Now that I’m on a different time-table, I have decided to do one big cook on Sundays that will last the week (rather than a couple cooks in a week).
As I type this it’s 7:00 p.m., and I started this big cook at 5:00.
I usually make 2 proteins. Some sort of veggies (often added to all the dishes). Healthy grains. And a soup. I add a variety of veggies: onions, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, celery, etc. within some of the dishes.
So here are my meals for the week (and I can mix and match)…
Top left to right: Quinoa, Butternut Squash, Korean BBQ Chicken Breast with Mushrooms/Green Peppers
Bottom left to right: Ground Turkey/Veggies/Salsa, Spaghetti Squash, Mexican Taco Soup
I always do a ground turkey or chicken/veg fry which can be a topper for salads, omelettes, spaghetti, soup, or multi-grain wraps.
My sauce/seasonings to almost all proteins is olive oil, or Balsamic vinegar of Modena, or Salsa and whatever seasonings I enjoy: chilli powder, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, etc. Pick your flava-flave.
The Veggie base to all proteins is usually onions, garlic, peppers, cauliflower rice, celery…whatever I have in my fridge. I tell the kids the specks of colour is flavour. They gobble it right up.
So fry your veg/ground turkey or chicken up using whatever seasonings/veg you like…
You now have a base for a whole bunch of different meals. Yay you!
Then throw some chicken breasts in the oven. I enjoy a little Korean BBQ sauce and seasonings/veggies on top. I bake that while I’m frying up the ground chicken.
Meanwhile on another burner…I cook up some Quinoa. This can be served on the bottom of your ground turkey fry, with your chicken breasts, or made into a salad. A healthy carb with added benefit of protein. 2:1 water/quinoa.
I baked my butternut squash and spaghetti squash in the same oven. Cut it in half, drizzle with olive oil/a bit of brown sugar/cinnamon/salt/pepper. Roast skin side up at 375/400 for around 45 min. Squash is a tasty carb and full of vitamins/minerals/nutrients (also fairly low GI). It’s great fuel for workouts.
In a big pot I made my soup. There’s this lovely family at the farmer’s market who sells soup kits. This one is Mexican Taco. I added water/stock, and fried up the same base as I did the ground turkey (onions, garlic, peppers, cauliflower rice, celery, tomatoes). Then I mixed in the soup mix, and let that all simmer and chill for about a half hour.
That ground turkey or chicken topper? …put it on top of the soup after (so that topper can be used for other meals as well)
All my burners/oven were used. And while everything was cooking, I cut up some veggies to throw into baggies for snacks. Washed up some fruit for snacks too.
Now when I come home after work, it’s all there and ready for warming up. I have a bunch of variety to pack for lunches too. No excuses not to eat healthy. For two hours of work, I save myself so much time and energy. Preparation is key for me.
I hope this helps! I get asked about meal prep often, so I thought I would devote a post to it. 🙂
Happy cooking!
From my heart to yours,
Christine
Reclaiming LIFE 