Mediterranean Lentil Loaf

Serves 8 * prep time 15 minutes * cook time 50-60 minutes

Lovely cake-like texture (somewhat like cornmeal bread), hearty taste. Serve with salsa.

Ingredients

2 cups dry red lentils, soaked overnight and drained

½ cup Greek yogurt (or 1 extra egg and ¼ cup water)

3 large eggs

1 ½ tsp salt

5 Tbsp olive oil

⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup chopped Kalamata olives

½ onion, chopped

¼ red pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp dry

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp garlic powder

Topping: 1 Tbsp sesame seeds and 2 Tbsp pumpkin seeds

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Drain lentils and add the first 5 ingredients to food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Add remaining ingredients except toppings and mix to combine.  Pour the batter into two silicone loaf pans or an 8”x8” pan lined with parchment. Tap on the pan on the counter to eliminate bubbles.  Sprinkle top with sesame and pumpkin seeds.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let it sit for 10 minutes then remove from the pan and serve with salsa.

From Hungryhappens.net with modifications.

Crockpot freezer meals collection

 (from someone's anonymous on-line post):  All of these meals go into gallon sized ziplock bags that I label and get frozen flat in our chest freezer. The night before I pull one out and put it in the refrigerator to thaw. Each one cooks in the crockpot so it’s very simple and doesn’t heat up the house or require me being in the kitchen when I don’t have time. The initial investment for all the groceries is quite a bit but if I calculate it out per meal this is very reasonable for a large family. The amount I prep usually lasts us 6-7 weeks and dinner leftovers get used for lunches or the next night’s dinner. I’ve perfected a list that our family really likes and are cost effective with not too many ingredients. Hope this helps some others looking for budgeting in the kitchen!

Sloppy Joes:

1 lb. Ground turkey or beef

1 onion diced

1 green pepper diced

1 15oz. Can tomato sauce

1 packet Sloppy Joe Seasoning

Add all ingredients to a freezer bag and seal. Mix the bag to incorporate ingredients. Cook in the slow cooker on HIGH 3-4 hours. Serve on buns or rolls.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

2 packages of sausage or kielbasa, sliced

2c. Brown lentils

1 bag baby carrots

3-4 stalks of celery diced

1 onion diced

2-3 cloves garlic minced

1 15oz. Can diced tomatoes

1T. Italian Seasoning

Add all ingredients to a freezer bag. Cook in the crockpot on HIGH 4-5 hours. Serve with bread or rolls.

Hawaiian Meatballs

2 lbs. Frozen meatballs

1/4c. Brown sugar

1/4c. Soy sauce

1/2t. Garlic powder

1 jar sweet and sour sauce

1 red pepper diced

1 green pepper diced

1 onion diced

1 can pineapple chunks with juice

Add all ingredients to a freezer bag. Cook in the crockpot on LOW 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts or thighs

Juice from 2-3 limes

1 small bunch cilantro chopped

1 bag frozen corn

1 onion chopped

1 can black beans

Add all ingredients to a freezer bag. Cook in crockpot on LOW 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and serve over rice or in burritos.

Broccoli Chicken Alfredo

3-4 chicken breasts or thighs cut into chunks or strips

1 jar Alfredo sauce

1 bag frozen broccoli or fresh chopped broccoli

Mix all ingredients in a freezer bag. Cook in a crockpot on LOW 6-8 hours. Serve over fettuccine noodles.

Pepperoncini Pork Roast

2-3 lb boneless pork or beef roast

1 jar sliced pepperoncinis with juice

Add to freezer bag. Cook in crockpot on LOW 6-8 hours. Shred meat and serve over rice or potatoes. Leftover meat is really good in breakfast burritos!

Chicken Fajitas

3-4 chicken breasts cut into strips.

1-2 green peppers sliced

1-2 red peppers sliced

1 onion sliced

1 pkg. Fajita seasoning

Add all ingredients to freezer bag. Cook in crockpot on LOW 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or in tortillas for fajitas.

Chicken Cacciatore

3-4 chicken breasts or thighs

1 jar chunky veggie style spaghetti sauce

1 zucchini chopped

1 green pepper diced

1 onion diced

Add all ingredients to freezer bag. Cook in crockpot on LOW 6-8 hours. Serve over rice.

Teriyaki Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts cut into chunks

1 onion sliced

2 cans diced pineapple with juice

2-3 garlic cloves minced

1c. Teriyaki sauce

Mix all ingredients in a freezer bag. Cook in crockpot on LOW 6-8 hours. Serve over rice or noodles.

Sausage and Peppers

2 packages sausage or kielbasa sliced

2 green peppers sliced

1 red pepper sliced

1 onion diced

2-3 cloves garlic minced

1 15oz. Can Italian style diced tomatoes

2T. Italian Seasoning

Mix all ingredients in a freezer bag. Drizzle with olive oil and cook in crockpot on LOW 6-8 hours. Serve over noodles.

Don't forget each recipe is for a single bag. Double the amounts if you'd like 20 meals