637 – Cooking Ahead: How to Feed Your Future Self

Hey there, friend! Are you feeling overwhelmed by the thought of cooking dinner tonight? We've been there. In this episode of Clutter Free Academy, we're diving into the world of easy, delicious meals that won't drain your energy or your wallet. In this second installment of their two-part series, Kathi Lipp and Tonya Kubo continue their discussion about Kathi's new book, Sabbath Soup, offering practical tips and strategies for stress-free meal planning and cooking. They discuss the importance of valuing both time and energy when it comes to meal preparation, and offer encouragement to listeners who may feel overwhelmed by the daily task of feeding their families. Listeners will discover: The importance of cooking ahead and freezing leftovers for low-energy days Strategies for involving family members in meal planning and preparation The value of establishing clear expectations and dividing kitchen responsibilities Insights into the recipes featured in Sabbath Soup and their ease of use for both novice and experienced cooks Listeners will leave this episode with practical strategies for making meal planning and preparation less stressful and enjoyable, even during busy or low-energy periods. And as promised: Kathi's Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Hint: This dough can be frozen as pre-scooped balls or ready-to-slice logs. Prep Time: 20 Minutes Bake Time: 10 minutes Yield: 112 cookies (recipe may be halved) Ingredients: 5 cups oatmeal 2 cups butter, room temperature 2 cups granulated sugar 2 cups brown sugar 4 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla 4 cups flour 2 tsp. baking soda 2 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 24 oz. chocolate chips 1 8 oz. Hershey bar, grated 3 cups chopped nuts (your choice) Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 2. Measure the oatmeal and place it in a blender to blend into a fine powder. 3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir to combine with the butter mixture, then stir in the flour, blended oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chocolate and nuts. 4. Scoop the dough into balls and place about 12 to a cookie sheet, evenly spaced, baking in batches. Bake for 10 minutes. 5. To freeze for later baking: Flash freeze scooped dough balls on a cookie sheet. Individually frozen dough balls are easier to handle and will keep their shape better when transferred to a freezer bag for longer-term storage. Alternately, form the dough into a log about 2 inches around and wrap in plastic wrap. Put the dough in the bag and write baking directions on the bag. I like to experiment with the cookies and find out what the baking time and temp is for frozen dough as well as thawed dough. Bake for 10 minutes, and then keep checking every 2 minutes to get them just perfect. Did you miss Part 1 of this conversation? Listen to 636 Batch Cooking Basics: Reclaim Your Time and Energy in the Kitchen here. Preorder Sabbath Soup here and receive your free download bonus Sabbath Soup Shortcuts PLUS a personal shout-out on a future CFA episode. Email Tonya Kubo at [email protected] to register for your shout-out. The preorder bonus ends October 8, 2024. Click here to be notified when part two in this series is released! Also, stay up to date and sign up here to receive our newsletter. Links Mentioned: Preorder Sabbath Soup here and receive your bonus down Sabbath Soup Shortcuts. Preorder bonus ends October 8, 2024 After you preorder Sabbath Soup, email Tonya Kubo at [email protected] to register for your Shout-Out on a future CFA episode! Sam’s Club Smoked Shredded Chicken Clutter Free Resources: Join our Clutter Free Academy Facebook Group Tonya's newest podcast: The Business You Really Want on Apple Podcasts The Business You Really Want on Spotify Let's stay connected To share your thoughts: Leave a note in the comment section below. Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and I read each one. Subscribe on iTunes or subscribe to our newsletter now.