Stretch or Double a Frozen Meal

I am not a grocery shopper. Meaning, it is not my favorite thing. I like to use what I have and go from there. It’s fun for me to Stretch or Double a Frozen Meal.

I guess you could say it is part of my creative process.

I am excited to share with you how I Stretch or Double a Frozen Meal to go further and last longer.

It is really quite simple and is easier than you might imagine.

The fun thing about it is that you use your own vegetables and spices that YOU like to create a “one of a kind” meal.

I start off with a frozen meal, like this Shiitake Mushroom Chicken from Trader Joe’s. It has a few veggies, but not nearly enough for what I like. The flavor is delicious, but I would like to add a little more spice.

To stretch this meal further, I have added:

1 Summer Squash, sliced

1 Zucchini, sliced

8 oz Cremini Mushrooms, cut into small pieces, or sliced

8 oz Broccoli, chopped into bite size pieces

2 cloves garlic, minced

Parsley to taste

I start by following the directions on the package by heating the frozen meal. In another skillet, I sauteed all the sliced and chopped veggies and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of fresh olive oil.

Once the veggies are translucent or cooked until soft, I transfer them to the original cooked frozen meal. Adding white pepper, red chili flakes, and Mrs. Dash for more layers of flavor.

It comes out as a fresh meal and new recipe. The best part? It will actually double or triple your servings. Awesome for leftovers, too.

The fun thing about this is that you can use what you have in your fridge or pantry. You can add onions, cauliflower, green beans, corn, edamame, tomatoes, cilantro, cumin, etc… Serve this over rice or noodles and it will turn out great every time!