Meal Prep Made Easy: How to Prep 5 Recipes in 2 Hours

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Sunday batch cooking: How to do it

Before you begin your batch cooking session, be sure to organize your kitchen in such a way that you can work relaxed and efficiently. Clear out your dishwasher so you can put the utensils you use in it right away and they don't take up space on the countertop. Line up your food storage containers, make space in the refrigerator and in the freezer, if necessary. Have your cutting boards, knives, pots, steamers and other utensils at the ready so you don't have to search and rummage for them later. Also, make sure you label each container with the letter of its corresponding meal so you can just grab and go during the week. Now let's get started!

1. Prepare all the vegetables, meat and shrimp according to instructions on each ingredient list (wash, peel, cut chop, grate, etc.)
2. (A) For the gyozas, start with the dough. Combine the flour and corn starch in a mixing bowl. Pour in the boiling water, and stir with chopsticks. The dough should be well mixed so you can form it into a ball. If it's too dry, add another ounce of boiling water, little by little. Transfer the dough to a cutting board, and add the neutral oil to it. Knead the dough until smooth and the oil is fully incorporated. Cover and let sit for 1 hour in the fridge.
3. (D, E) Add the lentils to a saucepan with boiling water, and cook for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft but still firm to the bite. In another sauce pan, boil the butternut squash until soft, or simply add it to the lentils in the boiling water after about 5 minutes (it will need to boil for about 15 minutes total). When cooked, place 1/4 cup lentils and 1/3 cup butternut squash in airtight containers (you can put them together), and store in the refrigerator.
4. (A) In the meantime combine the cabbage salad dressing ingredients  in a bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the dipping sauce ingredients. Add the dressing to the cabbage, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Store the dipping sauce separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
5. (D) Prepare the vinaigrette for the lentil salad as well, and store in the refrigerator.
6. (C) Soak the stale bread slices in a bit of milk for 5 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients for the meatballs. Combine gently with your fingers. If it's too moist, add a little flour or breadcrumbs. Shape the meatballs and set aside.
7. (B) For the tomato soup, sauté the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the celery and carrots and cook for about three minutes while stirring. Season to taste with salt and pepper, deglaze with a dash of vegetable stock and let the liquid boil off completely. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for about 35 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Puree with a hand mixer or let cool slightly before transferring to a blender. Mix until smooth. Set aside 3 ladles of soup for the meatballs in tomato sauce.
8. (A) Prepare the filling for the gyoza by combining the shrimp with the remaining ingredients. Roll the dough into a skinny log with a 2-cm diameter. Cut it into 1.5-cm segments. Roll each segment out into a circle, about 8 cm in diameter. Add a tablespoon of stuffing to the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over into a half-moon shape. Seal the pot stickers closed by pinching the dough together around the stuffing. Firmly form pleats around the edges, using your thumb and forefinger. Shape the rest of the gyozas with the remaining dough and filling. Transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator, making sure to leave a bit of space between each gyoza. For step-by-step instructions with photos to form the gyozas, go here.
9. (E) For the butternut squash and lentil falafels, cook the buckwheat flakes in the milk for 3-4 minutes over low heat, stirring regularly until the milk is absorbed. Add the remaining ingredients and process with a fork or hand mixer to get a homogeneous preparation; don't overmix. Shape into balls or patties, brush with a little olive oil if desired and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.
10. (C) For the meatballs, fry them in 2 tbsp oil over high heat on all sides. Add the onion and garlic clove for the sauce to the pan and cook briefly for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce (except the capers) and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes over medium heat. Add the capers 5 minutes before the cooking time is up. Let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.