You’ve in all probability seen the meal prep development on-line the place dozens and dozens of meals are prepped in containers for your complete week? Holy moly. I can say that may in all probability by no means be me. I as soon as tried an over-ambitious meal prep and never solely did I find yourself with approach an excessive amount of meals, nevertheless it took up most of my day.
On the flip aspect, I’ve realized that my veggie consumption falls fairly flat after I don’t do any prep in any respect.
Soooo….there must be a contented medium!?
This little dilemma is precisely why I got here up with a easy plan that absolutely matches into my life nowadays. The recipe beneath (which is completely customizable!) takes lower than 30 minutes of lively prep time, however makes sufficient meals for a number of parts, rising the percentages that you just’ll be a veggie powerhouse for the workweek. *arm flex* I like how I can shortly reheat a pair issues and construct a hearty, nutritious bowl in a matter of minutes!
My meal prep technique has been going like this:
- Roast two enormous sheets of veggies
- Cook dinner a grain
- Chop a pair recent veggies (typically I skip this if I’m tight on time)
- Have toppings available, ready-to-roll—issues like avocado, nuts/seeds, beans, dressing, and so on.
This technique has dramatically modified my meals in current weeks (particularly, lunches) and elevated my veggie consumption a ton. All the substances might be modified up so it by no means must be repetitive and you may be versatile with utilizing what you will have in your fridge/pantry. It helps reduce down waste as a result of you’ll be able to simply expend these “on the verge of dying” veggies in your crisper. Simply throw ‘em within the oven and roast the heck out of ‘em! And when you get uninterested in bowls, throw the prepped meals into scrumptious wraps and even soups/stews.
In the event you’re feeling extra-ambitious and need to prep much more meals, I’d advocate including a number of of the next tasty objects:
I’ve supplied an in depth recipe beneath as a result of it helps to have one thing to work from the primary time, however like I mentioned, be happy to run with it. In the event you merely decide to roasting 2 large sheets of veggies, prepare dinner a grain, and chop some recent veggies….you’ll be effectively in your technique to making simple throw-together energy bowls all week lengthy. My future hangry self has been thanking me rather a lot.
Meal Prep Week-Lengthy Energy Bowls
Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free
5 from 14 evaluations
Yield
8 servings
Prep time
Cook dinner time
Complete time
I like having prepped meals within the fridge, however don’t love doing hours of meal prep every week. So I got here up with this easy technique that takes simply 25 minutes of lively prep time. The wholesome meals elements might be loved for a number of days in energy bowls, wraps, and even stirred into soups! Energy bowls are so enjoyable for household meals as a result of you’ll be able to swap up the veggies and toppings to swimsuit every palate, giving youngsters management to construct their very own bowls. This recipe can also be a helpful make-ahead choice when you’re having associates over for a meal. Merely chop all of the veggies the evening earlier than and refrigerate them in containers. Simply earlier than your company arrive, pop the veggies into the oven, prepare dinner the quinoa, and prep the toppings. After cooking, you’ll be able to all have enjoyable assembling your individual energy bowls and everybody shall be tremendous impressed by the gorgeous rainbow-coloured meal!
Elements
For the roasted veggies:
- 3 small (680 g) candy potatoes, peeled and chopped (4 cups)
- 4 cups (500 g) brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved*
- 1 medium (800 g) cauliflower, chopped into small florets (4 heaping cups)
- 1 medium (230 g) crimson onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 giant (500 g) crimson bell peppers, seeded and chopped
- 3 tablespoons (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Salt and pepper, to style
For the quinoa:
- 2 cups (400 g) raw quinoa**
For the recent veggies:
- 1 medium (370 g) English cucumber, chopped
- 1 medium (135 g) bunch inexperienced onions, chopped
- 2 cups (255 g) grape tomatoes (1 dry pint)
For the facility bowl toppings:
- Chopped lettuce/greens (Romaine, Iceberg, kale, and so on)
- Salad dressing***
- Ripe avocados
- Cooked beans or lentils
- Nuts and seeds (I take advantage of hemp hearts and roasted pepitas)
- Hummus or pesto
Instructions
- Place two oven racks close to the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two extra-large (15- x 21-inches) rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. It’s vital to make use of extra-large baking sheets so there’s sufficient room for all these wholesome veggies.
- Divide the chopped, “to-be-roasted” veggies onto the baking sheets. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil over high every sheet and toss the veggies till they’re absolutely coated within the oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast the veggies for 30 to 40 minutes (I discover 35 minutes is ideal in my oven for flippantly charred veggies) till fork tender and golden. There’s no must rotate/transfer the pans or flip the veggies midway by means of baking except you’re explicit about even cooking.
- Whereas the veggies are roasting, add the quinoa to a big pot together with 3 1/2 cups (875 mL) water. Stir. Convey to a simmer over medium-high warmth, then instantly cut back the warmth to low-medium, cowl with a tight-fitting lid, and prepare dinner for 12 to 14 minutes, till the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy. Take away the lid and fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork.
- Whereas the quinoa cooks, chop the cucumber and inexperienced onions. Rinse the tomatoes (I maintain off slicing them till simply earlier than serving).
- Take away the roasted veggies from the oven. As soon as largely cool, switch the entire veggies and quinoa into containers, seal with hermetic lids, and place into the fridge for as much as 4 days.
- To make the facility bowls: Add a pair beneficiant handfuls of chopped lettuce/greens to the underside of a big shallow bowl. Drizzle with a little bit of dressing and toss the lettuce/greens till coated. High with spoonfuls of your prepped meals (quinoa, roasted and recent veggies)—I at all times heat up the quinoa and roasted veggies first! Now, add diced avocado, extra salad dressing, cooked beans or lentils, nuts and seeds, and hummus or pesto. Hold the facility bowl flavours fascinating by altering up the toppings every day!
Tip:
* In case your brussels sprouts are fairly giant, quarter them as a substitute of halving.
** In the event you do not assume you will eat this a lot quinoa in 4 to five days, be happy to halve this quantity (use 1 cup raw quinoa + 1.75 cups water).
*** On the lookout for a scrumptious home made dressing? Attempt my Lemon-Tahini Dressing, Shake-and-Go Balsamic French dressing (Oh She Glows Each Day, p. 273), or Roasted Garlic and Pink Wine French dressing. I at all times preserve Maison Orphee Italian available when I haven’t got home made dressing prepped.
Be happy to roast a head of garlic together with the veggies. The roasted cloves are particularly scrumptious thrown into my Roasted Garlic and Pink Wine French dressing present in my Heat + Roasted Winter Salad Bowl recipe.
Make it nut-free: High your bowl with seeds (corresponding to roasted pepita seeds and hemp hearts) as a substitute of nuts and ensure your dressing is nut-free.
Diet Data
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