Meal Prep on Fleek

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Side Dish
    • Snacks
    • By Diet
      • Gluten Free
      • Keto
      • Low Carb
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
  • Meal Prep Tips
  • Macro Calculator
  • Macro Meal Planner
  • Sign In
    • My Account
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Side Dish
    • Snacks
    • By Diet
      • Gluten Free
      • Keto
      • Low Carb
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
  • Meal Prep Tips
  • Macro Calculator
  • Macro Meal Planner
  • Sign In
    • My Account
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Side Dish
    • Snacks
    • By Diet
      • Gluten Free
      • Keto
      • Low Carb
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
  • Meal Prep Tips
  • Macro Calculator
  • Macro Meal Planner
  • Sign In
    • My Account
×

10 Minute Raw Vegan Brownies

January 20, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

10 Minute Raw Vegan Brownies blog

10-minute raw vegan brownies? Sounds too good to be true, but it isn't!

If you could have brownies in ten minutes, why wouldn't you? That's the question this recipe seems to beg. Well, maybe beg is too strong of a word. But for real. These 10-minute raw vegan brownies are a chocoholic's dream! Top a date-sweetened brownie base with a rich chocolate layer and crunchy cacao nibs. They firm up the freezer in no time and will solve your chocolate craving in a hurry, without making a huge mess, turning on the oven, or involving animal products. Or gluten, for that matter, or traditional sugar. They're raw because they use fruits and nuts such as cashews and dates. 

10 Minute Raw Vegan Brownies
10 Minute Raw Vegan Brownies

10-Minute Raw Vegan Brownies Ingredients

For the brownies . . . 

  • 1 cup cashews
  • ⅓ cup natural cocoa powder (substitute raw if desired) or cacao powder
  • 8 ounces dates, pitted
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

For the chocolate topping . . .

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons date syrup
  • 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
  • Cacao nibs, to garnish (optional)

How to Make Raw Vegan Brownies 

You'll need a food processor for these 10-minute vegan brownies. Process the cashews, and then the dates along with coconut oil, sea salt, and cocoa powder (or cacao powder, if you're going raw). You'll need to line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper, and press the batter into the pan evenly. After they're pressed into the pan, combine the coconut oil, date syrup (a naturally sweet sugar substitute) and cocoa powder to drizzle over the top. Sprinkle cacao nibs over the whole pan, if you like, for extra crunch and chocolatey depth, without adding milk that you'd typically find in semi-sweet chocolate chips.

How to Store Raw Vegan Brownies 

After these raw brownies are made, they need to be firmed up in the freezer. Once they're firm, these will keep well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. If you leave them at room temperature they won't keep their consistency.

You can also freeze them for up to three months. We like freezing them in individual squares or other sizes that are easy to defrost and eat. Keep them in the fridge to thaw a bit when transferring them from the freezer.

Substitutions and Variations

You can add all sorts of great things to the top of these brownies. 

Chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds are great, especially if you've toasted them beforehand. Or use more cashews, or even pistachios. Toast the nuts first in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, and then remove from the heat to let them cool.

Chopped vegan chocolate ups the chocolate factor considerably-you can use chips or chop up vegan bar chocolate.

Dried fruit is a great addition, too, such as blueberries or cranberries. Freeze-dried fruit is fun, too, and offers a texture contrast (we're thinking strawberries could be fun here).

If your crowd likes coconut with chocolate, sprinkle unsweetened shredded coconut over the top in addition to the cacao nibs. So good! 

Use a little bit of vanilla extract, chocolate extract, or coconut extract in the food processor bowl with this raw brownie "batter," as it's coming together. Orange extract would taste great, too.

TIP

To keep these vegan brownies raw, use raw cocoa powder and omit the chocolate layer on top.

If your dates are not super soft, put them in a bowl and soak them with some hot water (freshly boiled works). Let them soften, drain the water, and pat them dry. Then use as directed in the recipe directions. 

READ MORE: Gluten-Free Brownies! Easy and Delicious! 

10 Minute Raw Vegan Brownies
10 Minute Raw Vegan Brownies
10 Minute Raw Vegan Brownies
10 Minute Raw Vegan Brownies

10 Minute Raw Vegan Brownies

A chocoholic's dream! These raw vegan brownies take only 10 minutes to make. A date sweetened brownie base is topped with a rich chocolate layer and topped with crunchy cocoa nibs. To keep these raw, use a raw cocoa powder and omit the chocolate layer on top.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Meal Prep
Servings: 6 brownies
Calories: 346kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cashews
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder or cacao powder
  • 8 ounces dates pitted
  • 2 tablespoon coconut oil
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Topping

  • 2 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoon date syrup
  • 2 tablespoon cocoa powder or cacao powder
  • cacao nibs for garnish, optional
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Process raw cashews in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment until a flour is formed and right before it turns into a butter, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • If needed, soak the dates in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes to soften, and drain well. (Fresh, soft dates do not need to be soaked.) Remove the pits.
  • Add dates, cocoa powder, coconut oil and sea salt to food processor bowl with cashews.
  • Pulse to break up the dates. Then, process for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is very smooth and the "dough" begins to pull away from the side of the bowl.
  • Line a small baking dish (about 8x8 inches) with parchment, and add brownie batter, using your hands to press the batter down and spread it evenly across the pan.
  • In a small bowl, stir together coconut oil, date syrup and cocoa powder.
  • Drizzle the chocolate layer over the top of the brownies, and sprinkle with cocoa nibs or other desired topping, such as fruit, nuts or coconut.
  • Freeze until firm, about 1 hour, and then slice into bars to store. They're best straight out of the fridge or freezer, when the topping has a "snappy" texture. We advise storing these brownies in the fridge, given their "raw" status.

Notes

Notes: It's best to measure dates by weight because different varieties can have a wildly different weight per cup. 8 ounces is roughly 1 cup of pitted Medjool dates, but over 2 cups of a smaller, drier date variety.
Macros for 1 out of 6 brownies:
5.5g Protein | 42.5g Carbs | 18.5g Fat | 346 Calories | 6g Fiber

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.5g | Protein: 5.5g | Fat: 18.5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Italian Steak Salad

January 19, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Italian Steak Salad

This Italian Steak Salad is a whole30 healthy meal prep designed for lunch or dinner. High in protein, low in carbs, and made with 100 percent real ingredients.

We're so digging this Italian steak salad. It comes together using a combination of prepared and fresh ingredients, and our favorite AIP Paleo Powder for flavor. A bit of fresh basil doesn't hurt, either. This steak salad is one you can make over and over, and alter slightly every time if you like, based on what's in season. It's a super adaptable meal prep recipe. Steak salad is great for summertime meals when you don't want to heat up the oven; just grill the flank steak as you assemble everything else and dinner (or lunch) meal prep is done, done, and done.

Italian Steak Salad

 

Italian Steak Salad

Italian Steak Salad Ingredients

  • 1 lb. flank steak
  • 1 tbsp. Paleo Powder AIP Seasoning blend, divided
  • 1 large head romaine lettuce
  • 1 can of artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
  • 2 roasted red peppers, cut into strips
  • ½ lb. cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 tbsp. avocado oil
  • Handful fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

How to Make Italian Steak Salad

The steak is clearly the star of the show here, so you'll cook it on a very hot grill pan, or right on a grill if you've got one and you don't want to turn the oven on. The sweet potatoes roast, and then it's just a simple assembly job after that's all completed. You'll need Easy!

Substitutions and Alterations

Flank steak is really good against all these other robust summery flavors, but we like chicken in this preparation, too. Skirt steak works, too. Just make sure to slice it thinly, which makes it extra delicious. 

If you'd like, serve it over arugula or baby greens like spinach instead of romaine lettuce. Arugula is especially good, though. You can make this salad throughout the summer and vary it based on what's available in terms of local and seasonal greens. Similarly, playing around with different kinds of tomatoes is fun with a dish like this. 

Feel free to add fresh green beans, sliced bell peppers, kalamata olives, or even some salami slices to really play up the Italian aspect of this salad.

Tips for Prepping Italian Steak Salad

Elements of this can be prepped ahead of time very easily, if you want to break up your meal prep even further and not do it all in one go. It's easy to do, because this dish is served at room temperature. Feel free to prep the steak and sweet potatoes one day, and then finish up with the rest of the veggies the next day. Then, assemble everything into airtight containers. 

Whatever you do, don't skip the fresh basil. It makes all the difference here. Promise! If you have any leftover, go ahead and make some pesto for this Pesto Chicken Meal Prep. But did you know you can freeze basil? Wrap the leaves in a paper towel, transfer to a zip-close bag, and freeze them. They won't be as great as fresh, but you can add them whole to pasta sauces and into a pan with olive oil to toss with pasta.

READ MORE: Get more steak and salad with this Kale Steak Power Salad

Italian Steak Salad

Italian Steak Salad

Italian Steak Salad

Italian Steak Salad

Italian Steak Salad

Italian Steak Salad

A Whole30 compliant steak salad designed for lunch, dinner, or your weekly meal prep! This Italian Steak Salad is high in protein, low in carbs, and made with 100% whole ingredients. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dinner, gluten free, low carb, lunch, paleo, salad, Steak, whole30
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 479kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. flank steak
  • 1 tbsp. Paleo Powder AIP Seasoning blend divided
  • 1 large head romaine lettuce
  • 1 can artichoke hearts rinsed and drained
  • 2 large roasted red peppers cut into strips
  • ½ lb. cherry tomatoes halved
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 tbsp. avocado oil
  • Handful fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place a seasoned cast iron grill pan in the oven as it preheats to 375 F.
  • Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the Paleo Powder AIP Seasoning blend on the flank steak. Set aside.
  • Toss the cubed sweet potatoes in avocado oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange them on a parchment covered rimmed sheet pan and roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until they’re golden.
  • Once the grill pan is hot, transfer to the stovetop over medium heat and spray it with avocado oil. Add the steak and grill it for 2 minutes on each side, and then transfer the pan back to the oven.
  • Cook time will vary based on the thickness of the steak, but remove it when your meat thermometer reads about 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes prior to slicing it thinly.
  • To make the dressing, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and remaining Paleo Powder spice. In a large bowl, combine the artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, tomatoes, and lettuce. Add the sliced steak and toss the salad with the vinaigrette. Top with some of the roasted sweet potatoes and garnish with fresh chopped basil. Portion the salad into 4 meal prep containers and store in the fridge until you're ready to eat it.

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 27g | Fiber: 8g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Italian Steak Salad

Meal Prep Menu - 2023 (Week 3)

January 19, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Meal Prep Menu 2024 - Week 3

 

18 Easy Keto Snack Recipes

January 19, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

18 Easy Keto Snack Recipes

If you're following a keto diet, you need 18 easy keto snack recipes. It's not too many!

Being on the keto diet can be challenging. The hardest part? Keto snacks. There is only so much cheese and meat you can eat in one day, no matter how much you might love both!

Regardless of what kind of diet you're following, snacks are the best part of the day. They help keep hunger at bay and prevent us from overeating later in the night. Yeah, you can easily grab a bag of pork rinds or a meat stick, but sometimes (or most times) we want something healthier. Something homemade. And sometimes, that also means the easy keto snack recipes need to be sweet. If you've tried, you know sweet keto snacks are hard to find when you are on the go!

So, to help many of our keto readers and even those just looking for more easy snack ideas we put together these 18 Easy Keto Snack Recipes. Snacks are definitely part of a healthy meal prep, and you'll find a combination of both sweet and savory recipes. The key word here? Easy!

The best part, all of these are easy to make, full of healthy ingredients and, like almost all of our recipes, customizable. 

Sugar-Free Coconut Bites

This is coconut bliss, indeed. Very easy to make, and keeps well in the fridge.

Sugar Free Coconut Balls

Butter Pecan Keto Fat Bombs

They look like fudge, they kind of taste like fudge, but these keto snacks are definitely not fudge!

Keto Fat Balls

Nuts, seeds, maple syrup and coconut oil make for an amazingly satisfying and easy keto snack recipe.

Keto Crack Bars

These are hard to put down once you have one of them! It could not be any easier; just coconut oil, shredded coconut, and monkfruit sweetener. 

3 Ingredient Keto Peanut Butter Cookies

Yes! Cookie are permitted and easy keto snacks. Peanut butter saves the day yet again.

Keto Chocolate Mousse

Avocado is the secret ingredient for this amazing keto chocolate mousse!

Keto Avocado Brownies

Are you noticing a trend here with avocado and chocolate? So incredibly delicious.

Keto Blueberry Muffins

Get yourself some coconut flour and mix up this perfect mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.

Keto Pinwheels

This only looks hard! But it tastes great. Savory, a little spicy, you'll love it.

Savory Spiced Pecans

There's so much you can do to make nuts taste great, and adding some spices make for an upgraded but easy keto snack.

Cheesy Keto Meatballs

You might be tempted to make more of these and eat some for dinner, too. It's hard to say no to meatballs!

Cheesy Low Carb Chicken Meatballs

Keto Bacon Sausage Meatballs

Oh bacon, is there anything you can't do? The answer to that is no, especially when it's wrapped around a sausage meatball!

Keto Bacon Sausage Meatballs

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

Yeah, it's a bit of a cliche that keto snack recipes include bacon, but it's easy to find, easy to cook, and tastes great with so many other proteins and fats.

Keto Spicy Jalapeno Artichoke Dip Poppers

Bacon, spicy peppers, and artichoke dip all in one? Sign us up for this keto snack!

Crispy Jalapeno Cheese 'Crackers'

The definition of "cracker" is a little different here. Check it out, and then make them!

Cheesy Bacon Stuffed Mini Peppers

We never tire of ways to stuff peppers. If you can't find these mini ones, cut a regular bell pepper into quarters.

Steak Bites

Is it an appetizer? Is it a snack? Can it be a main course? Yes, it is all of those things. 

Steak Fajita Roll-Ups

It's like a fajita on the go! For real! Look at that amazing explosion of savory fajita flavor! 

[ajax_load_more post_type="post" sticky_posts="true" posts_per_page="3" category="blog" button_label="Keep Reading"]

DYK: Gluten-Free Breading Mix Is Already In Your Pantry

January 19, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

gluten free crispy chicken nuggets

Gluten-free breading is not hard to make and you can it in so many ways.

Regular breadcrumbs and panko are standard go-tos when it comes to breaded meat and fish, or as a binder in meatballs. But what happens when you need a gluten-free breading option?

Bet you didn't know how close you were to a solution. Sure, there are plenty of pre-made gluten-free breading options at your most progressive local supermarket, but you probably already have one of the easiest gluten-free breading solutions right in your pantry.

Rice cakes.

gluten free breading

So when purchased breadcrumbs aren't an option, head to the pantry and grab a few rice cakes to make your own gluten-free breading mix. You might not have considered using these crisp and airy snack cakes this way before, but they work better than you would expect. Use whichever ones you have available, but ideally, try to avoid the sweeter options. Plain and lightly salted work best, but it can of course depend on how you're planning to use them.

On its own, breading is a pretty simple mix, but it really does have the potential to have a big impact on your meal. Whether you're baking or frying, the breading mix creates an outer crust that delivers an extra layer of flavor with the added bonus of a wonderful crunch.

How to Make Gluten-Free Breading

Before you get to breading, use a food processor, blender, or even a rolling pin to process the cakes into a coarse powder. Consider what you're breading as you decide how coarse or fine to go. Fish and seafood do well with a finer crumb, but pounded pork chops or chicken can handle a coarser crumb.

Add any desired seasoning to the breadcrumb to flavor them to taste, and then use the crumbs as you would any breading mix. As the breaded meat or fish cooks, the rice cake breading browns and takes on a light and even crispier texture.

gluten free crispy chicken nuggets
Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken Recipe

 

Other Ways to Make Gluten-Free Breading

If you're not a fan of rice cakes, can't eat them, or prefer something a little more "ready made," here are a couple of items you might want to consider keeping on hand.

breadless breading

gruten free breadcrumbs

gluten free breading paleo powder

How To Burn 400 Calories

January 18, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

How to burn 400 calories 777x431

Learn how to burn 400 calories and really fine-tune your whole weight loss journey. We'll show you how!

So, you've been dialing in your nutrition and it's working. You're beginning to feel more confident, healthy, and starting to see progress in your weight loss goals. You may also feel like there's more you can do but you're not quite sure what those things are. 

Of course! Exercise is the next piece. And even if you've been exercising, it can still be intimidating. Or maybe you are bored, or worried you've hit a plateau with weight loss and exercise. Where should you start? What should you do? Do you need equipment? So many questions.

Please consider us as your go-to resource for macro calculating and weekly meal prep guides, definitely. But we've also got some plans for how to help you burn some extra calories-maybe you start by burning 300 calories and move up to this workout? It's up to you.

You might have specific goals for weight loss that involve figuring out the optimal calorie burn. In this case, we're going over how to burn 400 calories. If you do this several times a week in addition to your cardio efforts, it can add up quickly!

But we get it. Burning 400 calories may seem daunting at first, but in 30 to 45 minutes (depending on your weight and other factors), it's possible. Choose your favorite workout below, blast your favorite Taylor Swift songs (we won't judge, those tickets sold out fast for a reason), and start sweating out those calories. It's a smart addition to your what you're already doing with healthy meal prep.

Three Workouts That Will Help You Burn 400 Calories

Total calories burned based on a 30-year-old, 200-pound male. 

As Many Rounds As Possible (in 32 Minutes)

  • 32 Minute AMRAP 
  • 20 Air Squats
  • 40 Mountain Climbers (20 on each leg)
  • 20 Burpees 
  • 40 Jumping Jacks

As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) workouts are a great way to stay moving for thirty minutes plus. Start with the air squats and complete the workout down the list, once you complete the jumping jacks you go back to the top to the air squats. Continue for thirty-two minutes.

The goal is to keep moving the entire workout even if it is not as fast as you would like. By taking as short and few breaks as possible, you keep your heart rate at a moderate level and burn those calories.

In this workout, focus on breathing the whole time. Try not to move too fast; the effort will certainly catch up to you. Pace yourself. To perform mountain climbers, start in a pushup position and drive your knees (alternating between legs) as close to your elbows as you can. It should feel almost like you are running or doing high knees in a pushup position. 

Every Six Minutes Circuit

E6MOM x 5

  • Run 400m (~ ¼ mile)
  • 10-20 Pushups 
  • 20 Alternating Jumping Lunges (10 each leg)
  • Remaining Time - Hold Plank

This circuit workout is known as an Every Minute on The Minute (EMOM). Here's how it works. From 0:00 - 5:59 you complete the four exercises above, and when the clock hits 6 minutes you start over. You do this five total times to complete the workout.

Please feel free to modify or change parts of the workout if you are unable to perform them. Listen to your body. For example, maybe running 400m is really difficult right now for you. Instead, start with a 100m jog, 100m brisk walk, and then alternate. The same thing applies with the jumping lunges and pushups; you can lunge without jumping, and you can do pushups on your knees. The ultimate goal is to move and give a good effort for thirty minutes. You should aim to have about thirty to forty-five seconds on the plank hold. If you can hold for more than that, great, but if so, try to increase the number of pushups or lunges, too.

Medicine Ball 100s Workout

For Time: 

  • Medicine Ball Squat - 100 reps
  • Medicine Ball Russian Twists - 100 reps
  • Medicine Ball Lunge - 100 reps (50 each leg)
  • Medicine Ball Slams - 100 reps

If you have a medicine ball this is a great workout to build muscle, sweat, and burn 400 calories. We like this workout because you can break it up however you'd like. Simply complete one hundred reps of each of the four exercises, with rest as needed. Aim to finish in about 30 minutes, so make sure the medicine ball is of the right weight to permit that length of activity without too much discomfort or pain.

Pro tip: When performing the medicine ball slams, take the ball overhead and use your hips and legs to throw the ball on the ground. Pick it up and repeat.

If you are unfamiliar with Russian Twists, you may want to start without the ball and take them slowly, and focus on keeping your core tight. 

How to Burn 400 Calories and Keep Yourself Motivated

Your weight loss journey is just that, a journey. The goal is to make small, consistent steps every day. Be sure to prioritize meal prep, tracking your calories, exercise, and sleep and you will be well on your way to reaching your goals. As always, we are here to help and can't wait to see you crush your goals!

It's time to get to work! Try out one (or all three) and let us know what you think in the comments below. 

Sources

Kaminski, Jacqueline. "Metabolic Equivalents: What Are They & How To Calculate Them." NASM, https://blog.nasm.org/metabolic-equivalents-for-weight-loss.

Shaikh, Dr. Jasmine. "How Do You Calculate Calories Burned During Exercise?" MedicineNet, MedicineNet, 20 Oct. 2021, https://mealpreponfleek.com/counting-calories-101/ burned_during_exercise/article.htm.

Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Meal Prep

January 18, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Gluten Free Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Salad Meal Prep blog

Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Meal prep is better than takeout and a lot less expensive to prepare. We love this healthy meal prep for lunch or dinner!

We're especially excited about this cold chicken soba noodle meal prep because it is colorful, flavorful, and doesn't need to be reheated. Talk about the ultimate healthy meal prep; all you need to do is remove it from the fridge and dig in! Kids love this healthy prep, too, thanks to the chicken and peanut butter. Any time you use peanut butter in a sauce, it's a win.

This is an easy gluten free noodle bowl served cool with raw veggies, soba noodles, and baked chicken in a light peanut sauce. That's it, full stop. We love a good peanut sauce because they come together pretty easily with some regular old pantry staples. (Check out a similar recipe, our Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Stir Fry Meal Prep!)

Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Meal Prep

Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Meal Prep Ingredients

For the soba noodle bowl:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Himalayan sea salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 1 8 oz. package soba noodles
  • 2 carrots, jullienned
  • 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
  • ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped

And for the peanut sauce:

  • 2 tablespoon natural peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoon lite tamari sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup filtered water

Optional garnishes for serving

  • Black and white sesame seeds
  • Cilantro, chopped
  • Fresh lime wedges

How to Make Cold Chicken Soba Noodles

We like this recipe for a few reasons and one of them is that you can make the chicken ahead of time. We tell you how to bake it in the oven but poaching it in boiling water would work, too. Set it aside, and make the peanut sauce. You can make that ahead of time, too!

Prep the veggies by chopping and setting them aside in a large bowl, while the noodles are boiling. This won't take long; soba noodles cook relatively quickly in comparison to standard wheat pasta. Drain and rinse them, and transfer them to the bowl with the veggies. Add the peanut sauce, and then the chicken, to the soba noodles. Toss to combine. And that's it!

How to Store Cold Chicken Soba Noodles

If you're going to make this and eat it right away, combine everything as directed. If you're prepping this for the week, you can make it as is-the veggies are crunchy and should hold up to the sauce. However, if you want, you can always toss the noodles, veggies, and chicken together just before you're ready to eat. Just store the sauce in a separate container, or several little ones, if you're taking the meal on the go, as for lunch, for example.

How to Serve Cold Soba Noodles

We love this just as it is; it's a complete meal. However, a few segments of lime would perk up the flavors if you've got extra for serving. Extra cilantro emphasizes the fresh flavor, and the sesame seeds add some savory nuttiness to the dish.

Substitutions and Alterations

You can make this using rice noodles instead of soba noodles if you like; the dish will still be gluten-free as soba is made from buckwheat. Furthermore, if you're in a pinch and you really want to make this recipe, you can absolutely use spaghetti or linguine; chickpea or other plant-based versions of those pasta types can fill in, too.

This dish would also taste great with some chopped avocado.

Switch out your proteins if you are tired of chicken. Tofu is great here, and so is shrimp. Both cook really quickly, which would shorten the amount of time you spend on this healthy meal prep!

READ MORE: More noodles and chicken! Pesto Noodles with Crispy Chicken Bites

 

Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Meal Prep

 

 

Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Meal Prep

Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Meal Prep

Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Meal Prep

Gluten Free Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Salad Meal Prep blog

Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Meal Prep

Cold Chicken Soba Noodle Meal Prep

Easy gluten free noodle bowl served cool with raw veggies, soba noodles, and baked chicken in a light peanut sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Chicken, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 398kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

Soba Noodle Bowl

  • 16 ounces Chicken Breast
  • salt & pepper as desired
  • 8 ounces soba noodles gluten free
  • 2 Carrots julienned
  • 1 cup Purple Cabbage shredded
  • ½ cup cilantro roughly chopped

Peanut Sauce

  • 2 tbs all natural peanut butter
  • 2 tbs Coconut Aminos
  • 1 tbs lime juice
  • 1 tbs rice vinegar
  • ¼ cup Water

For Serving, optional

  • Sesame Seeds black/white
  • cilantro
  • fresh lime juice
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Add chicken breast the baking sheet and spray with a bit of avocado oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, then slice into strips and refrigerate until ready for use.
  • To make the soba noodles, prepare noodles according to package instructions, careful not to overcook. Drain and rinse cooked noodles, then add to a bowl with shredded carrot, purple cabbage, and cilantro.
  • Prepare peanut sauce by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour the sauce over the noodle and vegetable mixture, then stir to combine.
  • Prepare peanut sauce by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl. Pour the sauce over the noodle and vegetable mixture, then stir to combine.

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 4 meals:
37.3g Protein | 52.6g Carbs | 5.7g Fat | 398 Calories

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 52.6g | Protein: 37.3g | Fat: 5.7g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Egg, Sweet Potato, and Sausage Breakfast Meal Prep

January 17, 2023 by Meal Prep Mondays Leave a Comment

Egg, Sweet Potato and Sausage Breakfast 777x431

We love this sweet potato breakfast prep, with sausage, eggs, and spinach. It's easy!

Meal preppers around these parts definitely have a thing for sweet potatoes. And sweet potato nutrition might have something to do with it. They're loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals and add a little sweetness to your meal without adding sugar. In terms of their flavor profile, sweet potatoes also provide a great contrast to other ingredients, especially those that are savory.

Case in point? This egg, sweet potato, and sausage breakfast meal prep! It's ideal for paleo and Whole30 diets. And, of course, it works for those who eat gluten-free and engage in full-on, omnivore eating habits!

Egg, Sweet Potato, and Sausage Breakfast Ingredients

  • 12 ounces sweet potatoes, about 3 potatoes
  • 8 large eggs
  • 4 chicken sausage links
  • 5 ounces baby spinach

All you need is four ingredients to make this breakfast meal prep. Ok, five maybe, if you could olive oil, but we're not-except where it's needed for the nutrition calculation! (A little bit of macro calculation humor for you!)

Sweet Potato Breakfast Meal Prep ingredients

Pro Tip: Habit forming is the key to effective, lifelong, health and wellness success. I made a Habit Forming workbook, by writing out a process and strategy to help you make the most our of your day/week/month.  Get it for Free HERE

Sweet Potato Breakfast in meal prep container

Sweet Potato Breakfast Meal Prep

Fluffy scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, spinach, and seasoned sweet potatoes to get your morning started.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Egg, Meal Prep, Sweet Potato
Servings: 4 Meals
Calories: 45kcal
Author: Meal Prep Mondays
Cost: $2.96

Ingredients

  • 3 ea sweet potatoes chopped
  • 4 ea chicken sausage links
  • 8 ea eggs
  • 5 oz spinach 1 large bag
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Dice all the sweet potatoes and pour olive oil in a pan and heat it.
  • Once it's heated, add the diced sweet potatoes and sprinkle with sea salt, cover it with a lid and stir occasionally until the potatoes have softened and set them to the side.
  • Then, add spinach and olive oil to a pan and sprinkle with sea salt.
  • Cook on medium heat and stir lightly until spinach is fully cooked.
  • Spray a pan with olive oil cooking spray and add in the sausage until they are fully heated.
  • Lastly, crack all the eggs in a bowl and stir until fully mixed.
  • Then spray a pan with olive oil cooking spray and add in the eggs.
  • Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat until ready.
  • Add everything to the containers and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1Meal | Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 203mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3444IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
Four meal prep containers with Sweet Potato, Egg, Sausage, and spinach
Sweet Potato Breakfast Meal Prep pin

Superfoods Almond Butter Bars

January 17, 2023 by Sarah Kesseli Leave a Comment

Superfoods Almond Butter Bars satisfy your mid-afternoon cravings and are a super healthy snack prep!

Sometimes you want a snack that just hits the spot and gives you a lot of crunch, but without sacrificing your health goals. These superfood almond butter bars give you all of that and then some. And it doesn't feel like you're eating bird food.... you know what we're talking about here, right? When you've got a snack that's healthy and feel virtuous but also doesn't really hit the spot because it's just nuts and seeds. However, this is different, thanks to the balanced fat, protein, and fiber macros!

The best part? It's a no-bake situation. You just press all the ingredients together in a pan and then stick them in the fridge for a couple of hours to set before slicing.

But enough nutrition talk. We all know superfoods are super and loaded with antioxidants and all sorts of other goodies, right? Let's figure out how to make these.

 

Superfoods Almond Butter Bars Ingredients

  • ½ cup Rice Krispies
  • ½ cup dried goji berries
  • ¼ cup dried mulberries
  • ¼ cup chia seeds
  • ½ cup shredded coconut
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup almond butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
  • 2 teaspoon coconut oil, if needed*

How to Make Superfoods Almond Butter Bars

[recipe-video]

Recipe by: Sarah Kesseli
Serving size: 1 bar; Calories: 287; Fat: 12g; Carbohydrates: 37g; Sugar: 30g; Fiber: 6g
Protein: 9g

How to Serve and Store Superfoods Almond Butter Bars

These will keep best in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 or 6 days. You can freeze them if desired, as long as they're wrapped well and in an airtight container or freezer bag, for up to 3 months. Let them thaw a bit before you try eating them, though! You can thaw them at room temperature. Wrap them in foil or stash them in a container for a mid-afternoon snack, or pack them in your lunch, or someone else's! 

Substitutions and Alterations

There's a fair degree of flexibility in this recipe. 

Use peanut butter, cashew butter, or seed butter if desired. 

If you can't find dried mulberries, as they're not always easy to find, and they can be expensive, use dried blueberries, cherries, or cranberries instead. They still have a lot of antioxidants and so they're still "superfoods."  You could even use something like dried mango or apricots, but you'd need to chop them up pretty finely so they're evenly distributed.

Use sunflower seeds if desired instead of pumpkin seeds, or flax seeds instead of chia. Or play with the measurements/proportions of ingredients and swap out some of the chia for flax, or some of the pumpkin seeds for sunflower seeds. It'll still be delicious!

Use maple syrup or agave nectar instead of honey. Swap the coconut sugar for regular brown sugar if that's all you've got or if it's what you prefer. 

Tip for Using Coconut Oil

We've added a bit of coconut oil as an optional ingredient. If the mix feels too dry and you need to hold it together a bit, melt some coconut oil and mix it into these ingredients. It should help things stay together more easily once you set them in the fridge.

Love Healthy No-Bake Bars? Try These!

  • No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
  • Sheet Pan No-Bake Paleo Energy Bars
  • Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

Did you make these? Leave us feedback on this Superfoods Almond Butter Bars recipe in the comments below!

Superfoods Almond Butter Bars

Superfoods Almond Butter Bars

Superfoods Almond Butter Bars

This easy, healthy, snack idea is the perfect way to kick off your New Year... or any time of year for that matter!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Meal Prep
Servings: 8 pieces
Calories: 172.71kcal
Author: Sarah Kesseli

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Rice Krispies
  • ½ cup dried goji berries
  • ¼ cup mulberries
  • ¼ cup chia seeds
  • ½ cup shredded coconut
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup almond butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
  • 2 teaspoon coconut oil if needed*
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Mix the almond butter, honey, and coconut sugar in a small mixing bowl.
  • Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add almond butter mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well.
  • Line a 5" x 9" bread pan with aluminum foil and fill it with the superfoods bar mixture, pressing it into place with your fingertips so that it's even.
  • Refrigerate for 2-3 hours, and then cut and serve.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 8pieces | Calories: 172.71kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.97g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3.32g | Sodium: 32.48mg | Potassium: 129.19mg | Fiber: 3.08g | Sugar: 14.07g | Vitamin A: 116.41IU | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 62.34mg | Iron: 1.62mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Tuna Quinoa Salad In Endive Wraps

January 17, 2023 by Nick Quintero 1 Comment

Tuna Quinoa Salad Served in Endive

Tuna Quinoa Salad in Endive Wraps skips the bread for the slightly bitter leaves of endive. Quinoa adds even more protein.

If you love tuna salad, you'll really love this one. We've mixed it with quinoa for extra protein and plain Greek yogurt instead of mayo. This tuna quinoa salad is a lighter take on classic tuna salad, but still makes for a satisfying meal. Pair with endive leaves for an easy meal prep wrap. 

Tuna Quinoa Salad In Endive Wraps

Let's face it. Some weeks we just don't want to meal prep! There are likely a million other things we could be doing, but we know that we feel better and life is easier when we meal prep. This tuna quinoa salad comes to the rescue because you can make it in five minutes and once you do, lunch is ready. Make it in the morning and you're good to go. 

What is Endive?

But first, let's talk about an ingredient in this recipe with which you might not be familiar. Endive! It's part of the chicory family and it's bitter and tender and the same time, but not overly so. Radicchio and Belgian endive are two other types you may have encountered before. They're actually grown in the dark, and you can find them mostly all year round, but more easily in the winter. And they happen to make for a great way to deliver a tuna salad (with quinoa!) wrap.

Tuna Quinoa Salad in Endive Wraps Ingredients

  • ¼ cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 can tuna in water
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. diced radishes
  • 2 tbsp. diced cucumber
  • 1 tsp. dried parsley, or 1 tbsp. fresh
  • ½ tsp. fresh dill, or 1 ½ tsp. fresh
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Endive leaves 

How to Make Tuna Quinoa Salad in Endive Wraps

Drain the tuna of its water and add to a medium bowl. Then add all the other ingredients. It's that easy. Don't forget to taste after you add salt and pepper; this is important but an often overlooked step in cooking. The salt and pepper will perk up the entire salad. The cucumbers and radishes add some crunch and a cooling taste to this tuna salad, making it especially welcoming during warmer weather, but it's delicious any time of year.

How to Store Tuna Quinoa Salad

You can make this a day or so ahead of when you want to eat it with no trouble; we'd just recommend waiting until serving before adding the tuna into the endive leaves. They might get a little soggy if they're sitting for more than a few hours ahead of eating them. 

Substitutions and Alterations 

You could always cook your own quinoa for this recipe, but to make it faster (and cook-free) you can use pre-cooked quinoa. If you've batch cooked quinoa and popped some in the freezer (this is so worth doing), or you've maybe frozen leftover quinoa from another meal prepping extravaganza, you can use that. Just defrost it in the microwave, in the fridge overnight, or toss it in a pan over low heat to thaw.

Substitute white or brown rice, orzo pasta (cause it's so small!). Or, to make it low carb, try any other alternative to white rice in this too!

Double, triple, or quadruple this recipe for a full week's worth of meals, or add more veggies to stretch out one can of tuna for two servings. We also like chopped carrots and celery in this tuna salad.

Tuna in olive oil also works great here, too-just know that it's going to up the fat content of this dish, albeit with the good kinds. 

Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard.

READ MORE: We love quinoa! 23 Best Quinoa Meal Prep Recipes!

Tuna Quinoa Salad In Endive Wraps

Tuna Quinoa Salad In Endive Wraps

 

 

Tuna Quinoa Salad In Endive Wraps

Tuna Quinoa Salad In Endive Wraps

This Tuna Quinoa Salad is made healthier and packed with protein. Greek yogurt instead of mayo makes for a lighter yet still satisfying meal. Paired with endive leaves for easy meal prep wraps.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Fish, Meal Prep
Servings: 1 lunch
Calories: 279kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup quinoa cooked
  • 1 can tuna in water
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt nonfat
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp. radish diced
  • 2 tbsp. parsley dried
  • ½ tsp. fresh dill
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Endive leaves to make wraps
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Drain the tuna of water. In a medium bowl, add all ingredients and stir to combine.
  • Transfer to a meal prep container and add endive leaves. The more the better!
  • Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 20 minutes prior to eating to allow the flavors to settle.

Notes

Nutrition For 1 Full Serving:
29g Protein, 3g Fat, 34g Carbs
 
Recipe Courtesy Of: www.skinnyfitalicious.com

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 3g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep

January 17, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep

This Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep is loaded with plant-based goodness. Healthy fats, vegetables, and crunchy chickpeas! A Vegan-friendly meal that's warm, filling, and satisfying!

We love a good Mediterranean meal prep and this bowl-based meal prep recipe is one we have on repeat lately. The best part is that it uses a lot of ingredients you might have on hand already. Canned chickpeas in your pantry, along with a bag of quinoa? Or maybe you've stashed leftover quinoa in your freezer from other meal prep ideas? Is kale on your list to grab from the farmers market, along with sweet potatoes? And what about hummus for snacking? Did you happen to make our Quinoa Chickpea Taco Bowls and have some ingredients left over?

Even if you've only got a few of these items, you are on your way to this gluten-free, plant-based vegan dish in no time. It's loaded with protein, fiber, and tons and tons of flavor. We love this for a really hearty lunch, or an easy, almost no-cook dinner.

Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep

Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep

Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep Ingredients

  • 4 cups kale, shredded
  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 15 oz. chickpeas, drained
  • 1 cup hummus, any flavor
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ¼ tsp. turmeric
  • Sliced lemons for garnish

How to Make Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep

You start off by roasting the sweet potatoes (after tossing in olive oil, salt, pepper, and turmeric) on a rimmed baking sheet at a high temperature. Then, part of the way through, add the chickpeas and drop the temperature down. The chickpeas get nice and crispy in the oven (please do this for a snack sometime, it's so delicious!). From that point forward, it's a simple assembly job. Layer kale, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, avocados, and quinoa in a bowl. Toss together and squeeze lemon over the top, or a little more extra virgin olive oil, if desired. Season with salt and pepper, taste, and adjust as needed.

How to Serve and Store Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep

This can go right from the fridge to the table if you want to eat it like a salad. Give it a fresh squeeze with lemon or even lime juice to perk up all the flavors. Once it's prepped, it will keep in the fridge for several days. We don't recommend freezing any aspect of this meal prep; it's best fresh, trust us.

Substitutions and Variations

Any kind of hummus works here, whether it's avocado, white bean, roasted red pepper, or beet-based.

You can also use different beans, but we can't guarantee they'll taste as good as chickpeas do once you roast them. Chickpeas are pretty firm and take well to roasting. Alternatively, if you use white beans or even black beans, you can skip the roasting part altogether.

Spinach would work here, or even arugula if that's what you've got or what you want to use instead. Any kind of kale is good, too, whether it's curly, red kale, or lacinato (dinosaur) kale.

Tip for Roasting Chickpeas

Chickpeas should be as dry as possible before they go into the oven to get crispy. Otherwise, if they are wet, they will be soggy and steam, and not become roasty-toasty. You'll rinse and drain them before them, but it's wise to pat them dry with some paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.


READ MORE: 15 Easy Mediterranean Diet Meal Prep Recipes

Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep
Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep
Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep
Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep

Loaded Mediterranean Bowl Meal Prep

This Mediterranean Bowl is loaded with plant-based goodness. Healthy fats, vegetables, and crunchy chickpeas! A vegan-friendly meal that's warm, filling, and satisfying!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Chickpeas, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 608kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 4 cups kale shredded
  • 3 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced
  • 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup hummus any kind
  • 2 medium avocados sliced
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • fresh lemon
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Combine the diced sweet potatoes in a medium bowl with olive oil, salt, pepper, and turmeric, tossing to coat. On a smaller, separate sheet pan lined with parchment, spread the chickpeas out in an even layer.
  • Transfer the sweet potatoes to the large sheet pan and spread into an even layer. Roast for 30 minutes.
  • When the sweet potatoes reach the 30-minute mark, reduce the heat to 350 F. Keep the sweet potatoes in the oven and add the sheet pan with the chickpeas to the oven.
  • Bake both pans at 350 F for 10 minutes, or until the chickpeas get a little crispy. Remove from the oven and let everything cool slightly.
  • Layer kale, sweet potatoes, cooked quinoa, chickpeas, hummus, avocados and lemons in each meal prep container. Seal and set in the fridge until you're ready to eat.

Notes

Macros Per Serving:
15g Protein | 68g Carbs | 27g Fat | 608 Calories

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 608kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 27g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

23 Best Quinoa Meal Prep Recipes

January 16, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Quinoa Meal Prep Recipes 777x431

Quinoa Meal Prep Recipes will load up your meals with extra protein for days. Use it instead of rice for a totally different taste experience!

Quinoa, pronounced keen-wah, is a nutrient-packed seed that is a fantastic source of vegetarian, plant-based, protein. Although in terms of cooking, it's often treated like a grain, and it is sometimes called a "pseudograin" for that very reason. It can be used in a variety of ways and these 23 recipes are going to show you how!

And a little birdie recently told us that January 16 is National Quinoa Day, so let's celebrate this with some stellar quinoa meal prep recipes, shall we?

Why is Quinoa Good For You?

Originally cultivated in Peru, quinoa is not only a source of complete protein, which means it contains all nine amino acids our bodies cannot produce on their own, but is a powerhouse otherwise! Quinoa is also full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and is gluten-free. With all of these health benefits, quinoa is considered a superfood.

How to Cook Quinoa

Quinoa requires some rinsing beforehand which helps to remove some of the bitterness you might otherwise detect. It's a great alternative to rice of any kind because it cooks in about the same amount of time (15 minutes or so) and it adapts very easily to the flavors cooked with it. It's often used as a side instead of as the main feature of a meal; however, if your diet is vegan or vegetarian there are plenty of quinoa-based dishes that are suitable for main meals because there's so much protein in this ingredient.

After much searching and sampling, we have put together our top 23 recipes that incorporate quinoa!

Quinoa Meal Prep Recipes We Love

Many of the quinoa recipes here use quinoa in ways surprising and unsurprising. We've also included a fair number of vegetarian recipes here, too, because we know the importance of protein in a plant-based diet.

Vegetarian Chorizo and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Instead of rice, these peppers are stuffed with a combo of quinoa and spicy vegetarian chorizo. So good!
(Protein: 14 grams, Carbohydrates: 57 grams, Fat: 14 grams)

Cauliflower Steak with Quinoa & Tahini

Slicing cauliflower like a "steak" produces a satisfying meal, along with quinoa and tahini. So much protein and nutty flavor in this quinoa meal prep recipe!
(Protein: 16 grams, Carbohydrates: 48 grams, Fat: 13 grams)

Mexican Whole Grain Rice & Quinoa Casserole

Quinoa is a great add-in to any casserole dish. Skeptical? Try this one!
(Protein: 38 grams, Carbohydrates: 44 grams, Fat: 13 grams)

Red Pepper and Parmesan Quinoa Pasta

Ok, so this quinoa meal prep is a bit of a cheat: the pasta has quinoa in it! This dish is loaded with protein thanks, too, to the chicken in it. And broccoli pretty much makes everything better.
(Protein: 36 grams, Carbohydrates: 63 grams, Fat: 29 grams)

Thai Crunch Quinoa Grain Bowl

Crunchy veggies, cooked tempeh, and quinoa come together with a cilantro-basil dressing.
(Protein: 31 grams, Carbohydrates: 58 grams, Fat: 31 grams)

Baked Salmon with Blackberry Quinoa Salad

Blackberries in quinoa, you say? Why yes, we say. They add color, antioxidants, and a sweet-tart flavor that works great with salmon.
(Protein: 32 grams, Carbohydrates: 39 grams, Fat: 13 grams)

Quinoa Chickpea Taco Bowls

Hard to resist a taco bowl where the rice is swapped for quinoa and there are seasoned chickpeas to munch on.
(Protein: 12 grams; Carbohydrates: 53 grams, Fat: 9 grams)

Mediterranean Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

The stuffed baked potato just got an upgrade by using sweet potatoes and quinoa instead of regular Russets and, well, no quinoa!
(Protein: 13 grams, Carbohydrates: 72 grams, Fat: 8 grams)

Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Yes, are you sensing a trend here? Quinoa goes Mexican, stuffed in sweet potatoes!
(Protein: 10 grams, Carbohydrates: 73 grams, Fat 6 grams)

Almond Butter & Berries Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Quinoa kind of gets the dessert treatment here. Really! Almond butter! Berries!
(Protein: 13 grams, Carbohydrates: 69 grams, Fat: 15 grams)

Maple Roasted Kabocha Squash & Quinoa Salad

We love kabocha squash (it's similar to butternut) and it goes so well with maple syrup and quinoa.
(Protein: 5 grams, Carbohydrates: 49 grams, Fat: 8 grams)

Fruity Quinoa and Grilled Salmon

Salmon is a natural win for a quinoa meal prep and some fruit flavors keep the dish light. We like this one for lunch.
(Protein: 29 grams, Carbohydrates: 31 grams, Fat: 13 grams)

Chicken Quinoa Salad

This is a quick one to meal prep and yet another great one for lunch. Trust us!
(Protein: 64 grams, Carbohydrates: 32 grams, Fat: 5 grams)

Tuna Quinoa Salad in Endive Wraps

Boost up your tuna salad with quinoa, and serve it in these bitter greens as little scoops.
(Protein: 29 grams, Carbohydrates: 34 grams, Fat: 3 grams)

Garlic Shrimp Quinoa & Broccoli

Consider this like an upgraded Chinese takeout-it's way, way better than that.
(Protein: 38 grams, Carbohydrates: 64 grams, Fat: 10 grams)

Broccoli Lentil Quinoa Casserole

Lentils and quinoa are plant-based proteins, a match made in heaven. Great for lunch!
(Protein: 21 grams, Carbohydrates: 49 grams, Fat: 24 grams)

Baked Breakfast Quinoa & Spinach Bites

Quinoa for breakfast? Yes, please! Make ahead and reheat, and quinoa meal prep is done! Low carb, too!
(Protein: 6 grams, Carbohydrates: 6 grams, Fat: 5 grams)

Summer Quinoa Salad

For when you want a quinoa meal prep that you can eat at room temperature like a salad: This veggie-loaded dream is it.
(Protein: 8 grams, Carbohydrates: 23 grams, Fat 23 grams).

Seriously Good Quinoa Salad

A lot of veggies go into this salad, along with some dried blueberries (or maybe even fresh!) Don't skimp on the crunch factor!

(Protein: 9 grams, Carbohydrates: 33 grams, Fat: 14 grams)

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Quinoa and black beans make a powerhouse of a salad!
(Protein: 11 grams, Carbohydrates: 47 grams. Fat: 11 grams)

Lemony Chickpea Quinoa Salad

Lemon makes almost everything better, and we dig this salad with chickpeas and quinoa. Swap out white beans if you don't have chickpeas.
(Protein: 8 grams, Carbohydrates: 30 grams, Fat: 13 grams)

Moroccan Lentil Quinoa Salad

You'll dig these flavors-warm, sweet, and spicy-in this quinoa meal prep recipe.
(Protein: 11 grams, Carbohydrates: 42 grams, Fat: 8 grams)

Chickpea Quinoa Veggie Burger

Quinoa makes a great filler and a nutty source of protein in this chickpea veggie burger.
(Protein: 9 grams, Carbohydrates: 22 grams, Fat 16 grams)

$4 Edamame Pasta with Tofu and Veggies

January 16, 2023 by Nicole Osinga Leave a Comment

Edamame-Pasta-with-Tofu-and-Veggies recipe

So much protein in this edamame pasta with tofu and veggies! It's fast, it's delicious, and it costs about $4!

For a delicious and easy plant-based meal that is totally vegan and gluten-free, you can't do much better than this meal prep recipe for edamame pasta with tofu and veggies. 

Edamame Pasta with Tofu and Veggies

Every once in a while, we like to show you how to create a delicious, filling plant-based meal on a budget, as part of Recipe Redux theme: Budget-Friendly Eats! Check out how we created this meal for about $4 per serving.

Edamame Pasta With Tofu and Veggies Ingredients and Cost

  • Explore Cuisine Organic Edamame Spaghetti (8 oz): $4.15
  • PC Blue Menu Extra Firm Tofu (350 g):  $1.99
  • Garlic powder (1 tbsp): $0.08
  • Onion powder (1 tbsp): $0.08
  • Olive oil (2 tbsp)- $0.15
  • 1 red pepper & 1 yellow pepper:  $3.99
  • Green onion:  $1.50
  • Pesto (½ cup):  $2.00

Total recipe cost (4 servings): $13.93
Total cost per serving: $4.23

How to Make Edamame Pasta with Tofu and Veggies 

For this protein-rich dish, you start by pressing the extra liquid out of the tofu, seasoning it, and then cooking it over medium heat. Cook the peppers and green onions while the pasta is cooking. Toss it all together and top it with pesto. 

Note: You can make this with regular pesto with basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and olive oil, or try the arugula pesto in this Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep for something different!

How to Serve Edamame Pasta with Tofu and Veggies

This is pretty much an entire meal unto itself, so you won't likely need much more to serve it with. If for some reason you want to up the ante, cook a fried egg and serve it on top!

How to Store Edamame Pasta with Tofu and Veggies

Once this meal is prepped, it will keep for 4 to 5 days in sealed, airtight containers in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave or in a hot skillet with a little bit of oil if need be. 

We don't recommend freezing any dishes with tofu because it just gets way too waterlogged, and the texture suffers quite a bit when you defrost and try to reheat it.

Substitutions and Alterations

  • Use another plant-based, gluten-free pasta if desired; you can find pasta with quinoa, red lentils, black beans, and chickpeas. It's up to you! 
  • If you're a meat eater, chicken, steak, or shrimp would work well in this dish. We like having a bag of frozen shrimp on hand at all times for meal emergencies and pasta works great. 
  • Not into peppers? No problem. Mushrooms are great (and relatively inexpensive), and broccoli, carrots, or cauliflower can be substituted here, too.
  • If you wanted to go in a more Asian direction with this dish, drizzle the whole thing with a bit of sesame oil along with the sesame seeds.
  • Toss in some frozen peas or edamame, removed from the pods, for more easy veggie action. 

Tips for Cooking Tofu

It's so important to drain the tofu well before you cook it. Otherwise, it won't properly sear in the pan and it will stay soggy. There are a few ways to do this. For this recipe, we suggest pressing it out by wrapping it in a towel on a cutting board. Then, place something heavy on top such as a couple of cookbooks, a stack of cutting boards, or a few skillets you can nest one inside the other. Let the tofu sit for five or ten minutes and then remove your apparatus around it. Remove the dish towel and chances are, your tofu will feel drier to the touch. (It won't be completely dry, just won't feel as heavy with liquid).

(Recipe used with permission from Nicole Osinga)

READ MORE: More tofu, please! Firecracker Tofu Recipe! Crispy Sheet Pan Tofu!

$3 Edamame Pasta with Tofu and Veggies

$4 Edamame Pasta with Tofu and Veggies

A light, yet filling and protein-packed vegetarian meal.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Meal Prep, Tofu
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 429kcal
Author: Nicole Osinga

Ingredients

  • 1 package extra firm tofu
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ea red bell pepper diced
  • 1 ea yellow bell pepper diced
  • 2 ea green onions chopped
  • 8 oz organic edamame spaghetti
  • ½ cup pesto
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds optional
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • To press tofu, wrap tofu in an absorbent towel on a cutting board. Weight it down with cookbooks, cutting boards, or something else heavy for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Cook the pasta according to the package directions while tofu presses.
  • Remove the tofu from its towel wrap and cut into cubes. Toss in a small bowl with olive oil along with onion and garlic powders.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once heated, add coated tofu and fry until all sides are firm and starting to brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  • Cook the peppers and green onions in the skillet until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Once pasta is cooked and tofu is fried, toss with peppers and onion in a large bowl. Top with pesto. Serve immediately, or portion into four servings in meal prep containers, and refrigerate.

Nutrition

Calories: 429kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 1173mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 11.6mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 9.7mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritter Meal Prep

January 16, 2023 by Nick Quintero 2 Comments

Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritter Meal Prep

Cheesy Mexican cauliflower fritter meal prep is an easy spicy, low-carb breakfast or snack. Adjust the spices to suit your taste buds.

Isn't this a pretty-looking meal prep? It's all about the cauliflower, friends. We love these cheesy cauliflower fritters, which instead of all-purpose flour, call for coconut and almond flours. And you know what that means? This is a gluten-free dish. Score for a gluten-free and healthy meal prep!

Fritters are great as a meal prep recipe because they cook quickly and both reheat and freeze well. We like these for almost any meal or a snack but we're partial to breakfast and lunch. These Mexican cauliflower fritters are hearty and healthy, with a hit of heat and some good cheese, too.

 

Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritter Meal Prep

 

Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritter Meal Prep

Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritter Meal Prep Ingredients

  • 1 large cauliflower head, chopped into florets (~3 cups cauliflower florets)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup Mexican shredded cheese
  • ⅔ cup almond flour
  • 1 tbsp. coconut flour
  • 1 jalapeno pepper
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • Coconut oil, butter or ghee for cooking, as desired

How to Make Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritters

First, boil the cauliflower until it's soft. Then, gather the other ingredients. You'll need a food processor or a good high-speed blender to bring the batter together. Process the cauliflower, eggs, cheese, almond and coconut flours, along with the jalapeno pepper and salt. These cook in a hot skillet that you've prepped with coconut oil, butter, or ghee. They cook pretty fast and will be eaten even faster when you're finished prepping them. 

How to Serve and Store Cauliflower Fritters

You can serve these cheesy fritters hot, warm, or at room temperature; it's your preference. But once they're prepped they'll keep in your airtight meal prep containers for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in a hot skillet as desired; the microwave might make them a tad gummy. 

Additional slices of jalapenos are a nice touch when serving.

They're great just as they are, especially for a quick lunch. But for a more substantive meal, you can serve these alongside rice (cauliflower or otherwise) or quinoa, and a nice green salad, too.

For longer storage, wrap the fritters in aluminum foil and transfer them to a zip-close bag that's freezer safe. Label it with the contents and the date. You can reheat these right from frozen, wrapped in foil, in a 350 F oven. (A toaster oven is a huge help in this situation, too.) 

Substitutions and Alterations for Fritters

These look extra pretty because of the multicolored cauliflower, but you can certainly use regular white cauliflower. But, if you find purple or yellow cauliflower, go for it!

Broccoli would work here, too either instead of or in combination with the cauliflower. It'll just give it a slightly different taste. 

We love those shredded Mexican cheese combos you can buy in the dairy section of the grocery store. But you can use regular cheddar or Monterey jack cheese on their own. If you really want to up the heat, use a jalapeno cheddar or jack cheese. Or both! Or up the ante and try a hotter pepper if desired, such as a serrano.  

Tips for Using Jalapenos

Don't touch your face after handling a jalapeno, especially your eyes or mouth. Better yet, use some gloves. 

If you want a less spicy experience with this or any hot pepper, slice it open lengthwise and remove the seeds using the side of a spoon. Discard the seeds and proceed with the recipe.

READ MORE: We love cauliflower, and we think you'll dig this Low-Carb Bacon Cauliflower Soup!

Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritter Meal Prep

Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritter Meal Prep

Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritter Meal Prep

Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritter Meal Prep

Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Fritter Meal Prep

These cheesy Mexican cauliflower fritters make a spicy, low-carb and gluten-free breakfast, lunch, snack or even dinner! Easy to meal prep and adjust the spice according to your taste buds.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Meal Prep
Servings: 3 meals
Calories: 279kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 3 cup cauliflower florets
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup shredded Mexican cheese
  • ¾ cup almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • 1 jalapeno pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • coconut oil for cooking (not included in macros below)
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Boil the cauliflower in a large pot of water until the cauliflower is fork tender. Drain the water.
  • Transfer the drained cauliflower to the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender and add the remaining ingredients. Process until you have a smooth batter.
  • Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat, and lightly grease with coconut oil, butter, or ghee.
  • Scoop ¼ cup of the batter onto the skillet to form a fritter. You can fit a few in the pan at a time. Cook for 5 minutes per side until both sides are golden brown.
  • Transfer to a wire baking rack to cool.
  • Repeat the cooking process with the remaining batter.
  • Transfer cauliflower fritters to meal prep containers with roasted cauliflower (if desired) and sliced jalapenos.

Notes

Macros for 1 out of 3 meals (1 meal = 4 fritters)
13g Protein | 12g Carbs | 21g Fat | 279 Calories | 5g Fiber

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 21g | Fiber: 5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Egg Potato and Broccoli Breakfast Meal Prep

January 16, 2023 by Laura M 5 Comments

Egg, Potato, and Broccoli Breakfast Meal Prep

Egg Potato and Broccoli Breakfast Meal Prep will make your mornings amazingly delicious and easier!

Hey there, Meal Prep family. Our friend Laura (@cookathomemom)made this amazing meal prep that will make your busy morning routine just a tiny bit easier. Here's what she had to say about this nutritious breakfast she loves to make to support her healthy eating goals.

I recently started planning and prepping each week's meals to help uncomplicate my whole30. And even more helpful than all the time it saves? The mental energy! I grocery shop once a week, so there are no more "quick" runs just to pick up the one or two things I forgot, and I never have to wonder what in the world I'll be making for the next meal.

Every week, I pre-cut a ton of veggies, and I try to pre-pack at least one meal for us (usually lunch, sometimes breakfast). Here, I prepped a few meals with soft-boiled eggs, duck fat roasted potato wedges, and broccoli rice. 

Egg, Potato, and Broccoli Paleo Breakfast Meal Prep

Egg Potato and Broccoli Breakfast Meal Prep Ingredients

  • 8 eggs
  • 2 broccoli crowns
  • 4 medium red potatoes
  • 4 tbsp. rendered duck fat, or olive, coconut, or avocado oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ⅛ tsp. cayenne pepper, optional, or paprika

How to Make Egg Potato and Broccoli Meal Prep

This is one easy breakfast and can be prepped in stages, which is helpful. All the components are cooked separately but none of it is difficult to pull off for this healthy meal prep. Boil the eggs ahead of time and peel and stash them in the fridge in a sealed container. The broccoli basically becomes "riced" like we often like to do with cauliflower rice, and then cooked in a skillet. Additionally, the potatoes can roast ahead of time. Store it all in the fridge and reheat the potatoes when it's time to eat. 

How to Store Egg Potato and Broccoli Breakfast

All of these components can be stored together right in meal prep containers. They'll keep for 4 to 5 days. You could make the potatoes and broccoli "rice" and freeze it after cooking or even ahead of time if needed. Hard-boiled eggs, however, do not really freeze well. 

How to Serve 

The egg can be served at room temperature or even straight from the fridge. Either way is fine. Reheat the potatoes and rice together in a warm skillet with a bit of oil or rendered duck fat (if you're feeling a little decadent!) Potatoes are always better when they're hot. 

Substitutions and Alterations

Definitely use cauliflower rice if you've got a head of it in the fridge, or you have already meal-prepped it for the week (and if so, good on you!)

Use sweet potatoes instead of Russets or Yukon golds, if you like. 

Toss the potatoes with dried or fresh herbs if you don't want the cayenne. Potatoes are great with rosemary, thyme, paprika, tarragon, chives, and parsley. Or mix and match. 

Tips

You can cook the eggs for this breakfast meal prep just slightly under completely hard-boiled if you like. That's how you'll get a yolk that looks a bit runny like hers do here. Or cook them until they're totally done. It's your call! (Check out our post on How to Cook Eggs: 5 Ways, for more guidance.)

READ MORE: Egg, Sweet Potato and Sausage Breakfast Meal Prep

Save this recipe on Pinterest on your Breakfast or Whole30 Board:

Whole30 Breakfast Meal Prep Recipe

Egg, Potato, and Broccoli Paleo Breakfast Meal Prep

Egg Potato and Broccoli Breakfast Meal Prep

Here is an easy Whole30 meal prep combo: Egg, Potato, and Broccoli Breakfast Meal Prep
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Egg, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 278.56kcal
Author: Laura M

Ingredients

  • 8 large eggs
  • 2 each broccoli crowns cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 medium red potatoes cut into ½-inch wedges
  • 4 tablespoon rendered duck fat (or olive/avocado oil)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Potatoes

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  • In a bowl, mix together duck fat and seasonings, then add the potatoes. Toss to coat.
  • Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once.

Broccoli

  • In small batches, add the broccoli to your blender or food processor, and pulse until broken down into rice-sized pieces.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of duck fat in a large saute pan. Add the riced broccoli and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 5 to 7 minutes, until it turns dark green. Season to taste.

Eggs

  • Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Carefully add the eggs one at a time.
  • Allow the eggs to cook over medium heat in the simmering water for 7 minutes.
  • Remove the eggs and place them in an ice bath of water for a few minutes to stop them from cooking.
  • Peel the eggs and transfer each one to its own meal prep container, along with the riced broccoli and potatoes. Seal and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 278.56kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.49g | Protein: 4.41g | Fat: 14.54g | Saturated Fat: 2.08g | Cholesterol: 7.44mg | Sodium: 623.35mg | Potassium: 969.15mg | Fiber: 3.75g | Sugar: 2.8g | Vitamin A: 118.94IU | Vitamin C: 18.76mg | Calcium: 21.3mg | Iron: 1.63mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meal Prep

January 16, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Whole30 Bacon Wrapped Chicken

 Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meal Prep

Bacon Wrapped Chicken meal prep is a Whole30 recipe made in a skillet in less than 20 minutes! Filling, delicious and packed with protein. Pair with your favorite veggies and sweet potato fries for an easy meal. 

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meal Prep. Yup, you read that right. Everything is better when it's wrapped in bacon, right? Who would have thought you could have such an easy and incredible meal for lunch at work?! And bacon? Next to avocado, it is seriously the best thing ever. We know you agree!

Keep this high-protein and low carb by serving it alone or ramped up the fiber and carbs by adding in coconut oil roasted brussels sprouts and sweet potato fries. So, whether you are doing Whole30 or not we highly recommend making this meal. All of your co-workers will have food envy when they smell this coming from your office.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meal Prep Ingredients:

  • 4- 4 oz. chicken breasts 
  • 8 slices nitrate and sugar-free bacon  
  • 1 tsp. paprika 
  • 1 tsp. thyme 
  • 1 tsp. onion powder 
  • Salt & pepper, to taste 
  • Brussels sprouts, as desired
  • Sweetpotato fries, as desired

How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Chicken

You wrap the bacon around the chicken. Then you cook the bacon briefly in the skillet, so it gets a bit crispy. The whole thing bakes in the oven, so it's a pretty hands-off process. In less than 20 minutes or so, the chicken is ready. In the meantime, you can add some veggies to the process by putting them on a sheet pan alongside the chicken (just be sure to remove the chicken, because it will probably finish faster than the veggies, depending.) We're calling for sweet potato fries (which you can pop into the air fryer while the chicken bakes) and Brussels sprouts, which you can steam or roast in the oven alongside the chicken.

How to Store Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Meal Prep

Once this is prepped, it will keep in the air-tight meal prep containers for up to 4 days. Feel free to reheat everything in the microwave or in in the oven at around 350 F for about 10 to 15 minutes.

You can freeze all components of this chicken meal prep. The bacon might not revive well once you reheat it, but you can always wrap it in fresh bacon!

Substitutions and Alterations

Feel free to roast other veggies alongside the chicken if you want to turn this into a sheet pan dinner. In that case, we'd recommend starting the veggies first while you're dealing with the bacon-wrapped chicken in the skillet. Then, you can add the veggies (cut up some sweet potatoes and slice the Brussels sprouts in half) right to the rimmed baking sheet with the chicken if you like. Bacon and Brussels sprouts are especially good together.

Or, use a different cut of chicken (thighs would work), or change the veggies entirely. Yukon gold potatoes and broccoli are a good combo. Or go totally all bacon with our Bacon-Wrapped Potato Wedges recipe.

Tip for Chicken Breast Prep

If your chicken breast is very thick, pound it down with a mallet so it's thinner first. You want each breast to be evenly sized all the way through so the chicken and bacon cook perfectly. 

READ MORE: Salmon & Bacon Rice Meal Prep

 

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meal Prep Recipe

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meal Prep

Whole30 Bacon Wrapped Chicken made in a skillet in less than 20 minutes! Filling, delicious and packed with protein. Pair with your favorite veggies and sweet potato fries for any easy meal. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bacon, Chicken, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 451kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 4 4-oz boneless chicken breasts
  • 8 slices paleo-friendly bacon
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt & pepper to taste
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat a large oven-safe skillet on the stove over medium heat. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  • Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each chicken breast. If your chicken breast is very thick, pound it down with a mallet so it's thinner first. You want each breast to be evenly sized all the way through so the chicken and bacon cook perfectly. 
  • Place each wrapped chicken breast on the preheated skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side.  
  • Place the skillet in the oven. Bake at 350 F 10 minutes. This makes the bacon extra crispy! 
  • Serve with your favorite vegetable and a side of sweet potato fries. 

Video

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings (does not include sides):
30g Protein, 5g Fat, 0g Carbs
Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings with ½ cup brussels sprouts, 1 cup sweet potatoes, 1 tbs coconut oil to cook vegetables:
35g Protein, 19g Fat, 35g Carbs
 
 
Recipe Courtesy Of SkinnyFitALicious

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 19g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meal Prep Recipe

Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep

January 16, 2023 by Nick Quintero 1 Comment

Meal Prep Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep

This chili meal prep comes together in the slow cooker and fills your house with warm and comforting Whole30 vibes!

Have you ever had pumpkin chili? It's a great way to use that can of pumpkin puree you bought months ago. Maybe you thought you were going to make pumpkin bread one day. And so maybe that can is lingering in the back of your pantry? (Maybe it's just me...)

Whatever the case, this pumpkin chili meal prep is a healthy recipe made easy; it's a mostly hands-off thanks to the trusty slow cooker. It also makes for a comforting Whole30 meal!

Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep

This Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep recipe is not only easy, but packed with the best sweet and spicy flavors of fall. It is whole30, gluten-free, and has more than 30 grams of protein. Yes!

This super filling recipe is loaded with grass-fed ground beef, pumpkin, tomatoes, and veggies. It's an ideal lunch to take with you to work; it'll warm you on a cool fall day.

Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep Ingredients

  • 1 lb. grass-fed ground beef (or ground meat of choice)
  • 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup white onion, diced
  • 3 tbsp. minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • ½ tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. chipotle chili powder
  • ½ tsp. cumin
  • 1 tsp. dried parsley, plus more for garnish
  • Salt and pepper, to taste 
Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep

How to Make Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep

This is literally a set-it-and-forget-it kind of meal. Well, not forget it entirely; the slow cooker keeps track of time for you. But you don't have to do anything here to prep other than add everything to the cooker, close the lid, set the timer, and then walk away.

How to Serve Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep

This recipe, like most on here, works well for both lunch or dinner. And if you are following a Whole30 diet, it could even work for breakfast!

Want to up the protein and flavor? Top this hearty chili with a cracked egg for a creamy addition! Trust us, it's incredible!

If you're eating carbs, a good crusty loaf of bread is awesome with this. If you're following Whole30, we apologize for that last sentence.

How to Store Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep

If you know chili, you know it's best the day after. And the day after that. This will keep in the fridge, all prepped and ready, for up to 5 days. And the beauty of it? You can also freeze this for up to 3 or 4 months. You know the drill for reheating: in the microwave, on the stove top, or in the fridge overnight.

Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep

Substitutions and Alterations

Canned sweet potato works great here, too. Sometimes canned pumpkin can be hard to find.

Feel free to use ground turkey, chicken, or pork if desired, or a combination of ground meats for a different flavor.

We really like to add a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley on top of this chili. Cilantro would work, too.

READ MORE: Make this White Chicken Chili or this 10-Minute Chili Meal Prep!

Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep Recipe

Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep

Pumpkin Chili made easy in a crockpot. Slow cooked to perfection for a hearty, warm and comforting Whole30 meal! 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours hours
Total Time: 3 hours hours 10 minutes minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Beef, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 main dishes
Calories: 453kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 15oz can pure pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup green pepper diced
  • 1 cup white onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley plus additional for garnish
  • salt & pepper to taste
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all ingredients in a slow cooker.  
  • With a spatula break up the meat and stir the ingredients to distribute evenly. 
  • Cover and cook on low 6 hours or high 3 hours. 
  • Remove from the slow cooker and serve immediately garnished with parsley or divide into meal prep containers for the week.

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings:
35g Protein, 31g Carbs, 21g Fat
 
*This recipe will freeze well for up to 6 weeks

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 21g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
Meal Prep Idea: Crockpot Pumpkin Chili Meal Prep

Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

January 16, 2023 by Nick Quintero 13 Comments

(Vegan) Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep  blog

Arugula pesto is easy and tastes great with pasta and tons of other green veggies. Serve this vegan dish at room temperature or hot. Either way, you'll love this vegan arugula pesto pasta meal prep!

Just look at this pasta dish. It's glowing with the promise good health! Admittedly, we don't do a whole ton around here with pasta, but this one, we can get behind big time. Can you even count how many different veggies are in there? No, because they're all green! We've done the counting for you for this healthy meal prep, so don't worry. Broccoli, zucchini, peas to start. You can fill in the rest for this vegan pasta meal prep. 

What is Pesto? 

Pesto is basically a sauce and it's traditionally made with basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and olive oil, but you can make pesto with any kind of green. Here we use arugula for a peppery bite, but you can also make pesto with carrot greens, parsley, or spinach. To make this vegan pesto, we use nutritional yeast for its nutty taste, to substittue the Parmesan, and walnuts add nutrition and are far less expensive than pine nuts for making pesto.

Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

 

Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep Ingredients

For the pasta . . . 

  • 8 oz pasta of choice
  • 2 tsp. avocado oil, or oil of choice
  • 2 cups sliced zucchini, halves or quarters
  • 2 cups frozen green peas
  • 4 cups broccoli florets, steamed or roasted
  • 8  tbps. arugula pesto, or more to taste

For the arugula pesto . . . 

  • 1 cup lightly toasted walnuts
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp. ground black pepper

How to Make Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

All those ingredients for the pesto combine in the bowl of a food processor. Combine them and process until smooth. You cook the pasta according to package directions, save a little of the water to thin out the pesto if needed, and then cook the veggies, too in a skillet while the pasta cooks. 

Substitutions and Alterations 

Use whatever kind of pasta you like but we are partial to short and stubby types, such as this rotini. Penne, ziti, or campanelle would work. The short pasta is especially good if you decide to serve this as a cold or room temperature pasta salad. It's versatile. 

Feel free to use any kind of plant-based gluten-free pasta here instead, such as a chickpea or quinoa based pasta. 

How to Serve Arugula Pesto Pasta

Meal prep this for the week and it's good for 4 to 5 days. You can certainly reheat this healthy meal prep in the microwave, just keep an eye on it. The stovetop works well too. Either way, add a bit of water to the pasta (or olive oil) to make sure it does not dry out (microwave) or stick to the pan (stovetop).

You can freeze any leftover pesto. We love to use ice cube trays for this task, and then once the pesto is frozen into cubes, pop them out of the tray. Transfer to a zip-close plastic bag and label it with the contents and date. Then, when it's time to use it again, just take it out of the freezer and pop it right into the pot with cooked pasta. The heat from the pasta will defrost the pesto; just keep stirring until it's combined.

Tips for Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

You can make the pesto a day ahead of when you want to cook this meal and prep it for the week (or for immediate consumption!). 

READ MORE: More Pasta! 20-Minute Chicken Lemon Broccoli Pasta Skillet!

Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

(Vegan) Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep  blog

Vegan Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

Arugula Pesto Pasta Meal Prep

Pasta of your choice is dressed with a quick homemade arugula pesto and tossed with zucchini, green peas, and broccoli. This vegan pasta dish tastes great chilled or hot.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Meal Prep, Pasta
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 635kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces pasta gluten free, if needed
  • 2 teaspoon avocado oil
  • 2 cups sliced zucchini
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • 4 cups broccoli florets steamed or roasted
  • 8 tbs arugula pesto or more, if desired

Arugula Pesto (makes about 1 cup)

  • 1 cup lightly toasted walnuts
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon fresh squeeze lemon juice
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Pasta

  • Cook pasta al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of cooking water and drain the rest.
  • While pasta is cooking, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Then add sliced zucchini and cook for 3-5 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Cook frozen peas according to package instructions.

Arugula Pesto

  • Place walnuts, garlic, arugula, nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with thte blade. Pulse for a few seconds until walnuts are roughly chopped. With the food processor running, slowly pour in olive oil. Continue to process until mixture is well combined. Taste for seasoning and adjust with additional salt, pepper, or nutritional yeast to your preference.
  • In a large bowl, combine pasta, zucchini, green peas, broccoli, and arugula pesto. Add 2 tablespoons of reserved pasta water to moisten the miixture. Add additional pasta water asdesired, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add additional arugula pesto as desired. Serve pasta chilled, at room temperature, or hot.

Notes

WW Smart Points= Green:17  Blue:14  Purple:14
__
Nutrition for 1 out of 4 meals:
28g Protein | 62g Carbs | 34g Fat | 14.5g Fiber | 635 Calories

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 34g | Fiber: 14.5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

 

Low Carb Pizza Meal Prep Recipe

January 15, 2023 by Sarah Kesseli Leave a Comment

Low carb pizza isn't a joke! It's a real thing, and we think you'll love this healthy meal prep!

Pizza for lunch? We think so! This Low Carb Pizza Meal Prep is one healthy alternative you can enjoy all week long!

A low-carb diet limits carbohydrates - such as those found in grains, starchy vegetables, and fruit - and emphasizes foods high in protein and fat. Many types of low-carb diets exist. Each diet has varying restrictions on the types and amounts of carbohydrates you can eat.

Why Eat Low Carb?

A low-carb diet is generally used for losing weight. Some low-carb diets may have health benefits beyond weight loss, such as reducing risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, says the Mayo Clinic.

Fun Fact: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that carbohydrates make up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calorie intake. So if you consume 2,000 calories a day, you would need to eat between 900 and 1,300 calories a day from carbohydrates. That is, if you aren't following a low-carb diet. Your macros might very well be different. (Check out our macros calculator!)

Low Carb Pizza Meal Prep

Tradition has it that Fridays are normally "take out" lunch days! Pizza, burgers, Chinese food, you name it. But what's healthiest? This can wreak havoc on your meal-planning efforts, but if you are eating a low-carb diet, you don't have to miss out. Why not enjoy your pizza and stay on track with this low-carb alternative?

How to Make Low-Carb Pizza

This dish is inexpensive and loaded with veggies, to boot, both of which are increasingly important these days. That's because we aren't using any kind of traditional carbohydrate as the base for your "pizza." Much as our other low-carb "pizza" dishes use chicken (like this Pizza Chicken Meal Prep) as the base, we are using spaghetti squash.

Tips for Low-Carb Pizza

Feel free to use that or another kind of squash, such as butternut. We know it's not the same as a crunchy crush, but you'll still get all of the flavors of pizza, but none of the extra carbohydrates.

If you eat cheese, t hen by all means add some shredded mozzarella or cheddar (or a combo of both) to the top of this "pizza" after you add the sauce and return the dish to the oven. We also like sliced sausage on this pizza, too.

Low Carb "Pizza" Meal Prep Recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 large spaghetti squash, roasted ($2.00)
  • 2 large eggs ($1.00)
  • ¼ cup egg whites ($1.00)
  • ½-3/4 cup pizza sauce ($1.00)
  • 2 ounces pepperoni ($1.00)
  • Pizza seasoning, to taste

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F
  2. Line an oven-safe dish with foil.
  3. Mix together the eggs, egg whites, pizza seasoning, and cooked spaghetti squash.
  4. Transfer to the foil-lined baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and top with pizza sauce and pepperoni.
  6. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing.
  8. Serve over spinach.

Total Prep Cost: Approximately $6.00

Cost Per Meal: $1.50

This is the easiest How To Make Low Carb 'Pizza' Meal Prep Recipe on the web!

READ MORE PIZZA MEAL PREPS

  • Cold Veggie Pizza Meal Prep
  • Keto Pizza Frittata Meal Prep
  • Hawaiian Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

Essential Oil Swap | doTERRA and Now Foods Essential Oils

January 15, 2023 by Nick Quintero 1 Comment

Essentail-Oil-Swaps

Essential oil swap! You can exchange one brand's blend for a similar one from another brand, and use them in similar ways. Learn more!

One of the greatest benefits of essential oils is that their uses and benefits tend to overlap. So even if you are a devoted user of, say, doTerra, you might want to try something different. Or maybe you run out of a particular type of oil and you need something else in a pinch. DoTerra is not a brand that's sold in stores (you order it online), whereas NOW oils are often found in grocery stores or health food stores and you can get them faster. In situations where your go-to is not readily on hand, or during times when you want to try something else for a different aroma, you can try substituting a NOW oil for some of doTerra's most popular oils and blends.

doterra-styled-oils1

Although oils can share key benefits, there are still tradeoffs. No two oils are going to be exactly the same, for a host of reasons, starting with the sourcing of the plants and the way the oils are created.

And please keep in mind that essential oils vary in quality. There is research to suggest there are health benefits to essential oils, which we've linked to here in this article. But the FDA doesn't monitor or regulate the purity or quality of oils. So, it's important to talk to a healthcare provider before using them, and research the brands. And always dilute with a carrier oil (such as coconut, grapeseed, argan, almond, etc.) and do a patch test when trying a new oil, to determine reactivity. 

10 Popular Essential Oils and Their Uses

  • Peppermint: used to boost energy and aid digestion
  • Lavender: used to relieve stress
  • Sandalwood: used to calm nerves and help with focus
  • Bergamot: used to reduce stress and improve skin conditions like eczema
  • Rose: used to improve mood and reduce anxiety
  • Chamomile: used to improve mood and relaxation
  • Ylang-Ylang: used to help with blood pressure and nausea
  • Tea Tree: used to fight infections and boost immunity
  • Jasmine: used to help with depression, childbirth, and libido
  • Lemon: used to aid digestion, mood, headaches, and more

Source: Healthline

With this in mind, we've listed some of the most popular Essential Oils and the closest swap if you're out of doTerra or looking for something different. You can usually find NOW essential oils at health food stores or some grocery stores.  

Here are the Top 10 most popular Essential Oil Swaps

  1. Doterra On Guard > NOW Essential Oils Nature's Shield
  2. Doterra Wild Orange > NOW Essential Oils Organic Orange
  3. Doterra Lemon > NOW Essential Oils Organic Lemon
  4. Doterra Tea Tree > NOW Essential Oils Organic Tea Tree
  5. Doterra Breathe > NOW Essential Oils Clear the Air
  6. Doterra DigestZen > DoTerra recommends that this blend be used by ingesting the oil, NOW does not recommend ingesting essential oils. We'd recommend instead using a balancing blend in this spot with our Peace & Harmony blend.
  7. Doterra Peppermint > NOW Essential Oils Organic Peppermint Oil
  8. Doterra Lavender > NOW Essential Oils Organic Lavender
  9. Doterra Serenity > NOW Essential Oils Peaceful Sleep
  10. Doterra Spearmint > NOW Essential Spearmint

10-Essentail-Oil-Swaps

 

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

January 15, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Gluten Free Buffalo Mac & Cheese Meal Prep

Comfort food is universally delicious and everyone has a favorite! As the name suggests, comfort food reminds us of simple, home-cooked, satisfying recipes. Who doesn't remember Mom making us macaroni and cheese, and eating buffalo wings with family for the Super Bowl?

What if you could combine two of your favorite comfort foods into one healthy dish? Well, you just hit the jackpot with this Buffalo Mac and Cheese meal prep recipe!

Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Meal Prep

But what makes this buffalo chicken mac and cheese a healthier alternative? Gluten-free pasta, of course! Not only is gluten unhealthy for people with sensitivities or celiac disease, but it adds a lot of carbs to any meal containing the ingredient. If you're one of our many keto advocate readers, this buffalo chicken mac and cheese meal prep recipe is absolutely for you!

Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Meal Prep

If you've made it this far reading, it's safe to assume you're a fan of spicy foods--and just like how everyone has a favorite comfort food, we know you probably have a favorite hot sauce. One of our favorite things about this recipe is that you can add absolutely any hot sauce you please. We encourage you to experiment with a variety of different hot sauces from week to week. Whether you're a Tobasco, Tapatío, Frank's Red Hot, or even a sriracha person, this buffalo chicken mac and cheese meal prep recipe is sure to get you fired up! ?

What do a party size order of of buffalo wings and a healthy, balanced diet have in common? A side of fresh veggies, like carrot and celery sticks! We highly recommend these particular veggies because they make a great, classic pairing with this buffalo chicken mac and cheese meal prep recipe. They'd even fit perfectly in the small compartment of any of these meal prep containers.

Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Ingredients:

Buffalo Chicken

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound chicken breasts
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ¼ cup hot sauce*

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese

  • 1 8-ounce box Chickapea Pasta shells (or other gluten free pasta)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon arrowroot
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
  • ¾ cup white cheddar, grated
  • ½ cup parmesan, grated
Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Meal Prep

This buffalo chicken mac and cheese meal prep recipe makes 4 servings, and is sure to go over well with kids! Alternatively, 4 servings means you get 4 separate, healthy, keto-friendly prepped meals. Each serving offers a generous 52.4g of protein and only 42.3g of carbs.

Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Meal Prep

Pressed for time? Not a problem, it happens to all of us. This buffalo chicken mac and cheese only takes 20 minutes to prep! That's most certainly a smart time investment, considering how much time you'd normally spend packing a lunch every morning before work.

There are many reasons to love this buffalo mac and cheese recipe, but check out our sun-dried tomato, broccoli, and portobello mushroom mac and cheese recipe as well, if you're looking for a different flavor for your fare. Or, if you just can't get enough buffalo chicken in your life, take a look at our recipe for buffalo chicken stuffed peppers here! Happy meal prepping!

Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Meal Prep
Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Meal Prep
Gluten Free Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese Meal Prep

Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese

Two comfort food classics collide in this gluten free pasta dish. A creamy macaroni and cheese is topped with chunks of spicy buffalo chicken. Serve with carrot sticks and celery, and extra hot sauce if you'd like!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: Meal Prep, Pasta
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 550kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

Buffalo Chicken

  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 pound Chicken Breast
  • salt & pepper as desired
  • 1 tbs Butter
  • ¼ cup hot sauce

Creamy Mac & Cheese

  • 1 box gluten free pasta
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 tbs arrowroot flour
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
  • ¾ cup white cheddar cheese grated
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese

To Serve

  • Carrots cut into slices
  • celerey cut into slices
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Boil pasta per package directions. Drain and rinse, then set aside.
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken breasts, and season with salt and pepper. Flip, and cook until both sides are browned and the chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove chicken from pan, and chop into bite sized pieces.
  • In the skillet, add butter and hot sauce, and then add the chopped chicken. Stir to coat chicken, and then scoop chicken out into a bowl. Do not rinse pan. Leave the hot sauce in the pan to help flavor the cheese sauce.
  • In a bowl, whisk milk with arrowroot, sea salt and mustard powder.
  • Pour milk mixture into the pan, and continue to whisk as the milk warms and begins to bubble, until the mixture has thickened.
  • Add both cheeses, and stir until the cheese has melted into a creamy sauce.
  • Add in the cooked pasta, and remove from heat. Stir to evenly coat pasta.
  • Serve pasta topped with buffalo chicken and carrots and celery sticks.

Video

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings:
52.4g Protein | 42.3g Carbs | 20.1g Fat | 8.1g Fiber | 550 Calories
Notes:
*¼ cup sauce will make a mild dish. If you’d like this spicier, add up to double the amount of hot sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.3g | Protein: 52.4g | Fat: 20.1g | Fiber: 8.1g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
Gluten Free Buffalo Mac & Cheese blog

Turkey Wrap

January 15, 2023 by Meal Prep Mondays Leave a Comment

Turkey Wrap 777x431

This turkey wrap is made with a few easy ingredients. Meal prep this on Sunday, and you're set for the week! Perfect for school lunches!

It's hard to beat the appeal of a wrap for lunchtime. Prep this simple wrap ahead of time for the ultimate easy lunch; you can even freeze it! If you're on the go, working from home, or have school-age kids to feed, this is a slam dunk.

Turkey Wrap Ingredients

  • 4 spinach wraps
  • 8 ounces turkey breast
  • 4 ounces cheese, any kind
  • 2 cups baby spinach
  • 2 tablespoon Primal Kitchen Chipotle Mayo

It's that simple!

Turkey Wrap

How to Make Turkey Wraps

Open up that wrap, and spread on some of this delicious chipotle mayo. Add the turkey, then the cheese. Top with the baby spinach. Fold both sides in half and then roll it all up. Repeat, and then add each wrap to a meal prep container or, better yet, wrap them in foil. You can freeze one, or none, or all of them!

We like the products from Primal Kitchen because they're as clean as possible, gluten-free, along with paleo, keto, and Whole30 friendly. The mayo has no soy or canola oil, either! (If you don't like chipotle, use your own mayo, but a squirt of lime juice mixed into the mayo will give this turkey wrap a flavor boost!)

How to Serve Turkey Wraps

You are right: You're seeing Sun Chips in this photo, but you do you. Other really good crunchy sides could include celery sticks, cucumber slices, or baby carrots-and those would certainly up your veggie intake. Grape tomatoes are great, too, and require no prep other than washing.

Other good sides include an energy ball or two, more baby greens, or a handful of nuts such as almonds, cashews, or pistachios.

How to Store Turkey Wraps

Like any sandwich, these wraps will keep in the fridge for a few days in airtight, sealed meal prep containers. Then, just grab and go!

If you're super gung-ho about planning, by all means wrap these wraps (pun intended!) in foil and freeze them. Pull one out the night before you intend to eat it and defrost in the fridge. Then, pack them the next day for you or your child's lunch! We promise, once you start doing these little things ahead of time, you'll wonder how and why you never did it before. Truly a time saver!

Substitutions and Alterations

  • Leftover roasted chicken or turkey would be delicious in this wrap.
  • Substitute baby arugula for spinach.
  • Stick to a straight-up mayo if adding some kick from chipotle isn't your thing.
  • Any kind of cheese works here, but we like provolone and cheddar in particular. Go spicy and choose a jalapeno Monterey jack cheese if desired, or sliced mozzarella, Cooper sharp, or good old American cheese.

READ MORE: If You Hate Mayo, These Mayo Alternatives Will Save Your Life!

Tips About Deli Meat

We like to buy good quality deli meat. Often, grocery stores will have their own in-house roasted turkey. That's going to be the most flavorful and healthiest turkey you can buy at the deli counter. Most traditional cold cuts contain lots of preservatives and salt. The closer you can get to the real thing, the better!

Turkey Wrap

Turkey Wrap

This simple turkey wrap is great for lunch or can be prepped and frozen for a later date!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: wrap
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 434kcal
Author: Meal Prep Mondays

Ingredients

  • 4 spinach tortillas
  • 8 ounces turkey breast
  • 2 tablespoon Primal Kitchen Chipotle Lime Mayo
  • 4 ounces cheese
  • 2 cups baby spinach
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Spread about half a tablespoon of mayo each on all four tortillas then add the turkey slices. Top with the cheese and a handful of baby spinach.
  • Fold both sides of one tortilla in half and roll itnto a wrap.
  • Add to a container for your lunch and refrigerate. Or, wrap in foil and transfer to a zip-close freezer bag for up to a month.

Notes

This makes four meals.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 799mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1806IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 374mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
Turkey Wrap

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

January 15, 2023 by Nick Quintero 10 Comments

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe

Spicy mustard thyme chicken & coconut roasted Brussels sprouts make for an amazing one-pan dinner.

Doesn't this meal prep recipe look fancy? It only looks that way. We love this one-pan dinner of spicy mustard thyme chicken & coconut roasted Brussels sprouts. Marinate the chicken in mustard, thyme, and lemon juice, and then bake it alongside Brussels sprouts that you've tossed in melted coconut oil.

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Brussels sprouts sliced in half
  • 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about ½ pound)
  • ¼ cup ground spicy mustard
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp. melted coconut oil

We are always looking for new chicken dinners, and those that can be made in one pan, but look this impressive, earn a special place in our repertoire. Serve this during the week, for sure, but it's also classy-looking enough to serve for company, too. No one needs to know how easy it is. This low-carb and whole30/Paleo-compliant meal prep shows you just how easy meal prepping can be.

How to Make Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mustard, lemon juice, and thyme. Let the chicken hang out in the marinade for a few minutes while you prep everything else. The chicken cooks, the sprouts toss in melted coconut oil, and it all comes together in the oven in about a half an hour.

How to Serve Spicy Mustard Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

For those of us looking for a few more carbs in our diet round out this meal with a sweet potato, whole grain pasta, or any white rice alternative. This meal costs about $4 per serving, but even with the extra side, this meal will still cost you less than any takeout. We also like this with mashed potatoes. It's a bit old-fashioned, sure, but it works. If your diet permits, it's worth it. (If you want cauliflower mashed potatoes, see how we do it in this recipe for the Cauliflower Mash Breakfast Bowl.)

How to Store Chicken and Brussels Sprouts

For this spicy chicken thyme dish, we love to meal prep something so especially flavorful and keep it in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, in sealed prep containers. Transfer each serving to an oven-safe dish and cover with foil. Reheat at 350 F for about 10 to 15 minutes, or microwave if that's easier for you.

You can also freeze this completely cooked healthy meal prep, too. Just pop each serving into a zip-close plastic bag suitable for the freezer. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible (this helps prevent freezer burn), and label and date the contents. Defrost in the fridge, and then reheat as directed.

Substitutions and Alterations

If you are following a vegan or vegetarian diet, this spicy mustard thyme marinade is really good on tofu. Let it sit for half an hour or so and then pan-sear it, or cook it with the Brussels sprouts.

Feel free to use fresh thyme if you have it; just be sure to up the amount to about a tablespoon of fresh minced thyme. We also like rosemary and sage with chicken and mustard. Mix up the marinade with any of these herbs.

Double or triple this recipe—we know you're thinking about it. Just make sure your pans are big enough to accommodate the increase without crowding anything. No one likes veggies that get steamed and mushy when they're supposed to be roasted.

Sprinkle the finished Brussels sprouts with some shredded unsweetened coconut for an extra tropical vibe.

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Spicy Mustard Thyme Chicken & Coconut Roasted Brussels Sprouts

A spicy mustard thyme marinade gives chicken incredible flavor, especially when served with roasted Brussels sprouts tossed in melted coconut oil. A fancy but not fussy healthy meal prep that bakes all at once in the oven!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken, Meal Prep
Servings: 2 lunches
Calories: 311kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Brussels sprouts sliced in half
  • ½ pound boneless skinless chicken breasts about two breasts
  • ¼ cup spicy brown mustard
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. thyme
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp. coconut oil melted
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the spicy mustard with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and thyme. Add the chicken breasts and toss to coat. Cover and transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
  • Toss the Brussels sprouts in a medium bowl with melted coconut oil, and a little more salt and pepper. Remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit for 15 minutes at room temperature.
  • Transfer the Brussels sprouts to the prepared baking sheet in an even layer, and transfer the chicken to a glass baking pan.
  • Bake the chicken at 375 F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the Brussels sprouts to the oven and roast for 15 minutes until softened and a bit crispy. (You can always remove the chicken at this point and let the sprouts go a little longer to crisp them up.)
  • Remove from the oven and divide the meal into two servings, placing in individual meal prep containers and transfer to the refrigerator.

Notes

WW Smart Points= Green:8  Blue:4  Purple:4
__
Nutrition For 1 out of 2 Servings:
16g Protein, 4g Fat, 8g Carbs

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 531mg | Potassium: 1371mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1884IU | Vitamin C: 201mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

January 15, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

How to Make Keto Crackers

It's a common misconception that a vegetarian lifestyle is void of healthy snack ideas which can be savored. Our keto crackers promise to be exciting, yet easily made gluten-free healthy snack ideas recipe. Watch how five simple ingredients can be used to create this awesome treat! Within 40 minutes you can have freshly baked crackers to add that crunchy treat with your cheese, nuts or veggies! 

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

How Long Will Keto Crackers Last For?

If you store your crackers in an airtight container, they may remain fresh and delicious for one week. In the refrigerator, once stored in an airtight container, your crackers may last about two weeks. However, they may lose a bit of their crunch when placed in the refrigerator.

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

Can Keto Crackers Be Frozen?

Keto crackers can remain frozen once they are properly stored. But why freeze your crackers when you can just freeze the dough and whip up a fresh batch of crackers?

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

How Do You Make Keto Crackers?

Let's get started with this awesome healthy snack ideas recipe! Are all your instruments and ingredients available? Then we have no time to waste.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all your dry ingredients together in your mixing bowl. Add in your water to your dry ingredients to form your dough. Place your dough within a large piece of parchment on to one side and fold the other side onto the top. Take your rolling pin and spread the dough into a thin sheet.

Once you have flattened your dough, peel off the top layer of the parchment. Using a large knife, cut the flattened dough into 1-inch squares. Slide the crackers from the parchment and place onto a baking tray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Monitor towards the end to prevent your crackers from being burnt.

Once baked, allow your keto crackers to cool for 30 minutes and then break up into individual pieces. That's it people - another simple and tasty healthy snack ideas recipe!

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

How To Portion Keto Crackers?

This healthy snack ideas recipe serves four. We aren't factoring in the vegetables or whatever you decide to complement your keto crackers with. Our compartmentalized containers are perfect for easy storage and reheating! 

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

More Keto Healthy Snack Ideas Recipes

Healthy eating is medicine in itself. Here are a few other Keto recipes which you may also enjoy.

  • Keto Bacon Sausage Meatballs
  • Cheesy Keto Chicken Meatballs
  • Sugar-Free Coconut Balls (Fat Bombs)
Meal Prep Containers by Meal Prep on Fleek x Goodcook

Other Tips For Making Keto Crackers

Yes, improvement for your healthy snack ideas keto crackers is possible! Here are a few tips to achieve this.

  • Use almond flour instead of wheat flour. Almond flour burns faster than wheat which makes it possible to have crispy keto crackers within 25 minutes.
  • If your doe is too sticky, add some more almond flour until the texture improves.
  • Chill your dough before you roll it out for baking as chilling makes it easier to handle the dough.

Amazing how these rather bland keto crackers can make your dips, cheese, nuts, and vegetables taste all the more exotic and healthy! Baked up a batch of our cookies yet? Let us know how our healthy snack ideas keto crackers recipe turned out for you!

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes Ingredients:

  • 1 ¼ cup almond flour
  • ½ teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 teaspoon thyme

To serve:

  • 4 baby bell cheese
  • ½ cup macadamia nuts (or almonds)
  • Tomatoes, optional 
  • Cucumbers, optional
Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

These easy keto crackers are made with just 4 ingredients and take about 5 minutes to prepare and put in the oven. Watch them closely as almond flour burns faster than wheat flour. Serve these crackers with cheese and veggies or nuts for a healthy on-the-go keto snack or light meal.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: keto, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 snacks
Calories: 388kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

For the crackers

  • 1 ¼ cup almond flour not almond meal
  • 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 3 tablespoon Water

For serving

  • 4 baby bell cheese
  • ½ cup macadamia nuts or almonds
  • ½ cup cucumbers optional
  • ½ cup Cherry Tomatoes optional
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Mix together all ingredients except water. Add the water, and mix to combine into a dough. If the dough seems too sticky, add a little extra almond flour.
    Keto Cracker Snack Boxes
  • Use a large piece of parchment and place the dough on one side, and fold the other side onto the top. Use a rolling pin to spread the dough out into a thin sheet.
    Keto Cracker Snack Boxes
  • Peel the top layer of parchment off, and use a large knife to cut crackers into 1-inch squares.
  • Carefully slide the crackers still on parchment onto a baking tray.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, carefully watching toward the end to prevent over-browning.
  • Allow crackers to cool for 30 minutes, and then break into individual pieces
  • Pack boxes with cheese, veggies, or nuts.
    Keto Cracker Snack Boxes

Video

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings (not including cucumbers and tomatoes) 14g Protein | 10.5g Carbs | 35.3g Fat | 5.8g Fiber | 388 Calories *Vegetables are optional based on your total carb needs for the day

Nutrition

Serving: 1snack box | Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 10.5g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 35.3g | Fiber: 5.8g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

One Pot Jambalaya Meal Prep

January 15, 2023 by Nick Quintero 4 Comments

One Pot (Whole30) Jambalaya Meal Prep blog

One-Pot Jambalaya Meal Prep comes together in the pressure cooker for a lower-carb Whole30-compliant dish made with cauliflower rice.

 You might not think to meal prep something like jambalaya, which typically contains a lot of ingredients and requires a bit of time to get everything to come together just the way you like it.  It's a slow and steady kind of dish.

We know you probably don't have a lot of time for that, right? So instead, this one uses a pressure cooker

However, it's a great meal prep recipe because it's loaded with protein and can be customized if you want to mix it up a bit. 

 

One Pot Whole30 Jambalaya Meal Prep

 

One Pot Whole30 Jambalaya Meal Prep

One Pot Jambalaya Meal Prep Ingredients

  • 1 ½ tbsps avocado oil
  •  ¾ cup chopped onion
  • ¾ cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped bell pepper
  • 6 oz Whole30 compliant Andouille sausage, sliced
  • 1 lb chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  •  ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 ½ tsps Creole seasoning blend*
  • 1 (14 oz) can unsalted diced tomatoes, drained
  • ¼ cup chicken broth, or water
  • 1 lb cauliflower rice
  • ½ lb medium-sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

How to Make One Pot Jambalaya 

One pot jambalaya starts with oil, onion, celery, and bell pepper, often referred to as the trinity, or Louisiana's answer to France's mirepoix. (The latter uses carrots instead of peppers). Add all that to the Instant Pot or pressure cooker and saute until starting to soften. Then you'll add the sausage and chicken, along with the dried herbs and seasonings: thyme, paprika, cumin, and Creole seasoning blend. And then, the tomatoes and broth, followed by the rice. Toward the very end of cooking, and after the pressure has been released, add the shrimp. It will cook fast in the residual heat; if you add shrimp earlier it will turn rubbery. No one wants rubbery shrimp. 

How to Serve One Pot Jambalaya 

This is the ultimate one-pot meal, so honestly, we don't see much need to serve anything else with it. Unless, of course, you're the kind of person who serves salad with all meals. If that's you, by all means, add more veggies to your day. We're not going to say no to that. 

How to Store Jambalaya

This meal prep will keep for four or five days in airtight sealed containers in the fridge. Almost everything in this meal prep will freeze well, except for the shrimp. If you plan on freezing this one-pot jambalaya, just make sure you eat the shrimp first, or take it out and eat it with another meal. Freezing shrimp that's already been cooked isn't a great idea because it becomes rubbery once you thaw it again and try to reheat it. 

Jambalaya vs. Gumbo

These two dishes both hail from the New Orleans area and so it's easy to get them confused on that factor alone. But they also often contain some of the same ingredients.  However, the main difference is as follows. Gumbo is a thick stew that's usually served with rice, on the side, whereas with jambalaya, the rice cooks right in the same pot as everything else.

Tip

Use a seasoning blend such as Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning or Zatarain's Creole Seasoning. Both are great! Just be sure to check the salt content on those seasoning blends; you won't typically need to add salt to your jambalaya if you're using either of those.

READ MORE: Don't eat meat? Try this Vegetarian Jambalaya instead!

 

One Pot Whole30 Jambalaya Meal Prep

One Pot Whole30 Jambalaya Meal Prep

One Pot Whole30 Jambalaya Meal Prep

One Pot (Whole30) Jambalaya Meal Prep blog

One Pot Whole30 Jambalaya Meal Prep

One Pot Jambalaya Meal Prep

This Whole30 compliant Jambalaya uses cauliflower rice instead of grains. It is a quick and easy one pot meal with minimal clean up!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes
Total Time: 23 minutes minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 314kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1.5 tbs avocado oil
  • ¾ cup onion chopped
  • ¾ cup celery chopped
  • 1 cup bell pepper chopped
  • 6 ounces andouille sausage sliced (Whole30 compliant)
  • 1 pound chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 ¼ tsp cajun seasoning blend*
  • 1 14 ounce can unsalted diced tomatoes drained
  • ¼ cup chicken broth or water
  • 1 pound cauliflower rice
  • 8 ounces medium shrimp peeled and deveined
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat oil in pressure cooker pot over medium heat (or “sauté” setting). Add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until onions have softened. Add sausage, chicken, thyme, paprika, cumin, and Creole seasoning and stir to coat ingredients in the spices. Cook for about 2 minutes.
  • Add drained diced tomatoes, broth, and cauliflower rice. Cover the pressure cooker with lid and lock. Ensure that steam release knot is set to “pressure” or “sealed” position. Cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
  • Manually release pressure after cooking and turn off the pressure cooker. Remove lidand stir in shrimp. Allow shrimp to cook in residual heat of mixture for 3-5 minutes. Servewarm.
  • NOTE:• Use seasoning blend such as Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning or Zatarain’sCreole Seasoning• Check sausage ingredient label to make sure it is Whole30 compliant. WellshireFarms Smoked Andouille Sausage was used for this recipe.

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings:
47g Protein | 13g Carbs | 10g Fat | 5.5g Fiber | 314 Calories

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 314kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 10g | Fiber: 5.5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Steak & Broccoli Stir Fry

January 14, 2023 by Meal Prep Mondays Leave a Comment

Steak & Broccoli Stir Fry 777x431

This Chinese take-out favorite can be made easily at home with all of the flavors you love-but without all the salt and sugar that you don't!

This steak and broccoli stir fry recipe is basically another version of beef with broccoli-you know, the super popular Chinese takeout dish. This is a fun, simple ingredient recipe you'll love for lunch or dinner meal prepping and it's suitable for paleo and gluten-free diets.

Steak & Broccoli Stir Fry Ingredients

  • 1 (12-ounce) bag of frozen broccoli (or approximately 3 cups fresh)
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • ½ yellow onion
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • 1 pound flank or skirt steak, sliced
  • Generous ½ cup Primal Kitchen Island Teriyaki sauce
Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

How to Make Steak and Broccoli Stir Fry

n about half an hour, you can have this dinner prepped or on the table. Cook the garlic and onions together. Then add the mushrooms, but keep an eye on them as they will cook fairly quickly. Next, you'll add the beef and the teriyaki sauce, and finally, the broccoli. The beef cooks in less than ten minutes, and if you've sliced it thinly? Then it'll cook faster still. 

How to Serve Steak and Broccoli

Of course, this is great with rice but if you're going paleo or keto, you'll likely skip regular rice and opt for cauliflower rice instead. If it's good for paleo and keto diets, then you know it's gluten-free, too! (If you need something similar but lower in sugars, try this Low Carb Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry Meal Prep). Rice noodles or buckwheat noodles would work in this dish too if you aren't following a low-carb (or no-carb) diet. 

This meal prep is also great all on its own. 

How to Store Steak and Broccoli Stir Fry

As a meal prep, it will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat and stir it so it doesn't stick. Refresh with a little more water and/or sauce, if need be.

You can also freeze these leftovers for up to 3 months. Defrost in the microwave or the fridge overnight. Another option? Take the whole frozen block and pop it right into a hot skillet with a little bit of water, and stir until it's completely thawed and hot all the way through again. 

Substitutions and Alterations

This dish works best with skirt or flank steak, and the more thinly it's sliced, the faster it will cook. But you can use any cut of steak that you have on hand but again, slice it thinly so it cooks quickly. 

Use either fresh or frozen broccoli; fresh will take a bit longer to cook because you'll need to steam it. However, it will stay crispier than frozen broccoli that you toss into a hot pan. 

The recipe is ideal for those who are following a paleo diet, and the sauce we've included is from our friends at Primal Kitchen. It's a no-soy Island Teriyaki that you'll love to use on this dish (and on chicken and shrimp, too!). This great shortcut contains coconut aminos, balsamic vinegar, pineapple juice concentrate (hence, the tropical/island vibe!), date paste, ginger, garlic, turmeric, tamarind, sesame oil, and more. 

Cauliflower works instead of broccoli if need be, or mix them up. 

We also wouldn't object to grating some fresh ginger into the pan with the garlic and onions. I mean, right? It cooks quickly and adds a bit of sweet heat here.

beef and broccoli meal prep bowl

READ MORE: Want more takeout-at-home? Try Sesame Chicken & Broccoli Stir Fry Meal Prep

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

This Chinese take-out favorite can be made easily at home with all of the flavors you love-but without all the salt and sugar that you don't!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
Keyword: stir fry
Servings: 4 Meals
Calories: 454kcal
Author: Meal Prep Mondays

Ingredients

  • 1 lb skirt or flank steak
  • 12 ounce bag of broccoli
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ ea yellow onion sliced
  • 8 ea garlic cloves minced
  • 2 cups mushrooms sliced
  • ½ cup Primal Kitchen's Island Teriyaki Sauce
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
  • Slice the onion and peel the garlic cloves and add to the pan and add salt and pepper.
  • Saute until the onions are golden, about 3 to 4 minutes, then add the mushrooms and stir to combine.
  • When the mushrooms are starting to become tender (after about 3 to 4 minutes), add the beef and the Primal Kitchen teriyaki sauce.
  • Add the broccoli and stir again.
  • Let the beef and broccoli cook for 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and portion among four meal prep containers.

Notes

This recipe makes four meals.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1005mg | Potassium: 1028mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 948IU | Vitamin C: 138mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 5mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep

January 14, 2023 by Nick Quintero 2 Comments

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep

A Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep recipe that can be baked or fried for a fast and flavorful Whole30 and keto-friendly recipe.

Spaghetti and meatballs, as a dinner, is a traditional comfort food favorite, much beloved. However, if you're following a Whole30 or keto diet, you're well aware that traditional pasta as you knew it is off limits. And meatballs can't include things like breadcrumbs. So, what to do?

Zoodles to the rescue, right? Zucchini noodles are fresh and flavorful with marinara sauce and lamb meatballs. With some dried herbs and lots of seasonings, you'll have some delicious meatballs.

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoon grated white onion
  • 1 teaspoon salt (pink Himalayan is preferred)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon fresh parsley
  • ½ teaspoon fresh oregano
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 cups marinara sauce (or your desired amount)

How to Make Keto Lamb Meatballs

These are easy! In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb and two eggs, along with grated white onion, minced garlic cloves and, of course, salt and pepper. You'll also need spice cabinet basics such as rosemary, oregano, and parsley. A bit of lemon zest adds some brightness to what's a strong meat flavor (lamb), and some crushed red pepper brings a kick. Form them into balls about the sizes of walnuts (or bigger, if desired). Depending on your preference (and how messy you want things to get), you can either cook these right a skillet in some hot oil, or line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and pop them in the oven.

Serve as desired. We've got it paired with zoodles for an ideal keto pasta-like dinner, but you'll need a spiralizer to get the job done. Whether or not you cook the zoodles is also up to you. They are crunchy by nature, but if you cook them down a little bit with some salt and pepper they'll soften a bit. It's all about the texture. If you're meal prepping, we recommend leaving them raw because you'll probably want to reheat the meatballs, and the heat from that process will transfer over a bit to zoodles, if you're serving them together.

How to Store and Serve Keto Lamb Meatballs

You can make these and easily meal prep them for the week. If you're serving with zoodles, make sure you leave them raw or a little undercooked if you reheat everything throughout the week, typically. Otherwise, if you cook them right off the bat, they'll be too soggy when you go to reheat them for dinner. Or lunch. Or whenever you're having this healthy meal prep.

Meatballs freeze incredibly well, too. So feel free to freeze some leftovers in a little sauce in an airtight container and defrost in the fridge for a day before cooking. (Or make a double batch and freeze half of them straight away.) In a pinch, you can certainly thaw them from frozen right in a saucepan, but you'll probably need them thawed a little in order to get them out of the container. Add more marinara as needed. If you don't want to deal with clumped together meatballs, you'll need to freeze them individually on a baking sheet and then transfer to a container or zip-close bag once they're frozen solid.

Substitutions and Alterations

Meatballs are personal-or, at least they can be. Feel free to use ground beef if you aren't a fan of lamb, or combine beef and pork for a delicious Italian meatball. Many people make them with a combination of beef, pork, and veal, or beef, lamb, and veal. You do what you like!

Play around the with amounts of dried herbs, too. Thyme, rosemary, parsley, marjoram, and Italian seasoning all work great. You can also try a little paprika, which is tasty with lamb. Some people swear by a smidge of cinnamon, too, but again. Meatballs are personal.

A teaspoon of onion powder and/or garlic powder never hurt, either.

MORE MEATBALLS? YES, PLEASE!

  • Greek Meatballs
  • Taco Meatballs
  • 20 Minute Paleo Thai Almond Butter Turkey Meatballs

 

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep

 

 

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep

Recipe Courtesy Of Taylor Made Cuisine

 

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep

Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep

This Keto Lamb Meatball Meal Prep can be baked or fried for a fast and flavorful whole30 and keto friendly recipe to enjoy all year long. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: keto, Lamb, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 408kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 3 tbs grated white onion
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon fresh rosemary
  • ½ tsp fresh oregano
  • ½ teaspoon fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 cups Whole30 compliant marinara sauce

Optional

  • zoodles
  • brown rice
  • shredded cheese
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine all ingredients (except the sauce) by hand.
  • Form mixture into meatballs of 1 to 1 ½ ounces each, about the size of a walnut.
  • In a wide, deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook the meatballs in batches, being careful not to crowd the pan, for 6 to 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 150-160 F.
  • Transfer the cooked meatballs to a waiting plate lined with paper towels so they can drain. Serve with your favorite marinara sauce and garnish with fresh basil.

Oven Method

  • Follow steps 1 and 2 above and then line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
  • Space the meatballs about 2 inches or so apart on the sheet pan and bake at 400 F for about 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 150 to 160 degrees F.
  • Serve with your favorite marinara sauce and garnish with fresh basil.

Notes

Macros for 1 out of 4 servings (do not include optional sides):
24g protein | 11g Carbs | 29g Fat | 408 Calories | 5g Fiber
 
The meatballs can be cooled and stored in an airtight container, and placed in the fridge for up to a week. Or, they can be frozen for up to a month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 29g | Fiber: 5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

15 Best Energy Ball Meal Prep Recipes

January 13, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Best Energy Ball Meal Prep Recipes 777x431

15 Best Energy Ball Recipes! We love 'em, kids love 'em, and they keep great in the fridge and freezer. Here are our faves!

If you're making your own food on a regular basis, and you're trying to eat healthy, chances are you're still looking for something sweet to eat now and then. It's normal! And you also may know from experience that if you try to cut out something entirely from your diet, sometimes you end up craving it even more. Enter the wonderful world of energy ball recipes, here to help solve your cravings for sweets without dietary sabotage!

What Are Energy Balls?

Ok, so energy balls are naturally sweet, and that's definitely part of the appeal. But that's where the dessert comparisons stop. Energy balls are densely packed nutritious snacks, rolled into the shape of a ball about the size of a walnut or a golf ball. They are a fantastic way to ensure you're consuming all of the necessary macros for the day, and they provide a quick pick-me-up of energy. Most often, they're not baked or cooked, and can be made sweet to savory. (We're partial to the former). They come together quickly, and they keep in the fridge (and freezer!) for days.

How to Make Energy Balls

Many times with energy ball recipes, you can bring together the ingredients in a bowl and stir them together. Then, scoop them out. Sometimes you need a food processor to combine everything together evenly. But the ingredients you use can vary, but often include nut butter, seeds (hemp, chia, flax), mini chocolate chips, dates, dried coconut, and all different kinds of nuts, along with maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar.

Energy balls pack even more of a punch when you add protein powder to your recipe, which also turns them into a great post-workout snack. Opt for coconut butter, for example, if you're looking to boost healthy fats. Ultimately, energy ball recipes are adaptable templates. The possibilities of flavors and macro combinations are countless.

Without further ado, here are our top 15 energy ball recipes to add to your meal-prepping routine.

Tasty Energy Ball Recipe Ideas

Cinnamon Raisin Energy Balls

This energy ball recipe tastes like cinnamon raisin cookies, but without sugar!
(Protein: 3 grams, Carbohydrates: 14 grams, Fat: 5 grams)

Protein Peanut Butter Energy Balls

Peanut butter makes everything taste better!
(Protein: 8 grams, Carbohydrates: 10 grams, Fat: 5 grams)

Mint Chocolate Energy Balls

There's definitely a bit of a trend here, as these little treats taste like cookies. A go-to energy ball recipe!
(Protein: 3 grams; Carbohydrates: 11 grams, Fat: 5 grams)

Cocoa Hazelnut Energy Balls

It's chocolatey and nutty all at once and reminiscent of a Ferrero Rocher candy.
Protein 6 grams - Carbohydrates 11 grams - Fat 9 grams

Sugar Free Coconut Energy Balls

So tropical, so delicious! We love these with bits of fruit and nuts.
(Protein: 2 grams; Carbohydrates: 6 grams, Fat: 18 grams)

No-Bake Energy Balls

It's no accident that this energy ball recipe looks like cookie dough, but with peanut butter.

(Protein: 6 grams, Carbohydrates: 15 grams, Fat: 9 grams)

Peanut Butter Cup Energy Balls

There's no end to the ways in which peanut butter works in energy ball recipes. Case in point!
(Protein: 2 grams, Carbohydrates: 14 grams, Fat: 4 grams)

Oats and Flax Seed No-Bake Energy Balls

Oats and flax are perfect together in this energy ball recipe.
(Protein: 2 grams, Carbohydrates: 7 grams, Fat: 3 grams)

Lara's Bone-Healthy Energy Balls

The base of this energy ball recipe is dates, hemp seeds, and chia seeds, among others. What you roll them in is up to you.
(Protein: 1 gram, Carbohydrates: 5 grams, Fat: 2 grams)

Date and Chocolate Energy Balls

Dates, cashew butter, chocolate chips . . . do we have your attention yet?
(Protein: 2 grams, Carbohydrates: 17 grams, Fat: 6 grams)

Basic Energy Balls

Start with something basic, like this recipe, and take it from there. You'll be hooked!
(Protein: 3 grams, Carbohydrates: 10 grams, Fat: 1 gram)

Sam's Energy Balls

If you have applesauce and some kitchen staples, you can make this sweetly spicy energy ball recipe.
(Protein: 9 grams, Carbohydrates: 8 grams, Fat: 5 grams)

Almond Joy Energy Balls

It's like the candy bar, but way, way better. This is for all coconut and chocolate lovers.
(Protein: 5 grams, Carbohydrates: 11 grams, Fat: 8 grams)

Healthy No-Bake Energy Balls

Oats are a big part of this energy ball recipe, along with honey. Nutty and sweet, the way we like them!
(Protein: 2 grams, Carbohydrates: 6 grams, Fat: 4 grams)

Whole30 Energy Balls

Fear not! If you are following Whole30, these energy balls are permitted!
(Protein: 2 grams, Carbohydrates: 6 grams, Fat: 3 grams)

Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread

January 13, 2023 by Nick Quintero 8 Comments

Cinnamon Raisin Snack Bread Blog
Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread

Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack bread is a sweet and satisfying treat to enjoy for breakfast or snack with a hot cup of tea. Gluten Free. Paleo. 

The fall and winter seasons are full of sweet potatoes. This is a great recipe to make around that time of year because let's face it, sweet potatoes are pretty abundant in the colder months, and this prep makes use of leftover mashed sweet potatoes. If you can't bear the thought of another boring plate of turkey and potatoes, repurpose those leftover sweet potatoes into this Cinnamon Raisins Sweet Potato Snack Bread.

Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread is lightly sweetened, filled with plump raisins and of course, nutrient-dense sweet potato making this a recipe that is healthy enough for breakfast, snack or dessert! It has a dense, yet extremely moist texture. Kind of like one of those really rich breakfast loaf recipes you'd find at your local bakery. The only difference is this one is healthy!

Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread

Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread Ingredients

  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • ¼-1/2 cup coconut sugar
  • 6 scoops collagen peptides
  • 2 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 ⅓ cups liquid egg whites 
  • 1 cup mashed sweet potato
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup no-sugar added raisins

How to Make Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread

Quick breads like this one come together quickly, yes, and that's because they use chemical leaveners such as baking powder and/or baking soda, and not yeast. For this snack bread, you combine the dry ingredients in a bowl; that's the coconut flour and sugar, along with collagen peptides (protein!), cinnamon, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, combine the liquid egg whites, mashed sweet potato, and vanilla extract. Then, you combine the wet and the dry in one big bowl, and add the raisins. Transfer to a loaf pan and bake, and you're on your way to a not-too-sweet snack heaven.

How to Serve and Store Sweet Potato Snack Bread

Enjoy Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread alone. We like to prep it up with fresh berries and almonds. It would also be good topped with honey, your favorite nut butter, or ghee. And if you are making and enjoying this at home, give it a little toast in the toaster oven and then add the ghee. (Or try a slice in a cast iron skillet, as that's also delicious). So perfect! Oh! Did we mention that one serving has 17 grams of protein?! Score!

You can keep this covered at room temperature for 3 to 5 days, typically. This sweet potato snack bread will also freeze well, so you can wrap the whole thing in foil, or individual slices (our preference) and freeze for up to 6 months. Defrost in the microwave, at room temperature, or in a low oven (300 F) to reheat completely.

READ MORE: Cinnamon Apple Banana Snack Bread

Substitutions and Alterations

We wouldn't recommend changing the flour here, as coconut flour is not the easiest one to substitute without having to change the liquid in a recipe.

Canned pumpkin or canned sweet potato would also work here if you don't have leftover mashed potato. It might need to bake a little bit longer; canned sweet potato tends to be more moist than mashed potatoes. But it will work.

Play with the spices, too. Cinnamon is always nice, but ginger would work here, along with a dash of nutmeg or cloves, too. Instead of raisins, you could certainly use dried cranberries for a more tart taste.

Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread
Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread
Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread
Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread
Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread
Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread
Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread

Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread

Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread is satisfying treat (with lots of protein) that you'll love for breakfast or a snack with a cup of hot tea. Gluten Free. Paleo. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Meal Prep
Servings: 6
Calories: 222kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • ½ cup coconut flour 56g
  • 1 ⅓ cup liquid egg whites
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar or a little more, if you want it sweeter
  • 6 scoops Vital Proteins collagen
  • 2 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 cup mashed sweet potato
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup no sugar added raisins
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 5x9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper and spray it with non-stick spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine the coconut flour, coconut sugar, collagen peptides, cinnamon, and baking powder
  • Fold in the egg whites, mashed sweet potato, and vanilla. Gently combine until no dry streaks remain in the batter.
  • Fold your raisins into your batter, saving a couple of tablespoons for the top, if desired.
  • Pour batter into pan and bake for about 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack.
  • Allow bread to cool for about 15-20 minutes before removing from the pan, using the parchment to help get it out. Let the bread cool for an hour altogether before cutting.
  • Enjoy as a snack, part of a breakfast or even dessert!

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 6 servings (1 serving = 2 slices)
17g Protein || 34g Carbs || 2g Fat || 222 calories

Nutrition

Serving: 2slices | Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 2g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
Cinnamon Raisin Sweet Potato Snack Bread

The Ultimate Guide To Making Egg Cups

January 13, 2023 by Nick Quintero 6 Comments

The Ultimate Guide To Making Egg Cups

The Ultimate Guide to Making Egg Cups is what you need so you never run out of breakfast, lunch, or dinner ideas. Because let's face it-eggs are the best!

Egg cups are here to stay as a trend in the healthy breakfast meal prep world. They have become super popular because they are simple to make and handy to take with you in the morning. You can enjoy them cold or reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave. You can make them savory, sweet, vegetarian, and/or gluten free. Anything you can put in a frittata or an omelet, you can put in an egg cup!  Oh, and did we mention they are inexpensive, even given the seemingly non-stop rise of grocery costs? 

So, how do you make egg cups? It's actually quite simple!

Step 1

Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or coat it with oil.

Step 2

Whisk together your eggs (and milk, if using).

Step 3

Mix in your favorite items

  • bacon
  • ham
  • spinach
  • sun-dried tomatoes
  • berries
  • broccoli
  • kale
  • peppers
  • mushrooms

Step 4

Evenly divide the egg mixture among your muffin tins and bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for 18-25 minutes, depending on the size of your cups.

Now that you know the foundation of making egg cups, let's take a look at some insanely delicious ways you can make them. Creativity counts here, people!

Low Carb Sun Dried Tomato Egg Cups

Having a stocked pantry or fridge with things like sun-dried tomatoes means tasty egg cups are possible at any given moment.

 

 

A post shared by ???? Meal Prep On Fleek (@mealpreponfleek) on Oct 26, 2016 at 5:00am PDT

Kale Egg Cups

Kale loves eggs. So does spinach.

Sausage Pizza Egg Cups 

Here's where the love of sausage pizza meets the love of eggs. Amazing mashup!

Asparagus & Mushroom Egg Cups 

Something about this just feels like spring, you know? It's that asparagus . . . 

Bacon & Egg Cups 

Bacon and eggs are hard to beat, especially when the eggs cook surrounded by bacon. 

Sweet Potato Hash Egg Cups 

Our love of sweet potatoes knows no bounds. This one gives you a gooey egg, to boot!

Southwestern Egg Cups 

This ultimate egg cup prep shows that eggs are truly a blank slate when it comes to flavors. 

Spinach & Feta Egg Cups 

Classic Greek flavors right in these egg cups. So good.

Paleo Egg Cups

Isn't this the cutest thing, the way the bacon curls up like this? Paleo and ready to go for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

Pepperoni Pizza Egg Cups 

More pizza-inspired egg cups, this time with pepperoni. So good.

Chickpea Flour Vegan Omelette Muffins 

This is kind of genius. Check it out!

Black Forest Ham, Egg & Cheese Cups 

It's a little like green eggs and ham-maybe just greens, eggs, and ham? 

Quinoa Egg Muffins 

There's a whole lotta protein going on here in these egg muffins with quinoa!

Egg Whites With Kale, Roasted Red Peppers & Feta

Consider this your Greek omelet in miniature, portable form. 

 Berry Egg Muffins 

Don't knock it until you've tried it! 

Maple Sweet Potato, Bacon & Almond Egg Cups 

This one is unique, but we think you'll like it, as it lends a little nutty sweetness to breakfast in a surprising way.

Western Omelette Egg Muffins

Taco Egg Muffins

You knew this was coming. How can this be the ultimate guide to egg cups without involving taco flavors?

Cauliflower Breakfast Muffins

Cauliflower really gets around these days, doesn't it? So great in these breakfast muffins.

Chicken Pot Pie Egg Muffins 

Bet you didn't see this one coming? Chicken pot pie flavors in breakfast? We love these. 


Pin this post for Later:

how to make egg cups

Zoodles with Tomato Oregano Sauce and Grilled Chicken Breast

January 12, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Zoodles with Tomato Oregano Sauce and Grilled Chicken Breast

Zoodles, or zucchini noodles, are fun to make, fun to eat and easy to prepare with this grilled chicken and tomato oregano sauce meal prep!

Zoodles with Tomato Oregano Sauce and Grilled Chicken Breast is a tasty one-pot low-carb meal prep recipe. You may even have many of the ingredients on hand already! In less than 20 minutes, you'll have a week's worth of flavorful lunches ready to go. The best part? You can do this all in one pan, which eases prep and cleanup. Using fresh oregano brings a really nice vibrant taste to this dish.

Zoodles with Tomato Oregano Sauce and Grilled Chicken Breast

Zoodles with Tomato Oregano Sauce and Grilled Chicken Breast Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 large zucchini
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Sauce:

  • 2 cups chopped peeled tomato
  • 1 + ½ tbsp. minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped finely
  • 2 tablespoon avocado oil

How to Make Zoodles with Tomato Oregano Sauce and Grilled Chicken Breast

To make this dish, you start by spiralizing the zucchini into noodles, so you will need a spiralizer. You can cook them a little bit if you like, or leave them raw. We like to leave them raw because if you plan to reheat the dish after prepping it, they'll cook a bit. (If you cook them first and then reheat they sometimes lose a bit of their crunchiness). Cook the chicken in a grill pan or a skillet. Then, add the tomatoes, garlic, and oregano and cook until the tomatoes start to break down and make a sauce. Serve it all over the zoodles. 

How to Store and Serve Zoodles with Tomato Oregano Sauce and Grilled Chicken 

Prep each container with the zoodles first, and then add the chicken and tomato oregano sauce on top. Seal them tightly and store in the fridge. The cool thing about this dish is that you can either eat cold, at room temperature, or hot; it's equally good all three ways. It should keep up to 4 days. The chicken and tomato sauce will freeze well if desired, but the zoodles won't reheat so well from frozen. (Zucchini is very watery). If you want more veggies, a side of steamed or roasted vegetables would be great here. If you're keeping things low-carb, try green beans or broccoli, or maybe a salad with an easy vinaigrette.

Substitutions and Alterations

You can make this dish with shrimp or pork, or even steak, and it's delicious. Tofu would work, too.

If you're not doing a low-carb diet, feel free to serve with rice noodles (gluten-free) or regular pasta, such as spaghetti. 

If you don't have a grill pan, that's ok. Simply cook everything in a skillet, starting with the chicken breasts in avocado oil. Then, follow the recipe instructions for the sauce, adding it to the pan.

Other herbs and seasonings work well here. Try thyme or basil, for example. If you can't find fresh, reduce the amount to a couple of teaspoons instead of tablespoons. (Pro tip: You typically need less of a dried herb than you do with a fresh herb.)

LOVE ZOODLES? SO DO WE!

  • Creamy Garlic Zoodles with Chicken
  • 10 Minute Pad Thai Zoodles
  • Eggplant Meatballs and Zoodle Meal Prep
  • Chicken Pad Thai Zoodles
  • Sesame Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Zoodles with Tomato Oregano Sauce and Grilled Chicken Breast

Zoodles with Tomato Oregano Sauce and Grilled Chicken Breast

This tasty low-carb one pot Zoodles with Tomato Oregano Sauce and Grilled Chicken Breast recipe is so easy to prepare! In less than 20 minutes you can have a week's worth of flavorful lunches ready to go! BONUS: one pan!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 7 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Chicken, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 363kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 4 large zucchini
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

For The Sauce

  • 2 cups tomatoes chopped and peeled
  • 1 ½ tbps. garlic minced
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. oregano
  • 2 tbsp. avocado oil
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat a nonstick grill pan over medium heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and cook them in the grill pan for 5 minutes or so on each side (or for less time if they are thin).
  • Spiralize your zucchini while the chicken cooks and transfer even portions to meal prep containers.
  • Heat the avocado oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Stir in the chopped tomato garlic, oregano, and salt, and cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down and a sauce forms.
  • Either mix the sauce with zoodles or serve on top with chicken breasts.

Video

Notes

Approximate macros per serving: 363 calories, 49 g protein, 7 g carbs, 14 g fat.
_
Recipe Courtesy Of FitWomenEat

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 14g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
Tasty Low Carb One Pot Zoodles

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins

January 12, 2023 by Nick Quintero 1 Comment

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins

We love muffins and these healthy oatmeal muffins get a boost of protein for a delicious and quick healthy breakfast meal prep.

Muffins don't have to be carb-loaded, cake-like breakfast foods. Promise! This healthy breakfast meal prep combines oatmeal and muffins for a whole-grain experience, fortified with protein powder! Make a batch and head out the door in the morning with a few of these portable treats. Thanks to the protein, they do work for breakfast, but these healthy oatmeal muffins can pinch hit for an afternoon snack, or even a pre/post-workout food!

Oats are good for you, provided your diet is cool with them; they're naturally gluten-free! They have fiber, some minerals, and cook quickly. They can easily soften in a muffin when enough other ingredients come together to hydrate them. Oats offer whole grains and soluble fiber, which can help balance your blood sugar. They also have a bit of natural sweetness to them, too. 

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 2 scoops protein powder (such as pea protein powder)
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 banana (or ½ cup applesauce)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking powder, and vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon honey, plus more if desired
  • 1 + ½ tablespoon melted coconut oil
  • Pinch of salt

Options:

  • ¼ teaspoon allspice, cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg
  • ¼ to ½ cup frozen blueberries (or fruit of your choice)

How to Make Healthy Oatmeal Muffins

Ok, so you aren't making oatmeal per se; you're just using rolled oats instead of flour here! Combined with plant-based milk, eggs, banana, some coconut oil and honey, and you have a nutrient-dense healthy breakfast muffin. Oh, the protein powder helps significantly, too!  These aren't your stereotypical fluffy muffin, but instead, one that really does taste like oatmeal. Add a little allspice, or ginger, nutmeg, or cinnamon, if you like.

Substitutions and Alterations

We love some subtle spice in these muffins, such as allspice, ginger, nutmeg, or cinnamon. Think about what you like in your oatmeal and it would taste good in these muffins.

Use any other kind of plant-based milk if you like, or even regular cow's milk.

Frozen berries of any kind are good, but we're partial to blueberries because they are small and easy to incorporate without having to defrost them or cut them beforehand. 

Another option? Finely diced apples. You won't need more than about ¼ to ⅓ of a cup. 

How to Serve 

These are great just as they are-a healthy oatmeal muffin. But to amp it up a bit, drizzle with honey or add a dab or two of peanut butter, or almond butter. Split them open, toast them on a cast iron pan, and spread some butter on them. Or, serve with more berries, or sprinkle some shredded unsweetened coconut on top.

If you really want to level these up, you need to try this homemade Strawberry Jam!

How to Store Oatmeal Muffins

These will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. They take well to reheating gently. You can also freeze them. Just wrap them well in foil, individually, and transfer to a zip-close bag. Let them defrost in a low oven (around 300 or 325 F), or overnight in the fridge. 

Tips!

Bananas need to be super ripe in order to be mashed well for these muffins. Sometimes you can find bananas that are just about to turn, at a discounted price at the grocery store. 

Use an unsweetened applesauce if you don't want added sugar, if you are subbing for the banana.

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins

READ MORE: Can't get enough oats? Try Oatmeal Bowls with Sauteed Cinnamon Apples!

LOVE MUFFINS? Try these gluten-free Morning Glory Muffins!

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins

Make a batch of these Healthy Oatmeal Muffins so you can wake up and head out the door in the morning with a few of these portable treats!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Meal Prep
Servings: 14 muffins
Calories: 132kcal
Author: Nick Quintero
Cost: 3.25

Ingredients

  • 2.5 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 2 cups almond milk
  • 2 scoops protein powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large banana
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1.5 tbsp. coconut oil melted
  • pinch salt

Extras

  • ¼ cup blueberries
  • ¼ tsp. allspice or cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 F.
  • In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.
  • In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs. Add the banana and mash with a fork or potato masher.
  • Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring to combine.
  • Pour the honey and melted coconut into the batter and stir to combine. Add the blueberries or other fruit, if using.
  • Pour the mixture evenly into 14 muffin cups. Bake for about 35 minutes until the tops are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack for a few minutes and then remove the muffins from the pan to cool completely.

Notes

**We like it with 1 teaspoon peanut butter and a fresh strawberry star on top. Plus drizzling a bit of honey on baked muffins is also really delicious. 
Approximate macros per muffin (without fruit): 132 calories, 6 g protein, 18 g carbs, 4 g fat.
_
Recipe Courtesy Of FitWomenEat

Nutrition

Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: -1g | Fat: 4g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Meal Prep Menu - 2023 (Week 2)

January 12, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Meal Prep Menu 2024 Week 2

 

20 Easy Weight Watchers Recipes (With 7 Points Or Less)

January 12, 2023 by Nick Quintero 11 Comments

easy weight watchers recipes

Losing weight doesn't mean you have to live a life full of bland chicken and broccoli every day. You can enjoy all of the foods you love like avocado and egg toast, pancakes, shrimp spring rolls, and mouth-watering chocolate cake with these 20 Easy Weight Watchers Recipes With 7 Points Or Less.

From filling breakfast recipes to easy to prep lunches and family-friendly weeknight meals, we've got all the inspiration you need to make eating (and losing weight) healthy and delicious! And don't worry, we didn't  forget about dessert!

Easy Weight Watchers Recipes With 7 Points or Less

Weight Watchers Breakfast Recipes

Blueberry Cheese Danish (6 points)

Avocado Toast With Sunny Side Up Egg (6 points)

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Singles (3 points)

Skinny One Point Pancakes (1 point)

Breakfast Burrito Bowl (5 points)

Meal Prep on Fleek YouTube

Weight Watchers Lunch Recipes

Skinny Bang Bang Shrimp (4 points)

Shrimp Summer Rolls (4 points)

Thai Chicken Skewers With Peanut Sauce (5 points)

Apple Cheddar Turkey Wrap (7 points)

Zucchini Noodles With Lemon Garlic Shrimp (6 points)

Weight Watchers Dinner Recipes

Veggie Loaded Mac & Cheese (6 points)

Pesto Zucchini Noodles & Sausage (5 points)

Chicken Taco Casserole (6 points)

Teriyaki Chicken & Rice Casserole (7 points)

Skillet Lemon Chicken With Olives & Herbs (7 points)

Dessert

Skinny Cake Batter Blondie (7 points)

Strawberries and Cream Crepe Cake (7 points)

Single Serve Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Mug Cake (5 points)

Lowfat Chocolate Mug Cake (3 points)

Mixed Berry Tartlets (5 points)

20-Easy-Weight-Watchers-Recipes-With-7-Points-Or-Less-

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

January 12, 2023 by Nick Quintero 5 Comments

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars are a combination of high-protein peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. They are an easy, no-bake, gluten-free snack that is packed full of superfoods. 

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars. When salty meets sweet. 😉 We love granola bars. When we were growing up more often than not we always had a Quaker chewy granola bar in our bag. But, today there are so many granola bars on the market. Many made with unhealthy or processed ingredients. Oh, and did we mention that many of them are expensive too? Like $3.50-$4 for a single bar, sometimes? Who are these people kidding! If we are going to spend $4 it is going to be for a full meal, not just a snack. Plus, with the store bought bars you can't customize them to include all of your favorite superfoods. Sigh.

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

Let's solve all of those problems and take the (no-bake) granola bar making to our own kitchen, shall we? Just take a look at the ingredients:

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

Does it get any healthier? You can swap the peanut butter for any nut or seed butter, you can swap the nuts and seeds for any combination of either/or you like, you could replace the honey with maple syrup or agave and use any dried fruit your heart desires. PLUS, you could opt to add in something sweet like chocolate chips to really take it up a notch. Or maybe even a chocolate drizzle on top? Yeah, that sounds perfect actually. We did say that dark chocolate is healthy, didn't we?

If made with an all natural nut or seed butter instead of the high-protein version these bars would be dairy free, vegetarian, gluten-free and vegan (if you swap the honey for agave). Total win!

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cup rolled oats
  • ⅔ cup whole almonds
  • ⅔ cup dried fruit (any combination of raisins, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, etc. no-sugar-added, if desired)
  • ¾ cup whole cashews
  • ½ cup pepitas
  • ⅓ cup ground flax
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup high-protein peanut butter
  • ⅓ cup honey (or sweetener of choice)
  • pinch sea salt
Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars
Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars
Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars
Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars
Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

And if you like this recipe, you're going to love these peanut butter chocolate bars!!

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars are a combination of high-protein peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. They are an easy, no-bake, gluten-free snack that is packed full of superfoods. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
1 hour hour
Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: Meal Prep
Servings: 12 bars
Calories: 375kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup rolled oats
  • ⅔ cup whole almonds
  • ⅔ cup dried fruit medley
  • ¾ cup whole cashews
  • ½ cup pepitas
  • ⅓ cup ground flax
  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds
  • 1 cup high-protein peanut butter or nut butter of choice
  • ⅓ cup Honey or liquid sweetener of choice
  • pinch Sea Salt
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Line a 9x9 in baking pan with parchment paper. Leave some paper hanging over the edges.
  • Place almonds and cashews in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped
  • Add chopped nuts, oats, dried fruit, seeds, flax and sea salt to a bowl
  • In a separate bowl combine the honey and peanut butter
  • Microwave in 20 seconds increments until runny
  • Add the honey/peanut butter mixture to the bowl with the nuts/seeds/oats.
  • Mix well
  • Press the mixture into your lined pan and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours
  • Slice into desired size bars
  • Store in a sealed container in the refridgerator for 10-14 days. (If they last that long!)

Video

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 12 bars:
15g Protein | 36g Carbs | 19g Fat | 6g Fiber | 375 calories

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 19g | Fiber: 6g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
Nutty Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars

How To Burn 300 Calories

January 11, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

How to burn 300 calories 777x431

It can be helpful to think about calorie burn in increments because sometimes we only have a certain amount of time to get some good exercise in and build strength. Here's how to burn 300 calories!

Are you looking for simple, at-home workouts you can do to amp up the output and burn 300 calories, to be precise- and ALSO crush your weight loss goals?

Well, lucky for you, that's precisely what we are here for. 

Meal prepping and exercise go hand in hand in creating a sustainable weight loss program. Exercising has countless benefits including cardiovascular health, muscle endurance, long-term health, mental health, and so much more, but one of the biggest reasons people exercise is to lose weight. 

How Does Exercise Help With Weight Loss?

Exercise helps us lose weight in two primary ways. First, it burns calories while we are moving and performing our workout. Burning 300 calories, for example, helps you stay in a caloric deficit which allows you to lose weight, and, when done right, primarily fat.

Second, specific exercises help us build muscle. By building muscle and losing fat, we essentially trade wasted weight for weight that is active. That's because fat doesn't really burn calories on its own; however, muscle actively burns more calories throughout the day as it functions. 

So, how do we do this and more specifically, burn 300 calories? Great question. The workouts below will help you not only burn calories but also build muscle. And lean muscle mass can help you with the afterburn!

Three Workouts That Will Help You Burn 300 Calories

Note: Total calories burned based on a 30-year-old, 200-pound man. 

Tabata Circuit

Tabata: 

  • Pushups (20 sec. work/10 sec. rest) x 8
  • Air Squats (20 sec. work/10 sec. rest) x 8
  • Lunges (20 sec. work/10 sec. rest) x 8
  • Rest for 1 minute, then repeat. 

Tabata is a fancy word for 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. Tabatas are great for getting your heart rate high and then allowing you to recover and do it all over again. Feel free to modify the pushups and work from your knees if you need to. 

Every Minute on the Minute Circuit

EMOM (24 Min.)

  1. 20-30 Step ups 
  2. 20-30 Slow Russian twists
  3. 10-20 Couch Dips
  4. 10-15 Burpees

Every Minute on the Minute (EMOM) training is perfect for keeping you on track during your workout. If you are anything like me and get distracted during your workouts, this may be a helpful approach.

The goal is to work for about forty-five seconds out of every minute. So at the start of the time (0:00), you would do 20-30 step-ups, then at the 1-minute mark, you would do 20-30 slow Russian twists, etc. For the step-ups, you can use your front porch steps, a sturdy wooden box, or anything that allows you to step up between fifteen to twenty inches. You will do each exercise six times. 

Dumbbell or Kettlebell Circuit

30-Minute Strength Training Circuit:

  1. Goblet Squat 3x10
  2. Single Arm Standing Shoulder Press 3x10
  3. Reverse Lunge 3x10
  4. Single Arm Row 3x10

If you have access to a moderate-weight dumbbell or kettlebell, this workout is sure to build strength. Unlike the previous workouts, it's not timed per se. Aim to spend about thirty minutes on this activity, however, so choose your weight accordingly.

Here's how to read this. You'll do each set of exercises in sequence, ten times, and repeat the sequence three times. So, after your first set of squats, do your first set of shoulder presses on each arm, alternating back and forth. With the squat and lunge, be sure to hold the weight with both hands right underneath your chin. On the dumbbell row, you want to hinge at your hips, rest the hand that is not lifting the weight on a couch or bench, keep a flat back, and pull the weight up underneath your armpit. 

Completing these three exercises should help you burn 300 calories in about an hour or so, but it'll also build a lot of functional strength and mobility.

How to Burn 300 Calories and Keep Yourself Motivated

Adding these exercise sessions that target strength can help you with your overall weight loss efforts. The process can sometimes be difficult, mysterious, and frustrating, but it is worth it! Stick to the basics of meal prepping, tracking calories, exercising, and sleep. Also, after your hard work, be sure to consume some protein to help your muscles recover and grow stronger. Most importantly? Don't forget to hydrate, as that helps with recovery.

READ MORE: Want some ideas for easy-to-make, high-protein meal ideas?

As always we are here for you on this journey, and can't wait to see you reach your health and fitness goals-burning 300 calories at a time, perhaps! How's it going for you? Let us know in the comments!

A Balanced Approach to Fitness

Remember, working out is just a way to burn energy. If you're not pairing a solid exercise routine with a balanced diet, you're fighting an uphill battle. I would suggest pairing a weekly meal plan with your exercise routine to maximize your results and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Sources

Kaminski, Jacqueline. "Metabolic Equivalents: What Are They & How To Calculate Them." NASM, https://blog.nasm.org/metabolic-equivalents-for-weight-loss.

Shaikh, Dr. Jasmine. "How Do You Calculate Calories Burned During Exercise?" MedicineNet, MedicineNet, 20 Oct. 2021, https://mealpreponfleek.com/counting-calories-101/

10 Tips to Speed Up Weight Loss

January 11, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

10 Tips to Speed Up Weight Loss
Table of Contents
  • Hint: You can do 70% with food!
  • Plan a healthy diet
  • Eat breakfast
  • Eat smaller meals
  • Daily workout
  • Be creative
  • Sleep more
  • Avoid sugary snacks
  • Drink more water
  • Don't eat late night
  • Reduce stress

Hint: You can do 70% with food!

There are thousands of weight loss formulas circulating the internet right now and most are touted as the real deal. When starting a weight loss program, it's important to keep in mind that your success (or lack thereof) may very well be determined by things like your genetics, age, gender, and sheer willpower. The information outlined in this article is meant to help you achieve a number of things including:

  • Reduce your appetite
  • Generate weight loss quickly
  • Boost your metabolism so you burn more fat

We've assembled a list of ten simple things that you can do today to speed up weight loss without investing too much of your time or energy.

Plan a healthy diet

Each one of your meals should include a protein source, healthy fats, and low-carb vegetables to give you a
fuller nutrient experience. If you set your meals this way you will lower your carb intake to the recommended range of 25-50 grams per day. Your protein sources include:

  • Meats: beef, chicken, pork, bacon, lamb, etc.
  • Fish and seafood - this includes salmon, trout, shrimp, lobster, etc.
  • Eggs - the best type are pastured eggs or ones enriched with omega-3

The importance of protein in your diet cannot be overstated. Multiple studies (1,2,3) have shown a correlation between a protein-rich diet and high metabolism. Also, protein helps to reduce obsessive thoughts about food by over 50%, and it makes you feel fuller during the day so that you automatically eat fewer calories. Here's a list of low-carb vegetables to include in your diet:

  • Spinach
  • Kale
  • Broccoli
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Cauliflower
  • Cabbage
  • Lettuce
  • Celery
  • Cucumber

Feel free to load your plate with these low-carb vegetables - you can eat large amounts without exceeding the recommended amount of carbs per day.

A diet that includes meats and vegetables contains high amounts of minerals, fiber, and vitamins - which means there's no physiological need to eat grains.

Your fat sources include:

  • Butter
  • Olive oil
  • Avocado oil
  • Coconut oil
  • Tallow

Eat breakfast

If you don't eat a healthy breakfast every day, your body automatically goes into starvation mode, so your metabolism slows to a crawl as a way to conserve energy.

What You Should Know About Eating Breakfast
Related Article: What You Should Know About Eating Breakfast

A nutrient-dense breakfast strengthens your metabolism. A study was first published in the Journal of Epidemiology that showed that people who skipped breakfast were 4.5 times more likely to suffer obesity as those who took time to eat in the morning. So what should you have for breakfast?

Foods that are slow to digest are the best. You may try combining lean proteins with fats and complex carbohydrates, such as found in this particular power breakfast: one omelet (1 egg, 2 eggs whites), a half cup of onions and mixed peppers, half cup of cooked steel-cut oats combined with frozen berries and a teaspoonful of omega-3 fish oil.

Eat smaller meals

To lose weight successfully, you need to burn more calories than you consume; which means you have to control your portions. Portion control doesn't necessarily mean you're doomed to a growling stomach. It's a way to make sure you eat fewer calories. Here's how to eat smaller meals:

  • Start with a glass of water. Before you sit down to eat, drink a large glass of water. According to Dawn Jackson
    Blatner, author of The Flexitarian Diet, filling up on water will make it much harder to overeat.
  • Put on form-fitting clothes. You don't have to squeeze into pants that don't fit; however, wearing a comfortable
    outfit with a waistband can serve to remind you to slow down and evaluate how you feel when eating. When your clothing gets a bit snugger, it can keep you from overeating.
  • Include vegetable fillers. Veggies are great for bulking out your meals and reducing calories. You can use spinach
    on your sandwich or add valuable nutrients and fiber to stir-fries and pasta. Alternatively, you can add diced pineapples to oatmeal or switch white bread with whole-wheat pita.
  • Use dinnerwear that encourages you to lose weight. Did you know that the color of your plate can influence how
    much food you eat? One study done by Cornell University showed that when people use a plate with a low color contrast they were more likely to serve more food (by up to 22%) than when they used a lighter-colored plate.
  • Improve the scene for more fulfilling meals. Listen to cool, relaxing music and dim the lights as you take
    your meals. This will allow you to enjoy the meal and it also helps to reduce portions. To make the meals last longer, chew slowly and sip some water between bites.

Daily workout

You don't always have to exercise to lose a few pounds, but it is highly recommended. For the best results, go to the gym at least 3-4 times a week and include warm-ups, stretches and weight lifting. When you lift weights you burn more calories and your metabolism will stay relatively high (4). Other studies show that you can build muscle and lose a significant amount of body fat (5).

It's important to mix things up in order to attain your fitness goals - and this is particularly true when working out. To burn more calories in a short amount of time, you may have to step up your intensity. Bursts of speed can cause a powerful fat-burning response in your muscles - so find a way to incorporate short sprints into your workout.

Combining your workouts with fish-oil supplements can also increase your ability to burn fat according to a study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. In the study, volunteers supplemented on six grams of fish oil every day and exercised three times a week. They lost an average of 3.4 pounds after 12 weeks while those who didn't use any fish supplement saw little shrinkage.

Be creative

Effective dieting is an art. Consider the level of creative output we use when trying to lose weight, and the sheer purpose we put behind every effort. Creativity allows your mind to explore different possibilities and to come up with solutions for any problem. In this case, it helps take your mind off negative thinking, weight gain, fat, and food. As a matter of fact, a keen, positive focus makes all the difference in the world for anybody trying to lose weight.

Exercising creativity also boosts your self-esteem and gives you a sense of pride when you see something that you created with your own hands. So what do you like? You can try coloring books, scrapbooking, collage, sewing, photography, etc. Anything that gives you great enthusiasm can work for your benefit as you take up the challenge to tone your body - and it's also a good way to meet like-minded people.

Sleep more

We have the misfortune of living in a world where sleep is associated with being sluggish. But this isn't the case. We know from modern science that sleep is a key contributor to a healthy metabolism, so the more you give in to quality sleep, the more equipped your body will be to burn fat. Your body also regulates hormones that influence appetite and energy production so when you don't get enough rest you inevitably produce low leptin and high amounts of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers food cravings.

If that's not reason enough to get 8 hours of shut-eye, researchers have shown that lack of sleep is connected to stress - and both are causes of early deaths through strokes and a compromised immune system.

Avoid sugary snacks

This is one of the most important things you can do to lose weight. Sugars and starches stimulate the secretion of insulin - a major fat-storage hormone in the body. When insulin levels drop, the body has an easier time burning fat that is stored in fat reserves. There's another reason to reduce the amount of insulin in your blood; it allows the kidneys to lose excess amounts of sodium and water, effectively reducing bloating and water weight (5,6).

All natural Sugar Swaps
Related article: 8 All-Natural Alternatives To Sugar

It is possible to lose over 10 pounds in the first week of eating this way as your body sheds both fat and
excess water (7). Reduce the carbs, lower your insulin levels and you will find that you eat fewer calories and feel fuller for longer (8).

Drink more water

Drinking more water can help you lose a few extra pounds especially when combined with exercise and a balanced diet. By drinking water you can avoid eating large amounts of food and you're less likely to consume sugary beverages (which by the way account for over 20% of American's energy intake).

Cold water can speed up your metabolism (albeit slightly) due to the energy your body uses to warm the water.

Water is a good accessory for weight loss. Drinking enough water every day contributes to a healthy body in general. That said, we don't mean that you should go around guzzling water all day to prevent dehydration (though it's not common, it is possible to drink too much water, especially if you're forcing yourself to drink even when you're not thirsty).

Don't eat late night

Most fitness experts recommend limiting the number of carbs you eat at night because as you fall asleep, your metabolism slows down and the carbs you eat have a higher chance of being stored in your body as fat. When you eat early in the day, your body will transform this food into energy; however several metabolic processes are altered during sleep including insulin sensitivity which slows down at night, changing your carb-storing process towards fat.

Reduce stress

Your body responds to stress in a harmful (and predictable) manner. When you have a stressful day, your brain
sends a message to the cells to release potent hormones like adrenaline - which retrieves stored energy to power the fight-or-flight reaction. As this is happening, your brain is also telling the cells to produce cortisol so you can replenish this lost energy. This is what causes those hunger pangs and causes you to eat nonstop.

To relieve this hunger, many of us reach for sugar-filled snacks and fatty foods as a comfort because they help
release pleasure chemicals that ease the tension. Soon this becomes an unhealthy cycle of tension and feeding, and it causes weight gain. We have a few tips for managing stress in our hectic day-to-day routines:

  • Avoid alcohol and caffeine (and nicotine)
  • Exercise more
  • Get enough sleep
  • Do meditation
  • Talk to someone
  • Find ways to manage your time
  • Eat well-balanced meals
  • Take deep breaths
  • Limit internet and phone use
  • Stretch

As with all well-meaning weight loss guides, take what works for you and leave the rest. Remember no weight loss strategy works if you find it unpleasant. So if you find that you need to tweak this strategy to accommodate a few of your own choices, go ahead, as long as you're not jeopardizing your own health.

Free ways to boost your mood
Related Article: 15 Free Ways To Boost Your Mood

__

Lydia is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer at fitnessgoals, with a passion for writing and a love for chocolate. She enjoys long walks with a breeze and finding ways to make dessert healthy.

15 Foods To Help Naturally Balance Your Hormones

January 11, 2023 by Dana Monsees, MS, CNS, LDN Leave a Comment

How To Naturally Balance Your Hormones

How to Naturally Balance Your Hormones

Hormones are essential chemicals in your overall health. Lately, I have been seeing more and more signs of hormone imbalances in my clients. Some of the signs/complaints include the following:

  • Feelings of fatigue or exhaustion all the time
  • Low sex drive
  • Digestive issues
  • Hair loss
  • Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Cravings

The list could go on and on. The degree to which each of these signs impacts my clients is different. Perhaps some of these issues resonate with you. But, the one thing they all have in common? These issues stem from a lack of proper nutrition.

We all need a good balance of protein, carbs, and healthy fats. More often than not, we cut back on fat first because it has the most calories and we think eating less fat will help us lose weight more quickly, which can be true in some instances. However, by cutting out a significant amount of fat we do more harm to our bodies than good. It's tempting, and we certainly have had periods of time in our culture in which we believed that fat was the enemy; all those low-fat diet fads are a testament to such thinking.

READ MORE: 10 Reasons Why You Are Having Food Cravings

But here's the thing. Fat is the most important macronutrient for balancing hormones because they are produced from fatty acids and cholesterol. So, when we cut back our fat we are basically depriving our bodies of the elements it needs to keep our hormones in balance. Yikes! That's not something anyone wants.

By structuring your meals around a solid foundation of all three macronutrients-carbohydrates, protein, and fats-your body will really begin to flourish because your hormones will be balanced.

15 Foods To Help You Naturally Balance Your Hormones

Start by adding one or two, and then slowly increase from there.

Protein Sources

Try to stick with organic, grass-fed, or wild-caught for the following:

  • Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Beef
  • Salmon
  • Shellfish

Carbohydrates

  • Quinoa
  • Lentils
  • Dark leafy green vegetables
    • Kale
    • Spinach
    • Broccoli
    • Asparagus
  • Bright-colored vegetables (also loaded with antioxidants)
    • Peppers
    • Tomatoes
    • Carrots
    • Cabbage
  • Starchy Vegetables
    • Sweet Potatoes
    • Squash varieties
    • Beets
    • Parsnips

Healthy Fat

These will be the most important. Try to aim for a variety of healthy fat sources each day. You can always keep some nuts handy as a snack, in your car or in a backpack. Try cooking with coconut oil or ghee if it's unfamiliar to you. (Or make these coconut fat bombs!)

  • Avocado
  • Coconut Oil
  • Ghee
  • Nuts/Seeds
  • Egg Yolks

READ THIS NEXT: 13 Tips for Cutting Calories the Right Way

Additional Items

Other things such as spices and seasonings can go a long way too! Try adding:

  • Cinnamon (great in your coffee or morning oatmeal)
  • Tumeric (add some to rice)
  • Cayenne
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Onion
  • Cumin (it's essential to any taco dish with ground beef!)

Including a variety of these foods gives your body the nutrients it needs to really flourish. You will be amazed at how quickly our bodies can heal from a lack of nutrients, thanks to a few small daily changes.

If any of this strikes a chord with you, it's always a good idea to consult your physician.

Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

January 10, 2023 by Meal Prep Mondays Leave a Comment

Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies 777x431

This is another winner of sheet pan chicken and veggies dinner! Yes! Endlessly customizable, healthy, and loaded with protein. We're here for it!

We'll never stop going on about our love of sheet pan dinners. They just make so much sense. You take a protein and some veggies, toss it in a little oil with salt, pepper, and other seasonings, and dinner is ready in a half an hour. You've got one pan to clean afterward, along with a knife and a cutting board. It's a game changer, a time saver, and all sorts of other great things! (Make sure you check out our top sheet pan dinners for 2023.)

This recipe is friendly toward gluten free, paleo, and keto diets, depending on the veggies you pick. Consider this a template for cooking dinner and mix it up to find your favorite combinations of veggies and protein. (Salmon and pork are great here, too!)

Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken breasts (about 1 to 1 ½ pounds)
  • 1 whole zucchini, about 6 inches long
  • 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes
  • 2 cups broccoli
  • ½ red onion
  • Garlic cloves to taste
  • Equal parts salt, pepper, and paprika
  • Olive oil

How to Make Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

You combine all the ingredients on a sheet pan and season accordingly with garlic and a tasty combination of salt, pepper, and paprika. Chicken just LOVES paprika.

How to Store Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

This is a classic meal prep that will keep in the fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. Reheat in the oven, tented with foil, until hot. (You can also use the microwave but that is sometimes a dicier proposition with chicken because it can get rubbery that way.

If you'd like to freeze the chicken and veggies, that's also possible. We like to use zip-close plastic bags for this job and then defrost the food in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Substitutions and Alterations

For this sheet pan recipe with chicken and veggies, you can make a lot of swaps.

  • Use chicken thighs instead of breasts.
  • Roast cauliflower instead of broccoli, or go for a classic-sweet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, perhaps.
  • Brussels sprouts are also great here, along with yellow squash instead of zucchini.
  • We'd recommend keeping the onion, regardless of what other swaps you make. So much flavor!
  • Skip the tomatoes altogether if desired.
  • Change the seasoning at will and add dried thyme, rosemary, or parsley, for example. Or incorporate fresh versions of any of those herbs to sprinkle on before serving.

Tips for Sheet Pan Success

It's never a bad idea to break up a sheet pan dinner onto two different pans if you load it up and things look crowded. This chicken and veggiges sheet pan dinner is pretty loaded! You want everything to cook evenly and the veggies to get a little color and if they're all close together, they'll steam and get a little mushy, rather than roast. It's still easy clean up with two pans and minimal prep equipment.

READ MORE: We think you'll love these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas. Let us know!

Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies
Sheet-Pan-Chicken-Veggies-3-scaled-1

Sheet Pan Chicken and Veggies

Sheet pan chicken with vegetables is the ultimate template dinner of fresh ingredients and pantry staples. Make this delicious recipe tonight in less than an hour!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: Chicken, gluten free, low carb, Sheet Pan
Servings: 4 Meals
Calories: 278kcal
Author: Meal Prep Mondays

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breast cubed
  • ½ ea red onion sliced into half moons or chunks
  • 2 cups broccoli chopped
  • 1 ½ cup cherry tomato halved
  • 5 ea garlic cloves minced
  • 1 ea whole zucchini cubed
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and place foil over a large sheet pan with rimmed sides.
  • Combine all the veggies and chicken right in the pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and add the salt, pepper, and paprika. Toss to combine using a wooden spoon or spatula.
  • Cover the top loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Check to make sure the chicken has cooked through. Remove the foil and then bake for another 5 minutes to crisp up the veggies.
  • Remove the pan from the oven, serve immediately, or distribute among 4 meal prep containers.

Notes

This recipe makes 4 meals.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Meal | Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1904mg | Potassium: 886mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1464IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Pro Tip: Habit forming is the key to effective, lifelong, health and wellness success. Check out this Habit Forming workbook, which guides you through a process and strategy to help you make the most of your day/week/month. Best of all? It's FREE!

What are your favorite veggies to pair with chicken for a sheet pan weeknight dinner? Let us know in the comments!

Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

January 10, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

Smoked salmon & lentil breakfast salad is a no-cook meal prep packed with high-protein, high-fiber lentils, smoked salmon, and fresh vegetables. Easy, fast assembly, and gluten-free!

This smoked salmon & lentil breakfast salad puts together ingredients you might not have considered to string together, for a dish that may at first not seem very breakfast-y. We know. You are probably thinking, who eats lentils for breakfast? Lentils are for soup, right? We don't, normally, but we were craving some smoked salmon one morning and had extra lentils in the fridge. So, we tossed all of this on a plate and were blown away by the flavors! They were too good not to recreate. So, we meal-prepped it to test it out and now we are craving this Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad for lunch and dinner, too!

The best part, other than the ease? It's a breakfast recipe that can be made in 5 minutes, and that is no small thing because we all know mornings can be hectic sometimes. Plus! This lentil breakfast salad packs in 28g of protein, 11g of fiber (almost half of your daily intake), and tons of healthy omega-3 fats! It's the ideal ratio of carbs, protein, and fats to keep you fueled all morning long.

Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad Ingredients

  • 1 package steamed fresh lentils
  • 2-3 cups baby spinach
  • ¼ small onion, sliced
  • 2 small tomatoes, sliced or chopped
  • 4 oz smoked salmon
  • Handful of capers, optional
  • 2 tablespoon avocado oil
  • 2 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar (can sub regular)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Salt & pepper, to taste

How to Make Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

Ok, so you can totally shortcut this salmon and lentil salad and buy pre-cooked lentils, like the ones we've pictured here. But you can also cook them as part of your weekly meal prep activities in the kitchen and they'll be ready. Smoked salmon needs no help. We love the Dijon-based salad dressing, which gives us a good acidic hit to balance out the rest of the flavors with white balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Slice up some red onion and tomatoes and serve on top of the greens.

How to Serve Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

You better believe this also works for both of those meals, as well! Lunch. Check. Dinner. Check. You can even make it into 4 portions and make it a side dish for a party or turn it into a 'build your own' smoked salmon plate at a weekend brunch (and then just save the leftovers for meal prep). This is just another one of those easy meal prep recipes to always keep in your back pocket for when you need something quick. And if you're into it, a nice big slice of crusty bread pairs so well with this.

Substitutions and Alterations

Brown or green lentils work great here. The most ideal lentils for a salad like this are the French ones, which stay firmer when they're cooked; they're also smaller. Steer clear of red lentils, because they break open quickly and don't really hold their shape during cooking.

Baby kale or arugula would also taste great with the dressing and the other ingredients.

If you don't have white balsamic vinegar or can't find it, feel free to substitute apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar instead. The dressing would also taste great with a tablespoon of honey added to it.

If you aren't using this awesome product of steamed lentils from Melissa's Produce, cook the lentils ahead of time. You'll need about a cup, dried. Anything you don't use in this recipe you can freeze in zip-close bags you can label, for later. Or keep the lentils in the fridge for making soup later in the week.

READ MORE: Broccoli Lentil Quinoa Casserole, because lentils are delicious!

Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

Smoked Salmon & Lentil Breakfast Salad

This simple, no-cook meal is packed full of high-protein, high-fiber lentils, smoked salmon and fresh vegetables. It comes together in less than 5 minutes. Gluten Free. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Lentils, Meal Prep, Salmon
Servings: 2
Calories: 392kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 package steamed fresh lentils
  • 3 cups baby spinach
  • ¼ small onion sliced
  • 2 small tomatoes sliced or chopped
  • 4 ounces smoked salmon sugar free
  • capers optional

Dressing

  • 2 tbs avocado oil
  • 2 tbs white or regular balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbs Dijon mustard
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Salt & pepper to taste
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the dressing and set aside.
  • Evenly divide remaining ingredients between 2 meal prep containers.
  • Put the dressing in a container on the side to prevent the salad from gettng soggy.
  • Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can eat this at room temperature.

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 2 meals:
28g Protein | 36g Carbs | 17.5g Fat | 11g Fiber | 392 Calories

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 17.5g | Fiber: 11g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

January 10, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep sounds like a lot of tasty buzzwords! This keto recipe is a mashup of pizza and cheeseburgers. Say no more!

This incredible comfort food meal prep idea is what you get when you combine two favorites, pizza, and cheeseburgers. Whodathunkit? It's gluten-free, low-carb, and ketogenic, and it can be yours tonight (and the night after that, and after that . . . you get the idea.) Instead of bread as the base, it's chicken!

This healthy meal prep is so hearty and filling you won't miss the bread at all. Serve it over top a large lettuce leaf if you want to simulate bread, or pick it up with one hand. But you might find it's a lot easier to eat this with a knife and fork. You do you!

Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
  • ½ cup Sir Kensington special sauce
  • 4 ounces Colby Jack cheese
  • 4 to 6 ounces ground beef, cooked
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup dill pickles, drained
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups broccoli
Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

How to Make Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

It goes like this. The chicken breast is the bread. The cheese goes on top (that's the "pizza"), and the ground beef goes on top of that. Then you add more cheese, and the toppings, which include red onion, along with some salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a side of steamed broccoli and pickles, if you like. And that is your cheeseburger pizza chicken mash-up keto meal prep, friends. Oh, and let's not forget the special sauce!

Perhaps you've seen such an ingenious idea before with our Pizza Chicken Meal Prep Recipe?

What's Sir Kensington's Special Sauce?

So, we love anything called "special sauce," right? Sir Kensington is a condiment brand we're fans of because the ingredients are pronounceable and they tend to work well with keto and paleo diets. This one is plant-based, too-it's basically a seasoned mayo with paprika, mustard, and some other seasonings. We don't want to ruin the surprise, because then it wouldn't be special, would it?

Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

How to Serve Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

We like to prep this meal as directed and keep it in the fridge, as usual, in a sealed meal prep container. When it's time to reheat, put it in the oven briefly under high heat so the cheese re-melts a bit. Or, if you're so inclined, add more cheese and let it melt under the broiler.

We have specified serving this with a side of steamed or roasted broccoli (you can add the broccoli to the baking sheet if you like), but a green salad is great, too.

For those who aren't worried about carbs but who don't eat gluten, serve this with some homemade steak fries or roasted potatoes.

Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

Substitutions and Alterations

Oh, this is a fun one to mess around with. Think about how you like cheeseburgers, and take it from there!

  • Use ground chicken, turkey, pork, or veal instead of beef, or come up with your own combination of ground meats for your favorite and best results, like you'd do with meatballs.
  • Use American cheese, cheddar, or maybe even jalapeno cheddar cheese instead of Colby Jack cheese.
  • For the full burger effect, garnish with sliced tomatoes and lettuce, or serve them alongside, like deconstructed toppings, with some of the special sauce drizzled over the top.
  • Swap red onion for white or yellow onion, based on what you've got on hand.
  • Use ketchup (sparingly, if you're watching carbs) or mustard if you can't find or don't like the special sauce.

READ MORE: Low-Carb Pizza Meal Prep Recipe Is Next On Your List!

Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

Cheeseburger Pizza Chicken Meal Prep

Cheeseburger pizza has gone KETO! This recipe is a mashup between two favorite meals, cheeseburgers and pizza, without the bread!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken, Meal Prep
Servings: 4 meals
Calories: 451kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken breast pounded thin
  • ½ cup Sir Kensington special sauce
  • 4 ounce Colby Jack cheese
  • 4-6 ounces lean ground beef cooked (nutrition calculated using 4 ounces of 93% lean ground beef)
  • ½ small red onion thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup dill pickles drained
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 cups broccoli steamed or roasted
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Season chicken with salt and pepper, top with some special sauce, and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and top the chicken with cheese, ground beef, and sliced onions.
  • Bake for an additional 6-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and onions are tender.
  • Remove from the oven and top with sliced pickles. Serve with a side of broccoli or a green salad.

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings (including broccoli on the side and using 4 ounces of 93% lean ground beef)
41g P | 10.5g C | 28.5g F | 2.5g Fiber | 451 Calories

Nutrition

Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 883mg | Potassium: 404mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 950IU | Vitamin C: 144.4mg | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 2.5mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!

Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash

January 9, 2023 by Nick Quintero Leave a Comment

Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash

This Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash replaces traditional eggs with quinoa, a complete protein. Quick to make and gluten free. 

Just because you're following a plant-based diet (or maybe dabbling with one) doesn't mean that you can't have a filling and healthy breakfast meal prep. This one involves cooked quinoa, some tomatoes, mushrooms, and kale. You could even eat this for dinner if you wanted to. Or lunch! It's also pretty adaptable based on what you have on hand in the fridge, pantry, or freezer.

 

Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash

Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa 
  • 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, liquid drained 
  • 1 (6 oz) jar mushrooms in water, drained 
  • 1 ½ cups kale, shredded 
  • 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar 
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced 
  • ½ tsp. sage 
  • Salt & pepper, to taste 

How to Make Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash

Start off by cooking the quinoa; that's the base for this recipe. Then, you'll saute some garlic and mushrooms in a skillet, along with some white wine vinegar until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add in the tomatoes, sage, salt, and pepper, and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Finally, add in the kale and the quinoa and stir it all together. This cooks very quickly. 

How to Serve and Store Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Hash

We like to serve this vegan mushroom hash as is for breakfast, or maybe with some crusty bread on the side that you've drizzled with a little olive oil. You can also eat this for lunch or dinner, alongside some roasted potatoes, if desired. It's also good with a soup like our vegan minestrone soup, or even with rice added in. You can use brown or white rice, or even our cauliflower rice.

If you're going to make this as a meal prep recipe, once it's cooked portion it into individual air-tight containers and store it in the fridge until you're ready to eat it. It's good for 4 to 5 days. You can eat this at room temperature or reheat it in a skillet over medium heat until it's hot all the way through. You can also freeze this (yes, quinoa freezes well) and defrost it right in a hot skillet. It will be ready quickly.

Substitutions and Alterations

Feel free to use fresh mushrooms if you like. They'll cook down considerably; just keep that in mind if you're using fresh ones. Just chop them to bite-size so that everything in the hash is close to the same size. Similarly, you can use fresh tomatoes if it's summertime when you're making this and your garden is overflowing with tomatoes. 

Cooked cubed sweet potatoes would be delicious in this vegan breakfast hash, or roasted Yukon gold or new potatoes.

Kale is awesome, we love it, but spinach works here, too, or even Swiss chard. You can use almost any kind of greens here (even beet greens). The mushrooms are pretty earthy and they'd pair well with chard in particular.  Arugula is good, too, if you'd like a peppery kick to this dish.

Use any of your favorite seasonings, whether it's paprika, rosemary, oregano, or thyme. All of them would complement this dish. 

READ MORE: If you eat eggs, try this Sheet Pan Breakfast Hash and Eggs!

 

Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash

Click here for more Vegan Meal Prep Recipes

Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash

Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash

Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash

Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash

Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash

This Vegan Mushroom Quinoa Breakfast Hash is a high protein recipe that replaces traditional eggs with a complete protein, quinoa. Quick to make and gluten free. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Course: Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Meal Prep, Quinoa
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 191.5kcal
Author: Nick Quintero

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 15 ounces diced tomatoes liquid drained
  • 6 ounces jarred mushrooms in water drained
  • 1 ½ cups kale shredded
  • 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ tsp dried sage
  • Salt & pepper to taste
InstacartGet Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Bring a large skillet to medium heat with extra virgin olive oil.
  • Add minced garlic, mushrooms, and white wine vinegar. Sauté until garlic is fragrant 2-3 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes, sage, salt and pepper. Cook another 3-4 minutes.
  • Next add the shredded kale. Sauté just until it begins to wilt, about two minutes.
  • Stir in the quinoa and cook another 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately while hot or transfer into meal prep containers.

Notes

Nutrition for 1 out of 4 servings:
7g Protein | 28.5g Carbs | 5.5g Fat | 191.5 Calories

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 191.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.5g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5.5g
Tried this recipe?Mention @mealpreponfleek or tag #mealpreponfleek!
  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 15
  • 16
  • 17
  • 18
  • 19
  • …
  • 30
  • Next Page »
nick-quintero-headshot-SQ

Welcome!

Hello! I'm Nick, the meal prepper behind Meal Prep on Fleek, Easy Meal Prep Recipes, and Workweek Lunch—brands that have revolutionized the way people approach meal preparation. Since embarking on my own meal prep journey over nine years ago, I've been dedicated to teaching and inspiring others through comprehensive guides and resources.

More about me

Popular Recipes

  • Pizza Chicken Meal Prep
    Pizza Chicken Meal Prep Recipe (Low Carb, High Flavor)
  • 25 Healthy Lunch Recipes
    25 Healthy Lunches For People Who Hate Salads (Updated)
  • Gluten Free Caesar Pasta Salad Meal Prep
  • Yes, You CAN Meal Prep Pancakes!
    Yes, You CAN Meal Prep Pancakes!

Blog

  • Mediterranean Diet 101
    Mediterranean Diet 101
  • How to Change Your Body’s Natural Weight Set Point
    Two Key Ways to Change Your Body’s Natural Weight Set Point
  • 5 Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Caffeine
  • 7 Foods that are Secretly High In Protein
    7 Surprising Foods With Protein + 3 Easy Protein Smoothies

Favorite Meal Prep Tools

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and get a Free eBook
  • Workweek Lunch Meal Planner Program

Contact

  • Contact
  • Media Kit
  • FAQ

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 Meal Prep on Fleek | a Q6 Media LLC Company

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required