Slow-cooker meal prep bags

Chipotle beef chilli

Serves 4
10 mins to prep, 6-8 hrs to cook

500g beef mince
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked sweet paprika
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp chipotle paste
1 beef stock cube
2 peppers, cut into large chunks
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin clack beans, drained and rinsed
To serve
8 mini tortillas
4 tbsp soured cream
10g coriander, leaves and stalks roughly chopped
1 lime, quartered

1. Put all the ingredients for the slow-cooker into a large freezer bag. Seal tightly, lay flat on a surface and smooth over to flatten the bag. Lay flat in the freezer.

2. Defrost in the fridge overnight before you wish to cook. Once thoroughly defrosted, tip the ingredients into the slow-cooker and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8.

3. When ready to serve, heat the tortillas according to pack instructions. Serve with the chilli, soured cream, coriander and lime wedges.

Tip: Any leftover chilli can be used to make burritos or loaded nachos. Once cooked, refrigerate and use within 3 days.

Slow-cooker vegetable tagine

Serves 6
V VG GF DF
Takes 4 hrs 30 mins

1 aubergine, trimmed and cut into 3cm chunks
2 courgettes, trimmed and cut into 3cm chunks
1 red onion, cut into 2cm chunks
500g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
3 tbsp ras el hanout
4 tbsp harissa paste
6-pack salad tomatoes, cut into wedges
400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
75g dried apricots, roughly chopped
500g carton passata
3 tbsp cornflour
1 vegetable stock pot, made up to 900ml
couscous, to serve (optional)
chopped pistachios, to serve (optional)
30g pack fresh coriander, chopped

1. In a bowl, mix together the aubergine, courgettes, onion, sweet potatoes with the oil, garlic, spices and harissa.

2. Tip into a large freezer bag with the tomatoes, chickpeas, apricots and passata. Shake to combine and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months.

3. Remove the curry from the freezer the night before you’re ready to serve and defrost fully overnight in the fridge.

4. Tip the contents of the bag into a slow-cooker. Mix the cornflour with 3tbsp of water in a large jug until smooth, then pour over the vegetables with the stock. Cook on the highest setting for 4 hrs, stirring once during cooking if you can.

5. Ladle into bowls with couscous and pistachios, if you like, then scatter with the coriander and serve.

Sweet and sour chicken

Serves 4
DF GF Fr
Takes 2-5 hrs 15 mins

2 large garlic cloves, finely crushed
3cm piece ginger, finely grated
2 tbsp reduced-salt soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp cornflour
400g pack diced chicken breast
1 red onion, cut into 3cm chunks
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 5mm slices
1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into 3cm chunks
1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into 3cm chunks
425g tin pineapple chunks in juice
To serve
200g basmati rice
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sesame seeds

1. In a bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, tomato purée and cornflour until smooth.

2. Tip the sweet and sour sauce into a large freezer bag and add the chicken, onion, carrots, peppers, pineapple chunks and juice. Shake to combine and seal. Freeze for up to 3 months.

3. Remove from the freezer the night before you’re ready to serve and defrost fully overnight in the fridge.

4. Tip the contents of the bag into a slow-cooker and cook for 2-3 hrs on high or 4-5 hrs on low, stirring occasionally until the chicken is tender and cooked through and the vegetables are still slightly crunchy.

5. Cook the rice according to pack instructions and serve with the sweet and sour chicken topped with sliced chilli and sesame seeds.