Meal Preparation

I really do look up to my best friend Catie; she's always making such healthy decisions - both body and mind. I really wanted her to share the benefits of meal preparation and how conducive it is to a salubrious work-week. Thank you, Catie, for writing this post and sharing these amazing recipes and tips. I can't wait to try them out.

Catie:

For those of you who don’t know me, I like to plan EVERYTHING in advance.  So naturally, I like to plan my meals out for the week and prepare accordingly.  Not only does meal preparation save you hours of cooking during the week, but it also guarantees that you’ll reach into the fridge for a healthier option.  It saves money as well.  I know that if I have a yummy, nutritious meal waiting for me in the fridge, then I won't feel the need to dine out and make a potentially unhealthy and expensive meal choice.

Typically, I use Sunday to get everything ready for the week.  That way, I can pack a nutritious lunch for work and have a healthy meal waiting in the fridge when I come home after a long day.  I find it most useful to prepare options for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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Breakfast:

Normally I prepare energy bites or hard-boiled eggs.  Both options are wholesome and high in protein so I can receive the fuel I need to start my day.  Both of these options are also great pre- and post-workout snacks!  It’s awesome to be able to come home hungry after a hard workout and reach for these healthy, satisfying snacks.  They’re also easy to eat in the morning as you head out the door for work.

Here is a link for the perfect hard-boiled eggs! (It took me a while to master these):

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Here is a link for some delicious peanut-butter energy bites: 

No Bake Energy Bites

Lunch:

Typically I’ll pack one or two of my hard-boiled eggs, or I’ll pack a healthy salad topped with avocado and fresh feta cheese.  My favorite meal to prepare ahead of time is a healthy chicken or tuna salad with Greek yogurt.  It’s super easy to stir up and throw in a Tupperware container to take to work.

See this link for a tasty tuna salad recipe!

Greek Yogurt Tuna Salad

Dinner:

Normally on Sundays, I’ll put together a quick, healthy casserole for the week or a quiche. Both options are simple to throw together with ingredients you have on hand. Also, both options can bake in the oven while you complete your other chores. Recently, I tried the ground turkey casserole below and the yummy crust less quiche!

Ground Turkey Tortilla Casserole

Jackpot Crustless Quiche

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I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I did and good luck as you prepare your meal ahead of time! You won’t regret it -- trust me :)

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Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

What you'll need:

- 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
- 3 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- Cooking spray

How to make it:

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

2. Cut your raw chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.

3. Add the chicken with the oil followed by the salt, Italian herbs, garlic salt, oregano, and black pepper. Toss and massage until coated evenly.

4. Add the chicken, Panko bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese to a zip-lock bag.  Seal the bag and squeeze the bread crumbs onto the chicken multiple times.

5. Spray your baking sheet with cooking spray and then lay your chicken nuggets in a single layer.

6. Spray the top side of your nuggets with cooking spray.

7. Bake for 8 minutes on each side and then serve immediately.

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Big thanks to Alice Currah for this fantastic meal.

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Poached Egg with Avocado on Toast

Poached Egg with Avocado on Toast

What you'll need:

- 1 slice of any bread you desire
- ½ of an avocado
- 1 egg
- Small bowl
- Garlic powder, salt, pepper, red pepper

How to make it:

First, I'll teach you how to make a poached egg. As you can see in the picture above, I made mine a little softer today. It all depends on how you like your egg yolk.

1. Take out a skillet and fill it with water (about an inch). Add a pinch of salt into the water and let it boil. While you're waiting for your water to boil, crack open your egg into a tiny bowl.

2. Once your water is boiling, slowly pour your egg out of the bowl into the boiling water.
Note: Christi's boyfriend, Cam, taught me to take a fork and spin the water around as you're pouring your egg in. This helps the white form around the yolk better.

3. Turn down your heat slightly and set your timer to 5 minutes. This is where you can change it up. Start off with 5 minutes and see how your egg looks. If the yolk looks too yellow, keep the egg in the water for longer! Sometimes I love my egg yolk solid... Keep an eye on it until you think it's perfect. You may notice that the top of the yolk has whitened. This is good!

4. As your egg is cooking, toast your bread.

5. Once your toast is done, spread half of an avocado on the top and spice it up any way you please! You can use hot sauce, red pepper, garlic powder, salt, pepper, whatever!

6. Once your egg is the way you want it, take a slotted spoon and lift it out of the water and on top of your avocado toast.
Note: You may notice some white froth around the sides of the egg. Before you lift the egg out of the water, you can take your slotted spoon and cut the edges off a little so you don't get the froth or stragglers.

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Grilled Corn with Garlic & Parmesan Cheese

Grilled Corn with Garlic & Parmesan Cheese

Photo courtesy of Best Recipe Box... thanks for the recipe!

What you'll need:

- 4 ears fresh corn, shucked and silk removed
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tablespoons parsley, minced for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste

How to make it:

1. Heat grill.

2. In heated medium saucepan, melt butter. Add garlic and cook till soft and fragrant. Do not burn garlic. Remove mixture from heat.

3. Add Worcestershire and stir mixture gently.

4. Brush corn with butter mixture. Season corn with salt and pepper

5. Grill corn for about 10 minutes, rotating occasionally until each side of the corn is cooked and slightly charred.

6. Before serving, top corn with grated Parmesan cheese and parsley.

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Our Favorite Turkey Burgers

Our Favorite Turkey Burger

What you'll need:

- 1 pound ground turkey
- ½ cup grated parmesan or gruyere cheese
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup dried breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Coarse salt and black pepper to taste

How to make it:

1. Heat grill to high. In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine ground turkey with Gruyere or parmesan, scallions, breadcrumbs, mustard, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Gently form mixture into four 1-inch-thick patties.

2. Lightly oil grill. Place patties on hottest part of grill; sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move patties to cooler part of grill; continue grilling until cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes per side.

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Fajita Chicken with Creamy Cilantro Lime Rice

Fajita Chicken with Creamy Cilantro Lime Rice

What you'll need - Rice:

- 2 tbsp Nonfat plain greek yogurt
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- ¼ Lime squeezed
- 1 tsp Minced garlic
- ⅓ cup crushed Cilantro
- ¼ cup dry Jasmine Rice
- pinch of salt

What you'll need - Chicken:

- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- ⅓ cup Ortega Fajita Skillet Sauce

How to make it:

1. Cook your jasmine rice. You can either choose to cook in a rice cooker, like I did, or follow the directions for stovetop. Directions will be on the bag or box.

2. While you're cooking your rice, defrost your chicken by placing it in a bowl of cold water. Steps 1 and 2 will vary in time, depending on the rice.

3. After your rice is cooked and your chicken is thawed, combine greek yogurt, sriracha, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and a pinch of salt to your rice and stir. Keep your rice warm while you move on to cooking the chicken.

4. Take out a skillet and pour 2 tbsp of fajita sauce into the skillet. Place your chicken on top and cook on medium to medium-high heat. After 4 minutes or so, flip your chicken to the other side and cook for another 4 minutes. Gradually add more of your sauce into the skillet.
Note: You may want to add a little bit of water if the sauce is evaporating quickly. Stove heat varies, just make sure you cook your chicken thoroughly and that you're not burning the sauce completely.

5. Once your chicken is thoroughly cooked and the sauce has been added completely, add the chicken and sauce into your rice. Garnish with a little more cilantro and wahlah!

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Sun Dried Tomato Basil Chicken

Sun Dried Tomato Basil Chicken

What you'll need:

- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- Crushed basil

- Fresh Spinach

- Sun dried tomatoes

- Italian seasoning/salt

- 1 tsp minced garlic

How to make it:

1. Thaw your chicken breasts. Once thawed, lay them on a paper towel or a plate. Cover them in seasoning, basil, and salt. Flip them and season the other side.

Note: You can decide how much seasoning and crushed basil you want to put on the chicken. I put on a decent amount to cover the chicken a little.

Another Note: You can choose to marinade the chicken for ten minutes in a sun dried tomato dressing (such a Kraft!) before seasoning.

2. Meanwhile, put your two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and turn heat on medium. Once your olive oil is hot enough (try flicking water on the skillet to see if it bubbles), place your chicken on the skillet. Cook each side for around 4 minutes (this depends on how hot your stove is, so check periodically to make sure it's not burning... or if you need to cook longer).

3. Once you flip the chicken to the other side to start cooking, add your spinach, sun dried tomatoes, and garlic. This will allow the flavors to marry.

4. After your chicken is thoroughly cooked, keep stirring the ingredients in the skillet. Then turn off your heat and enjoy!

I usually add rice pasta to this dish. I'll cut up the chicken and toss it in some spaghetti.

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Another Simple (Gluten Free) Pasta Salad...

Black Bean Pasta Salad

What you'll need:

- 1 bag/box rice pasta

- ½ cup black beans

- ½ cup shredded mozzarella

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- Any spices you want

How to make it:

1. Boil some water and cook your pasta for around 10-11 minutes. Add salt or garlic to the boiling water for extra flavor.

2. Once your pasta is done, drain it and put it in a big bowl. Add black beans, mozzarella, spices, and olive oil. Stir.

3. Feel free to add onions or feta... it's delicious.

4. Put in your fridge and enjoy anytime. You can also eat this hot.

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Cheesy Zucchini Lasagna

Cheesy Zucchini Lasagna

What you'll need:

- 3 zucchinis
- 1 container of Goat/feta cheese
- Mozzarella cheese
- Spinach leaves
- 1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce
- Garlic
- Olive Oil
- Basil
- Seasoning of your choice
- Casserole dish

How to make it:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. While the oven is preheating, spray/rub olive oil or Pam on your casserole dish.

3. Cut up your zucchini however you please. I decided to cut them into circles, but you can definitely cut them long-ways like lasagna, if you please. I cut mine like medallions. Then place a layer of zucchini slices on the bottom of the dish.

4. Your next layer will be a little olive oil and garlic on top of the zucchini.
Note: You can use a brush or paper towel to spread it all over the zucchini. You don't need much, just a tiny bit.

5. Your next layer will be spinach and basil. Pile it on if you want. It's totally up to you!

6. Next, you'll want to cover the layers with spaghetti sauce. You can use a spoon to smooth it out over the layer. You don't need much, just a little to lightly cover the layer.

7. To top off your first layer, add your mozzarella and goat/feta cheese. You don't need much, but this is up to you, as well.

8. Repeat steps 3-7 until you have layers to the top of your casserole dish. For me, it was only two layers, but you may want more!

9. I topped the layers with some italian seasoning and garlic salt.

10. Place in the oven for around 15-20 minutes.

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Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

What you'll need:

- 1 head of cauliflower
- ½ cup water
- ½ brown rice flour
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of garlic powder
- Non-stick spray
- Kroger Medium Wing Sauce

How to make it:

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

2. While the oven is preheating, put your water, brown rice flour, salt, and garlic in a bowl and whisk together.

3. Tear off parts of cauliflower from the head. You'll want them to be bite-sized pieces. Dip these in the flour mix and make sure they're evenly coated. Place them on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Note: Keep whisking the mixture every so often. The flour has a tendency to sink to the bottom. You want your cauliflower bites to be covered in the flour, not just the water.

4. Once you've coated all of your cauliflower bites, place them in the oven for 10 minutes. Once the 10 minutes is up, take them out of the oven, flip them, and put them back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes.

5. As soon as the 5 minutes is up, take them out of the oven and coat them in your buffalo sauce.
Note: You can choose to use a brush for this. I decided to pour the buffalo sauce in a small bowl and dip the cauliflower bites in it so it was coated.

6. Put the buffalo-coated cauliflower back in the oven for 8-10 minutes. The cauliflower should have absorbed the sauce and should be a little crispy.

Shout out goes to The Lean Clean Eating Machine for this recipe

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Spicy Gluten Free Baked Mac n Cheese

Gluten Free Baked Mac n Cheese

What you'll need:

- 1 pat of butter
- 1 ½ tbsp brown rice flour
- Skim milk
- 1 bag shredded fiesta blend cheese
- 1 bag shredded pepper jack cheese
- Dash of garlic powder
- 1 pound brown rice pasta

How to make it:

1. Boil some water, and cook your brown rice pasta for 10 minutes until soft.

2. While your pasta is cooking, take your pat of butter and 1 ½ tbsp brown rice flour and put it in another pot with heat on medium. Whisk it as it melts and blends together.

3. Once it's bubbling, add in your milk and cheese slowly - and keep whisking!
Note: This is where it's all about testing! Keep tasting it to see if you want more milk or more cheese. You'll want to make enough for a pound of pasta, so you'll probably use a lot of the cheese and a couple cups of milk.

4. Once your pasta is done, drain it and add your cheese sauce to the pasta. If you need to make more sauce, repeat steps 2 and 3.

5. Mix all together and let sit for a couple of hours. You'll want the pasta to absorb the sauce a little.
Note: This part is optional, especially if you're in a time crunch!

6. After a couple of hours have passed, set your oven to 400 degrees.

7. Add a little more milk to your mac and cheese and sprinkle the leftover shredded cheese on top of it.

8. Place it in the oven for 15-20 minutes until top begins to brown slightly.

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Cincinnati Chili

Cincinnati Chili

What you'll need:

- 2 cans of dark kidney beans
- 2 cans of diced tomatoes (sweet onion)
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 packet of Gold Star Chili powder
- 1 small can tomato paste
- Dash of cumin
- Water (as needed)

How to make it:

1. Thaw your ground turkey. You can do this in the microwave or in the fridge. Obviously, the microwave is faster but the radiation isn't always good for the meat (I did it anyway since I was in a rush).

2. While your turkey is thawing, drain your cans of beans. Add them to the crock pot along with your tomatoes and chili powder.
Note: I chose not to drain the tomatoes. I think the extra liquid is delicious.

3. Once your turkey has thawed, it's time to cook it. Put it in a skillet on medium-high heat and cook until it's not pink anymore.

4. Once you've browned the turkey, add it to the crock pot.
Note: You can choose to drain the turkey or use the juices. I chose to use the juices for extra flavor and extra liquid.

5. Now that you have all of your ingredients in the crock pot, mix them all together. This is where you can choose to add extra water if you'd like. I added about ¼ cup to dilute the saltiness. Go ahead and taste the mixture before adding water (that way you can decide how salty you'd like it).

6. Set the slow cooker on low and let it sit for a few hours. When you're ready to serve, you may want to add a little hot sauce, sriracha, or cheese for some extra flavor.

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I hope you enjoy this chili - it's a gluten free and lactose free option. It's tradition to dip tortilla strips in it... at least that's what I make people do...

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Pad Tai (with a Peanut Sauce)

Pad Tai Quinoa (with a Peanut Sauce)

What you'll need - Peanut Sauce:

- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp soy sauce

What you'll need - Everything Else:

- 1 cup dry quinoa/rice
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup frozen vegetables (I prefer the Kroger brand Italian mix, but this is your choice)
- 1/3 cup water

How to make it:

1. Cook your 1 cup of quinoa/rice and 2 cups of water in a pot. Put the heat on high until water comes to a boil, then cover the pot, lower the heat to low, and set the timer for 15 minutes.
Note: Sometimes you need to cook the quinoa/rice longer... if it's not done in 15 minutes, try another 5-10 until all of the water is absorbed

2. Place your frozen vegetables and 1/3 cup of water in a skillet. Turn on heat and cook until water is absorbed and vegetables are hot and soft.
Note: I would suggest starting the vegetables once your quinoa/rice is almost ready. It should only take a couple of minutes to cook the vegetables.

3. While vegetables and quinoa/rice are cooking, it's time to make your peanut sauce. Put every ingredient for peanut sauce in a bowl and whisk together. Simple as that.

4. Once your quinoa/rice is ready, add peanut sauce, olive oil, and cooked vegetables. Stir, serve, and enjoy.

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Spinach Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Spinach Chicken Alfredo Pizza

What you'll need:

- 1 package of frozen chopped spinach

- 1 chicken breast

- 2 tsp lemon juice

- 1 tbsp minced garlic

- 1/2 - 2/3 cups Alfredo sauce

- 1-2 boboli crusts

- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

How to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place chicken breast in a pan coated with cooking spray. Cook the chicken completely and then take it out of the pan to cool. Once cooled, cut and shred the chicken breast.

3. In a large bowl, combine spinach, garlic, lemon juice and shredded chicken and mix together.

4. Ready boboli crust(s) on a cookie sheet and sprinkle garlic around the surface. Pour Alfredo sauce evenly over crust(s).

5. Take the spinach/chicken mixture and evenly spread it on top of the Alfredo sauce.

6. Add the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses on top of the spinach/chicken mixture.

7. Put pizza(s) in the oven for 12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted.

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Crispy Brussel Sprouts

Crispy Brussel Sprouts

What you'll need:

- 34 Brussel Sprouts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch of salt

How to make it:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. While your oven is preheating, take your raw Brussel Sprouts and cut off the ends a little. You'll want to peel some of the outer leaves off, as well. In addition, you may want to cut the sprouts in half. This way, they'll be cooked through much better.
Note: This part takes a little bit of time, but you'll be waiting for your oven to preheat, anyway.

3. Place your Brussel Sprouts on your baking sheet, drizzle with your olive oil, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

4. Every 5 minutes, put on your oven mitt and shake the sheet lightly so the Brussel Sprouts move around a little. You'll want all of the sprout to be crispy. If you don't shake the sheet, you'll end up with one side of the sprout a little too crispy.

5. Once time is up, you're ready to enjoy! Sprinkle your salt or any other spice you fancy on the Brussel Sprouts. Yum.

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Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Oven Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

What you'll need:

- 15 cherry tomatoes

- 1/2 tbsp olive oil

- Pinch of salt

- Garlic powder

- Pinch of Dill

How to make it:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. While your oven is preheating, put your cherry tomatoes in a bowl. Add your olive oil and garlic powder. Mix with your hands.

3. Next, place your mixed tomatoes on a baking sheet (I used my roommate's small one. Thanks, Jen!) and sprinkle your dill on the tomatoes.

Note: You can use any spice you please. Experiment a little... that's the fun!

4. Place your tomatoes in the oven for 20 minutes. Once time is up, let these puppies cool, add your salt, and there you have it.

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