As I’m due to give birth in a couple of months, I’m planning to cook a load of cholesterol-friendly meals to stick in the freezer, so that we don’t need to worry about cooking during the first few weeks.
I find that the best meals to freeze are ones with sauces, like curries, stews and chillis, which can be kept in the freezer for 2-3 months. After cooking them, I put them in double-portion sized labeled tuppawares, let them cool completely then put them in the freezer.
They can be defrosted during the day, then heated up in the microwave for dinner (about 4-6 mins for a double portion, until it’s piping hot). Make sure you stir it halfway through to ensure it’s heated throughout.
I usually cook the accompaniments, like spaghetti and sweet potatoes, on the day I eat them as they’re quick, but brown rice is a good one to cook ahead in big batches and freeze in portion-sized freezer bags because it takes a long time to cook. Again, make sure you heat it in the microwave until it’s piping hot (this is particularly important for pre-cooked rice).
Here are some of my favourite freezable cholesterol-friendly meals, most of which contain beans (one of the top cholesterol-lowering foods):-
Chicken Recipes:-
- Chicken & Baked Bean Casserole
- Chicken & Vegetable Masala
- Paprika Chicken with Chickpeas
- Slow Cooker Chicken Saag Curry
- Spicy African Chicken Stew
Turkey Recipes:-
- Curried Lentil & Turkey Stew
- Healthy Turkey Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Turkey Keema
- Spicy Turkey Chilli
- Turkey Pasta Bolognese
Beef/Pork Recipes:-
- Meatballs with Vine Tomato Sauce *
- Sausage & Bean Casserole
- Slow Cooker Chilli Con Carne *
- Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef *
- Spaghetti Bolognese *
* See note below about using extra lean beef mince
Vegetarian Recipes:-
- Chickpeas & Turmeric Peanut Butter Curry
- Egyptian Edamame Stew
- Masoor Dhal Curry
- Moroccan Chickpea Stew
- Vegetable & Bean Chilli
Note about beef mince
Beef is often avoided by those with high cholesterol because it’s high in fat. But cooking with extra lean beef mince is a great way to continue eating beef as part of a low cholesterol diet. As it contains 2.4g of saturated fat per 100g (which is higher than the recommended 1.5g) I limit it to once or twice a week and make sure I keep an eye on how much saturated fat I eat for the rest of the day.
apples-and-beans 