Simple Whole Food Plant-Based Batch Cooking – Easy, Healthy, and Vegan!

After going plant-based, it took us a while to figure out to what to cook, how to cook, and how much food to prepare. After some trial and error, we’ve gotten into a good rhythm. What typically works for our family of three is to batch cook two starches (potatoes, whole grains, or legumes). Then we’ll make a recipe – often it’s a soup or chili, but other times it may be a tofu or tempeh dish, marinara sauce, or one of our other tasty recipes. On occasion, we’ll prepare something more involved like a shepherd’s pie or lasagna. We also sometimes roast veggies or prepare chopped or shredded vegetables.

Today, we decided to keep it simple and prepare oat groats, green lentils, and our Easy Sweet Potato Chili. 

We made the oat groats and green lentils in the Instant Pot, but you could also cook them on the stovetop. I’ve included Instant Pot and stovetop instructions below for your convenience. 

Whole Grain: Oat Groats

We like to eat oat groats as a replacement for rolled or steel cut oats in our oatmeal in the mornings. We also use oat groats as a substitution for other whole grains (ex. rice or quinoa) in a variety of dishes. 

Instant Pot – 1:3 ratio

• 2 cups oat groats
• 6 cups water

Close and secure lid on Instant Pot, and set valve to sealing. Set on high pressure for 20 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes. Drain and serve. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator.

Stovetop – 1:4 ratio

• 2 cups oat groats
• 8 cups water

Soak oat groats overnight and drain. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until tender – about an hour. Add more water as needed and drain excess water when the oat groats are cooked to desired tenderness. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator.

Legume: Green Lentils

Lentils are very versatile and we like to add them to many dishes – from morning oatmeal to chilis, soups, and salads. 

Instant Pot – 1:2 ratio

• 1 cup lentils
• 2 cups water

Close and secure lid on Instant Pot, and set valve to sealing. Set on high pressure for 8 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes. Drain and serve. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator.

Stovetop – 1:3 ratio

• 1 cup lentils
• 3 cups water

Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until tender – about 30-40 minutes. Add more water as needed and drain excess water when the lentils are cooked to desired tenderness. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator.

We also made our Easy Sweet Potato Chili recipe! We love to have this chili with a side of broccoli, over a bed of greens, or with some riced cauliflower mixed in. We also like to use it as a taco or burrito filling.

Keep an eye out for my next ‘What I Eat in a Day’ post and video. I’ll be using foods we batch cooked today combined with fruit, veggies, and other simple ingredients to make balanced, delicious meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.