Meal Prep 6.13. 16 with Quinoa Brussels Sprouts Salad

Happy Monday! I’ve been getting a lot of questions from the Challengers that I health coach about my meal prep, so I thought I would walk them through what I am eating this week, as well as share my new favorite salad recipe with a twist–the part that is usually lettuce is shredded raw brussels sprouts!

 

We start off in the back with my Vanilla and Chocolate Shakeology.  I use Shakeology as a post-workout meal. I stress MEAL because I use it as a meal replacement. It contains a huge dose of protein, gives me a natural boost of energy, helps my hair, skin and nails and just makes me feel healthier. I’ve lost over 15 pounds using this as a meal replacement with a workout and cleaner eating regimen.

The next row is my fruit for the week. I eat two servings of fruit (typically a cup or a large stone a citrus fruit is one serving) a day. This week’s mix are honey crisp apples, nectarines, oranges and kiwi.

The third row has some bagged veggies, roasted Brussels sprouts with a drizzle of balsamic and this week’s Quinoa Brussels Sprouts Salad (recipe below!). The salad holds up really well for meal prep because the brussels sprouts are so dense and durable they don’t wilt like normal lettuce. Following the salad is mango with blackberries and grapes.

Moving onto the next row, we start with roasted brussels sprouts and an individual tub of hummus for the cut veggies. Then we have organic, whole wheat crackers and more berries and mango.

The final row is where the bulk of my meals are. We start off with a vegan chili, then move to tuna with lemon pepper seasoning and lemon juice and spaghetti squash with TVP and mushrooms. Next to that is another lemon pepper tuna and a low-fat quiche I made and froze (eggs freeze well, crust is a bit moist).

Following the amazing 21 Day Fix eating plan, where I learned exactly how much of what kinds of food my body needs, this is enough portioned out food for breakfast, lunch and snacks for my workdays. Most dinners are prepared fresh at night.

Ready for that ah-mazing salad recipe? I thought so! I love that this salad has protein from the quinoa and nuts, a bit of fruit and the dense nutrients in the brussels sprouts. I got the recipe from Gimme Some Oven, but instead of making her salad dressing I just thinned out some raspberry vinaigrette I had with apple cider vinegar.

INGREDIENTS:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound brussels sprouts
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (here is a tutorial/recipe for how to cook quinoa)
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• Low-cal fruit vinaigrette (or make your own)

Step 1: Rinse and trim ends off of brussels sprouts. Then halve lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise. You may need to toss a bit to get them to come apart like lettuce.

Step 2: Toss all ingredients together until combined.

Step 3: Portion out and enjoy!

 

I’m no photographer, so check out the incredible photo from Gimme Some Oven of the completed salad.

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Meal Prep 3.21.16 with Moroccan Carrot Salad

Happy Spring!

I got hopping in the kitchen on my meal prep this week and made an extra batch of a recipe from one of my most popular posts, 21 Day Fix Approved Healthy Mac and Cheese.   I also am sharing one of my favorite simple salad recipes, Moroccan Carrot Salad. I discovered it while doing the 3-Day Refresh, a gentle cleanse that allows you to actually eat NOT starve. And now it is one of my favorite go-to salads that can last in the fridge for a long time.

So here is what I am eating this week. 🙂

The back row begins with salt and pepper cashews. I eat 2 tbsp. – 1/4 cup of nuts a day to get some protein. Next to it is my 21 Day Fix Approved Healthy Mac and Cheese…the secret to it being guilt-free is in the sauce and the fact that it’s even amounts of pasta and broccoli. Mushrooms were on clearance yesterday, so I threw in some baby bellas and it was a tasty addition. Next to that are my spinach, egg and cheese egg cups. Following is my Chipotle Sweet Potato Chili, which I had frozen leftover from last week. The sandwich is Tofurkey, lettuce and cheese on a whole wheat Sandwich Thin and a side of mustard. Then we have another portion of the mac and cheese and some raw almonds.

The next row are my veggies for munching at my desk. We have bagged carrots and broccoli with hummus.  The carrot salad next to it is the Moroccan Carrot Salad and I’m providing the recipe below. 🙂

The following row is my assortment of Shakeology for the week. I have 5 out of 8 flavors we offer.  I use Shakeology as a post-workout meal. I stress MEAL because I use it as a meal replacement. It contains a huge dose of protein, gives me a natural boost of energy, helps my hair, skin and nails and just makes me feel healthier. I’ve lost over 15 pounds using this as a meal replacement with a workout and cleaner eating regimen.

The final row is my fruit. On the 21 Day Fix eating plan, which I tend to follow regardless of what program I do, I’m allotted two servings of fruit a day so I try to mix it up to keep it fun. I have an array of berries, pears, apples, mandarin oranges, kiwi, etc.

Ok, onto my recipe of the week, the 3-Day Refresh’s Moroccan Carrot Salad! This is a spicy, crunchy salad that is clean, easy to make and low-calorie.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

Makes one large salad or two servings of veggies (one cup each)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups julienned carrots
• 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley for a less spicy alternative)
• 1 clove garlic, chopped (if you are a garlic fiend like me, add extra!)
• 1 dash ground cumin
• 1 dash ground paprika
• 1 dash cinnamon
• 1 dash cayenne pepper (omit for less spicy dish)
• Himalayan Salt to taste

1.  Chop garlic and cilantro
2. Combine all ingredients into a large bowl; mix well
3. Let salad marinate, covered in refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving for maximum flavor.

Either eat as one large salad or portion out into two containers for meal prep that week. The salad just gets better as it absorbs the spices, oil and lemon juice. YUUUMMM!

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Meal Prep 3.14 with Chipotle Sweet Potato Chili

Happy Meal Prep Monday friends!

This week I only prepped 4 meals because I am commuting out of town for a day and a half. But there are still some interesting items and a great recipe for my favorite vegan chili below.

So let’s start with what I prepped. In the back row you will see my typical bagged veggies – broccoli, carrots and snap peas. Next to those is this week’s recipe, Chipotle Sweet Potato Chili. The balls following are baked falafel, I usually make fresh but the frozen ones at Trader Joes are pretty amazing so I have been using that lately. Next to those are a organic fruits.

The middle row begins as all rows in the photo do, with veggies. Next is a Primal Strips, vegan seitan jerky, my favorite vegan jerky and a quick source of protein (minimum 10 grams a strip). My top favorite flavors are Teriyaki, Texas BBQ and Mesquite Lime.

Following is homemade hummus that I made fresh yesterday and OMG, it’s to die for. I finally learned the secret to a smooth at home hummus – peeling the skins/membranes off the chickpeas prior to blending. It’s annoying as hell and you will want to quit half way through, but if you stick with it that will be smooth as silk. I used this recipe, Seriously Smooth Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Hummus from Sally’s Baking Addiction. I added an extra clove of garlic and doubled the pepper and cumin, because I love seasonings.

Right underneath are my portioned out nut mixes. I just mixed whatever is in my cabinet as the bags were all fairly low, so I have smoked almonds, raw almonds and pecans in 1/4 cup measurements. Next to them is another Primal Strips jerky and fruit.

The final row is my weekday supply of Shakeology, my favorite superfood meal replacement drink. Shakeology gives me a dense dose of protein, my daily vitamins and the nutrition of 7 salads and a bowl of exotic fruits. It’s organic, has no gluten and is low on the glycemic index for those who are diabetic. Since drinking Shakeology, I’ve noticed an increase in my digestion, my energy levels and my hair, skin and nails are even growing stronger and faster.

Moving onto our recipe of the week: Chipotle Sweet Potato Chili

This is a smokey, spicy chili that is perfect for vegans and meat-eaters alike. It gets it’s heartiness from the mix of beans and sweet potatoes. And it freezes really well, so make a double batch if you want!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 yellow onion (medium, chopped)
• 1 pepper – your choice of color  (medium, chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 2 tbsps chili powder
• 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks)
• 14 1/2 ozs crushed tomatoes
• 1 14 oz can  red kidney beans (dark, drained and rinsed)
• 1 14 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• salt
• 1.5 tbsp. adobo
• 1 tbsp chipotle chile
• Optional: I had a can of zucchini in tomato sauce that I needed to use up, so I added that in!

Directions

• Chop the onion, peppers, garlic and sweet potatoes. Keeping the sweet potatoes separate from the onions, peppers and garlic.

• Heat oil in a big skillet over medium heat; add in the onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cover and cook 5 minutes until softened.

• Stir in the chili powder; cook 30 seconds.

• Add in the sweet potatoes; stir to coat with the spices.

• Transfer mixture to a large slow cooker; add in the tomatoes, beans, broth; season with salt; cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

• When ready to serve, all ingredients should be softened. Taste and adjust seasonings. (I added a little more pepper and chipotle to mine.)

• Portion out for weekly meal preps and freeze the left overs. Enjoy!

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