Make-Ahead Diabetic Entrees

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Make-Ahead Diabetic Entrees
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Make-Ahead Entrees

As we approach the holiday season, it seems that our time literally disappears--that includes time for making delicious, healthy meals. So the first Sunday of November, we set aside the afternoon and a few hours later have stuffed our freezer with make-ahead entrees that will become the basis for at least two night a week for the remainder of the month. During the holidays having a delicious dinner in the freezer may be the difference between eating healthy and stopping for deep-fried something on the way home. No Wednesday or Thursday night meals out of cardboard containers for us!

Some of the recipes are enough for two main dishes, packed and frozen separately for extra entrees. All you have to do is pull the entree out for defrosting. If the meal involves a crowd with extra mouths to feed, defrost both; otherwise, keep the second entree frozen for using later in the month. Others are for one main dish that can be made the night before and refrigerated overnight. These, too, could be doubled for extra meals and/or made ahead and frozen. Serve the entree with a salad or fresh vegetable; the effect is as if you've been cooking all afternoon.

Freezing and Thawing

We like to freeze these dishes in square aluminum foil pans. Once defrosted, they are ready to tuck into a preheated oven without tying up our pretty casseroles. If company's coming, you can transfer the frozen contents of the foil pan to a casserole dish with minimum fuss. For best results, plan on using the frozen dish within 6 weeks.

Our cooking times are for chilled, thawed dishes. You can thaw a dish overnight in the refrigerator or transfer the frozen dish to a microwave-safe dish and thaw on 50% power just until pliable. Check after baking according to directions, adding a few additional minutes if needed to allow for not-quite-thawed pockets to thoroughly heat.

Our first two recipes make use of a basic Home-Style Tomato Sauce. First make the sauce, setting aside half of the sauce for two casserole of savory Chicken Cacciatore and half for two casseroles of Tex-Mex Pasta Bake. The sauce can also be frozen by itself to use over pasta for emergency meals. As the chicken casserole bakes, steam some rice and a fresh vegetable such as broccoli or green beans. With the pasta casserole, we'd serve a large tossed salad, full of tomatoes, julienne slices of jicama, and strips of bell pepper. Dessert for both can be a fresh tangerine or half of a navel orange with gingersnap cookies (3 equals 1 carbohydrate exchange).

Our third meal features our rendition of 5-Way Cincinnati Chili, a special style of chili first created in 1922 by John Kiradjieff, the founder of the Empress Chili Parlor in Cincinnati, Ohio. Full of aromatic spices of his Greek homeland, his chili is traditionally served over hot spaghetti. No one knows for sure the exact blend of spices that he used and today, the scores of chili parlors of Cincinnati all closely guard their recipe and the actual mixing of the spices takes place behind closed doors far away from the kitchen and its staff. We developed our version for a crockery cookbook, but since the food editor of the Cincinnati newspaper claims its comes very close to the original recipe, we decided to adapt the recipe for stove-top cooking, leaning up the recipe to contain less fat and saturated fat. The flavor's still as good as the original. The "5-Way" refers to the way this chili is served--in this case, over spaghetti with cheese, chopped onion, and red kidney beans. The chili is a full meal; you only need to add a light fresh fruit dessert to complete your menu.

Our fourth make-ahead main dish uses boneless pork tenderloin, a meat that is as lean and low in cholesterol as the white meat of chicken. Here, we're teaming the pork with herbs and spices of the Middle East, along with dried cherries and dried apricots for a Middle Eastern Pork and Dried Fruit Bake that goes wonderfully with couscous and a simple vegetable such as barely wilted fresh spinach with slices of garlic. Since the pork tenderloins come two to a package, there's plenty to make two casseroles. For dessert, offer your favorite flavor of no-sugar-added nonfat frozen yogurt.

Our fifth meal features a comfort food casserole of Baked Ziti with Meatballs that is as good piping hot from the oven or at room temperature for lunch on the go. Substitute lean ground pork or veal if you have some in the freezer. If you have made our basic home-style tomato sauce, use that instead of the canned variety we suggest here. The recipe easily doubles to make two casseroles or to serve a crowd. Serve with a large salad with a lemon vinaigrette and microwave baked apples or pears for dessert.

This soup means that winter is on the way in our homes. We try to share recipes for meals that do not feature animal protein each month, and with this Mushrooms Barley Soup you won't miss the steak and potatoes. You can use chicken broth or mushroom broth for the beef broth. Since the soup freezes well, you might wish to double the recipe and freeze half for another meal. Serve with crusty whole wheat rolls or bread and make some individual pear filo dough tarts for dessert.

Sometimes the Asian food that we bring home from the market or restaurant is very high in sodium and fat content. This recipe for Spicy Ground Turkey and Cellophane Noodles proves that we can enjoy this style of food without guilt and practice how to eat with chopsticks at the same time. Although the recipe can be easily doubled and frozen, do not freeze the snow peas and bean sprouts as they are never crisp when thawed. Just add them at the last minute and no one will ever know that you made this dish weeks before. Broil pineapple slices for dessert and top with a tablespoon of vanilla non-fat, no-sugar ice cream for dessert. Dust with cinnamon or cocoa.

Our last meal uses boneless chicken breasts in a home-style casserole one might find in farm country where the meals are hearty and wholesome. The recipe for Quick Chicken and Rice Casserole serves six, but can be easily doubled if you're going to a holiday potluck supper or want to make two casseroles. A mixed green salad and a fresh fruit dessert would round out the meal.

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