Meal Prep Week Three

Bank Holiday Meal prep, is there anything really like it? If you are suffering after the Halloween parties, I have altered the meal prep to help boost that immune system and dishes that bring a whole lot of comfort to the colder and darker evenings. I also included some bread because realistically we all just need some this week!

Breakfast is some overnight oats with multiple recipes to change it up (you can heat them up in the morning if you fancy something warm but on the go these spots are awesome. My second breakfast is a bread, high in protein with the hemp and pumpkin it’s a perfect start to your day toasted or fresh with some smoked salmon/hummus or nut butter.

Lunch and Dinner options well we are keeping it warm and cosy with my Kickin’ Curry full of immune boosting ingredients and certainly a dish that you’re really going to look forward to coming into after a long day at work. This is perfect for freezing but will last in the fridge in tight sealed container for 4 days. If you are leaving out the sweet potato in the main recipe I recommend serving it alongside some quinoa or brown rice. As in first meal prep post the precooked rice/quinoa pouches are fantastic for those of you in a rush to bet the hanger.

My next option is a salmon and quinoa burger the are great for lunch, eaten hot or cold you have great source protein, carbs and fats. I usually serve min with a little homemade mayo or avocado- don’t forget to get your greens in there too- try the freezer bags as seen in post 1, the burgers keep in the fridge for 3 days but also freeze well.

Last lunch/dinner option is a warming quick salad, once again quinoa is your main grain here- I tried to stick to quinoa this week so you can make a large bulk tonight that will sort you for the week. For the courgette I have them prepped in zip lock bags but roast/grill them just before so it heats up the quinoa bowl. With the other ingredients, it’s a case of just assembly. The only part prepped for this dish is the quinoa, almonds toasted and courgette washed and diced.

It’s all about the snacks this week, ones that make you feel like you’re having something bold but it’s in fact really good. With the granola bars, have the recipe unless your generous and you want to bring the extra ones to friends, but you can freeze the bars too!

The protein ball/bar is kept for moments were you need something sweet this is what I turn to late in the evening when I want something with a cup of tea, baked they are just like a cookie!

 

Week Three Menu

BREAKFAST

• Overnight Oats
• Hemp & Pumpkin Bread

LUNCH/DINNER

• Kickin’ Curry
• Salmon Quinoa Burgers
• Simple Warm Salad

SNACKS

• Granola Bar –  Early Morning Snack
• Protein Ball/Bar – Evening Snack

 

__________

 

BREAKFAST

 

Coconut and Goji Berry Overnight Oats

Serves 1

 

If you have an early start in the morning, make one of these the night before and put it in a screw-top jar to get an extra few minutes in bed. Then all you need to do in the morning is throw the jar in your bag if you need to dash out the door and eat on the run. This one is my favourite combination, and it’s helped get me through some of my earliest call times.

 

Ingredients

 

• 45g gluten-free oats
• 250ml coconut water
• 2 tbsp. goji berries
• 1 tbsp. flaxseeds

 

Method

 

1. Place all the ingredients in a jar and stir to combine. Screw on the lid and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, just give the oats a quick stir before tucking in.

 

 

 

Coconut and Raisin Overnight Oats

Serves 1

 

Ingredients

 

• 45g gluten-free oats
• 250ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp. raisins
• 2 tbsp. desiccated coconut
• 1/2 tbsp. honey or maple syrup

 

Method

 

1. Place all the ingredients in a jar and stir to combine. Screw on the lid and refrigerate overnight.

 

 

Cacao and Date Overnight Oats

Serves 1

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 tsp. raw cacao powder
• 250ml unsweetened almond milk
• 45g gluten-free oats
• 2 dates, pitted and chopped
• 1 tbsp. cacao nibs
• 1 tbsp. honey or maple syrup

 

Method

 

1. Place the cacao powder in a bowl. Add a little almond milk and whisk together to make a paste, then add the rest of the milk and whisk to make a smooth chocolate milk, making sure there are no lumps. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Transfer to a jar, screw on the lid and refrigerate overnight.

 

Breakfast 2 – serve alongside some nut butter, hummus or some smoked salmon.

 

Hemp & Pumpkin Bread

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 Ibs Loaf Tin
• 250g oats (gluten free optional)
• 50g hemp seeds (I used linseeds)
• 60g pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp. milled flaxseed (I used Linwood’s)
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 250ml unsweetened almond milk
• tsp herbamare (or pinch salt plus tsp mixed herbs)
• 4 tbsp. nutritional yeast- for the cheesy flavour

 

Method

 

1. In a food processor add the oats and pumpkin seeds, blend into a flour consistency
2. Pour the mix into a medium sized mixing bowl, stir in the baking soda, flax, hemp and nutritional yeast.
3. Make a small well in the centre of the dry mix and pour in the Almond milk and apple cider vinegar.
4. Stir to combine well, the bread dough should be a little wet and sticky.
5. Spoon into a lined 1Ibs bread tin and let sit for 20-30 minutes before baking in the oven for 40 minutes.
6. Let cool before slicing.
7. Store in a zip lock bag or container at room temp for up the 5 days.
8. Perfect for toasting or buttering up with some warm soup.

 

 

 

DINNER /LUNCH OPTIONS

 

 

Kickin’ Curry

serves 6 portions

 

Ingredients

 

• 2 tbsp. coconut or olive oil
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large onion, sliced into thin rings
• 3 small garlic cloves, minced
• 5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 courgette, diced, or sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp. mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. ground coriander
• 1 tbsp. ground turmeric
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 1/2 tbsp. tomato purée
• 500–750ml chicken stock or water
• 6 dried lime leaves (you can find them with the herbs and spices in the supermarket)
• 50g raw cashews and/or flaked almonds (optional)
• steamed brown rice or cooked quinoa, to serve
• chopped fresh coriander, to garnish

 

Method

 

1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the chicken (you don’t need to cut it up, but can if you want to). Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon of coconut oil and sauté the onion, garlic and ginger for about 10 minutes, stirring, until the onions have softened and turned translucent.
3. Add the diced courgette or sweet potato and all the spices. Stir to combine and cook for 2–3 minutes.
4. Add the lemon juice and tomato purée and mix well before adding just enough chicken stock or water to just cover the top of the chicken – you’ll probably need 500–750ml, depending on the size of your pot.
5. Lastly, stir in the dried lime leaves.
6. Bring the curry up to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
7. Stir in the nuts at this point if you’re using them.

 

Salmon Quinoa Burgers

2 large burgers

 

Ingredients

 

• 60g quinoa
• 300g salmon (remove the skin)
• 1 clove of garlic (minced)
• .5 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. fresh coriander
• 1 tsp. paprika

 

Spicy mayo dip

 

• 2 tbsp. Natural Organic Yogurt
• 1-2 tsp hot sauce

 

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 200
2. Cook the quinoa as instructed on the package.
3. Place the salmon in a food processor along with the garlic, mustard, coriander, paprika and egg and blend until smooth.
4. Spoon the mix into a bowl and stir in the cooked quinoa.
5. Using your hands, mould the mix into burger patties and place on a lined baking tray.
6. Cook for 15 mins then turn them over and cook for a further 10 minutes.
7. Serve with a dollop of spicy mayo.

 

 

 

Simple Warm Salad

serves 1 portion

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 courgette, diced
• 1 tbsp. virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 25g whole almonds, halved, or pine nuts
• 30g leftover cooked quinoa
• 1 tbsp. vegan pesto
• 2 tbsp. dried cranberries

 

Method

 

1. Roast the courgette in the oven or cook it on the hob. To roast it, preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the diced courgette on a baking tray, drizzle with a little oil and the lemon juice and cook for 35 minutes, until soft and browned along the edges. To cook it on the hob, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the diced courgette and cook for 5­–6 minutes, until light golden, then remove from the heat and drizzle over the lemon juice.
2. Meanwhile, to toast the almonds, heat a heavy-based, dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add the nuts and cook, stirring, for 5–10 minutes, until they start to turn golden brown and smell fragrant. If you’re using pine nuts, only toast them in the pan for a few minutes, taking care not to let them burn. Tip the nuts out of the pan and let them cool a little.
3. Combine the cooked courgette with the toasted nuts, cooked quinoa, pesto and dried cranberries in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Transfer the warm salad to a shallow bowl and tuck in.

 

 

SNACKS

 

Granola bars

makes 12

 

Ingredients

 

• 250g gluten free jumbo oats
• 100g mixed seeds
• 50g cashews (broken up into chunks – leave out or replace with buckwheat groats for nut free recipe)
• 1 level tbsp. turmeric
• 1 tsp. herbamare (herb and salt seasoning)
• 10g toasted nori sheets torn into pieces (you can pick up the seaweed snack packs in most health food stores/large supermarkets – I used 2 snack packs)
• 20 sundried tomatoes diced up (dried out- not the ones that come in oil see image)
• 6 tbsp. maple syrup (90ml)
• 3 tbsp. pumpkin seeds butter or sunflower seed
• pinch sea salt

 

Method

 

1. Preheat oven 200 °C.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, seeds, cashews and stir the tamari sauce and turmeric. Combine well and spread the mix out evenly on a lined baking tray to toast for 12 minutes, tossing half way through until evenly golden.
3. Once toasted pour back In to the mixing bowl and add in the nori, sundried tomatoes, seasoning and stir.
4. In a small saucepan over medium heat add the maple and pumpkin seed butter, stirring until the seed butter has broken down and the mix is a smooth liquid.
5. Keep stirring and let the mix come to a simmer (approx. 2.5 minutes). It will begin to thicken like a caramel and stick to the bottom a little.
6. Quickly remove and pour into the dry ingredients and using a spoon work the mix thoroughly until every bit is covered in the maple and pumpkin syrup this will take a good minute or so get the biceps working (it will be a stick mix!).
7. Spoon into a lined brownie tin and press firmly down using the back of a clean spatula, pack it as even and tight as you can before setting it off to the freezer for 30-40 minutes to set!
8. Cut into squares and keep stored in the refrigerator for up to 8 days.

 

 

 

Protein Ball/Bar

makes 2 balls or one bar

 

Ingredients

 

• 2 tbsp. Protein – this can be whey, vegan, chocolate, vanilla, whatever you choose
• 1 tbsp. Honey or Maple
• 1 tbsp. Almond butter or Peanut

 

Method

 

1. In a small breakfast bowl combine all the ingredients and using the back of a dessert spoon press the mix together until it forms a dough. Roll into balls or old into a bar shape.
2. Option to eat as is, or my avert ay to enjoy this snack is to bake it for 8-10 minute at 190°C (preheated oven) – let cool for a few minutes and it’s like a cookie!