The busier life gets, the more important it is to have systems ready to help you. That’s why I believe in meal prepping. I know that people hate eating the same thing everyday, but what I hate more is spending so much time cooking one meal everyday just to have it for lunch and then doing it again and again.
Here are some easy meals to prepare to survive the work week:
The classic
Grain + Meat + Sweet potato
I love this option. I do it so often my dad hates it. But on days I have minimal time to prep, nothing takes too long. I usually make bulgur with chicken and roasted sweet potatoes. I’ve also swapped it for quinoa and rice, but bulgur is easiest. I usually add salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and garlic powder to my sweet potatoes, but you know what’s best for your taste buds.
Another option is quinoa, roasted potatoes, and beef. The goal is to figure out what you can quickly make and throw together!
The bowl
If I have a little more time on my hands or want to get more complex with my meals, then it’s time for the bowl. I first got this idea from my job in college. For intern dinner (which the interns would make together), we once modeled a Roots bowl based off a local Charlottesville restaurant. As they publish their recipe online, I decided to make it here in NYC.
The bowl essentially consists of a leaf green, a grain, chicken, sweet postoes, and cheese. My favorite version is kale, bulgur, beets, sweet potato, feta, pickled onions and making the pesto vinaigrette for a lovely dressing on top! I’ve also done arugula, red cabbage, avocado, pepper jack cheese, and ceasar dressing on top. The things that take the most time are the beets and sweet potatoes but it’s so worth it for a restaurant meal at home.
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Egg bites
Breakfast can be hard sometimes. You wake up and the last thing you want to do is make a decision when you’re exhausted. Prepping egg bites is easy. You choose your meat of choice: bacon or sausage and cook that beforehand. Additionally, cut up any veggies you’d like to add. I’ve done bell peppers for a quick chop.
Add in 6 eggs, 1/2 cup of milk, cheese, veggies, meat, and mix it all up in a bowl. Grease a muffin Then preheat the oven at 375 degrees and cook them for 15 minutes, but depending on your oven, check them earlier. Get them out while they’re warm. I’ve found they were sticking to the tin when they cooled down. An easy breakfast with no major effort.
Lemon orzo with chicken
I came across orzo in my college days, and it looks like rice but is actually pasta. It can make a delicious soup, depending on your preference for chicken broth. It is a little more involved, but usually it includes spinach, carrots, and celery. Personally, I think it works plain with the lemon juice + zest and the chicken as a pasta (less like a soup).
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Chili
As it gets deeper into fall, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention chili. It’s a fun, delicious meal that can serve as a main dish, side dish, or a dip! I don’t have a recipe I follow for this, but I recommend finding something on Pinterest. Especially as I know people have preferences on meat and broth and other toppings. I love lots of cheddar cheese and sour cream!
If you want complexity, may I present to you white chicken chili. I fear I will have to figure out how to transport it to work as it is more of a soup, but it’s so so good! It does take some time and I’ll add a recipe I love below. It’s the perfect fall meal!
Sandwich
And if all else fails, and you totally forgot to prepare, there’s always the sandwich. Some of my best lunches were whole wheat bread, mayo, ham, and cheese. Very simple but still filled me. 🙂
My main tip would be don’t wait until Sunday night to figure out what you’ll eat by midday on Monday. Plan in advance. Even if it’s a list of rotating meals on your fridge, like my friend Kate has.
Signing off,
Gigi
