Lesson 1
Components, not finished meals
The six components that make fifteen different meals.
Five identical containers is why batch cooking fails. Cook parts that combine differently.
The six
- A protein — roast chicken thighs, baked tofu, braised beans, mince with onions.
- A grain — rice, couscous, barley, pasta kept plain.
- Roast vegetables — one big tray, two or three types, seasoned well.
- A raw crunch — cucumber, radish, shredded cabbage, herbs, spring onion.
- A sauce that lifts — yoghurt and lemon, tahini, tomato and chilli.
- A soup base — blended vegetables with stock, no cream yet.
Fifteen meals from six components
Grain bowl with protein and sauce. Soup with grain stirred in. Wrap with protein, raw crunch and sauce. Roast vegetables with yoghurt. Pasta with protein and tomato sauce. And so on — the combinations are the point.
Why it works
You are never eating the same dish twice, you can change the ratio each day, and nothing depends on a single big recipe being good.
Do this now
Choose your six components for this week and write down four combinations you would happily eat.