Hungry, grouchy meal planning is never any fun. But ever since I started following Mark Bittman's advice to cook and store extra batches of grains and beans, throwing together quick weeknight dinners and last-minute lunches has become much easier.
Both beans and whole grains can take a prohibitively long time to cook, especially when you are hungrily scanning your pantry shelves at 9 PM. Bittman's advice is to make the most of bean and grain cooking by doing at least a double batch, and refrigerating or freezing the excess.
Cooked grains last at least a few days in the refrigerator and months in the freezer. (I like to portion out the grains before freezing to make defrosting easier.) Beans, stored covered in their cooking liquid, will keep for up to a week in the fridge and for months in the freezer. Add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to the liquid to help the beans keep their shape, and defrost frozen beans in the refrigerator or microwave.
Are you in the habit of making extra batches of grains and beans?
Related: Good Question: Can I Freeze Cooked Beans?
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I make huge batches of different beans and grains and freeze in 2 cup portions. My fiance has a quick easy lunch and I have the start of a dinner at all times. Why bother making a serving or two of beans when ten servings take the same amount of time? Also, bean liquor works great for cooking grains in to add a smoky depth
I freeze beans in 1.5 c portions, so they're equal to a can. They're so useful to keep handy! I made a big batch of pinto this past weekend.
I also do this with boiled potatoes. Then you have extra for fast soups, mashed potatoes, or hashes.
I should start doing it with beans. I definitely do it with grains - except I make myself a mixed whole grain porridge (usually a cup of steel cut oats and then another cup to cup and a half of whatever else I have on hand - spelt berries, kasha, quinoa, millet, wheat berries, kamut, etc.) and add milk and water, and whatever fruit I want (raisins and dried apples with cinnamon is particularly good) let it soak for a few hours, then cook it overnight in the crockpot. Then I just stick the whole crockpot dish in the fridge and portion out breakfast every morning and heat it in the microwave. With a little maple syrup and milk, it's heaven in a bowl. Maybe if I made just plain grains I would use them more in savory recipes.
I usually cook pinto beans in large batches, and freeze at least half. I cook large batches of long grain rice (not quick cooking rice), a freeze it in small amounts because I like to eat it for breakfast with milk and sugar (hooray for the microwave---it works perfect to quickly heat the rice and milk).
For some reason large batches of beans are defeating. We tend to eat more, and faster, when I make a modest amount.
Freezer grains and brown rice on the other hand are awesome.
Definitely a top shortcut to a fast meal. I like to make the most of my kitchen time anyway. It is easy to measure out and cook a big batch of grains or beans while I'm cooking dinner. By the time we eat and clean up, I've got fuel for the freezer too!
We've been thinking of freezing beans ... but for grains, our freezer isn't big enough. We eat mainly quinoa for a "grain" and it cooks so fast that it's not worth sacrificing freezer space for to store it.
Do lentils freeze as well as other (larger) beans? I know they cook quickly but I recently got a great deal on a ton of them and I may as well cook up some...