Summary of "A Revolution in Meal Prepping..."
A Revolution in Meal Prepping
This video demonstrates an innovative meal prepping method using stackable silicone freezer molds (“Super Cubes”) to freeze individual portions of proteins, vegetables, and starches, primarily Mexican-inspired dishes. The presenter prepares 10 different recipes (3 proteins, 4 veggies, 3 starches), freezes them in cubes, and randomly combines three cubes daily for a balanced meal. This method saves time, reduces cooking frequency, and yields meals that reheat well without loss of flavor or texture.
Detailed recipes, cooking techniques, reheating tips, and practical advice on portioning and ingredient substitutions are provided. The approach is validated as a viable, enjoyable, and efficient meal prep strategy.
Ingredients & Quantities
Proteins (3 Recipes)
Pollo en Salsa Verde (Green Chicken)
- 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on preferred; boneless/skinless optional)
- Salt and pepper (to season)
- Oil (for sautéing)
- Salsa Verde ingredients:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Deseeded jalapeño (or seeded for more heat)
- Tomatillos (large quantity)
- Fresh mint
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
- Salt
Mexican Turkey Chili
- 2 packs ground turkey (white meat used; dark meat or blend optional)
- Oil (generous amount, as turkey is dry)
- Onion, green pepper, garlic (sliced)
- Mexican dried peppers: ancho, arbol, guajillo, casabel (deseeded)
- Can of tomatoes
- Chicken bone broth (store-bought or homemade; Kettle and Fire brand recommended)
- Corn tortillas (to thicken)
- Salt (to taste)
Tofu Chorizo (Vegetarian Protein)
- 2 blocks firm tofu (semi-firm to extra firm acceptable)
- Coconut oil (for sautéing)
- Chopped onions, sliced garlic
- Adobo sauce (from canned chipotles)
- 1 smoked jalapeño (whole)
- Smoked jalapeño powder (optional, for smokiness)
- Maple syrup
- Soy sauce
Vegetables (4 Recipes)
Braised Cabbage
- Napa cabbage (or any cabbage)
- Oil (for searing)
- Ghee (or butter substitute)
- Chopped jalapeño, garlic, ginger (for aromatics)
- Chicken stock and water (for braising)
- Salt (to taste)
Grilled Fajita Veggies
- Whole corn
- Poblano peppers
- Red peppers
- Red onions (quartered)
- Oil (to coat before grilling)
Sweet Potato & Plantain Mash
- Ripe plantains (peeled, sliced into thick rounds)
- Sweet potatoes (peeled, medium chunks)
- Grape seed oil (or similar)
- Salt (to taste)
Eggplant Mash (Hummus/Baba Ganoush Style)
- Roasted eggplant (slow roasted until mushy)
- Cooked chickpeas
- Garlic cloves
- Whole cumin seeds
- Smoked paprika
- Ground tahini
- Salt (to taste)
Starches (3 Recipes)
Cilantro Lime Rice
- Rice (quantity per rice cooker)
- Water and chicken broth (Kettle and Fire recommended)
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Lime juice
- Salt
Black Beans
- Dried black beans
- Jalapeño, ginger, onion, garlic (aromatics)
- Water or broth (for pressure cooking)
- Salt and pepper
Farro Rojo (Tomato Farro)
- Farro grain
- Oil (for toasting)
- Fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic (blended into sauce)
- Chicken broth
- Salt
Equipment & Prep Notes
- Freezer molds: Super Cubes brand (silicone, food-safe, stackable Lego-style cubes). Alternatives: any larger silicone ice cube molds.
- Rice cooker (for cilantro rice)
- Pressure cooker (for black beans)
- Blender or immersion blender (for salsa verde, chili, eggplant mash, blending beans)
- Sauté pan, grill or grill pan
- Oven (450°F for roasting sweet potatoes and plantains)
- Metal spatula (for scraping roasting pan)
- Food processor (for eggplant mash)
- Microwave (for reheating frozen cubes)
Step-by-Step Methods
Pollo en Salsa Verde
- Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Heat oil in sauté pan over medium heat; crisp skin side of chicken.
- Blend onion, garlic, deseeded jalapeño, tomatillos, mint, cilantro, lime juice, and salt until smooth.
- Flip chicken, brown other side briefly.
- Pour salsa verde into pan, cover, and stew for 30–45 minutes until chicken is tender.
- Shred chicken off bones with forks.
- Remove bones, portion into freezer molds.
Mexican Turkey Chili
- Heat oil in pan over medium heat.
- Brown ground turkey, breaking it up; remove water before browning.
- Season with salt, remove turkey.
- Add more oil if needed; caramelize onion, green pepper, garlic.
- Toast deseeded dried Mexican peppers with veggies.
- Add canned tomatoes and chicken bone broth.
- Add torn corn tortillas to thicken.
- Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Blend with immersion blender until smooth.
- Return turkey to pan, cook a few more minutes.
- Portion into molds.
Tofu Chorizo
- Heat coconut oil in non-stick pan over medium.
- Add chopped onions and garlic; caramelize.
- Drain tofu, crumble directly into pan.
- Cook 10–15 minutes to evaporate moisture and crisp tofu.
- Add adobo sauce, smoked jalapeño, smoked jalapeño powder, maple syrup, soy sauce.
- Cook until sauce absorbs.
- Portion into molds.
Braised Cabbage
- Clean and quarter cabbage.
- Heat oil in wide sauté pan over medium.
- Sear cabbage until browned on both sides and wilted; repeat for all cabbage.
- Add ghee, jalapeño, garlic, ginger; fry aromatics for a few minutes.
- Chop browned cabbage into smaller pieces; return to pan.
- Add chicken stock, water, salt.
- Cover and simmer until tender.
- Portion into molds.
Grilled Fajita Veggies
- Quarter red onions and slice peppers.
- Coat corn, peppers, onions in oil.
- Grill on medium-low heat until slightly charred and softened.
- Remove skins from peppers easily.
- Chop and mix veggies.
- Portion into molds.
Sweet Potato & Plantain Mash
- Peel and slice sweet potatoes (medium chunks).
- Peel and slice plantains (thick rounds, about twice the size of potato chunks).
- Toss with grape seed oil and salt.
- Roast at 450°F for 20 minutes.
- Scrape browned bits from pan, mix, roast another 20 minutes until soft.
- Mash together with potato masher.
- Portion into molds.
Eggplant Mash
- Roast eggplants slowly until flesh is mushy.
- Scoop flesh into food processor.
- Add cooked chickpeas, garlic, cumin seeds, smoked paprika, tahini, salt.
- Pulse to rough blend (not smooth).
- Portion into molds.
Cilantro Lime Rice
- Cook rice in rice cooker with water and chicken broth.
- When done, mix in fresh cilantro, lime juice, salt.
- Portion into molds.
Black Beans
- Place dried black beans in pressure cooker.
- Add jalapeño, ginger, onion, garlic, water or broth.
- Pressure cook for 18 minutes.
- Remove large ginger pieces.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Blend partially with immersion blender, leaving some beans chunky.
- Portion into molds.
Farro Rojo
- Toast farro in oil over medium heat until nutty aroma.
- Blend tomatoes, onion, garlic until smooth.
- Add tomato sauce and chicken broth to farro.
- Simmer covered for 25 minutes until tender.
- Portion into molds.
Reheating & Portioning Tips
- Each meal consists of 3 cubes: one protein, one vegetable, one starch.
- Microwave reheating times ranged from 6 to 7 minutes for a full meal (3 cubes).
- Undercook ingredients slightly during prep to avoid overcooking upon reheating.
- Portion size in molds can be adjusted:
- Filling molds less creates single servings.
- Filling more creates larger portions.
- Some foods (e.g., turkey chili) took longer to reheat than others (e.g., farro).
- Frozen meals retained flavor and texture well, including plantains which can sometimes dry out.
- Adding pickles, fermented foods, or sauces (cilantro crema, Mexican barbecue sauce) enhances meals; recipes for sauces are provided in a linked document.
Chef Tips & Insights
- Freezing meals in stackable silicone molds is a practical and efficient meal prep method.
- Mexican cuisine works well for freezing due to flavor profiles and ingredient stability.
- Using bone broth (store-bought or homemade) enriches flavor and nutrition.
- Toasting dried peppers adds depth to chili.
- Slow cooking and stewing proteins in sauces improves tenderness and shreddability.
- Crispy tofu requires patience and slow cooking to evaporate moisture before adding sauce.
- Roasting vegetables with attention to caramelization and texture helps maintain quality after freezing.
- Using an immersion blender allows control over texture (smooth vs. chunky).
- Portion control is key to efficient reheating and meal satisfaction.
- The “Wheel of Frozen Foods” adds fun and variety to meal selection.
Variations & Substitutions
- Chicken thighs: boneless/skinless can be used but are less flavorful.
- Ground turkey: white meat used, but dark or blend is fine.
- Tofu firmness: semi-firm to extra firm acceptable.
- Ghee can be replaced with butter.
- Different silicone molds or ice cube trays can substitute Super Cubes molds.
- Broth can be homemade or store-bought; Kettle and Fire recommended.
- Spiciness adjustable by jalapeño seed inclusion or smoked jalapeño powder.
Presenter & References
- Presenter: Mike G (inferred from style and references)
- Sponsor/Product Mentioned: Kettle and Fire bone broth
- Recipes and sauces linked in a free Google Doc provided by the presenter
This meal prep method offers a flexible, flavorful, and time-saving approach to preparing balanced meals with minimal daily effort.
Category
Cooking
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