Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Paleo Turkey Goulash


I have a pile of my "old" (Pre-Paleo) recipes that I loved so I keep them and try to turn them into Paleo recipes. This is one of those recipes. Rather than using non-stick cooking spray and pasta, I subbed in butter and mushrooms for this recipe. It's really pretty quick to make and the seasonings are items I usually have on hand all the time. I went ahead and left the ground turkey as ground turkey, because it's so plain it really allows you to taste the vegetables.

Turkey Goulash
mealpod
Published 01/31/2012
A paleo version of a traditional goulash

Ingredients




  • 2 tbsp butter



  • 1 1/2 cups onion, chopped



  • 1 pound ground turkey



  • 2 cups mushrooms, chopped



  • 2 large zucchini, chopped



  • 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped



  • 1 tsp chili powder



  • 1 tsp cayenne



  • 1 bay leaf, crushed



  • 1 tsp paprika



  • 1 tsp salt



  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • Instructions




    1. Saute the onion, mushroom, zucchini and garlic in butter until slightly softened.



    2. Add ground turkey and cook until lightly browned.



    3. Add chicken broth and seasonings and bring mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until veggies are tender.



    4. Portion into 6 pods, allow to cool, then freeze.
    5. Yield: 6
      Prep Time: 10
      Cook time: 60

      Nutrition

      • Calories: 246



    6. Fat: 16



    7. Sodium: 535



    8. Totalcarbs: 11



    9. Dietaryfiber: 3



    10. Protein: 16
    11. Monday, January 30, 2012

      Lunch Time - planning lunches for the family

      Lunch Time!


      My 13 year old is a great eater. She will try anything and usually picks fruits and veggies to eat over other things (except chocolate cake). My 9 year old on the other hand is a bad eater and very recently has gotten even worse. Most recently she throws tantrums about eating good foods - just wanting to eat snacks or "treats" all day. 





      I am going to try and turn the situation around. Making kids food nutritious and fun is hot these days, so I am jumping in on the trend to see if it works. This study says it might, lol, &THIS post is my first try at American  bento boxes.

      warning: the following food will have wheat  and is far from Paleo (most of it), but my family doesn't follow my rules and this is for them. It is all wholesome or homemade however & not all of it has wheat!

      Cucumber Dill Chicken Salad


      So, this is where we usually tell a story about the recipe and when we made it. Umm.... I don't have a story today. I had leftover dill and wanted to use it. I like buying rotisserie chicken when it's $3.99 for a whole chicken and making easy food with it. So this is why we have Cucumber Dill Chicken Salad this week. Plus. It's yummy.



      Cucumber Dill Chicken Salad


      mealpod

      Published 01/30/2012

      A light and refreshing take on chicken salad, Paleo-style

      Ingredients





      • 1/3 cup plain yogurt



      • 1/4 cup sour cream



      • 1/2 cup cucumber, finely diced



      • 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped



      • 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled



      • 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped



      • 4 cups chicken breast, cooked

      • Instructions





        1. Mix all ingredients together, except chicken, then add in chicken and stir gently to coat.



        2. Portion into 6 pods, approx 1/2 cup each and store in refrigerator.

        3. Yield: 6

          Prep Time: 10

          Nutrition



          • Calories: 224



        4. Fat: 8



        5. Sodium: 160



        6. Totalcarbs: 2



        7. Dietaryfiber: 6



        8. Protein: 32
        9. Sunday, January 29, 2012

          Easy Slowcooker Chicken Curry



          This week I remade the butternut millet casserole from last week because I liked it so much and it is completely gone. The millet recipe makes a bit of a mess in the kitchen, so I needed an easy slowcooker recipe to go with it for the week. This one is adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe to make it into a Mealpod, and I couldn't believe how EASY it was AND there are no weird ingredients if you have Indian spices already. The result is good (not amazing) but definitely something I would make again because it is easy and cheap.

          -Nicole

          Easy Slowcooker Chicken Curry

          Mealpod
          Published 01/29/2012
          This chicken curry is the easiest crockppot recipe I think I have done in a long time. It has been adapted from Martha Stewart's Chicken Curry recipe to be made into a Mealpod.

          Ingredients

          • 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
          • 2 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
          • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
          • 2 1/2 tbs Madras curry powder (or your favorite)
          • 1 tsp ground coriander
          • 1 tsp cumin
          • 1 ts sea salt
          • 4 tsp garlic minced
          • 16 oz. frozen green peas
          • 1 cup shredded carrots
          • 2 cups (1 can) lite coconut milk
          • 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice

          Instructions

          1. In a large slow cooker, toss in chicken, onion, ginger, curry powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and garlic.
          2. Set the crockpot on high and cook for 3-4 hours or until chicken is soft and can be shredded easily.
          3. When the chicken is finished, add in coconut milk, carrots and peas and cook for 20 more minutes.
          4. In your rice cooker add 1 1/4 cups rice and 2 1/2 cups water and cook. If you don't have a rice cooker, cook according to rice directions.
          5. Remove the chicken and shred with two forks and add back into the crockpot.
          6. Remove about 1.5 cups of juice from the crockpot and set aside.
          7. Add rice to the crockpot and combine. Turn off slow cooker and let cool. Package into 12 Mealpods. Store the extra sauce in the fridge for the week to add to your Mealpod if you like or you can toss it.
          Yield: 13 pods


          Prep Time: 10
          Cook time: 04:30

          Tags: chicken, curry, crockpot, slowcooker

          Thursday, January 26, 2012

          Sweet Potato, Bacon & Egg Salad


          Sunday Cooking with Sis
          Week of 1/22

          I consider this recipe another Paleo staple.  The dressing is really the star of this dish.  I could eat it by itself (and have) or on a salad, but really the flavors just go so amazing with the sweet potato it's a perfect match.

          Someday, I will make my own mayonnaise.  I'm not sure what about it scares me or makes me not want to do it.  I have a lot of recipes for homemade mayonniase.  I know in order to be a true Paleo eater that I totally should ditch the jarred mayo.  I apologize in advance.  Please feel free to make your own mayo for this recipe.

          SWEET POTATO, BACON & EGG SALAD

          INGREDIENTS:

          2 cups cooked sweet potato, diced
          4 hard-boiled eggs, diced
          8 slices cooked bacon, sliced
          8 tbsp dill weed, chopped
          4 tbsp mayonnaise
          4 tbsp lemon juice

          DIRECTIONS:

          <!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->Start with cooked sweet potato, eggs and bacon

          <!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->Dice eggs and sweet potato, slice bacon add to large bowl.

          <!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->In a separate bowl combine dill, mayo and lemon juice.

          <!--[if !supportLists]-->·         <!--[endif]-->Add dill mixture to the sweet potato mixture and stir gently to combine.
          <!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
          <!--[endif]-->
          Portion into 8 pods, this will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

          Note: Serving size is approximately ½ cup as a side dish, as a meal you can eat more!

          Nutrition: 8 PODS (servings) 175 calories, 11g fat, 124g sodium, 11G carb, 2g fiber, 7g protein

          Wednesday, January 25, 2012

          Lemon Chicken with Rosemary Squash




          Sunday Cooking with Sis
          Week of 1/22

          Chicken thighs are cheap and so easy to make well. They are pretty much my go to when money is tight and I need food for the week.

          I happened to have squash, but this works with zucchini and potatoes too, but potatoes have to be cooked longer. I threw in freshly grated Parmesan cheese that isn't in my recipe because I had it in the fridge and it just sounded good. Adding cheese is always a bonus.

          Ingredients



          • 6 chicken thighs, bone in with skin



          • 1 tsp garlic powder



          • 2 tsp paprika



          • 1/2 tsp oregano



          • 1/3 cup lemon juice (or juice of 1 lemon)



          • 1/2 cup water



          • 2 medium yellow squash, sliced in circles



          • 1 tbsp rosemary, chopped



          • 1 tsp garlic powder



          • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated



          • 1 tbsp coconut oil
          • Instructions




            1. Sprinkle squash with herb mixure



            2. Heat coconut oil in large skillet, add squash and cook until lightly browned on both sides,



            3. Season chicken pieces with garlic powder and paprika, place in shallow baking pan skin side down.
            4. Combine remaining ingredients, pour over chicken. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Turn chicken, sprinkle with Parmesan and continue cooking another 20 minutes until skin is brown and crispy.


            5. Yield: 6
              Prep Time: 10
              Cook time: 60

              Nutrition

              Calories: 226




            6. Fat: 17



            7. Sodium: 71



            8. Total Carbs: 3



            9. Dietary Fiber: 1



            10. Protein: 14



            11. Tuesday, January 24, 2012

              Omelet Muffins




              Sunday Cooking with Sis


              Week of 1/22





              Omelet Muffins are a Paleo eating staple, but they work good for everyone. It's a super easy way to have a hot, delicious breakfast every day of the week. You can use absolutely any toppings you want, meat, fruit, veggies, cheeses. The only limit is your imagination and what's in your pantry.

              This week I made bacon and feta muffins they are extremely simple and tasty.

              Omelet Muffins

              mealpod

              Ingredients





            12. 12 eggs



            13. 1/3 cup mayonnaise



            14. 1/3 cup water



            15. 1/4 cup shredded cheese of choice



            16. 6 slices cooked bacon



            17. 1/2 cup assorted fresh vegetables, diced


            18. Instructions





            19. Whisk together eggs, mayo and water





            20. Pour into well greased muffin tins





            21. Add toppings to each muffin





            22. Bake 20 minutes at 350 or until eggs are firm, but not brown




            23. Portion into 2 muffins per foil pod, allow to cool, then freeze

            24. Yield: 6 pods

              Prep Time: 10

              Cook time: 20

              I usually eat them the week I make them, just pop them in the microwave to 15/20 seconds to warm them. You can freeze them and them heat them in the oven too.


              Monday, January 23, 2012

              Millet Butternut Squash Gratin


              Millet Butternut Squash Gratin
              My grocery store peels and cubes butternut squash in nice big packages that I keep on salivating at when I go past that produce aisle. So I scoured the internet for some type of butternut squash casserole that was not based on maple syrup or sugar which is easier said than done.

              I found this one on Huffington Post Food for Butternut Squash Millet gratin.  (the link does not seem to be working anymore - sorry - but it is the right link!)   It has the grain Millet in it (obviously) which I checked to make sure was gluten free. It is - and apparently also the number 1 ingredient in bird seed.

              I changed the recipe a little - adding loads of diced mushrooms and lessening the thyme and adding sage into the mix. The result is savory but still a little sweet only from the roasted squash. The eggs and cheese get mixed with the cooked millet which creates a crust for the casserole. It tasted good right away but tasted even better the next day after the onions had time to designate their flavors in the slice better. Its actually so good I think I might make it again next week because all 15 pieces are gone. Oops. Considering it is good for breakfast as well as lunch or dinner that is not surprising.


              Millet Butternut Squash Gratin

              Mealpod
              Published 01/19/2012
              A sweet and savory casserole Mealpod with butternut squash and millet.

              Ingredients

              • 1 whole butternut squash peeled and cubed
              • 3 tbs olive oil
              • 1 tsp thyme
              • 1 tsp sage
              • salt & pepper to taste
              • 1 cup finely diced mushroom
              • 1 cup onion diced
              • 1 clove garlic minced
              • 4 cups chicken broth
              • 1 cup water
              • 1.5 cups millet
              • 4 eggs
              • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
              • 1 1/2 cups milk

              Instructions

              1. Preheat oven to 450. Grease a 2.5 quart glass pan or casserole dish.
              2. Pour 1 tbs oil onto a cookie sheet and arrange cubed squash in 1 layer (use two pans if needed) and sprinkle with thyme, sage and S&P to taste. Drizzle with a little more olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes at 450, or until soft.
              3. While squash is in the oven, sautee mushrooms, onions and garlic in a tbs of olive oil until slightly softened - about 2 minutes. Mix with squash when both are finished.
              4. Add 1 tbs olive oil to a medium-large sized saucepan and set to medium-medium high heat. Add millet and stir until slightly browned. Add chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil at high heat then lower the heat to allow a simmer and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the water is soaked up.
              5. Whisk 4 eggs and milk in a bowl, add Parmesan cheese. Add the cooked millet and combine.
              6. In your well greased pan pour half the millet mixture. Sprinkle 1/2 the squash mixture on top. Repeat with the other 1/2 of millet and squash. Sprinle the top with a little extra Parmesan cheese.
              7. Bake at 450 for 35-40 minutes or until Millet is browned.
              8. Let cool and slice into 15 Mealpod slices (minus one to eat now) and package in foil Mealpod packages.
              Yield: 15 servings


              Prep Time: 30
              Cook time: 40

              Tags: gluten free recipe butternut squash millet Mealpod casserole

              Nicole

              Thursday, January 19, 2012

              Paleo Pot Pie Recipe

              Sunday Cooking with Sis 
              So... these were not my most successful recipe ever.  The filling is super tasty, but the crust really didn't come together at all.  I had been hoping to make them in mini disposable pie tins, but couldn't find them anywhere!  
              So, we went with mini casserole dishes instead, making each pie two servings.  

              "We" being Sarah and I.  Sarah's my almost 10 year old and she sometimes likes to help with the cooking.  This week she made the crust and chopped the baby carrots for me.  I totally should have taken her picture while she was working.  Next time!

              The crust really just fell apart on me and the bottom of the crust would not come out of the pan.  I have altered the recipe to just have a top crust.  Once you package these as a mealpod, you just kind of have to mush the crust right in.   

              I have never used crème fraîche before and was excited to try it.  I felt like a contestant on Chopped using fancy pants ingredients!   The creaminess went really well with the bacon and chicken, it's not "gravy" but you don't miss the gravy in the pot pie at all. 

              I'm going to research some other gluten-free crust options, if you have a suggestion please let me know!

              INGREDIENTS:

              1 cups Almond Flour
              ¼ tsp Kosher Salt
              1 tbsp Coconut Oil
              egg
              4 fried slices Thick Cut Bacon
              1 cup onion, chopped
              1 cup baby carrots, sliced
              1 cup thin green beans, halved
              2 tsp Rosemary, Fresh
              1 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
              2/3 cup crème fraîche
              2 cups Skinless Rotisserie Chicken


              DIRECTIONS:

              ·         Preheat oven to 450°

              ·         Place flour and salt in blender or food processor and pulse to blend.  Add coconut oil and egg and pulse until mixture forms a ball.  

              ·         Cook bacon in skillet until crisp, chop bacon and set aside

              ·         Sauté onion in bacon fat, add carrots, green beans and rosemary.  Add broth, bring to boil over high heat.  Reduced heat to medium and boil until vegetables are almost tender.  Stir in crème fraîche, chicken and bacon and simmer.

              ·         Divide into pie tins, cover with crust, pierce crust all over with fork.

              Bake for 22 minutes or until crusts are golden brown, let cool, then package for freezer

              Sis

              Wednesday, January 18, 2012

              Margherita Meatza

               Sunday Cooking with Sis 1/15

              I really found a winner this week!  Lots of Paleo folks know all about MEATZA, it's Paleo pizza with ground beef as the crust.  I had looked at the recipes before and always wanted to try one.  I didn't just want normal pizza toppings though, so when my brain popped up with a margherita pizza idea, it all came together!

              It really turns out like especially awesome burger patty, moist and very tasty!  Two slices is a bit too much for me at about 600 calories, so I am having mine with a salad or coleslaw this week for lunch.  


              INGREDIENTS:

              TOPPINGS:
              ¼ cup Olive Oil
              ½ tsp Coarse Kosher Salt
              1 clove garlic, minced
              8 medium Roma Tomato, sliced
              8 oz Mozzarella, shredded
              10 Fresh Basil Leaves , shredded
              ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
              ¼ cup Feta Cheese, crumbled

              CRUST:
              2 lb Ground Beef  
              egg
              ½ cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
              1 tsp Salt
              1 tsp Fennel seed
              1 tsp Oregano, Ground
              1 tsp Garlic Salt
              1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
                    1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes


              DIRECTIONS:

              ·         Preheat oven to 450°

              ·         Stir together olive oil, garlic, and salt; toss with tomatoes, and allow to stand for 15 minutes.

              ·         Measure and mix your crust seasonings together in a small bowl.

              ·         Place beef in large mixing bowl and add eggs. Once you have thoroughly mixed in the egg add the seasoning mix and Parmesan cheese.  Flatten beef into a 12 x 17 jelly roll pan and place into oven for 10 minutes.

              ·         Spread the crust evenly with Mozzarella.

              ·         Arrange tomatoes on the top, then sprinkle with basil, Parmesan, and feta cheese.

              ·         Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, about 10 minutes.

              Allow to cool. Slice, then freeze. 

              My crust shrunk a lot, I'm not sure why or if that is normal.  I have never seen mention of it in any other Meatza recipe.  Sarah and I delicately moved it to a new cookie sheet, blotted it and then added the toppings.  I actually think it worked out well, but I'm not sure that's what should have happened!

              I can't wait to eat this today for lunch.

              Sis

              Sunday, January 15, 2012

              Tamale Pie - 15 Mealpods

               This recipe was insired by a Tamale Pie recipe my mom got out of Paula Deen's magazine that used  canned enchilada sauce, thick corn masa, and  loads of cheddar cheese. I liked it but I wanted to try and make it taste more like authentic tamales, without all the rolling and folding. I started with researching how to make the key meat in the middle: boiling pork loin with garlic and onions until it soaks up all the flavor and falls off the bone. I replaced the canned sauce with a simple homemade one and replaced the cheddar with milder (and leaner) mozzarella that doesn't overpower the other flavors.

              The result is a layered casserole that tastes like a tamale, with the added pleasure of cheese and a thick enchilada like sauce that is a bit more tomatoe-ey (you could call it a chili sauce). It also only has 232 calories per Mealpod, so two of them make a great meal.

              Forgive me my photos today- I lent out my camera and had to use my husband's tablet to take the photographs. I hope to replace them with better ones soon.

              Tamale Pie Recipe

              2.5 - 3 lb pork loin
              3 small onions
              1 clove garlic minced
              2 cups Masa Maseca instant corn flour (for use with tamales and tortillas)
              2 cups broth (from the pork loin)
              24 oz strained tomatoes
              3 tbs chili powder
              1/4 tsp garlic powder
              1/2 tsp salt
              1 tsp oregano
              12 oz part-skim mozzarella
              water

              Overnight: Place the pork loin, onions (cut in half), and garlic in a large crock pot. Fill with water to cover the loin and cook on low overnight. In the morning remove everything from the crock pot, and shred the pork to small pieces, getting rid of the fat and bones. Save 3 cups of broth.

              Make the sauce: In a sauce pot add strained tomatoes, chili powder, garlic powder, cocoa, salt, oregano and simmer for 2 minuutes. Add water and continue to simmer for a minute or two. When finished pour half of the sauce into the shredded pork and stir to coat. It should not be drippy. Save the rest of the sauce.

              Grease 2 casserole dishes. I used a 2.5 quart Corningware dish and a 1.5 quart Corningware dish.

              Masa: In a medium bowl, mix together masa and 2 cups of broth with a fork. It will look like a bunch of little balls (like pie crust). If it is dry add more of the broth or warm water. Press together in a big ball and divide in four. Between two pieces of plastic wrap roll out each piece to 1/8 of an inch thick. Spread one in the bottom of two well greased casserole pans. Save the other two. (Make sure you get the right Masa - it must say it is used for tamales and tortillas on the bag and can be found in the authentic Mexican section of your store - see the image at the bottom of the post).

              Now comes the layering of the casseroles. After the layer of masa, spread  1/4 of the pork mixture, the 1/4 of the cheese. Repeat with a layer masa, pork, and cheese. Do this for both casseroles. Bake in a 350 oven for 20-30 minutes without the lid or until the cheese just barely starts to brown. Remove from oven, let cool and slice into 15 mealpods. Save the extra enchilada sauce in the refrigerator for the week or freeze some individually. Use to top the tamale pie when you are ready to eat it.

              If you are worried about the acid in canned tomatoes leeching the aluminum in the can - I use Pomi tomato products that come in cardboard boxes. For this recipe I used the strained tomatoes below. There are no preservatives and are 100% tomatoes.

              Thursday, January 12, 2012

              Pumpkin Sausage Soup Recipe



              Sunday Cooking with Sis (Part 2)

              I am eating this soup RIGHT NOW as I type this blog post and it is soooooo good.  If you only try one of my recipes, try this one.   It's not the prettiest soup, but it tastes amazing and freezes well!  I <3 this soup.







              I have made this soup quite a few times and with all kinds of different sausages.  This incarnation is with a hot and spicy Italian sausage which gives it a really nice kick.  (Can you tell sausage was on sale this week?)  It's also good with turkey and chicken sausage and even breakfast sausage.

              INGREDIENTS:

              20 oz turkey Italian sausage
              ½ cup onions, diced
              1 clove garlic, minced
              1 tsp Italian seasoning
              2 cups mushrooms, sliced
              15 oz canned pumpkin
              4 cups chicken broth
              ½ cup heavy whipping cream
              ½ cup water


              DIRECTIONS:

              Brown sausage, drain, then add the onion, garlic, Italian seasoning and mushrooms and sauté until done

              Add pumpkin to this mixture and mix well.
              Stir in the broth and mix well, simmer 20-30 minutes

              Stir in the heavy cream and water and simmer on low another 10-15 minute.

              Portion into 6 containers, let cool, then freeze.

              I use just the cheap disposable plasticware to store the soup and freeze it.  If you are not a fan of the plastic, mason jars work well too,  just be sure not to fill it all the way so it has room to expand when it freezes.

              My soup is all gone and my blog post is done.  \o/

              Sis

              Monday, January 9, 2012

              Sweet Potato Sausage & Apple Casserole


              Sunday Cooking with Sis (Part One)

              Wow.  I'm back.  The holidays always make me disappear.  I was super excited to get back to my normal routine this week.   I always feel so much better when everything is prepped for the week the way I like it.  

              I wanted easy, yummy food this week, nothing complicated, to get me back in the swing of things.  While I was going through recipes I saved I decided I really wanted to make something with the delicious homemade apple sausage that my local grocery store makes.  Plus, my mom sent me home with a bag of apples that needed a recipe before they went bad.  My Googlefu presented me with a couple of options which I rearranged to fit my needs.

              Sweet Potato Sausage & Apple Casserole Recipe


              INGREDIENTS:

              3 large sweet potatoes
              4 chicken apple sausage links
              3 apples
              1 tsp maple sugar (or sweetener of choice)
              1 tsp cinnamon
              1 tbsp butter

              Sunday, January 8, 2012

              Muffin Sized Quiche

              I have to admit that I am not a skilled cook. I can read and do a recipe if I find them, but that is about it. Part of the reason I started this site with my sister was to keep me motivated on eating right, share our Mealpod system, and to get ideas from other people on what to make!

              So when I needed to bring some food to a party this weekend I asked Sis what I should bring and she said quiche! I have NEVER made quiche before so I searched the internet and tried to learn what goes behind making them and tried a couple of methods. I found out that you can use any fillings you want really and that you can do them in pastry or naked and that you can make them virtually any size. Most recipes I found also boasted that you could make them ahead of time, freeze them, and then have them ready for guests, so they seemed perfect to make for the banquet as well as extras to save as Mealpods. If you are going to cook, might as well get some Mealpods out of it.

              Saturday, January 7, 2012

              Mealpods makes life easier

              Mealpod
              Infographic
              You may have noticed we haven't posted as much over the Christmas holiday. My kids and I traveled back home to the Chicago suburbs for our annual Christmas trip. We actually even traveled to Illinois on Christmas Day (luckily Santa came to our house the day before). My husband stayed home in New Hampshire while Sis and I were visiting.

              This post isn't about our visit though or the awesome presents she got me. Its about our Mealpods. I left my husband home for a full week and a full freezer full of Mealpods. Surprisingly he didn't cook while I was away but when I got home there were still plenty left, so while I was jetlagged, catching up on work,  unpacking our 6 suitcases  and putting away Christmas decorations I didn't have to cook dinner - just heat up Mealpods. I actually came home Monday and didn't cook until Thursday, cooked 1 meal, and another meal on Friday. The key is every time you cook, you make a larger batch than usual and split it up into individual portions. If you freeze them you can accumulate quite a variety of food by cooking 2-3 meals a week because they last for a month in the freezer. So in my freezer right now I have the two new pods: Curry Honey Chicken and another batch of Sweet Potato Sausage Burrito filling (my husband and my faves) and still have some Alfredo Chicken, Spaghetti,  and Mushroom Risotto left as well. Even if you refer refrigerator pods and weekly cooking you can still put some in the freezer for "emergency meals" keeping most of your meals for the week in the refrigerator. 

              I know for me while I am trying to maintain my weight loss I don't want to feel like I am on a diet. Portioning my food and not having to cook every night really helps me forget that I am still managing my food. In essence I don't feel like I am dieting. Since I am not having to cook every night Mealpods also help prevent me from eating out or getting takeout because I have meals on hand and ready to go.  Plus because they are a full meal without preservatives I know they are healthy as well. 

              So if you are starting the new year with a resolution to eat better, keep Mealpods in mind!