that's a brilliant idea! Thanks for sharing!
I'm a big proponent of dicing and storing onions and peppers in bags in my freezer! Some sliced, some diced. I do the same with garlic but usually mince it in a food processor! I'll also cook a larger volume of chickpeas and get them decently dry, then add some to a freezer bag as well! Great for thawing and roasting and they last a little bit longer.
For broccoli or potatoes: i find that microwaving a small amount as i need it, is a fast way to cook them also. Particularly potatoes, you can cook one to tender by microwaving on high for a couple of minutes. I find a quick way to make broccoli soup is to pop some broccoli(+ spinach peas etc) in the microwave while i fry my onions and garlic. It is then tender by the time the aromatics are done frying and i fry the broccoli a bit and blend it together
🎊 mate I have a (Mystery Box) package for you, Text the above username on telegram for acknowledgment!,.
Yes to the microwave. A few years ago I started prepping my fresh vegetables and potatoes (cut in chunks) in a covered microwave bowl (pyrex or corningware) with just a few tablespoons of water. Easier, not so messy and no vitamins lost down the drain.
Yes. A covered glass dish in the microwave steams veggies and even cauliflower rice super fast!
I never thought to cold soak my rice noodles. *mind blown* great tip, can't wait to try this out!
Me toooo. So excited about this one!
I peel several whole bulbs of garlic at a time and store them in a Tupperware in the fridge. Nothing as freeing as just grabbing the cloves you need without having to stop to peel them! They last a long time
I keep a roll of blue painters masking tape and a sharpie in my kitchen. It’s so easy to label all those food containers. Add a date and a “Use by” date. Use the tape for closing bags. Works in the freezer also. Love the prep ideas. Brilliant!
samsies!
Same here except I use the cheap masking tape from the $1 store.
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Very useful video! My girlfriend just got a new job, and long story short, I'll be making her lunches to take to work. I'll definitely be keeping these trips in mind
That’s so nice 🎉
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Great tip on the rice noodles!
For the beans, I use a lot of them. I cook on the instant pot (pre-soaking not required) then strain and spread out a cookie sheet. Pop that in the freezer a few hours then put the beans in a bag in the freezer. They’re ready when I need them! Rinse under water to thaw or throw into the pot.
I love how you showed prepping and ways to use the items. What a great ideal, esp coming home from a long day at work and being able to throw something together in such a short time.
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Microwave russet potatoes are a lifesaver! Wash them, stab with a fork on all sides, cook 3 minutes per potato per side, flip & repeat. Put directly in the fridge for later or let them steam in a covered bowl or pot until cook enough to safely handle & peel. They can also be mostly scooped out & used for stuffed potatoes or potato skins. If making potato skins, save the insides separate from the shells. Heat oil or bacon fat in a pan, crisp up the insides with season salt & pepper, garnish with scallions. I eat it with eggs as a super fast diner-esque home fries.
Oddly enough I couldn’t get into consistently cooking until I had a garden growing and preserving my own food! It was a hobby but ignited my interest in learning to cook (kind of backwards)! Would love to see how you incorporate your seasonal produce into your meals and more of your garden.
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OMGOSH- the ground aromatic paste! What an amazing idea! I had not thought of that before- you are so helpful to us home cooks- I feel like I learn something every time I watch your videos- Schmaltz and now this!
Me too. 👍🏾👍🏾
As a Latin guy who eats beans everyday; Please rinse the beans! Don’t cook with the same water it was soaked. (1 water change in the middle of the soak period is also good for darker beans)! But I’ve loved the video ❤
Yes, I agree! Not washing is yuck 🤢
Favorite is the tip on pre-soaking rice noodles !!
Baked potatoes... Do twice as many as you need. Have half for lunch with grated cheddar and coleslaw (or whatever toppings you like) and then use the other half to make twice baked stuffed with cheese and bacon bits and green onions alongside some breaded chicken cutlets or whatever as a dinner.
This is what cooking is ALL ABOUT. Thank you for sharing!
Another super helpful prep is pressure canned food. Imagine having pre-cooked, shelf stable potatoes?! Same with beans (so much better than store bought canned beans since you can flavor them, lemon garlic chickpeas or chipotle black bean anyone?!), so easy and convenient to have on hand.
Yayy, thanks for popping in the baby food tip for meal- prep! Doing BLW and I was on the lookout for ideas, love it!
You are just something! So much time and dedication (and I am assuming love) goes into what you do. I have been cooking for my friends and family for years, but the learning is infinite and I learn so much from you. Thank you.
Ah yeah, and now I really have to get an air fryer and you should be billed for this one :)
Some great ideas, I have a few of these. It does save a lot of time when everything is grouped together. Keep your finds coming.
Genius - This is why I still stick around for your content for the past decade!
I appreciate all your videos yet this one is fantastic. 🍲 Since most food is prepared by me at home, this really gave me some light bulb moments.THANK YOU SO MUCH! 💡💡
I'm amazed you didn't give the tip of blitzing the white beans up with a bit of broth to then add back to the liquid to thicken it. Another use for your beans!
Also, I just learned how to properly do rice noodles lol
And your aromatics mix is something I will sure do sooner than later!
I watch you since you were with your bro cooking on a counter top. I just wanted to say, good job man. Through ups and downs, you were able to hang in there. Proud of you as a person. This video was suggested to me again. So here I am watching it... again. Thank you bud.
Thanks for all the great ideas. A few months ago I started peeling and dicing my broccoli stalks for soup. Our daughter in law is allergic to celery so this became an awesome alternative. May be a bonus idea for your other viewers. Have a good day.
These are all wise and wonderful tips.
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I know this video won't 'do the numbers' that some other videos will but this is the exact type of stuff I love from RUclips home cooks. Walked away from this video with inspiration, a grocery list, and ideas.
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So many great tips. Generally that's what i do with leftovers, but going one step further to have items ready for weekday meals is terrific. Love all the options. Really love the outdoor project!
Outstanding tips! I live alone, so I can't prep lots of stuff or some will go to waste, but I like the ideas of the potatoes, broccoli and rice noodles. This was one of your best videos, IMO.
So brilliant!! I need to get my fridge as clean and decluttered as yours, so I’ll be able to see all my meal prep, then remember to *cook with it*!! My goal in my singleton home is to #EndFoodWaste (which is trickier than you’d think!)
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Love your meal prep videos! I’m also a creative, more spontaneous type of home cook, not a perfectly planned meal prepper like my Mom lol. I open the fridge and use my imagination as needed. These are great ideas to add possibilities, efficiency, and tastiness to that flow. Thank you!
I made your aromatic paste idea starting with 2 lbs of ginger and 2 lbs of garlic. Ground up in my vitamix. Then divided the paste in half and ground shallots and the calabrian chilis to half of the mixture. Split everything in thirds because I share with my two daughters. The paste with the shallots and chilis, wow, so good! I quite like your venue where you do a bunch of food prep and turn it into several different meals.
I love the idea of prepping green vegetables. Par-boil them or steam them, and then cool them down. When you're exhausted at the end of a long work day, they're super easy to finish cooking by just stirring them into some broth with left-over, shredded, chicken or turkey meat, a little garlic or tomato paste. Toss some toasted croutons on top, and...YUM.
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I was already thinking of prepping beans for my salads and keeping them in the fridge, but these simple ideas for food prep were amazing and extremely helpful!
Some great ideas for us home cooks and to save time ,which I love. Great garden you have there ,look forward to seeing your produce in some seriously delicious dishes later in year Mike. Fan in Suffolk County.
As a vegetarian, I've got to have beans in my salad :) I love my InstaPot for that reason. Thank you for all the hacks. I love these types of prep videos. And your garden! Looks like a dream to me. You're super cool and your wife is very blessed to have a husband loves to experiment with food and also grows a garden!!!
I always keep a batch of plain rice in the freezer. Along with ready crushed garlic, chillies and ginger (separate). I normally have some pieces of a chicken I roasted at some point in the freezer also and some minced/ground lamb/beef/chicken/turkey that has been cooked in neutral spices so I can throw it into any meal. I prep tomato sauce as a base for any gravy or pasta. Char grilled or roasted peppers or eggplant in olive oil.
Every time I get in a meal slump you inspire me again. Great video!
Fabulous. Thanks for upload. I’m always learning new things with you. And I use them. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I usually do a little prep on the weekend. My go to is roasting/baking a whole chicken for the week. I have a blend of white/dark meat, which all my family members can agree upon as a protein source. Thanks for all this great and useful content.
Some nice random bits, and thank you for the garden update! I also like to bulk prep some ingredients that take longer like onions/bell peppers/... in advance.
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Now I'm excited for the summer for your garden results
Love this style of video, please keep making more like this, thanks for your amazing channel 💕
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Thank you so much for your demonstration. Love the beets too. I have anemia so I must have iron enrich food. Thanks again.
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Every time I go on a camping trip I bring parboiled potatoes, some kind of universal sauce, hard boiled eggs and similar such small prepped things. Fridge space is at a premium in an offroad rig, so anything that doesn't require refrigeration and makes things easier is a bonus. Particularly the potatoes are so useful: toss them in the pan with a few veggies and eggs, roll into a burrito and you have portable breakfast that keeps you going. Just fry them up with an egg - boom, campsite breakfast. Toss them in some broth with whatever else from the veggie cooler needs to go - dinner in minutes. Makes perfect sense to have something like that in your fridge at home too. I don't, but I also have the time to plan and cook meals every day.
I like to soak my beans with a bouillon cube or two. They soak up the extra flavor and they do well with the high salt amount.
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Thanks for the plant hacks and I love that yard. ❤🎉 On batch day the pressure cooker gets a load of potatoes then two different rounds of beans then grains, so I only have to wash it once and the fridge & freezer can have some homemade basics. Excited to try out your aromatic paste!
That garden you are building is amazing! Thank you for sharing! As well I loved the tips….
Those tips are amazing! Thank you!
Something I always have ready to go in the fridge is a vegtable broth paste. It brings instant flavour. I also like to prepare more rice then I need for a dish and freeze the leftovers.
Awesome tips just wanted to say I love new ideas it never dawned on me to pree cook a potato I do rice and vegetables but never potatoes genius
This is the first week I tried this... on the weekend I prep two meats, two starches two veggies and my family eats lunch and dinner off that all week. This week I sous vide haddock I had pre seasoned in my instapot.i left them in the bags and into the fridge. The fish was AMAZING!!!!
Aside from the obvious tomato base sauce from the freezer, I always make my mirepoix for the week ahead. Much more chopping in the winter but it’s Sunday morning and the music is on and you can always chop in the processor for a finer grain. 1xWhite Onion, 1xLarge Carrot, 2/3xCelery stalks. (Double / triple up as needed). Plenty of oil and Ghee in the pot and cook on a low temp with a cartouche and a closed lid for 7/8 minutes. Add 3/4 garlic cloves (doubled/tripled) finely chopped and a bouquet garni (or 1xtsp Herbes de Provence) for another 7/8 minutes. Keeps in the fridge for a week if it’s oily enough. Soups, stews, risotto, ragu or just a base sauce (see above) done on a week night / every night with 30 minutes taken off every time.
I usually cook for 1-2 people at a time so my favorite tip is to freeze 4oz portions of meats in zip-top sandwich size bags. Smoosh them flat so there's no air in the bag and freeze flat. About 8 baggies fit into a gallon bag and they defrost almost instantly for quick meals! I do the same with seasonal fruits and veggies for smoothies, etc. I don't reuse raw meat bags, but will wash and reuse fruit/veg bags. Much love from Oklahoma!
Peel or slice off the woody bit of the broccoli stalk and keep chopping. So delectable
Another excellent video, thank you 😊
I like your style, Mike g
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6:44 Indonesian Pro Tip: fry the spice paste in the pan with some oil first, before adding any other items...totally kicks up the spice paste flavour and it's also easier to mix the hot paste up with whatever you add in.
Man, this channel is fabulous.
The potato pancake was so much thicker than I expected you to make it. Korean pancakes (potato or otherwise) are SUPER thin, almost crepe-like. Yours looked like a frittata. How interesting! I never would have thought of that. Great ideas, I will totally be par boiling potatos today
I would love to see what you can do with dried peppers like
Guajillo
Ancho
Pasilla
Chipotle
Pulla
Árbol
All sorts❤
Thank you, such useful ideas to save time ❤
Thank you for making most of these suggestions plant-based, so that everyone can make use of them!
I was tired of my green onions going bad so I finely chop them in bulk when I get home from the store and throw them in the freezer. I can easily throw them into a soup or stir fry and they heat up fast!
Thank you! These videos helped me so much to keep cooking healthy meals in less time. I would cook things in bigger batches and then mix and match them over the week. For example I would roast a bigger tray of chopped veggies and then add some rice, or salad or chicken. And you can do this to almost anything and than just mix them in different ways. Is brilliant 😄
If you want an idea for another challenge, you could do a plant based week of home cooking
yes this please!! or plant based meal prepping tips
My new favorite youtube channel! You're helping me level up my life! Thank you!!!
Thank you for such great content. I am really interested in how you started your garden. It would be nice if you can do a video series from seeding to harvesting. I absolutely love your content! Thank you again.
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Excellent ideas.
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Healthy food for kids ideas Thanks!❤
Your property is a little larger and more conducive to gardening but I've tried to build out some raised beds on asphalt and plant some blueberry bushes here in Rhode Island. Spring time seed starting is upon us and exciting!
Mike, top advice, thank you ! BTW... if u reduce the water over the chikpeas a good deal and check it isn't boiling away, you get a lovely vegetable "jelly" from the concentrated chicpea liquid when it cools ! This stuff is excellent adding into other things like a stock almost, well worth the effort to create. Also... lots of plastic linning a can and also additives. A good benefit is just avoiding that "industrial" crap ;-)
SOOO HELPFUL-This episode, this channel-thank you from our family!
Such great ideas. I love using white beans in soups I'm going to puree because it makes them creamy and helps to thicken it at the same time.
Nice video, just started watching your channel.
I definitely try the paste and the chickpeas.
Another idea what you can easy do with the potatoes are homemade gnocchi, just mash them, add egg, flour and salt ( of course you can add directly other herbs or flavors). Mix it to a dough. Let it rest in the fridge for 20min. Make portions, roll to a sausage, cut it and cook it for around 3min (till they coming up) and done 😊
Potatoes... as you're doing four, just start them cold after you've peeled and cut two of them, then add the others as the water heats up. Cook for 6 minutes once the water comes to a boil if you want to re-heat/fry them after storing them in the fridge, or 8 to 9 minutes if you want to eat them just cooked or as a mash.
As I'm single, I usually do a double batch, taking out half around the 6-minute mark to pan fry and have with something like a brochette and a salad later.
this video, as a latest in a series of your videos, is arming, pepping, and sending me str8into the stratosphere of my anxieties around cooking my nostalgic favs "right" to be able to enjoy (and oftentimes, even eat) them. i'm shot w sickly sugared 3rd estate coffee and reADY TO GO.
I love watching all of your videos!!
@10:17 Oy Vey! such a mess! Hey ...Happy Purim Mike and those adorable kids!!!!!!!!!
Great video!! Thank you for so many useful tips. Please make more of these to help us home cooks 😊
Always love your content, so extremely helpful!!! Thank you for making my life easier and healthier! 🥰
you could blend cottage cheese with the broccoli similarly because it would make the texture consistent!
and the rice noodles have 2-3 days
these ideas are awesome thanks for making this content
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Nice to see your garden
ooh. key takeaway for me is pre-soaking rice noodles. THANK YOU!!
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Thanks, Mike! I use my Instant Pots to steam potatoes and cook beans. Can't wait to add the aromatic paste and pre-soaked rice noodles to my prep.
Thanks for the ideas
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Precooked potatoes is a game changer. I put mine in whole in the instant pot and pressure cook them for one minute then stick them in the fridge. You can cut them as you like, depending on what you're making and they're even easier to peel. Also cooking potatoes and cooling them completely increases the resistant starch, which changes how it's digested making it more like a prebiotic fiber and causing less if a spike in blood sugar.
For pastes and spices: €2 coffee grinder from a dollar store. Works awesome. No need for $20 fancy things.
Please make more meal prep series videos!🙏👍❤️🇨🇦
Make sure you get muscadines and skuppernog grapes. My grandad has a few of these vines, and they make the best jelly/jam.