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Welcome back to our Whole30 freezer cooking series where I’ve been sharing original recipes and also showing you how to adapt recipes from the New York Times best selling book, The Whole30, for freezer cooking.
Today, for the final post of this mini-series, we’re talking protein… the backbone of a solid Whole30 meal. Both of these proteins can be used in multiple ways, so stocking your freezer with them means you are just 5-10 minutes away from an easy and delicious breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
Taco Burgers
[Whole30 - Paleo - Gluten Free - Grain Free - Dairy Free]
I created this recipe long before my Whole30 days, and with just a few substitutions, they have easily become a Whole30 staple for me. By freezing the patties and storing them individually, you have perfect serving-size portions of protein that can be used in SO many ways! Aside from serving the patties as a burger or sliders, you can break them apart and cook the meat along with some eggs for an easy taco scramble, or chop them up to add to spaghetti sauce!
Ingredients:
2 eggs
40 oz ground beef or ground turkey
½ cup almond meal
2 cans mild diced green chiles, drained
½ cup chopped cilantro (optional)
Homemade Taco Seasoning:
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
Instructions:
- Add eggs to a large bowl and lightly beat.
- Add all other ingredients and combine with a fork or with your hands. Be careful not to over mix!
- Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper, and using a 1/3-cup measuring cup, portion the burger mixture into 10 equal scoops. You may need to add a bit or take away from each one to make them all even.
- Form each scoop into a patty, spacing them out equally on the cookie sheet. If all burgers will not fit on a single layer, top the first layer with another sheet of waxed paper and place any other patties directly on top of the first layer.
Freezing Instructions:
- Place trays in the freezer for about an hour or until the burgers are frozen on the outside.
- Once solid, place burgers in zip-top bags. I like to put two in a bag which is perfect for dinner for my husband and I. If you have a vacuum sealer, that will keep them fresh even longer!
- Store all burgers in a gallon zip lock bag or airtight container in the freezer.
To Serve:
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or using defrost function on your microwave.
- To cook...
- Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
- Split into two patties before cooking to make sliders.
- Chop as you cook so you end up with taco meat to use however you wish.
Shredded Chicken
This isn’t so much a recipe as it is an easy method for cooking and freezing chicken to reuse at a later time in whatever recipe strikes your fancy! You should definitely pair it with the Buffalo sauce from pg 304 of The Whole30, because buffalo anything is always the right thing.
Ingredients:
4 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts
olive oil
spices of your choice
Instructions:
- Line two cookie sheets with aluminum foil, spray with olive oil, and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Trim chicken breasts to remove visible fat and cut it into consistently sized pieces. I usually cut it in half, then cut the thick rounded end in half (like a hamburger bun) to half the thickness.
- Arrange the chicken on cookie sheets and drizzle or spray with olive oil (I am obsessed with my Misto).
- Sprinkle chicken breasts with seasonings of your choice. I recommend salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder. OR - Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute is also fantastic.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (opaque in the center).
Freezing Instructions:
- Label zip-top bags with “Shredded Chicken, date”
- Shred chicken using two forks.
- Portion out into zip-top bags, sized based on your end use.
- Lay flat and freeze.
To Serve:
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and use as desired.
- This chicken is ideal for chicken salad, adding to soups, topping salads, stuffing peppers... whatever you want! It also pairs perfectly with the Buffalo Sauce recipe from page 304 of The Whole30 (which you can make and freeze in plastic containers).
That’s all I have for you in this freezer cooking adventure! Thanks so much for cooking along with me these past few weeks! Hopefully you now have a well stocked freezer full of Whole30 goodness.