Meal Prep: Week of October 9, 2017. Sharing how I prepare for the week ahead after a weekend of travel!
If you follow my Instagram, you probably know that I was home in Hershey, Pa. this weekend. I was so excited to be back in one of my favorite places with my favorite people. It was the first time that I’ve spent more than 24 hours at home in months and I was missing it so much. The warmth and familiarity of home is so comforting. It takes some time to be away to realize just how special the little things about home are — your cozy couch, the local trails and beautiful foliage, quiet moments with a book on your front porch, enjoying a home-cooked meal with your family. These precious moments take up so much space in my heart and I feel so lucky to have a home that means so much to me.
When I was at home this weekend I got to enjoy some great food. Does anyone else think food tastes better when it is made by your parents?! My mom is an amazing cook and coming home to her home-cooked meals is the best. She made some of my favorites like roasted eggplant, hot ham and cheese sandwiches and the best peanut butter energy bites. On Sunday, my dad made some delicious chili and homemade, smoked wings that we chowed down on with friends and cheered on the Eagles to a win! None of it was #vegan, #paleo, #glutenfree or any other label and it was all perfect. Food for the soul is just as important as food for nutrition. 🙂 It was such a nice weekend and a much needed break from the city.
Now, I’m back in Baltimore and back to my normal schedule. I have a busy week with work so meal prepping for this week was necessary in order to get nutritious meals and avoid spending money dining out. On my way back to Baltimore, I stopped at my favorite store (Trader Joe’s, obviously) and got lots of goodies. I have tons of veggies roasted, protein prepped and healthy snacks ready to go to make eating wholesome meals a breeze this week. I have a delicious haul prepped this week and will surely be counting down the time between my meals.
- Â Roasted Veggies: I love all things fall and roasting veggies so I had to go for squash this week. I got two types of squash, which I plan to eat with protein and some more veggies for dinner this week. I tossed the squash with olive oil, coated the honey nut squash with pink himalayan sea salt and cinnamon and the acorn squash with pink himalayan sea salt and pepper and roasted them at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. Savory and sweet squash — perfect meal prep combo.
- Breakfast Smoothie: After a smoothie-less weekend, I’ve been craving them! I love prepping smoothies the night before so I can grab it and go in the morning. I usually like to make time for yoga or a workout in the morning, so I don’t have time to prepare a big breakfast before work. Grabbing a smoothie I made the night before is the perfect way to enjoy one of my favorite breakfasts even when I’m in a time crunch. Check out two of my best smoothie recipes here and here!
- Cinnamon Peanut Butter Protein Bites: This recipe, by Balance with B, is so easy and delicious! You can whip up a big batch in minutes. They’re full of protein, healthy fats and delicious flavor — the perfect snack to grab and go.
- SautĂ©ed Veggies: SautĂ©ing veggies is a fast and great way to bring out the flavor of vegetables. I sautĂ©ed cauliflower rice (found at Trader Joe’s!) with olive oil, garlic powder, cumin and red pepper flakes. I sautĂ©ed shaved brussels sprouts with olive oil, sea salt and cumin. They’re both delicious and will be the perfect addition to lunch or with roasted squash and protein at dinner.
- Sweet Potato: Sweet potatoes are my one of my all-time favorites and I love them even more in the fall. They’re great for meal prep because you can just throw them in the oven at 400 degrees for 40 minutes and that’s it! They’re filling and flavorful and are perfect to heat up in the microwave. No #saddesklunch no problem!
- Ground Turkey: My mom had lots of frozen ground turkey (score! thanks, mom), which I plan to eat for lunch this week with a roasted sweet potato and a veggie like cauliflower rice, cherry tomatoes or brussels sprouts.
- Produce: This week I got some celery and apples, which are perfect for pairing with Trader Joe’s almond butter! Their almond butter is the best price I’ve found locally and it’s only made with roasted almonds, no cane sugar or weird oils — just almond-y goodness. I grabbed cherry tomatoes, which are a staple in my diet. I love pairing them with hummus or adding them to lunch or dinner for an added boost of vitamin C. I also grabbed some lemons that I add to hot water in the morning to kickstart my digestive systems. Hot water with lemon is soothing and one of my favorite ways to begin my day.
- Kombucha Tea: I have to admit, I’ve become a kombucha addict. Synergy is my favorite brand of kombucha — I love their ginger and trilogy flavors! Kombucha is a great source of probiotics, antioxidants and helps maintain a healthy liver. It’s one of my favorite afternoon pick-me-ups!
- *Not pictured: This week, I also bought some wild cod, eggs and veggie burgers, which I have for dinner options. I keep the cod in the freezer and will defrost it, coat in olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and broil for about 10 minutes. Super fast and easy! Eggs are an easy and quick dinner option and I love pairing them with roasted squash for one of my all-time favorites — breakfast for dinner. 🙂 When I want a break from animal protein, I love Hilary’s Eat Well veggie burgers, which I found at Safeway!
Did you meal prep this week? Share your favorite meal prep recipes with me in the comments below!