Meal-Prep 101

On saturday at work I watched a video with a co-worker about meal-prep and it got me thinking. Why don't I do this? I purchase all the ingredients I need throughout the week, but why don't I put together some of the dishes? Especially lunches. This would save me a lot of time in the mornings, and ensure I'm eating a well balance meal for lunch.

One of my favorite things to make in meal-prep is roasted vegetables. I can cook up a couple of pans of veggies and they will last Marek and myself all week. And they are super healthy!

Heat your oven to 400. Mix your cut veggies with olive oil and salt-free spices. I like to throw in some thyme and oregano too. Roast them up! So simple. Here are some of my favorite veggies to roast, split up according to how long they take to roast.

Quick Roasting Time

Quick Roasting Time (10-20 minutes)
Tomatoes (grape tomatoes, tried slices-too gooey)
Mushrooms
Asparagus
Corn

Medium Roasting Time (20-30 minutes)
Bell Peppers
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Zucchini
Squashes

Medium RoastingTime

Onions

Long Roasting Time (40-60 minutes)
Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Turnips
Brussel Sprouts
Carrots
Beets




Another great way to ensure you eat enough vegetables is by making a big batch of squash/sweet potatoes. These are both powerhouses for Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and are low in sodium. All you have to do is peel them, cut them into cubes, and boil them until soft. Mash them up with spices or just leave plain. So simple. And so tasty. See the below comparison chart. I like to mix one of each.

	BUTTERNUT SQUASH (1 CUP)	SWEET POTATO (1 MEDIUM, ABOUT 1 CUP)
Calories	63	130
Fat (g)	0.1	0.0
Carbs (g)	16.4	33
Fiber (g)	2.8	4
Sugar (g)	3.1	7
Protein (g)	1.4	2

My latest favorite "meat" for meal-prep are SPOLUMBO chicken sausages from Save-On. OMG! My PTNB introduced me to them. The sausages I've tried are plain, apple hickory and sundried tomato. The best way to cook them is BBQ or frying pan. Try them! You will love them! 
Finally, make up a batch of brown rice, or some quinoa. Throw a few chicken breasts in the oven at the same time as the roasted veggies. 
Marek and I made all this food in just under an hour. We are set for a week's worth of lunches. Mmmm. 
Goal Reached: Well, 1/4 reached. I missed Friday's Zumba (had to work). But I am planning to go next Saturday instead. So at least I have a plan. New Goal: Don't weigh myself until Friday, and don't cry if I weigh more than expected. It's period week!!