Meal prepping is a smart strategy for maintaining a healthy diet during busy workdays. I found myself very frustrated when I stand in front of my fridge on a Monday morning wondering what to take with to work and that's when I pack the unhealthy choices! So let's look at a couple of ideas.
Time-Saving: By preparing meals in advance, you save time during your hectic mornings. Instead of rushing to put together a lunch, you can simply grab your prepped container and head out the door.
Portion Control: When you meal prep, you control portion sizes. This helps prevent overeating and ensures you’re consuming balanced meals with the right amount of nutrients.
Healthier Choices: When you plan your meals ahead, you’re less likely to resort to unhealthy fast food or vending machine snacks. You’ve already made nutritious choices, so you’re more likely to stick to them.
Variety: Meal prepping allows you to experiment with different recipes and flavors. You can rotate between salads, grain bowls, wraps, and more, keeping your lunches interesting and satisfying.
Cost-Effective: Buying ingredients in bulk and cooking at home is often more budget-friendly than eating out every day. Plus, you reduce food waste by using everything you’ve purchased.
Chicken Shawarma
Ingredients
1kg Chicken thighs, boneless
4 tablespoons Oil
1 tablespoon Lemon zest
4 tablespoon Lemon juice
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 teaspoons Ground cumin
2 teaspoons Ground coriander
2 teaspoons Paprika
2 teaspoon Ground turmeric
1 teaspoon Onion powder
½ teaspoon Fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Flat leaf parsley, chopped
Method
Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk well to combine.
Add the chicken and mix well to coat the chicken well, cover and marinate overnight or for ate least 3-4 hours.
Take the chicken out of the marinade.
Preheat a grill or a pan till nice and hot, add your chicken and grill till golden on each side, this should take about 4 minutes per side, turn the heat to low and cook another 4-5 minutes till the chicken is cooked through. Internal temperature should be around 74°C.
Now you can slice your chicken into strips and use in a salad, a wrap or a topping for your taco bowl.
Taco Bowl
Ingredients
500g Beef mince (I like to use 1/2 beef and 1/2 pork mince)
1 Red onion, diced
1 tablespoon Oil
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Chili powder
2 teaspoons Smoked paprika powder
2 teaspoons Cumin powder
1 teaspoon Onion powder
1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
Corn
Black beans
Tomato salsa
Guacamole
Chopped cucumber
Edamame beans
Chopped pineapple
Chopped mango
Sesame seeds
Cooked rice of your choice
Method
Add your oil to a frying pan and heat over medium to high heat.
Add the onion and fry till soft, add the garlic and fry another minute.
Add the mince and fry till brown, add all the spice and fry for 5 minutes, turn down the heat and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Taste and season and let it cool.
Assemble
Add your rice to your container of choice, add the toppings of your choice and sprinkle with some sesame seeds.
In a separate small container pack your sauce of choice, you can use light soy, ponzu sauce sriracha, aioli or sweet chili.
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