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How to Prep a Meal Like a Master

When life gets hectic, and you find yourself trying to fit in half a million things into an impossibly small window of time, it becomes a real struggle to prepare healthy and nutritious meals without having to sacrifice other things. A shortcut for many is a quick trip to a fast food joint, and we all know how unhealthy that can be! So here’s a meal prep guide that will last you a fortnight, cutting down on nightly meal preparation time, leaving your schedule free for everything else.

Here we go! Start by getting together a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables from Peaches, enough for everyone you will be cooking for over the next 3 or 4 days. Some produce will last longer, like potatoes, onions, and carrots, so you can be confident in getting enough of these for the whole fortnight. Refrigerator regulars like tomatoes, apples, capsicum, cucumber and other “salad veg” will comfortably give you a couple of days in the fridge.

You can make meals quicker and easier every night by planning what you’ll be cooking a few days ahead and doing the hard work early. For example, if you know that Saturday night you’ll be making a stir fry, cutting up the veggies for that can be done at the same time as preparing a couple of chunky pieces of potato, carrot and pumpkin for a Sunday roast.

And for simple lunches that take no effort at all, cook a little extra at night and chuck the leftovers in a container for leftover lunches – yum!

As for meat, fresh is best but buying bulk is not the end of the world – any extra uncooked meat that won’t be used straight away can be put in the freezer so it is available to be defrosted and used another time (this saves a last-minute trip back to the shops for more).

Day Prep Cook Notes
Monday -Buy and store veggies so they last (see above)-Dice up carrot, celery, capsicum, zucchini-Slice up the same amount of each into matchsticks (store)

-Get 1kg Beef Mince

—use 500gm tonight

—use 500gm Wednesday (freeze)

Spaghetti Bolognaise Refrigerate matchstick veg for Tuesday’s meal
Tuesday -500gm chicken breast – sliced-Get out matchstick veg Stirfry
Wednesday -Defrost 500gm beef mince from Monday night-Spices, seasoning, diced onion-Boil and mash potato Rissoles Great for kids to help make, and tasty for everyone too!
Thursday -Grab some fresh steaks-And more fresh veggies-12 med-lge red potatoes – cut into wedges/chips Steak and Home-made chips
Friday -Frozen Seafood from Peaches à defrost and season-cut up veggies for steaming – enough for 2 nights Grilled Fish and Steamed Veg Store cut veg in fridge
Saturday -Use prepped veg from Friday-Take 1kg of Chicken breast and dice. (500gm tonight, 500gm Tuesday)-Peanut butter and coconut milk

-While it cooks, cut up some potatoes, pumpkin, onion and carrot, bag up with olive oil and rosemary, and refrigerate

Satay Chicken and veg Always a leftover favourite
Sunday -Mt Barker chicken (available at Peaches)-Use veg prepared yesterday Roast Chicken Any leftovers can be divided into serves in sandwich bags, and used for sandwiches through the week
Monday -Shopping day à veggies, turkey mince, burger buns Turkey Burgers
Tuesday -Defrost chicken pieces from Saturday night-Rice, stock, diced veg Chicken Risotto
Wednesday -Grate up zucchini, cheese, potato, carrot – enough for 2 nights Veg and cheese Fritters
Thursday -More fresh veggies, sausages (whatever you prefer), recover leftover grated veg from last night, potatoes Sausages, mash and coleslaw Leftover snags: perfect for lunches the next day
Friday -Flour, salt, egg, milk, butter Savoury crepes, your choice of filling
Saturday -Fish fillets, bread crumbs, potatoes Homemade fish and chips Aussie favourite
Sunday -Premium mince, onion, bread crumbs, steamed veg Meat Loaf and veg

 

As you can see, it’s possible to prep ahead and prep smart to make the weeks easier for making good quality food quickly. So come into Peaches and get around this meal prep plan, or modify if for your own tastes.

Surviving Winter with Soup!

Winter is here and it’s the perfect time to enjoy warming up with a delicious bowl of soup. As soups are vegetable-based, they are a great way to ensure you’re getting much-needed vitamins and minerals over winter.

Soups also have high water content and are often very low-calorie so they leave you feeling full without having to eat the extra calories often found in heavier winter meals.

Best of all, soups are easy to make, affordable and totally delicious. Here are some of our favorite healthy soup recipes:

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

This recipe is a delicious and decadent vegetable soup, which is perfect for winter. The inclusion of cauliflower – a known cancer-fighting ingredient, and kale- a nutrient dense super food – makes it the perfect soup to stay healthy this winter.

cauli marth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carrot and Orange Soup

With winter comes cold and flu season, making it all the more important to up your intake of vitamins and minerals. This healthy and zesty soup boasts carrot and orange which are high in vitamin C, which is a known cold-fighting ingredient, as well as other key minerals such as iron and potassium.

orange soup

 

Immune-Boosting Congee

Congee, similar to a soup-style porridge, has often been used in countries like China to help aid digestive issues. Not only does this version help soothe stomachs, the inclusions of ginger and turmeric help fight and reduce symptoms associated with colds and other viruses. Best of all- congee’s heartier consistency makes for a delicious and filling winter meal.

congee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken Soup with Spring Veg and Pasta

Chicken noodle soup has often been a popular choice of soup for anyone under-the-weather. This is largely due to it having mild anti-inflammatory effects, as well as being able to help reduce congestion. The use of lean proteins and vegetables in chicken noodle soup make it a nutritionally balanced meal to enjoy over winter. This recipe puts a modern spin on the popular soup so you can rediscover your love for it.

vegetable soup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curried Red Lentil Soup with Dried Cherries and Cilantro

Lentils are incredibly high in fibre and protein. This helps you stay fuller for longer and also helps to stabilize blood sugar, making you less likely to crave sugary foods or crash in energy levels during the day. The recipe also includes coconut milk, which is high in flu-fighting vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, iron, sodium and magnesium. Coconut milk is also lactose-free making it perfect for those with allergies and dairy intolerances.

this one

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acquacotta

This traditional Tuscan soup is packed full of vegetables and is served with a poached egg on top making it full of sustenance. While the poached egg delivers an intake of lean protein, the inclusion of vegetables like garlic, tomatoes, carrots and mushrooms provides the all-important vitamins and minerals. This recipe also includes thyme, which provides numerous health benefits. Thyme has been found to help alleviate coughing and boost immunity making it the perfect ingredient to fight off the unwanted cold or flu.

tuscan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Art of the Antipasto Platter

Gone are the days of soggy spring rolls and hot-on-the-outside, cold-on-the-inside party pies when it comes to hosting a party.

That was so early 2000s.

Thanks to the resurgence of the coolness of Italian culture, the antipasto platter has now become the party food of the moment.

Antipasto means “before the meal” and is traditionally served as the first meal of a formal Italian meal.

Traditional antipasto platters include cold meats, olives, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts, various cheeses, pickled vegetables and some form of bread to serve with.

However, when antipasto platters are done well they can be the pièce de résistance of an entire party.

Ask any Italian and they will tell you that creating the perfect antipasto platter is an art form, certain foods work well together, certain flavors clash and it is all about high quality ingredients.

At Peaches, we have all of the ingredients necessary to create the perfect platter for your guests.

And tag us in any photos of any of your antipasto creations.

ANTIPASTO 3

antipasto 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

La Fondazione (The Foundation)

When you’re building a house, it is important to have a solid foundation to build the rest of the house upon.

The same is true for an antipasto platter.

Start with a great wooden serving board, or if you are looking to be really on trend, find a marble or colored serving board to serve as a base.

Once you have selected your base, you must then focus on the next most important level – the meats.

The cold meats will serve as a base for the whole platter.

Try some fresh prosciutto, mortadella and some Italian sausage – or if you want to get really fancy, find some beautiful bresaola (air-dried, salted beef) to complement these flavors.

 

Il Secondo Livello (The Second Level)

Once you have your meat, move on to the second level of your perfect antipasto board.

Add some beautiful cheeses in a variety of textures – pair your creamy Camembert with flavored cheddar.

If you are opting for something more traditional, stick with mozzarella or provolone.

When it comes to olives, go for a garlic flavor in a mix of brown and green.

Add in some pickled vegetables in a small bowl on the side – you don’t want these flavors mixing with the meats

Artichoke hearts are the next layer and should also be served in a small bowl because of the oil. The flavors of these artichokes are perfect when paired with the meats, so give it a try.

Another fantastic edition is eggplants and zucchini in oil. You can make these yourself with fresh vegetables, or you can buy them ready made.

 

Gli Ultimi Ritocchi (The Finishing Touches)

An antipasto platter is made in the final stages – these are the elements that pull all of the rest together.

Toast some beautiful Turkish bread covered in salt. This should be served warm so that your guests can pile on the cheese and cured meats.

An alternative to this is some fresh pita, cooked in the oven for about 10 minutes. It creates a great “cracker” style of bread.

For a sweeter touch, add in some fresh or dried figs. You could also add in a dip with some bread sticks.

The most important thing at this point is to look for the balance in your platter. And remember: people eat with their eyes, so presentation is everything.