7 easy and healthy one-pot recipes

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(to make on the weekend and freeze for the workweek!) These comforting stews are quick to prepare, packed with nutrients and freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Just heat them up for quick workweek dinners! Here are some of my kid-friendly staples that I cook in a Dutch oven or any thick-bottomed pot on the stovetop (except the ribs, which are cooked in a pan in the oven).

The beauty of these recipes is that you don’t need exact quantities and ingredients can be substituted. You can add any vegetables that you have on hand, so don’t be shy to improvise!

1. Spaghetti sauce

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 diced medium onion
  • 2-3 minced cloves garlic
  • ½ -1 lb of ground beef
  • 1 diced green pepper
  • 2 diced celery stalks
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 cans tomato paste
  • 1 container of sliced mushrooms
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 cup - 1 cup of red wine (optional)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Brown onions in olive oil on medium heat for a few minutes. Throw in the meat and brown until fully cooked, breaking it up with spoon. Add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour.

Serve with spaghettini or pasta of choice.

[embed]https://flic.kr/p/HnY2o[/embed]

2. Chile con carne

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 diced medium onion
  • 2-3 minced cloves garlic
  • ½ -1 lb of ground beef
  • 1 diced green pepper
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cans of beans (any kind on hand)
  • 1 can of corn kernels
  • 1 tablespoon of cumin
  • 1 tablespoon of ground coriander (optional)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper / chilli powder to taste

Brown onions in olive oil on medium heat for a few minutes. Throw in the meat and brown until fully cooked, breaking it up with spoon. Add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour.

Serve with rice and/or bread and butter.

[embed]https://flic.kr/p/9sPEPB[/embed]

3. Boeuf Bourguignon

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoons of olive oil, plus a cube of butter
  • 1-2 diced medium onion
  • 2-3 minced garlic cloves
  • 1 lb beef cubes or beef chuck cut into 1 inch cubes, rolled and dusted in flour
  • 3-4 chopped carrots
  • 1 container of sliced mushrooms
  • 1 chopped tomato
  • 1 cube beef broth
  • 1-2 cups red wine (the alcohol boils off, so it's safe to feed to kids)
  • Thyme and rosemary to taste (fresh or dried)
  • Water (to cover all meat and veggies)
  • Baby potatoes (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Brown meat, which has been rolled in flour, on medium-high heat in olive oil and butter. Remove and set aside. Brown onions in olive oil on medium heat for a few minutes. Throw in all ingredients, except potatoes and mushrooms. Add enough water to cover meat and veggies. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2-2 1/2 hours, covered, until meat is tender. Add mushrooms and potatoes and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered (until potatoes are soft).

Serve with bread and butter.

[embed]https://flic.kr/p/dHVZd6[/embed]

4. Lentil soup

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 diced medium onion
  • 2-3 minced garlic cloves
  • Diced vegetables (whatever you have in fridge: e.g. peppers, carrots, eggplant, celery, mushrooms ect…). If you have no veggies, it will still taste great!
  • 2 cups dry green or brown lentils (no need to pre-soak lentils)
  • Chicken or beef broth (1-2 cubes or 1-2 tablespoons powder or 3-4 cups liquid broth)
  • Add enough water so it looks like soup!
  • Suggested spices: 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon oregano, 2 teaspoons dried parsley, 2 bay leaves.
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Brown onion in olive oil for a few minutes. Throw in all other ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer 45 minutes.

Serve with bread and butter.

[embed]https://flic.kr/p/8WUSKg[/embed]

5. Feijoada (Brazilian black bean and pork stew)

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1-2 diced medium onions
  • 3-4 minced garlic cloves
  • ½ package of bacon or sausage
  • 3-4 cups of pre-soaked dry black beans (soak overnight in fridge)
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • Water (to cover beans in pot)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Fry bacon or sausage until cooked. Set aside. Brown onions in olive oil or bacon fat for a few minutes. Throw in all other ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1-2.5 hours or until black beans are tender.

Serve with rice and kale sautéed in olive oil with minced garlic.

[embed]https://flic.kr/p/bpPNkx[/embed]

6. Moroccan chickpea stew

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1-2 diced medium onions
  • 3-4 minced garlic cloves
  • 2 chopped tomatoes
  • 3 cups pre-soaked dry chickpeas (soak in water overnight in fridge)
  • Chicken broth (1-2 cubes or 1-2 tablespoons powder or 3-4 cups liquid broth)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Water (enough to cover chick peas in pot)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Brown onions in olive oil for a few minutes. Throw in all other ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1-2.5 hours or until chick peas are tender.

Serve with rice or couscous

[embed]https://flic.kr/p/72pLaE[/embed]

7. Stovetop Baked Beans

Ingredients

  • 4 cups white navy beans, soaked overnight in water in the fridge
  • 1/2 lb of bacon, diced
  • 2 diced medium onions, chopped
  • 2-3 minced garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses or maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of salt
  • Water to cover all ingredients

Fry bacon on medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Throw in onions and fry for 2-3 minutes. Throw in all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2-4 hours or until beans are very soft. To thicken, take approximately 1 cup of cooked beans and mash them up, and throw back in the pot.

Serve with fried eggs and bread.

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Bonus recipe:

8. Baby back ribs

  • Ingredients:
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika or regular paprika
  • 2 tablespoons onion or garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons mustard powder
  • 2-3 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 2 racks of baby back ribs (pork)
  • 1 beer
  • BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 325 °F. Mix spices for dry rub in a bowl. Rub spices into ribs and put into a pan. Throw in beer and cover with aluminium foil. Cook for 2 1/2 hours. Uncover and cook for 30 minutes while basting 2 or 3 times with BBQ sauce until ribs are caramelized.

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All photos courtesy of flickr.com creative commons